Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Huo Shaoheng’s car arrived and he bent slightly to get inside. Zhao Liangze jogged ahead to open the door for him. Sitting straight inside car, Huo Shaoheng placed both hands on his knees and he appeared as lethal as an unsheathed sword. Zhao Liangze followed him in and knocked on the back of the driver’s seat to signal for Fan Jian to start the car. After the car started moving, Zhao Liangze began to report to Huo Shaoheng the details he learned from Yin Shixiong. “…Two white men committed suicide, they had British passports but those could be fake.” Zhao Liangze showed Huo Shaoheng the photos Yin Shixiong sent, “The authenticity still needs to be verified. For both the murders and suicides, they used a lethal agent typical of the Israeli Mossad. It’s not yet possible to determine if the killers are from Mossad.” Mossad was the Israeli intelligence agency, although they were not as internationally known as the American CIA and British MI5, they were like silent dogs with a lethal bite. No one could ignore how fearsome the Mossad could be.

Huo Shaoheng stared at the photos and shook his head, “That can’t possibly be the Mossad, there’s no doubt about it.”

“Oh.” Zhao Liangze didn’t question any further, if Huo Shaoheng said the Mossad wasn’t responsible, then it was certainly true. They had absolute faith and trust in Huo Shaoheng.

Huo Shaoheng dared to make such a conclusion because he knew the Mossad far better than the CIA or MI5. The instructor who brought him into this line of work was originally a Mossad veteran…”Besides, the drugs the Mossad uses isn’t exclusive to them. Anyone willing to pay can get it from them.” Huo Shaoheng looked at Zhao Liangze, “This point was clearly taught in the training course.”

Zhao Liangze then also recalled this and hastily said, “Right, we can’t conclude the Mossad is responsible just from looking at the drugs.”

“These two people are mostly like MI5 spies. Have Big Xiong start the investigation with looking at the MI5 and not waste time.” Huo Shaoheng made the command and Zhao Liangze forwarded it to Yin Shixiong.

Just then, Yin Shixiong was arguing with Bai Yueran. Yin Shixiong agreed with Huo Shaoheng that the Mossad wasn’t responsible, but Bai Yueran thought that they couldn’t reject the possibility. Upon receiving Huo Shaoheng’s orders, Yin Shixiong smiled victoriously at Bai Yueran and spread his palms, “Sorry, Director Bai. It’s Mr. Huo’s orders that I start by investigating the British MI5, so we will not look into the Mossad for now.”

Although Bai Yueran didn’t agree, she also didn’t oppose the idea and merely nodded, “Since Mr. Huo gave the order, we have to obey.” She paused before continuing, “You go ahead, I’ll go collect more evidence from the plane.”

This case involved the death of foreigners, so it was no longer domestic. Even though the Special Ops’ legal department wouldn’t go head to head with the families of foreigners in court, they still had to collect all kinds of evidence and prepare testimony so that their colleagues in the civil law department could prepare a defense. With the correct direction of investigation, the task of finding clues became very simple. By the next morning, they had collected enough evidence to directly send to the British MI5. The British MI5 had intended to use Reuters to start a scandal about “Evil Huaxia People Murdering Foreigners,” but immediately shut down the idea as soon as they received the fax from the Huxia Imperial Special Ops. They didn’t even dare collect the bodies of the spies and brushed off the whole incident.

…

Dou Qingyan’s case proceeded without delay. On January 3rd, the special military court began hearings. Prime Minister Dou and his wife worried at home, and only allowed their eldest son, Dou Haoyan to get news from outside the military court. Their youngest daughter, Dou Aiyan didn’t realize how much trouble her sister was in, but for the first time saw that there was something her dad couldn’t handle. She slumped on the bed and hugged a huge teddy bear in a daze. Holding her phone, she kept rubbing it and finally couldn’t help calling He Zhichu. This was his work number so he never picked up. Dou Aiyan’s call was transferred to his work voicemail. She thought about it and left the message, “Professor He, it’s me, Aiyan. I wanted to ask how to prepare for the application to be your graduate student? I just entered the B University Law Department as an undergraduate and am starting my first year courses this year. I hope to get guidance from Professor He in the future.”

