Chapter 1410
Brother, I've been arrested! Who put this "traitor" label on our bureau
He looked at the deep worry on his two brothers' faces, his tone softened slightly, but became even more resolute.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to my death. I will come back alive. Not only will I come back alive, but I will also bring news of the enemy's annihilation, and their blood, to pay tribute to the fallen brothers."
This is my promise to Pei-hsiung, to Fei-fei, to all the victims, and also an explanation to myself.
His words resonated powerfully in the small private room, carrying a sense of indomitable courage and heroic spirit.
Zhou Xiaobei and Su Muchen looked at him, knowing that the director's mind was made up and could not be changed. The words of dissuasion stuck in their throats, finally turning into a heavy sigh and a deeper worry.
They could only raise their glasses and clink them heavily with Luo Fei's, everything unspoken.
That glass of wine, bitter and scorching, was like the path of revenge about to be embarked upon, a path fraught with thorns and unknown dangers.
Things unfolded exactly as Su Muchen had vaguely anticipated.
Following an emergency high-level meeting, news of the attack on the training center and the resulting heavy casualties was strictly and thoroughly suppressed. No media outlet reported on it, and only a few scattered online posts from remote locations claiming to have seen "unidentified flying objects and flashes" or heard "muffled explosions," quickly fading into silence without causing any further stir. The public remained completely unaware, and life continued smoothly as before, as if that bloody night had never happened.
As for the Sakura Kingdom, in the face of the solemn representations and accusations privately made by Great Xia through diplomatic channels, its attitude has always been one of firm denial and rebuttal.
They claimed to be completely unaware of the alleged "attack" within Great Xia territory, accusing Great Xia of fabricating facts and smearing the image of Sakura, and in turn demanding that Great Xia thoroughly investigate any "radical forces" that might exist within its borders to avoid affecting bilateral relations. Meanwhile, Sakura quickly sought mediation and support from its most important ally. This ally also issued a statement, predictably denying any involvement of its military equipment or technology in this "unverified incident," and calling on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve the issue through dialogue.
After a series of diplomatic exchanges and wrangling, everything seemed to return to a superficial "calm".
But those in the know are well aware of the fierce undercurrents and deadly intent surging beneath this calm surface.
A week later, in a funeral home on the outskirts of Beijing, closed to the public, a secret memorial service was quietly held. There were no seas of wreaths, no rows of elegiac couplets, only solemn black veils and white flowers, and a heavy, almost suffocating grief permeating the air. Hundreds of relatives of the victims were brought in one by one; most looked haggard, their eyes filled with tears, suppressing their immense sorrow as they came to bid farewell to their loved ones. Low sobs occasionally echoed in the silent hall, adding to the desolation.
Luo Fei, dressed in a black suit and wearing a white flower on his chest, stood near the family members' line.
His gaze slowly swept over the grief-stricken faces, his heart feeling as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, each beat bringing sharp pain.
He saw Wang Feifei's elderly parents, the two old people supporting each other. The father tightly hugged his son's small urn, his knuckles turning white from the force, while the mother rested on her husband's shoulder, her shoulders trembling incessantly, emitting suppressed sobs like those of a wounded wild animal.
He also saw Wu Peixiong's family. His sister was crying so hard she almost fainted and had to be supported by others, while his parents stood blankly in front of the urn, their eyes empty, as if all the color in the world had faded with their son's departure.
Seeing these scenes of human suffering, Luo Fei felt a suffocating sense of guilt and helplessness.
All he can do, besides providing the most generous financial compensation and long-term care, seems unable to make up for even a fraction of what these families have lost.
Money seems so pale and insignificant in the face of life and family.
In one corner of the memorial service, six identical urns, yet appearing unusually desolate, were placed side by side.
Those were the six members of the Ghost Team.
They had no immediate family, no spouses or children, and few people even knew their real names or their past. Last night, only the nine surviving members of the Heavenly Secrets Group kept vigil for them. The children knelt silently before the coffin, bidding farewell in their own way to these "predecessors" who had fought alongside them but ultimately met such a tragic end.
This scene left Luo Fei with extremely mixed feelings.
