0p0 Chapter 426: Countdown to the Sino-Japanese Friendship Ship: The Golden War in Tianjin Port 5 Days A
Chapter 426: Countdown to the Sino-Japanese Friendship Ship: The Golden War in Tianjin Port 5 Days A
Lei Tao and his group quickly packed their bags and left the inn. When they arrived at the station, a tin horn suddenly emitted a sharp electric sound. After a "zila" sound, a voice in stiff Chinese was heard: "Dear passengers, please note that the 'Japan-China Friendship' train to Tianjin is about to arrive at the station. Please bring your good citizen certificate and check in in order-"
Before he could finish his words, the "East Asia Co-Prosperity March" suddenly blared over the radio. The off-key piano prelude, mixed with the cacophony, sent dust rustling from the platform ceiling. "Japan and China cooperate, the land of imperial rule..." As the shrill female voice reached its climax, several elderly men waiting for the train instinctively touched their certificates of good conduct on their chests, as if they were red-hot irons.
Lei Tao clenched his fists. The tune reminded him of the trumpets used by the Japanese army to massacre the city the previous year. Meng Xiaoyu's eyelashes fluttered violently, and the scimitar in her sleeve twirled unconsciously—it was the blood-soaked melody she had heard at Jinling Women's University.
"The Greater East Asia Holy War will surely win! The Imperial Army is the army of justice—" The broadcast suddenly switched to a male voice, its echo bouncing off the platform's steel beams. "Anyone who resists inspection will be punished according to the Public Security Maintenance Act!"
Liu Zishan lowered his head to pack his bag and cursed in a voice that only his companions could hear: "The army of justice has come to our land to burn, kill and loot!"
Li Shuiniu suddenly nudged Lei Tao with his elbow, pointing his chin at the banner above the ticket gate: "Build a paradise of kingly rule, share the prosperity of Greater East Asia" The slogan was faded to a yellowish brown by the sun, and below it was pasted a notice for the wanted "Netherworld Assassin". The top corner was wet by rain, and the four large cinnabar characters "Netherworld Assassin" looked like solidified blood scabs.
"... repeatedly attacking and killing Imperial Army officers and soldiers, sabotaging the holy war..." Li Shuiniu lowered his voice and read, "A reward of one hundred taels of gold—ah, these bandits!"
The radio began again, the tail end of the "March of Common Prosperity" drowned out by the thud of Japanese boots. Lei Tao saw three members of the Special High Section wearing white gloves, mixed in with the ticket inspectors, comparing the passenger's appearance with the wanted poster.
Lei Tao and his companions passed through the ticket gate smoothly and walked down the aisle toward the train. Outside the train car, several Japanese soldiers were checking the identities of the passengers one by one, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. Lei Tao took a deep breath, maintaining his usual composure, and led the group to the designated car door.
A Japanese soldier guarding the carriage door stopped them and asked them to show their tickets again. Lei Tao handed them over with a smile and spoke to the soldier in fluent Japanese, explaining their itinerary. The soldier carefully examined them, a hint of subtle doubt on his face, but still waved his hand, indicating that they could board the train.
After entering the train, Lei Tao took note of the seating arrangements. Several passengers were already seated, some whispering, others silent, their gazes tinged with unease. Lei Tao frowned slightly, needing to find a suitable seat among them, one that would both ensure his safety and allow him to observe his surroundings.
With his keen observation skills, Lei Tao quickly spotted a relatively quiet group of seats. Located in the middle of the train, near the windows, they were sparsely populated with passengers and offered a relatively unobstructed view, making it easy to keep an eye on those entering and exiting. He signaled to Meng Xiaoyu and the others and then led the way.
Approaching his seat, Lei Tao politely nodded to the passenger next to him, asking if he could sit next to him. Seeing they were seemingly ordinary passengers, the other party nodded slightly in agreement. Lei Tao, Meng Xiaoyu, and Liu Zishan sat down in turn, while Li Shuiniu sat diagonally across from them, so they could look out for each other without drawing too much attention.
After taking his seat, Lei Tao quickly glanced around, observing the surroundings and movements of the passengers inside the carriage. Meng Xiaoyu gently adjusted the hem of her skirt, tucked her scalpel beneath her knees, and gazed out the window seemingly at ease, but in reality, she was vigilantly monitoring her surroundings. Liu Zishan relaxed slightly, but his hands remained on his knees, clenched silently, ready to respond to any emergency. Li Shuiniu pretended to survey the carriage, but his eyes were actually searching for potential dangers.
The train clanked along the tracks, and Lei Tao's knuckles tapped unconsciously against the leather ticket folder. Five tickets, stamped with "Japan-China Friendship," still bore the blue stamp of "Military Police Inspection" on the corners. The wet ink felt like a fresh burn. Meng Xiaoyu's knees trembled slightly through her suit pants. Her fingertips, peeking from the edge of her lace gloves, caressed the pearl handle of a scald—a parting gift from a professor at Jinling Women's University. The words "Defend the Territory" on the scabbard shone from the caress.
