Free Web NovelChapter 439: Chapter 326: Rendezvous! Stealing Technology!
"Looks like I came at the wrong time?"
National Security officer Zhang Tian paused, a hint of awkwardness showing on his face.
Xu Liang remained calm as he looked at him, sternly saying, "No, you came at the right time!"
Zhang Tian: ?
Why do I feel something is off...
Zhang Tian fell into thought, but didn’t dwell too much on such small matters, and instead spoke up.
"Si Hong... went to the vegetable market again."
Si Hong... the wife of the traitor Fang Tianhai, she’s the type of fool that should be put in a museum!
To be honest, even though Xu Liang personally found her slip-up.
He still couldn’t understand why she would spend US Dollars at the vegetable market!
What on earth was she thinking...
"When did she go?" Xu Liang gathered his thoughts and asked.
Zhang Tian didn’t speak, he merely turned to look at the curious faces of Yang Ruoxi and Su Yu beside him.
Seeing this, Su Yu paused, then smiled, and immediately pulled Yang Ruoxi toward the inner room.
"Clunk!"
The door closed, leaving only Xu Liang and Zhang Tian in the courtyard.
"Just now."
Zhang Tian said slowly.
Just now... just now...
So during the evening rush at the vegetable market?
Today we just finished the first trial! Zhu Haoyi was quick to act...
"He clearly never intended to compensate..."
Xu Liang sneered, a cold glint in his eyes.
The faster he gets the technology, the sooner he can leave Eastern Country, reducing his financial losses.
If Zhang Shan hadn’t believed Zhu Haoyi originally, no matter how sincere Zhu Haoyi seemed before, the moment the agreement was signed... He would immediately show his true colors and maximize his gains!
"Has the third person been identified?"
Xu Liang took a deep breath, slowly asking.
Fang Tianhai, Zhu Haoyi, and Li Yang had a superior who was hiding in the country, possibly even in Upper City!
But this bastard handled his tracks well, unwilling to show up for such crucial technological exchanges.
"There are some suspicions."
Zhang Tian said, his face suddenly turning grim.
Upon hearing this, Xu Liang’s brows furrowed, "What’s wrong? Is this person of high rank?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Tian’s face became even grimmer, finally taking a deep breath, heavily saying:
"Very high!"
"Although we can’t determine the person’s real identity, investigations have been ongoing for years, and there are some clues now."
"The only certainty is that the person is beyond Fang Tianhai..."
Saying this, Zhang Tian paused, then added:
"Surpassing him!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Liang showed surprise.
Although he didn’t know which field Fang Tianhai was responsible for researching, he knew his rank was just below Lin Fuqiang!
Which means he didn’t have real power, otherwise, such a person would be extremely difficult to deal with, capturing him would be very complicated and troublesome for Zhang Tian.
And now, Zhang Tian said that the third person surpassed Fang Tianhai...
"So, what do you mean on your end..." Xu Liang hesitated.
Zhang Tian replied, "The court there, the case can be expedited."
Upon hearing this, Xu Liang immediately understood his meaning.
National Security never intended to suppress this matter!
They want him to guide public opinion in a direction beneficial to them, to achieve certain interests?
This is indeed the case.
Such a case by nature cannot be suppressed, once there’s an arrest, it will inevitably be known.
Moreover...
Official news suppression generally happens for two types of reasons: one, special victims, like primary school students, where violations are kept confidential.
Two, special cases, where disclosure is inconvenient.
And conveniently... Zhu Haoyi and Fang Tianhai don’t belong to either category!
"Alright, I understand now."
Xu Liang took a deep breath, nodding.
There are still 47 million in compensation unclaimed from Zhu Haoyi’s side, he won’t let them go!
But he needs a reason to hold onto them.
"What about Fang Tianhai? Any new information?" Xu Liang suddenly asked.
"Does he know anything about Zhu Haoyi’s clues?"
Zhang Tian paused, then his eyes narrowed, his face turning ashen:
"He knows."
Xu Liang raised an eyebrow, "What’s Zhu Haoyi’s objective!?"
Zhang Tian said solemnly, "Rare earths."
"National rare earth extraction technology!"
Extraction technology... it was indeed this!
Xu Liang’s body shook, although he had already suspected it, hearing it personally from Zhang Tian still shocked him.
No way around it, Zhu Haoyi’s daring is too great!
He’s daring enough to touch this... no wonder, when the deal fell through, Zhang Shan wanted to commission Xu Liang, then Zhu Haoyi readily acted, killing Zhang Shan!
Too bad Zhu Haoyi didn’t anticipate that even if Zhang Shan died, Xu Liang would still take on the case...
"One, national rare earth extraction technology; another, missile development technology..."
"Tsk, such a big appetite."
In the future, rare earth extraction technology might not be difficult, some technologies have even been made public, but... this is 2005!
So Xu Liang doesn’t doubt they’re actually stealing the extraction technology!
On the contrary, he’s more curious about the third person’s identity.
The audacity to take on two world-changing aspects at once... this could overstuff even the biggest appetite!
And Zhu Haoyi...
Ah, using the project manager as a scapegoat, taking the fall for stealing the rare earth extraction technology...
How much money did Zhu Haoyi give that project manager to make them willing to do it!?
But this trick is actually quite effective.
