Chapter 11: A Breach of Secrets!
After hearing Zhao Xuan’s words, Dao Ya’s lips curled into a graceful smile.
If he couldn’t accompany her every night to explore the hidden delicacies of the magical city, then occasional outings would have to do.
Moreover, Dao Ya was not oblivious to the situation. Going out every night—not only could Zhao Xuan not accompany her, even if he could, Ding Moqun wouldn’t feel at ease.
The magical city was still a chaotic place!
Apartment 27, Jisフィール Road.
Aunt Liu brought out two dishes and a soup from the kitchen, smiling warmly as she stood aside, watching Zhao Xuan and Dao Ya eat quietly.
Since last night, Aunt Liu could tell that the relationship between her young mistress and son-in-law had eased considerably.
At least now, the two could sit at the same dining table without Dao Ya showing any disdain.
Every day at lunch, Zhao Xuan and Dao Ya usually ate together, while Ding Moqun and Dao Yan were too busy to come back, often grabbing a quick bite at Cafeteria 76.
“Brother-in-law, you don’t need to pick me up at noon anymore. You’re working now, and you don’t have that much free time.”
Dao Ya thought carefully. When she left school today, Zhao Xuan was already waiting near the school gate.
He even bought spareribs with rice cakes, which meant Zhao Xuan had probably finished work at least an hour early.
Although the special agent director of Unit 76 was her uncle, Dao Ya worried that Zhao Xuan’s independent ways might cause trouble if he kept this up.
“Mm.”
Hearing Zhao Xuan’s brief reply, Dao Ya’s smile twitched inwardly. Well, that was straightforward!
Her good mood was shattered by just a single sentence.
“Hmph! I’m full. I’m going to school now. I don’t need anyone to see me off or pick me up!”
Dao Ya threw down her chopsticks angrily and stood up to leave. Zhao Xuan remained motionless.
At the door, Dao Ya even stomped her foot before opening it and leaving in a flurry of irritation.
“Son-in-law!”
Aunt Liu watched in helpless amusement. Just moments ago, she thought the family’s relationships were improving… but this scene…
“Liu, send someone to follow them.”
After saying this, Zhao Xuan put away the dishes and went straight back to his room.
Watching the firmly closed door, Aunt Liu shook her head with a wry smile.
After lunch break, Zhao Xuan had just returned to his workstation at Unit 76 when Su Jian approached him.
“Zhao Xuan, where did you go at noon?”
“Went home for a bit.”
Su Jian was briefly stunned. Zhao Xuan was interesting—he had been quite chatty earlier that morning, but now he was sparing with words.
“Uh, the chief wants to see you in his office.”
Zhao Xuan smiled faintly:
“Thanks.”
Watching Zhao Xuan leave the intelligence room, Su Jian chuckled and shook his head before returning to his desk.
Chief’s Office, Intelligence Department.
“Xiao Zhao, you’re here. Where did you go at noon?”
“Had to pick up my little sister-in-law after school.”
Hearing this, Sun Ping’an didn’t press further. Smiling, he gestured for Zhao Xuan to sit, then said seriously:
“Xiao Zhao, take a look at this intelligence report first.”
(This time, the director and Zhou Mei’s double verification—if Zhao Xuan still has no issues after this, then there really aren’t any.)
(This kid is impressive. In all my years in intelligence, I’ve never heard of anyone being vetted twelve times and still coming through unscathed.)
As Zhao Xuan examined the document and listened to Sun Ping’an’s unspoken thoughts, he was speechless.
Previously, only Dao Yan had vetted him; now it was a double verification.
Looking at the intelligence, if he hadn’t just met Li Mingzhu at noon, Zhao Xuan might have believed it.
“Finished reading?”
“Xiao Zhao, what I mean is, as a representative of the intelligence department, you’ll be joining the operations team for this mission.”
“This ‘Magpie’ is the military spy who escaped from the flower shop on Ximo Road last time. I heard you and little Ya nearly died at this person’s hands. Well then, here’s your chance for revenge.”
“So, what do you say?”
Zhao Xuan didn’t immediately agree but looked at Sun Ping’an with a puzzled expression:
“Chief, shouldn’t such capture missions be carried out directly by the operations team? We’re intelligence—can we really participate?”
Sun Ping’an smiled:
“You clearly lack experience. We’re intelligence, but the operations team depends on us for information. Of course, if there’s merit, we share it. Otherwise, where would their intelligence come from?”
“Xiao Zhao, just tell me—are you in or not?”
Zhao Xuan still didn’t answer, which irritated Sun Ping’an.
What’s with this kid?
“Chief, I’m new here. There are plenty in intelligence more qualified than me for this. I…”
Before Zhao Xuan could finish, Sun Ping’an waved his hand to interrupt:
“Enough. Do you think I don’t know my own people in intelligence?”
“No one dares to gossip. The director entrusted you to me; if I don’t look out for you, who will? Xiao Zhao, don’t disappoint me.”
Zhao Xuan inwardly sneered. What a trap—an interrogation disguised as a mission offer, expecting gratitude. No wonder he was the chief.
Now with no way out, Zhao Xuan realized that even if he evaded this vetting, the next one was unavoidable.
Since that was the case, he might as well see it through. He was curious how Ding Moqun’s methods compared to Dao Yan’s.
Office of Unit 76 Telecommunications.
Drawing back a corner of the curtain, Dao Yan watched the convoy of vehicles carrying Zhao Xuan and the operations team depart. Her brows furrowed slightly.
Only after the convoy disappeared from view did Dao Yan silently return to her desk.
Knock, knock, knock!
“Come in!”
Dao Yan had just sat down when her deputy, Chen Jun, entered, holding a telegram that immediately caught her attention.
“Report.”
“Chief, this encrypted telegram is addressed to the director. You need to deliver it personally.”
Dao Yan nodded, but after glancing at the telegram, she admitted defeat—it was completely indecipherable.
This wasn’t the first time. Dao Yan suspected this was intelligence sent back by Ding Moqun’s undercover agent in Mountain City.
Only Ding Moqun knew how to decode such ciphers—or rather, only Ding Moqun and that spy possessed the codebook.
In the director’s office, after Dao Yan handed over the telegram and left, Ding Moqun glanced at the closed door. Then he took the codebook from the safe and began translating the message.
“Purge plan leaked; Mountain City will use countermeasures!”
Bang—
Ding Moqun slammed the translated message on the desk, his face dark with anger and eyes filled with suspicion.
The purge plan leaked?
Ding Moqun found the idea laughable.
The purge plan had only just been initiated that very morning—leaked in less than three hours? Who would believe that?
And Mountain City was responding with countermeasures? Very well!
Ding Moqun was furious.
Only a handful of people knew about the purge plan. If any of them were military spies, who in Unit 76 could still be trusted?