A border inspection masks a covert move; the Liaison Office deploys its pieces on orders

Lynn held the rough-textured card between his fingers.

Outside the window, the searchlight beams of the Nibelung swept slowly across the room.

Light and shadow create distinct light and dark areas in the interior.

The paper has a faded, yellowish hue from years of use.

The edges were cut very irregularly.

The calligraphy, bold and vigorous, was so dark it seemed to seep through the paper, carrying an indescribable sharpness.

He didn't speak.

Gwen Stacy stood three feet in front of the desk.

Her gaze was lowered, falling on the smooth blue brick pattern on the ground.

The room was so quiet that the only sound could be the faint rustling of sand slipping through the hourglass.

"File the letter," Lynn said, his voice steady.

Gwen Stacy looked up.

"According to regulations, such anonymous letters delivered without proper authorization should be opened and inspected by the Internal Affairs Inspection Office," she reminded softly.

"Rules are inanimate objects." Lynn placed the card face down on the table. "When I say it's on file, it's Top Secret."

"Seal it in the Liaison Office's Compartment A Secret Cabinet, and do not include it in the inventory."

Gwen Stacy nodded.

She stepped forward and took the card and envelope with both hands.

The dark red residue of the sealant was cold to the touch and faintly smelled of blood.

"Draft an official document." Lynn leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of his abdomen.

"Please advise, Director."

"Recently, the defense of Outer Space Domain has become tense, and the Management Committee needs to send personnel to Border Patrol."

"I will personally visit T-03 Defense Zone to inspect the stationed troops."

Gwen Stacy paused slightly as she held the pen.

"The Director personally made an inspection?"

"As for the Stability Maintenance Office, Director Hela's Fleet has just returned to port for rest and reorganization. Moving it now might cause dissent within the ranks."

"It's precisely because she's resting that I need to move." Lynn picked up her teacup and skimmed off the foam. "The central hub is too crowded."

"Several large Buddha statues are sitting here, looking rather disgruntled."

Gwen Stacy understood the unspoken meaning.

How should the accompanying personnel be arranged?

"The Stability Maintenance Office and the Department of Technology, each fulfilling their respective duties, will remain at their posts." Lynn took a sip of tea. "And summon Natasha from the Internal Affairs Inspection Office to accompany you."

Gwen Stacy put down her pen, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Acting Director Natasha just received a 30,000-word self-criticism. Taking her out on fieldwork now might make Minister Wanda of the Department of Technology suspicious."

"Overthinking?" Lynn chuckled lightly.

"If we keep her in the central hub, Wanda won't be able to sleep soundly."

"Keeping her by my side is a way to give her a reason to redeem herself."

"It's also a way to get Wanda Teng involved and properly settle the old scores of the Department of Technology of Science and Technology."

"And what about Special Envoy Qin...?"

"A new broom sweeps clean and efficient with the Management Committee's routine affairs."

"Let her temporarily assume some of the Liaison Office's authority to assist you in allocating supplies."

Gwen Stacy gasped.

Are you letting a tiger that might overturn the table at any moment manage the logistics accounts?

"Director, this is not in accordance with regulations."

"The Liaison Office manages official documents and the allocation of supplies between departments." A glint of cunning flashed in Lynn's eyes. "Special Envoy Qin is parachuted in and has no authority; Hela and Wanda won't take her seriously."

"Letting her touch the ledgers is tantamount to forcing her out of the game."

"When other departments come to ask for resources, they have to get past her first."

"Only with three pillars in place can the central position be stable."

Upon hearing Gwen Stacy, Gwen broke out in a cold sweat.

This kind of tactic of using someone else's strength against them demonstrates a deep understanding of human nature.

"Understood."

"Go and do it." Lynn put down his teacup.

The bottom of the cup made a dull thud as it hit the table.

Gwen Stacy bowed and withdrew.

The door opens and closes.

Lynn sat alone behind his desk.

He extended his index finger, dipped it in tea, and wrote the coordinates from the card on the table.

The handwriting shimmered slightly in the water.

That was a dead zone that had long been abandoned by the Time Variance Authority.

Going to the appointment is part of the scheme.

Staying behind is also a predicament.

He wanted to see just how many big fish were still lurking at the bottom of this pool.

Two incense sticks later.

The official document was issued to all departments.

The main hall of the Department of Technology.

The array of ribbon cables and stacked transistors emitted a low buzzing sound.

