The head of the Research and Development Department grabbed the document and hurriedly read through it. His vision went dark, and he nearly lost his footing.
The intelligence stated clearly that the Folding War Blade blueprints had been leaked. As the Folding War Blade's "inventor," the Research and Development Department would surely take the blame.
The department head flew into a rage. "I didn't do this! It had to be that little bastard Han Xiao. He's obviously framing us for revenge! Everyone in the bureau knows the blueprints were his in the first place. He hates us for reverse-engineering them. Director, you have to clear this up with the higher-ups!"
"The report says the Research and Development Department holds the rights to the Folding War Blade's invention. That makes it your responsibility," the director said firmly.
A chill suddenly ran down the department head's spine. He understood completely.
The approval of the report and the accusation of illegal arms dealing had come on the same day. The message couldn't have been clearer.
The higher-ups were backing Han Xiao!
The conservatives had made their move!
The higher-ups hadn't rushed to handle the report at first, partly because they were divided into hardline and conservative factions themselves and wouldn't immediately step forward on Han Xiao's behalf.
It was also a chance to test him and see what he would do when his interests were harmed. If Han Xiao swallowed his anger and backed down, the higher-ups would adjust their subsequent cooperation plans and press him step by step, making him yield again and again until they had squeezed out every benefit.
If Han Xiao chose to make trouble, the higher-ups would turn a blind eye and tolerate his excessive actions, as long as he didn't cross their bottom line-for example, by trying to end their cooperation.
Han Xiao had deliberately used a crude frame-up to tell the higher-ups, "I'm very unhappy. Are you going to watch me get bullied, or help me vent? Here, I've already given you an excuse."
The higher-ups didn't know whether to laugh or cry. They knew perfectly well that the Research and Development Department had been falsely accused, but they were happy to play along. They immediately approved the department's report and made it shoulder the responsibility, letting it drop a rock on its own foot to placate Han Xiao. Their message was that they were still in the honeymoon phase of their cooperation, so he shouldn't get angry over such a small matter; they had helped him vent his anger.
Most importantly, the higher-ups also intended to use the opportunity to warn the Research and Development Department.
Han Xiao's Folding War Blades had originally been supplied exclusively to the Thirteenth Bureau. Although production was somewhat limited, at least the bureau had them all to itself. But because of the Research and Development Department's greed, Han Xiao's contribution had been cut short, leading him to sell the blueprints to an arms dealer.
Because of Han Xiao's special status, the higher-ups couldn't easily hold him responsible. They were in the wrong in this matter: the blueprints had been Han Xiao's to begin with, and he had never said he would contribute them to the Thirteenth Bureau for free. The Research and Development Department had infringed on his interests, forcing him to find another way to cut his losses.
If he were an ordinary agent, they could disregard everything else, court-martial him, and expel him from the Thirteenth Bureau. But they couldn't do that to Han Xiao. He had only recently joined, and the bureau still needed his intelligence. Besides, Han Xiao had stopped just short of crossing the higher-ups' bottom line. They didn't know whether he had stumbled onto it by sheer luck or had truly figured out where it lay.
Holding Han Xiao responsible would create a very bad impression. What would the other agents think? Once they gained a reputation for throwing their weight around, the consequences would be more serious than losing the blueprints for a new piece of equipment. That was something the people further up did not want to see. For the sake of its own interests, the Research and Development Department had dared disregard the bigger picture and cause this kind of trouble, crossing the higher-ups' bottom line.
The department head immediately realized that the higher-ups were determined to make an example of him, and his heart sank. He regretted it bitterly. If he had known this guy was a hedgehog, he would never have provoked Han Xiao. He had taken a huge loss.
Being placed under suspicion of illegal arms dealing was only a warning from the higher-ups, and it wouldn't be serious enough to get him shot. But it would inevitably leave a stain on his political career, making any achievements he earned from now on count for half as much.
It was like yellow mud falling into his pants: even if it wasn't shit, it still looked like shit.
The department head roared inwardly, Han Xiao, you're a fucking bottomless pit!
Rumors that the head of the Research and Development Department was suspected of illegal arms dealing spread like wildfire, leaving everyone in the Thirteenth Bureau dumbfounded.
