Chapter 1 Shanghai Bund

November 3, 1937, 7:00 PM, Shanghai Great World Entertainment Center:

Tonight is the birthday of Lu Lanchun, the Peking opera star heavily promoted by Huang Jinrong. Because he is celebrating her birthday, everyone is giving him face.

Of course, reporters from various Shanghai newspapers will not miss such an opportunity.

Shang Yuegui, the leading flower of the Wenhui Daily, is no exception. Tonight, she is beautifully made up and has brought her complete set of equipment.

She also entered the Great World, waiting to capture a few shots. It would be even better if she could interview Huang Jinrong or Lu Lanchun.

As the leading flower of the Wenhui Daily, she certainly knows the two most famous things in Shanghai these days.

These two things are actually the same thing: Zhang Xiaolin, the "Three-Colored Gangster," had his men rob a large batch of watches.

The "River-Crossing Dragon," who lost the watches, killed more than twenty people on the street.

That's not the end of it. The River-Crossing Dragon, who killed more than twenty of Zhang Xiaolin's underlings the day before, did not run away as everyone expected.

Today, he showed up in Shanghai again and killed more than a dozen of Zhang Xiaolin's men.

Everyone is watching Zhang Xiaolin, waiting for his revenge.

Zhang Xiaolin will definitely come to an occasion like tonight. If she can interview him, tomorrow's news will definitely be very popular.

Thinking of the sensational news, Shang Yuegui remembered the two photos that leaked from the Peace Hotel.

Why didn't she encounter it herself?

The photos after the bombing of Hongqiao Airport made the first newspaper to publish them a lot of money.

Thinking of the fire at Jiangwan Airport this morning, she wondered which unit did it.

"Wo Bu!" (Our Unit!) Which unit is it?

Thinking of this, Shang Yuegui remembered the company commander who wouldn't let her take pictures.

She made a special trip to interview when the 542nd Regiment entered the concession that day.

Shang Yuegui is sure that there wasn't a single soldier from the special company in it.

Where did they go?

With some time to spare, Shang Yuegui wandered around the Great World.

She has been here many times and no longer feels so much novelty.

However, the performances on the Great World stage are always fresh.

Whether it's magic, acrobatics, song and dance, or drama, there are new styles every month.

Magic troupes and acrobatic troupes from all over the world wouldn't dare to call themselves world-famous if they hadn't performed here.

Shang Yuegui's eyes suddenly swept across the side of a person's face.

Why is this person so familiar?

This is a man she knows, but she can't remember his name.

Instinct made Shang Yuegui take a few more glances at the man.

Lao Ziqiang felt the gaze from the side and looked straight over.

He recognized her immediately: "Reporter Shang!"

Just as he opened his mouth, Lao Ziqiang suddenly remembered his mission today.

Although the words were not shouted out, the shape of his mouth made them clear.

Lao Ziqiang can't be blamed for this. Which of the soldiers stationed at the Sihang Warehouse doesn't admire this beautiful reporter?

Lao Ziqiang excitedly whispered to Squad Leader Zhen Danxiao, "Squad Leader, Reporter Shang is over there!"

He also secretly pointed to the location where Shang Yuegui was standing.

"He called me Reporter Shang!" Shang Yuegui already felt that the person was about to come to mind.

Seeing Zhen Danxiao turning his face to look at her, she recognized him immediately: "Isn't the one who first saw the side of my face the soldier I could only photograph the side of during the battlefield interview?

The other person, everyone calls him Zhen Danxiao.

It's his nickname, Timid as a Mouse.

But he's a squad leader of the special company, in charge of more than a dozen people."

Seeing that Shang Yuegui wanted to squeeze over in his direction, Zhen Danxiao quickly turned around and slipped away in another direction.

He knows that tonight is not a good time to make friends!

Not a good time to chat!

Tonight is not a good time to meet an old acquaintance in a foreign land!

Zhen Danxiao is really timid, and timid people think a lot.

He turned around and had someone report to Lin Fan that he had seen Shang Yuegui and had been recognized by her.

Shang Yuegui began to pay attention to the men who came to the Great World tonight.

Normally, she would turn a blind eye to men.

With a deliberate search, she immediately discovered more familiar faces.

