RPAGF Chapter 1038 Hey, look, the pie I drew for you is so big and beautiful.
Chapter 1038 Hey, look, the pie I drew for you is so big and beautiful.
Watching Jiang Xia and the others disappear into the Little Red Building, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses slowly withdrew his gaze, leaned back in his soft chair, gently pushed up the frame of his glasses, and let out a silent sigh.
The moment he recognized Director Zheng, he secretly rejoiced at his composure.
If he hadn't forcefully suppressed Deputy Political Commissar Chang's rash suggestion, he probably would have already run into the people from Bureau 701, and the situation would have been extremely awkward, possibly even leading to an uncontrollable conflict.
The man with the gold-rimmed glasses turned his head and glanced indifferently at Deputy Political Commissar Chang beside him. His expression was calm and composed, without revealing even a trace of extra emotion. The atmosphere in the carriage became even more tense because of this silent gaze.
As Deputy Political Commissar Chang was swept by that gaze, cold sweat trickled down his collar. He didn't dare to lift his head, but in his heart he had already cursed the man with the gold-rimmed glasses a thousand times over, silently grumbling:
How indecisive!
I just said that while Jiang Xia wasn't at the Little Red Building, we should use a surprise inspection as an excuse to rush in. This would not only allow us to assess the situation and put that kid in his place, but also help us get him out of there faster.
He hesitated and looked back and forth, and now look what happened! Suddenly, a bunch of people surrounded that kid, each one tall and sharp-eyed, clearly not someone to mess with!
Good heavens! The big shots up above have been urging us to bail him out every day, they're in a real hurry. Finally, someone with a seemingly high position came down, and we thought we could use his influence to get things done. If all else failed, we could push him out as a scapegoat. But we never expected him to be such a pushover!
They lacked the decisiveness and efficiency of men from Shandong; they were incredibly cowardly!
The more Deputy Political Commissar Chang thought about it, the angrier he became. His cheeks puffed out, and he spat inwardly, hoping that he wouldn't be the one to mess things up.
Hey! If it weren't for the fact that Deputy Political Commissar Chang has a pretty good eye for people!
The man with the gold-rimmed glasses was not from Shandong, but a native of Jiangxi. He lacked the ruggedness of a northern man and was more cunning and calculating.
Unfortunately, he himself wasn't humble enough and lacked sufficient information. He was completely unaware of the existence of a core department like Bureau 701 and was even planning to make the other party a scapegoat.
This idea is clever, but given the limited vision and scope, it's destined to be futile and ultimately unsuccessful.
Who is this man with the gold-rimmed glasses? The fact that he's in his current position shows he's no ordinary person. He's seen right through Deputy Political Commissar Chang's schemes.
For a fleeting moment, he did have the thought of scolding this fool, and the words "more trouble than good" that almost slipped out were forcibly swallowed back down.
Direct reprimands will only exacerbate the conflict and make the local bully even more compliant but insincere, offering no benefit whatsoever.
With a change of heart, the lines on the man's face softened slightly, even carrying a hint of helpless humility.
“Deputy Political Commissar Chang,” he began, his voice calm, even carrying a hint of earnestness, “I understand your urgency. The higher-ups are pressing hard, and things are difficult to handle on the ground. Caught in the middle, those of us who are actually doing the work are in the most difficult position.”
Deputy Political Commissar Chang was taken aback when this "high-ranking official from Beijing" not only didn't get angry but also spoke words of understanding. He quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, the leader is understanding..."
“But, Lao Chang,” the man with the gold-rimmed glasses leaned forward slightly, as if sharing some crucial experience with a close relative:
“Some things, especially when it involves… well, special units like Bureau 701, require more than just enthusiasm and drive; you also need strategy and the right timing.”
“701?” Deputy Director Chang asked, puzzled.
"Oh, it's a secret organization, so it's normal that you don't know about it. Just understand this: when they get ruthless, they have the authority to act first and report later..."
The man with the gold-rimmed glasses seemed to be kindly helping to introduce the backgrounds of the people around Jiang Xia, but his face showed disdain: Idiot, why should I climb higher than you? It's just that I have more information.
You think you can take advantage of my influence?
Oh, you ate too many peaches!
His words were half true and half false, highlighting the deterrent power of Bureau 701 while deliberately downplaying his own concerns. Every word touched on the deputy political commissar's usual mindset of "eager to get things done but afraid of taking responsibility."
Deputy Political Commissar Chang was indeed taken aback. He had assumed they were just ordinary guards from another unit and had no idea they had this background. He broke out in a cold sweat, and his previous aggression subsided considerably. He subconsciously asked, "Then, what should we do? We can't just wait like this. The higher-ups are pressing us hard!"
“Deputy Political Commissar Chang, I understand your feelings. The higher-ups are pressing hard, and dragging out Comrade Zuo Peng's matter for too long is not good for anyone. Your eagerness to make progress and get results as soon as possible is commendable.”
