333: Chapter 332 The Inducement Plan Fails

"Director Xu." Ye Qingcheng took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing the doubts in her heart. The moment she pressed the answer button, her voice immediately switched to her usual cold and steady tone, revealing not a hint of agitation.

"Qingcheng," Xu Anguo's voice came from the other end of the phone. He sounded a bit tired, but it still carried the authoritative weight of a General Security Bureau leader. "Let me update you on the situation: the personnel involved in the Modu Branch have all been detained. I've had Shen Zhendong hold them at the municipal detention center first. You will lead the subsequent interrogations. You must thoroughly investigate how deep their connection with Hongmen goes; do not let a single clue slip through."

"Received, Director Xu," Ye Qingcheng replied. Her gaze subconsciously swept across the closed hospital room door behind her—Zhang Yu was still silent behind the door panel, but his words, "Boss Lei has something the higher-ups want," were like a thorn-covered needle stuck in her heart. If she didn't pull it out, she would never feel at ease.

So, she paused and added, "Zhang Yu has woken up; I just spoke with him."

"Oh? That's good!" Xu Anguo's voice instantly brightened, most of his fatigue dissipating. He asked with clear anticipation, "Did he loosen up? Has he confessed Boss Lei's specific location?"

Even over the phone, Ye Qingcheng subconsciously shook her head, her tone tinged with helplessness: "No. I tried to trick him by saying we had already locked onto Boss Lei's hiding place, hoping to force him to contact him to persuade him to surrender, and then use that opportunity to pinpoint the location. But he was impervious to everything, stubborn and refusing to speak—I don't know if he truly doesn't know, or if he is determined to follow Hongmen to the end."

"Sigh—" A soft sigh came from the other end of the line. Xu Anguo's tone softened slightly. "That's normal. Zhang Yu is Boss Lei's capable right-hand man; it's likely his 'loyalty' to Hongmen has long been carved into his bones. It's not that easy to make him talk. You've already done well; don't blame yourself too much."

"I understand, thank you for your understanding, Director Xu." Ye Qingcheng replied, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the texture on her phone case. After hesitating for a few seconds, she gritted her teeth and said, "However, Zhang Yu mentioned something, and I'm not sure if it's true or false."

"What is it?" Xu Anguo's voice tightened instantly, and his breathing even slowed by half a beat, clearly becoming alert—anything that could make Ye Qingcheng "unsure" would definitely not be simple.

"He said that Boss Lei has something in his possession that the higher-ups of our Dragon Country want." Ye Qingcheng said, enunciating every word clearly. "When I pressed him on what it was, he only said he didn't know, but that Boss Lei valued that thing more than his own life. Looking at his eyes, it didn't seem like he was making it up."

The other end of the phone fell into instant silence, with only the soft "hiss" of static current.

Ye Qingcheng's hand holding the phone tightened involuntarily, her knuckles turning white—she vaguely felt that her question must have crossed a line!

But Zhang Yu's determined words and the hasty nature of his actions made her unable to help but suspect there was a hidden agenda behind it all.

Seeing that Director Xu had not responded for a long time, Ye Qingcheng decided to add a little more: "Director Xu, is the country's sudden strike against Hongmen this time really just to combat crime and maintain national security? But if that were the reason, Hongmen has existed for so many years; why choose this moment to take action?"

After a long while, Xu Anguo's voice came again, several times colder and harder than before, carrying an indisputable sense of command: "Comrade Ye Qingcheng, remember your identity—you are a soldier, and a soldier's sacred duty is to obey orders and keep to your station. Do not ask what you shouldn't. When it is time for you to know, the organization will naturally inform you."

Xu Anguo's words were like a basin of cold water, instantly extinguishing Ye Qingcheng's desire to keep questioning. Her heart gave a jolt: so the water in this operation against Hongmen was even deeper than she had imagined. She immediately straightened her back, her fingertips pressed against the seams of her pants, and her voice was firm as iron: "Yes! Director Xu, I was presumptuous!"

"Hmm." Xu Anguo's tone softened slightly. "Just focus on completing your mission and don't let the organization's training go to waste. This time you took down Hongmen's four-person cell in Dragon Country and even rooted out the mole; you deserve great credit. I will request commendations for you from the superiors—if Elder Ye knows his granddaughter has performed meritorious service for the country again, he will surely be happy."

