Sasuke-kun

After a deep conversation with "Bodhi," Zhou Hongyi spent the next morning catching up on sleep at his shop. It wasn't until noon that he leisurely made his way to the police station.

"Young Master Zhou, why are you here? You're still nursing your wounds; you should be resting at home," Captain Xu said, his face immediately filling with concern the moment he spotted Zhou Hongyi. Other captains and officers gathered around as well, their eyes reflecting both worry and curiosity.

"Exactly, Young Master Zhou. That’s a gunshot wound. You can't be careless; you don't want any lasting complications," one officer chimed in.

"That's right, and there’s nothing urgent at the station anyway. We can handle whatever comes up," another added quickly.

"Though, I must say, Young Master Zhou has performed a great service this time. Not only did you take down the assassin, but you also saved Colonel Shimazu during the crisis. If you get promoted again, you’ll be the Chief of Police," a squad leader joked with a smile.

Zhou Hongyi waved a hand to signal he was fine, while his gaze swept across the faces of the captains, finally settling on a man with prominent cheekbones, sunken cheeks, and dark circles under his eyes.

This man was Wei Zhe, the captain of the third squad and the sworn enemy of Ah Gui. Since Ah Gui had now pledged his loyalty to Zhou Hongyi, Zhou intended to fulfill his promise and avenge his brother as soon as possible.

Wei Zhe had been a hooligan before the fall of Shanghai. After the puppet government took over, he transformed himself into a police officer. Skilled in sycophancy and bribery, he had climbed the ranks to captain. During the Qingdong Massacre in April, he had used various despicable tactics to lure hiding civilians out of their shelters before ordering their slaughter. Of the nine stabs Ah Gui had sustained, one had been delivered by Wei Zhe’s own hand.

Though Zhou Hongyi smiled and exchanged pleasantries with him, he had already placed the man at the top of his kill list, right alongside the Red Party traitor, "Firework."

"Ah, Zhongliang, why are you here? You should be resting properly in the hospital. Come, come, come in and sit," Bureau Chief Feng said, warmly ushering him into his office and pouring him a cup of tea. He had seen for himself just yesterday how much favor Zhou Hongyi’s sister held with Ding Mocun, and now this kid had saved Colonel Shimazu’s life as well.

It wasn't just Shimazu; Bureau Chief Feng had received internal reports that the Japanese official with Shimazu yesterday was of extremely high status. Zhou Hongyi’s contribution was likely far greater than it appeared on the surface.

"Chief, I’m just not one to sit still. The hospital smells terrible. Getting out and moving around will actually help my recovery. But don't worry, I won't overexert myself. I’ll arrange my work for the next two days and take some leave, then come back to report once the wound has mostly healed."

"Look at you, being so formal," Bureau Chief Feng said. He walked behind his desk, rummaged through a drawer, and pulled out a box. "Zhongliang, this is some ginseng someone gave me. Take it and build up your strength. There are two roots in here; please do me the favor of passing the other one to Director Ding."

Zhou Hongyi found it amusing, thinking that even Bureau Chief Feng could tell his brother-in-law was looking a bit frail. He accepted it without protest, saying, "Don't worry, Chief, I will certainly convey your regards. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back."

"Very well, very well. I’ll have my driver take you home."

Just as Feng Jinxiong was about to call for the driver, the phone on his desk rang. He picked up the receiver and said "Hello," his expression shifting visibly from serious to obsequious. "Colonel, yes, he is here, right beside me. You want him to take the call? Yes, of course."

Feng Jinxiong looked at Zhou Hongyi with a smile. "It’s Colonel Shimazu. He sent people to the hospital to check on you, and hearing you’d already been discharged, he called here."

Zhou Hongyi thought to himself, *Here we go.* He took the receiver and said "Moshi moshi" in Japanese.

On the other end, Colonel Shimazu inquired about his condition. Upon learning he was fine, he politely requested that Zhou Hongyi come to the Special Higher Police Division. After all, Zhou had been the one to discover the assassin and take him down; if the division wanted to uncover more useful information, they needed his cooperation.

"Teacher, don't worry, I’m on my way," Zhou Hongyi said. He hung up and smiled at Feng Jinxiong. "Chief, Colonel Shimazu wants me to head to the Special Higher Police Division immediately for an urgent matter. Could you have the car..."

Feng Jinxiong straightened up and waved his hand. "Of course, don't worry. I’ll have the driver take you there right now. Xiao Liu! Come in here!"

Riding in the bureau chief’s private car, Zhou Hongyi arrived outside the Special Higher Police Division building. At the gate, he showed his credentials to the Japanese sentries and stepped into the heavily guarded, notorious den of monsters stained with the blood of his countrymen.

Zhou Hongyi walked slowly. Although he kept his head down, he used his peripheral vision to commit the internal layout of the building to memory as best he could. He didn't know exactly why he was doing this, only that he felt he would return eventually. And the next time he returned, it would likely be to destroy this place. Therefore, he had to take this rare opportunity to gather intelligence and familiarize himself with the terrain for future needs.

The building occupied by the Special Higher Police Division had once been an office building in the French Concession. It had three floors and over twenty rooms, decorated in a refined, romantic French retro style—carved wood paneling, chandeliers, and hardwood floors. But now, under Japanese occupation, the romance had soured, replaced by a chilling, sinister aura.

Shimazu’s office was on the second floor. Zhou Hongyi couldn't access the third, so he did his best to memorize everything he could see.

*Knock, knock, knock.* He knocked three times, and upon hearing "Come in," he turned the handle.

"Teacher, I’m here."

Seeing Zhou Hongyi, Shimazu, dressed in his military uniform, stood up with a smile. "Come, come, sit. I know you have a gunshot wound, and I truly regret having to call you in."

Zhou Hongyi bowed slightly. "Teacher, that’s too formal. Yesterday’s events were sudden, and I was injured by accident. It is only right that I come here to assist with the investigation as soon as possible. It is I who should apologize for waiting until today."

Shimazu’s eyes were filled with admiration. He turned to the round-faced man beside him, Hasegawa, and said, "See what I mean? This is exactly the kind of outstanding young man the Empire needs. Lord Hasegawa, allow me to introduce you properly today: my student, Sasuke."

Colonel Shimazu introduced Zhou Hongyi’s identity to the middle-aged man in Japanese.

Sasuke—Sarutobi Sasuke—was the Japanese name he had chosen while studying Japanese with Shimazu. The name carried significance; Shimazu had chosen it to refer to one of the ten brave warriors under the Sanada clan during the Sengoku period. Since Zhou Hongyi happened to be one of his ten students, he had named each of them after one of those legendary warriors. The other nine students now held key positions in various departments of the Japanese military.

Hasegawa nodded. "I have long heard that the ten students taught by Mr. Shimazu are all like dragons among men, each worthy of being compared to the Sanada Ten Braves. Seeing you today, it is clearly no exaggeration. Sasuke-kun, please allow me to formally apologize. If not for you last night, I would likely have met with misfortune. I am very sorry to have to trouble you to assist with the investigation while you are wounded, but this mission is of such great importance that we cannot be the least bit careless."