Chapter 1409
Dismissed but Retained to Demand Blood Debt
"This incident has exposed serious problems in our relevant agencies regarding safety awareness, emergency command, and force deployment."
In particular, Comrade Luo Fei, as the Director of the National Security Bureau and concurrently the head of the Sky Investigation Team and the Special Case Team, knowingly abandoned his post and left his command position at a critical moment when the prisoners might be carrying tracking devices and the enemy was highly likely to come to rescue them or silence them. This directly led to a breach in the base's defenses, a mishandling of the situation, and ultimately, such heavy casualties. I believe that Comrade Luo Fei must bear primary leadership responsibility for this and be severely punished. Otherwise, we cannot give an explanation to the victims, nor can we enforce discipline to serve as a warning to others.”
"Deal with Luo Fei?"
Grand Secretary Wei immediately retorted, defending Luo Fei.
"Why did Luo Fei leave the base? Have you investigated this thoroughly? He hasn't been home for over four months because of the Tianji Group's training and missions!"
This time, he had to rush back because his elderly grandmother suddenly fell and her condition became critical. His family called for help overnight.
This is only human nature! Is it fair to disregard the safety of one's closest relatives for the sake of work? Is it fair to place all the blame on him alone?
Grand Secretary Kong pushed up his glasses, his tone calm and even somewhat indifferent.
"Old Wei, I understand Comrade Luo Fei's personal situation."
However, as the director of the National Security Bureau, holding such an important position and bearing such heavy responsibilities, he should have been clear that during such a sensitive period, any private affairs should give way to national security.
He knew the danger was there, yet he still chose to leave; this is dereliction of duty, a serious error of judgment. A mistake is a mistake, and someone must be held accountable. Should we hold those children who have already died, whose average age was less than twenty, responsible?
"you!"
Grand Secretary Wei was speechless for a moment, then became even more agitated.
"Luo Fei was negligent, I admit! But the root cause of this tragedy is that the enemy was too strong! It's because the strength of that Tianyu Shencang far exceeded all of our expectations! Not just because Luo Fei wasn't there! I ask you, if Luo Fei had been there, could he have stopped Tianyu Shencang one hundred percent and prevented all of this? If even Luo Fei wasn't a match for that monster, and even died in battle, then who should we hold accountable today? Shouldn't we hold accountable those who disbanded the Tianji Group back then, causing a gap in our high-end combat power?!"
This sharp question plunged the room into a brief silence. Indeed, if the assumption holds true, and even a top-tier fighter like Luo Fei couldn't withstand the opponent, then the root of the problem is indeed deeper and more worthy of reflection.
The expressions on the faces of the senior officials became complicated.
Grand Secretary Kong paused for a few seconds, avoiding the hypothetical question, and then spoke instead.
"Discussing hypothetical scenarios is meaningless. The reality is that Luo Fei is gone, and the tragedy has occurred. What we need to determine now is how to handle the situation. The handling of Comrade Luo Fei is a crucial part of the entire aftermath, and it relates to the seriousness of discipline and the progress of subsequent work."
Seeing the argument reach a stalemate, Elder Huo, who had not spoken much and was mainly responsible for coordinating internal affairs, cleared his throat and stepped in to smooth things over. His tone was gentle but carried weight.
"Alright, alright, both of you calm down."
Both of these points—Wei Lao's concern for his comrades and Kong Lao's emphasis on discipline—are valid.
We have just suffered such a heavy loss, and this is precisely when we need the most manpower. Comrade Luo Fei's abilities are evident to all, and he is currently the person among us who understands these unconventional threats best and has the most experience in dealing with them.
However, he is still young, only twenty-seven years old this year. Taking on such an important position as director of the National Security Bureau is indeed somewhat premature, and he may need more experience.
He paused for a moment, then offered a compromise.
"I think it would be better to do this. Comrade Luo Fei is indeed responsible for oversight this time and must be dealt with."
However, considering the actual situation and the needs of subsequent work, it is recommended that his position as director of the National Security Bureau be revoked first as a form of punishment.
However, he retains his positions as head of the Special Cases Unit and the Heavenly Secrets Unit, allowing him to continue overseeing the tracking and counterattack against the supernatural forces in Japan, as well as the training of related teams, giving him a chance to redeem himself. What do you all think?
