Chapter 120: Su Yu Appears

Ning Zhiheng continued to press, "And who exactly ordered you to search for these two pieces of jade?"

Dai Daguang hesitated for a moment before answering, "It was Su Yu, the Deputy Chief of the Second Division of the Planning Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He approached me four days ago, claiming that two family heirlooms had been lost—a jade magatama and a seal. He insisted that I find them, saying they were precious heirlooms of great importance to his family!"

"A Deputy Chief from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Are you telling the truth?" Ning Zhiheng’s spirits lifted. This was a big catch! A ranking official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs!

Other departments were one thing; the Bureau of Military Statistics and Investigation had the authority to intervene in their affairs. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was different. It fell directly under the leadership of President Chiang, who held the ministry in high regard. Every minister there was a trusted confidant of the President, so much so that a few years later, the President even served concurrently as the Foreign Minister. Even the Bureau of Military Statistics and Investigation had to tread carefully when dealing with cases involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Of course it's the truth! How would I dare lie to you?" Dai Daguang said, his face twisted in distress.

"Did he give you any other instructions?" Ning Zhiheng asked.

Dai Daguang stammered for a while before saying, "He said this matter must be handled in secret, not to alert the police, and as quickly as possible!"

"He naturally wanted it kept secret, because those two pieces of jade are things that cannot see the light of day," Ning Zhiheng said coldly.

Dai Daguang nodded hurriedly. "I thought so too at the time, but Chief Su is a high-ranking official with great power. I have to make a living under him, so I didn't dare defy his orders. That’s why I sent my subordinates, the Zuo siblings, to handle it. But Officer, I truly did not send them to kill anyone! I have always been a law-abiding citizen; I was kept in the dark about the whole thing from start to finish. I am truly wronged!"

"Stop crying foul for a moment! Did Su Yu give you a deadline?" Ning Zhiheng asked.

"He gave me six days, saying to find them as soon as possible, but no later than ten. If I couldn't find them, he would find someone else," Dai Daguang replied, his head hanging low in resignation.

Why six days? Why not seven or eight? Ning Zhiheng felt there was definitely more to it. If Dai Daguang was telling the truth, then this Chief Su Yu must have been arranged by Tian Liqun to retrieve the clan crest seal and the jade magatama. Once Su Yu obtained the seal, he would not delay such an important item and would likely hand it over to Tian Liqun immediately or the following day.

"At what time four days ago did Su Yu give you this task?" Ning Zhiheng pressed.

"It was the evening of four days ago, last Sunday night. He called me to meet him and gave me these instructions," Dai Daguang said.

Ning Zhiheng calculated the timing. The deadline Su Yu set would require Dai Daguang to retrieve the items by Saturday. This meant it was highly probable that Su Yu intended to meet with Tian Liqun on Sunday to return the seal and the jade.

In other words, it was very likely that Su Yu had received notice from Tian Liqun last Sunday to retrieve the items, and on that same evening, he had summoned Dai Daguang to carry out the task. If his suspicions were correct, Su Yu and Tian Liqun were likely planning to meet this coming Sunday!

Now that Tian Liqun was also under surveillance, all he had to do was keep a close watch on Su Yu to see if the two would meet. The case would then be clear, and he could almost confirm Su Yu’s identity as a Japanese spy.

As for Dai Daguang, Ning Zhiheng judged he was likely telling the truth, though this required verification. After all, Su Yu was a division chief at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ning Zhiheng had to be cautious with such a high-ranking official.

Unlike a street thug like Dai Daguang—who might look like a big shot to ordinary people but was merely an ant to Ning Zhiheng that could be crushed at any moment—this guy still had a use. He needed to keep Su Yu steady without alerting the target. This was a rare, high-value catch. Just thinking about unmasking a high-ranking official embedded in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a massive achievement he could add to his record.

With this in mind, Ning Zhiheng said in a stern tone, "Dai Daguang, I don't think you grasp the severity of this matter. Your problem isn't just ordering your subordinates to commit murder; more importantly, you have become entangled in a major Japanese espionage case that our Bureau is currently investigating. Chief Su, who ordered you to find these jade pieces, is a Japanese spy embedded in our country, and those two items are the most crucial tokens and evidence of this case! You are now suspected of treason and illegal espionage activities. You should understand what that implies!"

