The joint task force was formed, with department heads keeping each other in check

The office door was gently closed.

The soft click of the latch closing completely separated the world outside the door from the silence inside.

Lynn didn't move, remaining leaning back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the empty table. The "Assistance Investigation Notice" that he had personally placed in the safe earlier still burned like an invisible brand in the air.

Gwen Stacy stood to the side, saying nothing.

She knew very well that Director had just forcefully suppressed with Thunder methods was not the emotions of the two department heads, but a volcano about to erupt. The current calm was merely the accumulation of even more terrifying energy beneath the surface.

"Director," Gwen Stacy's voice broke the silence softly, "You physically isolated the documents and Discipline them, but the problem itself hasn't been solved."

Lynn picked up his teacup; the water was already cold. He took a sip without a care.

"You can't stop it by blocking it."

He put down his teacup with a soft thud.

"Especially Wanda, her familiarity with that energy comes from instinct. The more you try to cover it up, the more she will try every means to dig it out."

Lynn tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"Therefore, we shouldn't block it, but rather guide it."

Gwen Stacy looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Since the Living Tribunal requires our assistance in the investigation, we will investigate openly and honestly. Not only will we investigate, but we will also establish a dedicated team, raise the standards, and establish clear procedures."

Lynn spoke calmly, as if she were assigning a routine task.

"Transform this matter from a private matter of suspicion that could ignite internal conflict into a standardized, transparent, and compliant official business."

Gwen Stacy's eyes lit up, and she instantly understood Lynn's intention.

This is an attempt to muddy the waters, using a rigid official procedure to confine uncontrollable personal emotions and impulses. It's about using the logic of the system to combat Chaos intuition.

"I'll take care of it right away," Gwen Stacy said.

"No rush," Lynn waved his hand. "There's a proper way to assemble the team."

He looked at Gwen Stacy and began to dictate, word by word.

"You, draft an Red-Headed Document: the decision to establish a ' Abnormal Energy Tracing Joint Task Force within the Management Committee.'"

"Team leader, I'll personally take charge."

This sets the tone and establishes overall responsibility. All investigation results must ultimately pass through his hands as the team leader before being reported.

"You will serve as the Executive Deputy Team Leader."

Gwen Stacy nodded. This arrangement made perfect sense; the Liaison Office office was responsible for overall coordination.

"Your responsibility is to oversee everything, to ensure that every action of the Task Force strictly adheres to our established rules and procedures. Any department that wants to access documents or apply for on-site investigations must go through you, submit a written report, and complete the signature process."

Lynn's gaze deepened.

"Remember, you are the 'metronome' and the 'firewall' of this Task Force."

Gwen Stacy's heart skipped a beat, and she solemnly replied, "Yes, Director."

"The Task Force has two subgroups," Lynn continued. "The Technical Analysis Group is led by the Department of Technology, with Minister Wanda as the group leader. Their technology is professional; let professionals do professional work, that's important."

"The Perimeter Security Group, led by the Stability Maintenance Office and Director Hela, is responsible for maintaining perimeter security and order at all potential investigation targets to prevent information leaks and interference from external forces."

Gwen Stacy's pen flew across the Data Pad, but her heart was in turmoil.

This arrangement is brilliant.

Wanda was in charge of technical analysis, which gave her legitimate access to key leads and satisfied her demands. However, all raw data had to be "de-sensitized" by the deputy team leader, Gwen Stacy, before it could be released. What she could see and what she couldn't see depended entirely on the program's settings.

Hela was in charge of the perimeter control, which gave her the authority to mobilize troops and control the physical space. However, her scope of action was strictly limited to the "periphery," preventing her from directly accessing the core investigative data. Her attempt to directly erase a specific coordinate point would be an overreach of authority and a violation of the Task Force's Discipline.

The two department heads, who were originally at odds, were thus firmly bound together by a meticulously designed power-sharing scheme. They had to cooperate, but also check and balance each other. Anyone who tried to act rashly would be hindered by both the other party and the procedures.

"The establishment of this Task Force needs to be swift. Once the documents are drafted, distribute them to all key departments immediately," Lynn instructed finally. "Have them read the self-criticism and this Red-Headed Document together."

Gwen Stacy's lips twitched slightly.

This is no longer a reprimand; it's telling them to put away their petty thoughts, return to their posts, and work within the framework of the rules.

"I understand." Gwen Stacy put away the Data Pad. "I'll get on it now."

Half an hour later.

A Red-Headed Document bearing the bright red seal of the Management Committee Director's Office was simultaneously distributed to the Stability Maintenance Office and the Technology Integration Department through an internal encrypted channel.

Stability Maintenance Office Director's Office.

Hela stared at the documents on the screen, her icy blue eyes devoid of any emotion. When she saw the appointment as "Leader of the Perimeter Security Group," a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips.

She understood what Lynn meant.

This is setting up a path for her, letting her wield a sword, but only allowing her to be a gatekeeper.

She reached out, intending to delete the document, but her fingertips stopped an inch from the screen. She remembered Lynn's calm yet unyielding gaze.

In the end, she simply snorted and turned off the light screen.

Technology Integration Department, Laboratory Zero.

Wanda also received this document.

She read it word by word, and when she saw that her appointment was "Head of the Technical Analysis Group," her suppressed feelings eased slightly. But then, the title of "Executive Deputy Team Leader Gwen Stacy" and the cumbersome "Information Classification and Circulation System" tightened her heart again.

She knew that this was an authorization, but also a shackle.

She could explore the source of the energy that was unsettling her, but every step she took would be under Gwen Stacy's watchful eye. Every piece of information she could access had been filtered and processed.

In the office, Wanda's letter of apology was only at the beginning. She stared at the Red-Headed Document for a long time in silence.

Just then, an encrypted email from the deputy team leader's office popped up.

From: Gwen Stacy Stacy.

"Minister Wanda, in accordance with the Task Force's working procedures, the first batch of anonymized data is now being distributed. Please submit a preliminary analysis report within forty-eight hours."

The email attachment contained a data packet that was encrypted multiple times.

With a light tap of her fingertip, Wanda unlocked the data packet.

A series of pure energy spectrum diagrams appeared before her. There were no coordinates, no time, and no markers that could be linked to any specific event.

But the moment Wanda saw that familiar energy curve, her breath caught in her throat for a second.

That's it.

That energy, a mixture of despair, protection, and ultimately, deathly silence.

She closed her eyes, and the ruins of Sokovia, the figure of the man who shielded her from everything, appeared in her mind once again.

When she opened her eyes again, Scarlet light flashed deep within them.

The program couldn't give her an answer.

She extended her slender fingers, hovering them over the cold Data Stream. A barely perceptible wisp of Chaos Magic, like a thin red snake, silently probed into the deepest layers of the data.