Chapter 35: The Winter Storage Plan and Cen Anyan’s Rise to Fame

September 9, 1936.

Dai Chunfeng, Director of the Second Department of the Investigation and Statistics Bureau, arrived at Guanwang Temple by private car. Accompanied by Wu Jingzhong, Li Weigong, and other key officials in charge of the special training class, he conducted a comprehensive inspection of the facility.

During the visit, Director Dai gained a realistic, thorough, and in-depth understanding of the training program’s daily operations. He paid particular attention to the students' classroom environments, dining facilities, and living quarters. He shook hands with student representatives one by one, encouraging them to study diligently and strive to become the pillars of the intelligence community.

During the inspection, Director Dai issued instructions regarding the students' accommodations, requiring the leadership to improve the living conditions so that the students might feel at home during their tenure. Finally, the Director dined with the students in the mess hall, admonishing: "Though conditions are currently difficult, the leadership must fully exercise their initiative to improve the students' food and lodging with the resources at their disposal."

Director Dai and his party expressed their full affirmation of the training class’s achievements since its inception and proposed new expectations for the future.

(Note: The above is entirely fabricated by the author; please do not attempt to map it to reality.)

...

The "Uncle-in-law" had arrived lightly and departed just as lightly, without approving a single cent of additional funding for the training program, let alone mentioning the special task force to Zhang Anping.

Zhang Anping was not disappointed. He believed that once the special task force was established, his previous contributions would surely earn him a spot—just as when he had been sent to guard the gate before the training program’s preparatory office was even officially formed.

After the departure, the training class returned to its daily routine. Zhang Anping, however, began to formulate a plan based on a sudden flash of inspiration—a scheme involving framing others, deceiving the heavens, killing multiple birds with one stone, and fishing in troubled waters.

That night, having feigned a drunken stupor, Zhang Anping "fell asleep" early and slipped into his system space to deduce the plan.

[The Double 12 Incident is only three months away, lasting from December 12th to the 26th.]

[Rather than risking my neck trying to pull chestnuts from the fire under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service, it is better to wait three months and seize the opportunity to complete the transaction and transport amidst the chaos.]

[I can even take the opportunity to ship more essential supplies!]

Zhang Anping’s plan was perfected around this guiding principle. Naturally, adhering to the "strategic philosophy" of never leaving empty-handed, he ruthlessly calculated the Party Affairs Bureau into the scheme. The reason was simple: this was the perfect opportunity to trap them. The Party Affairs Bureau had made some questionable political alignments during this event, unlike his Uncle-in-law, who had correctly positioned himself. By adding some fuel to the fire, he could further deepen the Generalissimo's resentment toward them.

He did not intend to let Yan Laoxi off the hook either. That old miser was too much; not only was he stingy with his own money, but he had also deliberately leaked intelligence to the Party Affairs Bureau in a delusional attempt to reap the benefits of a fisherman. Since you have been unrighteous, don't blame me for being unjust. Whether the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army leaked the information intentionally or accidentally, Zhang Anping would treat it as a deliberate act, intending to pin the blame on them and make them suffer in silence. Regardless, once the United Front was formed, the top leadership would not do anything drastic to the self-reliant Yan Laoxi anyway.

Zhang Anping refined his plan bit by bit, analyzing potential loopholes until dawn. As he reviewed this, his first major plan since his rebirth, he offered a bitter smile.

He would have to deceive Old Cen, the Secret Service, the global traders, the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, and the Party Affairs Bureau...

He decided to call it: The "Winter Storage" Plan.

The cold winter was coming; it was time to prepare.

...

The next day, Zhang Anping brazenly went to the *Xinmin Daily* office to meet with Cen Anyan. Don't ask questions; if anyone asked, it was just a section chief finding his deputy to discuss work—who could object to that?

Because Zhang Anping timed his visit to coincide with lunch, they naturally headed to a restaurant. Once they found a private booth and the waiter left, Cen Anyan demanded angrily, "Did you do this?"

Zhang Anping chuckled, neither denying nor confirming.

Cen Anyan was furious, grinding his teeth: "Can you give me some peace of mind? Is this something you should be meddling in? Do you realize that if even the slightest accident occurs, you will be… finished!"

Zhang Anping hurriedly poured him a glass of water: "Drink some water, calm down. Anger is bad for your health."

Seeing Zhang Anping’s grinning face, Cen Anyan felt his blood boil, though he ultimately stopped short of swearing—the boy was still just a child.

After taking three sips to suppress his rage, Cen Anyan asked, "What is it?"

Zhang Anping’s expression turned solemn: "The news about the bullet production line was sold to the Party Affairs Bureau by the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army. I believe they did it on purpose to sabotage the transaction so they could take it over themselves." He then recounted the details he had learned from Director Xu of the Party Affairs Bureau the previous day.

Cen Anyan frowned, contemplating: "Ninety-five thousand dollars—that is a massive sum. There can be absolutely no errors." He looked at Zhang Anping: "Do you have any ideas?"

"I do. I’ve already offered advice to my uncle..." Zhang Anping explained his suggestion, leaving Cen Anyan gasping in shock. The man before him was truly ruthless. If this were carried out as planned, all the transport lines along the route would suffer, and countless underground party organizations would be implicated!