Although she couldn't name any of these people, she could recognize that they were all people guarding the Sihang Warehouse.

It's that most mysterious company, the one that doesn't allow anyone to take pictures.

Now she remembered what the mischievous company commander said at the time: "I'm not talking about you. I'm saying that these are all probabilities. If it's reported in the newspaper, the probability of being recognized during future disguises will definitely be higher. So, I'll control what I can control. Isn't that good?"

On the battlefield, he punched her in the stomach as soon as he saw her, as if he wanted her to thank him.

Thinking about it now, she still feels a little hot.

This is the hardest she's ever been hit in her life.

As she was thinking this, a voice suddenly came from beside her: "Miss Shang! Do you need someone to accompany you?"

The voice was so familiar.

Shang Yuegui turned her head and immediately saw the company commander who only knew how to hit people.

Lin Fan looked at Shang Yuegui with a smile: "I haven't seen you for a few days, Miss Shang is even more beautiful."

Shang Yuegui's journalistic instinct: first look around and find that there are only a few more familiar faces.

Then look at this company commander with a belly full of bad intentions. Two annoying soldiers are still on the left and right.

But there are two more beautiful girls.

These girls have more capital than herself!

When women see women, they don't care about anything else. First, they look at their faces, and then they compare their capital.

Lin Fan said with a smile, "Miss Shang, you don't need to be so careful. Just pretend you didn't see anything, okay?"

Shang Yuegui looked at him and asked worriedly, "How have you been these days?

I didn't see you when the 542nd Regiment entered the concession.

How did you get in?"

Lin Fan said with a smile, "Let's move and have a drink over there.

Standing here, Miss Shang is too eye-catching."

Shang Yuegui looked around and saw that many men were looking at her. She said somewhat proudly, "It won't cost me a piece of meat to let people look."

That being said, she understood in her heart that this man wasn't worried about her being eye-catching.

He was worried that he would be noticed. Shang Yuegui's mouth was talking, and her feet had already moved to lead the way.

She believes that now that these people have come to Shanghai, she should be the host.

As the host, of course, she should lead the way and entertain the guests well.

Lin Fan and the other five followed behind her, listening to Shang Yuegui introduce the various areas of the Great World and what was fun.

Shang Yuegui inadvertently turned her head and found that dozens of people were following behind her.

She couldn't help but say to Lin Fan, "Are they afraid that I'll eat you?"

Lin Fan didn't answer and said in a low voice, "Actually, it's better to forget each other in the jianghu than to rely on each other.

I'm afraid I'll affect you tonight!

They're here to protect you."

Although she knew this was a lie, a ghost story.

But Shang Yuegui still liked to hear it.

Shang Yuegui smiled and deliberately leaned close to Lin Fan's ear: "We reporters aren't afraid of trouble."

She paused and said, "Are you here to cause trouble tonight?"

She is a reporter and has a natural sensitivity to news.

Hearing that Lin Fan was afraid of affecting her, it must be because they were going to cause trouble.

Lin Fan still didn't speak.

The six of them found a seat and sat down in a corner of the hall.

Lin Fan wanted to talk quietly, so Wu Xiaobao, Zhao Long, and the others carefully watched their surroundings.

There were people at the table next to them.

Lin Fan nodded at this time, "Mm!"

Shang Yuegui was a little anxious: "This is Huang Jinrong's territory. If you come here to cause trouble, isn't that like the old man hanging himself—tired of living?

What exactly is going on? Do you want me to mediate?"

Lin Fan said in a low voice, "There's no need to mediate. We're not looking for trouble with Huang Jinrong!"

Shang Yuegui's face then showed a smile: "That's good! No, in the Great World, if you cause trouble with anyone, you're not giving Huang Jinrong face!

He'll still turn his face!

If it's not a big deal, I'll find someone to help you talk it over!"

Ji Wuming didn't like this woman from the beginning. She said coldly, "We're not afraid!"

Lin Fan patted her gently, telling her not to be excited.

Shang Yuegui looked at this big girl, just smiled, and didn't care.

She understands the little girl's thoughts!

She took a light sip of coffee!

Lin Fan said in a low voice, "We're looking for Zhang Xiaolin!"

Pfft! Shang Yuegui spat out all the coffee she hadn't swallowed.

