Then let them offer their loyalty!

Page 316

He said, "Five days ago, one of our spies from the Political Department's intelligence section sent back intelligence. The Joint Special Forces have infiltrated the New Territories. It seems they're plotting something?"

"As soon as I received the news, I went to the director's office, holding the report from Guan Xiao, the head of the intelligence section, and reported the matter to the director."

"Section Chief Guan Xiao can testify to this matter. The section chiefs, division chiefs, and Deputy Director Zhao who were outside the director's door at the time can also testify to this."

"But... after I reported this matter, Director Yan accepted the report and told me not to take any action."

“He cited the current inadequacy of the Investigation Department as the reason, saying he hoped to wait until you came to the New Territories to handle the matter.”

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Liu Xiongyuan glanced at Yan Chen expressionlessly.

Everyone present was shrewd; they quickly guessed Yan Chen's purpose.

Yan Chen seemed to be deep in thought as well, her eyelids drooping, and she returned to her calm and composed demeanor, quietly listening to Qiu Tu's story.

Qiu Tu continued, "At the time, I felt I couldn't accept it, but it was the director's order after all, so I eventually accepted it."

"But... the next day, our spies sent another piece of intelligence."

"Intelligence indicates that the Joint Special Forces intend to attack Director Yan's convoy."

"Moreover, the Joint Special Forces have somehow found out Director Yan's itinerary."

“They knew that Director Yan was going to attend a municipal committee meeting yesterday, the same day that Deputy Director Lai Shun was attacked.”

"Since that meeting was convened by the city hall, Director Yan couldn't change it."

"They even figured out Director Yan's usual routes and decided to set up an ambush on the roads."

"Given this situation, I immediately submitted a second document to the director."

"In the second document, I also specifically wrote down the intelligence that the political department had obtained about the strongholds of the Allied Forces, thinking that we could wipe them out in one fell swoop."

At this point, Qiu Tu paused for a moment and said, "Moreover, I am certain that the director has read this report."

"Because... the day before yesterday, in front of dozens of mid- to senior-level staff in the department, the director personally admitted that he had read my report, and everyone can testify to that."

"Moreover, it was precisely because of this report that the operation to purge the Alliance's strongholds took place the day before yesterday."

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Yan Chen took a deep breath, her wrinkled face turning red with anger...

Clearly, he never expected this. Qiu Tu not only took credit for his work, but also went so far as to use that credit to frame him!

More importantly... he still couldn't explain the truth of the matter.

Because if he explained the truth, he would expose his and Lai Shun's plot to assassinate Qiu Tu.

This is not much different from him sending Lai Shun to his death.

'What a clever scheme... they're trying to trap me from both sides again.'

Just as he was thinking this, Liu Xiongyuan, who was sitting in the main seat, gave Yan Chen a cold look and asked, "Director Yan, how do you explain this? Are these things true?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Chen shook his head and said, "Speaker, Minister Qiu's words are a frame-up. I have no knowledge of what he said about the Joint Special Forces attacking my convoy."

Hearing the two men give conflicting accounts, Liu Xiongyuan glanced at them and then said, "In that case, let's have someone look for the files on those two sides."

At this moment, Liu Fuping, who was standing behind Liu Xiongyuan, nodded slightly and replied, "Yes."

After saying that, she turned and left the conference room.

A short while later, Director Zhao arrived at the conference room, covered in sweat and carrying a box of documents.

Seeing so many high-ranking officials and the Speaker of the State Assembly present, he was visibly very nervous.

So he quickly put the documents on the ground and saluted the group.

Liu Xiongyuan, with his fiery temper, clearly disliked such formalities, so he waved his hand and asked sternly, "Vice Minister Zhao, Minister Qiu said that he submitted two written materials in the past two days. Is that true?"

Upon hearing Liu Xiongyuan's question, Director Zhao quickly nodded and said, "Yes, yes."

