Chapter 214 The fish smelled a fishy smell

New York, Manhattan, Lavoisier's office.

The once luxurious and grand room is now filled with an atmosphere of anxiety and coldness.

A few newspapers and telegrams were scattered on the expensive wool carpet, and the ashtray was overflowing with cigar butts.

Lavoisier stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his back slightly hunched.

He held a summary of intelligence, which listed all the recent rumors and fragments of information about China, the upgrade of health pills, and breakthroughs in life sciences.

His eyes were fixed on the words, his icy blue pupils burning with a mad flame that was a mixture of greed, anxiety, and desperate gamble.

On the Angel Wings project side, death knells are looming ever closer.

The aftermath of the laboratory accident is still unfolding, with the project's supervisory team watching his every step and every expense like vultures.

The investors' patience is dwindling at a visible rate.

The huge initial investment was like a stone sinking into the sea, without even making a decent ripple, and instead causing a lot of trouble.

His competitors took advantage of his misfortune and seized several of his important raw material supply channels.

The cash flow... has been stretched to its limit.

Banks began to politely decline new loans, and former partners adopted an ambiguous attitude.

He sold off some less core assets, but it was a drop in the bucket.

Just when he was almost cornered, these rumors from the East about the upgraded health pills came like a spider's thread hanging down from the dark abyss.

No, that's not spider silk.

In Lavoisier's bloodshot eyes at that moment, it was a glittering lifeline!

It is the ultimate trump card that can allow him to turn the tide, regain the favor of the investors, and even completely control the Angel Wings project!

He had personally seen the data report on the effects of the health-preserving pills at the F country exhibition, although it was a fragment obtained through special channels.

The astonishing increase in cell activity and the gentle yet continuous conditioning effects kept him awake at night.

If... if there really is an upgraded version, several times more powerful and even more stable...

He seemed to see mountains of wealth, the grateful faces of his patrons, and the scene of him trampling all his rivals underfoot.

We must get it!

At all costs!

He whirled around, grabbed the internal phone on the table, and his voice was hoarse:

"Notify Lampwick and Shadow to activate! Highest priority instruction: At all costs, obtain the complete sample and core data of Gu Baobao's latest research findings in the courtyard house in Houhai, the capital of China!"

Authorize them to use all resources and activate all pre-set channels!

Tell them money is not an issue; I can provide any backup plan they want: immigration, a new identity, a comfortable life in the US! But they must bring the things back to me!

The lamp wick and the shadow were the two most deeply buried and most dangerous pieces he had in that Eastern country.

It should never be used unless absolutely necessary.

Now, at this critical juncture of life and death, he has nothing left to hold back.

A cold, confirming voice came from the other end of the phone.

Lavoisier threw down the phone, walked to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a glass of strong liquor, and drank it all in one gulp.

The alcohol burned his throat, but it couldn't stop his heart from pounding wildly.

Gu Baobao... This time, you and your damned country can't hold on!

"The fish have smelled the fishy smell."

In that unassuming little building on the western outskirts of the capital, Zhao Feng placed a newly translated telegram on the table in front of his old commander, his tone carrying a mixture of suppressed excitement and coldness.

"The signals we released through multiple channels were fully received by Lavoisier, and the reaction was even more intense than expected."

According to reliable intelligence, an hour ago, he activated the undercover agents codenamed 'Wick' and 'Shadow.' These are his last and deepest trump cards in China.

The old commander, wearing reading glasses, carefully read the contents of the telegram. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were sharp as knives.

"The wick...the shadow..."

He repeated it in a low voice.

Have you found any leads?

"We are conducting a full-scale screening."

Zhao Feng replied,

"These two codenames have never appeared in any known enemy agent lists or related information before, indicating that they are deeply infiltrated and may possess extremely perfect disguises."

It might even have never performed any missions, remaining dormant until now. Finding it would be extremely difficult.

"But their goal is very clear."

Deputy Commander Li, standing nearby, said in a deep voice,

"It's the zero sample and research results that Comrade Gu Baobao has. Lavoisier is desperate and making a last-ditch effort."

"What we need is this gamble from him."

The old leader took off his glasses and said slowly,

"The core of the devil's gift plan is to make Lavoisier himself fight desperately to steal the gift."

The more elite the people he sends, the greater the investment, the more he will cherish the results and the more recklessly he will invest in research.

He looked at Zhao Feng:

"How are the gift distribution channels being prepared?"

"According to the plan, three lines were prepared."

Zhao Feng reported,

"The first line, the Eastern European scientists who defected, has their backgrounds, reasons for defection, and materials they brought with them all prepared and can be launched at any time."

The second point concerns international black market brokers. We have made contact with and initially gained control of a middleman who has considerable influence in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. We can arrange for him to 'accidentally' obtain a small amount of samples and then hype it up.

The third option, which seems most likely and is also Lavoisier's preferred choice, is to let his own people steal and rob.

"Judging from Lavoisier's activation of the wick and the shadow, he clearly had more faith in his own power."

Mr. Zhou, who wears glasses, analyzed,

“He’ll feel more at ease and have fewer doubts if he gets things through his own people. This is indeed the channel that best suits his mindset.”

"Then we should focus on preparing the third line."

The old leader gave the final approval.

"But we shouldn't abandon the other two lines either, as alternatives and distractions. We must ensure that whichever path Lavoisier takes, what he ultimately gets must be that specially made gift."

He paused, then looked at Deputy Commander Li and Zhao Feng:

"The safety of Comrade Gu Baobao and her family is now of paramount importance. Dengxin and Yingzi are professional agents, and their methods will not be as crude as Qingzhuan's."

You must weave the protective netting as tightly as possible, without any gaps. However, at the same time, you must leave appropriate gaps so that the fish feel they have a chance to bite.

Deputy Commander Li stood at attention:

"Yes! We have already devised a trapping plan. The outside will be relaxed, but the inside will be tight. We will deliberately target Comrade Gu Baobao's route to and from the hospital, as well as the perimeter of the courtyard house."

They created seemingly exploitable patterns and weaknesses. Internally, they laid a trap, ensuring that anyone who dared to reach out would never return!

"It's important to note that arresting people is not the ultimate goal."

The old leader emphasized,

"Our goal is to get the gift delivered safely. And, provided it's safe, maybe... even just a tiny bit more."

The people in the meeting room all understood each other perfectly.

This is an extremely dangerous fishing trip. The bait is Gu Baobao and her catch, the fish is Lavoisier's last elite catch, and the fishing rod is in the hands of the state, requiring incredibly precise strength and patience.

"Have you finished communicating with Comrade Gu Baobao and Comrade Lu Zhanming?"

The old leader asked.

"We have had initial communication, and they fully understand and are cooperating."

Zhao Feng replied,

"Expert Gu only made one request: to ensure the safety of her family and the surrounding ordinary people as much as possible without hindering the plan."

"That's how it should be."

The old leader nodded.

"Inform them that the plan is moving into the second phase. Everything will proceed according to the trapping plan."