Lin Fan wiped the coffee that had splashed on him and said, "Keep calm when something big happens! It's just a word, why are you so surprised?"

After the waiter brought a towel and wiped the table, Shang Yuegui said angrily, "You know the names of Huang Jinrong, Du Yuesheng, and Zhang Xiaolin, right!

Zhang Xiaolin is the most ruthless of the three.

What exactly are you looking for him for? If it's not a big deal, talk to Du Yuesheng and see if it can be resolved?"

Lin Fan thought for a while: "You know about the murder case that happened in the concession yesterday morning, right?"

Shang Yuegui didn't think much of it: "These days, there are millions of refugees in the concession, and there are murder cases every day.

Which one?"

Lin Fan whispered, "The one with the most deaths."

Shang Yuegui understood: "Did you do it? Did your people do it this afternoon too?"

Lin Fan smiled wryly: "We bought a batch of watches, but his men robbed them.

Not only did they not return them to us, but they also wanted us to pay money to buy them back!

Our request isn't high. Return what you robbed from us.

And compensate us with 300,000. That's the end of the matter.

Can you find someone to settle it?"

Shang Yuegui understood when she heard this:

"Zhang Xiaolin is trying to snatch food from a tiger's mouth! The special company didn't even flinch when facing the Japanese devils.

How is it possible to make the special company retreat now?

How could I possibly settle such a thing!"

"So you're going to find him to get the watches back?" Shang Yuegui asked.

Lin Fan nodded: "Also, remind him not to be a running dog for the Japanese."

Shang Yuegui smiled: "You're thinking too much. He's still a director of the Shanghai All-Circles Anti-Japanese War Support Association!"

Lin Fan smiled without saying a word!

Shang Yuegui thought for a while: "Forty lives, and the matter this afternoon, is enough to slap Zhang Xiaolin in the face.

She really can't settle this matter."

After thinking it over and over, she said with a bitter face: "This matter is too big, I can't do anything about it."

Lin Fan said with a smile, "We have our own way, you don't have to worry!

If it implicates you afterward, just say you don't know us."

Shang Yuegui smiled wryly: "Are the Three-Colored Gangsters reasonable people?

Even if they are reasonable, they only speak their own reason!

Thinking about this one, I'm afraid it's the same!

Speak your own reason, walk your own path!

Leave the Japanese devils with no way to go!"

Shang Yuegui asked in a low voice, "What are you going to do?"

Lin Fan smiled: "Talk to him!"

"That person was originally a gangster, and now he's become a gangster tycoon.

He's not easy to talk to. If you're not prepared, you'll suffer a loss."

"We know that the three tycoons are brothers.

We also know the name of the Three-Colored Gangsters.

Don't worry, we're not afraid!" Lin Fan said confidently.

Shang Yuegui suddenly asked in a low voice, "Could you be 'Wo Bu'?"

After asking, she laughed in a low voice again: "Impossible! There are too few of you.

You couldn't do such a thing."

Ji Wudi was about to retort.

Lin Fan gently touched her knee under the table and said:

"'Wo Bu's' rules, you know. No exposure, no reporting, no photography!" Lin Fan said with a smile.

Shang Yuegui thought: Very few people know what "Wo Bu!" means. Seeing that this company commander must not have a radio station.

He wouldn't be able to know such intelligence news.

Only then did she distort the "Wo Bu" she had said.

Seeing that this person was wholeheartedly fighting against the Japanese, she forgave him for having no knowledge and no culture!

She mysteriously leaned closer to Lin Fan and said in a low voice, "These days, there's a team claiming to be 'Wo Bu!'

They attacked the Japanese devils' Hongqiao Airport, and this morning they attacked Jiangwan Airport again.

Now the Japanese devils are furious and are looking everywhere for the whereabouts of this team.

But there's also a rumor that this team has more than a thousand people, and they've all been annihilated by the Japanese devils' naval guns and bombers north of Jiangwan Airport."

Lin Fan was shocked when he heard this news: "Is that team so unlucky?

They were actually blown up by the Japanese devils' naval guns."

But his face didn't show it at all: "That's too bad.

A team that can attack the Japanese devils' two airports must have a lot of people and must be very powerful.

The team that was bombed by the Japanese devils must not be 'Wo Bu'!"

He paused!

