Obviously, Zhong Daolong had nothing but disdain for the Security Bureau at the moment.

"Letting Tang Fei give it a try might be good. If it works, everyone will be overjoyed. If not... there's no loss."

"Besides, Tang Fei is someone who always brings us surprises... maybe this time will be the same?"

"Alright, let him have a try."

------

"I really f*cked the dog."

Tang Fei cursed inwardly.

What kind of mission was this?

To interrogate He Xiaohua?

She was one of the Nine Great Generals under Tang Li's command, a favored and legitimate member of his father's camp.

After the Tang Family clan was annihilated, she desperately rescued the descendants of those soldiers and settled them in orphanages across the country...

And she herself was in danger, infiltrating the very shadow of the King, all to someday take revenge for the General.

Perhaps, that day would never come...

How could Tang Fei bear to go through with this?

Even meeting her once was torture.

These damn...

"What's the matter? Having trouble?" Yan Wenli looked at Tang Fei with a grin, his hoarse voice inquiring.

"Manager, it's not that I don't want to work. You know... Director Guo of the Security Bureau and I don't get along. He looks at me as if I've killed his father."

"The prisoner he couldn't interrogate, now you want me to do it... Should I hope to succeed or fail?"

"If I succeed, he'll hate my guts. If I fail... you guys won't be pleased either..."

"It's the King's wish." Yan Wenli had anticipated Tang Fei's reaction and promptly invoked the authority above.

"Huh?" Tang Fei's eyes widened, then he gave a helpless, bitter smile and said, "Whether it's the King's wish or the Manager's wish... since you chose me, I definitely have to do it, and I will find a way to get it done well..."

"He who knows the times is a wise man."

Yan Wenli handed over an order from the table to Tang Fei and said, "Scram, take this and go to Guo Nu, he will cooperate with you nicely."

"Yes, Manager."

Tang Fei stood up and left.

Yan Wenli watched Tang Fei's retreating back, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"The King said you always manage to bring surprises to everyone..."

"Hope it's the same this time."

------

Outside the interrogation room.

Guo Nu looked at Tang Fei as if he was the lover who had cuckolded him.

He would have preferred if Tang Fei had stolen his wife instead of He Xiaohua, who was in the interrogation room.

His feelings were complex.

If Tang Fei succeeded, it would prove his own incompetence.

If Tang Fei failed, it would show they were equally incompetent.

Besides, with an execution by firing squad scheduled for tomorrow, the Royal Family had pushed the Monitoring Bureau into this at the last minute...

Did they think the Security Bureau was inferior to the Monitoring Bureau?

Did they think he was inferior to Tang Fei?

Guo Nu's already prominent belly seemed to swell further with frustration.

Utterly infuriating.

"What's the matter? Director Guo worried the order's a fake?" Tang Fei squinted at Guo Nu, teasingly asking, "Why not make a call and check with the Military Minister?"

Slap!

Guo Nu flung the order back and said, "The order's directly from the King; I believe you wouldn't dare to fake it."

"But since the King has ordered me to assist your interrogation... so, I'll be watching by your side."

"This is an important prisoner captured by our Security Bureau; we can't have you torture her to death."

"As you wish." Tang Fei shrugged.

"Open the door," Guo Nu commanded sharply.

The heavy metal door of the interrogation room was pushed open, and Tang Fei immediately saw the old lady lying nearly lifeless on the interrogation chair.

He didn't know what kind of ordeal she had been through, but her desolate condition spoke to suffering beyond human endurance.

Tang Fei often said, being alive was the most important thing.

But at the first sight of the old lady, he couldn't help but hope: Let her be dead, let her be dead.

Being alive was more painful than death.

Tang Fei sneered, mocking, "It looks like Director Guo has put in quite some effort, huh? Didn't torture the old lady to death, did you?"

Guo Nu's eyes fiercely fixed on Tang Fei, retorting, "What? You sympathize with the rebel party?"

"I just think... Director Guo tortured her to this point without getting a single piece of information from her. What can I do that you haven't?"