Diagonally across from me, four men in black coats wore cherry blossom emblems on their collars. Their shoes were polished to a shine, but the uppers were stained with the red clay unique to the Taihang Mountains. A man on the left was wiping the handle of his Type 14 Nambu rifle with a white handkerchief. The metallic gleam revealed the rising sun embroidered on the inside of his collar, the stitching so fine it looked like the cipher code of the Special High Police.
"Asada-kun," the burly man sitting across the aisle lowered his voice, his Osaka accent mingled with the scent of tobacco. "Who do you think came up with our 'Golden Lily' plan? Those old foxes at the Ministry of Finance all praised this 'borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha' tactic as a brilliant one."
Lei Tao's fingers suddenly tightened, the stiff edge of the wallet leaving a red mark on his palm. He had previously reviewed this information during his modern military career: the "Golden Lily Project" was a systematic wealth plundering operation carried out by Japan during World War II. Its massive scale, brutality, and far-reaching impact make it one of the most secretive war crimes in human history. Directly directed by Emperor Hirohito's younger brother, Prince Chichibu, the project aimed to completely drain the wealth of China and Southeast Asian countries through a combination of military occupation, financial manipulation, and cultural destruction. In December 1937, the Japanese army launched a "carpet search" in Nanjing:
Gold looting: The military police blew up the Bank of China vault and stole 2000 tons of gold reserves; they forced citizens to hand over their gold, and collected 1700 kilograms of gold teeth alone.
Asada's thumb rubbed the rim of the teacup. Tea seeping from cracks in the glaze slithered across the wood grain, forming a pattern resembling the Hokkaido coastline. "Who else could it be? Ever since the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, His Majesty the Emperor has been eyeing the gold bars in the North China gold mines and the vaults of the Central Bank of China. Now, every time a gold bar is collected, it's melted into a gold brick engraved with Mount Fuji and hidden in the boiler of the dining car—car number 1921, the year the Yasukuni Shrine was founded. Even the boilerman is a veteran of Akita."
"Is the Tianjin transfer station safe?" another man interrupted.
Asada tapped the teacup, the lid making two long and one short sounds as it collided with the cup. He spoke in a very low voice, "Warehouse No. 23 in the British Concession. The three basements are completely cemented and are guarded by Imperial Army special forces in shifts. They were shipped fifteen days ago, just before the Imperial Bank's Kobe Maru sailed. The gold bars were wrapped in cotton yarn, and the customs declaration stated 'Nagoya Ceramics.'"
Lei Tao glanced at the cowhide blueprint in the man's hand. He saw the words "Tianjin Port 120 tons" written on the edge, and next to it, in red pen, the words "Mount Fuji mold in place." He silently memorized this information, his fingertips tapping the corresponding rhythm on his thigh.
At this point, Lei Tao's thoughts drifted to an experience from his modern military career. It was during a secret mission, where he was tasked with researching the Japanese army's economic exploitation during World War II. While researching extensive historical materials, he first encountered the "Golden Lily Project." A declassified document brought to his attention a key figure: Asada, the Japanese spy involved in and responsible for the "Golden Lily" portion of the operation. The document detailed Asada's background, including his physical features, mannerisms, and position within the Japanese army. Lei Tao retained this information deeply, knowing that understanding the enemy is a crucial step toward defeating it.
When Lei Tao returned to reality, the sound of the conductor checking tickets came from the aisle. The sound of leather boots hitting the iron floor was like a death drum: "Attention, passengers! Please show your tickets and cooperate with the imperial army inspection!"
Asada looked up at Lei Tao, his eyes falling on his gold-rimmed glasses: "Sir, are you also going to Tianjin?"
Lei Tao replied in a voice reminiscent of Tokyo's Ueno district, "Indeed, I'm Sato from Mitsubishi Corporation. I've been assigned by headquarters to the Kwantung Army Headquarters in Manchuria on official business. Tianjin is just a transit change." He handed over his forged business card and, out of the corner of his eye, saw Asada making the "two" sign under the table—the Japanese spy's "Level 2 Alert" signal. Lei Tao's heart tightened, realizing that Asada might have become suspicious of him.
Asada was about to speak when the train suddenly braked. The shrill whistle sent metal chips flying from the ceiling. From outside the train window came the shouts of Japanese soldiers: "A suspicious individual has been spotted on the train! Everyone get off! Be inspected!"
Lei Tao seized the opportunity and quickly packed up his belongings. Liu Zishan cursed in a low voice: "Damn it, are they coming for us?"
Asada sneered, put his hand on the holster and stood up: "Mr. Sato, why don't we go out and see the world together? Maybe we can run into someone we know." He deliberately emphasized the word "acquaintance", and the cherry blossom badge glowed coldly under the gas lamp.
The conductor's footsteps were getting closer. Lei Tao picked up his hat and tapped out their exclusive Morse code to Meng Xiaoyu on it: "Be patient and act accordingly." But with a fawning smile like a businessman on his face, he nodded and said, "Please, sir, we have a good opportunity to witness the efficiency of the Imperial Army."