Chapter 254: No tiger in the mountain

"Team Leader Chen, you speak.'

'I want you to go and beg the section chief for a favour. Let Li Jingzhi finish her training early.'

'What?'

'I think Li Jingzhi has passed the telegraph code assessment and can come to our telecommunications team to intern. Start as a transmitter.'

'Really?'

Zhang Yongyi was delighted.

So it was a favour that she was asking of him?

He quickly came to his senses. Chen Mei was deliberately trying to ingratiate herself with him. She was giving Li Jingzhi a chance.

Otherwise, if she really needed help, how could she possibly come at this time?

Wouldn't that just interrupt the 'crucial' moment between him and Li Jingzhi?

Help? She was lucky if she didn't get a slap in the face.

'Thank you,' Zhang Yongyi said with a smile, 'I'll go find the team leader right away.'

'Let me know when you have the result,' Chen Mei said with a smile as she left.

She didn't even look at Li Jingzhi once. But Li Jingzhi heard everything she said.

They were both smart people. They knew exactly what to say. You have to remember her favour.

Fine, he liked this kind of favour. Only when interests are bound together can things be interesting.

After Chen Mei left, Li Jingzhi hurriedly buttoned her shirt and tidied her messy hair.

She gritted her teeth. This bastard...

But she had to admit it. Every time she saw this bastard, her fate changed.

And now it was the same. She was about to become a telegraph operator.

The requirements for a telegraph operator were not as high as those for a radio operator. Telegraph operators did not have to race against time. But radio operators had higher requirements. There could not be any mistakes.

'Are you confident?' Zhang Yong asked, turning his head.

'I...' Li Jingzhi hesitated. In the end, she nodded lightly.

She didn't have enough confidence. But she really wanted to go.

Memorising the code every day was so boring. Even she could hardly bear it anymore.

Fortunately, Zhang Yong had returned. It gave her a little motivation.

'Okay, then, get ready to work in the telecommunications department,' Zhang Yong said, giving her a thumbs-up for encouragement.

She immediately went to see Li Boqi. She explained her reason for coming.

Strangely, Li Boqi did not immediately reply. Instead, he tapped the table with a serious expression.

'Team leader, is there something difficult about this?' Zhang Yong asked.

'This Li Jingzhi has tendencies towards the Red Party. You and I both know that,' Li Boqi said with a stern face. "You need to sign a commitment to ensure that she won't be used by the Red Party.'

'Okay. I'll sign it," Zhang Yong replied immediately.

So that was the problem!

Indeed, Li Jingzhi had tendencies towards the Red Party.

But that was in the past.

If she worked for the Fuxing Society and no one from the Red Party approached her, naturally she wouldn't have any connections with the Red Party.

Besides, even if she did have connections with the Red Party, so what?

Two years later, Shanghai fell to the Japanese, and the Military Intelligence was fighting behind enemy lines. There were so many things going on that headquarters simply couldn't keep track of everything.

Even if someone was really secretly working for the Red Party, headquarters wouldn't know about it.

How many undercover communists were there in the Military Intelligence between 1938 and 1945? Who knows? The head of the department certainly didn't know.

Basically, anyone fighting behind enemy lines was pretty much running their own show.

The headquarters could at most appoint a few key cadres, such as station chiefs, section chiefs, and team leaders. They couldn't control anything else.

Each station chief, section chief, and team leader was above the law.

Otherwise, how would Zhao Lijun dare bury a major Central Intelligence Agency figure alive?

In short, everyone is doing their best.

If you're capable, you'll be well-fed and well-clothed. You can call the shots. If you're not capable, you'll be kept under close supervision.

People like Chen Ming and Yu Xiuning, who are struggling to survive, can't even afford to buy meat once a month.

He had no problem covering for Li Jingzhi.

If anyone dared to arrest her, he would bury them alive too. He meant what he said.

And he wouldn't be punished for it.

He was also very good at competing with each other.

'Forget it. No need for paper. Just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't join the Red Party.' Li Bozhi thought for a moment and then changed his mind. "She has no experience in underground struggle. She's naive. She'll be caught easily by the other side. By then, with the evidence in hand, it won't be easy for us to come forward.'

'Understood," Zhang Yong nodded, 'I'll monitor her.'

'That'll do. Go!'

'Thank you, Team Leader!'

'Oh, yes. One more thing. You're back. I'm on leave. If it's not important, don't bother to look for me.'

'Huh? Vacation?'

Zhang Yong was stunned. Isn't this a fantasy?

You're the head of an operations team. No, it's the deputy head of the operations department, parentheses, in charge. You're taking vacation?

By the way, other people like Mao Renfeng can't wait for 25 hours in a day. They can't wait to eat and sleep at the headquarters on Goose Alley 25 hours a day. Everyone is so inwardly focused. And you, Li Boqi, actually want to take vacation?

Is the sun rising in the west?

Can the Fuxing Society still take vacations?

'What's the problem?'

'No. Can we take leave in the Restoration Society?'

'Why not? The Committee advocates the New Life Movement, in line with international standards. You don't work on Saturdays or Sundays. If you do, you can take compensatory leave later.'

'No...'

Zhang Yong was at a loss for words. Is this the New Life Movement?

Anyway, don't lie to me because I'm uneducated. Is this in the New Life Movement?

Nonsense!

You made it up yourself, didn't you? It's obvious you're just trying to be lazy.

'Since 1931, I have accumulated more than 200 days of vacation. That's like working for an extra six months. I'm taking a half-month break, is that too much?'

'No, it's not. But...'

'But what?'

'Team leader, if you're not here, who do I ask for instructions? I can't keep calling headquarters long distance, can I?'

'What do you need to ask for instructions for? Just make your own decisions, okay?'

'Huh? Make my own decisions?'

'What's the problem?'

