vncnus Chapter 3: Goods Trained by the Japanese!
Chapter 3: Goods Trained by the Japanese!
If this stalemate continues, there will only be one way out—death.
boom!boom!
He abruptly raised his arm, firing two shots that felled the two nearest military policemen, then turned and rammed into the low wall behind him, his foot just barely touching the top—
puff!puff!puff!
Three bursts of blood suddenly erupted behind him as the bullet pierced his spine and continued its momentum, penetrating his chest.
He froze abruptly, like a wooden stake with its tendons and bones removed, crashing heavily onto the bluestone steps. Blood quickly spread, soaking half of the brick surface. His eyes were wide open, but his pupils were unfocused.
Throughout the entire operation, Zhou Xiao remained standing at the second-floor window, silently observing.
As Zhou Hanguang fell, his face remained expressionless, devoid of any pity.
The fate of a traitor is not something to be lamented.
……
In the conference room, Fang Tian and Zheng Yaoxian sat side by side, waiting for news.
Shortly after, the military police captain, his forehead covered in sweat, rushed in, stood at attention, and reported: "Reporting to Chief of Staff Fang! Zhou Hanguang, the Japanese agent codenamed 'Shadow,' has resisted arrest and been apprehended!"
"Understood." Fang Tian waved his hand, and the man immediately left.
Zheng Yaoxian remained calm, as if he had already written the ending on the back of the cigarette pack.
"Sixth Brother, he's gone." Fang Tian sighed. "It'll be difficult to get any information out of him."
"These lone wolf infiltration operations never leave any backup, establish any contact points, or build any channels." Zheng Yaoxian took out a cigarette case from his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and slowly lit it. "If we capture them alive, it's just a matter of interrogating them a few more times."
He took a deep breath, and through the swirling smoke, his voice was deep yet undeniably authoritative: "To be honest—that day at the training ground, when I saw him and Zhou Xiao being tested together, I was convinced: Zhou Hanguang is a product of the Japanese devils' training."
"Spies trained by the Japanese army have a mark on their very bones. The rhythm of their walk, the frequency of their blinks, the angle at which they hold a pen... others can't tell the difference, but to me, it's as clear as if it's written on their face."
Zhou Hanguang carries this mark on him. Even if he tries his best to hide it, the more critical the moment, the more his deep-rooted instinct to disguise will unconsciously emerge.
However, on the other hand, investigations require solid evidence. We can't just suspect the key personnel in the General Staff based on such a few clues. At the time, I chose to stop there and pretended that I hadn't seen through anything.
His tone was flat and indifferent, as if he were just casually dusting off the dust on his sleeves, without any intention of taking credit.
Fang Tian was shocked: No wonder he is the number one "Shadow Hunter" of the Military Intelligence Bureau! The Military Commission had been investigating the "Shadow" for more than two years, but all the clues had been cut off and the person had disappeared. Sixth Brother only needed a few minor flaws to pinpoint the key.
He flicked his cigarette ash, took a deep drag, and spoke through the swirling smoke: "Fang Tian, I need one person from your General Staff."
"Who?" Fang Tian's pupils contracted slightly, and he blurted out, "Zhou Xiao?"
"Exactly." Zheng Yaoxian's eyes darkened, like a blade slicing through a cold pool. "This kid is born to be a secret agent."
"Absolutely!" Fang Tian nodded vigorously. "He managed to shake off the Kuomintang's tracking team; he could even sniff out the coded messages Zhou Hanguang hid between the lines of the telegrams—this isn't luck, it's talent, intuition, and the alertness of a wild beast."
It should be noted that the Military Intelligence Bureau's tracking team is known for its ruthlessness, accuracy, and stability. Even they did not notice anything unusual, but Zhou Xiao found a fatal flaw in an ordinary report, ultimately cornering "Shadow" into a dead end.
Such insight, such courage, such composure in the face of danger—it's hard to find another person like that in the entire Military Intelligence Bureau.
