frightfiction Chapter 1048 Sitting at home, the credit falls to you?
Chapter 1048 Sitting at home, the credit falls to you?
Yes, while Lao Wang was lamenting the other party's protectiveness, Secretary Liu had a different opinion.
Protecting one's own?
Perhaps there is a tiny bit of that.
But more likely, it's the cunning of those who change course with the wind and the opportunism of those eager to claim credit.
This Deputy Political Commissar Chang may not have the best political acumen, but his survival instincts are definitely not weak. He saw Jiang Xia's position here and also sensed the tension and peculiarity inside and outside the Little Red Building, so he quickly adjusted his strategy and played the seemingly harmless card of "caring for comrades".
Offering some food and hot water, and saying a few words of sympathy, not only shows that you are humane, but also eases the atmosphere. It might even pave the way for "negotiating terms" later—for example, by sounding out their intentions, or by trying to get that detained "Zuo Peng" out.
Secretary Liu had seen this kind of tactic many times before.
In the eye of the storm, this tender performance appears ridiculously fragile.
Director Chao's implication that this person was "usable" was simply because he valued the man's current wavering and the still-present, basic sense of responsibility towards the "mission" and "comrades."
However, "usable" does not equal "reliable," much less "trustworthy."
To get these resourceful people who struggle to survive in the cracks to truly stand up for themselves, or at least not dare to do anything wrong, small favors and emotional appeals won't work.
We need to let him know just how deep this water is!
Fear can sometimes bind a person more than acceptance, especially for someone who is already afraid but still clings to a sliver of hope.
Secretary Liu shifted his gaze from Deputy Political Commissar Chang's face, then casually strolled to the window, parted a small gap in the curtains with his fingers, and looked down at the silent steel silhouette deep in the shadows of the trees.
"Tsk," he took a soft breath and turned around:
"Deputy Political Commissar Chang, that iron thing under the tree outside... it looks extraordinary. What kind of deity has such a grand display? Do we even have this kind of equipment that hasn't officially entered service?"
Deputy Political Commissar Chang was watching Jiangxia sip the freshly brewed ginger and brown sugar water when he heard this. He frowned, rushed to the window, and almost rudely slammed the curtains shut.
"I told you young comrade, you can't be exposed to the wind! You're so weak, who's going to blame if you collapse in the wind?" He snapped impatiently at first, then lowered his voice, a complex and dark expression flashing across his face. His lips moved, and he reluctantly uttered a few words:
"He came from Beijing... and now he's in charge of logistics."
"Logistics?" Secretary Liu's pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly exchanged a glance with Director Zheng, who had been sitting silently observing from the side.
Director Chao coughed lightly at the opportune moment, his finger seemingly tracing the edge of the teacup, his gaze meeting Secretary Liu's briefly before looking away, conveying a clear signal: This person is usable, worth a try, and we should try our best to win him over.
Secretary Liu understood immediately, a barely perceptible smile curving her lips as she thought to herself: "Heh, try to win them over? That's our organization's consistent policy."
However, what I'm about to say is something you can't control even if you don't want to come!
His expression remained unchanged, as if he had merely asked a casual question and received an answer. He then stopped paying attention to what was happening outside the window, turned around and walked towards Director Zheng, raising his voice slightly to ensure that Deputy Political Commissar Chang in the room could hear him clearly:
"Director Zheng, there's a manpower shortage in Phnom Penh. I've thought about it and I have a ready-made solution."
Director Zheng raised his eyes cooperatively: "Oh? Tell me about it. Transferring people domestically would be too drastic and could easily alert the enemy."
"Don't touch anything domestically," Secretary Liu said, glancing at Deputy Political Commissar Chang.
"Company Commander Tang, along with Squad Leader Ru, has been helping the local people 'plant red flags' in the Thousand Islands Country, and the momentum is very strong..."
Deputy Political Commissar Chang's ears immediately perked up. He, who had been keeping his eyes down, unconsciously raised his eyelids and scanned the telegrams on the table.
