Chapter 458

When considering an issue, you must take a comprehensive view.

Therefore, putting yourself in the other's position is an indispensable step.

Since the opponent is a top-tier agent, how could they possibly fail to consider avoiding our defensive strongpoints?

Yet they deliberately chose a route that appears to be a shortcut but is in fact the most dangerous path toward the experimental zone.

"We already thought about this issue before."

Li Mingzhao replied:

"It's like assaulting a city—though you know the shortcut is heavily guarded, you still try it."

"If you can't break through the shortcut, other areas will be even harder."

"And from the outside looking in, the entire experimental zone is surrounded by armed police—there's not a single weak point to slip through."

That's the difference between state security and public security… Yu Dazhang felt Li Mingzhao's analysis was still too narrow.

State security only thinks in terms of offense and defense.

But public security investigations must consider every possible angle.

Often, when facing a suspicious point, criminal investigators will generate dozens of hypotheses, then systematically eliminate them until they find the most logically consistent possibility.

Even then, they still can't be completely certain.

"Weak points aren't seen—they must be verified firsthand."

Yu Dazhang fell into thought for a moment, then slowly said:

"The facts prove the opponent suffered heavy losses; though we also had casualties, comparatively speaking, we won this engagement."

In his view, this outcome was predictable.

Any soldier with combat experience could easily foresee this result.

After all, the gap between both sides wasn't that wide, and state security held the advantage of terrain.

So from every perspective, the opponent shouldn't have chosen this grove as their breakthrough point.

Yu Dazhang didn't believe a top-tier agent would make such a basic mistake.

If that's the case, then the opponent must have some hidden agenda.

At this moment, he stared at the opposite slope, his mind racing.

One hypothesis after another flashed through his mind, only to be swiftly discarded.

In the end, only three plausible deductions remained:

1. They overestimated their own capabilities.

They had previously clashed with state security, escaped unscathed, and even inflicted casualties.

Habitual thinking.

So they believed even taking this risky route, they could still break through state security's lines.

2. This is merely a decoy.

Their real breakthrough point lies elsewhere.

They chose this path deliberately as a feint—intending for us to notice it, so they could probe our firepower and draw our attention.

3. They have some other special plan or objective.

The skirmish in the small grove was deliberately orchestrated to sacrifice men.

To convey to us their determination in this manner.

After much deliberation, Yu Dazhang could think of no other possibilities.

But judging solely from these three points, the opponent seemed almost foolish.

"Have you analyzed the opponent's current mindset?"

As Yu Dazhang asked this, his eyes never left the opposite slope.

Two pine trees on it stood out prominently—he had a habit of fixing his gaze on a reference point when thinking, as if it sparked inspiration.

"Of course we analyzed it."

Li Mingzhao replied:

"The opponent clearly won't stop until they achieve their goal—otherwise they wouldn't be so persistent. They're determined to fight to the death."

That's right—this is precisely the impression the opponent wants to leave us with… Yu Dazhang felt Li Mingzhao's firsthand perception was the most direct.

Now, he only needed to analyze why the opponent deliberately wanted to leave this impression.

Yu Dazhang sank back into deep thought.

This was the most mentally exhausting phase.

Many veteran criminal investigators, when analyzing cases, would unconsciously slip into a "theoretical" state.

They believed they had fully grasped every detail—but in truth, they hadn't. Because you never know what hidden clues lie behind seemingly insignificant details.

Unconsciously, Yu Dazhang had stood motionless for over an hour.

He had also kept his gaze fixed on the opposite slope, as if he couldn't think unless he was staring at those two pine trees.

Li Mingzhao stood silently beside him, making not a single sound, afraid of disturbing his thoughts.

He had complete faith in Yu Dazhang's abilities.

Someone who had solved several major cases in a row must have a unique perspective and method.

Why leave behind the impression of fighting to the death?

Around this question, Yu Dazhang generated dozens of deductions, only to reject each one in turn.

Fighting to the death wasn't their goal.

Charging in was impossible—they lacked the strength.

The path for infiltration had also been blocked by state security.

So what other methods do they have to achieve their goal?

Thinking it over, Yu Dazhang switched to another line of thought.

Right—achieving the goal is their ultimate objective.

All strategies and schemes serve that objective.

Then, since they can't get in...

An idea suddenly surfaced in Yu Dazhang's mind.

Strike the mountain to scare the tiger!

They want to use this hard-nosed approach to force our side to relocate the researchers, then lie in wait to intercept them along the way.

Once they have the researchers under control, it's the same as holding the core technology.

So the enemy's target is the people!

"Has our side considered relocating them?" Yu Dazhang suddenly asked.

That is the most critical question right now.

If our side has already prepared to move these researchers out, then we've fallen right into the enemy's trap.

"We did consider it, actually."

Li Mingzhao answered truthfully:

"After all, dragging this out forever isn't a long-term solution. If they really do sneak in, the consequences would be far too severe."

"You saw it yourself just now—there are two full academicians in there alone, and they're both national-treasure figures. Not a single slip-up can be allowed."

Just as expected... Although he had guessed the enemy's intent, Yu Dazhang didn't feel much lighter.

Just as Li Mingzhao said, dragging this out forever won't work either.

"On our own turf, and these foreign agents can still be so brazen!"

Yu Dazhang suddenly flared up:

"Why not organize the military to sweep the mountains?!"

"They must be lying in wait in the nearby mountains. If nothing else works, just send bombers over to carpet-bomb every mountain range in the area—I refuse to believe we can't kill them!"

In his view, this was the most direct Effective method.

Since we know the enemy is nearby, why be polite? Just go at them, that's all. No need to dawdle here mulling over countermeasures.

"Are you out of your mind!"

Li Mingzhao said, eyes wide:

"If it really were that simple to solve, we wouldn't need to be here. Just toss a nuclear bomb—how satisfying that would be, and we could do a nuclear test while we're at it."

The more he spoke, the more agitated he got, and his voice grew louder and louder:

"But look at where this is—a test zone. Everything here is the nation's top secret."

"If we let the military come sweep the mountains, this place would be completely exposed."

Li Mingzhao took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then continued:

"Look at those armed police down below—every single one of them went through layer upon layer of vetting before earning the right to be here. Even you being here is something I vouched for with my own head."

He knew Yu Dazhang was under so much pressure that he'd say such irrational things.

As for the suggestion of sending bombers over, he couldn't even be bothered to explain.

Bombing their own country's soil, their own test zone—what would they even need state security for then.

Just as he was about to continue the ideological work, Yu Dazhang suddenly spoke up:

"There's a prone guy on the mountain opposite!"

"What?" Li Mingzhao didn't understand.

Yu Dazhang blinked, then pointed at the opposite slope and said:

"There's a person lying prone to the right of those two pine trees."

(End of chapter)