Chapter 353: Sitting at home

'Director Yang!'

'Captain Zhang!'

'Please!'

'Please!'

Zhang Yong was at the training base again.

He didn't come here on his own. Yang Shanfu invited him. Very politely.

It so happened that Zhang Yong was free. So he came to take a look.

To be honest, this training base for the future military intelligence is quite promising.

Hangzhou is Yu Lexing, and Jinling is Yang Shanfu.

The agents trained by these two have become an important source of replenishment for the Fuxing Society.

The Director wants to expand the team and increase the manpower substantially. But they can't just take anyone. They can't just pick a few random people and shove them into the team.

Occasionally, a few people might be okay. But not as a whole unit.

'Captain Zhang, your recent record of victories is a little lacklustre!' Yang Shanfang teased with a smile.

'Alas, it's hard to explain,' Zhang Yong responded gloomily, 'I'm tired of cleaning up after other people all day.'

'Han Xin of course also suffered humiliation. One should have a long-term perspective. Captain Zhang's future prospects are limitless. Yang Zhi, please continue to ask for Shao Long's help in the future.'

'I was just wondering why you didn't call me Shao Long, but instead called me Captain Zhang. Have we grown apart?'

'I'm asking you for a favour again, so I'm not sure if I should call you Shao Long!'

'You have some more talent to recommend to me?'

'Not exactly talent. They're just a few logistics staff.'

'Who?'

'They're all from some relatives' families.'

'No problem. Give them to me!'

Zhang Yong readily agreed.

He knew that Yang Shanfu was just a white glove.

What does that mean? He definitely wasn't a relative of the Yang family. He was probably a relative of some other senior figure at the headquarters.

They would use Yang Shanfu's name to ask for his opinion.

If he said yes, then they could slowly make it public in the future. If he said no, then that would be that. No one's face would be hurt.

Otherwise, if Zhou Weilong came to ask Zhang Yong, saying that he wanted to arrange for a relative to come in, and asking Zhang Yong if he could do it, that would be a bit of a slap in the face. One side might feel uncomfortable.

If it's done through an intermediary, and no one is specifically named, then there would be a lot less awkwardness.

They are all shrewd people.

They have all mastered the art of using connections.

Zhang Yong is happy to be a good guy.

If everyone is happy, everyone is well. The more people there are, the stronger the fire.

What he needs now is a binding of interests. Tie himself to other people.

If everyone prospers, everyone suffers.

In this way, if anything happens, others will secretly help.

If an accident happens, even if they cannot help secretly, at least they will not throw stones at him when he is down.

This can also reduce a lot of resistance.

Besides, in the future, when fighting behind enemy lines, you will still need a lot of help.

The most obvious thing is to request the allocation of funds, or weapons and ammunition. If you go through one hand and then another, there won't be any left.

Not to mention that there will be more than two hands.

If there are all interested parties in the middle, there won't be as much to deduct. You should get more than 70%...

'So what do you think?'

'That's good, I need someone for Intelligence Section 3. Work hard for them. Go over there and set up a front.'

'Thank you very much!'

'Director Yang, you're being too polite,'

'Okay, I won't say anything,'

Yang Shanfu responded with a smile.

Then he invited him to watch the personnel training assessment. However, there were new recruits arriving.

The department head had recently received a lot of praise from the superior, and the superior's praise was highly regarded by others, so naturally others looked up to the department head and were generally willing to curry favour.

The most direct response is that the Director often gets priority in staffing.

Zhang Yong took a look around. He noticed that these new recruits were all very young. They all looked to be about 17 or 18 years old. Were they military academy students?

"They are all from the 11th Huangpu Military Academy class.'

'Huh?'

Zhang Yong was both surprised and delighted.

He was delighted that they were Huangpu students!

That was impressive.

The Director had managed to get so many Huangpu students in one go. The Restoration Society would soon expand rapidly!

He was surprised that they had already graduated.

The 11th Huangpu Military Academy class only started in September last year. It's only been a year.

According to the academic system, it should be two and a half years. Why were they recruited after only one year of study?

However, Zhang Yong did not ask in detail.

The Director had his reasons for doing so. Maybe it was better to strike first?

In fact, none of the Huangpu Military Academy classes before the War of Resistance Against Japan graduated successfully. The students in the 12th, 13th and 14th classes all went straight from school to the battlefield.

Because they had no combat experience, and they encountered the ferocious Japanese invaders. So the casualties were very high. Not many survived. Therefore, after the sixth class of Huangpu Military Academy, there were basically no more famous talents.