"Some people are born to live in the shadows." Zheng Yaoxian's lips curled slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
The moment he saw Zhou Xiao, he made up his mind. Later, he sent people to follow him, not to test him, but to test his edge—whether the knife was fast enough and the blade sharp enough, only blood would tell.
As it turned out, Zhou Xiao did not disappoint him.
"He's a perfect fit," Fang Tian said sincerely. "He's one of the best in the General Staff. He excels in tactical simulations, terrain analysis, and intelligence analysis. His physical and mental strength can withstand the most rigorous tests. As long as he takes the courses required for special agents, such as stealth, counter-surveillance, interrogation, and defection, he'll become a sharp blade ready to draw blood within six months."
"When Sixth Brother spoke, the General Staff offered it without hesitation."
Within the Military Intelligence Bureau, the name Zheng Yaoxian was synonymous with prestige. Countless people had served under him, and many had received his secret promotions—this was why he was able to remain infiltrated deep within the enemy ranks for many years, rising higher and higher in rank while maintaining an unshakeable foundation.
"Thanks." Zheng Yaoxian nodded.
Half an hour later, Zhou Xiao was led into the dimly lit room.
"Let me introduce myself first." Zheng Yaoxian looked him up and down, his voice low and steady. "My name is Zheng Yaoxian. I work under Boss Dai and I'm the sixth in my family, so everyone calls me Sixth Brother."
Sixth Brother?
Zhou Xiao's heart skipped a beat—the person in front of him was actually the true core figure of the Military Intelligence Bureau!
"You're so eager to expose 'Shadow,' ostensibly to protect yourself, but in reality... you're offering yourself up as a pledge of allegiance." Zheng Yaoxian's eyes were like hooks as he slowly said, "You want to join the Military Intelligence Bureau, you want to take a sharper path."
"Very good." He paused, his voice revealing an undeniable certainty. "You have the backbone, and you have the eyes. I, Zheng Yaoxian, formally invite you to join the game."
He had long seen through Zhou Xiao, but he still decided to take him on as a disciple.
This is not a stopgap measure, but a genuine appreciation.
This seedling is upright, growing straight, and possesses an untamed, sharp spirit.
Zheng Yaoxian had already made his plans in mind.
Zhou Xiao has already provided the necessary credentials.
But that door ultimately couldn't block his gaze.
Zhou Xiao's fingertips trembled slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed: This Sixth Brother is simply like someone who can cut open people's hearts—he can even bite down on my deepest thoughts, it's too terrifying.
"Mr. Zheng, may I ask you a question?" Zhou Xiao asked in a low voice.
"ask."
"How did you know... I wanted to join the Military Intelligence Bureau?"
Zheng Yaoxian laughed loudly: "Young man, the first lesson for a secret agent is not how to lie, but how to control your face—what truly betrays you is often not your eyes, but the twitch of your lips, the twitch of your eyebrows, the pause in your breath."
Old fox!
He's truly a cunning old fox!
Zhou Xiao suddenly realized that what stood between him and the other party was not seniority, but a bottomless dark river.
But that's normal—it's a cheetah, while I'm just a cub that's recently left the den.
"Why do you want to get in?" Zheng Yaoxian asked.
Zhou Xiao grinned: "The staff room is too quiet. I prefer the three seconds of silence before a shot is fired."
"Good!" Zheng Yaoxian slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "From now on, call me Sixth Brother. I'll personally train and teach you, forging you into the brightest blade in the Military Intelligence Bureau!"
Fang Tian's eyelids twitched upon hearing this: Sixth Brother personally instructing students? This is a precedent that the Military Intelligence Bureau hasn't set in ten years!
Countless people would kneel and beg for a chance to sit in on a class, but they still couldn't get a turn. Many veteran agents would get a promotion and a raise if they followed him on a mission—but he always refused visitors. Even when Boss Dai specifically asked him to bring people, he refused without hesitation.
Now, however, he has taken the initiative to reach out and pull Zhou Xiao into his fold.
This isn't accepting an apprentice; it's clearly recognizing a general!
