Winter, 1943. The No. 76 interrogation room in Jianghai City. Chen Yundu, deputy director of the Intelligence Department with the rank of major, hands a “contact map of the underground party” to Japanese Lieutenant Colonel Asano Shuichi. Asano is pleased. “Mr. Chen, you are more trustworthy than anyone.” No one knows that every address on the map was cleared out three days ago. Nor does anyone know that two sets of identification papers are hidden beneath the floor of Chen Yundu’s desk: one belongs to a Wang Jingwei regime major who was executed by No. 76 just last night.
The Plum Agency has issued an ultimatum: the mole inside must be exposed within seven days. At the top of the suspect list is Chen Yundu. He has also received orders from his superiors: escort a witness who knows about the “Sakura Plan” across the blockade. The witness is in the hands of the military police, and the escort route must pass through No. 76’s territory.
Chen Yundu activates the Modern Military Training System. It cannot fire a gun for him, but in an abandoned warehouse at night, it can use 3D projections to simulate every step of an operation: the placement of hidden sentries, patrol shift changes, and psychological maneuvering during interrogations. He trains a six-person ghost squad, every member capable of silently taking down a sentry with bare hands.
The secret token is an inconspicuous copper button. Whoever holds it can command any node in the undercover network, regardless of rank. It can only be used once. When the button is pressed into his palm, Chen Yundu receives one last coded order: “The escort for the Sakura Plan is codenamed ‘Raven.’ The rendezvous phrase is: ‘Do you remember the rain on the Bund in 1937?’”
He heads toward the military police detention block. Behind him, No. 76’s searchlight sweeps across the corridor. In its beam, Asano Shuichi’s shadow falls at his feet.
The “Raven” in the cell lifts his face. It is the radio operator who taught Chen Yundu Morse code eight years ago.
