Shadow of the Spy: Cold City is a spy novel about underground operatives obtaining vital intelligence during the War of Resistance Against Japan.
In the novel, Shen Yanzhi and Tian Mo seek a backup map hidden in a secret room on the top floor of the Ministry of Finance. They approach Su Manli, a “social butterfly of the French Concession” who appears to be allied with the Japanese army but secretly passes intelligence to the Anti-Japanese Allied Army. However, Matsui has just changed the lock on the secret room, and the new key is in his pocket. The Ministry of Finance has also tightened security. Tian Mo suggests using ether to knock Matsui out and steal the key, and Su Manli puts the plan into action when she attends a dinner party at the Matsui residence. Using a floor plan of the house, Shen Yanzhi enters through a dog hole in the back courtyard and retrieves the key. He successfully gets the map, but is discovered in the secret room by Kobayashi, the deputy chief of the Special Higher Police. At the critical moment, Boss Zhang fires a shot to draw Kobayashi away, allowing Shen Yanzhi and the others to escape. Su Manli also hands them the organized intelligence on Japanese troop movements, then prepares to leave Shanghai. In the end, Shen Yanzhi and the others set off toward the anti-Japanese base with the map and intelligence, while Su Manli boards a train bound for Chongqing.