These days aren’t like the future where interns and heads are used to being scapegoats, so after the first trial explained things, the current public opinion is fierce, yet there’s not much attacking Zhengyang Mining Company.
’I guess not many people would think Zhu Haoyi’s identity would experience such a reversal...’
Xu Liang sighed a bit, then took a deep breath and spoke solemnly....
"I will appeal as soon as possible!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Tian nodded, "That’s enough coming from you."
Then, he bid farewell to Xu Liang and began having people hidden in the shadows to monitor Si Hong.
...
...
Meanwhile.
Nearby Dongyang Vegetable Market, in a restaurant.
"Just as I thought, Xu Liang sent to monitor has been pulled back, this afternoon is the perfect opportunity for us!"
In the corner of the restaurant, Zhu Haoyi and Li Yang lifted their heads to look out through the floor-to-ceiling window at the bustling vegetable market.
After the first trial ended, Zhu Haoyi decisively began a counter-surveillance investigation.
The result was...
No one was watching him!
This made Zhu Haoyi instantly delighted, as it meant ’achievement’, also meaning he could lose less money!
Only...
"Who has the technology?"
Looking at the swarming figures outside, Zhu Haoyi and Li Yang frowned, a hint of confusion passing through their eyes.
"Number One didn’t give the specific identity information, only saying it’s a thirty-five-year-old woman who goes to Dongyang Vegetable Market three times a day, in the afternoon at ten past six."
"The codeword exchange is zero contact, zero communication, using gestures."
Zhu Haoyi recalled Number One’s instructions.
"Is it that one!?"
Li Yang suddenly spoke up, signaling Zhu Haoyi to turn his head to look outside.
Then he saw... a young woman, at the moment slowly walking with a vegetable basket.
The woman had long hair, her looks weren’t particularly stunning, but somewhat prettier than the average woman, and her figure was decent.
Both in terms of timing and Number One’s description of appearance matched her!
Just....
’Why give me a feeling of being so clumsy....
Zhu Haoyi frowned, suddenly muttering.
Indeed, despite not contacting yet, just from her appearance, Zhu Haoyi immediately realized her intelligence might not be high.
But...
"Number One shouldn’t be wrong, he’s been undercover for decades, and even mixed up to the top, shouldn’t send a dull person for the meeting..."
Zhu Haoyi pondered for a while, an idea emerged in his mind.
"Camouflaging?"
"Haha, she’s doing great, almost tricked me too!"
He felt he might have seen through her disguise, immediately no longer speaking with Li Yang, but stood up, quickly walked out of the restaurant, and headed toward the vegetable market.
The northern vegetable market wasn’t as crowded as the southern ones, though there were quite a few people during the evening rush hour.
Yet not to the point of being packed, otherwise Li Yang wouldn’t have easily picked out Si Hong from the crowd.
"Da da da..."
Footsteps sounded.
Zhu Haoyi steeled himself, slowly approaching Si Hong.
At this moment, Si Hong was still buying scallions at a stall, picking and choosing, if Zhu Haoyi didn’t know what he was here for, he really might have been fooled by her!
"Ahem!"
Zhu Haoyi suddenly coughed.
The commotion of the surrounding people was drawn to him.
Si Hong also subconsciously looked at Zhu Haoyi, the next second, Zhu Haoyi used his little finger to push up the glasses on his nose, then covered his mouth while making a ’one’ gesture.
This was the codeword exchange.
No riddles, no others, if Si Hong was indeed the contact, what she needed to do was... complain to the stall owner about bacteria on the vegetables.
As Zhu Haoyi thought this.
He then saw Si Hong suddenly withdraw her gaze, continue bargaining with the owner.
Zhu Haoyi was a bit stunned, he instinctively exchanged a look with Li Yang not far away, his eyes also showing a confused emotion.
Did we... pick the wrong person?
But it can’t be, both the information and the positioning align, even the location of the mole is the same!.
Zhu Haoyi thought for a moment, he again placed his hand to his lips, forcefully ’coughed’.
The next second, Si Hong turned to look at him.
Before Zhu Haoyi could express any joy, he saw Si Hong with an impatient look, saying:
"Are you disgusted with coughing phlegm in the vegetable market!?"
Zhu Haoyi: ?
Zhu Haoyi was stunned, watching the person stand up and leave with a puzzled expression on his face.
This... this feels a bit off!
Or did we really identify the wrong person?
It can’t be that the contact person forgot the codeword exchange? Doesn’t make sense, Number One wouldn’t send someone so dense for the meeting...
Given that, could she really not be the contact person!?
It’s rare for Zhu Haoyi to actually start doubting himself.
Until....
The initially departing Si Hong at this moment seemed to recall something, a suddenly enlightened look on her face, quickly walking with small strides to Zhu Haoyi’s side, and said:
"Are you Mr. Zhu?"
"Oh oh, I’m Si Hong, my man told me to give you the thing if I saw you in the vegetable market."
Speaking, she took out a USB drive from her pocket right in front of a dumbfounded Zhu Haoyi, slowly handing it to him.
Zhu Haoyi: ?
Zhu Haoyi was taken aback, staring at the woman who had big eyes staring at him and simultaneously taking out the USB drive, he stood there completely stunned, his mind blank, thinking stopped.
...
ps: Chapter three is coming soon, slightly stuck today
