Algorithm system

Two accomplices 2Zhang Yan opened the dossier in her hand. ”We were just conducting routine reconnaissance and surveillance on the target last night, but unexpectedly, the target discovered our hidden camera.”

”We had no choice but to bring him back. Old Mo and I interrogated him all night. That guy is really strange...”

At this point, another elderly man beside Director Wang quickly pressed, ”How strange?”

Zhang Yan looked at the elderly man. Although he wore a hat and a mask, she felt as if she had seen him somewhere before but couldn’t recall where.

Zhang Yan didn’t have time to think deeply. Subconsciously, she had already regarded the two people in front of her as old comrades who were unwilling to reveal their identities.

So, she continued, ”The target is very young, only 24 years old this year. Highly educated, high IQ. Sometimes he’s glib with us, and other times we feel he... Old Mo said he cares about the suffering of the common people, is down-to-earth, and has a sense of purpose. But then he says he’s one of us, and then he says he has two accomplices.

Anyway, he’s both good and evil, making him hard to understand.

Director Wang, why don’t we control his two accomplices first? If they escape overseas, it will be troublesome to investigate them later.”

”He also confessed to two accomplices?” one of the elderly men asked.

”Yes.”

”What kind of accomplices?”

”According to his description, I feel they should be deeply hidden masterminds who instructed him.”

”What are their characteristics?”

”They have served in universities for many years, and their positions are not low. I suspect those two are deeply entrenched and might have already formed a network.”

As Zhang Yan spoke, she quickly looked at Director Wang, ”Director Wang, it’s already been a night since we apprehended the target. Those two will soon receive the news, or they might have already gotten wind of it. We need to control them quickly.”

Director Wang’s expression was very grim, ”This... you go out first. We still need to deliberate on this.”

”Director Wang, people like them definitely have a secret heartbeat mechanism. Ten hours have already passed, and it’s very likely that their heartbeat contact time node has passed.”

”Still using the heartbeat mechanism, huh?” one of the elderly men interjected, ”They haven’t changed their terminology in so many years.”

Heartbeat mechanism, as the name suggests, is a mechanism that maintains the link between two systems. Its purpose is to let system A know that system B is alive, and at the same time, to let system B know that system A is alive. It is common in the IT field.

Since the heartbeat mechanism can be used to maintain the link between systems, it can naturally also be used to maintain communication between two people.

Zhang Yan looked at the elderly man curiously. Judging by his tone, she genuinely believed this must be a senior.

”You go out first,” Director Wang waved his hand at Zhang Yan.

”No, no, no,” the elderly man interrupted him, ”Let this young comrade finish speaking.”

So Zhang Yan continued, ”I’ve said everything I wanted to say. Director Wang, please sign it quickly.”

Director Wang wanted to say something more, but he was already half-coaxed and half-pulled aside by the other elderly man to chat.

The elderly man who remained by Zhang Yan’s side looked at her kindly, ”Young comrade, could you introduce us to these two accomplices? Maybe we can even help you vet them.”

Zhang Yan was invigorated by his words, ”Those two accomplices, one is a senior professor at a university, and the other is the associate dean of a certain department in the same university. Moreover, they are in a national defense academy, so I think there’s a lot more to this matter behind the scenes, and we need to act quickly.”

”You’re absolutely right. Do you have any more specific information? For example, names, characteristics. I know the university system quite well, and I might even know them.”

Zhang Yan didn’t think much, ”Both of them are close to sixty. That senior professor is Zhang Deshun, and he is the target’s mentor...”

”Xiao Zhang...” Director Wang interrupted her with an angry shout, ”Stop talking, get out.”

”Don’t scare the child, you continue speaking.”

Zhang Yan hadn’t slept well last night, and her head was groggy. She didn’t understand what was wrong with her master today, being so jumpy. ”The other associate dean is Li Youcai.”

”I have already investigated these two. Aside from publicly available information, there is nothing suspicious about them.

However, one thing is very strange. The target was previously a graduate of Tangcheng Institute of Technology and delivered food for a period of time, then suddenly got accepted as a graduate student at a prestigious national defense academy. It’s possible that these two were behind it.

Moreover, given the target’s IQ and performance, there was no need for him to deliver food. Especially not quitting a software development job to deliver food.

Combined with that fake admission letter that was indistinguishable from the real thing, and the frequent communication we’ve monitored between him and overseas NGO organizations during this period.

In short, this matter is full of suspicious points, yet we have no clues.”

The elderly man beside Zhang Yan feigned surprise, ”From what you’re saying, you also monitored his daily life?”

”Yes. Ever since the admission letter incident last time, we’ve been monitoring his email and social media.”

Upon hearing this, the elderly man smiled even more kindly, ”Then we must quickly apprehend those two accomplices for questioning. How about we two old fellows help you?”

”Ah?” Zhang Yan thought these two wanted to help her persuade her master, Director Wang.

The elderly man beside her took off his mask, then looked at her with a benevolent expression.

Zhang Yan was instantly startled, because after seeing the man’s full face, she remembered. Wasn’t this the person who came to the bureau to pick Lin Yuan up after the admission letter incident last time? No wonder she felt those eyes were so familiar.

In a flash, Zhang Yan recognized this person as Zhang Deshun from the dossier.

”You...” She subconsciously reached for her waist. Of course, her waist was empty.

”Old Wang, your little apprentice is too impulsive. She’s about to draw her gun.” (Director Wang’s surname is Wang)

The other elderly man also took off his mask, and Zhang Yan immediately recognized him as well, because that person was Li Youcai from the dossier.

”Alright.” Director Wang slapped Li Youcai’s shoulder, ”You two old fellows are still so fond of fooling around, is it fun to tease a young person?”

Li Youcai immediately retorted, ”It wasn’t me, Old Zhang loves to play.”

Zhang Yan looked at the three of them with a bewildered expression, then she looked at Director Wang, ”Mas... Master, you... you’ve defected?” In her haste, she publicly called out ”Master.”

”Get out!” Director Wang was almost fuming, momentarily speechless.

Zhang Deshun and Li Youcai both laughed so hard they bent over.

”Old Wang, where did you find this apprentice? On the battlefield, I’m afraid she’d really shoot the three of us first.”

Director Wang finally caught his breath and walked over to Zhang Yan, ”Have you had enough fun?”

Zhang Yan was still confused, ”Who exactly are they?”

”Where did you put the disciplinary regulations? Always so restless, that old fellow was setting a trap for you. And you, you didn’t even react until the very end.”

Zhang Yan left the office dejectedly.

Zhang Deshun plopped down on the sofa, ”Old Wang, although we are all in the same city, according to discipline, we rarely contact each other. The last time we met was because your apprentice arrested my apprentice, and this time we meet again because your apprentice arrested my apprentice.

It seems your apprentice and my apprentice are fated.”

Director Wang said irritably, ”Old Ghost Zhang, it’s really you. Your apprentice fooled my apprentice, and now you, as the master, are fooling her too.

What’s going on? Are the two of you, master and apprentice, teaming up to fool me?”