Chapter 184: Military‑Industrial Crisis

The festive spirit of the Spring Festival hadn't even faded when the Steel Rolling Mill received an urgent task—producing special armor steel for a new‑type tank. It was a military‑industrial order that had to be delivered within a month.

Li Ping'an stared at the mission order and frowned: "Wang Dahu, notify the whole team, put everyone into combat‑ready mode; unless there's a special circumstance, no one may take leave. Ensure the Steel Factory's safety and prevent any spies from sabotaging it!"

Wang Dahu gasped: "Chief, this job can't be done carelessly!"

"That's why we must be extra careful." Li Ping'an looked over the plant area; Zhu Jiguān had taken a loss and was bound to strike back.

Sure enough, the next day a suspicious package was found in the raw‑material warehouse. Li Ping'an opened it cautiously; inside were Explosives device parts.

"Good heavens, even the raw‑material channels have been infiltrated?" Wang Dahu clicked his tongue.

Li Ping'an ordered a strict investigation of all procurement channels, and even the police dogs were added to the night patrol team.

At noon in the cafeteria, he noticed a few new workers in Workshop No. 3 constantly huddling and murmuring. Divine Perception quietly activated, and he vaguely heard a few words about the substation for tomorrow night.

Back in his office, he immediately assigned: "Wang Dahu, focus on the substation tonight."

"How did you know they'd act at the substation tonight?"

"Intuition." Li Ping'an said no more.

The substation was eerily silent deep into the night. At 2 a. m., several dark figures indeed crept over.

"Move!" Li Ping'an ordered.

The assailants were swift, about to break through. Li Ping'an darted forward, blocking their path, a flash of silver light flickering from his fingertips—

The short leader's wrist was hit, and his dagger clattered to the ground.

The others were about to bite poison, but Li Ping'an, as fast as lightning, instantly knocked their jaws off.

"Want to die? Not that easy."

The interrogation lasted until dawn; these men were indeed elite of Zhu Jiguān. At that moment, Wang Dahu rushed in hurriedly:

"Chief, the special steel formula has been stolen!"

Li Ping'an's heart sank. The substation was a feint; the real target was the Technology Section! What a classic "attack the east, strike the west" move.

The safe was intact, but the documents had vanished. The on‑duty technician was drugged unconscious in a corner.

"A master's work," Li Ping'an concluded after inspection.

All clues pointed to Chen Ming, Deputy Section Chief of the Technology Section—a veteran engineer with twenty years of service.

"Impossible!" the Technology Section Chief snapped. Lao Chen had worked at the Steel Factory for over twenty years; he was a seasoned technician, absolutely reliable!

However, Li Ping'an's investigation revealed that Chen Ming's son was gravely ill and needed money, yet a large sum of cash had recently been hidden at home.

"Summon Chen Ming for questioning," Li Ping'an instructed.

But Chen Ming had already disappeared.

"Search the entire city!" Li Ping'an ordered. He's certainly not left the city!

Military‑industrial production cannot halt. Li Ping'an tightened security in the Workshops and personally inspected every corner.

"Chief, this is too passive; it would be great if we could capture Zhu Jiguān in one net!" Wang Dahu fretted.

Li Ping'an knew that, but military‑industrial tasks concern national defense and cannot be taken lightly.

That day, after overtime, he returned home to find his sister absent. A note on the table read: "Brother, I'm going to Master's house to deliver embroidered goods; don't worry."

Li Ping'an's Divine Perception swept the area, his face turning pale—his sister wasn't at Su Shifu's house; she was actually in an abandoned factory in West City!

He bolted out of the house like an arrow from a bow, worry gnawing at him; his sister must not get hurt, or how could he explain to their parents?

Inside the factory, Li Pingyue was tied to a chair, with two masked men standing nearby.

"If your brother hands over the formula, we'll release you immediately."

Li Pingyue frantically shook his head, tears streaming down his face.

The main gate collapsed, and Li Ping'an descended like a deity.

"Release them."

The masked man raised his gun in threat, but felt a sharp pain in his wrist—the gun was already in Li Ping'an's hand.

"I said, release them."

One of them suddenly produced a remote: "The whole plant is rigged with Explosives! If you don't want to die, do exactly as we demand!"

Li Ping'an's silver needle flashed from his fingertips, shattering the remote, and he simultaneously darted to free his sister.

Li Pingyue threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly.

The two masked men turned to flee, but Li Ping'an easily subdued them.

"Who ordered this?"

One man gave a strange grin, then blood spurted from all seven orifices as he collapsed. The other swallowed poison and killed himself.

Inside the collar of his coat, a familiar Night Owl mark stared back at him.

When he returned to the Siheyuan, dawn was just breaking. Li Ping'an settled his sister, then rushed to the Steel Rolling Mill. Today a stage assessment of military‑industrial production was to be held; no errors could be tolerated.

Inside the Steel Rolling Mill, the military‑industrial stage assessment proceeded. Experts praised the product quality endlessly, and the Technology Section Chief beamed with joy; completing the task on schedule was the greatest victory.

Yet Li Ping'an was troubled—Chen Ming and the formula were still missing.

After dismissing the assessment team, he immediately convened an emergency meeting.

Chen Ming must still be in the city. He reasoned that Zhu Jiguān had expended such great effort; it was impossible they wouldn't have sent the formula out.

"We've searched the whole city for three days, no trace. Could he be an Earth‑walking Sun who can't tunnel underground?" Wang Dahu scratched his head.

Li Ping'an's eyes lit up: "The most dangerous place is the safest. He may never have left the plant!"

Sure enough, in the abandoned boiler room they found the hidden Chen Ming.

"Lao Chen, why did you do this?" the Technology Section Chief said, heartbroken.

Chen Ming's old tears streamed: "I have no choice; my son needs money to survive, otherwise our family will have no heir!"

"What about the formula?"

"It was taken by the masked person last night..."

Li Ping'an's heart sank. The formula was completely lost.

Strangely, the next few days were calm. This unusual calm instead made him uneasy.

While researching the files late at night, he suddenly startled awake:

No! They aren't trying to destroy it; they want to steal the complete technology!

He immediately contacted the Public Security Bureau: Deputy Director Liu, quickly seal the city exits! They intend to smuggle the technology out of the country!

A citywide manhunt was launched overnight. At dawn, a truck was intercepted on the road to Tianjin, and the full set of technical documents was seized.

Close call! Deputy Director Liu was frightened afterwards; any later and it would have leaked out.

But Li Ping'an couldn't smile. A secret letter was found in the truck, reading:

Plan B activated. Target: Li Ping'an.

Returning to the Steel Rolling Mill, the morning sun just rose. Wang Dahu came running over excitedly:

Director, the armaments task was completed ahead of schedule!

Li Ping'an nodded, gazing into the distance. This covert struggle is far from over.