r18novel Chapter 30: Using the enemy to fight the enemy is the most effective
Chapter 30: Using the enemy to fight the enemy is the most effective
"Raven?" Tian Junlu took the document, staring at the unfamiliar code name, his eyes flashing with a terrifying glint. "What?! Raven?! Is this the ghost lurking in the shadows, repeatedly causing the Empire to suffer enormous losses?"
He abruptly looked up, staring intently at Tsukamoto Kameichi: "Listen! I don't care what methods you use! Use all available resources! Dig three feet into the ground if you must, find this 'crow' before the Empire's 'Second Phase Offensive'! Otherwise, you can all commit seppuku and apologize to His Majesty the Emperor!"
Upon hearing the name "Crow," Tsukamoto Kame was unexpectedly overjoyed. He looked up at Tsun Jun-roku and said, "Commander, rest assured. There's an old Chinese saying: 'The unknown enemy is the most terrifying!'"
Now that we know of this spy's existence and have his code name, it's like finding our way in the fog.
I am confident and have a plan to bring him to justice in a short time. I just need some authorization from Your Excellency, Commander!
Tsukamoto-kun scoffed, "Does Tsukamoto-kun also want to conduct a large-scale investigation like Kagesa-kun? At the cost of offending nobles and high-ranking military officers? What level of authorization do you want me to grant you? Colonel level? Or Major General level investigative authority?"
Tsukamoto Kameichi laughed and said, "Commander, you misunderstand. If this kind of investigation were effective, I believe Yoshimoto would have already found that crow. It wouldn't be my turn to clean up this mess!"
Yoshimoto is quite capable, but when it comes to understanding the nature of Chinese people, he hasn't studied it enough!
The Chinese have always been opportunistic and treacherous. In every instance of national subjugation, traitors have followed one after another. Even the first fall of the Southern Song Dynasty was not caused by the Mongols, but by the traitor Zhang Shijie leading a group of Chinese to personally destroy their own country!
Then, during the second fall of the Ming Dynasty, the combined forces of Wu Sangui, Geng Jingzhong, Shang Kexi, and Kong Youde were greater than the entire Qing Dynasty. These men were the main force that destroyed the Ming Dynasty!
Not only military men, but also scholars were like this. Before the Manchus had even conquered Nanjing, a large group of scholars braved the heavy rain to kneel outside the city to welcome the Qing army, all for a few pitiful official positions and salaries. They had no idea what a country was!
Because the Confucian ideology they received from childhood was that of the Second Sage: the people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important! The sage has already prepared excuses for them to surrender. What is the meaning of this?
The phrase "people first" means that while nominally the common people are the most important, in reality, one's own interests are paramount! Therefore, many Chinese officials who surrendered in ancient times claimed to be doing so for the sake of the city's people, but in reality, they surrendered to protect their own positions and families!
The fate of the nation is secondary! Whether the country is called Ming or Qing, China or the Great Japanese Empire, that's not important! The fate of the nation is secondary!
The emperor is less important, and the situation is simpler. Whether a Chinese person is the emperor or president, or whether the emperor is the Emperor of Japan, is of little consequence!
This is the nature of Chinese people!
Drawing on the Confucian thought that has been passed down for thousands of years, if the empire wants to conquer China, it is not enough to rely solely on military force; it is necessary to use more Chinese people to conquer Chinese people. This is what our Chairman Toyama Mitsuru often teaches us!
So I need authorization, it's very simple!
First, they allow our Special Higher Police and Police Department to post notices and publish announcements in newspapers throughout Shanghai!
Secondly, anyone who can provide clues about the Kuomintang agent Crow, leading to his capture, will be rewarded with 100,000 silver dollars.
At the same time, he is allowed to choose one of the following three positions: Deputy Director of the Shanghai Police Department, Deputy Chairman of the Shanghai Chinese District Municipal Council Maintenance Committee, or directly join our Japanese nationality and serve as a Major!
They can even make one more request that we can fulfill!
They give you money, power, and status! They also fulfill your needs, whether you're a woman or someone who wants to immigrate to another country to escape war!
Human nature is not tested. If human nature can withstand a test, there is only one possibility: the temptation is not strong enough!
Moreover, temptations are not limited to power, money, and sex. Everyone's needs are different. Some people are greedy for money, some are greedy for power, some are lustful, but some people only care about reputation!
"As long as we provide everything that humanity needs, and with greater力度 (intensity/effort), I believe a large number of Chinese people who understand Crow will defect to us. Capturing Crow is only a matter of time; there are absolutely no technical difficulties involved!"
After hearing this, not only did Commander Tian Junlufu completely lose his initial anger and disdain, but everyone present listened intently and deeply agreed with his words!
Tsukamoto sighed and said, "Mr. Tsukamoto is truly a man of great talent! Your understanding of China is unparalleled. Based on your words and actions, I will personally write to His Majesty the Emperor to change the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere's strategy for dealing with China from total military conquest to a strategy of 'primarily using political inducement to surrender, supplemented by military offensive.' As for the matter of capturing the crow, I fully authorize Mr. Tsukamoto. You may act as you see fit. I entrust it to you!"
With a single order, all the machinery in the Japanese-occupied zone sprang into action.
All major cities under Japanese control, including Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing, were covered with various notices overnight.
Huge reward posters were plastered everywhere – on utility poles, city walls, bulletin boards, and even behind rickshaws. They were written in both Chinese and Japanese:
"Wanted: Kuomintang spy 'Crow'!"
"A reward of 100,000 silver dollars will be given to anyone who provides concrete clues and assists the Imperial Army in capturing this man!"
"Alternatively, you may choose one of the following three options: 1. Appoint as Deputy Chief of the Shanghai or Nanjing Police Department; 2. Appoint as Vice President of the Shanghai Chinese Community Maintenance Committee; 3. Acquire Japanese citizenship and be awarded the rank of Major in the Army!"
"You may also make one additional reasonable request, which the Imperial Army will do its best to fulfill!"
"Headquarters of the Central China Expeditionary Army of the Imperial Japanese Empire, Special Higher Police, February 3, 1944"
At the same time, several Chinese-language newspapers controlled by the Japanese or succumbing to Japanese pressure, such as Shen Bao and Xinwen Bao, also published similar reward notices in the most prominent positions on their front pages.
One hundred thousand silver dollars! Deputy Director! Vice President! Major!
These words, when put together, were like a bucket of cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly causing an uproar throughout the occupied area and even the rear.
What does 100,000 silver dollars mean? In an era when an ordinary worker's monthly salary was no more than ten silver dollars, this was an enormous sum that could be squandered by ten generations! Not to mention the power and status that came with it.
In the streets and alleys of Shanghai, in teahouses and taverns, countless people were secretly gossiping.
"Good heavens, 100,000 silver dollars! Just who is this crow? Is it worth that much?"
"I heard he's a formidable agent; the Japanese suffered greatly at his hands!"
"Damn it, if I knew who it was, I'd report them right away, and my life would be over!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down, don't get yourself into trouble. The Military Intelligence Bureau isn't someone to be trifled with."