Chapter 130: Ironclad Evidence

“Boss, isn’t there talk that Boston Dynamics from the United States has the best robots? I heard they will be exhibiting this time. We should take this opportunity at the trade show to cut them down to size!”

“Ha ha, right. I also want to see what fantastic stuff Boston Dynamics will bring out. If it’s just somersaulting, our ‘Xiaobai’ definitely won’t lose to them.”

“General Manager Du, you’re not wrong. ‘Xiaobai’ can now take over the cleaning lady’s job. I’m starting to wonder if we should let the cleaning lady go.”

“Well, not for now. We should delegate specific areas for each to work. Notify the marketing department to prepare a comparative promotion at that time. When I return from the exhibition, ‘Xiaobai’ should be ready to be advertised for launch.”

“Alright. General Manager Du, people say the United States is quite chaotic, with frequent shootings. I think you need to enhance security.” Yuan Minhua was somewhat worried and couldn’t help but make a suggestion.

“Sister Yuan’s suggestion is good. I will try to arrange local security in advance; they should be armed. That should reassure you, right?”

Liu Yaofeng nodded: “That’s good. Having armed security should prevent any issues.”

Liu Yaofeng knew that Du Qiu had good self-defense skills, but no matter how skilled one is, they can’t outfight a bullet. However, with armed security personnel around, he didn’t need to worry too much.

“Alright, you guys go get busy. I’m going to visit Brother Sun at the hospital now.”

Yuan Minhua immediately said, “Do you want me to accompany you?”

“No need. You have plenty to handle. Start looking for new candidates for general manager and head of sales as soon as possible.”

“Got it.”

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“Brother Sun, looking good!”

“General Manager Du, you’re here. Sigh, I never thought I’d be laid low so quickly. Thank you for your arrangements.”

Upon reaching the hospital room, Du Qiu found Sun Hongming awake. Sun’s wife had visited and then left.

With 24-hour care arranged by Yuan Minhua, there was no need to worry about his care.

“Don’t think too much, just focus on getting better. Once you’re well, the company will still be left in your hands!” Du Qiu sat down on a chair beside the bed, patted Sun Hongming’s hand, and comforted him.

“I know my condition… I won’t get better. I’m just worried about Xiaohui and the two kids, and also the elderly parents at home…”

“Don’t worry, everything will be taken care of by me! I’m heading to the United States and will inquire if there are any good doctors who can treat you.”

After hearing what Du Qiu said, Sun Hongming turned his head to look out the window, a heaviness settling in his heart.

After a moment, Sun Hongming asked, “Are you going to the United States to attend the exhibition for me?”

“Yes, this time I will make ‘Xiaobai’ famous worldwide at the exhibition!”

Du Qiu continued, “Also, our US agent Mr. Rocky, after hearing that I might be going to the United States, managed to schedule a meeting with the Governor of California.

The California government is planning to fully apply our environmental waste disposal equipment. That’s a big order.”

Sun Hongming turned to Du Qiu and said, “General Manager Du, aren’t we rolling out new products too quickly?”

“What do you mean?” Du Qiu was puzzled.

Sun Hongming spoke slowly, “CNC software, ultra-high precision CNC machining centers, environmental waste disposal equipment, new carbon fiber production techniques.

All these have been introduced in just half a year. Any enterprise with just one such product could stand firm.

But our company has brought them all to the table, and now there’s also the revolutionary home robot coming. This too is an invention that will change the era.

Have you not considered that each one of these will raise many competitors? Taken together, we are practically surrounded by enemies.

I know that with the advanced nature and cost-effectiveness of our products, we could normally withstand these rivals in a fair market competition.

But we have only been developing for less than a year. Not only is our base weak, but we also haven’t truly earned recognition from above.”

As Sun Hongming spoke, he seemed tired.

Du Qiu was moved. Though he had thought about these issues, being a science and engineering man at heart, he believed as long as the products were good and would bring glory to the country, the nation would surely support him.

He never considered that if he advanced too quickly during the shaky early stages, the country might not support him right away.

In fact, it might be more in line with the upper echelons to support him after he has struggled and persevered for a while.