The man with the gold-rimmed glasses changed the subject, his tone still calm: "However, you can't just act on impulse; you also need to be methodical and assess the situation. Think about it, if we had actually listened to you, brought people, and used a reason that wasn't entirely convincing, and forced our way into that building..."
Deputy Director Liu pointed lightly towards the small red building ahead, and also seemed to be pointing towards the "Black Bay" and Director Zheng inside the car through the vehicle.
"...What will be the result? Who are those people inside? If we break in, they could easily use the pretext of 'assisting with a confidential inspection' to 'invite' us in for 'cooperation with the investigation,' and then what? Detain us for 24 hours, 48 hours?"
By then, not only will we fail to get the person, but we might also find ourselves in a predicament, unable to move forward or backward. What will the higher-ups think of us when the news gets back? Will they see us as capable and efficient, or as reckless and incompetent, giving them ammunition against us?
"So... what do you mean? Just wait here?" Deputy Political Commissar Chang's tone softened, carrying a hint of pleading.
Seeing that he had fallen into the trap, a subtle smile flashed in the eyes of the man with gold-rimmed glasses. His tone became even gentler, yet clearly suggestive: "We can't rush it, but it's not like there's no way. We're from the Ministry of Defense, and we're from the base. We have to follow the rules. As long as we're in the right, even Bureau 701 can't find fault with us. You're the deputy political commissar of the base, in charge of logistics and the supervision of classified areas. That's your advantage."
These words jolted Deputy Political Commissar Chang awake, and his mind raced, filled with thoughts of "being in the right," "not confronting other units head-on," and "getting the person out as soon as possible."
He frowned and pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "I've got it! The Little Red Building is a classified site in our base, under my jurisdiction! Jiang Xia and his team took people from Bureau 701 in to use the Big Yellow Second Generation equipment. This is cross-unit use of classified equipment! According to regulations, they must report to the base in advance, stating the purpose, duration, and personnel identities. I know they didn't follow the procedure at all!"
At this point, his speech quickened, a smug look spreading across his face, as if he had grasped a lifeline: "I brought the base's security personnel in under the pretext of 'verifying the cross-unit reporting of classified equipment use,' which was perfectly legitimate! Even if Bureau 701 wanted to stop me, they wouldn't have any reason to—I was acting according to base rules! Once inside, I could both probe their background and find an opportunity to get that kid Zuo Peng out. Even if Jiang Xia had objections, he wouldn't be able to find any fault with it!"
This method not only suited his identity but also bypassed the tough issues of Bureau 701. It perfectly aligned with his mentality of "eager to complete the task but afraid of taking responsibility." It was reasonable, yet it added a layer of calculation compared to the previous foolish method of forcing his way through. It was an unexpected and ingenious move.
The man with the gold-rimmed glasses immediately went along with it, his tone tinged with approval as he patted the man's arm: "Commissar Chang is indeed quick-witted. This method is excellent; it's both compliant and reliable, and there's not a single flaw to it."
After saying that, he changed the subject, adding a touch of urgency to his tone. It seemed like he was helping to push things forward, but in reality, he was completely pinning the matter on Deputy Political Commissar Chang: "There's no time to lose. The higher-ups are pressing us hard, and things could get complicated if we delay. Go and do it now, with the base's security personnel. Follow the rules and don't make any mistakes. I'll be waiting for your news."
Deputy Political Commissar Chang was basking in the praise, his mind filled with thoughts of the reward he would receive after accomplishing the task. He was completely oblivious to the hidden malice in the gold-rimmed glasses man's words...
If a conflict arises with Bureau 701, he, as the "initiator," will be the first to bear the brunt.
He immediately and enthusiastically agreed: "Okay! I'll go right away! I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly!"
As he spoke, he immediately pushed open the car door and hurried towards the base's security department, completely forgetting the cold sweat and frustration he had just felt.
The carriage fell silent again. The man with the gold-rimmed glasses watched the hurried figure of Deputy Political Commissar Chang, slowed the rhythm of his fingertips tapping his knees, and his eyes behind his glasses turned cold.
Sending this eager-to-show-off Deputy Political Commissar Chang to the front lines to scout ahead and ignite the flames will allow him to maneuver freely, regardless of the outcome.
If it succeeds, he will undoubtedly share in the credit; if it fails, the responsibility will naturally fall on this idiot and the "unruly" junior officers.
From beginning to end, he was merely a superior who "cared about mission support" and "listened to reports from below."
To shift blame eastward and use someone else to do the dirty work.
Hehehe, people only know that the guy inside likes to make empty promises, but they don't know that I am the real expert at making empty promises.
"Hehehe, the arrangement of moves in chess is like the flow of all things, it has its own laws..."