'Er...'

Zhang Yong was ashamed.

It seemed like there was no problem. He was even hoping for it.

No need to ask for instructions, just make your own decisions. That would be great. You are the boss. You are the most important person. Even the king of heaven is not as important as you.

The problem is, if something goes wrong, you will be the one to take the blame.

'Go!'

'Team leader, are you really taking half a month's vacation?'

'Yes!'

'Did the department head approve?'

'I didn't ask for instructions. I'll approve my own leave.'

'What?'

Zhang Yong was stunned.

Is that how it works? You can just give yourself leave?

No...

That's a mistake!

'As long as you don't say anything, the higher-ups won't know. Just cover for me.'

'But if the headquarters calls...'

'Just say I'm not here. I've gone out on a mission.'

'What mission?'

'You figure it out.'

'No. Team leader...'

Zhang Yong was dumbfounded once again.

Li Boqi was clearly shirking his responsibilities!

He was even leading a disciplinary breach!

And secretly disobeying orders!

Damn it!

A leader is a leader, and he can't do this!

Does this guy not want to get promoted? If the head of the department finds out, he'll definitely be passed over for promotion in the future.

I was thinking of pushing him to the position of district chief.

It's a waste of effort.

But on second thought, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

It's only half a month. As long as I help cover for him, it'll be completely manageable. Besides myself, it's useless for anyone else to snitch.

Li Boqi would only tell one person about the vacation at most: himself. He would never tell anyone else.

If anyone else asked, it would be because the team leader was on a secret mission.

If the headquarters called, they would be told to wait. Then Li Boqi would be notified and asked to call back.

It wasn't an urgent matter. It wouldn't cause any delays.

'Okay,' Zhang Yong reluctantly agreed, 'we'll keep in touch by phone.'

'It's not a big deal, so don't call every day,' Li Boqi repeated his warning, 'Don't make me feel like I'm not on vacation if I am.'

'I know,' Zhang Yong nodded, 'I'll try not to call.'

'That's fine,' Li Boqi began to pack his things, 'I'm leaving. You'll have to handle everything yourself.'

'What? You're leaving now?' Zhang Yong was again taken aback. So soon?

He'd only just said that, and he was already leaving?

No. Is this called 'deciding first and reporting later'?

'My office doesn't lock. If you need anything, help yourself.'

'Er...'

'Don't worry. Everyone in the Songhu office knows that you're the Director's favourite. You're the talk of the town. The Director even bought you a set of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms for you to read every day. With this kind of aura, no one would dare to play around with you. Anyone you tell to go east will definitely not dare to go west.'

'Er...'

'If anyone is uncooperative, you don't even need to do anything, because Cao Mengqi will beat them until they can't take care of themselves.'

'Er...'

'If anyone disobeys, take a little less of the Japanese spy's assets that we have seized. He will know right away that he has made a mistake.'

'Er...'

'Let's go!'

After saying this, Li Boqi really left. How dashing.

Zhang Yong couldn't help but laugh. He saw him off to the door. But he didn't dare to show it too obviously. It would be bad if other people knew.

After Li Boqi's back disappeared, Zhang Yong realised an important problem.

It seems that there is no tiger in the mountains, and the monkey is calling the shots?

There are no other senior leaders in the Shanghai Office. There is only Li Boqi.

Now Li Boqi is on leave. The person with the highest position is Chen Mei. She is also at the level of team leader. Then there is himself.

Although he is not the nominal team leader, he is actually the team leader.

The people in the Intelligence Section are not up to par.

Under the suppression of Li Boqi, the Intelligence Section has not had the opportunity to make a name for itself.

Zhou Weilong also seems to be giving him Zhang Yong face, and has been asking the Intelligence Section on this side to be restrained and low-key.

Therefore, the people in the Intelligence Section will not oppose him.

The key is that the other people in the Shanghai Office, including Cao Mengqi and Wei Yong, are old partners. They all listen to him.

Yes, Cao Mengqi and Wei Yong basically listen to his orders. They will not betray him.

Especially Cao Mengqi, who is eager for him to return.

Wait...

Where is Cao Mengqi?

Has this guy gone on a mission?

"Zhang Yong!'

'Zhang Yong!'

Just as he was wondering, someone shouted excitedly.

Well, speak of the devil. Cao Mengqi had returned.

It was a lively scene.

Sure enough, Cao Mengqi only listened to Zhang Yong.

Wei Yong was not very good at talking. But he obviously also listened to Zhang Yong.

They were all overjoyed to hear that Li Boqi was temporarily absent.

'No, don't show it so obviously,'

'What's there to be afraid of? The team leader is not here anyway,'

'But I am here!'

'Go ahead, what are you going to punish us for?'

'I...'

Zhang Yong helplessly rolled his eyes.

It's over. The Songhu office is really in chaos now.

He's an uncontrollable mountain king, leading a bunch of monkeys who don't mind getting into trouble. God knows what kind of trouble they'll get into.

What if they tear Shanghai apart...

Oh, don't worry, it seems like I have a good relationship with the garrison headquarters. Commander Qian is still the garrison commander. He can still protect me.

It was only with great difficulty that they gradually calmed down.

'Cao, what task were you on?'

'Monitoring Huang Yanfei!'

'Did you find any evidence?'

'No. This guy's movements have been completely normal.'

'Completely normal...'

Zhang Yong frowned.

Since the traditional methods had not worked, they would be cancelled.

He immediately ordered the surveillance of Huang Yanfei to be stopped. Then he remembered: This guy and Wen Zhenping might know each other.

Since Wen Zhenping has already revealed everything, let Huang Yanfei do the same.

'Where is he currently?'

'He just left. He went to Da Sanyuan. Our people are near Da Sanyuan.'

'Good. Let's go to Da Sanyuan.'