Chapter Thirty-Five: The Dagger Revealed

The noise in the dance hall was deafening; even when speaking face-to-face, words were barely audible.

After Ruyu and Wang Sheng took their seats, they leaned in close, whispering to each other with flirtatious, suggestive gestures that led onlookers to assume they were sharing intimate endearments. However, thanks to his exceptional hearing, Song Yingge caught every word clearly.

"How many were arranged today?" Ruyu asked.

"Two. That brings the total to ten," Wang Sheng replied.

"There are five days left. The remaining ten must all be fully embedded," Ruyu said, her smile as bright as a flower, though her tone was cold and sharp.

"Understood," Wang Sheng said.

"Is the police investigation into the Chu Junzheng case still ongoing?" Ruyu asked.

"It has quieted down these past few days. They are nothing but a bunch of useless drunks; they won't uncover anything," Wang Sheng said dismissively.

"You fool. Drop your arrogance; there are still many capable people in China. If any slip-ups occur, you will commit seppuku to atone for your sins," Ruyu scolded.

"Yes, I will proceed with caution," Wang Sheng replied.

"What about Jiang Shuning and her daughter? Have they been found? The higher-ups specifically requested this pair of mother-daughter flowers," Ruyu inquired.

"We have too few men, and there are no leads. There has been no progress so far," Wang Sheng said, sounding troubled.

With the business concluded, the two shifted their conversation to trivial romantic banter. Their dialogue confirmed Song Yingge's suspicions. Twenty agents, if deployed correctly during a period of military standoff, could prove devastatingly effective. Furthermore, given the nature of the Japanese invaders, these twenty were likely only a fraction of the total force, with others hidden elsewhere. To settle this once and for all, Song decided to leave Ruyu undisturbed for the moment.

For the next two days, Song kept a tight watch on Ruyu but observed her making no contact with anyone suspicious. He surmised that her handler must be located within the Japanese Consulate General in Nanjing—perhaps even Sugiyama Hakusuke himself. Ruyu had mentioned that her superiors specifically wanted the mother and daughter, Jiang Shuning, implying that her "superiors" had seen them before. This was only possible if they were based in Nanjing.

Song vividly remembered a previous incident involving intelligence transmitted via a waste bucket. Could Ruyu’s method of communication be just as "unique"? After another day of tailing her with no results, Song took advantage of the time Ruyu was at work to sneak into her home. After a thorough search, he found a radio and a codebook hidden in a gap in the wall. This discovery taught Song a lesson: the most secretive methods of intelligence transmission are often the simplest. He had been focused on watching for meetings, while they were simply sending telegrams from home. It was a complete paradigm shift.

Carrying the radio and codebook back to Caodu Lane, Song reported the case to Wei Si and Dai Li. Dai Li expressed his appreciation for the major case Song had quietly resolved. Because the operation involved a large number of arrests, all three teams from the Operations Division were mobilized, totaling over a hundred men, with the Fourth Intelligence Team leading the raids.

Over the past few days, the residences of the Japanese spies hiding in the Caimao Transport Agency had been fully identified. The arrests began under the cover of night while the agents were sleeping. Song Yingge took two men to the dance hall to apprehend Ruyu. When they arrived, she was still drinking with a guest.

Song walked over, pulled her into his arms, ignored the murderous glare from the guest, and said, "Miss Ruyu, would you care for a dance?"

"I would be delighted," Ruyu replied, recognizing the handsome man who had requested her company a few days prior. She assumed Song was merely acting out of petty jealousy and remained oblivious to the gravity of the situation. They walked to the dance floor, moving together to the music.

"Miss Ruyu, may I ask you a question?" Song said.

"What question?" she replied.

"Do you know where the rest of the spies are hiding, besides the twenty at the Caimao Transport Agency?"

Ruyu’s body stiffened, her muscles tensing instantly.

"I suggest you finish this dance with me," Song whispered.

Ruyu possessed strong nerves. "Is there a reward for finishing the dance?"

"I can grant you a few more minutes of freedom. Does that count?" Song said.

"It certainly does."

Ruyu realized she had been caught. Escape was impossible; she could only plan her next move. "Do not arrest me here; it will cause a scene. I will go with you," she said. Her cooperation was so unexpected that it briefly left Song at a loss. He kept his arm around her waist, led her out of the dance hall, and into a car. Throughout the process, she remained perfectly compliant.

"Put a hood over my head," Ruyu requested. Song could do nothing but oblige; he didn't understand, but he respected the request.

After escorting Ruyu back to Caodu Lane, she made another demand: "I require solitary confinement. I will see no one but you." Song began to guess her intent. Once she was in the interrogation room, Song asked, "Are you going to confess directly, or do you want to go through the motions?"

"My father is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Japanese Ministry of War, and my grandfather is a Lieutenant General. If you release me within half an hour, no one will dare to investigate me. I can become your informant," Ruyu said calmly, showing no signs of panic.

It was the first time Song had encountered a Japanese spy who surrendered so readily, and he was momentarily unsure how to respond.

"Tell me about your mission first," Song said.

Ruyu answered without hesitation. Originally named Nagashima Yuri, she had aspired to be a painter but was forced by her family to work for the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs before being transferred to intelligence. Four months ago, to support a plan code-named "Dagger's Glimpse" directed by Suma, she infiltrated the dance hall to scout locations for embedding spies. By chance, she met Chu Junzheng there. Upon learning he owned a rickshaw transport agency, she acted on the opportunity. After consulting with Suma, she decided to use the agency as a base. She sent Wang Sheng to infiltrate, then secretly murdered Chu and his son, using coercion and bribery to seize control of the Caimao Transport Agency.

"Is your handler Sugiyama Hakusuke?" Song asked.

"I report directly to Suma," Ruyu replied.

"How many Japanese spies are involved in this 'Dagger's Glimpse' plan?"

"I am not certain, but a conservative estimate would be no fewer than sixty."

"Who is responsible for arranging the others?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps Toyota Chiyo or Sugiyama Hakusuke."

"Have you met Toyota Chiyo? Where is she now?"

"She is at the consulate. Are you going to arrest her?" Ruyu asked, a hint of mockery in her voice.

Song delivered a sharp slap to her backside. "None of you will get away."

Ruyu’s lips curled into a smile. "Is violence all you know? Actually, I wouldn't mind sharing some pleasant memories with you."

"Not interested," Song replied. He wasn't about to be toyed with; he was hardly the same sort of man as Dai Li.