Unraveling the Threads and the Hidden Fox's Tail

After the emergency meeting ended, the entire company was like a pressure cooker, the tension at its peak.

Everyone in the technical department was ordered to work overtime immediately and thoroughly investigate all server logs and access records.

The legal department's lights burned bright as its staff studied every possible avenue for litigation and countermeasures.

Everyone who had come into contact with the core code, including several technical directors and senior engineers, was ordered to remain at the company for the time being and answer questions from the internal review team.

As an assistant, Lin Chen had no direct access to the core code, but he was assigned to help organize materials and pass along information.

As he worked, his mind raced, using the [Intermediate Information Insight] skill to analyze the fragments of information pouring in.

He focused on several key points in time that Yan Qingyue had mentioned:

The period around Huanyu Capital's first approach, the time around the hacker attack, and the past week.

He asked Director Li to pull the logs of all access to the Alpha project's core data area during those periods.

The vast quantity of log data might as well have been a heavenly book, but after Lin Chen used his Information Insight skill, his brain seemed to become a highly efficient filter and analyzer.

He skimmed through the records one by one, looking for unusual patterns.

This IP address... late at night the day before the hacker attack, there was a brief, abnormal connection attempt. The firewall blocked it, but the source is suspicious...

Engineer Zhang's account... the technical department's deputy director accessed the permission-management logs for the core document repository on the afternoon Huanyu Capital came to negotiate?

That's a little strange. He doesn't normally handle that...

And this... a week ago, backup data from an internal test server was copied onto an external hard drive. The operation record shows it was... authorized by Director Li himself?

But Director Li says he doesn't remember anything about it?

Lin Chen keenly picked up on one suspicious detail after another.

He discreetly recorded his findings, but didn't make them public immediately.

He knew these were only clues. He still needed more conclusive evidence.

Time ticked by, and more than half a day had already passed since the start of the system mission's seventy-two-hour time limit.

The internal review team's questioning was progressing slowly. Those questioned either wore innocent expressions,

or were nervous but couldn't explain why. No one seemed to have any obvious flaws in their story.

Yan Qingyue's expression grew darker and darker, and the pressure was so heavy that everyone on the floor could barely breathe.

Huanyu Capital had already sent a strongly worded email, demanding that the company explain the technology leak within twenty-four hours and hinting that it might reassess its investment intentions.

Several other investors had also called to ask what was happening, their voices full of doubt.

The situation was extremely critical!

Lin Chen was burning with anxiety.

The Clue Magnifying Glass can only be used once. I have to use it where it matters most!

He forced himself to calm down and went over the suspicious points in his hands once more.

Suddenly, his gaze settled on the access record belonging to Engineer Zhang, the technical department's deputy director.

Engineer Zhang was around forty, with solid technical skills, but he was somewhat introverted and didn't mix well with others. Recently, he seemed dissatisfied with his salary and position.

More importantly, Lin Chen remembered that during the hacker attack, the update to the firewall rules Engineer Zhang was responsible for seemed to have been... delayed by a few minutes?

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning!

His [Information Insight] skill activated instantly, linking that clue to the other fragments of information!

Engineer Zhang's unusual access to the permission logs... the possible delay during the hacker attack... his dissatisfaction with his current situation...

And I vaguely remember that at the last company team-building event, he seemed to leave early, saying something had come up at home... but someone saw him briefly meet with a stranger near the company?

All the clues seemed to be strung together by an invisible thread, pointing to a vague but alarming possibility!

Could it be him?!

Lin Chen's heart began to pound.

But he had no evidence!

These guesses alone were nowhere near enough to accuse a deputy technical director!

I have to use the Clue Magnifying Glass!

Lin Chen made up his mind.

He needed the right opportunity to get close to Engineer Zhang and use the item!

The opportunity soon arrived.

A little after nine that evening, Engineer Zhang came out of the review interview room looking somewhat tired and irritated, and headed for the break room to get a cup of coffee.

Lin Chen seized the opportunity. Carrying a document that needed the technical department's signature, he pretended to walk casually toward the break room as well.

"Engineer Zhang, thanks for your hard work."

Lin Chen forced a smile and greeted him. "I need you to confirm this document."

Engineer Zhang glanced at him, grunted an expressionless "Mm," and took the document, flipping through it casually.

At that very moment, Lin Chen silently said to himself:

Use the [Clue Magnifying Glass]. Target—Engineer Zhang!

[Ding—[Clue Magnifying Glass (Single Use)] used.

Conducting an in-depth clue investigation of the target...]

An invisible ripple spread out from Lin Chen and focused on Engineer Zhang.

Time seemed to slow, and Lin Chen's senses became extraordinarily sharp.

He watched Engineer Zhang's every move, every subtle expression, every unconscious movement of his fingers...

[Investigation in progress... Target's emotional state detected: highly nervous, with intense anxiety and a trace of... guilt?]

[Abnormal physiological indicators detected: accelerated heartbeat, slight perspiration on palms.]

[Inconsistency detected: target claimed he accessed the permission logs for a "routine security check," but his gaze briefly wandered when the issue was mentioned, and his right little finger trembled almost imperceptibly.]

[Hidden information link detected: target's private email account (not company account) has recent records of encrypted communications. The recipient's IP address passed through multiple relays, ultimately pointing to an anonymous server overseas.

Communication times closely match the timing of the hacker attack.]

[Key physical evidence clue detected: an encrypted archive exists in a hidden partition on the target's work computer. Its filename closely resembles the code name of a project at Genesis.

It was last modified the day before Genesis released its white paper.]

One clear and damning clue after another flooded into Lin Chen's mind like a tide!

It was him! Engineer Zhang!

The mole behind the technology leak!

Lin Chen forcibly suppressed his shock and anger, struggling to maintain a calm exterior.

He took the document Engineer Zhang had signed, thanked him, and turned to leave.

His back was already drenched in cold sweat, but his gaze was exceptionally resolute.

He strode toward Yan Qingyue's office and, without bothering to knock, pushed the door open and went straight in.

Yan Qingyue was facing her computer screen, her face ashen. Clearly, she too was under immense pressure.

Seeing Lin Chen barge in, she frowned and was just about to lose her temper.

"President Yan! There's been a major discovery!"

Lin Chen lowered his voice, speaking urgently and with certainty. "The mole... might be Deputy Director Zhang from the technical department!"

Yan Qingyue's pupils contracted sharply!

She stared fixedly at Lin Chen:

"Evidence?! Do you have conclusive evidence?!"

Accusing an executive of being a mole without ironclad proof would have unthinkable consequences!

Lin Chen took a deep breath and spoke quickly and clearly:

"I analyzed the access logs and found that he carried out unusual operations at key points in time.

"Also, I... I found out through some special channels that his private email has suspicious encrypted communications with an overseas address. The timing matches the hacker attack.

"And his work computer may be hiding encrypted files related to Genesis!"

He couldn't reveal the system's existence and could only vaguely refer to "special channels," but the certainty and urgency in his voice made Yan Qingyue realize the severity of the situation at once!

Without any hesitation, she immediately picked up the internal phone, her voice as cold as a blade:

"Security department! Detain Zhang Ming, deputy director of the technical department, immediately!

"Seal off his workstation and all his electronic devices!

"No one is to go near them without my orders!

"Director Li from the technical department, come to my office immediately! Immediately!"

The moment the orders were given, it was as if the entire company had been put on pause, before falling into an even stranger silence and tension.

An operation to close the net around the mole quietly began, guided by the key clues Lin Chen had provided.

And the real storm had evidently only just begun.

The fox hidden deepest of all was finally about to show its tail.