Hardly had Commissioner Tan spoken when another commissioner spoke up from the side:
"Commissioner Tan, the department has a great deal on its plate, and every one of us bears important duties. It is completely normal for matters to be deferred.
"Besides, compared to national security, this is a matter too insignificant to mention."
Commissioner Tan looked at him and said in a stern tone, "Is Commissioner Liang saying that the Haicun incident, with hundreds of human lives, isn't worth mentioning?"
"I didn't say that," Commissioner Liang quickly denied. "However, compared to what we deal with daily, cases like this indeed have to take a back seat. What we must do is screen and eliminate security issues and latent perils that concern the entire nation. How could we constantly prioritize this relatively minor matter? There must be an order of priorities, mustn't there? Commissioner Tan, I know you follow rules and value principle, but look at the colleagues seated here—"
He glanced around. "Including Minister He, who among us isn't dedicated and conscientious? Busy from morning to night, with some having no free days at all—everyone works hard. Take Old Tang, for instance." He pointed at Commissioner Tang. "He just returned from Yuanbei Dao and came straight to the meeting without even stopping home. And Old Yuan—how many days has it been since he went home? Over a year, hasn't it? Even his own grandson might not recognize him. How could he attend to relatively minor matters? So let us not be overly harsh, shall we?"
These words resonated with the administrative commissioners present. Although some commissioners did not wield real authority, the tasks they had to handle were far from few; in fact, they had even more.
Furthermore, owing to the unique nature of the Department of Security Affairs, unlike other departments, they were not permitted to install implants or take certain potent drugs. Their everyday work was exhausting, so they were naturally unwilling to be held accountable now.
Yet Commissioner Tan remained unmoved. "Then allow me to ask: if this matter is so unimportant in Commissioner Liang's eyes, was there no time even to report it to Shenyu? And what was the meaning behind setting permissions to restrict access? Are you really going to turn a blind eye to such blatant behavior?"
Commissioner Liang paused upon hearing this. He was well aware of what was fundamentally going on, but who hadn't engaged in petty manipulations? Even if one didn't now, who could say about the future?
Besides, he could see that this was in truth an internal struggle, and he unquestionably needed to display a clear stance.
He shook his head and said, "As I've said, everyone is very busy, so it cannot be ruled out that this was an oversight."
He Shugang looked at Ren Xinshan, then turned his gaze toward Vice Minister Gu Yicheng, who sat on the other side. "Vice Minister Gu, what is your view?"
This vice minister was gray-haired and over seventy years old, an elder of the department. Because of his advanced age and low energy, he had applied for retirement multiple times, but higher authorities had consistently refused. Thus, over the past few years, he had hardly taken part in any discussions.
Now that the question was put to him, he slightly raised his eyelids and glanced around. "Asking me? As for how to handle this matter, I defer to the Minister's opinion, as well as everyone else's."
He Shugang did not show impatience at his noncommittal response. Instead, he made a show of serious consideration before finally looking up. "How about this: I see our colleagues have differing views, each with their own reasons and justifications. As for this matter, we shall hold an internal vote."
Chen Chuan spoke up at this moment: "There is no need for that."
The moment he spoke, everyone's eyes inevitably focused on him, darting back and forth between Ren Xinshan and him, while some grew involuntarily tense.
He Shugang looked at him. "Hmm? Commissioner Chen has a different opinion?"
Chen Chuan said, "Yes. I know who did this, and I also possess sufficient evidence to prove that the person operating behind the scenes indeed violated discipline and state regulations."
This evidence had been offered proactively by Song Haiying afterward. Either one didn't take a side, or one committed completely. Utilizing the Implant Faction's technology was merely a superficial gesture, which was not enough, so Song had handed over everything he had kept that involved the Department of Security Affairs to Chen Chuan.
Song believed Chen Chuan would understand his intention this way. Of course, after doing so, it would be impossible for him to jump ship in the future.
Chen Chuan shifted his gaze toward a bespectacled, somewhat stout middle-aged man who had been sitting silently without speaking from the very beginning.
"Commissioner Yuan, do you have anything to say?"
Commissioner Yuan froze slightly upon hearing this, appearing somewhat puzzled as to why he was suddenly being addressed. He smiled and said, "Me? I have nothing to say."
Chen Chuan said calmly, "Back then, it was you, Commissioner Yuan, who accepted the entreaties of several families—including the Songs and the Hans—to suppress this case and raise the access permissions for this investigation report. Were it not for Shenyu keeping records of all reports, you would probably have chosen to destroy it outright, wouldn't you?"
Commissioner Yuan looked at him in surprise, then frowned, looking as though he didn't understand why Chen Chuan was targeting him.
"Commissioner Chen, can you be certain I did those things?"
Chen Chuan tapped his boundary credential, and columns of evidence immediately appeared on the field screen.
