As Qiu Tu's voice fell silent, the entire room plunged into stillness.
Everyone in the room turned their eyes toward Yan Chen.
The implications of this matter were immense. It not only involved the Qin family—a deeply entrenched clan in Xinjie City—but also reached an anti-government armed group and countless other factions bound to the Qins by intricate ties.
Only Yan Chen, the highest-ranking officer of the Investigation Bureau, could make the final call.
Concealed in the dark, Yan Chen kept his eyes half-closed. His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of his chair. Tap, tap... tap.
The crisp tapping echoed in everyone's ears, but each person heard something different in the sound.
Qin Zhengguang in particular felt his heart pounding right out of his chest at every tap.
How could he not understand what Yan Chen meant? He hurriedly lowered his head and offered a new concession. "Director, I truly never imagined the fourth brother would do such a thing.
"Rest assured, not only will I make him confess and surrender, but I will also have my eldest brother come apologize and submit a self-criticism to you in person."
Qin Zhengguang had phrased it tactfully, but everyone present was exceptionally shrewd; in an instant, they understood his true meaning.
Qin Heng was the chief of the Civil Affairs Department, a crucial wing of the municipal government. Even if Qin Heng had made an error, he should have submitted his self-criticism to the Municipal Council, not to Yan Chen.
For Qin Zhengguang to say his brother would do so before Yan Chen was an unmistakable pledge that the Qin family would align itself fully with the Director.
Upon hearing Qin Zhengguang's terms, Yan Chen's tapping fingers finally came to a slow halt. "I will be free tonight at eight o'clock," he said flatly.
That was the deadline set for the Qin family.
Qin Zhengguang wiped cold sweat from his forehead and bowed his head in obedience. "Understood."
With an agreement reached between the two men, the rest was straightforward. Qiu Tu went over the remaining evidence and leads, even laying out Fourth Master Qin's bribery attempt from earlier that day without holding back a detail.
Except in Qiu Tu's recounting, the bribe had not been solicited at all; Fourth Master Qin had offered it voluntarily in an effort to get Qiu Tu to call off the investigation.
Just like that, a complex political transaction was concluded in a briefing that lasted barely half an hour.
Qiu Tu had completed his mission, the Qin family had averted disaster, and Yan Chen had secured the Qin family's allegiance. As for Secretary Bai, he had gotten a front-row seat to the drama.
Thus, when they stepped out of the office, everyone was in reasonably good spirits.
Leaving Yan Chen's office, the door clicked shut behind them. Qin Zhengguang looked at Qiu Tu with a complex expression. Paying no heed to Secretary Bai standing right beside them, he said quietly, "Thank you."
Qiu Tu answered with a smile, "Section Chief Qin, if it's just verbal thanks, that feels a bit lacking in sincerity, doesn't it?"
Qin Zhengguang choked for a second, caught off guard by Qiu Tu's sheer bluntness. Between laughter and tears, he shot Qiu Tu a look and said, "Don't worry, it won't just be words."
Qiu Tu offered a crisp salute with a grin. "Then thank you in advance, Section Chief Qin."
Without another word, Qin Zhengguang shook his head with a wry smile and took the elevator down from the twelfth floor.
Even though he had struck a verbal pact with Yan Chen, the Qin family was far from out of the woods.
Until everything was set in stone, a verbal agreement was worth less than scrap paper. He had to rush back to the Qin residence as fast as possible to coordinate with his eldest brother—and convince Fourth Master Qin to sacrifice himself.
Watching the elevator doors close on Qin Zhengguang, Secretary Bai tilted his head slightly toward Qiu Tu. Understanding the cue, Qiu Tu followed him into his office.
Inside, Secretary Bai pulled the door shut behind them and murmured, "You really gave me a scare back there.
"I actually thought you were letting yourself be used as someone's pawn."
Lingering dread was written all over his face. "Do you think the Qin family is easy to cross? They're one of the biggest local powers in Xinjie City. Even the Director has to tread carefully with them.
"What's more, Xinjie City was only recently established, right when we need the full backing of every local power. The sanctuary needs to show generosity to win over talent and set an example for other undeveloped Cataclysm Zones.
"So the Qin family won't fall, and they cannot fall. It's a political necessity.
"When I heard you'd uncovered evidence of them colluding with the Reform United Front, I was genuinely sweating bullets for you.
"Luckily, you were smart enough to raise the blade high but bring it down gently. You showed the Qin family your evidence, but you gave them room to handle it internally. And most importantly, you saved Qin Zhengguang."