"Director Xu, this is what we should do." Ye Qingcheng's tone was humble, and she shifted the conversation back to the main topic. "But now that Zhang Yu is not cooperating, if Boss Lei doesn't take the initiative to contact him, we can't pinpoint his location. Subsequent operations against Hongmen might get stuck."

"No matter." Xu Anguo's voice carried certainty. "Once the Hongmen four-person cell is wiped out, it's like Boss Lei has had his wings clipped. As the person in charge of the Asian region, his influence within Hongmen will surely be weakened. At that time, in order to stabilize the situation, he will inevitably make a move. We don't need to rush; just wait and see, and we will eventually wait for the opportunity."

"Understood." Ye Qingcheng nodded and asked again, "Should I go over to the interrogation of Li Bing now?"

"No need, Shen Zhendong will keep him in custody first and coordinate with your schedule." Xu Anguo added, "Right, Shen Zhendong confiscated a batch of cassette tapes from Li Bing's office; they were all secretly recorded by him. There might be clues about Boss Lei inside. When you go to the municipal bureau, be sure to check them; don't miss any key information."

"Received. I will go to the municipal bureau after I finish arranging the guards for Zhang Yu here."

"Hmm, there is one more thing." Xu Anguo's tone became serious again. "The Southwest Branch sent back news that Zhao Lintai has recently been getting very close to several businessmen in the Southwest, including some wealthy merchants from Southeast Asia. I suspect he is paving the way to escape the country. You need to speed up the pace of your plan against Zhao Lintai; he must not be allowed to get away!"

"I understand." Ye Qingcheng replied, the figures of Qin Yi and Shen Jianan flashing through her mind. "Qin Yi and Shen Jianan will go to the Southwest with Si Yao of the Si Family tomorrow. Zhao Lintai has always wanted to win over the Si Family to act as his 'protective umbrella'; he certainly won't easily give up this opportunity. We can just use this line to keep a close watch on him."

"That may be so, but you must be vigilant at all times." Xu Anguo's voice carried an unquestionable seriousness. "Zhao Lintai is a sinister and cunning person; he will definitely leave a backup plan. We must never let any criminal who harms national interests escape, understand?"

"Yes! Rest assured, Director Xu. I will personally coordinate with the Southwest Branch and keep a close eye on every move of Zhao Lintai. I will never let him escape!"

"Hmm. I believe in you. However, you also need to be wary of that kid, Qin Yi. This kid alone beat Zhang Yu, who is at Peak Anjin, until he only had half a life left; his strength cannot be underestimated. I remember he has a grudge with Zhao Lintai, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. There is indeed some enmity between him and Zhao Lintai."

"If Qin Yi has a conflict with Zhao Lintai when he goes to the Southwest this time, I still hope he can show mercy and hand Zhao Lintai over to our Security Bureau to handle. Convey the Security Bureau's stance to him for me: even if Zhao Lintai is guilty, the one to judge him should be the law, not fists."

"I understand. That is also the reason why I arranged for Shen Jianan to go with Qin Yi—I'm just worried that Qin Yi will do something too extreme. If that happens, it will be hard to wrap things up."

"That's good. In addition, the organization has arranged for Division Chief Miao Fengren from the General Bureau's Intelligence Division to go to the Modu Branch to take over Li Bing's position. Calculating the time, he should have already arrived in Modu."

"Miao Fengren?" When Ye Qingcheng heard this name, her pupils suddenly constricted, and her voice unconsciously carried a hint of complexity—that overseas operation a few years ago was precisely because of an intelligence failure led by Miao Fengren, which resulted in the sacrifice of more than a dozen comrades. She still remembers that blood-stained battlefield to this day.

"That's correct." Xu Anguo seemed to have sensed her emotions and softened his tone slightly. "I know you have a grudge about what happened back then. Miao Fengren was indeed responsible for that intelligence failure, but it was also the result of a collective decision. He was later demoted to the Intelligence Division and hasn't been promoted for so many years, which can be considered as having received his punishment."