'All of them?'

'Of course not. The top 30.'

'Thirty?'

'Yes. This is the largest number of people we have ever recruited from Huangpu.'

'What about the others?'

'They are all young students who have abandoned their studies to join the army. The Director is preparing to set up a special training class.'

'Oh...'

Zhang Yong understood.

The Director not only needed Huangpu students, but also educated youths.

The Fuxing Society was not about fighting and killing.

Or rather, it was not just about fighting and killing.

It required brains.

It required cultural knowledge.

A roughneck could only ever be at the bottom.

Huangpu students were just a signboard. In fact, there was a need for more professionals.

The special training class was one of them.

It seems that his arrival has slightly flapped a butterfly's wings.

Because he has money and power in his hands, and needs people, the department head started the special training class early. There was no need to wait for the Qingpu class to be held later.

This is good.

Zhang Yong supports it with both hands and feet.

With more people, there will be more for his own subordinates. Safety is more assured.

Of course, Huangpu students are not needed.

They cannot lead.

They are not qualified.

How can he, a self-taught person, lead other Huangpu students?

Others are the Emperor's disciples...

'By the way, where did our team leader come from?'

'Team Leader Li?'

'Yes.'

'He was a teacher at a high school. Then he joined the Northern Expedition.'

'Where is he from?'

'Shandong Province. His family is from Quancheng. When the Japanese invaded and ravaged Quancheng...'

Yang Shanfu sighed slightly.

Zhang Yong knew there was something fishy going on.

Could it be that Li Boqi had family members who were killed in the Quancheng Massacre?

Without the Red Army, the Northern Expedition had lost its revolutionary spirit. Faced with the intervention of the Japanese invaders, they simply did not dare to resist.

The end result was that the people of Quancheng suffered heavy casualties. The city was sacked. More than 10,000 residents were killed or injured. It was a great shame.

However, the order the Chinese army received was 'not to return fire'.

Sadness.

sighs.

That was China in 1928...

So weak...

Li Boqi always stood firm on the frontline against Japan, perhaps because of the deep hatred for Quancheng.

'Ring ring ring!'

'Ring ring ring...'

Suddenly, the phone rang.

Yang Shanfu picked up the receiver. He then turned his head and looked at Zhang Yong.

Zhang Yong: ?

Is it for me?

No way!

I've just arrived at the training base and immediately got a life-threatening call?

Am I that popular?

Do they think the Fuxing Society can't function without me?

Nonsense...

However, the phone call was indeed for Zhang Yong. It was Intelligence Chief Zhou Weilong.

'Shaolong, Kyprov is dead.'

'Who?'

'Kyprov, the Russian. From the International Nightclub in the Shanghai International Settlement.'

'Huh? I saw him yesterday.'

'You were at the Senlan Café yesterday?'

'Yes! I went with Zhang Ping from the Treasury Department. And a small team from Yang Zhi. At the time, I was wondering why Chepolov was there alone. After he went in, a dozen Russians came outside. They told me to mind my own business, so we left.'

Zhang Yong gave a brief description.

There were many witnesses at the time. He just told the whole story.

Chepolov's death really had nothing to do with him. Although, if given the chance, he would have probably killed the other guy. But the main objective was to get rich.

'You say that afterwards, a lot of Russians appeared?'

'Yes. There were more than ten of them. They surrounded the whole café.'

'Was it a fight among the Russians?'

'I don't know. Later, we left. We went to the Hotel de Paris.'

'You should be more careful when you go out in the future.'

'What's wrong?'

'Right now, there are rumours on the streets that you killed Chepolov.'

'Me?'

'Yes. Khlipov is dead. He had a younger brother, Khlipushinov, who is also a ruthless character. Watch out, he may do you harm.'

'Wo...'

Zhang Yong almost swore.

Damn it, I have nothing to do with Khlipov's death.

I doubt it. Did you, Khlipushinov, kill your own brother and then frame me for it?

Who can't do that?

Damn it. What a mess. Why does everything always involve me?

He hung up the phone in a huff.

'What's going on?' Yang Shanfu asked curiously.

'Someone is accusing me of killing Chepelov,' Zhang Yong responded moodily. 'Damn it, I don't know who it is.'

'Chepelov had many enemies. The most likely culprit is the Red Cheka.'

'The Red Cheka killed someone and framed me? They're not man enough to take the blame...'