At this point, Secretary Bai looked at Qiu Tu with gratification.
"Without that little maneuver of yours to flip the narrative, the Qin family would have sacrificed Qin Zhengguang without a doubt.
"If that had happened, the battered Qin family would have harbored deep resentment against you, and the moment they caught their breath, they wouldn't have let you off easily.
"Now that you've saved Qin Zhengguang, the whole game changes. You did him a favor. Even if the rest of the family holds a grudge, Qin Zhengguang can shield you from some of the fallout.
"He's the number two figure in the family, carrying immense weight.
"On top of that, this gives the Qin family a clean excuse to slice away all their illicit and gray-market businesses, washing their hands entirely and leaving them with no vulnerabilities to worry about.
"Once they weather this storm, they might even end up thanking you.
"So as for you..." Secretary Bai gave Qiu Tu a searching look. "You did quite well. You've grown."
Hearing Secretary Bai's breakdown, Qiu Tu chuckled twice and replied modestly, "You flatter me, sir. I was just reporting the facts as they were. I didn't think that far ahead."
Secretary Bai pointed a finger at him with an amused scolding tone. "You rascal. Can't take a compliment, can you?"
His expression sobered back to calm. Giving Qiu Tu another deep look, he added in a low voice, "Still... Qiu Tu, don't let your guard down.
"The Director may be pleased with your work on this case, but there is an unbridgeable gulf between the two of you..."
At those words, Qiu Tu's expression grew serious.
Secretary Bai didn't finish the thought, but both men understood perfectly.
A moment later, however, Qiu Tu's expression relaxed again.
After all, his plan wasn't finished yet.
Exploiting the Qin family's internal strife to complete his assignment was merely the first step. He had an even bigger plan in store...
Meanwhile, in Yan Chen's dim office.
Yan Chen leaned back in his chair, his silhouette shifting faintly in the shadows, only the contours of his face illuminated by the lamp.
With his hands crossed over his midsection, he looked impassively at Jia Shu and asked softly, "What do you make of it?"
Hearing the question, Jia Shu chuckled. "A clever strategy that kills several birds with one stone."
He pushed the gold-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose and analyzed, "If I'm not mistaken, the person who fed Qiu Tu those leads and intelligence was Fourth Master Qin.
"And those leads pointed straight at Qin Zhengguang.
"It was precisely through cooperating with the fourth brother that Qiu Tu managed to dig up Qin Zhengguang's dirty laundry so quickly.
"Yet once he grasped Qin Zhengguang's vulnerabilities, he realized he had hit a dead end.
"If he backed Fourth Master Qin in an attempt to bring down Qin Zhengguang, it would not only drag on for ages, but would almost certainly invite fierce retaliation from the Qin family.
"So he cleverly shifted angles. He tossed the bait directly into the open, letting the Qin family tear each other apart and pick their own scapegoat. Whichever side came out on top, he would win either way.
"By doing so, he not only drastically reduced any hatred the Qin family might direct at him, but he also fractured them from within, preventing them from acting as one. He even managed to win goodwill from certain members of the family.
"Most importantly, he deliberately asked for your decision right in front of Qin Zhengguang.
"On the surface, that looked like deference to your authority, but in truth, it was a further deflection of responsibility.
"If you agreed to let the Qin family resolve it internally, they would owe a debt of gratitude to you—and to him. If you refused, all of the Qin family's hostility would fall squarely on your shoulders.
"After all, he gave the Qin family an out, but you refused to grant it. Who else would the Qin family despise more than you?"
Yan Chen chuckled dryly, then said in a low voice, "There is more to it than that.
"This Qiu Tu sees through things with remarkable clarity."
His gaze turned complicated. "He sold out Fourth Master Qin and protected Qin Zhengguang because he knew I would protect Qin Zhengguang no matter what.
"Outsiders only know that with Xinjie City newly founded, the Qin family cannot fall. But can my Investigation Bureau afford to fall?
"Qin Zhengguang is a division chief in my bureau. If he colluded with the Reform United Front, how would the outside world view the Investigation Bureau? How would they view me?
"Would City Hall seize the opportunity to launch an offensive?
"There are far too many unknown variables.
"So the Qin family can get into trouble, but Qin Zhengguang cannot.
"If Qin Zhengguang remains untouched while the Investigation Bureau roots out the Qin family's misdeeds, the bureau gets the credit.
"If Qin Zhengguang goes down with them, then even if the bureau uncovered the wrongdoing, our merits would barely offset our liability at best."
