Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 156 Operation Crucible

The task force consists of more than a dozen people.

Not only were there people from the provincial department, but also people drawn from municipal bureaus such as Jiangzhou.

Jiang Yongsheng, from the First Investigation Division of the Provincial Public Security Department, will retire next year. He has been engaged in counter-espionage work for many years and has extensive experience. He is very familiar with the enemy situation and social conditions in Jiangzhou and even the entire province.

Although he was nearing retirement, his enthusiasm for work remained undiminished. Chu Jianguo specially selected him to join the task force, both to leverage his experience and to allow young key personnel like Wu Zhiyuan to learn through practice.

At the first case analysis meeting of the task force, Jiang Yongsheng introduced the details of Dadi Company.

"The situation of Dadi Company is rather complicated. It was originally a state-owned rare earth smelting plant under the provincial metallurgical department. In the late 1990s, when the whole country was carrying out the reform of state-owned enterprises, Jiangzhou also vigorously promoted it."

At that time, Hu Chunjin, the factory director of Dadi Factory, seized the opportunity and successfully transformed the company into a private enterprise through management buyouts and other means. Hu Chunjin himself became the largest shareholder and served as chairman and general manager.

"Hu Chunjin is a very capable and decisive person."

The company did indeed develop well under his leadership, with its scale continuously expanding and its technology rapidly improving, making it one of the important companies in China's rare earth industry.

He has an only daughter named Hu Ruoxi, who is the apple of his eye. He sent her abroad to study during her middle school years.

"The turning point came three years ago. Given the extreme strategic importance of rare earth resources, the government strengthened its control and integration of the rare earth industry."

After multiple rounds of negotiations and operations, a national-level strategic investment fund, in conjunction with the provincial state-owned assets platform, increased the capital of Dadi Company and expanded its shareholding, thus achieving state-owned capital control.

Hu Chunjin's shareholding was diluted to 30%, and he was reassigned as executive vice president, responsible for daily production and operation.

The chairman and party secretary are appointed by the state-owned assets department.

"However, shortly after the reform, in the summer of the year before last, Hu Chunjin was tragically killed in a car accident."

After Hu Chunjin passed away, his shares in the company were inherited by his only daughter, Hu Ruoxi.

Hu Ruoxi is thirty years old and single. Her education was almost entirely completed in the United States, from high school to master's degree, spanning more than ten years.

She holds dual master's degrees in materials science and business administration.

After returning to China, he joined Dadi Company directly, initially in the Technology Research and Development Department, and later transferred to the Strategic Investment Department, until he took over as executive vice president after his father's death.

Her youth, overseas background, and leadership of such an important strategic enterprise inherently present certain risks.

Although there is currently no evidence to suggest she has any problems, her extensive overseas experience and key position inevitably make her a prime target for foreign intelligence agencies, and could even be a target for infiltration.

Wu Zhiyuan asked, "What is Hu Ruoxi's attitude towards the restructured Dadi Company?"

Jiang Yongsheng replied, "This is a crucial question. Based on what we've learned so far, Hu Ruoxi has a very deep affection for Dadi Company."

After all, this was a company built by her father, Hu Chunjin, and it could be said to be the culmination of his life's work.

Although her personal shareholding has decreased to 30%, her active involvement in the company after returning to China, and her taking over the important role of executive vice president after her father's death, demonstrate her deep affection for the company, or rather, a sense of mission to protect it.

Jiang Yongsheng changed the subject and continued, "However, feelings are feelings, and reality is reality."

From a privately owned enterprise entirely controlled by a family to a mixed-ownership enterprise with state-owned holding, the company's decision-making mechanism, development strategy, and even corporate culture have undergone profound changes.

As the second-largest shareholder holding 30% of the shares and the executive vice president in charge of daily operations, Hu Ruoxi's power and voice have been greatly restricted compared to her father's era.

Chairmen and Party committees with state-owned backgrounds have the dominant power in major decisions.

Will this change in role and status cause her psychological distress?

Will this affect some of her judgments and choices?

Especially on key issues involving the company's core interests and long-term development, will her personal inclinations deviate from the overall strategic requirements of the country?

These are all things we need to closely monitor and evaluate.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded thoughtfully: "In other words, Hu Ruoxi has a deep emotional connection with Dadi Company."

