The nights in Shanghai always had their own rhythm, even after the shadow of war had passed. In the concession district, the lights were still bright, the music from the nightclubs was faintly heard, and the aroma of cooking was mixed with cigarette smoke. But for Xie Xiang, Gu Yanzhen, and Shen Junshan, the glitter was only a thin veil covering a web of intrigue. The code word "Operation Bamboo Curtain" had opened the door to a labyrinth darker and more dangerous than they had imagined.
Gu Yanzhen, with his deep family connections, worked tirelessly. He sent encrypted telegrams to his uncles in Nanking, asking them to investigate every name and every suspicious movement in government circles. He also sent several trusted family agents to monitor the new logistics supply lines, looking for any loopholes or irregularities. Nanking, the capital of the Republic of China, was the center of power, but also a hotbed of conspiracy. Various factions of the Kuomintang (KMT) were tugging at each other, compounded by communist infiltration and, most importantly, Japanese influence that infiltrated every line. This internal chaos was fertile ground for treachery.
"My uncles have found some suspicious names in Nanking," Gu Yanzhen reported to Xie Xiang one morning in their barracks, his voice filled with frustration. "But they are just shadows. There is always a reason why they are there, why they do what they do. It is difficult to prove their connection to Japan directly." He tossed a file onto the table, reports filled with military and political jargon. "It is as if an invisible hand has wiped their tracks clean."
Xie Xiang ran his fingers through the names in the file. "Perhaps because the invisible hand is someone very powerful. Someone who knows how to play the system." He remembered Mr. Dubois's cold stare. The man was a puzzle to be solved. His espionage instincts screamed that Dubois was no ordinary foreign adviser.
They realized that approaching Dubois directly would not work. The man was too slippery. They needed to create bait, a scenario that would force him to show his true colors.
"We need a 'leak' of information," Xie Xiang suggested, his eyes sparkling with an idea. "Something important, but not too vital, that will test the reactions of Dubois and his target."
Gu Yanzhen looked at Xie Xiang in admiration. "Good idea. But what leak? And how can we make sure it reaches Dubois without suspicion?"
While they were discussing, Shen Junshan was immersed in his mission at the International Concession. He devoted himself to his work, using every second to forget the pain in his heart. He had tracked down one of the Japanese informants he had heard about in the teahouse: a seemingly ordinary cloth shop owner with strange connections to the harbor. Shen Junshan knew that people like this were often small nodes in a larger network.
One afternoon, Shen Junshan observed the cloth shop from a distance, blending in with the crowd on the busy street. He saw a well-dressed man, in an imported woolen suit and a fedora, enter the shop. His face was unfamiliar, but his movements were too careful for an ordinary customer. After a few minutes, the man came out, holding a roll of cloth in his hand. Shen Junshan followed him.
The man brought the roll of cloth to a bustling European-style cafe in the heart of the French Concession. He sat down at a corner table, ordered coffee, and unrolled the roll of cloth. Among the folds of the cloth, Shen Junshan saw a small piece of paper tucked in. He knew it was no ordinary piece of paper.
Shen Junshan slipped in, ordered tea, and sat down at a table close enough to hear the conversation. He studied the man. Not long after, another man, also well-dressed, approached the table. They spoke English with a strong French accent.
"Is it there?" the second man asked.
The first man nodded. "The details are here. 'Operation Bamboo Curtain' will begin sooner than we thought. And our 'contact' in Nanking is ready."
Shen Junshan felt a chill run down his spine. This was concrete evidence! The details of "Operation Bamboo Curtain" were on the roll of cloth. And this French agent was probably a courier. Was he working for the Japanese, or was he just selling information to whoever would pay? The question flashed through his mind.
When he returned to the academy, Shen Junshan immediately looked for Xie Xiang and Gu Yanzhen. He found them still in the library, planning their "bait".
"I have something," Shen Junshan said, his voice a little hoarse from the rush. He recounted what he had seen and heard, including the lines about "Bamboo Curtain" and "contacts in Nanking."
Xie Xiang and Gu Yanzhen exchanged glances. Shen Junshan's information was invaluable. It confirmed that Mr. Dubois was part of a much larger network, even if he was just a middleman.
"So, Mr. Dubois may not only be an advisor," Gu Yanzhen said, "but also an operator."
"And he knows about 'Operation Bamboo Curtain,'" Xie Xiang added. "We must use this information. We will create a 'leak' about a fictitious military plan to attack a sensitive Japanese position, and let Dubois know about it. If he is part of their network, he will definitely react."
They devised an elaborate plan. Xie Xiang, with his wits and acting skills, would approach Dubois again. This time, he would pretend to "accidentally" leave behind a fake document that looked highly classified, containing information about troop movements and plans to attack a crucial Japanese base. The document would be encrypted with a complex code, but with a "loophole" that could be cracked by someone with advanced espionage skills, such as Dubois.
"If he takes the bait, he will try to crack the code and send it to his Japanese 'contact,'" Gu Yanzhen explained. "And we will track his movements."
Shen Junshan was assigned to monitor Dubois closely, becoming an invisible shadow. Shen Junshan's experience in infiltration and tracking would be the key to the success of this operation. Although there was a pang in his heart every time he saw Xie Xiang and Gu Yanzhen working together, he pushed it aside. **The duty of the country and Xie Xiang's safety came first.** He was a soldier. Personal emotions had to be put aside. However, behind his sharp eyes, there was a shadow of sadness that never really went away. He would occasionally steal glances at Xie Xiang, observing the way she laughed or thought, a beauty that he knew would never be his.
The next day, the plan was executed. Xie Xiang deliberately dropped a thick file near Mr. Dubois when they "happened" to pass each other in the academy corridor. The file contained a report with the words "ABSOLUTE SECRET: Operation Flying Dragon Plan" written on it. Xie Xiang's face showed a hint of panic as she hurriedly picked it up, but she intentionally left the file open for a moment, just enough to reveal some graphs and coded text.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Dubois," Xie Xiang said in a perfectly nervous tone. "I didn't mean to."
Dubois smiled faintly. "It's okay, Miss Xie. Be careful with such important documents." His eyes briefly glanced at the open file, catching a few key words.
Xie Xiang left, feeling Dubois' gaze still following her. She knew he had taken the bait.
A few hours later, Shen Junshan reported. "Dubois just left the academy. He took a taxi to the International Concession, taking the file with him."
Gu Yanzhen clenched his fists. "Good. Now let's wait. Let's see who bites our bait."
They placed spies around the International Concession, monitoring Dubois' every move. Night fell, and Dubois was seen entering an old building that used to be the office of a trading company. The lights were on inside the building, and Dubois's silhouette could be seen through the window.
They knew he was working, trying to crack the code. Dubois's intelligence was unquestionable. They also knew that if he succeeded, he would immediately send the information to his Japanese "contact."
The tension was palpable. This was a dangerous game of cat and mouse. One wrong move could spell disaster. The future of the Republic of China, it seemed to them, now depended on a piece of fake paper and the reaction of a mysterious agent. Xie Xiang felt her heart pounding. She looked at Gu Yanzhen, her eyes full of determination. Gu Yanzhen stared back, gripping her hand tightly. They were ready for whatever was to come.
***to be continued chapter 4