In 1942 Shanghai, neon lights and gun smoke weave a dangerous web. On the streets of the foreign concessions, rickshaw pullers' cries conceal ciphers, and Morse code drifts through the piano music of cafes. The deepest secrets are often hidden beneath the most elegant skirts.
"Third Sister" is a code name that haunts both the underworld and the law. Some say she is a top agent of the Military Statistics Bureau; others call her a secret rose of the Communist underground. There are even rumors that she is a double agent planted by the Japanese Kempeitai. No one knows her true identity. All they know is that she always wears a dark green qipao and a pearl hairpin, and that with a smile as lovely as a flower, she can take a life without a trace.
That night, in a secret room at 76 Avenue Joffre, a top-secret message is passed around: "Third Sister has appeared at the Paramount. Tomorrow, she will meet the Communist contact codenamed Azure Phoenix."
At the same time, in an apartment in the French Concession, Third Sister adjusts her pearl earrings in front of a mirror. Her reflection reveals a cold glint in her eyes, though a smile curls her lips. "Tomorrow, this show comes to an end."