'It's just a possibility. Chepelov had so many enemies, who knows which one it was? Maybe it was someone from within?'

'I really don't know him well. I can't think of anyone.'

'I know a bit about him. Chepelov was a bit ruthless when it came to amassing wealth, and he had long been the target of many people.'

'Amassing wealth?'

'Anyone who fled from Belarus and wanted to settle in Songhu had to get Chepelov's permission.'

'I see...'

Zhang Yong gritted his teeth.

The so-called permission was actually a protection fee.

Those who fled from White Russia were basically all aristocrats. Each of them was rich.

Russian aristocrats in the era of the Tsar were very wealthy.

After they fled to Songhu, the first thing they had to do was to surrender their wealth. Otherwise, they would be killed without hesitation by Chepolov.

Those pitiful White Russian aristocrats dared not say anything in the face of Chepolov's brutality.

Anyone who said no was thrown into the Huangpu River to feed the fish. Not only were their possessions plundered, they were also wiped out.

Of course, the beautiful young Belarusian girls and noblewomen were naturally spared. They were enjoyed as spoils of war. After they were tired of them, they were thrown into nightclubs to make money.

Otherwise, are all the foreign beauties in the Wan Guo nightclub there of their own free will?

'Section Chief Zhou is right to warn us. With Kyprov dead, there will probably be a big wave of repercussions. You are in the eye of the storm, so you must always be careful.'

'Damn it...'

Zhang Yong cursed angrily. He was powerless.

This really was a case of trouble coming from nowhere. Who was really behind this?

Was it Kypushinov?

With Kyprov dead, he was the biggest beneficiary.

From a profit perspective, the murderer is most likely Chibyshev. This guy, deliberately putting himself forward, is just trying to cover himself.

Damn. The Russians are so crafty.

'Ring ring ring...'

'Ring ring ring...'

Suddenly, the phone rang again.

Yang Shanfu picked up the receiver. He answered it. Then he handed it to Zhang Yong.

Zhang Yong: ?

Shit, is it for me again?

Damn, did I stir up a hornet's nest?

What did I do to deserve this?

I haven't even been near a woman in the past few days, and I'm even more desperate than Mao Yanfeng...

God is unfair...

'Hello...'

'Kiporshenov has offered a reward of 100,000 US dollars for your head.'

'What?'

Zhang Yong was stunned.

Really. 100,000 US dollars! A reward!

Shit!

That's really worth a lot of money!

Why didn't I know that I was so valuable?

The call was from Li Boqi.

It seems that the news has already spread all over Shanghai. Even Li Boqi knows about it.

I guess all the assassins are already itching to take Zhang Yong's head and collect the reward...

That's a hundred thousand US dollars!

A hundred thousand US dollars!

A hundred thousand US dollars!

I'll say it three times for emphasis.

This reward will absolutely drive everyone crazy. They will go all out. They will stop at nothing.

However, strangely, Zhang Yong soon calmed down.

You can't worry about every little thing. It's raining, the sky is darkening, and the woman is marrying someone else. Just let it go!

Lie down...

Play dead...

'The same as last time, Diega?'

'What do you mean, last time?'

'Last time I killed the head of the Tiandi Gang inside the Club International...'

'You're lucky to be alive.'

Li Boqi's mouth twitched at the other end of the phone.

Zhang Yong had to remind him, otherwise he would have forgotten. This guy has a criminal record.

Without a word of warning, he killed the head of the Tien-Di Gang. It caused a huge uproar. Fortunately, no one knows it was him.

That Tien-Di Gang, although it is a gang from the past, is still a powerful one. But even a rotten ship has some good nails. There are still a few old guys behind the scenes. If they knew it was Zhang Yong who did it, it might cause another storm.

'I really didn't kill Chepurov. I was surrounded by a lot of people at the time.'

'The truth doesn't matter. A hundred thousand dollars is worth dying for.'

'Then I'll kill myself!'

'Don't come back yet.'

'But I'm going to the Shanghai Public Concession tomorrow.'

'What for?'

'To complete the task assigned by Madam.'

'Be careful on the road.'

Li Boqi did not try to stop him again.

A task assigned by Madam must be completed.

There was no room for discussion.

'I know,'

Zhang Yong thought to himself. Of course I will be careful.

I would love to bring a trainload of people with me. I would love to protect myself with an entire synthetic infantry battalion from the future.

The problem is, there are no such conditions!

At best, there are just two small teams of Yang Zhi and Wei Yong. About thirty people.

