After my divorce at thirty, I developed an intelligence network.

Wu Jinshui didn't retreat tonight; he changed his tactics.

He tolerated her to her face, but then stabbed her in an even more sinister way behind her back.

Old cat.

The ugly, cold, wooden shadow that Widow Qin described was that knife.

Passive defense, waiting to be choked? No.

The threat must be eradicated. Thoroughly.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into that cold blue light.

[Intelligence System: Target: Lao Mao and source: Wu Jinshui. Requirement: Completely eliminate the threat. No means necessary.]

The blue light suddenly surged!

The Lightfall's violent deduction exhaustively explores all paths of destruction.

Finally, the blue light collapsed and condensed into three dazzling characters:

Uprooted

【plan…….】

Gong Yuelong slowly opened his eyes.

Wu Jinshui thought they had switched to a more sophisticated way of playing.

If you're bitten by a venomous snake, simply blocking the bite won't help.

We need to find its Achilles' heel.

Then, scrape it clean.

He lay down and closed his eyes. His breathing was even.

Only that hand was secretly clenched into a fist, veins bulging, brimming with power.

……

As dawn broke, Gong Yuelong leisurely left the courtyard where the characters were being dismantled.

He sat down at Old Chen's breakfast stall at the alley entrance, ordered a bowl of piping hot soy milk and two freshly fried dough sticks, and slowly broke them apart and soaked them in the soy milk.

The fried dough sticks were soaked with juice, soft on the outside and chewy on the inside. He ate them carefully, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He didn't wipe his mouth, pay, and get up until the sun was higher in the sky.

His pace was slow, even leisurely.

After crossing two streets, the unassuming gray-white office building of the High-tech Zone Public Security Bureau comes into view.

He glanced at his watch; it was 9:05, just as the morning meeting in the office had ended, the leaders had returned to their offices, and the first brew of tea was being prepared.

The gatekeeper glanced at him, and he seemed somewhat familiar, but didn't ask any further questions.

Gong Yuelong nodded in acknowledgment and went straight upstairs.

The corridor was quiet, with only the faint sound of a telephone ringing coming from one of the offices.

He walked to the door of the office at the far end of the second floor; the door was closed.

He listened intently, but there was no sound of conversation.

He raised his hand and tapped three times, neither too hard nor too soft.

"Come in," came Fu Mingde's voice from inside.

Gong Yuelong pushed open the door and went in.

Fu Mingde had just sat down behind his desk, his thermos steaming, and he was holding a document in his hand.

Upon seeing that it was Gong Yuelong, Fu Mingde's eyes flashed with surprise, but he quickly regained his composure and put down the documents.

"Boss Gong? A rare guest. Please have a seat."

"Director Fu, excuse me. I just finished breakfast and was passing by on my way. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh? What's the matter that you had to come all this way?" Fu Mingde picked up his thermos and blew on the foam.

"I'll give you a ready-made credit," Gong Yuelong said bluntly.

"Good morning, Director Fu." Gong Yuelong knocked on the door frame and pushed the door open before waiting for a response from inside.

"Honors?" Fu Mingde raised an eyebrow. "I get quite a few credits every day. Tell me about them."

"Besides the crippled Wang Biao, Wu Jinshui also has a venomous snake hidden under his command, called Old Cat, whose real name is Chen Mao."

Gong Yuelong spoke calmly, "Eight years ago, I committed a family annihilation case, resulting in three deaths and one serious injury. I have been on the run ever since. There is a Class B wanted notice online, with a reward of 50,000 yuan."

Fu Mingde's hand, which was about to grab the cigarette box, suddenly stopped in mid-air.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on Gong Yuelong's face. After a moment, he spoke.

"...Chen Mao? How did you know he was in the High-Tech Zone? And how did you know such details?"

Gong Yuelong smiled and said, "Director Fu, this isn't all public information. I have sharp ears, and I happened to overhear some rumors that he's been staying here recently."

"Public information?"

Fu Mingde looked like he'd heard a joke. His wanted notice was limited to the criminal investigation system; he had to submit a report to access the case files! Gong Yuelong, you've really stumbled upon the perfect opportunity!

He became interested. "Where did you get this information from? Is it accurate?"

"It's just hearsay."

Gong Yuelong then changed the subject, "The key question is, do you want this person, this credit...?"

He paused.

"Catching him isn't just a 50,000 yuan reward. Solving the massacre of an entire family eight years ago, and uncovering it right under your jurisdiction... Chief Fu, isn't that enough for a second-class merit award?"

The words "Second-Class Merit" made him slowly straighten his back, which was leaning against the chair.

Silence fell in the office again, broken only by the soft tapping of Fu Mingde's fingers on the table.

Many things flashed through his mind: the sensational nature of Chen Mao's case, the pressure of years of unsolved problems, and... what a clear and shining second-class merit meant in the system.

There are certainly risks. The source of this information is unclear.

It could be a trap set by Gong Yuelong, or it could be a counter-espionage plot by Wu Jinshui.

But what if... it's true?

After a long pause, Fu Mingde took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

Then, as if to ease the tension, he reached out and picked up the cigarette case on the table.

He took out a cigarette, habitually twirled it between his fingers, but didn't light it. Instead, he looked up at Gong Yuelong.

He handed over the cigarette case, forcing a relaxed expression on his face:

"Want one? ...Not the good stuff I got from Yang Ruyan, just a regular cigarette."

Gong Yuelong hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it: "Thank you, Director Fu."

He lit it using Fu Mingde's fire and took a puff.

A wisp of smoke drifted between the two, seemingly diluting the atmosphere from before.

Fu Mingde lit one for himself, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled.

Behind the smoke, shock, suspicion, weighing of options, and a hint of burning desire flashed quickly in his eyes.

If...if this news is true!

That's not just a 50,000 yuan reward; it's the solving of a heinous family annihilation case that had been brewing for eight years and caused a sensation!

It was unearthed in Fu Mingde's jurisdiction! This quantity...

I really wanted it.

He spoke slowly, "Boss Gong, what you're saying... puts me in a difficult position. Merit? In our line of work, it's all about evidence, procedure, and stability. You've suddenly presented me with a huge gift, especially concerning a long-time notorious criminal like Chen Mao..."

He shook his head, his smile somewhat bitter. "To be honest, what the High-tech Zone is seeking now is stability and development, not earth-shattering major cases."

He paused, as if weighing something: "Besides, what if there's a mistake, or the news leaks out, alerting the enemy, or even causing other trouble? I can't bear that responsibility. I'd end up not getting any credit, but just getting a bad reputation."

He raised his eyes and looked at Gong Yuelong, "In my opinion, this matter needs to be considered carefully. At the very least, we need to conduct an internal assessment and verify the information from multiple sources..."

Gong Yuelong listened quietly, took another drag of his cigarette, and appeared exceptionally patient.

He knew perfectly well that Fu Mingde's words were three parts genuine concern and seven parts official jargon and a test.

If I really didn't want to get involved, I wouldn't have listened to him finish the details, much less sit here smoking with him.

Which person sitting in the position of deputy director of the public security bureau wouldn't want to have a few solid achievements in their hands?

Especially serious cases like this one, which have been accumulating for many years, have had a terrible impact, and are under the supervision of higher authorities!