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墨書 Inktalez
In the winter of 1940, Shanghai was shrouded in a biting cold, with the wind cutting through every inch of the city like a knife. The streets were filled with the ominous atmosphere of war and tension. At the American Side's Shanghai Station, usually enveloped in mystery, the air was thick with unease as if a storm was brewing beneath the surface. The recent leak of intelligence regarding U.S. aid to China had detonated like a bomb, sending shockwaves throughout the American Side. In response to the outrage from higher-ups, a brutal internal investigation was swiftly initiated to uncover the hidden Inside Man.
Lin Feng, who maneuvered through the American Side with a special identity as an Underground Party Member, found himself at the center of this storm. He understood that his recent frequent access to critical information had placed him under suspicion. Danger loomed like an invisible net tightening around him from all directions, and every breath seemed to carry a deadly weight. Yet Lin Feng remained calm; years of underground experience had forged a heart of steel within him and honed his exceptional adaptability. He knew that in times of crisis, composure was paramount; any misstep could not only cost him his life but also endanger countless comrades and the hard-won Intelligence Network.
During an emergency internal meeting at the American Side, the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense. Chief of Espionage Zhao Chongwu's face was ashen, his piercing gaze scanning each person present as if he could unearth the Inside Man just by looking. He slammed his hand on the table and roared, "Everyone! This leak has caused significant losses for our party and nation and has left us humiliated before our allies! The higher-ups have ordered us to identify the Inside Man within the shortest time possible—no matter who it is, we will show no mercy!"
The room fell silent, everyone exchanging anxious glances. Lin Feng sat in a corner, appearing calm while feigning indignation alongside others eager to root out the traitor. Inside, however, he was rapidly calculating his next move. Suddenly, he stood up, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "Chief, I have an idea. Since this has already happened, our priority must be to quickly identify the Inside Man to prevent further leaks. I am willing to volunteer for this investigation; my experience in counter-surveillance with Wang Wei may prove useful."
His words shocked everyone in attendance. Some cast doubtful glances at him as if to say: You might be the Inside Man yourself; how dare you volunteer for this investigation? Yet others saw a glimmer of hope in his eagerness to solve the case. Zhao Chongwu narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Lin Feng for any sign of deceit. After a long pause, he finally spoke slowly: "Lin Consultant, your courage is commendable, but don’t you think you are also under suspicion? After all, you have had considerable contact with sensitive information recently."
Lin Feng had anticipated this question and met Zhao Chongwu's gaze with sincerity. "Chief," he replied earnestly, "I understand your concerns. But precisely because of this, I must participate in the investigation to clear my name. If I truly had issues, I would hide rather than volunteer myself for scrutiny. Moreover, having been undercover with Wang Wei for many years, I know their tricks inside out; I can discern who is genuinely investigating and who is scheming behind the scenes. I believe that if given this opportunity, I can help us quickly identify our target."
Zhao Chongwu fell into deep thought; Lin Feng's reasoning held merit and there was currently no solid evidence against him. Furthermore, allowing him to participate in the investigation might provide an opportunity to observe his every move—if he truly had ulterior motives, he would inevitably slip up. With that thought in mind, Zhao Chongwu nodded slightly: "Very well, Lin Consultant. Since you are determined to take on this challenge, I will grant you this opportunity. But let me make it clear: if it turns out you are involved in any wrongdoing, don’t blame me for being ruthless!"
Lin Feng felt a surge of joy inside but maintained a respectful demeanor as he replied: "Thank you for your trust, Chief. I will do my utmost to uncover the Inside Man as soon as possible." Thus began Lin Feng's first step from being reactive to proactive.
After the meeting concluded, Lin Feng immediately plunged into intense investigative work. He knew that time was of the essence; on one hand, he needed to use this investigation as a cover to discreetly eliminate any traces that might expose him; on the other hand, he aimed to steer the investigation's focus away from himself and buy more time and space.
He first headed to the radio room—the source of the intelligence leak and a key area for scrutiny by the American Side. Inside the radio room, technicians were busy checking equipment in search of signs of tampering. Lin Feng pretended to examine things closely while quickly scanning every corner for any minor traces he might have left behind earlier. Fortunately, due to his swift and discreet actions at that time, there were no obvious pieces of evidence left behind. However, just to be safe, he discreetly wiped down a knob on the transmitter that might have residual fingerprints while intentionally creating signs of disturbance at some inconsequential wiring connections to mislead the American Side's investigation.
After leaving the radio room, Lin Feng sought out Xiao Li—the clerk responsible for managing material intelligence files. With a serious expression on his face, he said: "Xiao Li, given this leak incident regarding material intelligence files, we should consider that our files might also be compromised. Think carefully—has anyone suspicious visited the file room recently or have you noticed any signs that files have been tampered with?" Xiao Li turned pale with fright and shook his head repeatedly: "Lin Consultant! I truly don’t know! I've been on duty according to regulations these past few days and haven't seen anything unusual."
Lin Feng frowned and feigned deep contemplation as he replied: "You need to think harder; this is not a trivial matter. Someone may have sneaked into the file room while you weren't paying attention and stolen intelligence. We should thoroughly review all entry records from these past few days for any clues." With that said, he pulled Xiao Li along to sift through the entry logs.
While reviewing the records, Lin Feng deliberately focused on several Military Intelligence Agents with whom he had minor conflicts in daily interactions and occasionally mentioned their suspicious behavior in front of Zhao Chongwu: "Chief! Look at these individuals—they often engage in petty schemes behind our backs and have been seen frequently near the file room lately. I believe we cannot rule out their potential involvement in leaking intelligence for personal gain." Zhao Chongwu took note of Lin Feng's comments and began reallocating personnel for further investigation into those Agents.
