Chapter 122 Part 1

“What if, when the time comes, it ends abruptly for you?”

From the beginning of the interrogation until now, three days had already passed. Although Ling Tuofu had never let his work slack off, the main line of investigation had made no progress.

He might have appeared as calm as ever on the surface, but he was tallying up all the inconveniences these days had caused and charging them to that traitor’s account. He was just waiting to drag her out into the open and settle the score all at once.

The longer the traitor hid, the deeper his hatred grew, and the more he anticipated the final outcome.

“What suspicions do you have about Chief Ji? Tell me.”

“First off, let me apologize. I’ve actually been a bit unsure until now—I even wondered if you might have made a mistake. I’ve worked with Chief Ji for so long, and I never noticed anything obvious. After all, she’s the one who discovered the Sern Organization in the first place. She wouldn’t have any reason to expose her own group and bring trouble down on them.”

Ling Tuofu listened and glanced at Mo Fei beside him. Wen Du’s line of thinking aligned perfectly with hers. That was just the natural thought process for any normal person.

On the contrary, if Wen Du had skipped over that contradiction and jumped straight to Ji Tingxi’s suspicious points, it would have been even more suspicious.

“But when I thought deeper about it, I realized that if she were an undercover agent, doing things that way wouldn’t be without benefits—it could even outweigh the drawbacks. Ever since the existence of the Sern Organization was announced, Chief Ji has been at the center of everything in the institute, overseeing a ton of operations… But when I looked back, she never seemed to make any real progress. Everything stayed at the planning stage.”

Ling Tuofu nodded, his expression encouraging, but he still raised a question. “Good. It seems you’ve given this some serious thought. But you and Chief Ji are in different departments. How do you know she hasn’t made any major breakthroughs in the Sern Organization case?”

“Because at the time, the Information Room was fully supporting the Special Action Department in tracking down the Sern Organization. Our main task was deciphering their encrypted communications, and information on that flowed freely between our departments.” At this point, Wen Du’s face took on a troubled expression. “That said, I bear some responsibility here too. We’ve never cracked the code, so we couldn’t provide much help.”

Ling Tuofu chuckled. “In that case, it sounds like you both have about the same level of suspicion on that front?”

“You could put it that way.” Wen Du lowered her eyes at the right moment. “But when it comes to missions involving the Sern people, I wouldn’t hold back.”

“Are you saying Chief Ji has held back at times?”

“I’ve heard that when she interrogates Sern people, she never resorts to torture. She just uses verbal guidance—standard questioning, in other words.”

“Heard from whom?”

Wen Du smiled. “It’s become an unwritten rule in the Special Action Department. Everyone knows about it. But since I haven’t seen it with my own eyes, I have to stick with ‘I’ve heard’ for accuracy.”

“If the interrogations are just talk, what kind of results does she get?”

“I don’t know the details, but Chief Ji’s professional skills are top-notch, and her interrogation techniques are solid. I’m sure she gets results. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have kept using her methods in the Special Action Department.”

As Wen Du spoke, Mo Fei sat quietly to one side, observing her intently.

Mo Fei hadn’t participated directly in their previous conversations, but she had been gathering information alongside Ling Tuofu. Since she didn’t need to engage in the talk, she could devote more energy to watching the other woman’s micro-expressions and movements, filling in the finer layers of analysis.

From these three sessions, Mo Fei could sense Wen Du’s style: restrained and polite, indirect yet incisive. She never cut straight to the chase. Even on the sharpest topics, she wrapped them in softening layers—like preliminary small talk or hints of uncertainty in her words.

Just as she was doing now: while exposing her target’s suspicious points, she still made sure to throw in some praise, showing the friendliness of colleagues.

But if one stripped away those layers and examined the underlying meaning, Wen Du wasn’t holding back at all. Mo Fei savored it carefully and picked up the hidden messages: First, Ji Tingxi never used torture on Sern people; her interrogation methods were confirmed, but their effectiveness was uncertain and needed deeper investigation. Second, Ji Tingxi’s interrogation skills were strong, so she likely had solid countermeasures for this round too—interrogators needed to tread carefully.

The words might not sound overtly hostile at first, but they sowed unease invisibly.

Sure enough, the moment Wen Du left, Ling Tuofu’s expression shifted, a cloud of accumulated doubt gathering in his eyes.

“Mo Supervisor, could you trouble yourself to call North County and get the specifics on Chief Ji’s interrogation methods? If possible, check with Ganteming at the institute too.”

Outside the room, Wen Du didn’t dare linger. She hurried all the way to a stall in the restroom before leaning against the partition door for a brief rest.

Only then did she notice the layer of sweat on her palms. Her wrists were still trembling faintly, as if she had just endured intense high-pressure questioning—or a brutal beating.

…

The visits to Joyful Intent followed a strict schedule: too frequent would raise suspicions, too infrequent would hinder communication.

With Wen Du gone, Yue Mu adhered strictly to the timing. After waiting several days, it was finally time for her visit.