Wanda sat in the spacious main seat, flipping through the copy of the transfer order in her hand.

Scarlet magic swirled around her fingertips.

"Border Patrol?" she sneered.

"Why patrol earlier or later? Why did they have to patrol right after the incident in Zero Storage Room?"

Below the steps, several technical supervisors remained silent, trembling with fear.

"They took Natasha away because they were afraid I would use this as an excuse to cause trouble and ruin the foundation of the Internal Affairs Inspection Office."

Wanda casually tossed the copy onto the table.

He was protecting her.

His tone was undisguisedly cold.

"Pass on my message: lock down the core database."

"No one may access Sokovia's old files without my authorization."

"Those who disobey orders will be treated as traitors."

The supervisors readily agreed and left.

Wanda leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

The image of being pierced by 41 bullets flashed through my mind again.

Her hands gripped the handrail tightly.

The knuckles are turning white.

"You can't hide it from me," she murmured.

Stability Maintenance Office.

The Night Sky Sword on the weapon rack emitted a cold, dark light.

Hela stood before a giant Star Map.

His adjutant Skurge, stood behind him, his expression grave.

"Director, the Management Committee has issued a Border Patrol order, specifically requesting the Internal Affairs Inspection Office to accompany them."

"Our Stability Maintenance Office's Fleet has been ordered to remain stationed in place."

Hela did not look back.

"He's trying to sow discord."

"Use a less demanding job to transfer that spider that likes to bite people."

"Leave me and Wanda alone, to keep each other in check."

Skurge stepped forward.

"Then we..."

"Hold your positions." Hela turned around, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.

"Push forward that Magic Array drill as soon as possible."

"Now that he's left the stage empty, we need to prepare something decent."

"When he gets back, I'll show him who really holds the reins in this Management Committee."

Internal Affairs Inspection Office.

The candlelight flickered.

The ink in the inkstone had dried up.

Natasha rubbed her aching temples.

In front of me was a thick stack of manuscript paper filled with writing.

A 30,000-word self-criticism.

Every word is piercing to the heart.

Every stroke of the pen reminded her of how badly she had failed that attempt.

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

An Inspector pushed open the door and entered, presenting a red-headed official document with both hands.

"Director Acting, the Liaison Office just issued the transfer order."

Natasha took the documents.

One eye and ten lines.

Accompanying the Border Patrol.

She raised an eyebrow slightly, and a cold, sharp smile curved her lips.

Lynn was giving her a warning.

It's also about protecting her.

Take her out of Wanda's sight to avoid retaliation.

But the price is that she must deliver a satisfactory testament to his loyalty during this Border Patrol.

"Knew."

"Prepare the boat." She waved her subordinates away.

The candle flame on the desk flickered and burst.

Natasha got up and prepared to pack her things.

His gaze swept over the edge of the desk.

Her movements froze.

At the very bottom of the self-criticism was a card with extremely irregularly cut edges.

On one corner of the card, there was a drop of dark red sealant that had not yet completely dried.

It was exactly the same as the letter Lynn received.

Natasha held her breath.

This Inspection Office room is heavily guarded.

Who could slip something under her nose without her noticing?

She pulled it out and took a look.

The coordinates are not specified above.

There's no time either.

There is only one short sentence, written in a style as elegant as iron strokes and silver hooks.

"To know the secret of the forty-second time, kill Gwen Stacy."

Natasha held the card close to the candlelight.

There was no trace of magical fluctuation.

There was no Residual Echo of spatial teleportation.

It's as if someone just put it here out of nowhere.

"The Forty-Second Secret."

She pondered those words.

Wanda's tearful lament in the warehouse was only mentioned forty-first time.

It turns out that wasn't the end.

Kill Gwen Stacy?

Natasha's gaze drifted to the deep night outside the window.

Gwen Stacy is Lynn's most trusted dagger.

Breaking this knife is tantamount to declaring war on Lynn.

But the secret hidden behind it is a bargaining chip that could overturn the entire Management Committee's structure.

She lit the card over the candlelight.

The firelight illuminated her expressionless face.

Ashes fell onto the desk.

"Someone come here," she called out.

The Inspector, who had been waiting outside, pushed open the door and entered.

What are your instructions, Acting Director?

"Go check, Director Gwen Stacy from the Liaison Office, he brought several guards with him on this Border Patrol."