Liu Xiongyuan then asked, "Has Director Yan reviewed these two documents?"

Director Zhao remembered the events of that day vividly, so he quickly nodded again, "Yes, the Director has seen them all."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiongyuan glanced expressionlessly at Yan Chen, who was still sitting calmly there, and then said, "Then please find those two documents. I'd like to take a look."

Upon hearing Liu Xiongyuan's name, Director Zhao quickly replied, "Yes, Speaker."

After saying that, Director Zhao began searching through the documents.

A moment later, Director Zhao found a document. He handed it to Liu Xiong Yuan with both hands and said, "Speaker, this is the document."

While skimming through the text, Liu Xiongyuan asked without looking up, "Why is there only one copy? Where's the other one?"

"This...this..." Upon hearing this, Director Zhao's forehead was covered in even more sweat. He glanced at Yu Zhengyi discreetly, then whispered, "Speaker, Director Yu took the second set of documents to write a report."

Upon hearing Director Zhao's words, Liu Xiongyuan looked up at Yu Zhengyi and asked, "Director Yu, is the report with you?"

Seeing that this matter had ultimately affected him, Yu Zhengyi, who had been keeping his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

All eyes were on him, including Qiu Tu and Yan Chen.

Yu Zhengyi seemed to freeze, remaining silent for a full two seconds...

He slowly shook his head. "Speaker, it's not on me. I didn't take that report."

Upon hearing Yu Zhengyi's words, Director Zhao looked completely bewildered.

He exclaimed "Huh?" and then said blankly, "Director Yu, you clearly took that report, didn't you?"

"You said you needed to write a summary, so you took the report away."

Yu Zhengyi looked at Director Zhao expressionlessly, then said seriously, "Director Zhao, you probably remembered it wrong."

“Last night, after I finished reading the report in your office, I returned it to you. Then I left the office empty-handed.”

"If you don't believe me, you can check the surveillance footage."

Director Zhao: ? ?

Other senior executives: .....

The meeting room was quiet.

The high-ranking officials present were all seasoned veterans; at this point, it was immediately obvious who was lying.

Director Zhao practically had the words "naive and guileless" written all over his face. Of course, he wouldn't lie.

Then the only one who could be lying is Yu Zhengyi.

After a brief moment of thought, the group pieced together the whole story.

Clearly, Qiu Tu did write that report, but... Yu Zhengyi took it away when he went to check yesterday.

Although the true reason why Yu Zhengyi helped Yan Chen cover up the truth and sent Lai Shun to his death is unclear, it's likely one of a few: personal relationship, Yan Chen having leverage over him, or factional interests...

In short, Yu Zhengyi must have weighed the pros and cons before choosing to help Yan Chen.

Lai Shun is dead; the dead have no benefit. But Yan Chen is still alive, and holds a high position...

Thinking this, the senior executives looked at Qiu Tu with a mixture of pity and mockery.

After all, they felt that Qiu Tu had schemed and plotted, but in the end, he had misjudged human nature. Unexpectedly, Yu Zhengyi still sided with Yan Chen at the crucial moment.

But at this moment... upon hearing Yu Zhengyi and Director Zhao say this, Qiu Tu chuckled softly.

He said, "Director Yu, since you've seen that document, may I ask if I wrote in the document that the Joint Special Forces wanted to attack Director Yan?"

Since Yu Zhengyi had chosen Yan Chen, he couldn't possibly waver. So he closed his eyes and firmly shook his head, "I didn't see that part."

"All I saw in that report was a detailed description of the Allied strongholds."

Upon hearing Yu Zhengyi's words, Qiu Tu's smile deepened.

He said, "Director Yu, there are serious consequences for giving false testimony. Are you sure you don't want to change it?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Yu Zhengyi hesitated visibly. But in the end, he shook his head and said, "I did not commit perjury."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu clapped his hands with a smile and said, "Good. Director Yu has such a sense of responsibility."

