Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 148 Unexpected Discovery

Xiao Jing shook her head: "I don't know, I just heard it. But someone saw Chen Hao's girlfriend at the station not long ago, she's very pretty."

Wu Zhiyuan definitely knows Chen Hao's girlfriend, but that seems to be unrelated to his current job.

Wu Zhiyuan was concerned about the mixed-race girl's identity: "Have you investigated the mixed-race girl?"

"I have investigated, because such close private contact with people of unknown identity, especially those with foreign backgrounds, requires a high degree of vigilance."

I secretly took a picture of the mixed-race girl. Through research, I learned she worked for a consulting firm in Jiangzhou with foreign investment. She was American; her father was American, and her mother was of Chinese descent.

Wu Zhiyuan asked, "Is there anything noteworthy about the background and business of this consulting firm?"

Xiaojing replied, "This company appears to be doing business consulting and market research, but according to some information we have, it has undertaken many projects related to high-tech industry analysis in the past two years, and its client backgrounds are quite complex."

Although there are no overt violations, its business scope does provide cover for its access to and collection of information on specific industries and companies.

The mixed-race girl served as an analyst, a position that provided some justification for her contact with technical personnel like Chen Hao, but also increased the risks.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded thoughtfully.

Using business consulting as a cover is a common tactic used by intelligence agencies.

An analyst's identity can both reasonably explain their interactions with technical personnel and facilitate the extraction of information.

"The third person we need to pay attention to is Liu Ming, the data processor in Building 3."

He comes from a poor family and is the breadwinner.

In the past six months, there have been rumors in the institute that he has become addicted to gambling, and the stakes are quite high.

About two months ago, he was caught by the police while gambling in an underground casino in the city. His station gave him a serious warning and deducted half a year's performance bonus.

But from what I understand, he still seems to be involved in gambling recently, just more discreetly.

Huge gambling debts are often a target and exploitation point for intelligence agencies. I worry that he might be used by others in his pursuit of money.

Next, Xiaojing assigned tasks: "Based on the clues we have so far and the department's instructions, your next task is to ostensibly quickly get into the role and fulfill the responsibilities of the deputy director of the security department, while secretly conducting targeted investigations in these key areas..."

"Understood, I will carry out the order without hesitation," Wu Zhiyuan solemnly promised.

"Okay, that's all for now. In the future, unless it's an emergency, let's try to communicate via encrypted phones and reduce the frequency of in-person meetings."

If a meeting is necessary, I will inform you of the location in advance, just like I did today.

Xiaojing glanced at her watch. "It's almost time. Let's split up."

The two tacitly distanced themselves, and Xiao Jing left Jing Si Garden along another path.

Wu Zhiyuan lingered in place for a moment, gazing at the koi swimming in the pond, and mentally reviewed the mission instructions and precautions he had just received.

In the afternoon, accompanied by Minister Han Jie, Wu Zhiyuan familiarized himself with the situation in the core area.

The two walked through the administrative office area and headed towards the core area surrounded by internal walls.

On the way, Han Jie gave a general introduction to the basic structure and daily management process of the core area.

Upon arriving at the main gate of the core area courtyard, the heavy electric iron gate was tightly closed, with a security guard post next to it.

You need to swipe your special pass and enter your password to enter and exit.

The security guard on duty saluted Han Jie and skillfully opened the door for them.

Upon entering the compound, three ordinary-looking research buildings are arranged in a triangular pattern.

Han Jie pointed to the three buildings and introduced: "This is Building No. 1, which is for theory and design;

That's Building No. 2, the final assembly and testing site;

That's Building 3 over there, the data computing and core laboratory.

Each building entrance also has a security gate.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded, but his gaze was like a scanner, meticulously observing everything around him.

He discovered numerous security vulnerabilities, or rather, security risks.

For example, when they swiped their cards to enter the courtyard gate, a researcher happened to be returning from outside and naturally followed them in.

The security guards did not strictly verify whether each person had completed the card swiping verification process individually.

This means that if an insider intends to do so, there is a risk of them following them in.

For example, several corners of the courtyard wall are planted with lush evergreen shrubs, which are aesthetically pleasing, but one or two of them block the view of the surveillance camera above the wall, potentially creating blind spots.

For experts, this might be an area they can exploit.

For example, when you walk to the side of Building No. 2, you will see a loading platform.

At that time, a truck from another unit was unloading goods, which were some common consumables.

The security guards simply watched from the sidelines, without going forward to check the manifest against the actual goods, nor did they effectively restrict or monitor the driver and his entourage.

This is clearly a weak point if someone tries to smuggle in illegal items.

Furthermore, outsourced cleaners can enter the hallways to clean, even though the interiors don't need their work, they can sneak into the offices when no one is around.

Foreign intelligence agencies sometimes exploit overlooked roles like cleaners, using bribery and coercion to get them to steal seemingly useless draft documents, incorrectly printed drawings, or even notes carelessly discarded by researchers while cleaning and removing garbage.

After professional analysis, these "junk" items can often be pieced together to reveal valuable information.

During the training, Wu Zhiyuan was told a true story by the instructor.

A cleaning worker colluded with a foreign intelligence agency and sold multiple secrets.

Wu Zhiyuan didn't immediately point out all the problems. Instead, like a humble newcomer, he asked Han Jie, "Minister Han, regarding the access control at the gate of this compound, does everyone have to swipe their card individually, or can acquaintances come in together like before? I'm afraid I'm new here and don't know the rules."

Han Jie didn't think much of it and replied, "In principle, it should be one card per person. But they're all familiar faces from the station, and the security guards know them too, so they just follow along and get in. It's about improving efficiency."

If we were to test everyone individually, there would be long queues during rush hour.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded, then pointed to the unloading area of ​​Building No. 2 and asked, "What is our inspection procedure for these vehicles and personnel from other units coming in?"

Han Jie glanced at it and explained, "There is a fixed procedure: reporting, checking the manifest, and inspecting the vehicle."

However, in practice, those below sometimes try to save time and effort.

The main reason is that these suppliers are long-term partners; we're all familiar with each other, so we let our guard down a bit.

Wu Zhiyuan kept all these details in mind.

He knew that many safety hazards did not stem from a lack of systems, but from complacency and wishful thinking.

……

In the dead of night, only a few offices in the administrative building still had their lights on.

Wu Zhiyuan immersed himself in the massive amounts of access control records and surveillance logs, trying to find clues from them.

Before we knew it, it was already past 10 p.m.

He got up and stretched, preparing to go to the restroom.

The corridor was dimly lit and silent.

Suddenly, he heard rustling footsteps.

He quickly slipped into the bathroom, leaving only his eyes visible as he peered down the hallway.

A woman slipped into Zhang Dongsheng's office, her movements furtive.

This only deepened his suspicions.

He quietly approached the door of Zhang Dongsheng's office and listened intently.

Zhang Dongsheng's voice could be faintly heard: "Xiaoli, I've missed you so much! Let's not say anything, let's get started, actions speak louder than words..."