Agent: Intercepting Yu Manli at the start!

Chapter 81 These Japanese devils are tough to crack!

It's already past eleven o'clock, and the night breeze is chilly, yet people are sitting and waiting for more than an hour—what's the point?

"How long have you been here?"

"It's been almost an hour."

Waiting this long? You're really patient.

Zhou Xiao stepped through the corridor and pushed open the carved wooden door of the reception hall.

Shen Fang was sitting upright in a rosewood armchair, slowly sipping his tea. The rising steam made him look particularly calm and even a little relaxed.

Hearing footsteps, he immediately stood up, his smile warm yet measured: "Committee Member Zhou, I've kept you waiting."

The two shook hands, their palms slightly dry, the pressure just right.

Zhou Xiao seized the opportunity to ask, "Committee Member Shen, you must have something important to discuss with me so late at night?"

Shen Fang didn't beat around the bush. His expression turned serious, and his tone became sincere: "I was just transferred to the Special Committee and I'm still inexperienced. I've come here specifically to learn from you."

"Oh?" Zhou Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly, then smiled. "Your 'journey to the West' is even more diligent than that of Tang Sanzang—it's already past midnight, and you're still thinking about work."

"There's no other way," Shen Fang said with a frank smile. "It's a new place, a new business, and I have to figure out everything from the beginning."

He paused, then added, "I wonder if Director Zhou would be willing to spare some time tonight to chat with me for an hour or two?"

"Please." Zhou Xiao stepped aside to lead the way. "We'll talk in the study."

In the study, the two sat down around the brass stove.

Shen Fang asked detailed questions: How do you screen out enemy spies who have infiltrated the organization? How do you follow the clues to uncover the secret agents of the Military Intelligence Bureau and the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics? The underground party members are well hidden, so where do you start to lay your net? How do you manage, control, and supervise the intelligence agencies?

All of it was real work.

Zhou Xiao didn't hide anything, breaking down each point one by one, with evidence and facts, neither false nor superficial.

The shadows of the plane trees outside the window flickered twice; it was nearly midnight.

Shen Fang closed his notebook, stood up and said, "Thank you very much, Director Zhou, for sharing your knowledge so generously. I'm really sorry to have disturbed your sleep."

"We're colleagues, no need for thanks." Zhou Xiao raised his hand in a gesture of respect. "We'll still need to keep in touch."

"Let's look after each other." Shen Fang nodded.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, I escorted him to the door. The car lights flashed, and the dark green sedan silently glided into the night.

Zhou Xiao stood still, his gaze slightly darkening, his pupils shrinking to a thin line—this person was definitely not as gentle as he appeared.

Back in the living room, Lin Yiyi was still leaning against the sofa flipping through magazines. When she saw him come in, she looked up and smiled.

"Yiyi," Zhou Xiao asked casually, "has Shen Fang been drinking tea in the living room ever since he arrived?"

"That's right, we didn't go anywhere, we didn't even move the coffee table."

"Hmm." He nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

I initially thought it was a pretext for probing about work, but now it seems like they genuinely wanted to learn from me.

But the more this is the case, the more uneasy one feels.

The Japanese stuffing Shen Fang into the Special Committee was like planting a fuse in a powder keg.

What Zhou Xiao didn't know was that this Committee Member Shen, codenamed "Wind Chime," had been secretly weaving a web for many years.

……

The next morning, the sky over Shanghai was clear and bright, the clouds were like washed silk, and even the air had a crisp, refreshing feel.

On the same day, Zheng Yaoxian, a top agent of the Military Intelligence Bureau, quietly arrived in Shanghai.

Time, place, and method—triple security measures, known only to him.

Zhou Xiao, however, was not in a hurry.

Now that Sixth Brother is here, he'll come knocking on our door sooner or later.

He strolled into the Special Operations Headquarters building as usual.

At this moment, he is pushing forward with his plan to eliminate Sendou Feng.

As soon as I stepped through the wrought iron gate, a sickeningly sweet laugh clung to me—

"Oh, Director Zhou's here? Hahaha!"

