Chapter 11612 — A Word About Yu Chu

The other party was named Yu He, nominally his equal in rank, a colleague of sorts within the divine realm's intelligence system.

Only, the other's backing was more formidable, and so he conducted himself all the more brazenly, utterly without scruple.

"Oh? Do go on."

Yu He raised an eyebrow.

Guan Zhengxuan straightened his expression. "Intelligence work behind enemy lines is unlike any other; secrecy is the foremost priority. The so-called concentration of strength means, at the same time, a concentration of risk—making exposure all the easier. That is the cardinal taboo of work behind enemy lines."

Yu He narrowed his eyes. "There is no small sense in what Director Guan says. Yet how is it I hear that the mole you so painstakingly planted in the Inner Royal Court has made not a stir for over a year?"

Guan Zhengxuan stiffened slightly, then said in a low voice: "I ordered him to keep silent. The longer the silence, the lower the chance he is suspected, and the better his position to obtain critical intelligence later. Is there a problem with that?"

"So it is said. But my fear is that certain people draw their pay and give nothing in return, squandering the divine realm's precious resources for nothing."

Yu He's charming eyes were like knives.

He and Guan Zhengxuan were the most direct of rivals. He had learned before this that Guan Zhengxuan had planted an exceptionally high-level mole, an asset whose file within the divine realm reached as high as the heavens—one that even the gods could not access!

If the man truly produced results, one day he might well be outshone and brought to heel.

He had thought up many schemes to obtain that mole's file, but every one of them had failed, and he had even been rapped on the knuckles with a warning for his trouble.

Given his standing and connections, this was all but inconceivable.

Yet the more it was so, the more determined he became to possess this mysterious mole in Guan Zhengxuan's hands.

Guan Zhengxuan was unmoved. "Whether resources are squandered is for our superiors to judge; no one else need put in a word."

"Is that so?"

Yu He had run into a wall, yet he did not give up. Instead he produced a jade token.

The information projected from it made Guan Zhengxuan's expression change subtly.

"A departmental review?"

Yu He spread his hands in feigned helplessness. "Exactly so—a departmental review. Our intelligence system's new head has taken office, and a new broom sweeps clean. His first blaze is a departmental review, lest certain persons, under the pretext of planting moles, gorge themselves on phantom salaries. And I happen to be the one in charge. Surely Director Guan will not withhold his support?"

Guan Zhengxuan's heart sank.

With the leadership of the intelligence system changing hands, he had met this new head only once and did not know him well, but he could tell the man was indeed an ambitious sort.

From the look of things now, this Yu He before him had plainly already attached himself to the new head.

This was no good news.

The crux was that he could not, right from the outset, set himself against this new head.

Guan Zhengxuan said in a heavy voice, "How do you intend to sound me out?"

Yuhe came straight to the point. "Hand over every file you hold on your moles, and I will send my own people to verify them."

Guan Zhengxuan was refreshingly direct; he simply laid out a whole string of dossiers.

These files were archived within the intelligence system as well. Whether he handed them over or not, the other side could look them up if they wished; there was no point quibbling over this.

Yuhe glanced over them and shook her head. "I told you, I want all the mole files."

Guan Zhengxuan gave a soft laugh. "And I told you, these are all the files I have on hand. As for the one you want, it is not with me. If Director Yu truly wishes to see it, she might go and seek out that esteemed god. Who knows, perhaps you will have some luck."

"..."

Yuhe's face darkened.

That god was the second-in-command of the entire Divine Domain, outranked only by the Creator God himself. No matter how much he prided himself on having connections reaching the heavens, he could never presume to reach so high.

Yuhe promptly changed tack. "No files, then fine. Give him an order to make contact with my people once."

Guan Zhengxuan shook his head again. "Impossible. He is still in his silent period. Any contact or the like would only increase the risk of his exposure."

Yuhe smiled, lovely and alluring. "Director Guan, we are both old hands in this line of work. There is no need to trot out such lofty principles before me. It is a simple contact, no extra moves required. If he cannot even manage that, then there is no need for him to continue existing; he would not survive the first test set by the top."

Guan Zhengxuan fell silent.

What the other side was doing was plainly an attempt to probe out Wei Zhao's true depths, and the crux of it was that this also represented the will of that new leader. If he pushed back hard today, he would offend them utterly.

Yuhe, in turn, laid out a file. "This is a mole I carefully planted many years ago. He has already climbed into the upper echelons of power within the Inner Royal Court. I awakened him not long ago, and he has full authority over this sounding-out mission. Have your man go to him."

Guan Zhengxuan took one look, and his eyes narrowed at once.

The Chief Administrator of the Han Prince's estate.

Guan Zhengxuan said quietly, "Director Yu plays a fine hand."

Yuhe smiled smugly. "So-so."

Matters having reached this point, Guan Zhengxuan had no room left to deflect.

After all, a mole at the rank of Chief Administrator of one of the seven great princely estates was already top-tier. For the other side to declare it of their own accord was, from any bystander's view, a display of sincerity so complete it left nothing to criticize.

If he refused even now, then in the eyes of that new leader, it would likely seem that he harbored ulterior motives.

After all, however high-ranking a mole's files might be, his standing within the Inner Royal Court could scarcely surpass that of Chief Administrator Han. What right did he have to put on such airs here?

Unless he was simply conjuring empty tricks and drawing a salary for nothing.

This was not only Yuhe's pressure upon him, but also the new leader's test of him.

Where Guan Zhengxuan would stand in the intelligence apparatus hereafter depended entirely on whether he could produce a satisfactory token of allegiance this time.

After a moment's silence, Guan Zhengxuan said, "I can give my man the order, but how he acts specifically will be for him alone to decide. No one is to interfere."

"Of course."

Yuhe made a gesture of invitation, a keen light glinting at the corners of her eyes.

Han Changshi was indeed a senior mole he had carefully planted, but he was not the only card in his hand. So long as he could lure out the card the other side held, he would not count it a loss even if this one was lost thereby.

The Inner Royal Court.

Sensing the long-absent directive of intent from Guan Zhengxuan, Wei Zhao's heart stirred, and he could not help but feel somewhat surprised.

"He wants me to make contact with someone?"

He had known this day would come sooner or later, but by Guan Zhengxuan's earlier account, he was to remain silent for at least five years, his sole task being to sink roots into the Inner Royal Court.

Yet barely a year had passed, and now the plan had changed?

Only after he had received the full set of instructions did Wei Zhao's expression turn increasingly strange.

Han Changshi was a mole for the gods as well?

That the second-in-command of the Chu Prince's estate, Chu Zhongyuan, had been discovered to be a mole had been astonishing enough; and now the second-in-command of the Han Prince's estate was a mole for the gods too?

One spot glimpsed reveals the whole leopard.