This plan, while disciplining Luo Fei, also preserved his position of actual responsibility for core business, representing a compromise that was barely acceptable to all parties. The attendees exchanged glances and whispered their opinions, and ultimately, most nodded slightly in tacit agreement. Grand Secretary Kong frowned, seemingly wanting to say something more, but seeing the prevailing sentiment, he had no choice but to refrain from insisting.
Although Grand Secretary Wei still felt it was unfair to Luo Fei, being able to keep Luo Fei leading the team was the least bad outcome he could hope for. He snorted heavily, which was considered a reluctant agreement.
The meeting ended in this less-than-harmonious, even somewhat stifling atmosphere.
Several senior officials got up and left the meeting room one after another.
Grand Secretary Wei walked behind, his expression still not good. Grand Secretary Peng, who was closer to him and also came from a military background, came over, patted him on the shoulder, and whispered words of comfort.
"Old Wei, calm down. Next time you have a meeting, don't get so worked up. Some things are better left unsaid."
Grand Secretary Wei stopped and stood in the empty corridor. He did not look at Grand Secretary Peng, but stared intently at the smooth but cold marble floor in front of him. The anger on his face gradually faded, replaced by a deeper seriousness mixed with worry and vigilance.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke to Grand Secretary Peng in a very low voice, almost in a whisper.
"Old Peng, have you noticed, or... discovered, that in the past year or two, some people's words and actions, and some of their decision-making tendencies, seem... different from before?"
Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary Peng's expression tightened slightly. He did not reply immediately, but his eyes became deep as he looked towards the end of the empty corridor ahead.
The news of Luo Fei's removal from his post as director of the National Security Bureau was not widely publicized through official channels, but it spread rapidly like a chilling wind within the Divine Bow Bureau and among relevant high-ranking officials. Even before the official document was issued, various speculations and discussions had already quietly spread. Some sighed at the outcome, some felt it was justified, and others felt deeply indignant.
Zhou Xiaobei and Su Muchen are the two who feel the most wronged.
They had just been discharged from the hospital, and although they were still injured, they were no longer seriously injured. That evening, upon hearing the news, the two of them dragged Luo Fei out of his temporary office-dormitory without saying a word, found a relatively quiet small restaurant not far from the new base, and asked for a private room.
There were a few simple snacks on the table, but mostly beer bottles.
Zhou Xiaobei's arm was still in a cast, and he clumsily opened the bottle cap with one hand and filled all three bottles.
Without saying a word, he tilted his head back and took a big gulp, then slammed the cup down on the table with a loud thud, his face finally revealing his uncontrollable resentment.
"Why should I?!"
Zhou Xiaobei's voice trembled slightly with excitement. He stared at Luo Fei as if Luo Fei were the one who made the decision.
"Chief, why are they pinning all the blame on you? It was only natural for you to go back after Grandma's accident that night! Who wouldn't go back? The enemy deliberately chose that exact time to attack; it was premeditated and planned long ago! Even if you were at the base at the time, could you have stopped that monster named Tianyu Shencang... with that kind of strength? Could you have changed Peixiong and Feifei... changed the fate of so many brothers who sacrificed themselves? This is simply unreasonable!"
Su Muchen's expression was also quite heavy. He wasn't as agitated as Zhou Xiaobei, but the indignation in his eyes was equally clear.
He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said slowly.
"What Xiao Bei said, though rough, makes a lot of sense. Director, the fundamental problem exposed by this attack is the huge gap between our overall strength and that of top-tier enemies. Facing an opponent of Tianyu Shencang's caliber, I personally... felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness."
That's a gap that can't be bridged by courage or tactical coordination. Attributing the defeat to the commander's temporary absence from duty is more like... more like needing an internal explanation, rather than confronting the root of the problem." Luo Fei sat opposite the two, his expression much calmer than the two agitated young men, even excessively calm.
He listened to Zhou Xiaobei's complaints and Su Muchen's analysis without immediately refuting them, but silently watched the golden liquid in the glass and the tiny bubbles that kept rising and bursting.
The dim light in the private room illuminated his face, outlining his clear features and revealing the lingering heaviness and weariness deep in his eyes.
After Zhou Xiaobei finished speaking in one breath, his chest still heaving, Luo Fei picked up his wine glass. He didn't drink it, but instead slowly rubbed the cold glass with his fingers.
"Xiao Bei, Mu Chen."
Luo Fei spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying a hoarseness and composure that came after weathering a storm.
What you're saying makes sense, but it also makes no sense.
He raised his eyes and his gaze swept over his two young comrades and brothers.
