Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Sudden Incident

Evening of December 30th, 1938. New Capital, Manchukuo.

Heavy snow had been falling for two straight days without pause, piling over two feet deep on the roads. The north wind howled, making the air damp and bone-chilling.

Xu Ruiyang, a patrol officer from the New District Police Station under the New Capital Police Department of Manchukuo, was wobbling along in the snow on his battered bicycle.

The thick police overcoat did little to ward off the biting wind. Snow blown onto his face stung faintly, and his vision was severely hindered.

He was surrounded by the residential areas of Manchukuo officials, Japanese employees, and ordinary Japanese citizens—known as the New District, a secondary zone.

Life here was exceptionally comfortable: every household had heating, electricity, and gas. Ordinary Chinese people had no right to live in this area.

Normally, the streets would be crowded, but today, not a single customer could be seen in taverns, restaurants, or shops.

With temperatures plunging below minus twenty degrees and no sign of the blizzard letting up, no one ventured out unless absolutely necessary.

Although Xu Ruiyang had been a full-fledged officer for over half a year, he was still considered a newcomer. His daily task was to patrol this area.

No seasoned or well-connected officer wanted to serve here; Japanese insults and beatings of Manchukuo police were commonplace, especially those meted out by Japanese ruffians.

This district had only two teams—one for the morning, one for the afternoon, each with two officers. By chance, his partner had taken leave today, leaving Xu Ruiyang alone on duty.

He wasn't foolish enough to patrol in such dreadful weather. After lunch, he slipped into a familiar general store in his jurisdiction, drinking tea and smoking with the Japanese proprietor, whiling away most of the afternoon.

It was likely his status as a police officer and his fluent Japanese earned him some respect; ordinary Chinese couldn't even buy goods here.

Still, few Japanese in the district cared to chat. Over his year as a patrolman, Xu Ruiyang and his partner often came here for tea and cigarettes.

Slacking off was routine for patrol officers. Wandering the district on a battered bicycle was pointless.

Nearing the end of his shift, Xu Ruiyang leisurely made his way back to the station, stopping to buy two packs of Japanese cigarettes—an offering for any encounter with Japanese military police, to help avoid insults from those arrogant beasts.

Suddenly, carried by the wind, a girl's scream pierced the air ahead. She was shouting angrily in Japanese, rebuking someone.

Clearly, her troublemakers were Japanese; otherwise, why call them "Imperial scum"?

A Japanese girl in distress—Xu Ruiyang felt no urge to intervene.

The citizens of New Capital suffered daily under the oppression and cruelty of Japanese invaders. Since this was a Japanese affair, why should he meddle?

More importantly, his identity was not just that of a patrol officer. He was also a member of the underground resistance, hunted by the Japanese.

His task was to use his police identity to infiltrate the station, remaining dormant unless activated by his handler. Unless contacted, he was indistinguishable from any other patrolman.

Intelligence work for the underground was strictly compartmentalized; he could not contact any other resistance group in New Capital. Over nearly a year, he'd participated in many anti-underground operations, witnessing comrades slaughtered, his heart bleeding.

But his time in New Capital was short. Ordinary patrol officers had no access to top-secret intelligence, nor could he warn local resistance groups—discipline forbade it, and he lacked the channels. Since joining the station, his handler had never contacted him.

Pedaling forward, Xu Ruiyang saw two drunken Japanese ruffians at the corner of a courtyard wall, harassing a young woman and trying to drag her off somewhere.

Beside them, a luxurious sable fur coat—violet mink—lay on the ground, suggesting she came from a wealthy family.

Japanese ruffians, in Xu Ruiyang's eyes, were utter scoundrels—beasts who wreaked havoc on Chinese soil, committing every imaginable atrocity.

He studied the girl closely, stopped his bicycle, and hurried toward them.

Why the change of heart?

He noticed the Japanese girl wore a Western-style suit; on her left chest was the notorious logo of South Manchuria Railway Company.

The ruffians, drunk and blinded by lust, would never dare provoke such a powerful entity under normal circumstances.

Given South Manchuria Railway's special status in the region and her apparent wealth, it was worth intervening. Xu Ruiyang had no other resources in New Capital—any opportunity was precious.

“I’m a police officer from the New District Police Station. Let go of the young lady immediately, or I’ll call the military police!” Xu Ruiyang shouted, charging bravely toward the trio and shoving the two scoundrels aside.

In Manchukuo, especially as a police officer, one couldn’t survive without speaking Japanese. He had worked hard at it during police school; in uniform, even Japanese conversations couldn’t betray his identity.

In the Japanese residential district, there were military police on duty and even Kwantung Army fortresses. If Xu Ruiyang blew his whistle, they’d arrive quickly.

If Japanese bullied Chinese, the military police would ignore it. But if Japanese bullied other Japanese, they were obliged to intervene.

“You lowly Chink, how dare you meddle in Japanese affairs? Get lost, or we’ll kill you on patrol tomorrow!” one ruffian threatened.

To them, a Chinese—a minor Manchukuo police officer—was someone to be trampled underfoot. Japanese alone ruled this land.

“Don’t be afraid of them. I’m Haruka Inoue, secretary to the president of South Manchuria Railway. If you save me, I’ll ask the president to deal with them tomorrow!” the girl said quickly.

She clung tightly to Xu Ruiyang’s arm, her face pale with terror, genuinely worried he might be scared off by the two thugs.

She believed Manchukuo police dared not offend Japanese. To reassure Xu Ruiyang, she revealed her status: the president of South Manchuria Railway was a powerful figure in Manchukuo.

“Run ahead, I’ll hold them back. I’ll catch up with you soon—they’re drunk and won’t be able to chase you fast!” Xu Ruiyang urged her.

Haruka Inoue obediently picked up her sable coat, barely pausing to put it on, and rushed off into the distance.

(End of Chapter)