Cen Anyan gritted his teeth: "Can you speak like a human being for once?"

Zhang Anping straightened his posture: "The ship hasn't docked yet. I will have it stop in Nanyang, and we will suspend contact with the global traders for now."

"Will the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army buy it?" Cen Anyan asked worriedly.

"No. The stingy Yan Laoxi won't spend that much on a second-hand production line. With our bids setting the floor, York won't sell for anything less." Zhang Anping said confidently: "Let's wait. Since Yan Laoxi stabbed us in the back, we'll let him take the lead—once I’m in the special task force, I'll make further plans based on the situation."

Cen Anyan had no choice but to agree. The funds involved were astronomical for the underground party; even without losing the transport route, the loss of the cargo itself was something they could not afford.

Seeing Cen Anyan’s distress, Zhang Anping felt a pang of guilt. Was it immoral to deceive his superior like this? But he quickly cast the thought aside, saying, "I plan to trap Yan Laoxi."

"What are you planning?"

"The production line again. I can use a German grenade production line as bait. Once he takes the hook, I'll hijack it halfway!"

"If you don't return a favor, it's not polite. Since Yan Laoxi dared to trap us, I must trap him back!"

Cen Anyan was speechless. Was this kid’s desire for revenge too strong? Although tempted, he objected: "It’s not suitable for us to take action."

"The Secret Service can do it. The goods will remain with them, and they will be useful in the future." Zhang Anping did not elaborate, and Cen Anyan, realizing the Secret Service would be the ones acting, ceased his opposition. After all, this would provide incriminating evidence against the Secret Service while allowing them to vent their frustration.

After some trivial talk, Zhang Anping added: "I’ve made a little extra money. I plan to convert all the profits into various medicines. It will take about three months. When the time comes, you must get the organization to find a way to transport them back."

"How much?"

"Sixty thousand dollars."

"How much?" Cen Anyan was stunned. The aid Zhang Anping had provided the organization was already several times that amount, yet he remembered clearly that Zhang Anping had recently complained of being short on cash—how had he made so much so quickly? Was money really that easy to make?

Zhang Anping smiled and said nothing. Cen Anyan looked at him with a complex expression. After a long silence: "Maybe you should quit the Secret Service. Your ability to make money is terrifying."

Zhang Anping shrugged: "Money breeds money easily. Besides, I only take the small cut; the big money is in other people's hands." He didn't explain his methods—which were rather dark. Although World War II hadn't officially begun, keen-eyed merchants were already smelling gunpowder, and Zhang Anping was simply selling them anxiety, followed by weapons.

Cen Anyan had the urge to slap him. Money breeds money easily? You only take the small cut? Then tell me what the big cut is!

After a deep breath, he suppressed the urge to beat the "show-off" to a pulp: "I will report this."

The two then moved on to "official business"—the Secret Service. Zhang Anping produced another proposal: "This is a propaganda plan for the near future, focusing on counter-espionage. It's time to bring up the East Asia Common Culture Academy; we can't let those guys snoop around indefinitely."

Cen Anyan looked at the thick document and smiled bitterly: "I'm already prominent enough; I've been receiving constant invitations these past few days." He had become famous not because he was the deputy chief of the propaganda section, but because his counter-espionage work had caught the interest of a powerful figure in the Renaissance Society, leading to his sudden rise in popularity after attending a banquet. But he knew the truth: the success of his propaganda was entirely due to Zhang Anping’s plans, and he was merely a puppet. If this second wave of propaganda started, the *Xinmin Daily* might soon be under his total control.

Zhang Anping chuckled internally. That was exactly why he had pushed Old Cen to the forefront—to avoid becoming famous in the news industry himself!

He consoled him: "Don't worry, the more famous you are, the more benefits you'll get."

Cen Anyan was speechless; that was indeed his weakness.

Zhang Anping pulled out a self-made book, only palm-sized and about a hundred pages long: "Here, this is a counter-espionage manual. Print it under your name; it will be distributed to military and government officials later."

Cen Anyan took it curiously and became interested after a few pages. It was a comic book depicting various methods of Japanese espionage. Zhang Anping had drawn it because of the shockingly low level of counter-espionage awareness among Nationalist government officials—the most famous spy, Kawashima Yoshiko, had obtained how much intelligence from high-ranking officials in Chongqing using the "honey trap"? These officials were masters at filling their own pockets but were utterly inept at counter-espionage.

"I think I'll be even more famous once this is printed," Cen Anyan suggested after closing the book. "I think you should print it under your name."

Zhang Anping refused: "That’s not my primary line of work. High exposure isn't good for me. Old Cen, sorry for the trouble!"

Cen Anyan knew this was an excuse, but it struck at his true weakness—his concern for Zhang Anping’s safety. He took the book and said with reluctance: "Being a secret agent isn't your primary line of work either."

Clearly, he still wanted to pull Zhang Anping out of the Secret Service so he could focus on making money. To this, Zhang Anping maintained his usual stance: he accepted the advice humbly but remained absolutely determined not to change his mind.