However, having lived abroad for a long time, her values ​​and way of thinking have been greatly influenced by the Western environment. Coupled with the sudden death of her father and the loss of control of the family business, she may not be without hidden emotional gaps in her heart.

Foreign intelligence agencies are adept at exploiting such vulnerabilities, either by offering incentives, such as promising to help her regain control of the company.

They could either use leverage against her, or even raise questions about the suspicious circumstances surrounding her father's car accident, which could serve as a bargaining chip to control her.

Jiang Yongsheng nodded and said, "That's right. Emotions and interests are often the best catalysts and breakthroughs for espionage activities."

Gao Bowen may be visiting Hu Ruoxi during this trip.

It's even possible that they had already established contact with Hu Ruoxi through some channels beforehand.

Jiang Yongsheng is a deputy researcher, and before the implementation of the parallel system of job title and rank, it was a non-leadership position.

Wu Zhiyuan pondered for a moment and analyzed, "Director Jiang's analysis is very insightful. Hu Ruoxi's situation is indeed complicated."

Emotionally, her motivation to protect her father's legacy was strong;

However, given her current situation, her power is limited, and she is deeply influenced by Western education.

This creates great uncertainty about whether she will be recruited.

We cannot draw any conclusions at this time, but she must be placed under close scrutiny. She may be in one of several situations:

In the first and ideal scenario, she adheres to her bottom line, loves her country and her company, and no attempt by foreign forces to win her over or coerce her fails.

But this does not mean she is safe, because she remains a key target for the enemy.

The second possibility is that she may have been successfully turned and become a "spy" within the company.

If that's the case, then she will be extremely dangerous.

The third, and most complex, scenario is that she may be in a stage of being tested or hunted, experiencing inner conflict and struggle, and may have even made compromises on some trivial matters, but without touching her core bottom line.

This state is the most dangerous and requires our precise control. We must prevent her from sliding into the abyss, and also use her to lure the snake out of its hole.

Therefore, the investigation and contact with Hu Ruoxi must be conducted with extreme caution and strategy.

Operation Crucible is a complex undertaking, and we must have a clear division of labor and work together in unison.

I suggest that the task force be temporarily divided into four groups to carry out the work simultaneously:

The first group is led by Director Jiang.

The key focus is to thoroughly investigate the sales channels, logistics routes, and customer backgrounds of Dadi Company's rare metals, especially rare earth products.

This is especially true for those seemingly normal trade transactions, but where the end-user background is unclear, the transaction price is abnormal, or the logistics route is circuitous.

We must thoroughly investigate whether there are channels that use legitimate trade as a cover for illegal smuggling.

The second group was led by Li Xiaoyu.

Continue to monitor the "Angel's Kiss" milk tea shop and the actions of Gao Bowen and Su Manli with all their might.

At the same time, we will intensify our in-depth investigation into Su Manli's background and find out the true relationship between her and Gao Bowen.

The third group was led by Section Chief Ma Xiangyang.

We will activate the "Shield" comrades planted within the Earth Company.

The team's mission is to maintain close, one-way communication with "Shield," with the core objective of ensuring the absolute security of core technological secrets such as rare earth purification and strengthening internal defenses.

To assist and guide the company's security department in conducting a top-level security screening and reinforcement of classified areas, data management systems, and core research personnel.

At the same time, we will closely monitor any abnormal data access or personnel movement that comes into contact with sensitive technologies, striving to discover and cut off intelligence trolls in advance and nip any attempts to steal secrets in the bud.

I also serve as the head of the fourth group. My public identity is the deputy general manager of Jiangzhou Xingye Trading Company, a state-owned enterprise in Jiangzhou City.

I will use this identity to get close to Hu Ruoxi and conduct a thorough observation and assessment.

……

Wu Zhiyuan went to Dadi Company in his capacity as the deputy general manager of Jiangzhou Xingye Trading Company.

Hu Ruoxi is very beautiful and has a great temperament. She is wearing a white suit from a brand that accentuates her stunning figure. Her long, black hair is styled into a bun, revealing her slender neck like a white swan.

However, Hu Ruoxi gives the impression of being very aloof, like a snow lotus blooming on the top of an iceberg.