Xian Daofeng swayed over, his nose almost brushing against Zhou Xiao's collar. He took a deep sniff, narrowed his eyes, and sighed, "Mmm...good smell, strong male hormones!"

Zhou Xiao's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he forced down the wave of nausea.

"Chief Sage, what are your orders?"

"Of course," he said, wagging his finger. "I want to see how you live here."

"Then I will invite Director Chen Shen to come and report together."

"Alright!" Sendo Kaede clapped his hands. "Feng Manna and Lan Yanzhi, call them both."

In the conference room, Zhou Xiao and Chen Shen briefly explained their recent blood circulation.

Feng Manna added details, while Lan Yanzhi presented several key pieces of intelligence as evidence.

After listening, Xian Daofeng suddenly slapped the table and laughed: "Alright, the team needs a makeover!"

"Director Zhou is promoted to Director of the Operations Division; Chen Shen is transferred to Director of the Intelligence Division."

"Lan Yanzhi, head of the intelligence section; Feng Manna, deputy head of the section."

The room erupted in uproar.

Chen Shen was stunned, his lips twitching slightly, completely failing to understand the script of this play.

Zhou Xiao remained expressionless, but his fingertips tapped lightly twice on his knee.

Lan Yanzhi was so startled that her fingertips trembled, and she almost dropped the teacup—she had risen from clerk to section chief in one leap, so fast that it made her legs feel weak.

Feng Manna suddenly stood up, her voice trembling as she asked, "Section Chief Xiandao, what did I do wrong?"

Sendoh Kaede tilted his head and smiled, tapping her earlobe with his fingertip: "Oh dear, Miss Manna, your temper is too fiery and doesn't suit your face."

"In our line of work, the worst thing is to be stagnant—you have to be flexible, adaptable, and able to change jobs at any time."

"This personnel change is only temporary, and further adjustments will be made subsequently."

Feng Manna's chest heaved, unable to contain her anger: "But I want to know—why was I demoted half a grade for no reason?"

Sendoh Kaede leaned against the edge of the table, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Calm down, Miss Manna."

"I heard that you and Miss Rouge used to be as close as sisters. Now that you're one in charge and the other in charge of the intelligence department, aren't you a perfect match?"

"I firmly believe that the two of you will be able to open up a new chapter for the Special Operations Headquarters and make outstanding achievements."

"This arrangement is not only my personal consideration, but also the result of a collective decision by the top leadership of the Special Higher Police. I hope everyone will hand over their responsibilities immediately and quickly get into their roles."

"Everyone, is everything alright?"

Now that things have come to this, what can Feng Manna do, no matter how dissatisfied she is?

"No!"

Everyone responded in unison, their voices clear but slightly hoarse.

Zhou Xiao lowered his eyes and remained expressionless, but his mind raced like a whirlwind—Xian Daofeng's move, seemingly a chaotic flurry of punches, was actually a deadly strike.

A few seconds later, he suddenly understood.

Lan Yanzhi's old words suddenly flashed into her mind: "She died in a muddle, and before she breathed her last, she even put the knife to her own neck for you."

At this moment, what Xian Daofeng handed over was this very blade meant for suicide.

His series of abrupt personnel changes left everyone in the room looking at each other, completely baffled.

But Zhou Xiao saw through it at a glance: it seemed absurd on the surface, but was actually quite sophisticated on the inside.

Sendoh Kaede had just taken up the position of head of the Special Higher Police and knew nothing about the various factions under him; while the Special Operations Headquarters and other long-established institutions had been deeply entrenched for many years, and were already rife with undercurrents and factions.

If allowed to grow too powerful, this new section chief will likely become a mere figurehead within six months.

Reassignment is the most ruthless way to break the deadlock—removing Chen Shen and Zhou Xiao, two key figures, from their original positions and directly severing the long-standing entanglement of interests between the Action Department and the Intelligence Department.

As for Feng Manna and Lan Yanzhi switching positions? That's the real killer move.