Lin Fan continued, "This 'Wo Bu' is too powerful! It's not easy to shoot down even one Japanese devils' plane."

Shang Yuegui immediately transformed into a "Wo Bu" defender: "Your pattern is really small: People have destroyed more than 150 Japanese devils' planes these two times."

Ji Wudi didn't like anyone slandering Lin Fan and wanted to open her mouth again.

Lin Fan gently echoed: "As long as it's fighting against the Japanese devils, I support it.

Unfortunately, we haven't seen such a team.

Otherwise, it would be great if they could take me with them to fight against the Japanese devils."

Shang Yuegui nodded: "You don't have to be humble, you fought very well when you were in Sihang.

Although you can't compare to them, you're already a hundred times stronger than the ordinary National Army."

Such comfort made the smile on Lin Fan's face even bigger: "Thank you! Thank you!

I didn't expect Miss Shang to have such a high evaluation of us.

With Miss Shang's evaluation, we will cherish our honor and work harder to fight against the Japanese devils."

Shang Yuegui's eyes suddenly dimmed: "It's a pity for the 542nd Regiment that stood firm with you in the Sihang Warehouse.

They are now actually prisoners of war."

Lin Fan was shocked: he only now knew the situation of the 542nd Regiment.

During these days, the special company had been burying themselves in walking and fighting against the Japanese devils.

There was no opportunity to find out the latest news at all.

"What happened to Regiment Commander Xie and the others?"

Shang Yuegui said: "The concession was afraid that Regiment Commander Xie and the others would continue to persist in the Sihang Warehouse, which would affect the safety of the concession.

So they put pressure on the National Government and proposed a solution:

The isolated army stationed at the Sihang Warehouse would withdraw into the concession and go to Huxi through the concession to return to the main force of the National Army.

As a result, after entering the concession, the Japanese devils found that the number of isolated armies was so small.

Feeling that they had lost face, they insisted on leaving the 542nd Regiment behind.

Otherwise, they would also pass through the concession with weapons.

In the end, this isolated army could only enter the barracks in the concession."

Ji Wudi asked in confusion: "Since it's a military camp, how are they prisoners of war?"

Shang Yuegui continued: "The next day, the Japanese devils put pressure on the concession, and the concession put pressure on the National Government.

They forced the 542nd Regiment to surrender their weapons, so Regiment Commander Xie and the others were ordered by their superiors to surrender their weapons.

Then they were transferred to the refugee camp and put under supervision.

Fortunately, you didn't go with them."

Lin Fan shook his head: He had repeatedly told them at the beginning that they must not surrender their weapons no matter what.

Now they have surrendered their weapons.

Thinking of those eight tanks, his heart ached. Those were his.

Lin Fan asked, "Did the 542nd Regiment drive eight tanks into the concession?"

Shang Yuegui said in a low voice, "They have been driven out of the concession and returned to the Japanese devils."

Wu Xiaobao stood up all of a sudden: "Those are ours!"

Lin Fan smiled and pulled him to sit down: "Xiaobao! Don't get excited! The accounts!

We'll write them down. We'll ask for them one by one!

Don't worry!

We are still young, we have plenty of time!

We are still teenagers!"

Shang Yuegui always remembered this Wu Xiaobao, it was he who stopped her from taking pictures.

Lin Fan's annoying smile on his face was the smile he had after hitting her that day, still wanting her to thank him.

But today it doesn't seem so annoying.

On the contrary, it's a little handsome?

No way, she would never like such a rude man who would rather use his hands than his mouth.

If Lin Fan knew that he had become a rude man in Shang Yuegui's eyes, he would definitely object: Where am I rude? You haven't even seen it.

Shang Yuegui looked at Lin Fan with some worry: "The celebrities of Shanghai will all come today.

If you take action at this time, it will make it difficult for Zhang Xiaolin, Huang Jinrong, and Du Yuesheng to step down.

And in the afternoon, some of you released a message.

Zhang Xiaolin is already prepared, it will be difficult to do things."

Lin Fan smiled: "We're just taking a look, if it works, we'll do it, if it doesn't, we'll just treat it as a trip."

Seeing Lin Fan's unserious appearance, Shang Yuegui couldn't help but say, "You have more than a hundred men, you don't think about yourself, you have to think about them."