The department head was suspected of illegal arms dealing, yet his only punishment was suspension without pay and probation. The handling of the matter was extremely strange. Normally, he should have been removed from his post and imprisoned or shot outright. Such an abnormal outcome meant there was more to it.
Naturally, everyone connected it to Han Xiao, and they were all astonished.
Han Xiao had said nothing for the past few days, and they had all thought he had lost his nerve. Now, it was clearly the calm before the storm.
"Isn't this a frame-up?"
"He actually dared do it!"
"The higher-ups even backed him!"
What surprised them most was the higher-ups' attitude: they weren't holding Han Xiao responsible. He suddenly became unfathomable in their eyes. He always wore a mask at headquarters and never showed his true face. Perhaps only the higher-ups knew his identity.
This time, the Research and Development Department head had kicked an iron plate!
No one was happier than Li Yalin. She felt thoroughly vindicated and showed off to Di Susu before strutting away.
Di Susu wasn't angry in the slightest. Instead, she became interested in Han Xiao.
"Just who is Little Linlin's new teammate?"
The department head was deeply aggrieved. He had been warned not to repeat his actions, and he couldn't make trouble for Han Xiao, so he could only take his anger out on his subordinates. Luo Xuan was the first to suffer. The promised increase in his clearance was canceled, and he was casually assigned to be the most ordinary of researchers, then cast aside and ignored.
"Bastard!"
Luo Xuan's face twisted.
He was treated even worse than he had been in the Logistics Department. His colleagues in Research and Development often pointed at him behind his back, and whatever they were saying certainly wasn't anything good. It left him deeply aggrieved.
He tried to see the department head's secretary, but the secretary simply made excuses and refused to see him, acting like a completely different person from the one who had been so enthusiastic before.
Reverse-engineering the Folding War Blade had failed entirely to produce the result he had expected. Instead, he had landed himself in trouble, and now he couldn't even return to the Logistics Department.
This is unfair!
Why should the higher-ups protect Han Xiao?
How am I any worse than him?
Luo Xuan ground his teeth with hatred.
The next day, Feng Jun notified Han Xiao that the higher-ups wanted to mediate for him.
"They saw that I wouldn't budge and was audacious enough to do anything, so they decided to continue the previous, more moderate cooperation. The higher-ups are stepping in to mediate and pushing all the responsibility onto the head of Research and Development. That way, they've tested my attitude and can use the mediation to mend their relationship with me. What a neat little calculation." Han Xiao shook his head.
Although the Research and Development Department had been warned, the Folding War Blade had already been taken and was being supplied in large quantities. There was no way they would spit out the meat they had swallowed. That was also why the higher-ups had decided to compensate him, making this a good chance to set conditions.
And this was probably his only chance. The hardliners would certainly not test him so easily again in the future. His advancement mission depended on this!
Wearing his mask, Han Xiao arrived at headquarters. Feng Jun led him all the way to the director's office, where three people were waiting: the director, the head of the Research and Development Department, and an old man looking out the window with his back to the others.
"Gu Hui, executive director of the Stardragon Homeland Strategic Defense Bureau," the director introduced himself.
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes. That name...
"Someone wants to see you," Gu Hui said in a deep voice.
The old man turned around with his hands behind his back and smiled faintly.
Han Xiao displayed suitably "shocked" and "astounded" expressions.
"Old Man Gao?!"
Old Man Gao chuckled. "You didn't expect that, did you?"
"Who exactly are you?" Han Xiao pulled an awkward expression and nodded stiffly. He felt as if he had returned to the night the Germinal Organization had brainwashed him. The award-winning actor was back.
"All you need to know is that I can have a say in the Thirteenth Bureau's decisions."
"..."
"Heh, there's no need to be nervous. I noticed you a long time ago, and you left a good impression on me."
And that's a wrap!
In the blink of an eye, Han Xiao's face went expressionless again.
Old Man Gao felt that Han Xiao had calmed down a little too quickly. Unsure whether it was his imagination, he gave him a couple more glances before slowly saying, "Tell me, how do you want to resolve this matter?"