Xian Daofeng must have already figured out the deadlock between the two: Feng Zixiong's spy network, Feng Manna's old subordinates, and the glaring reality of Lan Yanzhi's parachuting in and seizing power...

A team built by her father has now been used by her enemy to rise to the top – how could Feng Manna possibly swallow this insult!

He wanted to force her to investigate, to bite, and to tear apart every shadow of the Special Operations Headquarters, to find the lurking Kuomintang agents, and even to go so far as to search high and low to prove that Lan Yanzhi was the real spy.

A single transfer order, without firing a single shot, brought two fierce tigers to a standoff and roar in their cages.

Clever, insidious, and chilling.

These Japanese devils are tough to crack.

But ironically, the deadly trap he set up became Zhou Xiao's most handy scabbard.

Misfortune and fortune are intertwined; this has always been the case.

Zhou Xiao felt a surge of warmth in his heart: Xian Daofeng wasn't setting a trap, he was offering a ladder.

Sendoh Maple's gaze slowly swept across the room, his fingertips lightly tapping the table, his smile as gentle as spring water: "Alright, meeting adjourned. Everyone return to your posts and hurry up and complete the handover of your work."

"May you all live up to expectations and make a name for yourselves in your new positions."

After exchanging pleasantries, he turned and left, his leather shoes clicking crisply on the ground.

Zhou Xiao raised his eyes and looked around at everyone, his tone calm: "Since Section Chief Xiandao has set the tone, we'll just follow it. We're all under the same roof as the Special Operations Headquarters anyway, so changing our desks won't change anything."

For him, there is no real difference between being the head of operations or the head of intelligence—at least for now, neither can cause any trouble.

Back in his office, he slowly opened the files. A cup of tea had just been brewed, steaming gently.

He is waiting.

When Feng Manna pushed the door open and came in, she vented her anger on his desk.

Sure enough, less than five minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter!"

Feng Manna stepped in, her face ashen, her brows furrowed with a fierce expression.

Zhou Xiao raised his eyes, his tone calm: "Still feeling frustrated about the transfer?"

"Third Brother!" She slammed her bag onto the sofa, her voice trembling. "Why is Lan Yanzhi the head of the intelligence section? The entire Special Forces Headquarters was built with my father's blood and sweat! I, Feng Manna, may not have made any great contributions, but I certainly deserve credit for my hard work!"

"How many days is she here? Just because of a single word from Sendoh Kaede, she's above me, and I'm relegated to being her subordinate?!"

Every word is barbed, every sentence is scorching.

Zhou Xiao leaned forward slightly, his tone softening: "Manna, don't rush. This is the Immortal Path Section Chief's order; we can only accept it."

Feng Manna crossed her arms tightly and sneered, "I just don't understand, what's in it for him?"

Zhou Xiao picked up his teacup and blew on it: "Perhaps... a new official hasn't yet recognized your potential?"

"Why don't you show him what you've got? Ideally, do something big and efficient right in front of him—he'll know who's truly capable of taking on the responsibility."

"At that time, not only the section chief position, but even the head of the intelligence department might be in danger of being removed."

Feng Manna's eyes suddenly lit up, like a blazing firewood piled up after being scorched by a fire.

What she held in her hand was intelligence about a secret meeting of high-ranking officials at the Military Intelligence Bureau's Shanghai station—along with the discovery of several spies lurking within headquarters. If they were all apprehended in one fell swoop, it would be a monumental achievement that would shake Shanghai to its core.

If we could invite Sendoh Kaede to the scene again...

The humiliation of being trampled underfoot by Lan Yanzhi instantly burned into a burning ambition.

"Third Brother is right!" She stepped forward, her voice resolute. "I'm planning a major operation, and I absolutely must get Chief Immortal Path to come and oversee it—let him see for himself what real skill is!"

"By the way, Third Brother, this matter is quite significant, and we need your strong support as the head of the operations department."

Zhou Xiao nodded, his gaze calm: "Don't worry, I will personally lead the team and fully cooperate."