A Kuomintang agent's spy career during the War of Resistance against Japan

Chapter 9 Obtaining British Citizenship

Professor Cole abruptly stopped, turned around, and stared intently at Han Zhenhua. The fervor in his eyes had not yet faded, but now it was tinged with scrutiny and surprise.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, patting Han Zhenhua forcefully on the shoulder: "Become my apprentice? Good lad, you have good taste! Just based on the insight in your paper, let alone becoming my apprentice, I'd wholeheartedly support you even if you wanted to establish your own school of thought in my lab!"

Susan, standing to the side, was also deeply moved by the conversation and her father's reaction. Now, looking at Han Zhenhua, her gaze held not only gentleness but also curiosity and admiration. She added softly, "Han, my father rarely praises others like this. Your talent is truly remarkable."

Han Zhenhua felt a great weight lifted from his heart, and a sincere smile appeared on his face: "It is my honor to receive the professor's recognition."

However, this research still requires a lot of experimental data and theoretical refinement. With your authoritative guidance, I can avoid many detours.

Professor Cole nodded repeatedly, then pulled Han Zhenhua out: "Come on, let's go to the lab now! We'll verify your theory, and then we'll start preparing the next part of the paper."

By the way, starting today, you are welcome to come to my office and laboratory anytime. You are free to use my books and all my experimental equipment!

Also, I remember you were a "wartime transfer student," right? That won't do. How could my first disciple, Albert Cole's first direct disciple, be just a transfer student?

Go to the registrar's office right now, I'll call them and get you officially enrolled immediately... Hmm! ...No, no, no, with your level, there's no professor in the entire university who can teach you. Go directly to apply for university lecturer status, the monthly salary is 50 pounds. Principal David Smith has already returned home due to the war, I'm the one in charge here!

Oh right, I almost forgot the most important thing!

Han, you are Chinese. Right now, China and Japan are at war. Your Chinese identity is in great danger. I cannot stand by and watch a great physics genius suffer an accident because of the war. This is a heinous crime that even God would not forgive!

Well then, Mr. Huddlestone, the British Minister to Shanghai, is a good friend of mine. I'll have him process your British passport right away. Hmm! Just say you're from Victoria University in Hong Kong. Go to the school's photo studio to have a few photos taken, and I'll have Susan send them to the embassy for you. That way, you'll have a British passport and dual Chinese and British citizenship. The Japanese will definitely not dare to do anything to you!

I was originally going back to China next month, thank God I didn't go, otherwise I would have missed out on this great achievement and the opportunity to have the best student... God help me... I never thought I, Albert Cole, would have this day...

Han Zhenhua quickly agreed, his gaze sweeping across the quiet streets of the British Concession outside the window. He thought to himself, "I've finally taken the first step." With Professor Cole as his backer in the British academic world, at least within the British Concession, his safety and research environment were temporarily no longer a concern. He then took his leave to have his photo taken and went directly to the Academic Affairs Office to complete the formalities.

After several phone calls, Professor Cole rushed into the lab impatiently...

A few days later, Han Zhenhua saw the British passport with the Union Jack on the cover and a photo inside written entirely in English, bearing the inscription "Zhenhua Cole".

When the name "(Zhenhua. Keer)" was mentioned, there was a moment of silence!

However, on the day he received his passport, Han Zhenhua did not hesitate at all to take the "House Sale Contract" directly to the "British Concession Municipal Council" to complete the property procedures. When the Chinese and British staff of the Municipal Council saw that Han Zhenhua was also a British citizen, they immediately assumed that he was a Hong Konger.

After carefully checking his passport and St. John's University lecturer certificate, and seeing that he was only seventeen or eighteen years old but not a student but a "lecturer", he couldn't help but feel suspicious and directly called the academic affairs office of St. John's University. After receiving a positive reply, he was filled with admiration and no longer had any doubts and completed the full property registration for him. Only then was the house finally completely registered under Han Zhenhua's name!

The meeting room of the Military Intelligence Bureau headquarters in Nanjing.

Seven gold-embossed commendation certificates were neatly arranged on the sandalwood conference table. Dai Chunfeng's fingertips lightly swept over the certificate at the top, which bore his name. The six characters "Order of the Blue Sky and White Sun" on the parchment gleamed faintly in the sunlight.

"Director, the Chairman's office just called." Mao Qi rushed in, holding a folder, his voice brimming with excitement: "The Principal said that the Military Intelligence Bureau will be awarded a Special Merit this time! The Ministry of Military Affairs has approved it, and we can expand our organization by three special operations groups!"

"Qi Wu, you've done well this time too." He handed over a document. "This is your commendation order, and your appointment letter for promotion to colonel, and the First Class Yunhui Medal."

"I hereby issue the following orders: The Special Operations Group will be merged into the Shanghai Station. Zhao Lijun will be promoted to Colonel and appointed Station Chief, awarded the Third Class Order of the Precious Tripod. Former Station Chief Zhou Weilong will be transferred to the Qingpu Third Training Program as Chief Instructor. Wang Tianmu and Shen Zui will be appointed as Deputy Station Chiefs."

He paused, then added, "That contact, Chen Jianghe of 'Bird's Nest'..." His fingertip hovered on the table for two seconds, "He was promoted two ranks, given the rank of major, appointed as the head of the intelligence department of the Shanghai station, and awarded the Second Class Order of Glory."

Just as Mao Qi was about to pick up his pen to take notes, Dai Chunfeng suddenly grabbed his wrist. A hawk-like glint flashed in the eyes of this leader of the Military Intelligence Bureau: "The most important thing is to find the 'crow'—hey, this isn't a crow! It's clearly a magpie, a magpie of great joy!"

His voice deepened: "Tell Zhao Lijun that we must find this person and create a top-secret file."

The most crucial thing is to figure out how he obtained such vital military intelligence. This line must be preserved—even sacrificing the entire Shanghai station for it would be worthwhile!

On the third floor of the newly opened "Rongchang Trading Company" at 15 Rue Pétain in the French Concession of Shanghai, Zhao Lijun, touching his brand-new colonel's collar insignia and fiddling with the ribbon of the Third Class Order of the Precious Tripod, turned to Chen Jianghe and smiled, "Bird's Nest, you should call me Director Chen now. The Director personally inquired about the 'Crow' matter; any progress?"

Chen Jianghe was stroking the major's epaulettes he had just received, his fingertips tracing the stars on them, his eyes filled with joy. He glanced up at the canopy of the plane trees in the French Concession outside the window, and slowly pushed a celadon teacup in front of Zhao Lijun: "Station Chief, who would have thought that 'Crow's' seemingly outrageous intelligence was actually true? I figured that since he was willing to send such a big gift, he would show up sooner or later. We just need to keep an eye on the safe house I gave him these next few days; I reckon he should be here soon."

"That makes sense." Zhao Lijun picked up his teacup and took a sip, but his brows remained furrowed. "Arrange for people to keep an eye on things 24 hours a day immediately. Although we won a small victory against the Japanese at Quan Gongting, we still couldn't hold the entire Shanghai area. Shanghai is now entirely in the hands of the Japanese."

"The days ahead in our battle for Shanghai will be much harder than we imagined—things behind enemy lines are incredibly complicated."

At this moment, Han Zhenhua was in his other villa, holding a cup of coffee, looking at his phone plugged in and charging, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.