Chapter 430: Promotion

He Yuzhu lowered his head to glance at the watch on his wrist; the hands were already pointing to eight-ten.

The contact had yet to appear, and he couldn't help but feel a sliver of doubt—could the code-breaking have gone wrong?

The few men under his command were hidden in the shadows, their faces gradually showing signs of impatience; someone couldn't help but slightly adjust their legs, which had gone numb from squatting.

It wasn't until nearly eight-thirty that the sound of hurried wheels came from afar.

Two rickshaws turned the street corner, the pullers drenched in sweat, and braked in front of the warehouse gate.

Two men in shirts stepped off the vehicles, looked around, and then walked quickly to the warehouse's rusted iron gate, pressing the electric bell beside it.

The sound of the bell was exceptionally piercing in the silence.

He Yuzhu hesitated no longer; he waved his hand sharply and was the first to bolt from behind the earthen mound where he had been hiding, like a cheetah, lunging straight for the targets.

The others behind him also rushed out from different directions like arrows released from a bowstring.

"Who's there?" the gatekeeper exclaimed, reacting extremely quickly, reaching into his bosom.

A cold glint flashed under the light of the street lamp at the entrance; with a "whoosh," the Flying Knife thrown by He Yuzhu accurately pierced the opponent's shoulder.

"Ah!" the man screamed, and the pistol he had just drawn fell to the ground with a "clatter."

At the same time, three dark shadows rushed out from inside the warehouse, each clutching a Mauser C96, their muzzles pointed at the crowd charging toward them.

In that split second, He Yuzhu pulled the triggers of the two pistols in his hands.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Three gunshots rang out.

Blood bloomed simultaneously from the wrists or arms of the three who had rushed out; they screamed and let go, their Mauser C96s hitting the ground one after another.

"Don't move!" "Drop your weapons and you won't be killed!"

Ten Plainclothes Police surged forward like a tide, quickly pinning the six people at the scene firmly to the ground, twisting their arms behind their backs and handcuffing them with clean, efficient movements.

He Yuzhu stepped forward quickly and used Scanning to check several thick tin cans.

Sure enough, they were the two kilograms of potassium cyanide and fifteen kilograms of arsenic mentioned in the intelligence.

The six arrested individuals were escorted to the Dewai Police Station.

The interrogation room was dimly lit; at first, the few were very stubborn, insisting that those highly toxic items were "for killing rats in the warehouse."

It wasn't until He Yuzhu used some "special" methods that the one named Wang Shuwen was the first to confess, admitting their status as lurking spies and detailing the mission of the contact.

Once the interrogation reached this level, the police station no longer had the authority to continue digging deeper. The six spies were quickly transferred to the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Deputy Bureau Chief's office.

Zhou Hao's face was a mix of shock and anger: "Uncle Zuo! We've been played! Tian Dan... she pulled a 'feigning an attack on one side while attacking on the other'!"

Deputy Bureau Chief had already read the briefing and felt very uncomfortable, as if he had swallowed a fly, but he didn't show it on his face at all.

He put down the briefing, even smiled, and pointed to the chair opposite: "Xiao Zhou, sit. It's a good thing the case was solved. Think about it, if the enemy had spread those two kilograms of potassium cyanide and fifteen kilograms of arsenic, what terrible consequences would it have caused? Neither you nor I could bear that responsibility. This time, Section Chief Tian took precautions and laid out the plan in advance, which shows she truly has ideas and the ability to execute them. On this point, you still need to observe more and learn more."

Zhou Hao sat down unwillingly and said: "Uncle Zuo, Tian Dan must have broken the code yesterday morning! She just deliberately didn't tell us! She would rather give the credit to a police station than... than let your side get the achievement!"

Seeing Zhou Hao trying to be clever, Deputy Bureau Chief felt somewhat displeased; the smile on his face faded slightly as he said: "Xiao Zhou, in terms of ability, Comrade Tian Dan is indeed formidable. A code that even an Expert like Zhai Tao would take three days to break, Tian Dan can handle in one night? She truly has the skill!"

Zhou Hao was instantly speechless, his mouth opening and closing, but no sound came out.

Deputy Bureau Chief said earnestly: "This matter also shows that while Tian Dan herself may be a bit simple, the people behind her are likely not simple. Xiao Zhou, sometimes taking a step back opens up a vast sky. If it really doesn't work out, the Comprehensive Division still lacks a Section Chief; it would be good for you to go there and gain some experience."