From a numerical perspective, thirty people is not a small number. However, if they encounter the Chen family's black-clad expert, they will still be in danger.

Alas, what bad luck...

When will the broken system finally start?

Give me 100,000 mobilised soldiers...

Or give me 100,000 dogs...

I returned from the training base in a depressed mood. I have no motivation to work.

The main reason is that I have not earned much recently. I have no motivation.

Then it suddenly occurred to me that Kong Fansong seemed to be looking for someone to do some private work. Hey, this is good! Private work pays more...

I quickly gathered my spirits and found Kong Fansong's phone number. Then I called him.

'Hello...'

'Director Kong, it's me. Zhang Yong from the Fuxing Society.'

'You finally decided to call. I thought you'd gone back to Shanghai.'

'No. About what you said last time...'

'Come to Daguang Road. I'll wait for you at the Café Sao Tome.'

'Okay!'

After a brief chat, Zhang Yong hangs up the phone.

He frowns.

A café again? He now has a bad feeling about cafés.

He doesn't want anything else to go wrong. That would be too much bad luck in a row. But he's not afraid.

Could someone offer a reward of $100,000?

Shit, a Mustang fighter costs only $40,000. I'm worth two fucking Mustangs.

Can an ordinary person be worth that much? Haha!

Comfort myself for a while. Long live the mental victory method.

Let's go.

I still need to bring someone.

It's already evening. It'll be nightfall by the time we get back.

It's easiest to get attacked at night. So, it's definitely a good idea to bring more people. I should also bring my Mauser rifle and my Mosin-Nagant.

Unfortunately, this is not the Songhu Office. Otherwise, he would have taken three Czech light machine guns and two 60mm mortars with him. That would have been absolutely safe.

However, mortars are a taboo weapon in Jinling. They cannot be used lightly. It's too dangerous.

The range is so far. What if it accidentally hits the residence of the president? That would be disastrous.

Arrive safely at the Sao Tome Western Restaurant.

Fortunately, there are not many customers here. Only a few men in Zhongshan suits are guarding the entrance.

Are they probably Kong Fansong's bodyguards?

Stop the car.

Get out.

Sure enough, they are Kong Fansong's bodyguards. They lead Zhang Yong in.

'Shaolong!'

'Shaolong!'

Someone calls out joyfully.

Zhang Yong: ...

Song Ziyu is here too?

Well, she really is coming on to him! So clingy...

'This way!'

'This way!'

Song Ziyu greeted him enthusiastically.

He almost walked right up to him, took Zhang Yong's hand and walked in with him.

Kong Fansong also waved at him.

Zhang Yong walked over and sat down.

'Director Kong...'

'What? You can't see me? You can see that I'm here, but you won't even say hello to me!'

'Miss Song, I have something to tell you.'

'What is it?'

'Right now, there are people out there who suspect that I killed Kyprov and are offering a reward of $100,000 for my head...'

'So what?'

'You'd better not get too close to me. Otherwise, if you get hit by a stray bullet, that wouldn't be funny.'

'Hmph, I'm not afraid! I had my fortune told. They all said you're destined for wealth and glory, and that you won't die so young. They also said that after you die, you'll attain supreme glory. You'll be buried with the national flag draped over your coffin.'

'Me?'

Zhang Yong was shocked.

What? That charlatan was talking nonsense? It scared the hell out of me.

Buried with the national flag?

What a load of crap. Don't be ridiculous! It's easy to get beaten to death.

It's too glorious, I can't bear it.

I'm not qualified for that.

'Let's get back to business.'

'No rush.'

Kong Fansong said with a smile.

Song Ziyu sat down next to Zhang Yong.

Zhang Yong: ...

Sister, why don't we go register our marriage now?

That way you won't have to be so attentive...

'In fact, Ziyu doesn't mind if you're unfaithful. You can think about it.'

'What?'

'Men, they have a main wife at home and a side wife on the side. It's normal. She's long since got used to it.'

'No...'

Zhang Yong wanted to defend himself.

He wanted to say, 'I'm not like that. I'm a good young man.' In the end, he didn't dare say it.

How dare he call himself a good young man?

More like a 'three-naught' youth?

No morals, no bottom line, no law and order...

'Yes!'

Song Ziyu actually nodded in agreement.

Zhang Yong was completely defeated. He was in a bad way. He didn't expect her to be in a worse way than him.

Is this the red thread of the matchmaker?

Bullshit!

This is a fucking steel cable!