Wen Shouyi, who was responsible for handling He Zhichu’s work, heard the voicemail and asked He Zhichu, “Professor He, do you want to consider accepting Dou Aiyan? She’s the youngest daughter of the Prime Minister, she can help us expand in the Huaxia Empire.”

He Zhichu’s face was stony as he shot her an icy look, “Do you think that I have to prostitute my body or skills to expand?”

“…Eh, I didn’t mean that.” Wen Shouyi stuck her tongue out playfully, “Of course Professor He doesn’t have to do such things, but it’s always good to have less trouble and better to have a friend than an enemy.”

He Zhichu remained silent and took a sip of coffee.

“How about I take her under my wing.” Wen Shouyi smiled, “I was hired by B University as an Associate Professor anyway, it would also be suitable if she wrote papers with me.”

“Do whatever you want, don’t ask me.” He Zhichu’s cold voice was a little raspy, like he hadn’t slept for several days.

“Professor He, does your head hurt again? Do you want me to give you a massage?”

“No need. I want some quiet, you can go now.” He Zhichu rested his head on one hand and waved her off with the other.

Wen Shouyi could only put down her documents and leave his office.

…

A trial was occuring in the special military court of the Huaxia Empire. The defendant was Dou Qingyan and four Special Ops members, and the plaintiff was the prosecutor from the Special Ops legal department. He represented the two murdered colleagues and had filed a lawsuit to the special military court. Dou Qingyan’s face was withered–she had huge dark circles, unkempt skin, sallow complexion and no eyebrows. She usually drew them on, but she was locked up in the detention center, how can she get makeup? She appeared more than 10 years older than before. Standing alone in the dock, the four other accomplices hung their heads behind her. Bai Yueran and Huo Shaoheng sat together in the gallery, and a personnel from the legal department stood at the plaintiff’s stand. The judge of the special military court announced the start of the hearing, then allowed the plaintiff to read the indictment. After listening to it, the judge asked Dou Qingyan, “Do you plead guilty?”

Dou Qingyan turned tearfully at the stoic faced Huo Shaoheng in the gallery. She sobbed, “Even… even though I got my hands on the photos, I never intended to show them to anyone, and never thought of betraying national interests! I was abroad for six years, you can check to see that no one knew who I was! No one was knew what I did before moving overseas!”

“You never intended on showing anyone the photos, then how did they end up in your study trip video? And you also let so many guests see?”

“I was framed!” Dou Qingyan pulled her hair and screamed in terror, “Someone framed me! I’m innocent! I never hurt anyone! If you think loving someone is a crime, then you can go ahead and sentence me!”

“You still won’t see reason?” The prosecutor at the plaintiff’s said laughed mirthlessly as he threw photos of the two members of the Special Ops murdered in North Ireland, “Because of you ‘undying love,’ these two colleagues lost their lives! And you still have the gall to say you never hurt anyone?!”

“What happened? How did they die? How can I be blamed for their deaths!” Dou Qingyan denied, “Anyone in this line of work faced death at any moment. They died because their identities were exposed, how is that my fault? I retired six years ago!”

“Their deaths are certainly tied to you.” The prosecutor turned to the judge, “These two soldiers were targeted because the photos Dou Qingyan stole got leaked. The MI5 took notice and killed them on the flight.”

The four accomplices behind Dou Qingyan looked up suddenly, “Are they really dead? Just because of these photos?!”

“Yes, it was exactly because of these photos.” The prosecutor closed his eyes, “You have to remember that our enemies are carefully selected. They are the best and brightest of their countries, so they can see what you can see. They can also see what you can’t see. Mr. Huo attempted to delay as much as possible so that our soldiers had a chance to return home, and even crossed the upper circle of Imperial society by detaining their direct relatives for 48 hours. That was to prevent this type of mindless leakage.”

“You also have to remember that mindless leakage is still leakage. Someone must take responsibility of the losses caused!”