Cicada Moving

Chapter 1217 Questioning

In the military command office building, in the dark corridor, Zuo Zhong walked forward while asking Song Minghao beside him.

“Lao Song, have you found the people who transported the newspapers to the sales points and the newsboys?”

"The deputy seats have all been brought back. The problem should be with the former. Some people reported that they had been stopped on the road. The other person had a gun in his hand and his face was covered."

Song Minghao gave a general introduction to the situation, and then asked whether the persons involved in the case should be handed over to the judicial authorities for further processing. After speaking, he reached out and opened a door.

Zuo Zhong stood at the door and shook his head: "No need, public opinion is very sensitive now. One more thing is worse than one less thing. If you are sure that there is no problem with their background, let them go. It is a waste of food to arrest these people and send them to prison."

 After saying that, he walked into the room. Gu Qi, Wu Chunyang, and Wu Jingzhong in the room quickly stood up and said hello.

 “Vice-seat…”

 “Well, sit down.”

Zuo Zhong said a casual greeting and walked to the top to sit down. After everyone took their seats, he announced two things.

“Lao Gu, you and I will co-chair the investigation of the leakage of intelligence on the encirclement and suppression campaign. The personnel and equipment required for the operation will be drawn from the Special Operations Team of the First Division, Second Division, and Gui Youguang.

Chunyang, Lao Song, you two still follow the original division of labor. One office is responsible for intelligence investigation, and the other is responsible for interrogation and screening. Do you understand? "

The three of them from Gu Qi loudly replied yes, and then sat down again under Zuo Zhong's gesture, continuing to straighten their backs and wait for instructions.

“Lao Gu, have you confirmed the personnel who are qualified to access the encirclement and suppression intelligence?” Zuo Zhong asked a question.

Gu Qi nodded: "It's confirmed. In addition to the officers who participated in the meeting, there are more than 100 people who have contacted or are qualified to contact the encirclement and suppression intelligence."

There were more than a hundred people. Zuo Zhong smacked his lips. They had agreed to maintain a high degree of confidentiality. This did not include the staff around the participants. If they were included, the number of suspects would probably be even greater.

But that’s fine, the more suspects there are, the safer Joanna will be, Zuo Zhong thought, raised his head and glanced at Gucci and said.

“Lao Gu, the people participating in the meeting cannot be ignored. Let’s start with me. I will give you the itinerary for the day of the meeting in writing later.”

Gu Qi didn't object. This was as it should be. Every department has its own operating rules, let alone the intelligence agency that pays the most attention to discipline, so he casually replied "Okay."

After performing his selfless performance, Zuo Zhong smiled slightly and asked again: "Where are these more than a hundred people now, and what are their identities?"

Hearing his question, Wu Chunyang took out a document and began to report: "This is the list. Some of them are residence guards, some are service staff, and some are members of the attendant's room. They are all currently undergoing screening at the bureau's guest house."

Zuo Zhong nodded and said he understood. He seriously told everyone to pay attention to the investigation methods. No one knew the background behind this group of people, and they must not be treated like ordinary suspects.

 Everyone understands this, and it is natural for the emperor's ministers not to be offended. If they collide with each other or make the slightest move, their legs will be broken.

 “Let’s go and see our guests.”

Zuo Zhong looked at the list and found Joanna's name in it. He immediately stood up and said something, leading his men out of the conference room.

The Juntong Guest House is only a few hundred meters away from the headquarters. It took everyone a few minutes to get downstairs to the guest house. As soon as they entered the hall, they heard someone arguing with the guards in the building.

"Let me out, do you know who I am? Even if you, Director Dai, see me, you will call me "nephew, get out of here!"

The speaker's voice was loud and his tone was very arrogant. He did not pay attention to the armed guards at all. There was a hint of arrogance in his words. It was obvious that his identity was not simple.

Facing this person's clamor, the guard blocked the door without saying a word, neither explaining nor refuting. The order he received was not to allow anyone to enter or exit. If someone escaped, he could not bear the responsibility.

Zuo Zhong walked over with a cold face and scolded sternly: "What a loud tone, I want to see who dares to speak such nonsense in the military command!"

The speaker turned his head when he heard the sound, and was about to curse, but when he saw Zuo Zhong, who looked unhappy, he closed his mouth, changed his face at the same time, and stood at attention respectfully to introduce himself.

“I am a member of the second team of the Attendant’s Office. I have met Team Leader Zuo.”

The second group of the Attendant's Office No. 1, referred to as the Second Attendant Group, is in charge of the military staff business of the Guo Army. All important departments and other administrative departments under the Junwei Hui are within its jurisdiction.

The job content covers everything from combat command, troop training, national defense equipment to transportation, logistics and personnel management.

All reports and documents requesting instructions that the Chief of Staff cannot decide or dare not make a decision must go through the second team and be submitted to the staff for review and approval. After signing and commenting, they will be sent to someone for the final decision.

 In addition, the Second Team will also review some suggestions from various aspects and handle transactional work.

Such as summoning civil and military officials from other places with draft notices, delivering someone's important warrants, secret codes, etc. to senior commanders in the theater.