This time, as soon as she arrived, a store clerk gave her an enthusiastic welcome. Ye Lai pulled her aside and fussed over her.

“It’s been a good while since we last saw Miss Wen. Don’t tell me you can’t stomach the shop’s new flavors?”

“No, she’s been away on a business trip. She might even be missing the sweets here while she’s traveling.”

By the time they finished speaking, they had reached the glass display case at the very back. Yue Mu faced the case to browse the selection, while Ye Lai stood sideways, facing the door. This allowed them to talk while keeping an eye out for approaching customers.

“Still no word from Miss Wen?”

“No response at all. She has gone radio silent on previous trips for confidentiality reasons, but this time it’s just too sudden…”

Yue Mu let out a sigh as she spoke. This was their most isolated moment information-wise—and the most perilous. A powerful unease enveloped her. She was convinced this “difficulty” wasn’t coincidence; it was deliberate orchestration.

“Let me ask something bold: If Miss Wen is really in danger, do we have any chance of rescuing her?”

Ye Lai fell silent for a moment, his throat bobbing. He wanted to offer some comfort, but in the end, he answered honestly. “I’ve discussed this with Station Chief Yin. The Security Investigation Station is in the capital, Winter Arrival, with tight security. We have no insiders there—it’s basically impossible…”

Ye Lai paused, then looked at her directly. “Or could you get word from the Libo Faction? They might have ideas for a breakthrough.”

Yue Mu shook her head and took a plate, picking up a long strip of bread. “Miss Wen’s always been the one contacting them. I’ve never been directly involved.”

Back when Wen Du had decided to team up with Ji Tingxi, Yue Mu had a hundred worries and didn’t want to take the risk. To protect her safety, Wen Du had kept her out of it.

But now, Yue Mu felt regret. She should have built ties with the Libo Faction earlier. Maybe then she could fight for a sliver of hope for Wen Du now?

With her selections complete, Ye Lai led her to checkout. She packed the bread into a paper bag and handed it to the customer herself.

“If something really happens to Miss Wen, you’ll be the first one affected. The Guard Institute will definitely question you—you’re too close to her to slip by easily. Keep an eye on the platform these days. If an ‘alert’ pops up, evacuate immediately!”

Yue Mu agreed, hugging the bread as she left. But then she remembered something and turned back. “Miss Wen went to Winter Arrival with Miss Ji, right? Miss Ji hasn’t returned either?”

“That’s right.” Ye Lai looked puzzled. Hadn’t Wen Du synced that info with her the day after departure?

The weather had been gloomy lately, skies overcast. The difference between morning and evening was just the glow of streetlights. Yue Mu turned her head, gazing into the foggy street with a lost expression, her face tinged with the thick mist.

…

After Wen Du’s visit, Ling Tuofu placed a digital clock on the table and waited for Ji Tingxi to show. Especially after lunch, he waited eagerly. In his spare moments, he even brewed a milk coffee to receive his “honored guest.”

But he waited left and right. The coffee went cold, dinner was nearly served, and still no sign of Ji Tingxi.

He checked the surveillance feed and saw her still at her desk, calmly flipping through a book as if nothing were amiss.

She didn’t look particularly engrossed, but her steady, immovable posture suggested she could keep it up for hours more—more solid than a hibernating turtle.

Ji Tingxi could sit tight, but Ling Tuofu had run out of patience. He called in a subordinate and gave the order. “Go invite Chief Ji over. Tell her I want to have a heart-to-heart.”

Though Ji Tingxi was in a semi-hibernating state, she responded nimbly to Minister Ling’s invitation. She soon appeared in the office, cradling a “minister-brand” coffee mug.

“Chief Ji, it’s been a whole day. Is there nothing you want to share with me?”

“I did want to share something, but after racking my brains alone in the room all day with no breakthroughs, I figured I’d read a book instead. I couldn’t waste the thought you’d put into preparing this for me.”

Ling Tuofu’s eyes twitched. He really wanted to confiscate the book. She was here to be interrogated—how was she turning it into a lounge visit?

“You might not have come up with anything, but Director Wen certainly did. And it wasn’t very friendly toward you!”

“What is it?” Ji Tingxi had just swallowed some coffee and was about to cross her legs for comfort, but mindful of her superior’s presence, she tucked her ankle back in and composed herself a bit.

“When you interrogate Sern people, you only use conversation—no auxiliary methods at all, right?”

“I do occasionally use lie detectors and physiological monitors, plus some indirect analysis techniques.”

“What about torture tools? Not even a touch?”

Ling Tuofu didn’t want to beat around the bush. To outsiders, he might pretty up the image, play the civilized and refined type. But among insiders, there was no need to hide it. For stubborn enemy elements with clamped mouths, torture was inevitable.

“I really don’t like using torture tools. It’s not just for Sern people—it’s standard for all subjects. It’s not that I can’t bring myself to do it; it’s my belief that objective, accurate information is paramount. To avoid suspects spewing desperate lies, I stick to my preferred methods to ensure the confessions hold up.”