These "tools" who operate in the gray area ultimately sacrifice themselves as warriors, yet they cannot even obtain a public recognition or a formal memorial.
Lei Wanting also attended the memorial service.
The former director was dressed in black, his figure still upright, but a heavy gloom and sorrow shrouded his brows.
He walked slowly to the urns containing the ashes of the Ghost Team members, stood solemnly for a long time, and then bowed deeply and solemnly three times.
This was the first time he had "met" these subordinates whom he had arranged to "rebirth" but had never officially met before, and he never expected it to be in this kind of setting.
His lips moved a few times, but he ultimately said nothing. All his respect and mourning were conveyed in that heavy and slow bow.
At the memorial service, there was also a deceased person with a special identity - Junichiro Sato.
Although he was once an enemy, his actions of turning against his own side at the last moment, upholding his principles, and ultimately dying in battle earned him the respect of Luo Fei and some of those who knew the truth.
His ashes were placed in a separate location. As the memorial service was about to end, Zeng Yuanchen silently walked to Sato's urn.
He stared at the small box, his face expressionless, but his eyes were churning with extremely complex emotions.
In the end, just like Lei Wanting, he slowly and earnestly bowed to his former opponent and "comrade-in-arms" in the crucial moment.
This brief encounter and conflict, which transcended national borders and political stances, has now come to an end.
Shortly after the memorial service, Luo Fei's official dismissal document was issued. As agreed in the previous high-level meeting, he was removed from his post as director of the National Security Bureau, but retained his titles as head of the Special Case Team and head of the Sky Secret Team.
Almost simultaneously, as the original training center address had been exposed and was no longer safe, the children of the Heavenly Secrets Group were relocated to a new and more secluded location under tight security.
This is an old defense facility located deep in the mountains. After emergency renovation and reinforcement, it has become a new training and living base.
However, after the relocation, Luo Fei had no heart to organize any training. The flames of revenge burned in his heart day and night, making him restless.
All his thoughts were focused on how to get to Japan.
But this is by no means an easy task.
Relations between the two countries have plummeted to a freezing point due to this undisclosed attack, with all official and regular border crossings under tight surveillance or even partially closed. Without approval and support from superiors, it would be virtually impossible for him to enter the country through normal channels. Luo Fei even considered some extreme and irregular methods, but these were extremely risky and could easily alert the attackers.
His ideal and most feasible plan was to use the military's power, employing its most advanced stealth strategic transport aircraft to conduct a low-altitude nighttime infiltration and secretly airdrop him to the coast of Japan or some remote areas, where he could then use his special abilities and equipment to quietly infiltrate.
This required extremely high authority and close coordination, and even more so, approval from the highest levels. In fact, shortly after the tragedy, with Lei Wanting's assistance, he immediately submitted a detailed action plan aimed at revenge and striking at the core of Shintoism. However, this resolute plan, once submitted, seemed to have sunk without a trace, receiving no further response. When inquiring with Lei Wanting, he only received vague replies such as "under study" and "needs careful consideration."
The remaining nine children of the Heavenly Secrets Group remained extremely depressed after moving into the new base.
They not only lost their comrades-in-arms, but also all their closest relatives before and after the attack, becoming true orphans. Under this double blow, grief, confusion, anger, and helplessness intertwined, making it difficult to carry out their rehabilitation training, which was already underway due to their unhealed injuries, and almost brought it to a standstill. Luo Fei understood their feelings and did not force them to continue. He simply arranged necessary psychological counseling and living support, while he himself was immersed in anxious thoughts about how to overcome the obstacles and seek revenge.
Two days later, in the afternoon, the tranquility of the new base was broken by a series of hurried and unfamiliar footsteps. Luo Fei was in his temporary office, deep in thought, looking at a map and scattered intelligence data, when the door was pushed open without knocking.
Several people entered, dressed in black uniforms, with serious expressions, and wearing badges on their chests that differed from the Divine Bow Bureau's insignia.
The leader was a middle-aged man with a cold face. His sharp gaze swept across the room and finally settled on Luo Fei.
"Comrade Luo Fei."
The middle-aged man stepped forward, his voice businesslike and devoid of any emotion, as he took out a document stamped with a bright red seal from his briefcase.