In this manner, Lin Feng skillfully exploited internal conflicts and suspicions within the American Side to gradually shift focus away from himself during their investigation while quietly eliminating potential threats along the way. He kept close tabs on every move made by American Side operatives while preparing himself for any crisis that might arise. In this life-and-death struggle against them, he resembled a master chess player navigating through treacherous terrain—each move carefully calculated with hidden intentions aimed at finding a sliver of hope amidst despair while safeguarding that glimmering light poised to pierce through darkness.
As investigations deepened within American Side’s ranks became increasingly severe; fear permeated throughout their organization as everyone felt vulnerable under scrutiny. They intensified interrogations while secretly installing listening devices at various locations in an attempt to capture any trace of their Inside Man through every conversation or subtle action.
During one such concentrated interrogation session involving suspected individuals where Lin Feng participated as well—the interrogation room was dimly lit and suffocatingly tense. A suspected Agent sat bound to a chair with terror etched across his face; sweat soaked through his clothes as interrogators loomed over him menacingly wielding whips demanding answers: "Speak! Did you leak material intelligence? What’s your connection with Communists?"
The Agent pleaded desperately: "I’m innocent! I truly know nothing about any leaks! I am loyal to our party!" But interrogators showed no mercy; lashes fell relentlessly upon him until cries echoed throughout that grim chamber.
Lin Feng observed silently from one side while internally strategizing his next move knowing full well that this brutal tactic served dual purposes—to extract information from this Agent while simultaneously instilling fear among others present as a warning against betrayal.
He could not stand idly by; if they forced confessions through torture it would only lead them deeper into chaos making his own position even more precarious.
Thus standing up with an air of contemplation he addressed interrogators: "Hold on! I don’t think he’s lying." He continued earnestly: "If we continue blindly torturing him without evidence we risk wrongfully accusing an innocent man which won’t help us find our Inside Man but instead allow true traitors escape unscathed."
Though reluctant at first interrogators paused upon hearing Lin Feng’s reasonable argument especially since he was now part of their investigative team allowing him some leeway in decision-making.
Turning towards the Agent before him with kindness Lin Feng said: "Brother! I understand your predicament but know we all want nothing more than uncovering our Inside Man swiftly so you can clear your name too! Think carefully—have you encountered anyone strange recently or received any suspicious assignments? Even small details could lead us toward crucial clues."
The Agent looked gratefully at Lin Feng then began recalling events fervently until suddenly exclaiming: "I remember now! A few days ago while on perimeter patrol duty I noticed someone lurking suspiciously near our base—I called out but they fled immediately! I wanted to pursue them but received urgent orders instead."
Lin Feng’s heart raced with excitement as he pressed further: "What did they look like? Any distinguishing features?" The Agent described what he saw vividly which Lin Feng mentally noted down before turning back towards interrogators saying: "This could be an important lead—we need to dispatch someone immediately! This mysterious figure might just be our elusive Inside Man or connected closely!"
The interrogators immediately followed Lin Feng's suggestion and arranged for personnel to investigate the mysterious figure. Seizing this opportunity, Lin Feng temporarily escaped the high-pressure atmosphere of the interrogation room. He knew that throwing out this smokescreen would only confuse the American side for a short while, buying him a little breathing room. To truly shake off suspicion, he needed to continue devising plans.
Upon returning to his residence, Lin Feng carefully contemplated his next steps. He realized that the American side was likely monitoring him even more closely now. To maintain control of the situation, he had to take the initiative and create more trouble for them. Thus, he decided to exploit the conflict between the American side and Wang Wei, reigniting discord.
He reached out through secret channels to an old acquaintance who still held some influence within Wang Wei's Secret Service Agency. He disclosed some fabricated intelligence regarding recent activities of the American side in Shanghai—information designed to catch Wang Wei's attention without posing any real danger to himself. Simultaneously, he hinted to Wang Wei that there seemed to be internal dissent within the American side, secretly plotting actions detrimental to their cooperation.
Upon receiving this information, Wang Wei was furious and began launching small-scale harassment and probing actions against the American side's stronghold in Shanghai. The American side found itself in a predicament, forced to divert some resources to respond to Wang Wei's provocations. In the midst of this chaos, Lin Feng skillfully maneuvered, continuing to eliminate any potential traces he might have left behind while observing the American side's reactions in search of opportunities.
In this thrilling contest, Lin Feng relied on his wisdom, courage, and composure to survive time and again in dire situations, steering the investigation of the American side off course. He understood that every step was like walking on thin ice; however, as long as he held onto his convictions, nothing could stop him from delivering intelligence to the American side and striving for victory. He was like a beacon of light in the darkness—though his glow was faint, it flickered defiantly, illuminating his path as he awaited dawn's light to finally break through the clouds and spread across the land.
Despite Lin Feng's clever maneuvers temporarily alleviating his crisis, the American side was far from complacent. After experiencing a series of setbacks, they gradually sensed that their investigation was being subtly misdirected by an unseen force and began to renew their suspicions about Lin Feng.
One day, Lin Feng was busy at the American side's stronghold as usual but keenly noticed an unusual tension in the atmosphere around him. The agents who typically greeted him now either hurriedly avoided eye contact or offered forced smiles and perfunctory remarks, as if countless eyes were watching him closely from behind. A chill ran down Lin Feng's spine; he realized that the American side might have already caught on and was about to take action against him.
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