Regarding the latter point, the person who has the most say is the future Commander Du. Even if the radio is turned off, it will be useless. This person has pioneered the airdrop order of the Korean Army in one fell swoop.

Therefore, there are extremely strict standards for the appointment of personnel in the second group of servants. Most of the members are recommended by senior government officials. After being selected, they must be personally reviewed and approved by someone, which is an unusual status.

With such a background, it is no wonder that this person is so arrogant, but in front of Zuo Zhong, the leader of the Sixth Group of the Second Attendant Division, he can only stand at attention and salute. Otherwise, the official ranks and positions of the two sides are very different.

Zuo Zhong stared at the speaker expressionlessly for a while, and then he slowly spoke until the other person was sweating profusely.

“The intelligence on the encirclement and suppression campaign was leaked, and the commissioner was furious and ordered our military commander to find out the facts. All personnel involved must cooperate with the investigation.”

 “Yes, I will definitely cooperate with you if you are in a humble position.”

The members of the second team of waiters hurriedly replied, losing their previous unruliness. After saluting, they wanted to return to the room, but were stopped by Zuo Zhong.

“Since we have met him, let’s start with you, Chunyang, and take him to the small reception room.”

 After saying that, Zuo Zhong left directly. Although investigating the underground party was destined to be futile, he wanted to find out who provided the Japanese with information on the encirclement and suppression campaign.

Before the meeting ended that day, the Japanese Naval Command in Shanghai sent a message to the Anqing River Fleet, which meant that there must be a Japanese mole among the insiders.

If this person can be found and some tricks are used to prove that the underground party obtained the information from the Japanese, the military commander will have an explanation for this person.

 In the living room.

Zuo Zhong sat in the middle, Gu Qi and three others sat on both sides, and the members of the second group of servants sat on a small stool opposite them.

 The stool is very short, and it is a bit awkward to sit on it, which can be seen from the way the other person keeps twisting his body.

 The battle begins from this moment, and an uncomfortable environment can unknowingly put pressure on people.

Picked up the hot tea brought by the little agent, Zuo Zhong used the lid of the cup to skim off the foam, blew the hot air gently, and asked a few questions slowly.

"Don't be nervous. We are just asking a simple question, not an interrogation. On the day of the meeting, did you disclose the encirclement and suppression plan to anyone? Have you ever left the official residence or met anyone?"

Members of the Second Attendant Group quickly denied it, saying that they had been working in the office that day and had never seen anyone outside the Attendant's Office, nor did they disclose information about the siege to anyone.

Afraid that Zuo Zhong would not believe him, he not only pulled out the leader of the Second Attendant Group as a witness, but also recited the confidentiality regulations of the Attendant's Room from beginning to end to prove his innocence.

Song Minghao, who was in charge of the screening, recorded the conversation between the two with a pen, observing each other's expressions and movements from time to time, trying to find signs of lying, but unfortunately he found nothing.

 Half an hour later, the members of the second team of waiters said goodbye and left. Under the intense questioning, his forehead was covered with sweat and his legs were weak.

After he walked out of the door, Zuo Zhong exchanged opinions with Gu Qi: "I think it's okay, what do you think, Lao Gu?"

“Well, it should be no problem. The timeline and action trajectory he explained are very clear and easy to verify.”

　　Gu Qi looked through the interview records and gave his own opinion.

 “Okay, let’s call the next one.”

Zuo Zhong did not waste time and directly asked Song Minghao to go out and call people and talk to them one by one according to the list.

During this period, some people refused to cooperate, and some even showed their backstage. But after knowing that this was someone's order, they all became honest. After all, no matter how big their backstage is, can they be bigger than someone else's?

The wall clock on the wall was ticking. Zuo Zhong and the four people did not rest. They quickly eliminated the suspicions of more than ten people. After sending one person away again, Zuo Chong loudly asked the next one to come in.

Soon, a fashionably dressed woman walked into the room. Gucci looked up the list and asked, "Are you Joanna, the stenographer of the official residence? Please sit down."

"Thanks."

Joanna smiled and thanked her, then sat down with her skirt held down. Her posture was elegant and she looked very relaxed, not at all as nervous as those before.

This caught Song Minghao's attention. He looked at the other person and suddenly said: "Ms. Qiao, you are very calm."

Joanna had a surprised expression when she heard this, and then had no choice but to explain.

“Sir, it’s not that I’m calm, but I was also questioned by them when the Zhongtong investigated the Supreme Council leak case last time, so I know very well that as long as I have no problems, I will be safe.”

Song Minghao opened the other party's file and saw on one page the results of the Zhongtong investigation: the official's political stance was reliable and not suspicious.

　　Listening to the exchange between the two, Zuo Zhong put down his tea cup and looked at Joanna carefully several times. He found that her face was sallow and her voice was a little hoarse, as if she was suffering from some kind of disease.

As soon as this thought came to mind, Joanna took out a handkerchief, covered her mouth and coughed. This reminded Zuo Zhong that Pan Mingzhi was also coughing when he got rid of the Central Unification agents.

On the other side, Gu Qi frowned when he looked at Joanna's address. It was a bit strange that the leader's stenographer lived in the slums.