“Are you trying to persuade me not to release ‘Xiaobai’ for the time being?”

Sun Hongming shook his head slightly, saying, “No. What I’m suggesting is that you should think carefully. The release of ‘Xiaobai’ is already inevitable, but after you come back, you should make more trips to the capital.

For instance, meet with Chairman Ning or your mentor and make connections with those in power.

Our company was established recently, and since we can’t solidify our foundation rapidly, we must seek support from the top as soon as possible.”

“That sounds reasonable. After I return, I will make sure to manage that. Don’t think too much and concentrate on recovering. If you truly want the company to flourish, then heal and come back to help me!”

With a light sigh, Sun Hongming responded, “Don’t console me. Unless you turn out to be a once-in-a-generation genius who can invent a cure for advanced-stage cancer, perhaps then my life could be saved by you.”

Du Qiu was taken aback and said, “Eh, that’s a good idea. It can be a new direction for my research.”

Sun Hongming chuckled bitterly, “You have a PhD in engineering, how can you research medicine? Okay, when the Grim Reaper comes for me, nobody can stop him.

Even if you truly invent a cure, by then perhaps it would be too late for me…cough cough…”

“The patient needs to rest. You’ve been visiting for a long time,” a nurse said as she came in to usher Du Qiu out.

Helplessly, Du Qiu smiled at Sun Hongming, “Don’t worry about home, Sister Yuan has arranged everything. I’ll leave first.”

Sun Hongming watched Du Qiu’s retreating figure with a faint sigh, murmuring to himself in a low voice that no one could hear, “I’m sorry…”

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At the same time, in an interrogation room at the Security Bureau.

Behind a one-way glass wall, Ning Shuangshuang was observing Huang Zifeng, who had just been brought in for questioning.

Huang Zifeng was relaxed, leaning against the chair with his hands clasped together on his abdomen, appearing calm as he faced his interrogator.

“When did you meet Kosuke Yasushi?”

“It was during an investment conference organized by the city. He and I were merely acquaintances with a nodding involvement; there wasn’t any significant contact afterward,” replied Huang Zifeng candidly.

“Were you with him on the evening of November 26, 2019?”

“Something from November? That’s a long time ago. Let me think…” Huang Zifeng appeared contemplative.

After a while, he spoke, “I remember now. I coincidentally met him in the lobby of the Tianyu KTV, but that night I was waiting for friends and did not chat with him.”

…

Ning Shuangshuang frowned as she listened to the interrogation through the speakers, updating her assessment of Huang Zifeng.

She sighed slightly, realizing she might have been too hasty. This man was indeed crafty; faced with safety personnel inviting him for “tea,” he remained so composed.

Regardless of whether there was a problem, most people would show signs of nervousness, but Huang Zifeng’s tranquility suggested that he indeed had issues.

Unfortunately, the evidence in hand was insufficient.

Lost in thought, she was disturbed by the sound of a door. Ning Shuangshuang turned to see Deng Quan entering.

“Captain, Director Mo has received inquiries about Huang Zifeng’s arrest. If the evidence is not substantial enough, we should let him go.”

Ning Shuangshuang’s eyebrows knitted together, “People are pleading on his behalf so soon?”

“Director Mo said, Huang Zifeng has generated over a billion in revenue for the shipyard. Such a contribution indeed justifies some people protecting him. If the evidence is undeniable, we naturally don’t need to heed these matters. But if it’s insufficient…”

“Understood. Let him go through the procedures after Xiao Zhou’s interrogation. Oh, and arrange for someone to monitor him 24 hours a day!”

“Yes, Captain,” Deng Quan agreed and left.

Ning Shuangshuang watched from the opposite observation room as Huang Zifeng answered Xiao Zhou’s questions with composure.

Her keen eyes detected a slight smile on the corner of Huang Zifeng’s mouth, and she suddenly felt ridiculed.

She turned to leave the observation room, heading toward her office when her phone suddenly rang.

Taking it out, it was a call from Du Qiu. She answered promptly.

“Do you have enough evidence to detain Huang Zifeng in your hands?”