He paused, concluding, "You have to realize that during such a sensitive period, the Qin family can stumble, but the Investigation Bureau and City Hall cannot make a mistake! And the sanctuary's judgment in appointing people cannot be shown to have failed, either."
Hearing this, Jia Shu cupped his hands with a smile. "Wise as always, Director."
Yan Chen paid no heed to the flattery. After speaking so much in one breath, his throat felt slightly uncomfortable. He picked up the tea on the desk and took a sip.
Once his throat was moistened, he spoke again. "What is your assessment of Qiu Tu?"
With a faint half-smile, Jia Shu remarked, "A capable talent. And an ambitious one."
He glanced at Yan Chen. "If he weren't tangled up with Qin Shuman, he might have been brought into our fold."
Yan Chen said nothing, his eyes bottomless pools.
Seeing this, Jia Shu added, "Still, he can certainly serve as a blade."
"Be careful that the blade doesn't cut the hand that wields it," Yan Chen replied darkly.
Jia Shu smiled. "Indeed. His ambition is far too grand.
"The moment he went out to handle a case on his own, he dared to use operational funds to buy up people's loyalty, even dragging a Rank 1 agent down into the water with him.
"If he isn't reined in, there's no telling what kind of trouble he might stir up."
Yan Chen gave a low "Mm." "Then what do you intend to do next?"
Jia Shu adjusted his glasses, his eyes gleaming behind the lenses. "Very simple. Push the boat with the current.
"Didn't he uncover evidence of the Qin family's crimes? That also solidifies Qin Shuman's guilt.
"For a spy the Reform United Front planted at your side, the Political Department will naturally lock her up and subject her to a thorough interrogation.
"As for Qiu Tu...
"The Investigation Bureau is newly established, and many positions remain vacant. Having achieved such a major merit, he should naturally be promoted.
"I believe he should be moved from the grassroots squads and promoted to an office as a deputy section chief. Only then can his talents be fully realized.
"For instance... the Interrogation Section of the Political Department."
Darkness hung heavy in the room, swallowing nearly every trace of light. Only a few faint beams of daylight slipped through the curtains, outlining the furniture like spectral silhouettes.
Leaving Yan Chen's office, Jia Shu wore a wide smile, as if something thoroughly delightful had just occurred.
That good mood vanished, however, the moment he encountered Secretary Bai.
"Waiting for me?" Jia Shu asked with an ambiguous smile, looking at Secretary Bai standing outside his office door.
Secretary Bai expressionlessly produced two slips of paper and handed them over. "These are Qiu Tu's funding requests. Awaiting your signature and filing."
Jia Shu took the slips, glanced over them, and laughed.
The slips were Qiu Tu's formal application to convert Fourth Master Qin's bribe into personal bonus funds.
Qiu Tu had requested this from Yan Chen right in the office earlier when mentioning Fourth Master Qin's bribe.
Yan Chen naturally didn't care about such petty cash, especially at a pivotal moment in the briefing, so he had nodded in agreement.
Who would have thought that Qiu Tu wasn't satisfied with just verbal approval, but had actually prepared written paperwork as well?
Jia Shu picked up a pen and casually signed his name. He handed one copy back to Secretary Bai for filing and kept the other. Then, fixing Secretary Bai with a probing gaze, he said with a faint smile, "You seem rather partial to Qiu Tu."
Without showing any emotion, Secretary Bai took the slip back and turned to head into his own office.
The office door clicked shut, leaving Jia Shu alone in the empty corridor.
"Heheh..." Jia Shu chuckled softly, an inscrutable gleam flickering in his eyes. "Still the same foul temper."
As he spoke, his eyes seemed to flush a noticeably deeper scarlet, though he quickly suppressed it.
He cast another lingering look at Secretary Bai's door, gave a careless shrug, and strolled back into his own office humming a tune.
Inside, he filed away his copy of the application slip, opened a drawer, and retrieved a document to sign a promotion order.
The contents of the order were straightforward: promote Rank 1 agent Qiu Tu to deputy section chief of the Interrogation Section, effective the following day.
Having completed the promotion order, Jia Shu immediately signed another document. Its content: the arrest of Qin Shuman.
After signing both documents, Jia Shu did not distribute them immediately.
He stood up, walked to the window, hands shoved into his pockets, his narrow eyes gazing out through his glasses.
For some reason, a faint unease nagged at him, as if something impending was about to break.
Chapter 44