Chapter 054: Meeting Old Zhou in America

Chen Jiehua, having dashed out of the two-story house, regained his composure at the corner and observed as Mio Fujiwara entered the small courtyard of the building.

Let Mio and the organization handle things from here.

Having fulfilled his purpose, Chen Jiehua did not linger any longer and returned home ahead of time.

That evening, when Mio Fujiwara returned home with her suitcase, Chen Jiehua was surprised to find that, aside from a missing razor blade, none of the items had been touched—not even the bundles of U.S. dollars.

“The leader said that, based on my description at the time, this must have been a suitcase belonging to one of our own, so they didn’t touch anything. Everything inside is intact.”

“We need to arrange contacts and logistics in America as soon as possible, and there’s also the pharmaceutical research in Germany to check on. I need to see the progress for myself. Why don’t we go to America together?”

The next day, Mio Fujiwara went to leave a signal for the organization, reporting her trip to America, while Chen Jiehua went to the consulate to report that he was taking Mio to America and Europe for travel. Having received approval, he went to the docks to buy tickets.

On March 18th, Chen Jiehua tidied up the house, left the high-powered radio transmitter in the secret room on the third floor, and, together with Mio Fujiwara, boarded a ship bound for San Francisco.

April 1st, San Francisco docks. Hiding in the shadows, Zhou Yongsu, who was waiting to welcome Chen Jiehua, caught sight of Mio Fujiwara and, in her excitement, pinched herself several times. When she finally met them, she stammered for ages, unable to find the right words.

Was this really April Fool’s Day?

What a miserable situation! Unable to speak the language, penniless—thankfully, she managed to find the pharmaceutical factory with great effort, using the shipping manifest she remembered, and completed her mission to get some money.

“Comrade Zhou, where did you put my suitcase? You didn’t mess with it, did you?” Mio Fujiwara greeted Zhou Yongsu, secretly amused.

“Let’s talk at home. Too many eyes around here.” Chen Jiehua quickly put an end to their conversation.

Back at the secret residence in San Francisco, Chen Jiehua introduced the two to each other. The cheerful and open Zhou Yongsu immediately shook off her gloom, fetched Mio Fujiwara’s suitcase from the corner, and the two exchanged their belongings.

When Zhou Yongsu opened the suitcase and saw the untouched books and bundles of dollars, a wave of frustration swept over her again.

At this point in time, it was still possible to carry a dozen bundles of dollars in a suitcase. But from 1930 onwards, with the deepening economic crisis and growing attention to espionage, ocean liners began inspecting luggage. If an inspector saw a suitcase full of cash, one would have to bribe them just to have a peaceful journey—unless one had overwhelming power.

In truth, the money was secondary. The greatest challenge for agents working solo was that radio transmitters could not be openly carried and had to be disguised.

A suitcase with hidden compartments was one such method.

Chen Jiehua dumped everything from the suitcase onto the sofa, and under the astonished gaze of the two women, dismantled the case and retrieved the pharmaceutical company’s share certificates and contracts from a cleverly concealed compartment.

“There might be trouble with the factory. Even with the share certificates and contracts, it may not be possible to take over,” Zhou Yongsu realized when she saw what Chen Jiehua had produced.

“What do you mean? Surely the two parties haven’t fallen out so quickly?”

“That’s not the issue. I’m still the supervisor at the factory, but every time I go in and out, the checks are extremely strict.”

“That’s because the military has surrounded the factory, tightly sealed it off. All factories and residential areas within dozens of kilometers have been forced to relocate. The area is now a military zone.”

“Since when did the American government become so vigilant?”

“They have no choice. Lucas managed things too loosely; the fame of penicillin has already spread far and wide. You have no idea how many shootouts occur there daily—people are going mad over it. Now, a bundle of dollars like this can only buy two bottles on the black market.”

“The army controls production and doesn’t release the goods?” Chen Jiehua instantly grasped the situation.

“Exactly. To put it bluntly, the factory workers are only allowed out once a month, and even then, they're strip-searched.”

“Don’t be so crude! There’s a lady present.”

“Oh, sorry, sister-in-law!”

“It’s all right, Comrade Zhou,” Mio Fujiwara said, stifling a laugh.

“This is a real headache. How much stock do we have right now?”

“Just those few crates in the small warehouse, which we managed to move out from your lab’s storage before the army surrounded the factory. Because funds were tight, I secretly sold some on the black market.”

“That’s so little. Even if we ship it home, it won’t do much good. Keep one crate for emergencies, and sell the rest while the black market prices are high. Just be careful.”

“If that’s the case, don’t worry about the shares and sales agreements for now. When I return, I’ll try to meet with the heads of the two companies to discuss.”

“Now, Old Zhou, let me take a look at the high-powered radio transmitter you’ve been tinkering with.”

“Heh, Aoki, you wouldn’t believe it—America really has everything. People here don’t have much faith in anything, except money. As long as you have dollars, you can get anything.” Talking about her area of expertise, Zhou Yongsu became animated.

She showed off her collection: high-powered radios, disguised miniature transmitters, the latest pistols, and all sorts of spy gadgets.

Chen Jiehua and Mio Fujiwara each picked out a brand-new Colt M1911A1 pistol.

“You really are a man with a magic box! If it hadn’t been for the mix-up with the suitcases, would you have bought a plane?”

“That would be too conspicuous!”

Mio Fujiwara covered her mouth, laughing quietly.

“Not necessarily. You could plan ahead. In the future, keep an eye on the fighter plane manufacturers here, lay the groundwork, and work hard to make money. There might even be a chance for the organization to buy a plane or even a whole production line.”

“You really do dream big!”

“Didn’t you say all you need is money?”

“But this amount of dollars isn’t nearly enough!” Zhou Yongsu glanced at the bundles on the sofa. It was a lot, but compared to their goals, it was just a drop in the ocean.

“I’ve set aside some more for you in a house in the East. By the end of this year, you’ll be able to access it.”

“Why not before the end of the year?”

“The Buddha says: It cannot be told, it cannot be told.”

“You really are a bit mystical.”

“Old Zhou, let me update you on your main tasks here. First, be cautious in developing your own network—choose people wisely. Second, do your best to sever the tentacles of Japan’s major agencies; once you confirm them, don’t show mercy. Third, and most important—locate several useful weapons production lines and set up your own transportation routes, including aircraft, as we discussed.”

“Try to acquire as many advanced weapons, spy gadgets, and radios as you can. The next time we test a transport line, send them back. The organization desperately needs these.”

“Aoki, I don’t think Old Liu is doing well in Manchuria. We used to work together—could you transfer him over here?”

“I’ll need to look into the situation there first. Don’t worry, I’ll remember this.”

“Good. With Old Liu here, at least there’ll be someone to discuss things with if I run into trouble.”

“When we reach the East Coast, I’ll assemble a transmitter using your method. If you run into trouble, you can ask me.”