"Qingcheng, I am telling you this because I hope you can prioritize the bigger picture and put aside personal grievances—now that the Modu Branch has just experienced the 'mole incident,' it is a time when stability is needed. You should cooperate well with Division Chief Miao and clean up the mess Li Bing left behind; don't let it affect the mission."

Ye Qingcheng clenched her fists, her nails almost digging into her palms—the image of her comrades sacrificing their lives years ago flashed through her mind, but she also knew that now was not the time to dwell on personal grievances.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and responded in a calm tone: "Rest assured, Director Xu, I will prioritize the mission, cooperate well with Section Chief Miao, and never let personal emotions affect my work."

"Mm, it is good that you understand." There was a hint of relief in Xu Anguo's voice. "Alright, I will say no more. Keep up the good work, and report any developments immediately."

"Understood!"

Hanging up the phone, Ye Qingcheng stared at the screen for a few seconds before slipping it back into her pocket.

She glanced back at the hospital room where Zhang Yu was being held, her eyes complex—the mysterious item in Boss Lei's hands, the arrival of Miao Fengren, and Zhao Lintai's escape plan. These three things were like three tangled threads, weaving into a chaotic mess that weighed heavily on her heart.

Meanwhile, in the General Security Bureau director's office, Xu Anguo set down his phone and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, his gaze fixed intently on the red confidential phone on the tabletop—a direct line to the high-level officials, which always made him nervous before using it.

He pondered for half a minute, silently rehearsing his speech, before picking up the receiver. His voice was respectful to the point of caution: "Hello, this is Xu Anguo. Please connect me to Donghe Villa; I have an important situation to report."

"Understood, Director Xu, please wait a moment." The formulaic female voice faded, followed by a brief wait.

A thin layer of sweat quickly seeped from Xu Anguo's back, and not until the familiar, authoritative voice came from the other end of the line did he exhale, only to immediately tense up again: "Leader, I apologize for disturbing you at this hour."

"It is fine. Speak."

"It is like this—" Xu Anguo quickly organized his thoughts and reported everything clearly: the hunt for the mole in the Modu Public Security Bureau, the capture of Zhang Yu, the fact that Zhang Yu revealed "Boss Lei has something the higher-ups want," and Ye Qingcheng's suspicions.

"Little Ye has done well." There was praise in the leader's voice. "To have taken down the Hongmen quartet just over ten days after her transfer—she is indeed worthy of being Old Ye's granddaughter; she has the same demeanor he had back in the day."

"Yes, Old Ye has cultivated a fine successor for the country," Xu Anguo chimed in.

"But this is just the beginning." The leader's tone suddenly turned serious. "Digging out Boss Lei and eradicating Hongmen is the ultimate goal. Zhang Yu is the key; he must be watched closely."

"Understood! I have already instructed Comrade Ye Qingcheng to focus on breaking through Zhang Yu and strive to obtain Boss Lei's location."

"As for Ye Qingcheng's suspicions..." The leader paused. "It is time she knew some things. Otherwise, with matters weighing on her mind, she is prone to distraction while executing missions. You do not need to worry about it; I will arrange it."

Xu Anguo felt relieved and quickly said: "Thank you, Leader! Comrade Ye Qingcheng's Party spirit and character are absolutely reliable; she is just straightforward and cannot hide things in her heart. Please do not take offense."

"It is a good thing for young people to have questions; it is better than working blindly." The leader smiled. "Alright, you go get busy. Report back if there are any further developments."

"Understood! Thank you, Leader!"

Hanging up the phone, Xu Anguo wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh—thankfully, the leader was not offended.

At Donghe Villa, a stream gurgled along the bluestone path, and an antique-style residence was hidden amidst the lush greenery.

Before long, a young man in a black suit walked quickly to the door and knocked twice: "Leader, the car is ready."

"Understood." The door opened, and an old man with crane-white hair walked out. His blue-grey Zhongshan suit highlighted his straight posture, and his face was vigorous, showing no signs of age.

The young man wanted to step forward to support him, but was waved off: "No need, I have not reached the point where I need support."

As the two walked toward the parking area, the young man could not help but be curious: "Leader, it is not a holiday, why are you suddenly going to visit Old Ye?"

"Haha, I have something to ask of him," the old man joked.

"You are joking. Old Ye has long since retired to the second line; why would you need to 'ask' him for anything?"