Secretary Liu seemed oblivious to his reaction and continued, "Their activities over there have already attracted the attention of certain local forces, putting them under considerable pressure. They urgently need a batch of 'hard goods' to enhance their self-protection and response capabilities."
With approval from their superiors, they are currently conducting inspections of relevant goods in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
"what do you mean……"
"Yes! Their identities are 'clean,' they don't need to go through customs to enter Phnom Penh, and they have a lot of freedom of movement."
"This distance is just the time it takes for Company Commander Tang and his men to make a forced march. It can solve our urgent manpower shortage in Phnom Penh and greatly make up for the lack of equipment for our embassy personnel. It's killing two birds with one stone."
The two discussed the matter in an orderly manner, their tone serious, without any attempt to conceal their conversation from Deputy Political Commissar Chang standing beside them.
As Secretary Liu spoke, his gaze never left Deputy Political Commissar Chang. He would occasionally glance up, subtly observing Chang's expression and capturing every subtle reaction.
Meanwhile, Deputy Political Commissar Chang was completely unaware that his little tricks had been seen through, and his mind was pounding with anxiety.
Originally, once the gifts were handed over and it was confirmed that he had entered the Little Red Building, he would have been satisfied with his mission to the important figures in Beijing on the armored vehicle!
The mission is accomplished, no one is offended, and Jiangxia is even favored.
But human nature is insatiable, and it's only natural to want more after getting what you want. Seeing that his emotional appeal had worked and the crowd's attitude towards him had softened, he even felt a glimmer of hope: perhaps he could try to persuade Jiang Xia to release the detained "Zuo Peng".
If it works out, it will not only do the other party a favor, but also earn another merit in front of the big shots in Beijing. Why not do it?
But this bit of luck was gradually crushed as Secretary Liu and Director Zheng discussed it.
The more he listened, the more panicked he became, and cold sweat soaked his collar again.
Is this something I can even listen to?!
Security of the central leadership, raising the red flag in the archipelago nation, transporting equipment to Sihanoukville, countering the influence of the United States...
Every word carries immense weight, and every single matter is a top-secret matter that could cost you your life!
He had previously thought he was just caught up in a normal grassroots game, thinking he could take advantage of the chaos, make some gains, and get by. But he never expected that what he had caught was not some small fish or shrimp, but a shark that could tear him apart in one bite!
I was so stupid!
Really!
Knowing that the Little Red Mansion was fraught with danger, they thought that with a little "concern" and "meddling," they might be able to get something useful, or at least escape unscathed.
But to my surprise, I managed to catch the fish, but... it was a disaster!
……
Just as Deputy Political Commissar Chang was feeling sorry for himself...
Phnom Penh, Monivong Boulevard, Embassy.
Thanks to its geographical proximity, this location was equipped with a valuable "Big Yellow Generation" computer earlier than many other overseas offices, and was connected to an encrypted remote data link.
When the relevant information from Director Zheng arrived, the on-duty confidential staff immediately decoded and printed it, and delivered it to the relevant person in charge.
Almost at the same time, another routine message was also collected from the visa reception window: a man holding a Phnom Penh local overseas Chinese residence permit, who identified himself as Liu Yuncang, applied for expedited processing of his return to China, saying that he missed his homeland and was eager to return to China to settle down.
The person in charge stared wide-eyed as he repeatedly compared the name with the list of spies.
"Really? It's just been delivered right under my nose?"
"What are you thinking! It's definitely just a coincidence of names! Those who can participate in the mission are the cream of the crop! They wouldn't be that stupid!"
"Elite? Maybe. But a cornered dog will jump over the wall, and a cornered rabbit will bite." The counselor said slowly, his eyes sharpening. "We've arrested high-level spies, but we've also seen plenty of idiots who are utterly incompetent and get themselves killed."
"Whether there are dates or not, let's shoot first and see!"