"We are from the Counter-Espionage Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of State Security. We are hereby ordered to announce that, based on preliminary investigation and with approval, we have decided to arrest you on suspicion of betraying the country, leaking secrets, and colluding with hostile foreign forces."
This is an arrest warrant.
As soon as he finished speaking, two investigators behind him stepped forward and deftly took out gleaming handcuffs.
When the arrest warrant stamped with a bright red seal was revealed and the gleaming handcuffs appeared before his eyes, Luo Fei slowly stood up from his chair.
His gaze lingered on the arrest warrant for a moment, confirming that the seal was not forged, before turning to the middle-aged man in the lead.
The other person's eyes were cold and resolute, and there was even a barely perceptible curve at the corner of their mouth, like a hunter seeing his prey fall into a net.
Luo Fei didn't speak immediately, nor did he show the rage or panic that the other party might expect. He simply folded the map of Japan that he had studied for a long time and marked up, and put it into the drawer.
Then, he raised his head and looked at the unfamiliar faces, his tone so calm that it revealed no emotion.
"Treasoning against the country and colluding with foreign forces. That's a heavy accusation."
He slowly extended his hands, offering no further explanation or questioning. Under the watchful eyes of several sharp gazes, his wrists, with their distinct bones stained with the blood of countless enemies, were locked tightly in place by cold, hard metal handcuffs with a click.
The news exploded like a high-explosive bomb in the training base, which was already shrouded in trauma and depression.
The first to hear the news was Su Muchen, who happened to be passing by the office. He saw several unfamiliar men in black escorting Luo Fei out, and the glaring reflection on Luo Fei's hands made his pupils shrink suddenly.
"Chief!"
Su Muchen, leaning on his cane, was about to rush forward when he was stopped by a person in a similarly black uniform who stood by with a blank expression.
"The Counterintelligence Investigation Bureau is conducting official business; unauthorized personnel should stay away."
The voice was cold, rigid, and brooked no argument.
Luo Fei didn't stop walking, but as he passed Su Muchen, he glanced at him sideways. In that glance, there was no panic, no plea for help, only an extremely suppressed calm, and a very slight head shake signaling him not to act rashly.
Su Muchen abruptly stopped in her tracks, watching helplessly as Luo Fei was led away by those people into a black van without any markings.
The engine started, and the vehicle sped away, leaving behind only a fine dust cloud and several faces at the base entrance, their expressions filled with shock and disbelief.
"What's going on? Who are those people?!"
Zhou Xiaobei, his injured arm in a sling, ran from the other side and just saw the taillights of the black car disappear around the corner. His face instantly flushed red, and he roared angrily in the direction the car had vanished.
"On what grounds are you arresting people?!"
Members of the special case team and the surviving children from the Sky Secrets team who arrived one after another also gathered around. Confusion, anger, shock, and bewilderment spread rapidly among the crowd.
"They said it was the counterintelligence bureau. The charges were... suspected treason, leaking secrets, and colluding with foreign forces."
When Su Muchen uttered these words, even he himself found them utterly absurd. Luo Fei had risked his life for this country, had just lost his comrades in that devastating attack, and was filled with the rage of revenge; yet now he was being handcuffed and taken away on charges of "treason"?
"Bullshit!"
Zhou Xiaobei was furious and punched the wall next to him, cracking the plaster.
"How could the bureau chief be a traitor? How much blood has he shed for the country? How much has he sacrificed? Those of us who have risked our lives with him know all too well. How dare those guys sitting in their offices reading documents label him with such a label based on just a few words!"
"Xiao Bei, calm down."
Su Muchen frowned. Although he was equally indignant, he forced himself to calm down and think things through.
"Things aren't that simple. The training center was just attacked, and the casualties were heavy. At this time, instead of making every effort to find the perpetrators, the higher-ups have turned their guns on their own people... This doesn't make sense."
Zeng Mengxue also rushed over upon hearing the news. She helped Chen Yifan, who had just been able to get out of bed. Both of them had pale faces due to illness and were shocked upon hearing the news.
Chen Yifan leaned against the door frame, his voice weak but urgent.
"Director Luo... what gives them the right?"
"It's precisely because it defies common sense." (End of Chapter)