Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

Zheng Qiang turned around and was about to take a step when He Feng gently stopped him on the wrist. "Director Zheng, why are you in such a hurry to leave?" He looked up at Zheng Qiang and tapped his fingertips on the table. "Since you're here, come and discuss the rest of the plan with me. There are a few details that need to be finalized to avoid any problems tomorrow."

Zheng Qiang's heart was beating like a rabbit in his chest - his mind was full of thoughts about sending a message to Scar. The action tomorrow afternoon was imminent, and Scar and his men had to prepare the manpower, equipment, and retreat routes in the morning. There could be no room for sloppiness. But on the surface, he had to pretend to be calm and squeezed out a somewhat apologetic smile: "Director, I'm really sorry, I suddenly have a severe stomachache. I'm afraid I ate something bad, so I have to go to the toilet first. Please wait a moment, I will come back and we can talk in detail, is that okay with you?"

He Feng saw the flash of panic in his eyes, and he knew it clearly in his heart—this excuse was too crude. But he didn't point it out, just nodded calmly: "Okay, go quickly and come back soon. When you come back, we need to have a good talk—after all, Zhang Shi and the others are seconded from a sister unit and aren't very familiar with us. We need to coordinate more carefully and not make any mistakes."

Zheng Qiang nodded quickly, mumbling "Okay, okay," but his steps scurried out of the office like a whirlwind. He had no time to bother with the restroom, so he headed straight for the hidden corner behind the office building, where junk piled high. It was a rarely visited area, with only a few old cardboard boxes and torn sacks blocking his view. He quickly pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling, and dialed Scar's number.

"It's me," Zheng Qiang lowered his voice as soon as the call was connected. "For tomorrow afternoon's work, have the brothers finish the work this morning. Check all the equipment, park the car far away, and reconnoiter the retreat route. Don't make any mistakes!" He paused, then emphasized his tone, "Remember, don't make too much noise, retreat immediately after you're done, and don't leave any tails behind!"

Scar on the other end of the phone responded, "Don't worry, Brother Qiang." Zheng Qiang then hung up the phone, took a deep breath, straightened his wrinkled collar in front of the broken mirror in the corner, rubbed his stiff face, and then turned and walked towards the office building.

When he returned to the office, He Feng had already spread out several draft plans on his desk, circled in red and blue pencil, and covered in numerous annotations. The two of them appeared to be conferring seriously. Zheng Qiang listened and nodded, his fingers unconsciously rubbing under the table—he was trying to extract more crucial information from He Feng's words, such as the specific time of operation and the directions from which Zhang Shi and his men would encircle the enemy. But He Feng offered no such information, only perfunctory remarks like "pay attention to coordination" and "maintain communication."

The wall clock struck six, just minutes before the end of the workday, when there was a gentle knock on the office door. Zhao Lei pushed the door open and walked in, carrying several bulging plastic bags, oily bits seeping through them. The aroma of food wafted over.

"Director, everything has been done as you arranged," Zhao Lei smiled and raised the bag in his hand. "We've bought all the vegetables and meat, and the kitchen is ready. The water is boiling, so we can eat now."

Zheng Qiang was stunned for a moment, his eyes full of surprise. He looked at He Feng: "Director, this...what's going on? It's time to get off work, why are you still buying vegetables?"

He Feng put down his pencil and smiled. His tone sounded relaxed, yet it carried an undeniable sense of authority. "Director Zheng, this is the first time our bureau has collaborated with Zhang Shi and his team on such a large-scale operation. We can't afford to be careless." He pointed to the plan on the table. "So everyone has to work overtime today. No one can leave. We'll just stay here for the night. After dinner, let's continue to sort out the plan to ensure it's foolproof for tomorrow."

Zheng Qiang's heart skipped a beat, as if something had grabbed him tightly - overtime? Not allowed to leave? How would he keep in touch with Scar? What if there were any changes in the middle and he couldn't get in touch with Scar? But looking at He Feng's calm expression and the flawless words, he couldn't find any reason to refute. He could only bite the bullet and force a smile: "Oh, okay, as I should, as I should. I have to be more careful, more careful." But his heart was already in a mess, and he secretly prayed that everything would go according to plan tomorrow.

Zheng Qiang looked at He Feng and forced a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face: "Director, there's no need to make such a big fuss, right? You know, I have children waiting at home. If you can come earlier tomorrow, it will be the same."

He Feng felt a heavy weight settle on his heart. At this point, all the evidence pointed to Zheng Qiang as the spy. He and Zheng Qiang had been partners for years, working on numerous cases together. To say they had no friendship would be a lie; he simply didn't want to believe this outcome. But for now, he had to suppress his inner turmoil, maintaining a calm smile. "Brother Zheng, you understand how unique this situation is. For your own safety, you should stay inside the bureau for the next two days."

Zheng Qiang's brows furrowed even more tightly, and his tone was filled with pleading: "Director He, you also know the situation at home. If I don't go back, your sister-in-law will definitely blame me, and then the family will be in chaos."

He was burning with anxiety—he had to get out! Otherwise, how would Scar know the exact movements of the investigation team? More importantly, he had to go and finalize the follow-up plan with Scar. Once Zhang Shi succeeded, Scar had to be dealt with. That guy knew too much, and keeping him around would always be a nuisance. He couldn't let him ruin his plans.

He Feng looked at him, feeling a mixture of emotions. He actually wanted to give Zheng Qiang a chance, so he slowed down his tone and said, "Brother Zheng, is there something you want to tell me? If you have any difficulties, you might as well speak directly."

Zheng Qiang's heart skipped a beat, his eyes flickered, and he asked, "Director, what do you mean by that? Do you know something?"

He Feng shook his head and said sincerely, "What can I know? I just feel that you haven't been in a good state recently, as if something is bothering you. If there is something wrong, tell me, maybe I can help."

Zheng Qiang waved his hands quickly, his tone firm: "Director, I really don't have anything to say. If I had anything to say, I would definitely tell you as soon as possible."

He Feng nodded, his voice calm: "Okay, then you can go and rest first. I've already called my sister-in-law and told her that you have a temporary mission and will be busy for two days. She understands."

Zheng Qiang wanted to say something more, but swallowed it back. Saying more would only make He Feng more suspicious. He could only nod, "Then... Director, I'll go get some rest first."