"You young man," the old man shook his head, his eyes full of emotion, "having an elder in the family is like having a treasure—Old Ye's experience is not something you young people can compare to." He added silently to himself: This time, regarding Little Ye's matter, I must have a good chat with my old friend.

"Yes, yes, you are right," the young man quickly agreed.

"Did you bring the things I asked you to prepare?"

"Rest assured, I have prepared everything you asked for and put it in the car."

"That is good."

As they spoke, three black HQ sedans were already in sight.

The young man opened the middle car door, carefully shielding the old man as he sat in the back seat, before getting into the passenger seat himself.

The engines purred, and the motorcade slowly drove out of Donghe Villa, heading toward Old Ye's residence.

On the other side, in the special ward of the Military General Hospital, the air was so quiet that Zhang Yu could hear his own heartbeat—"Thump-thump! Thump-thump!"—becoming faster and faster.

Ever since Ye Qingcheng left, he had kept his eyes closed in feigned sleep, but his brows remained furrowed: his mind was churning with the blood from the rainy night in Songbei ten years ago and the sword lights and shadow of blades in Hongmen. His fingers trembled with his heartbeat as he silently counted the time.

"Five o'clock in the afternoon..." he recited in his mind, his Adam's apple bobbing—Ye Qingcheng had said that at this time, the fleet would bomb Boss Lei's island, and once Boss Lei died, the Gu poison in his body would immediately trigger.

Although Zhang Yu was not afraid of death, this feeling of waiting for death was truly unbearable.

He waited anxiously for ten minutes, but there was still no movement in his body—no burning sensation, no tearing pain, not even the slightest abnormality!

Zhang Yu opened his eyes abruptly, a light of wild joy erupting from the depths of his eyes.

Immediately after, he suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice echoing in the empty hospital room: "Hahaha! Ye Qingcheng! You liar! I almost believed your nonsense! You despicable people only know how to play these cheap tricks!"

The laughter was full of triumph and relief—the Gu poison had not triggered, which meant Boss Lei was fine, and Ye Qingcheng's "fleet encirclement" was all fake!

"Hong Ying... you were indeed not one of them!" As Zhang Yu laughed, his eyes reddened. The hope that had been suppressed by the interrogation flared up again like a flame—he knew it! That woman who had secretly handed him medicine when he was injured would never betray him!

The laughter in the hospital room became increasingly manic, even carrying a provocative roar. Outside the door, two special police officers exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock and suspicion: How had the prisoner, who was lifeless just a moment ago, suddenly gone crazy?

"Something is wrong; we must report this to Captain Ye immediately!" the special police officer on the left said in a low voice.

The special police officer on the right nodded, his eyes fixed vigilantly on the hospital room door: "You keep watch here; I will contact Captain Ye right now." Having said that, he quickly pulled out his communicator, pressed the call button, and connected to the channel in a hurried tone.

At this moment, Ye Qingcheng was driving toward the Modu Public Security Bureau. The car navigation was broadcasting the remaining distance, and her fingertips were still tapping as she pondered the clues that might be hidden in the cassette tape found in Li Bing's office.

Suddenly, the car communicator rang. She casually pressed the answer button: "Speak."

"Captain Ye! It's bad!" The voice of the guarding special police officer carried a hint of nervousness, "Zhang Yu suddenly started laughing like a madman and was calling your name. We don't know what happened!"

Ye Qingcheng glanced at the time on the dashboard—5:11 PM. She understood instantly and curled her lips helplessly: "Understood, he has seen through my interrogation tactic."

Zhang Yu daring to be so certain conversely confirmed that the "Gu poison is connected to Boss Lei's life" was true—which could also be considered an unexpected gain.

She immediately said in a deep voice: "Do not panic. Keep watching him closely. Pay attention to whether he makes any moves to signal. Report any unusual activity immediately! Also, a reminder: this person is extremely dangerous. No matter how much of a scene he makes, you must never unlock his chains!"

"Understood! Captain Ye!"

Hanging up the communicator, Ye Qingcheng took a deep breath and slammed her foot on the accelerator. The black sedan accelerated instantly, its tires screeching against the ground as it sped toward the Modu Public Security Bureau.