Chapter 995: Acting
“This mission was issued two months ago.” Luo Zongren said weakly, “At that time, Jiang Xu had just published an article targeting our w.a.n.g Consortium. However, the initial order was only to formulate a plan. We were not told to execute it.”
Luo Zongren continued, “On the 21st of March, the higher-ups pa.s.sed down the order to a.s.sa.s.sinate Jiang Xu, because he refused to meet with our diplomatic team, so there was no way for the two sides to clear the air.
“We have a total of 381 covert agents, and most of them were secretly deployed from the w.a.n.g Consortium’s military and trained as spies.
“Before the operation, to deflect any suspicions from the w.a.n.g Consortium, w.a.n.g Wenyan specifically ordered Vanilla and me to put on a good show together.” Luo Zongren explained clearly, “Our soldiers were unaware of it, but Vanilla and Tang Hualong knew about the operation in advance and pretended to be caught in the danger. They even deliberately got injured. After all of the surveillance footage was exposed, everyone would s.h.i.+ft their suspicions away from the w.a.n.g Consortium.
“But all of this was just an act we put on for you all to see!”
Ren Xiaosu listened to all of this quietly. If what Luo Zongren said was true, he would definitely have to make a trip to the w.a.n.g Consortium.
Moreover, he would have to reevaluate his relations.h.i.+p with them.
There was no room for compromise regarding Jiang Xu’s a.s.sa.s.sination.
However, Ren Xiaosu somehow felt that everything Luo Zongren said was a little strange. He started thinking about everything he had confessed.
If only w.a.n.g Yun were here. w.a.n.g Yun was an expert at a.n.a.lyzing lies and was the best at finding loopholes in the other party’s logic.
At this moment, Luo Lan asked Luo Zongren from the side, “Which department are you affiliated with in the w.a.n.g Consortium?”
Luo Zongren answered matter-of-factly, “You don’t have to test me on purpose. I’m under w.a.n.g Wenyan’s command, so of course I’m with the 1st Military Intelligence Division.”
“Hehe, I’m sorry.” Luo Lan said with a laugh, “You probably didn’t expect this, but the w.a.n.g Consortium’s people were afraid that someone would frame them, so they specially sent a person to Luoyang City. Coincidentally, it’s someone from the 1st Military Intelligence Division as well. Men, bring in the w.a.n.g Consortium’s man!”
As they spoke, a young man in a suit was escorted into the bas.e.m.e.nt by the Qing Consortium’s soldiers. The young man said coldly, “We came all the way here to clarify things. Is this how you treat your guests?”
Luo Lan walked up to the young man with a smile and slapped him in the face without warning. “If we find out that Jiang Xu’s death is related to your w.a.n.g Consortium, you can forget about walking out of Luoyang City alive. Why are you still harping about how guests should be treated? Come and identify your colleague from the 1st Military Intelligence Division. We already have a witness here. Do you think that you can still deny it?”
That young man looked at Luo Zongren and got even angrier. “That’s not a member of our 1st Military Intelligence Division at all. He’s slandering us. What evidence do you have to say that our w.a.n.g Consortium was responsible? Where’s the evidence?”
Luo Lan looked at Luo Zongren. “Proof? Don’t worry. The w.a.n.g Consortium can’t silence you here.”
Luo Zongren kept quiet.
The young man sneered. “See, he’s lying. He doesn’t dare directly confront me. We don’t have such a person in our 1st Military Intelligence Division at all.”
Luo Zongren suddenly looked at the young man and said, “Are you going to give up the queen to save the king? At w.a.n.g Wenyan’s place, w.a.n.g Wenyan personally promised me he would appoint me as the deputy director if I succeeded in the mission. You were also there at that time. Why are you trying to shake me off now?”
The young man said angrily, “Don’t talk about such baseless things. I’ve never met you before!”
“You dare not admit it?!” Luo Zongren roared angrily. He looked hysterical, even a little crazy.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Luo Lan applauded. “This performance is wonderful. If I didn’t know the truth in advance, I would’ve really been fooled by your acting. But I’m really sorry. This is not someone from the w.a.n.g Consortium’s 1st Military Intelligence Division at all. He’s from our Qing Consortium. See, this suit was even just borrowed from a Luoyang City resident.”
Luo Lan laughed heartily while Zhou Qi stared at Luo Zongren mockingly and admired the stunned expression on his face.
Luo Zongren was a little dazed. Looking at Zhou Qi’s expression now, he seemed to have the same expression as himself when he looked at those “normal people” while he was carrying out his mission.
In the past, he had regarded normal people as dumb sheep. But now he had become a sheep in the eyes of others.
Luo Lan walked up to the young man who had acted as a member of the w.a.n.g Consortium and said, “Does your face hurt?”
“No,” said the young man as he straightened up.
Luo Lan patted him on the shoulder. “Silly lad, how can it not hurt when I didn’t hold back? Go and get some rest. You did a great job; that was really good acting.”
To make things look realistic, Luo Lan did not show any mercy. The young man’s face was swollen from Luo Lan’s slap, but he was still smiling very happily. “It’s all good as long as the mission is successful.”
After that, the soldier went up the stairs and left the bas.e.m.e.nt.
Luo Zongren sat in the interrogation chair in a daze. Luo Lan walked up to him and bent down to look him in the eye. “In order to make you tell the truth, you made me slap my own soldier. You should understand now that your ‘conspiracies’ are just childish attempts before us. You can’t afford to mess with us! If you still don’t tell the truth, we’ll drag you out onto the street. Believe me, our Qing Consortium has a way to make sure you won’t die for ten years and beg for death every day.”
“What do you all want to know? Just go ahead and ask,” Luo Zongren said calmly.
Zhou Qi was sure Luo Zongren’s mental defenses had finally been completely taken down. His ego was fully crushed.
Ren Xiaosu looked at Luo Lan’s profile and suddenly thought of something. This fatty might look like a carefree person on most days, but he was also a very scheming person. In normal times, he would just act as though all of his brilliance was covered.
But why did he hide it?
Truly, Luo Zongren was also a ruthless person. He did not accuse the w.a.n.g Consortium immediately after he was captured. Instead, he forcefully endured for 27 hours and only started his painstaking plan when he was on the verge of death.
For the past 27 hours, all he had been enduring was just for this moment.
It was precisely because he still had an objective that was not yet completed that he was able to endure for so long.
Moreover, the other party’s narration of what happened was very logical. Even Vanilla and Tang Hualong had become a part of his plan. All of this was done so the w.a.n.g Consortium could not clear their suspicions and be convicted of the accusation!
Luo Zongren said, “I’m under the command of the Zhou Consortium’s intelligence agency. I don’t fall under the command of the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Divisions. I’m the highest-ranking commander independent of all the divisions, and all field agents under my jurisdiction operate under the highest security clearance. I only carry out top-secret missions, and my rank is only second to the intelligence director, Zhou Shous.h.i.+. My serial number in the organization is 019002, and my real name is Yang Yanbang.”
Luo Lan and Ren Xiaosu looked at each other. Success!