"In return, these families helped several of your children establish themselves abroad. One of your sons is currently studying at Sinoka University in the Northern Alliance of Norland; before even graduating, he has already secured an entry ticket to middle management at the Bolen Company. The illegitimate daughters you had with a Noros Theocracy woman named Zvilova are all currently studying at a military academy in the Abion Strait Coalition. Another son is currently on the west coast of the Linakes Federation, having joined a research institute to provide them with 'business consulting' concerning Great Shun's maritime shipping in the Outer Ocean. There is plenty more below. I will not read through them one by one; see for yourself."
He said in an indifferent voice, "As a commissioner of the Department of Security Affairs, how do you plan to explain these matters?"
Everyone's eyes held complex emotions, mingled with a touch of sympathy. The evidence up there was substantial, and Shenyu had rapidly cross-referenced everything behind the scenes, assigning a high degree of credibility to each item.
Commissioner Yuan's expression still did not change. He said, "Regarding these accusations, I believe I can refute them one by one—"
Ren Xinshan spoke up at this moment: "No need to refute anything. We have uncovered communication records between you and those families from back then. Although you tried to erase them afterward, you didn't scrub them clean enough. Our technical specialists have already restored them."
As he spoke, communication records from that time appeared above. Some of the evidence had not come solely from the Song family, but also included the other families.
This was because the people were already dead, and there was no need for them to maintain a prolonged confrontation with the Department of Security Affairs.
Besides, they had sought Commissioner Yuan's help before, but he had ignored them completely, causing those families to redirect their resentment toward him instead.
Lastly, He Shugang had played a role throughout the entire incident that was purely one of fanning the flames. Although he was coordinating with the school behind him, in the outside world's interpretation, it clearly appeared that he had compromised and yielded to Chen Chuan and his circle. Under such circumstances, they naturally knew which choice to make.
After seeing this evidence, Commissioner Yuan knew there was no escape for him. At this point, he grew less flustered instead. Taking off his glasses, he wiped them clean, put them back on, and said, "That's right, I did it. However—"
He smiled faintly and looked at He Shugang.
Just then, Chen Chuan suddenly felt a faint psychic fluctuation emanate from Huang Quji.
This power was sufficient to exert a psychic deterrence on someone. Chen Chuan glanced in that direction; when his gaze fell upon Huang Quji, the latter's body involuntarily tensed, his eyes narrowed slightly, and that psychic force vanished at the exact same moment.
"Minister He instructed me to do all of this," Commissioner Yuan said with a smile. "As the minister, if he told me to do it, how could I dare refuse?"
He knew he was thoroughly finished. Rather than shouldering it alone, he might as well muddy the waters. Why should he take the fall at the forefront?
As for his family getting implicated, he didn't care. With so many children abroad, he didn't care about the one or two left in the country. Besides, if he kept silent, trouble might find him later on. Speaking out might actually afford him a measure of safety.
Commissioner Tan said coldly, "Commissioner Yuan, I must warn you: dragging others down with wild accusations without evidence also carries consequences."
"I have evidence. Of course I have evidence," Commissioner Yuan said with supreme certainty.
He pulled out a storage sheath, then tapped his boundary credential.
"The evidence is all right here."
But after he projected it onto the field screen, he waited a moment, only to find that what appeared was a complete blank.
There was nothing in the storage sheath.
For a moment, the expressions of everyone present turned subtle.
Commissioner Yuan first frowned, then realized something. His expression shifted slightly, followed by a self-deprecating smile.
"Truly one step ahead."
He no longer bothered to make futile arguments. Turning toward Ren Xinshan and Chen Chuan, he said, "My apologies. It seems I cannot produce the evidence. I admit to all the accusations you two leveled against me just now."
Chen Chuan wasn't surprised in the least by this outcome.
How could He Shugang, having served as minister for so many years, be caught so easily?
As for that so-called evidence? Because of the protocol, martial artists could not make a move against him. What was likely was that members skilled in mental power had been utilized to apply long-term psychological suggestion to produce such an effect. Naturally, it could also have been purely technological means, and it was not even certain whether the one who originally influenced Commissioner Yuan had been He Shugang himself.
Moreover, they had never planned to bring down He Shugang today. At He Shugang's standing, unless he committed a grave error in broad political direction, attempting to topple him from within was virtually impossible.
Ren Xinshan spoke up: "Minister, may I ask what your recommendation is?"
He Shugang gave Commissioner Yuan a pitying look. "Deal with it according to state regulations."
He tapped his boundary credential, and an internal affairs processing team immediately walked in from outside, stopping beside Commissioner Yuan.
"Commissioner Yuan, please come with us."
Commissioner Yuan stood up, cast a lingering look around the room, and followed them out.
Upon reaching the doorway, he suddenly turned around, gave Minister He a faint smile, and said with pointed meaning, "Minister, I shall take my leave ahead of you."
Chapter 1381