After clapping, Qiu Tu's smile faded, and he slowly said, "Director Yu, I'm the one who asked you to check the report."

"Do you think I would lead you to investigate if I didn't have a backup plan to ensure the safety of the information?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Yu Zhengyi's eyes snapped open, and he looked at Qiu Tu in disbelief.

Qiu Tu said, "After I finished writing that document, I deliberately had Director Zhao come to my office to pick it up."

"The camera in my office recorded everything I wrote, as well as the process of Director Zhao taking it away, all in one continuous shot."

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, the entire conference room fell silent.

Yu Zhengyi was stunned and stood there dumbfounded. Guan Weihua, Shi Youxin, and Lin Ting also looked at Qiu Tu with surprise.

Even Tang Feifei, whose expression hadn't changed since Qiu Tu entered, gave him a complicated look.

They plan three steps ahead for every step they take, meticulously calculating every detail, and always holding back a few trump cards.

Until his cards are revealed, nobody knows what kind of insurance he's taken out...

People like that are terrifying.

Making an enemy of such a person is even more terrifying...

Yan Chen was probably the only one in the entire room whose emotions remained completely unchanged.

He remained seated there, completely unperturbed, as if nothing concerned him.

Only when Qiu Tu looked over did he give Qiu Tu a deep look with his aged eyes.

But with just one glance, Qiu Tu felt a slight chill run down his spine.

He sensed that Yan Chen was acting strangely today: Yan Chen was eerily quiet, as if he were absolutely certain he could handle everything.

And just then...

Suddenly, there was a loud knocking on the conference room door.

Liu Fuping looked at Liu Xiongyuan. After Liu Xiongyuan nodded slightly, she opened the door and walked towards the conference room entrance.

The next second, the conference room door opened, and Tan Huimin stood anxiously at the door.

She whispered a few words to Liu Fuping.

Liu Fuping looked at her with surprise, then stepped aside.

All eyes followed Tan Huimin as she walked toward Qiu Tu.

At this moment, Yan Chen finally made a move. He slowly picked up the tea and took a small sip.

At the same time, Tan Huimin whispered in Qiu Tu's ear, "Minister, something's happened. Secretary Bai, Director Bai, um... he's dead."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu's pupils contracted slightly. He looked at Tan Huimin in surprise.

Tam Wai-man nodded slightly, then added in a low voice, "Before he died, he left behind an accusation against you, saying that you abused your power and illegally interrogated senior officials of the Investigation Department."

"More importantly... they also said that you and the evil god have been cooperating all along."

Upon hearing Tan Huimin's words, Qiu Tu slowly looked at Yan Chen.

At this moment, Yan Chen held his tea and sipped it slowly, as if nothing had happened.

Clearly, Qiu Tu wouldn't believe that none of this was his doing!

Although he couldn't understand why Secretary Bai would willingly follow his orders, even risking her life.

But... now, a prisoner of such high rank in the Political Department has died, and he identified Qiu Tu before his death.

Whether it was a deliberate setup or not, Qiu Tu was in a very passive position!

Even if Qiu Tu can prove that his contacts with La Riluo and Zhao Ji were authorized by the Security Department and were legally used to obtain information,

But... this is equivalent to completely stripping away his "disguise".

Holding high positions in two institutions simultaneously, and being entangled with multiple factions, is tantamount to cutting off one's future.

However, if he didn't expose the security department, his contact with the evil god would already be illegal.

It can be said that after Qiu Tu blocked Yan Chen from both sides, Yan Chen also presented Qiu Tu with the same problem!

And that's not the end.

Just as Qiu Tu was racking his brains, trying to think of a solution, Liu Fuping's communicator suddenly buzzed.

She was the only person on site whose communicator could remain on—she needed to receive important communications from Liu Xiongyuan in a timely manner.

The call she was receiving must be for very important communication, so she answered without hesitation.