Just like the Zuo siblings, Dai Daguang’s mouth fell open and his eyes widened in horror upon hearing this. He stuttered, unable to form words, before finally wailing, "Officer! I'm wronged! How was I to know Chief Su—no, that bastard—was a Japanese spy? I was deceived! Please, Officer, show mercy and spare my life. I’m willing to give you all my wealth to repay you! Please, let me go!"

Only now did Dai Daguang realize why a department like the Bureau of Military Statistics and Investigation had come for him. He had been dragged into such a grave case and implicated in espionage. He had essentially one foot in the grave, and his life depended entirely on the whim of this Officer Ning!

Seeing that his words had taken effect, Ning Zhiheng softened his tone. "Since you understand the severity, you must realize that you have committed a capital offense! I am giving you one chance."

Hearing this, Dai Daguang felt as if he had received a pardon. He pleaded repeatedly, "I am willing to make amends for my crimes! I am willing! Just give me a chance, Officer!"

Ning Zhiheng nodded with satisfaction. "In three days, when Su Yu contacts you again, keep him calm and tell him you are about to recover the seal and ask him to wait a little longer. I will arrange what comes next. As long as you follow my instructions, I can consider showing leniency. But if you dare to play tricks on me..."

Ning Zhiheng leaned in close, his voice cold and vicious. "Don't just think about your own life; your entire family won't survive either. Do you understand?"

Dai Daguang trembled uncontrollably. His wife was one thing, but his son was his lifeblood; he could not afford any mistakes. He nodded repeatedly, "I will follow your every word, I wouldn't dare have any other thoughts! You must believe me!"

A cold glint flashed in Ning Zhiheng's eyes. After such intimidation, it seemed Dai Daguang wouldn't dare harbor any other intentions. However, Ning Zhiheng was naturally suspicious and cautious; he wouldn't rely solely on the man's word, so he couldn't let him go.

"Make a phone call to your home in a moment. Tell them you have business and can't return for a few days, and won't be back until Saturday. I will have men watching you. I’ll warn you again: don't play any tricks!" Ning Zhiheng commanded.

"Yes, yes! Actually, I haven't been home these past few days; I've been staying at a hotel, so my family won't be alarmed!" Dai Daguang had been out living it up with his mistress, Guo Ruxue, and hadn't been home at all. His wife was used to his ways and didn't dare to interfere; it wasn't uncommon for him to be gone for days.

Dai Daguang didn't harbor any delusions that the officer would let him go. Having been caught in such a massive affair, he felt lucky to still be alive; spending a few days in a cell was nothing.

After being watched while making the call, Dai Daguang was locked in a cell along with his two bodyguards and Guo Ruxue. Ning Zhiheng instructed Lao Liao to put Guo Ruxue in a clean room and keep a close watch on her until the case was closed.

As the large group retreated to the Bureau, Wang Shucheng said with some disappointment, "I thought Dai Daguang was a big catch, but it turns out he's just a pawn being used."

"Didn't we dig up a Chief Su? That's a huge gain! Not a wasted day at all! Once this case is broken, there will be rewards for you," Shi Hong said, quite pleased. The case was progressing smoothly, and if nothing went wrong, it would be another great opportunity for promotion.

However, Ning Zhiheng spoke up, "Who says Dai Daguang isn't a big catch? Who can guarantee he isn't a member of the Japanese spy cell? Everything so far is just his word. Even if he is just a pawn, who is there to prove it? The authorities have the final say. We can classify him as a member of the Japanese spy cell, or even a subordinate recruited by Su Yu, and no one could say we were wrong. After all, he was indeed searching for the seal for Su Yu and working for Japanese spies; it wouldn't be a miscarriage of justice!"

The others understood Ning Zhiheng's implication immediately. He intended to cement Dai Daguang's identity as a Japanese spy and had no intention of letting him go once he was no longer useful. After all, catching a Japanese spy carried much more merit than catching a street thug.

They were not fools; they knew Ning Zhiheng intended to pin this on Dai Daguang to secure a credit for the record. Doing so benefited everyone—the bigger the cake, the more there was to share. They all nodded in agreement.

Shi Hong and Wang Shucheng secretly admired Ning Zhiheng. Their team leader was not only highly skilled in investigation but also ruthless and brilliant in his methods, never letting a single opportunity slip by. In short, he was bold, cold-blooded, and ruthless. It was no wonder he had risen to his current position in just over half a year.

Upon returning to the Bureau, everyone was dismissed to rest. Ning Zhiheng remained in his office alone, contemplating his next move.