frightfiction Chapter 1173 What if this port is sold?
Chapter 1173 What if this port is sold?
Zhou Xuejin looked up. "Master Lin, which side are you on?"
Lin Ze didn't answer the question, but instead asked, "Xuejin, if a powerful figure wants to seize the port, or even the surrounding industries, what do you think we can do?"
Zhou Xuejin thought for a moment and said, "I think there are three strategies: the best, the middle, and the worst."
Lin Ze lit a cigarette. "Tell me in detail."
"Master Lin, then I'll be so bold as to say that the best course of action is to confront the enemy directly. However, those who dare to target the port are probably all very influential. They're here to find fault with you. If they also have the backing of high-ranking Japanese officials, it might not be so easy to break their stance."
"The middle strategy is to be vigilant and guard against them. If they say the accounts are unclear, we will fix them. If they say they have a monopoly on the lifeline, we will break up the company. In short, we will not let them find a way to attack us. But then again, you can only be a thief for a thousand days, but you can't guard against a thief for a thousand days. If it really comes to that, we may be overwhelmed and we will be like trying to hold down a gourd only to have another one pop up."
"As for the worst option..."
"So what if it's a bad choice?"
"Master Lin, we have tens of thousands of workers on our construction site, all of them young and strong. Aren't they afraid of breaking their teeth if they want to take over the port?"
Lin Ze laughed heartily, "Xuejin, Xuejin, your courage has only grown stronger in just a few days!"
Eager to learn, Zhou Xuejin pressed on, "Mr. Lin, could you tell me how you would handle this if you were in his shoes?"
"Me? I'll sell the port to them!"
Zhou Xuejin was somewhat bewildered. Lin Ze stood up and said, "Alright, I have other things to do. I'm going back to Tianjin first. You take good care of the port, and leave the rest to me."
Zhou Xuejin hurried out to see him off, and he was still in a daze even after Lin Ze's car had driven far away.
An aide in the command center office suggested, "Director Zhou, shall we go back?"
Zhou Xuejin murmured, "What if this port is sold?"
The attendant burst out laughing, "Haha, Director Zhou, you're really joking. Can money buy these things? Even if it could, can't these houses, docks, and factories be moved? Who could buy them and manage them?"
Upon returning to the city, Lin Ze went to the military police headquarters.
The Tianjin Military Police Command is now a violent organization that serves only Lin Ze, and it is increasingly showing a tendency to work in conjunction with the Assistant Administration Bureau.
Currently, the relationship between the various law enforcement agencies in Tianjin is roughly as follows: the police headquarters is in charge of street-level matters, similar to a combination of local police and urban management officers. If there are major cases, such as murders or cases involving classified information, they are transferred to the auxiliary police bureau. At this time, the auxiliary police bureau will classify the cases, handling those suitable for themselves, and those involving Japanese individuals, they will prepare a plan and hand it over to the military police headquarters for handling.
Over time, the counter-espionage and security functions of the Military Police Headquarters were largely transferred to the Assistant Administration Bureau, leaving the Military Police Headquarters with only one function: dealing with the Japanese.
As for whether these Japanese military police would have any complaints, no one dared to complain openly, and probably not in private either.
Because Lin Ze promoted a group of low-ranking Japanese soldiers, all of whom had no family background and had never attended the Army University, he didn't need to give them high-ranking positions. Instead, he helped them overcome the hurdle of becoming sergeants and gave them the position of lieutenant. They were all eager to cut off their heads and let Commander Lin kick them around like a ball.
Moreover, for them, less work means less danger, and few people want to go out every day to catch spies!
Staying at headquarters, casually arresting a few Japanese ronin or small merchants, how comfortable would that be?
Therefore, Lin Ze now has Xie Quan's security forces on the outside, the elite troops of the auxiliary management bureau on the inside, and the military police headquarters and the police brigade on both sides, giving him comprehensive and thorough control over the armed and quasi-armed forces in Tianjin and the surrounding areas.
Just as Zheng Xiaji said before, with these men, plus the able-bodied workers inside and outside the city, they could definitely give the Japanese a hard time if they were assembled at a moment's notice.
As soon as Lin Ze's car arrived, the Japanese military police stood up straight, chests out and buttocks raised, leaning forward and saluting vigorously!
You should know that Commander Lin holds several positions and doesn't come to the Military Police Headquarters every day. Today, our beloved Commander Lin has returned to his loyal Military Police Headquarters!
As soon as Niu San'er opened the car door and Lin Ze got out, all the Japanese soldiers, big and small, in the courtyard and upstairs corridor stopped moving, respectfully saluted Commander Lin, and stood at attention.
Lin Ze slightly raised his right hand as a return greeting, then extended two fingers and made a sweeping motion outwards, signifying that they should go about their business. Only then did the Japanese soldiers resume their movements and activities.
Upon entering the office, a long queue had formed outside Niu San'er's suite, all waiting to report to Lin Ze.
Actually, there wasn't anything major to report, but since Commander Lin had come all this way, these people had to give a proper report on their respective areas of responsibility. You see, those people Commander Lin brought to Shimen before had all been promoted and given real positions!
Someone has even figured out the conversion formula: one second lieutenant of the Tianjin Military Police Command is approximately equal to one captain of the Shimen Military Police Command, and one colonel of the Tianjin Military Police Command is approximately equal to one colonel of the Shimen Military Police Command!
The Japanese soldiers were ecstatic; it turned out that not only were promotions fast, but there was also a premium involved!
Too many people wanted to report, and that's when Director Niu's skill came into play. First, he sent the people from the Public Security Department and the Counter-Espionage Department back. These two departments used to be powerful, but now they were becoming less and less noticeable. Didn't Lin Ze already know whether there were spies in Tianjin or whether the public security was good or bad? So there was no need to report.
But that's not how it should be said. Niu San'er said seriously, "Both of you are section chiefs. The matters under your jurisdiction are of great significance. I think you should go back and write a report for Commander Lin to read. Make it as detailed and thorough as possible."
The two Japanese section chiefs left with smiles on their faces.
The Economic Department was quite important because they frequently conducted surprise inspections of Japanese trading companies to let them experience Tianjin's favorable business environment. Therefore, the head of the Economic Department was scheduled to meet Lin Ze first.
The post office is responsible for checking and monitoring mail, and the main targets of their monitoring are the Japanese. They can let him in to give Lin Ze a routine report.
The remaining four were military police squad leaders, who were directly in charge of patrolling various areas with their military police. Regardless of whether there was anything to do or not, they had to listen to Commander Lin's instructions every now and then, so they were placed at the back and allowed to go in together.
After making the arrangements, Niu San'er went in to make tea for Lin Ze and briefly asked for his instructions. After Lin Ze agreed, the officers began to enter the office in order to report to Lin Ze.