Zhou Hao shook his head violently, as if stung: "No, Uncle Zuo, please give me more time! I want to build my own team, a team that can get things done!"

"What do you want to do?" Deputy Bureau Chief looked up at him.

A flash of ruthlessness and calculation crossed Zhou Hao's eyes: "Do you still remember that spy named Mei Feng? He used to be an intelligence expert for the Bald Party. I want to... win him over and have him serve as my Staff Officer. In the future, we won't have to keep looking at others' faces when it comes to code-breaking and intelligence analysis!"

Upon hearing this, Deputy Bureau Chief frowned deeply, pondered for a long time, and then said slowly: "This matter... must be handled with the utmost caution. A spy's mind has nine twists and eighteen turns; once it's a trap he's set for us, we could very well be doomed."

"I will be careful, Uncle Zuo. However, Tian Dan went way too far this time! To hide such a major event as breaking the code without reporting it—no organization, no discipline! You should really give her a good dressing down!"

Deputy Bureau Chief spread his hands, pointed to the copy of the case file submitted by the Dewai Police Station on the table, and said helplessly: "On what grounds? Witness testimony, physical evidence, records of the arrest process—the logic is clear and rigorous. If I go to accuse her now, wouldn't I be offending Lao Zhou (the Branch Bureau Chief), the police station, and the people behind that He Yuzhu at the same time? Those are people with heaven-reaching connections. Xiao Zhou, you must use strategy in doing things; you cannot rely solely on impulse."

Zhou Hao's face turned red and then white; he stood up sheepishly: "Then... Uncle Zuo, I'll be going first."

Watching Zhou Hao leave and gently close the door, the gentleness on Deputy Bureau Chief's face completely vanished, and he cursed in a low voice: "This little bastard, he's really nothing like his uncle... he's a wolf cub, but unfortunately, a wolf cub who only knows how to bully others by flaunting his superior's power and can't keep his cool."

One month later.

Commendations were issued one after another.

The Dewai Police Station, Lao Zhou's branch bureau, and Tian Dan's First Division were all awarded by their superiors for this major case.

Only He Yuzhu seemed to have gained nothing on the public merit roll.

But he was happy, because he too had been "promoted."

The Lou Steel Rolling Mill completed its Public-Private Partnership, was officially acquired by the state, renamed "Red Star Rolling Mill," and designated as a bureau-level unit.

The original Boss, Lou Zhenhua, was retained to serve as General Consultant.

Factory Director Yang from the Northern Automobile Factory was transferred to serve as the Factory Director of the Red Star Rolling Mill, and He Daqing was also specifically named by Factory Director Yang to be transferred over to serve as the Logistics Department Director.

As for He Yuzhu, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief Engineer of the Red Star Rolling Mill, specifically responsible for the research, development, and production of Special Steel.

Because of He Yuzhu's strong insistence, the Northern Automobile Factory also transferred its civilian automobile manufacturing equipment and key technical personnel to the Red Star Rolling Mill in their entirety, in order to plant the seeds for the future production of civilian vehicles.

And the original Secretary Liu was promoted to serve as the Department Director of the Industrial Administration Bureau under the Ministry of Heavy Industry, becoming He Yuzhu's proper direct superior.

This day, He Yuzhu came to the Ministry of Heavy Industry building.

He went up to the third floor, familiar with the way, and knocked on the door of the new Department Director's office.

"Come in." A familiar voice came from inside.

He Yuzhu pushed the door open and entered; Department Director Liu was leaning over his desk reviewing documents. Seeing it was him, he immediately stood up and walked around the large office desk: "Zhuzi is here! Sit down quickly!" He personally walked to the tea table to brew tea for He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu took the steaming teacup and laughed: "Secretary Liu... oh, I should call you Department Director Liu now. How should I address you in the future? Should I call you Department Director, or should I call you Leader?"

Department Director Liu sat back on the sofa opposite him and laughed: "What are you saying! No matter what position I reach in the future, in private, you will always call me Secretary Liu; I find it intimate. And I will always call you Zhuzi."

"Good! Then it's settled, Secretary Liu." He Yuzhu laughed and took a sip of tea, feeling warm inside.

"I know, what you care about most in your heart might be building cars, but Zhuzi, the foundation of the country's industry is steel—it is the backbone. If we can't get the Special Steel and high-quality steel sectors up, then cars, machine tools, national defense... everything is just a castle in the air. The burden on your shoulders is not light..."