"Pack your things, and come with me to the mountain city." Zheng Yaoxian stood up, put on his trench coat, and said, "Your career as a secret agent now—officially begins."
"Yes, Sixth Brother." Zhou Xiao straightened his back and answered crisply.
The master-disciple relationship was thus established; the system task was completed simultaneously.
At that very moment, a crisp notification sound rang in my ears: "Ding—Check-in task completed! A generous gift pack has arrived in your account, please check!"
"Check your mail."
The system interface then unfolded: "Congratulations, host, you have obtained the complete set of core agent abilities: Micro-expression control, Micro-expression decryption, Immersive acting, and Advanced mimicry disguise, plus 500 points."
Micro-expression control technique: It can make the host's emotions as still as a deep pool, without any ripples of joy or anger; it can also precisely control facial muscle groups to create a fake expression that deceives the enemy and misleads them, hiding the true intention in the most natural frown or smile.
Micro-expression insight: It can significantly enhance the host's ability to capture and analyze subtle facial changes, making it impossible for the other person to hide their fleeting panic, forced composure, or momentary hesitation—the underlying emotions and true intentions can be known at a glance.
The host's superb acting skills can greatly hone their on-the-spot performance level. From the flow of their eyes, the rise and fall of their tone, the rhythm of their gestures to the rhythm of their breathing, everything can be precisely controlled, making the performance more real than the real thing, so that even the most experienced opponents cannot distinguish between reality and illusion.
Top-tier mimicry and disguise techniques: enable the host to transform into a "living chameleon," perfectly replicating everything from identity and accent to habitual actions, as well as daily life details and social networks, making it indistinguishable from the real thing and leaving no trace of deception.
These three gifts are all aimed at the core combat capabilities of the special agents.
Zhou Xiao glanced at the reward panel that popped up in the system, and his heart suddenly warmed.
He already possesses solid practical skills, but what he lacks is the true "soft skill" that is the secret weapon of the intelligence agency profession—the professional qualities that are steeped in blood and fire experience.
Micro-expressions, however, are the sharpest knife in the face of life and death.
Zhou Xiao had already experienced this firsthand—Zheng Yaoxian had exposed his true intentions on the spot with just a twitch of his eyebrow and a slight movement of his Adam's apple.
As for acting and disguise? Those aren't advantages, they're lifesavers. Every undercover agent has to make their false identity a second skin; the slightest lapse in vigilance means utter ruin.
The gift from this sign-in session was all hardcore, practical information from the special agent course, hitting Zhou Xiao's current Achilles' heel.
value!
It was definitely worth it.
Before the words were even finished, a vast amount of knowledge flooded into his mind like a tidal wave: micro-expression muscle group reaction maps, logical chains for constructing a disguised identity, impromptu response templates... All the content was not a rigid accumulation, but rather layered and naturally connected, as if it had already matured in his bones.
When the system takes action, it is always accurate and decisive.
As soon as Zhou Xiao left the room, Zheng Yaoxian turned to Fang Tian, his voice low but clear: "Fang Tian, Zhou Hanguang's death must be kept quiet. Also, send a skilled member of the Military Intelligence Bureau to continue corresponding with Feng Manna under the guise of 'Shadow'."
Zheng Yaoxian is about to lay out a grand strategy.
According to existing intelligence, "Shadow" has been lying in wait in Nanjing for a long time and has never met Feng Manna; while Feng Manna's father, Feng Zixiong, is working for the Japanese Special Higher Police—isn't this a perfect springboard to infiltrate the heart of the enemy camp?
The best candidate is none other than Zhou Xiao.
He had dealt with Zhou Hanguang many times and was familiar with his words, actions, and habits, so that he would not give himself away when he took over the identity in the future.
However, we cannot rush into action just yet—being a spy is not a game; we must first undergo rigorous training.
"Understood!" Fang Tian replied readily.
Although "Shadow" is dead, he was a lone wolf, and no one except Fung Chi-hung knew his true face; and Fung Chi-hung himself has not seen "Shadow's" true face for more than ten years.