"The reason is that the enemy's strength and the meticulousness of their actions were indeed the root cause of the tragedy. Without Tianyu Shencang, without those carefully planned surprise attacks and inside-outside cooperation, the training center would not have suffered such a devastating blow."
I know this perfectly well.
He paused, his tone turning somber.
"But the reason is that... as the director and the team leader, I am in a position and must bear the weight and responsibility."
That night, I left.
No matter how valid the reasons, my absence at that sensitive moment objectively created a temporary gap in the command chain and a lack of top combat power.
This is a fact.
Even if I were there, I might not be able to change the final outcome, but perhaps... perhaps I could save one or two more people, perhaps I could prevent Peixiong and Feifei... from...
His voice lowered, and he didn't repeat the cruel hypothetical scenario, but simply shook his head.
"So, I accept this punishment. I don't care that much about being removed from the position of director. Sitting in that position, I often had no choice but to act against my will, and I had to consider too many things, which made me feel constrained. Now, I only have the identities of the head of the Special Case Team and the Sky Secret Team, which, in a way... makes me more pure."
"purely?"
Zhou Xiaobei looked at him, puzzled.
Luo Fei didn't explain directly. He tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp. The cold liquid slid down his throat, but it seemed to ignite a long-suppressed flame in his chest.
He put down his cup, and when he looked at the two of them again, a sharp, almost resolute light suddenly flashed in his calm eyes.
"We've had our drinks and vented our frustrations."
Luo Fei's voice was even lower, but every word was clear and carried the weight of iron.
"Next, I'm going to tell you something from the heart, which is also my decision. Just listen to it and keep it in your hearts."
Zhou Xiaobei and Su Muchen sat up straight in unison, holding their breath, sensing that what Luo Fei was about to say was anything but ordinary.
Luo Fei's gaze seemed to pierce through the walls of the private room, looking towards an extremely distant place, a country where cherry blossoms fell and were soaked in blood.
He spoke slowly and deliberately.
"I want to go to the land of cherry blossoms myself."
Zhou Xiaobei and Su Muchen both widened their eyes, almost thinking they had misheard.
"Chief, you..."
Su Muchen exclaimed.
Luo Fei raised his hand to stop him from speaking and continued.
"This isn't official business, nor is it a diplomatic visit. I'm infiltrating alone. There's only one objective—to find the Kamikaze Group, who perpetrated the training center massacre, to find the 'Shinto Cult' behind them, to find that Tenyu Kamikura... to settle every score, one by one, with interest. Pei Xiong's revenge, Fei Fei's revenge, the revenge of all the brothers who sacrificed their lives, and the blood feud of those children from the Tianji Group... we can't just let it go like this."
Waiting for orders from superiors? Coordinating the actions of all parties? That's too slow, and there are too many variables.
Some things must be done, and they must be resolved in the most direct way.
Zhou Xiaobei gasped and said urgently.
"Director! Are you crazy? Going to Japan alone? That's their territory. The Shinto Church has been operating there for years, deeply entrenched. There are definitely more than just Ame-no-Kamikura among their experts! You going alone... what's the difference between that and suicide? Even if you're incredibly strong, you can't fight against so many opponents! Besides, are you really confident you can handle Ame-no-Kamikura? We all witnessed his terror that day..."
Su Muchen also hurriedly advised.
"Yes, Director, this matter requires careful consideration! We all remember the hatred, but we must not act impulsively! We can wait, wait for us to recover, wait for the children of the Heavenly Secrets Group to grow up, wait for a well-thought-out plan to be formulated..."
"I can't wait!"
Luo Fei abruptly interrupted him, his eyes filled with a resolute determination as cold as ice tempered by fire, leaving no room for wavering.
"Waiting for even one more day feels like a knife is constantly twisting in my heart. When I close my eyes, all I see are Pei-xiong and Fei-fei's final moments, the firelight and blood on the ruins of the training center."
I don't want to wait a single day longer to settle this score! As for the chances of success…”
A cold smile curved his lips, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit and fearlessness.
"Facing an opponent like Tianyu Shencang, who dares to say they have a 100% chance of success? But whether I have a chance or not, I have to go."
Some battles, even knowing they might be unwinnable, must still be fought! Because if we don't fight, we'll never have a chance to win; if we don't fight, we'll be letting down our fallen brothers, and we'll be failing the strength and responsibility that rests on our shoulders! (End of Chapter)