Mei Lixue couldn’t help but sneer. "What do you mean by that? At that time, Liu Jianrong was surrounded by many professionals, several of whom were at the Second Energy Level, and Liu Jianrong himself was even at the Third Energy Level! Chen Gu was alone with three severely injured comrades. It was already incredibly difficult for him to survive and ensure everyone else got out alive. With what do you expect him to have protected that laboratory?"
Gascolin said coldly, "Whether it’s possible to do it is one thing; whether one tries is another. If it couldn’t be done, then he should have fought to the death and fulfilled his duty!"
Mei Lixue laughed in anger. "Are you saying Chen Gu shouldn’t have come back alive? That he should have died beneath the ’Four Hundred Heroes’?"
Gascolin did not respond directly, instead saying, "If he had died delaying Liu Jianrong, perhaps when the reinforcements arrived, we might have been able to capture Liu Jianrong."
Just as Mei Lixue was about to retort, the secretary’s anxious voice came from outside. "Inspector Qing, you can’t go in... The Director and the others are in a meeting..."
The office door was pushed open forcefully, and Qing Ruyan strode in. A helpless secretary followed her. Chen Jixian waved his hand at the secretary, who then exited, closing the door.
Qing Ruyan marched up to Gascolin and stated, word by word, "The lives of special agents are lives too!"
"Chen Gu didn’t know we had backup. I didn’t tell him because it was a highly confidential mission. He was just a regular special agent and wasn’t cleared to know that much."
"On this mission, all of us narrowly escaped death, and it was thanks to Chen Gu that we returned alive. At that moment, he indeed acted with the resolve to fight to the death, knowing full well he might die. His survival was purely due to good luck—and you want to condemn him for being alive?"
"It was the Director-General’s direct order to spare no effort in treating Chen Gu, and you strongly oppose the Director-General’s decision. I will report this truthfully to the Director-General."
"I admire your courage—ignorant and arrogant as it is. But let me tell you, Vice Director-General Li Zhengji cannot protect you!"
After speaking, Qing Ruyan nodded to Chen Jixian in acknowledgment, then turned sharply and left, slamming the door behind her with a BANG.
Gascolin’s and Marcel’s faces turned ugly. Their new backer was Vice Director-General Li Zhengji, a fact few people knew—specifically, this alliance had formed shortly after Qing Ruyan was sent as reinforcement.
If not for the ripple effects of Qing Ruyan’s arrival, the high-and-mighty Vice Director-General would likely never have even known of the existence of these minor division chiefs in the small Wuzhaoyin City branch.
It was precisely because of such a powerful backer that, while they previously only dared to scheme behind Chen Jixian’s back, they now had the audacity to question him openly and publicly oppose the Director-General’s decisions.
However, the two had not expected that their status as mere pawns for the Vice Director-General would become known to the Director-General’s faction so quickly.
Mei Lixue watched them from the side with a mocking expression, making Gascolin’s face burn even more.
Chen Jixian, without even shifting his posture in his chair, said indifferently, "All of you, get out."
Marcel and Gascolin scurried out. In the corridor, they muttered to each other, "Increase surveillance on Chen Gu, Gao Mengjiu, and Man Suling."
"I refuse to believe we can’t dig up some dirt on them!"
Having crossed the Rubicon and become pawns, there was no turning back; they had to see this path through to the end.
An administrative order came from the General Bureau, transferring three key professionals from the Second Special Service Team to a secret mission, citing the necessity of their specific professional abilities for the task.
Furthermore, three veteran special agents were assigned to the Second Team as replacements, easily rendering Gascolin a figurehead.
The General Bureau’s Constitutional Unit reopened an investigation into a case Gascolin had personally overseen three years prior.
In that case, the suspect had ultimately escaped. A routine investigation had been conducted at the time, concluding with "no fault found."
Yet, at this critical juncture, the investigation was reopened. Gascolin was repeatedly summoned for questioning by the Constitutional Unit, under investigation for the charge of "dereliction of duty."
Chen Gu completed all his medical examinations. The medical experts confirmed his injuries had fully healed. That evening, Chen Gu finally returned to his own home.
As soon as his personal system connected to the house’s security system, it notified him of a parcel.
I haven’t bought anything, Chen Gu wondered. Who sent this to me?
He selected "receive immediately," and shortly thereafter, a delivery robot brought him a box.
Chen Gu was stunned when he opened it. Inside was a beautifully bound roster. Its cover was deep red, with a gold-embossed phoenix totem.
To the left, a line of elegant script read: Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn ⓝovelFire.net
Dead Phoenix Gang’s Heroine Register!
There was another item in the box: a phoenix brooch inlaid with multicolored gemstones. Chen Gu turned it over and saw an inscription on the back: Dead Phoenix Gang Leader Emblem.
Is this... entrusting the Dead Phoenix Gang to me?
Chen Gu quickly checked the sender’s name and address, but, as expected, found nothing.
Looking at these two items, Liu Shichan’s earnestness regarding the "gang" she had founded seemed somewhat anachronistic, almost laughably so. Yet, this final entrustment stirred complex emotions within him. Chen Gu realized he would likely never again see this "big sister" leader, a figure of legendary loyalty, at school, and for a moment, he found it hard to articulate his feelings...
In the end, Chen Gu solemnly stored the two items, accepting Liu Shichan’s silent entrustment.
Ten days had passed since Chen Gu first entered the Yingudusi Devil’s Pit. After taking a shower, he took a deep breath, mentally prepared himself, and then opened the gaming pod to enter "Infinite."
As expected, a pile of messages had accumulated.
But, somewhat to Chen Gu’s surprise, the majority were not from "Mirror, Sword, and Makeup," but from Zhao Zhenhuai.
Deputy Director Zhao Zhenhuai, a long-time "capital drifter," had been humbled by "Idol Actor" and intimidated several times. He declared he would never concede—not in this lifetime!
But I’m an adult; I know when to yield and when to stand firm.
I’ll feign compliance!
Waiting for a chance to turn the tables and take him down!
This time, the messages from "Mirror, Sword, and Makeup" were filled with joy. The new tactics were proving very effective against the Insect Mutants, and everyone in the Central Operations Room was greatly elated.
However, some issues still needed to be addressed and perfected.
So, "Mirror, Sword, and Makeup" was naturally urging him. However, since "Idol Actor" often disappeared, she had grown accustomed to it. She would habitually send a single message—"Still alive?"—and then leave it at that.