125: Chapter 125 Long Zhantian's Vigilance: Internal Purge
While Craig's remnants placed 'Lin Mo' on their 'Priority Reconnaissance' list, tightening the hunting net, in the underground command center of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in the Dragon Nation's capital, Long Zhantian stared at the constantly flickering data streams and threat assessment charts on the main screen before him. His brow furrowed slightly. An instinct for danger, honed by years on the battlefield, made him sense something unusual.
"Report!" An analyst's voice broke the silence. "The internal network access patterns of Wang Lei, the individual flagged for anomalous behavior by the 'Weaving Net' system, show new suspicious fluctuations. He attempted to use old permissions to query sealed log records concerning background screenings of personnel from the early technical verification phase. The access behavior shows clear signs of probing and purpose."
Long Zhantian's eyes suddenly sharpened like a hawk's. He remembered the name Wang Lei. An engineer marginalized due to his own mistakes, harboring resentment, who had been on the watchlist. But now, this targeted attempt to touch the fringes of the 'talent map' information was far more than just venting dissatisfaction!
"What is he looking for? Or rather... who is using him to look for what?" Long Zhantian murmured to himself. Instantly, he connected Wang Lei's anomaly in his mind with the recent, almost frantic external pursuit of 'Patriot X'. A terrifying association formed in his heart—there was a leak inside. Someone was trying to point the way for the hunters outside!
"We can't wait any longer!" Long Zhantian stood up abruptly, his voice as cold as a Siberian gale. "Initiate the 'Scavenger' emergency protocol! Target: Wang Lei and his entire social network! Authorization: Immediate control and isolation for interrogation! Action requirement: Absolute secrecy. Avoid alerting the target!"
The command descended like an invisible thunderclap.
The internal security action team, already on standby, moved swiftly and precisely like phantoms in the night.
Wang Lei was still in his apartment, staring anxiously at his computer screen, waiting for the next instructions from his overseas 'admirer', fantasizing about the wealth and freedom soon to be his. Suddenly, the door opened without a sound. Several plainclothes operatives with sharp eyes appeared before him like ghosts. Before he could even react, he was subdued cleanly, his mouth covered, injected with a sedative, and lost consciousness instantly. His personal computer and communication devices were seized and sealed on the spot.
Simultaneously, several individuals who had recent abnormal contact with Wang Lei were also brought under control at different locations. The entire operation was swift as lightning, completed in less than ten minutes, without the slightest external awareness.
Wang Lei was taken directly to the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s highest-level interrogation isolation facility. Professional interrogators and the 'Weaving Net' AI worked in tandem. Combined with the recovered encrypted communication logs from his devices, they quickly broke through his psychological defenses.
"...They... they asked me if I'd heard of any particularly young... geniuses... asked which individuals had drawn attention from above in the early stages..." Wang Lei, on the verge of a mental breakdown, confessed haltingly. "I... I just mentioned... that in the early days, there seemed... seemed to be background analyses done on young scholars... I... I didn't know who they were looking for..."
The confession and the data corroborated each other. The truth was laid bare!
Long Zhantian looked at the interrogation report, his face so dark it seemed water could drip from it. Although the traitor was not high-level and had no access to core information, the directional information he leaked was like lighting a torch in the dark, drastically narrowing the enemy's search parameters!
"Based on the timing of Wang Lei's information leak and the analysis of recent external force activity patterns, the 'system' assesses that the probability of the opposing party identifying the true identity of 'Patriot X' has increased to 47.8%." The assistant's reporting voice was grave.
47.8%! That probability was already high enough to trigger the highest alarm!
"The internal purge must be thorough!" Long Zhantian declared resolutely. "Conduct secondary, in-depth screenings on all personnel who had contact with Wang Lei or exhibit similar potential risk tendencies! Better to over-investigate than to miss anyone! Simultaneously, immediately reassess the existing security measures for 'Patriot X' and incorporate all potentially related individuals into the risk control model!"
A silent but extremely rigorous internal purge, led by the S.H.I.E.L.D., swiftly unfolded. Several personnel with potential risks were temporarily reassigned from their posts for review, and related permissions were tightened again.
Long Zhantian stood in the command center. His gaze seemed to penetrate the layers of barriers, landing on the young man hidden within the 'Candle Dragon' safe house.
The enemy's blade was already very close. Although the internal leak had been temporarily plugged, the storm was imminent. He had to get ahead of the opponent and build a stronger fortress for Lin Mo.