62. The Person Most Trusted

The collaborationist manager bowed and scraped, saying, "Yes, Mr. Sarutobi, you are entirely right, but our chamber of commerce is still in the preparation stage, and we haven't had time to hire security personnel yet."

"Not had time? Do you know what this place is going to be used for? And what is Mr. Hasegawa's status? How do you plan to guarantee the personal safety of all the council members? What is the point of being in such a rush to clean the place so thoroughly? And what about these clerks? We haven't even finalized our business deals yet, so what is the use of rushing to hire so many people? The Empire's money is hard-earned cash, and it cannot be squandered like this by the likes of you!"

Hasegawa and the other two young members had not expected this Sarutobi Sasuke to get into character so quickly. Upon reflection, they realized his reasoning was indeed sound; since the chamber of commerce was still in the preparatory phase, there was no need to hire so many administrative staff. As for their own safety, although Special Higher Police spies were secretly providing protection, having their own armed force inside the chamber of commerce was also essential.

Scolded left and right, the collaborationist manager could only offer obsequious smiles and bobs. After ranting for a while, Zhou Hongyi sighed and said, "Remember, we are in Shanghai. The various factions here are intricate and complex, making it hard to distinguish friend from foe in such a sensitive situation. No matter what, protecting the council members and President Hasegawa must always be our top priority! Leave this matter to me; I will resolve the security issue. President, I suggest we entrust the routine security work of the chamber of commerce to my team members. They are my people, trustworthy and familiar with the job."

Hasegawa had been watching coldly from the sidelines and only then spoke with satisfaction, "Sasuke-kun, you are as thoughtful as ever. Since you are the professional when it comes to security, I leave it in your hands."

Hasegawa trusted Zhou Hongyi. After all, this young man had saved his life at the Paramount not long ago, even taking a bullet in the arm. It was precisely because of this incident that he had requested Zhou Hongyi be transferred to his side. Seeing this young man somehow gave Hasegawa an inexplicable sense of security.

Naturally, Zhou Hongyi did not hesitate to take charge of the Sakura Chamber of Commerce's routine security. As for the "trustworthy" security personnel he spoke of, he went all out and directly planted the bearded Chen Gong and his Military Statistics secret agents right inside.

Of course, he could not pack the entire team with Military Statistics agents; he also appropriately selected a few from the police station. The remaining Military Statistics brothers successfully infiltrated the Second Bureau's Special Operations Unit. At long last, Zhou Hongyi finally had a relatively trustworthy and usable group of men under his command.

When Zhou Hongyi brought Chen Gong into the Sakura Chamber of Commerce, Chen Gong had initially worried about potential danger. However, after watching Zhou Hongyi verbally abuse and physically chase away the collaborationist manager who wanted to register their identities, all that remained in Chen Gong's heart was sheer admiration.

"Tsk, brother, I truly regret not getting to know you sooner, but it's still not too late. Not only have you managed to get half of our brothers into the police station, but you've also landed the other half right inside the Japanese chamber of commerce. This way, once we figure out the actual goods they plan to transport, we can strike at any time!"

Zhou Hongyi placated him, "My good brother, let's not say such things here. Fortunately, I inspected this office in advance, but since this is enemy territory after all, we must be on guard against any covert listening devices they might have installed."

Hearing mention of listening devices, Chen Gong instinctively covered his mouth with his hand, a look of lingering fear on his face.

"Hehehe, don't worry, Brother Chen, there are no bugs here for now, but even so, we still cannot lower our guard."

"Right, right, right, you're right, brother. It was my carelessness, I deserve a beating. Just to be safe, I'll call you Mr. Sarutobi Sasuke when we're outside."

Having solved their urgent security needs on the very first day he joined the preparatory committee, Zhou Hongyi hosted a banquet for his new colleagues at a Japanese restaurant closest to People's Avenue that same evening. Naturally, he only invited the Japanese; the collaborationist manager didn't even have the qualifications to attend.

The group sat around the tatami mats, enjoying sake shipped directly from the Japanese homeland while listening to eerie tunes and eating somewhat undercooked sushi. Under Zhou Hongyi's deliberate orchestration, the atmosphere could be said to be quite harmonious.

"Ha-ha, come, come, everyone, try this. I asked the restaurant to prepare the absolute best salmon, along with bonito and eel. The sake is bottomless! Since everyone is visiting Shanghai for the first time, allow me to play the gracious host—please don't stand on ceremony with me!"

Throughout the drinking session, Zhou Hongyi proved to be a social butterfly, tending to the mood of every single guest. In modern terms, his emotional intelligence was fully maximized, ensuring the conversation never hit a lull.

Hasegawa sipped his sake, his eyes casually sweeping across the perimeter of the room and out the door. Seeing the strapping, upright guards standing rigidly outside, he felt deeply satisfied.

It seemed Sasuke-kun was indeed both a scholar and a warrior, just as Shimazu had claimed. With such a brilliant and talented young man assisting him, his current mission should proceed smoothly.

When the group was seven or eight parts drunk in the lively atmosphere, Zhou Hongyi summoned two Japanese geishas with faces painted deathly white. Though he himself couldn't quite fathom the aesthetic appeal of it, the Japanese bought into this act entirely and loved this sort of thing.

The two geishas wore kimonos, holding small folding fans, singing goosebump-inducing ditties as they shuffled back and forth.

Zhou Hongyi managed to keep his composure, having once trained as an actor at Hengdian. But during a quiet moment in the banquet, he glanced at Chen Gong and saw that his newly acquired Military Statistics big brother's mouth was twisted down to his chin in a look of utter disdain. Fortunately, the Japanese weren't paying attention to Chen Gong, otherwise there would have been a high risk of blowing their cover.

They had eaten well, drunk well, and been entertained. After this first chamber of commerce team-building event, Zhou Hongyi even prepared farewell gifts for everyone.

For this first meeting, Zhou Hongyi chose handicrafts that weren't overly expensive yet exceptionally exquisite. Since they weren't well acquainted yet, immediately offering lavish gifts would likely startle them. Therefore, every Japanese guest who attended today's gathering received a handmade folding fan crafted from spotted bamboo, inscribed with calligraphy by a locally renowned artist.

As everyone knew, the Japanese held traditional culture in high regard and adored such items. Zhou Hongyi's gift struck right at the hearts of everyone present, and even Hasegawa beamed with delight, showering him with continuous praise.

After personally escorting Hasegawa back to his compound under the protection of the gendarmerie, Zhou Hongyi and Chen Gong along with a few other brothers finally let out a sigh of relief.

They first drove the car back to the police station and parked it, after which the group took a stroll along the riverbank in the cool night breeze, allowing Zhou Hongyi to sober up a bit.

Only then, seeing that they were completely alone, did Chen Gong raise a thumb and whisper, "Brother, I truly admire you today, from the bottom of my heart. The way you acted was just incredible! How on earth did you manage to pretend to relish listening to that Japanese racket? I was dying to draw my piece and wipe the whole lot of them out!"