I'm being held captive by a monster

Chapter 174: Middle Strategy and Best Strategy

"Li Lu, we don't need to destroy the two mainframe locations in Taoyuan at the same time, right?"

Zhang Guang looked around and saw that no one spoke, so he asked again.

"...Normally, if we destroy one, or even don't destroy it, just approach it, Taoyuan will be able to sense it immediately."

"Does that mean he will transfer?"

“…I don’t think so.”

After thinking about it, Li Lu shook his head.

"I think even if Taoyuan sensed it... he couldn't move away in a short period of time. He doesn't have the ability to do so."

"Because we found the location of his host computer."

"He wants to migrate, and it can't be a remote data migration. He must keep the host and his 'roots'. This requires someone to come and assist."

"But his 'roots' are located in the deep sea and in the Coordination Department. These two places..."

Li Lu paused, "You know, it's basically impossible for humans or animals to come and help him migrate. Besides, if he could have moved, he would have done so long ago, not wait until now, two years later."

"So Taoyuan placed the mainframe in these two places. Looking at it from another perspective, it actually helped us."

"So, to sum up! It's fine if we destroy them one by one."

Li Lu pushed his glasses and nodded.

"understood."

Zhang Guang let out a light breath.

But before he could continue speaking, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

It's a text message from Jiang Rong...

After taking a look at the content of the text message, Zhang Guang's face showed an expression that was just as I expected.

"Everyone!"

He put away his phone and clapped his hands.

"It's three o'clock in the afternoon now. Everyone has worked hard. Let's go back and rest."

"Gather in the conference room downstairs at six o'clock tonight to discuss the battle plan."

“The specific issue to be discussed is how to find a legitimate reason to go to the Coordination Department.”

"Xu Zhe's plan to go in without finding a reason is a bad idea."

Zhang Guang said in silence.

Xu Zhe frowned but didn't say much.

"The meeting is dismissed!"

Seeing that no one had any objections, Zhang Guang waved his hand and looked at his phone again.

I'll pick you up

He replied to Jiang Rong.

Jiang Rong has already processed Zhang Guang's military order and just held a meeting with other members of the committee to discuss the election of new members.

Now I'm going to go see Lin Xing'an.

I'm downstairs

Jiang Rong's message came again.

Zhang Guang also quickened his pace.

At the entrance of the siege department, an elementary school student who was shorter than the snowman at the door and looked like a caterpillar and wore a pink down jacket waved at him.

"Sister Jiang."

Zhang Guang was not surprised at all. He nodded respectfully and quickly invited Jiang Rong into the car.

"Xiao Zhang, there's no change in this year's committee elections. It's the same as in previous years."

"First, submit a shortlist of candidates, and then everyone on the committee will vote to select ten committee candidates."

"Finally, we will select seven of the ten candidates to succeed us."

Jiang Rong sat in the back seat of the car and took off her pink gloves.

Although he looks the age of an elementary school student and his voice is very childish, his temperament has not changed much.

"I expected that."

Zhang Guang sighed lightly.

This is why what Xu Zhe said makes sense, but he doesn't want to adopt it unless it is absolutely necessary.

How could someone just barge into a colleague's department and conduct a massive search?
The nominations for the committee members have been elected through actual voting in all previous years.

Although the siege department and the coordination department have become incompatible to this extent.

But as the minister, Zhang Guang has always been in a state of forbearance.

Isn't it just to win over the votes of colleagues in the Coordination Department when the time comes?
If he just barged in this time as Xu Zhe said, then no matter what happened to Taoyuan in the end, his colleagues in the coordination department would definitely not vote for him.

"What about those two addresses?"

Jiang Rong asked while rubbing his slightly frozen hands.

"One address is in South City, and the other... is in the Coordination Department."

"Oh? The Coordination Department? That's quite interesting."

There was a hint of amusement at the corner of Jiang Rong's mouth.

"Then you have to think about how to communicate with the Coordination Department now."

She crossed her legs.

Zhang Guang's face showed a trace of worry again, "Sister Jiang, this is what I'm worried about now."

"Don't look at me, think for yourself, I'm old and don't want to get involved anymore, just lie down."

Noticing Zhang Guang's gaze, Jiang Rong said with a smile.

"Sister Jiang, when this is over, Lin Xing'an's identity..."

"Let's just say he's my grandson. After all, Xiaojing and Yu Yu are the same age. If Xiaojing were still alive... her child would probably be around this age too."

Jiang Rong said after a moment of silence.

