Chapter 56: Major Investigation

In the capital, inside an office.

Unlike the relaxed and cheerful atmosphere of the recent audience of all nations, the current atmosphere is somewhat heavy.

Because of the Zhou Siyi spy incident, it has already been reported upward.

"Rote Commissioner, this kind of traitor deserves the death penalty!"

National Security Bureau chief Yang Zhen Guo's face was so dark it could drip water; he looked at the report in his hand, slammed his palm on the table, his voice repressing anger.

Qin Hao sat to the side, looking at Yang Zhen Guo's iron-blue face, also frowning.

"I didn't expect Yingjiang Guo's Intelligence Department to have turned her three years ago, using some money and illusory promises, to make her betray her country. This time's target directly points to the core technical data of Heaven-Earth One."

Cheng Haitang also chimed in from the side.

Although the report repeatedly emphasized that, thanks to preventive measures in place, Zhou Siyi had not accessed any core secrets, her clumsy espionage plan had not even begun implementation before being nipped in the bud.

But after hearing this, everyone still broke out in a cold sweat.

Just a little bit.

If it weren't for the high vigilance of the security department, if she had succeeded…… the consequences and losses would be immeasurably huge.

The hard-won optimized technology and the production line that had been set up could thus be wasted.

A surge of anger rose from Qin Hao's heart; he could not understand what kind of person would, for the so-called Bunima Villa, betray the country and compatriots that raised him.

"How should we deal with this Zhou Siyi?" Zhang Yunfeng asked in a low voice from the side.

"The evidence is conclusive; she herself has fully confessed. The court tried her overnight, considering she caused no substantive harm and had a candid attitude, and by law sentenced her to life imprisonment, depriving her of political rights for life."

Yang Zhen Guo replied, his tone devoid of any pity.

The room fell into a brief silence.

Luo Lao remained silent, merely calmly flipping through that report.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Qin Hao and the others.

"A single turned spy can't stir up much trouble. But I worry that in this room, there is not just one spy; there may also be flies, mosquitoes, and even mice hidden deeper."

He closed the report, placed it at the corner of the table, and his tone suddenly turned cold.

"Since dirty things have entered the house, let's just launch a thorough cleaning and sweep every nook and cranny clean!"

"The orders from above have already come down…"

Luo Lao looked at Yang Zhen Guo: "Immediately establish a joint investigation team, led by the National Security Bureau and the Military Intelligence Department, to conduct the most thorough background screening and loyalty evaluation of all personnel who have participated in or come into contact with the several high-end core technological projects such as photolithography machines, aircraft engines, and special materials."

Be quick, be ruthless, be precise! I don't want our hard work to be destroyed by these termites!

"Yes!"

Yang Zhen Guo abruptly stood up, straightened his back, and fire ignited in his eyes.

This order exactly suits his wishes.

An internal purge operation codenamed "Thunder" silently unfolded across Yanhuang Guo's major high-precision technology fields.

There was no grandiose manhunt, no nerve-wracking interrogation.

Everything proceeded quietly.

Investigators conducted a comprehensive "check-up" on the vast scientific research system.

They examined every suspicious financial account, tracked every abnormal online trace, and reevaluated the social connections and past experiences of every personnel with access to secrets.

An invisible great net quietly tightened.

The result was shocking.

One week later, in the same office, Yang Zhen Guo again submitted a report, only this time the report's thickness was several times that of the previous one.

"Commissioner, the Thunder operation has initially shown results; we have altogether rooted out fifteen termites."

"Of these fifteen people, eight, like Zhou Siyi, are turncoats swayed by money and beauty; the other seven are long-term professional spies, whose plot began from the moment they entered university and chose their majors."

"Fortunately, we have always managed core technology with an 'isolated island' approach, layered physical isolation, and extremely strict permission allocation."

Among them, the highest rank is merely a deputy team leader of a special alloy materials lab, and what they can access are only some relatively mature or already phased-out technical parameters by us.

They know nothing about the latest achievements such as Heaven-Earth One.

Hearing this, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.

"You've done well; these people are time bombs and must be severely punished!" Luo Lao said solemnly.

"Director Yang, how should we handle them now?" Qin Hao interjected from time to time.

Yang Zhen Guo turned his head to look at Qin Hao,

"Those eight who were turned, according to the degree of harm from the leaked intelligence, are sentenced variously from twenty years to life imprisonment; as for those seven professional spies…"

Yang Zhen Guo paused, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "The evidence is conclusive; they pose a major threat to our national security; after review by the Supreme Court, the death penalty was carried out yesterday at dawn."

Clean and decisive, leaving no future trouble.

Zhang Yunfeng, upon hearing this, couldn't help but snort, with a hint of mockery,

"I hope they can enjoy the 'freedom' promised by their masters in another world."

A huge crisis that could have shaken the foundations of the state was thus resolved invisibly.

"Mending the pen after losing the sheep is not too late."

Luo Lao stood up, walked to the map, his gaze deep.

"This cleanup also sounded an alarm for us; our enemies, if they cannot prevail openly, will turn to covert means, whose methods will only grow more vile and without bottom line."

He turned around and issued new instructions to Yang Zhen Guo.

"Taking this operation as an opportunity, establish a normalized, stricter review and supervision mechanism for personnel with access to secrets."

For all core projects, personnel backgrounds must be traced back three generations; all overseas relations of immediate family members must be filed. The remuneration and honorary incentives for technical staff must keep pace, so they can conduct research with dignity and dignity, and not let heroes bleed and shed tears.

"The most important point,

Luo Lao emphasized his tone: "Technical protective measures must be upgraded again; not only must we guard against external thieves, but also against internal traitors. I want our core technology to become a truly impregnable fortress that no needle can pierce and no water can splash."

Qin Hao listened quietly, his heart filled with myriad emotions.

He realized for the first time so profoundly that true strength is not merely possessing a trump card capable of overturning the table, but also having the ability to protect that trump card.

Externally, one must have various defensive measures; internally, one must likewise have iron-blooded methods.

Between nations, there are only interests, no feelings to speak of.

Not only at the negotiation table, in the market, but even more in these unseen corners.

Having advanced technology, one must also have the ability to safeguard it.