Internal Affairs intervenes in political screening: the shadow yandere's test of power

The draft was rejected, and the matter seems to have been temporarily shelved.

The White Bone Hall returned to its former tranquility, documents circulated among departments, and energy flowed smoothly through designated channels. It was as if the imminent conflict had been nothing more than a trivial system fluctuation.

Internal Affairs Inspection Office.

The office was small and simply furnished, containing only a desk and a few brand-new Inspection Terminal.

Natasha turned off the light screen in front of her.

On the screen was the rejected Special Zone Establishment Draft, along with the annex containing several tedious and almost harsh amendments conveyed by the Liaison Office.

Her fingertips traced lightly across the cold tabletop.

Hela from the Stability Maintenance Office, Wanda from the Department of Technology, and the newly arrived Jean Grey are locked in a stalemate, each hindering the other. For the newly established and unstable Internal Affairs Inspection Office, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Any crack that appears on the power map is fertile ground for the growth of new forces.

She stood up, took a small Body Camera from the equipment cabinet, and carefully clipped it to the most standard position on her uniform chest. The red indicator light flashed silently.

She did not ask anyone for permission.

The Director of the Internal Affairs Inspection Office has the authority to conduct necessary security reviews of all personnel within the Management Committee and assets to be received. This is the power Lynn granted her, and it is the only weapon she can rely on at this moment.

She walked out of the office.

Outside the Forward Isolation Cell One, the corridor was so quiet that only the sound of one's own footsteps could be heard.

When the two Undead Warriors on guard saw her, they merely crossed their Long Halberd and did not stop her. They recognized the uniform and the authority it represented.

Natasha stopped in front of the heavy Alloy Door and sent an access request to the Isolation Pod through the Internal Communications channel.

"Internal Affairs Inspection Office, Acting Director Natasha Romanoff."

"In accordance with Article 4 of the ' High-Risk Entity Internal Management Regulations,' a routine background security review will be conducted on entity 'XN-734-01'."

Her voice, transmitted through a loudspeaker, rang out in the pure white Isolation Pod, devoid of any emotion.

A few seconds later, the Alloy Door slid open silently to one side.

Jean Grey was standing in the center of the room, seemingly having been waiting for her.

Natasha went in and stopped three meters in front of her. This was a standard questioning position that showed both respect and maintained a safe distance.

"Ms. Jean Grey, I am Natasha." She repeated her name.

Qin's face was expressionless.

"I know."

"My question is very simple; I just need to verify some basic information. It's a procedural requirement, and I hope you can cooperate." Natasha's tone was formulaic, as if she were reciting a prepared script.

She opened the Data Pad she was carrying.

"Name, Jean Grey. Origin Timeline, XN-734. Energy signature, Phoenix Force... Are these accurate?"

"Precise."

What position did you hold in the original Timeline?

Qin remained silent for a moment.

X-Men.

"An organization that maintains order?" Natasha tapped her pen lightly on the Data Pad, as if making a note.

I guess so.

Natasha looked up, her gaze fixed on Qin. "Then you should know that every organization has its rules. Especially in a complex structure like Management Committee, rules are particularly important."

She changed the subject.

"I've read the draft you submitted. The idea is good, but it might... not quite fit our procedures here."

"You should have learned about the situation at the Standing Committee through some means." Natasha took a half step forward, lowering her voice slightly. "Some veteran comrades will always have some reservations about new things and new comrades. This is human nature and understandable."

Her words revealed a sense of intimacy and concern that only "one of us" would have.

Qin remained silent, simply watching her quietly.

"The responsibilities of the Internal Affairs Inspection Office are to ensure the healthy operation of the Management Committee, eliminate unnecessary internal obstacles, and help capable and valuable new colleagues like yourself to better integrate into this team."

Natasha finally revealed her true intentions, but presented them in a grand and respectable manner.

"If you are willing to cooperate more deeply with us on certain technical aspects... such as monitoring your unique energy characteristics, I think this would be of great help in assessing your risk level and demonstrating your stability."

"A positive and constructive Political Screening Report might... help your draft proposal find a smoother path during the next review."

That's what a transaction is.

They used a embellished Political Screening Report to gain access to monitor Phoenix Force.

This would give them leverage to keep Jean Grey in check, and also allow them to demonstrate the irreplaceable value of the Internal Affairs Inspection Office to Lynn. It was a win-win situation.

Inside the Isolation Pod, the air seemed to freeze.

The screen of Natasha's body Body Camera flickered suddenly, emitting a faint, almost imperceptible electrical buzzing.

She felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her temples.

It's very light, but very clear.

Jean Grey, standing before him, finally showed a change in expression. It was a kind of indifference that was almost compassionate, a condescending indifference.

"Mortal tricks are meaningless."

The sound of the harp was soft, yet it resonated directly in Natasha's mind.

"My matter," she paused, her gaze seemingly piercing through the Isolation Pod and looking towards the distant White Bone Hall, "He will handle it."

The needle-like pain vanished instantly.

The air inside the Isolation Pod has returned to normal.

A fine layer of cold sweat seeped from Natasha's back, but her face remained professionally calm.

She understood.

The other party saw through all her plans and gave her the most direct warning in a way that she could neither understand nor resist.

Faced with absolute power, all rhetoric and schemes seem utterly ridiculous.

"Okay, I understand." Natasha nodded, as if nothing had happened.

"That concludes today's background check. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Grey."

She turned around and walked out of the Isolation Pod step by step.

The heavy Alloy Door closed slowly behind her.

Only after returning to her office and closing the door did Natasha finally let out a long sigh of relief. She removed the Body Camera from her chest and connected it to the terminal.

In the playback video, everything appeared normal.

There was nothing unusual about the sound or the visuals. That mental battle left no physical trace.

Natasha sat in the chair, silent for a long time.

She opened a new document titled. "Preliminary Report on the Background Security Review of Entity 'XN-734-01'".

She began typing, her fingers moving so fast it was as if she were playing a complex musical piece.

Half an hour later, an encrypted document set to top secret was sent directly to Director Lynn's Private Terminal via the Internal Affairs Inspection Office's independent channel.