A hint of sadness flashed in his eyes.

"This identity is enough for Lin Xing'an to gain a foothold in the committee."

"This……"

A look of surprise appeared on Zhang Guang's face.

As one of the seven committee members, Jiang Rong's benefits are lifelong and inheritable.

Her daughter was killed by humans and animals at the age of nineteen.

So when Jiang Rong said this, she really regarded Lin Xing'an as her own family...

I really want Lin Xing'an to inherit my benefits...

"Don't you want to see him first?"

Zhang Guang turned a corner and stopped the car.

In front of us is the building where the safe house is located.

"Isn't this just for a look?"

"But I just feel close to this child. Maybe it's because of Yu Yu..."

"Back then... Xiao Jing brought Yu Yu to our house to play a few times."

Jiang Rong put on gloves and a hat and jumped out of the car.

Zhang Guang naturally didn't say much.

The two passed many tests and happened to see Lin Xing'an, who had just finished exercising and taking a shower, and whose hair was not yet dried.

"Uncle Zhang!"

"How are you? Are you feeling well?"

Zhang Guang pinched the muscles on Lin Xing'an's arm and asked.

"No, I even feel lighter than before!"

"That's good. Let's observe for another day. If there's no problem at all, I'll take you to Yinquan to absorb the Yin Hui and improve your strength!"

"it is good!"

Lin Xing'an jumped up and down, "This kid is..."

He looked at Jiang Rong who was looking at him.

Zhang Guang also noticed that Jiang Rong still looked like a primary school student, and was speechless for a moment.

"Hello, big brother! This is my uncle!"

Jiang Rong said crisply and stretched out his hand to Lin Xing'an.

“…Yes, this is my brother’s child.”

Zhang Guang also said the same thing.

"So cute."

Lin Xing'an also leaned over and shook Jiang Rong's hand with a smile.

Under Zhang Guang's strange gaze, which seemed to want to say something but hesitate, he affectionately pinched Jiang Rong's little face, which was a little red from the cold.

"Big brother is cute too~"

Jiang Rong looked at Lin Xing'an deeply and said with a smile.

Zhang Guang, standing by, also smiled. He had almost forgotten Jiang Rong's unpleasant habit of pretending to be a child when approaching strangers...

"Uncle Zhang, those two addresses...are they correct?"

When he returned to the room, seeing that Zhang Guang didn't bring it up, Lin Xing'an couldn't help but ask.

"That's right. One is in South City and the other is in the Coordination Department."

Zhang Guang said.

Then, as if he suddenly thought of something, he looked at Lin Xing'an with interest.

"An An, if we confirm that one of Taoyuan's hosts is in the Coordination Department..."

"So do you think we should go to the Coordination Department to check?"

"Or...how do you think we should go to the Coordination Department?"

He sat on a stool, took two oranges and handed one to Lin Xing'an.

"If it's confirmed to be in the Coordination Department..."

Lin Xing'an was just surprised for a moment, then started thinking about Zhang Guang's question.

"Uncle Zhang, I'm definitely going. As for the reason... let me think about it..."

He peeled an orange, broke off a large half and handed it to Jiang Rong.

"...Thank you, big brother~"

Jiang Rong said after a moment of hesitation.

"You're welcome."

Lin Xing'an patted her head.

"Uncle Zhang, we've already signed a military order. We can just tell the people in the coordination department that Taoyuan is here. No matter how they react, we can just go check it out. We don't even need to tell them."

"……Yeah……"

Hearing Lin Xing'an's answer, Zhang Guang chewed the orange and nodded with some disappointment.

"But this is only a last resort. We can't do this unless it's absolutely necessary."

Lin Xing'an changed the subject and continued.

"Oh why?"

Zhang Guang was stunned for a moment, then looked up and asked.

A hint of interest also flashed across Jiang Rong's face.

"Because this will completely break the relationship with the Coordination Department."

"If we finally find Taoyuan's mainframe in the Coordination Department, then the credit will be ours, and the Coordination Department will lose face."

"If we don't find it in the end, both we and the Coordination Department will lose face."

"So no matter what, this will completely break up my relationship with my colleagues in the Coordination Department."

Lin Xing'an said as he picked out the white lines on the orange.

"An An, we have already signed a military order. Do you think it is necessary to build good relationships with colleagues in the coordination department?"

"Those who have completed the military order and eliminated Taoyuan will naturally establish good relations with us, so we don't need to worry about the process, right?"

