The clear and stirring melody of "The East Is Red" still echoed in the dilapidated warehouse, like invisible hammer blows that turned Valery's face from ashen to deathly pale, finally settling into a look of utter horror as if he had seen a ghost.
He stared intently at the ugly monster on the workbench that roared with perfect signals.
My ears were filled with a pure sound quality that could never belong to this pile of junk.
Completely exceeding the theoretical value! How... how is this possible?
His pride in Soviet technology, and his certainty that the other side could not overcome the gap, were crushed in the face of this young woman and her pile of garbage!
A surge of intense humiliation mixed with a deeper chill instantly shot from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.
He wanted to speak, to question, to find any trace of cheating, but his throat felt like it was being choked by an invisible hand, and he could only make a "hoarse" gasping sound.
However, even more devastating than Valery's shock was Yan Zhensheng's reaction.
The color drained from his face, his lips trembled violently, and his bloodshot eyes were filled with an indescribable turmoil!
It wasn't the technological success that shocked me, but the fear!
The ultimate fear, originating from the depths of the soul!
His gaze was like a red-hot iron, fixed on the small glass bottle containing dark red powder in Mingzhao's hand, which had not yet been capped!
"Star……"
Yan Zhensheng managed to squeeze out two broken syllables, and his body swayed uncontrollably. His secretary quickly caught him.
"Academician Yan!"
Su Xuan and his assistants were still immersed in ecstasy when they were taken aback by Yan Zhensheng's sudden and shocking reaction.
The joy of success was instantly overwhelmed by a huge sense of unease.
Mingzhao paused in his movements.
She could clearly feel Yan Zhensheng's almost tangible gaze of fear fixed on the bottle between her fingers. Her heart sank.
Was she exposed? So quickly? She calmly and naturally tightened the bottle cap and tucked it deep into her work pocket.
His face remained calm and unsettling, but a faint hint of seriousness flickered deep in his eyes.
She met Yan Zhensheng's horrified gaze, offering no explanation, no panic, only an almost composed silence.
In Yan Zhensheng's eyes, this silence was tantamount to acquiescence!
"Someone come here!"
Yan Zhensheng shoved his secretary away abruptly, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable determination, even... a slight tremor.
"Seal...seal all of Comrade Mingzhao's work results, including that...that prototype! Immediately! Right now!"
His finger trembled as he pointed to the workbench. "No one is allowed to touch it! Anyone who violates this rule will be punished for leaking secrets!"
"Academician Yan?"
Su Xuan was struck dumb, and rushed forward, "Why? We succeeded! Mingzhao, she..."
"Shut up!"
Yan Zhensheng interrupted him sharply, his eyes as sharp as knives, sweeping over Su Xuan and all his assistants.
"Execute the order! Everyone, leave the warehouse immediately! Everything that happened here today, everything you saw and heard, must remain a secret! No one who dares to utter a single word..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the chill in his eyes silenced everyone.
The jubilant atmosphere in the warehouse instantly plummeted to freezing point, leaving only the faint hum of the cooling equipment and the heavy breathing of the crowd.
The assistants looked at each other, their faces pale, completely bewildered as to what had happened.
Su Xuan glanced at Ming Zhao, whose face was ashen, and then at Yan Zhensheng, who exuded a terrifying aura. His fists clenched so tightly they turned white. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and say, "...Yes!"
The technicians snapped out of their daze and frantically began to clean up and cut off the power.
Valery also recovered from the great shock and humiliation. He keenly noticed Yan Zhensheng's unusual reaction to the small bottle and Mingzhao's sudden solemnity.
A crazy thought rose in his mind: that powder...it's haunted! This woman...she has an even bigger secret!
His grey-blue eyes darted back and forth between Yan Zhensheng and Ming Zhao, filled with suspicion and uncertainty, but more so with the excitement and schadenfreude of having found a weakness.
Soon, the warehouse was sealed off, and heavily armed guards stood at the entrance.
Mingzhao was "invited" away by two expressionless security officers, not to the dormitory, but to a heavily guarded gray building deep inside the base.
A sign on the door reads: Solitary Confinement and Interrogation Room!
"Ming Zhao!"
Su Xuan desperately tried to catch up, but was firmly stopped by Yan Zhensheng's secretary.
"Comrade Su Xuan, calm down! Obey orders!"
The secretary's voice carried an undeniable sternness.
As Su Xuan watched Ming Zhao's upright figure disappear behind the iron gate of the gray building, he felt overwhelmed by a huge surge of anger and helplessness.
He succeeded, but was instead confined? What exactly happened?
He turned his head sharply, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Yan Zhensheng, whose face was equally pale.
"Academician Yan! You have to give me an explanation! What did Mingzhao do? She just made a great contribution to the country!"
Yan Zhensheng didn't look at Su Xuan. He closed his eyes wearily, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. When he opened them again, all that remained was a bottomless heaviness and resolute determination.
His voice was hoarse, carrying an almost tragic tone.
"Merit is merit, and fault is fault. Some lines cannot be crossed! Su Xuan, keep an eye on your own people. This matter ends here!"
After saying that, he ignored everyone and walked heavily toward the gray building, his back exuding a sense of impending doom.
Solitary confinement.
The cold iron door closed, isolating the outside world. The cramped space contained only a hard bed and a table.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