"""

...

Guo Nu felt stifled inside, but he couldn't refute.

He Xiaohua was nearly tortured to death by him and still clenched her teeth, refusing to utter a single word...

This old timer was truly tough.

It was unclear whether it was the noise of the conversation that had awakened her, or some kind of psychic connection from deep within.

He Xiaohua, who had been in a coma, slowly opened her eyes and was jolted to the core at the sight of Tang Fei.

It was him!

Indeed, it was him!

The General's child...

Ever since Lu Yu brought Tang Fei back from the Old Land, she had kept her gaze fixed on him.

Watching his every move.

Including how he got to know Bai Wuxin, his visit to the orphanage, and even the tasty sugar-roasted chestnuts he brought for the children.

How wonderful.

To be able to see him one last time before dying.

Tang Fei and He Xiaohua locked eyes, her gaze so tender, like a mother beholding a child returning from afar.

It was just a fleeting moment of emotion, so quick that Guo Nu, following behind Tang Fei, noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

Then her expression turned vicious as she cursed, "And what exactly are you?"

"Old witch..."

Tang Fei, furious, drew the Yin Jiao sword at his waist, aiming straight for her heart.

"Tang Fei..."

Guo Nu wrapped his arms around Tang Fei's arm holding the sword and scolded, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Did you not hear? This old hag was cursing me."

"So you're going to kill her just because she cursed you?"

"What else? It's not like she can curse out anything decent, might as well end it with a quick stab..."

"You think I don't want to kill her? We've been instructed from above, she can't die... she needs to be at Imperial Square tomorrow night..."

Tang Fei naturally understood their intention.

He Xiaohua was an important figure, and her presence at Imperial Square during the execution could provoke the "rebel party" into committing even more frantic and terrifying acts.

They wanted to force those hiding in the shadows to come forward.

In other words, people like himself.

"Not allowed to kill?" asked Tang Fei.

"Not allowed," Guo Nu stated, wary that Tang Fei might sabotage their plan: "If you kill her, you'll be responsible."

Tang Fei fell silent for a moment then asked, "What methods have you tried before?"

Guo Nu recounted his process of interrogation.

Tang Fei felt his heart clenching in pain, yet he couldn't allow any of that emotion to show.

"Level twelve pain? You used that?"

"Yes."

"And still no confession?"

"She withstood it."

"What about level thirteen pain? Why not try that?"

"She would die..."

Tang Fei, looking exasperated and aggrieved, said, "Then what do we do? She won't confess under level twelve pain, and she'd die at level thirteen... How are we supposed to interrogate her?"

As if he had found someone who understood him, Guo Nu exclaimed, "Exactly, with contradictory orders from above... We who carry out the tasks are so restrained, unable to accomplish anything."

"Then I can't interrogate her," said Tang Fei. "Unless they give me more authority..."

Guo Nu secretly rejoiced.

If Tang Fei failed too, it would prove that the task was indeed tricky.

"Whether you'll be given authority, that's your problem," Guo Nu said. "But no matter what, you can't kill her. She has to live, to face justice... and execution."

Tang Fei glared 'viciously' at Guo Nu, questioning, "Are you sure you're not playing tricks here?"

"How could I?" Guo Nu, as if his tail had been stepped on, angrily retorted, "This order comes directly from Manager Chen, it's the Phoenix Palace's intent... If you're not afraid of taking responsibility, then go ahead and kill her. This time, I won't stop you."

Tang Fei scrutinized Guo Nu's face with his eyes, then his gaze landed once more on He Xiaohua's face.

With a sigh, he turned and left.

"What's the matter? You don't have the guts to kill me? You cowards..."

He Xiaohua cackled with laughter.

"Old thing, your time is running out... Tomorrow, I'll send you off to meet King Yan."

Guo Nu cursed out loud, quickly catching up to Tang Fei.

He needed to talk with Tang Fei about how to report back in a way that would minimize their responsibility, forming a brief alliance in defense.

After all, the two of them had become 'brothers in adversity,' both staked on the same case.

"""

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