Zhang Guang spat out the orange seeds and asked with a frown.

But Lin Xing'an shook his head.

"Uncle Zhang, getting rid of Taoyuan... is that really your goal?"

"Really? Then tell me what my goal is?"

Zhang Guang put down the orange in his hand and asked back.

"It is by getting rid of Taoyuan, getting nominated as a committee candidate, and then becoming a full member to reform the committee."

Lin Xing settled down and spoke boldly.

Seeing that Zhang Guang didn't say anything, Lin Xing'an continued to speak.

"So we'd better find a reason that the Coordination Department can't refuse, and even invite us to come for an inspection."

“This is the only way to pass this matter and gain the maximum votes from colleagues in the Coordination Department.”

"Even if you can't get it, at least don't let your colleagues in the coordination department deliberately not vote for you."

Lin Xing'an said as he let out a breath.

Zhang Guangze looked at him, nodded, and smiled with satisfaction.

A hint of admiration also flashed across Jiang Rong's face.

"To be able to think of this, An An, you are already better than my other directors."

"You're right. We need a reason for the Coordination Department to personally invite us for an inspection..."

"So An An, do you think there is such a reason?"

He looked at Lin Xing'an who was thinking with his lips pursed and continued to ask.

"……Have!"

After thinking for a long time, Lin Xing'an looked up and said.

Zhang Guang's smile grew even wider, and there was even a hint of anticipation in his eyes. "Tell me about it."

He made a gesture of invitation.

Jiang Rong also put his hands on the table and listened carefully.

"Uncle Zhang, Taoyuan's mainframe is in two places. We don't have to destroy both of them at the same time, right?"

"Correct."

Zhang Guang nodded.

"Then let's go to the one in South City first and go to the location of the Taoyuan host in South City to see what's going on."

"Then, besides destroying it, we must definitely see if we can analyze Taoyuan's data."

"Could this analyzed data possibly reveal another location for the Taoyuan mainframe?"

Lin Xing'an's words made Zhang Guang's eyes narrow slightly.

"We obtained this so-called analyzed data firsthand, and the right to interpret it is entirely in our hands."

"If we wanted to, we could easily analyze the information that 'some of the Taoyuan mainframes are still in the Coordination Department.'"

"Now we can talk to the Coordination Department and have a reason..."

Zhang Guang nodded as he spoke.

This is a solution, better than going to the Coordination Department directly without any reason.

It is equivalent to changing the source of this information to Taoyuan itself.

Even if the Coordination Department has any resentment, it is directed at Taoyuan.

but……

This will only prevent the Coordination Department from resisting their investigation.

Instead of letting the Coordination Department actively invite them to investigate.

So it can only be considered a medium strategy.

Being able to come up with a plan in a short time... Zhang Guang nodded to Lin Xing'an.

But before he could say anything, Lin Xing'an spoke again.

"Uncle Zhang, I have a better plan, but it requires some sacrifices."

"Oh? Do you have another solution?"

Zhang Guang raised his eyebrows.

"Ah."

Lin Xing'an pursed his lips slightly, a look of thought and hesitation on his face.

"Uncle Zhang, let me ask first, do the people in the Coordination Department know that Taoyuan's mainframe is with them?"

“…I don’t think they know.”

Zhang Guang shook his head.

"Taoyuan should not have been discovered by them. Even if the Coordination Department is a jerk, there is no way they would invite Taoyuan in, let alone know that Taoyuan is with them, and they still don't tell them."

"That's easy, we can just be honest with the Coordination Department!"

"...be honest?"

As soon as he said this, Zhang Guang and Jiang Rong frowned.

"That's right, Uncle Zhang, we will directly share our information with the Coordination Department! Actively share it!"

"We will directly tell the coordination department that one of Taoyuan's hosts is in South City, and then take everyone from the coordination department to South City together!"

"Let the people in the coordination department share the credit! Let everyone in the coordination department get involved!"

"But the main purpose of doing this is to let the people in the Coordination Department know that our information is true. We really know the location of the Taoyuan host and we are not just making it up."

"Then after we destroy Taoyuan's mainframe in South City..."

"Now, tell the people in the Coordination Department that the location of Taoyuan's other host is in your Coordination Department!"

Lin Xing'an took a deep breath and said.

Zhang Guangze and Jiang Rong looked at each other, leaned back in their seats, and saw the surprise in each other's eyes.

"At this point... I believe the people from the Coordination Department will not refuse us from investigating."

(End of this chapter)