Ning Shuangshuang sighed, “Yes, but I still arrested him. I was hoping to tease out some information from the questioning, but I didn’t expect him to be so composed.

Moreover, someone has spoken for him, and with the evidence at hand being insufficient, I can only let him go temporarily.”

“You arrested him because of me, right?”

“It was for the case!” Ning Shuangshuang defended.

“Have you released Huang Zifeng?”

“He should be going through the procedures now, I suppose,” Ning Shuangshuang responded uncertainly.

“I just visited that information website and noticed there’s a new update on Huang Zifeng. Have a look. I wonder if those phone recordings count as sufficient evidence?”

“What? I’ll check it right away. Hanging up now.”

Ning Shuangshuang ran back to her office, quickly logged onto the website using Du Qiu’s account, and fervently reviewed the latest purchased information.

After listening to the phone recordings, Ning Shuangshuang immediately called Deng Quan.

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Huang Zifeng signed his name on a document handed to him by Deng Quan.

“Cop, it turns out even your security department operates legally now, that’s great! Our Tang Country has really become a rule-of-law nation.”

“Why so many words? Just leave.”

With a smile, Huang Zifeng confidently walked towards the building’s exit, pausing on the steps outside. In the distance, he saw his sister leaning against the car, waiting at the entrance to the courtyard.

Huang Zifeng raised his hand in greeting and was about to step down when…

“Huang Zifeng, wait a moment!”

Huang Zifeng stiffened and turned around, his smile unchanging as he asked, “Officer, are you offering to see me off?”

Deng Quan took out the handcuffs and cuffed Huang Zifeng’s hands, “Sorry, I just got a notice. There is evidence that you have endangered national security; you can’t leave.”

Huang Zifeng’s face changed, “This is impossible!”

“Possible or not, you will now stay with us for a while. Think about how you’ll explain yourself.”

Deng Quan escorted Huang Zifeng back inside the building.

He suddenly turned his head, seeing his sister seemingly trying to rush into the courtyard but being stopped by the gatekeeper.

An ominous feeling crept up on him.

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At the Dream Technology laboratory of Du Qiu.

“Star Ocean, you’ve made a significant contribution this time. It’s unexpected that you set up a monitoring mode at the mobile base station near Huang Zifeng’s home.”

When someone makes a mobile call, their phone first communicates with the nearby base station, and if someone intercepts the information at the base station, they can monitor the call.

Of course, the volume of information at any base station is tremendous, and only Star Ocean, through pure voiceprint comparisons, could screen out Huang Zifeng’s call details.

The voice of Star Ocean, calm as ever, explained, “Yesterday, I couldn’t find any information on Huang Zifeng online. Master instructed me to keep an eye on him, and it turned out his mobile phone was left at the office.

There was no networked device in Huang Zifeng’s home, so I had no choice but to monitor the mobile base station nearby.”

Listening to Star Ocean’s explanation, Du Qiu understood and was awestruck by the capacity of artificial intelligence.

Although he knew AI was incredible, its actual capabilities still surmounted his expectations.

After listening to the intercepted conversations, Du Qiu realized that while Huang Zifeng wasn’t the mastermind, he was the strategist behind the plans to target him.

These conversations included Huang Zifeng taking calls from Fu Guochen. Who would have thought Huang Zifeng would be Fu Guochen’s brother-in-law?

Following this thread, Star Ocean investigated the relationship of Fu Guochen’s wife and found that she and Huang Zifeng were orphaned siblings. Huang Zifeng was later adopted by a couple and then went abroad.

Obviously, after returning to the country three years ago, Huang Zifeng had found this sister and, through Fu Guochen’s connections, and with his impressive Wall Street background, smoothly became the shipyard’s finance director.

Although there were no direct clues linking Huang Zifeng to espionage activities, these recordings were ironclad evidence that he had served foreign forces.

Du Qiu immediately added Huang Zifeng’s new information to the intelligence website’s purchase records, then proceeded to call Ning Shuangshuang to notify her.

It was clear to imagine that Huang Zifeng could not escape now.