Chapter 46: Echoes from the Abyss
——＜A dividing line＞
The subtle change in Huo Shen's attitude was like a tiny breeze that stirred the stagnant water.
Su Yan was keenly aware that when Assistant Zhou appeared at the apartment, Huo Shen's scrutiny had become even sharper than before. Although Assistant Zhou remained impeccable, the invisible pressure seemed to have eased a bit.
Su Yan didn't dare waste this brief respite. Like a young animal searching for a way out in a dark forest, he pricked up his ears, catching every possible piece of information.
He noticed that the light in Huo Shen's study was on more often late into the night. Sometimes, he could even hear a suppressed cough and the muffled thud of documents slamming against the table. Huo Shen's mental and physical state seemed to be under immense pressure. Was it the setbacks in the "Prometheus" project? Was it the trouble caused by Su Chen's counterattack? Or was it... his own condition worsening?
The white medicine bottle and the contents of the diary resurfaced in Su Yan's mind. Huo Shen's secret, like a huge shadow, enveloped everything.
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That day, an unexpected opportunity presented itself. After Assistant Zhou delivered a batch of documents requiring Huo Shen's urgent signature, Huo Shen ordered him to stay in the outer room of the study to assist with the process due to an unexpected international video conference. Assistant Zhou's briefcase was placed on a low table next to the guest sofa in the outer room.
Huo Shen, seemingly exhausted from days of hard work and illness, fell asleep briefly while leaning back in his chair during a break in the meeting.
Inside and outside the study, there was silence. The only sounds were Huo Shen's steady breathing and the subtle sounds of Assistant Zhou handling matters in the outer room, lowering his voice.
Su Yan's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. Assistant Zhou's briefcase was within reach! Could it contain evidence of his investigation into internal communications? Or... something else that could point to his true intentions?
It was a dangerous situation, but he had no choice.
He held his breath and slid like a shadow to the low table. Assistant Zhou's briefcase had a combination lock. He tried several of the most common combinations, but all failed. Time ticked by, and Assistant Zhou's voice from the outer room seemed poised to stop at any moment.
Just as he was about to give up, his fingertips stumbled upon a hidden compartment on the side of the briefcase. It seemed to contain something hard and small. He carefully used his fingernails to pry open the hidden clasp. What he pulled out wasn't a document, but... a tiny encrypted USB drive.
And, a folded piece of paper that seemed to have been torn from a report. He quickly unfolded the paper, and on it were a few lines of words typed out by a printer. The content made his pupils shrink sharply -
[Target's recent mental status assessment: unstable, with a tendency to worsen. Suspected of unauthorized increase in medication dosage. Close monitoring is recommended, with mandatory intervention measures being implemented if necessary.]
[Related Event: Application for Access to Old Files in the Huo Xi Case (Rejected)]
Target? Huo Shen?! "Forced intervention measures"? Who has the power to take coercive measures against Huo Shen? Did this piece of paper come from a Huo family elder? Or... some other force?
And the "Request to Review Old Files in the Huo Xi Case"—Assistant Zhou is investigating Ah Xi's affairs?! What does he want to do?!
Su Yan was overwhelmed by the overwhelming amount of information. He felt like his brain was almost overwhelmed. Assistant Zhou not only knew about Huo Shen's condition, but he might even be monitoring his mental state! He was also secretly investigating Ah Xi's case!
This discovery frightened Su Yan even more than finding evidence that Assistant Zhou had against him! There seemed to be a deeper conspiracy hidden behind Assistant Zhou!
He didn't dare to look any longer, and quickly stuffed the USB drive and the paper back into their original place, restored the interlayer, and then quietly retreated to his previous position. His heart was beating wildly, almost bursting through his chest.
What he had just glimpsed was only the tip of the iceberg, but the darkness hidden beneath the iceberg had already made him shudder. Assistant Zhou was more than just a loyal assistant; he was more like... a monitor, perhaps even a potential... subversive!
Does Huo Shen know? Does he know that the "tool" he trusts most is doing these things behind his back?
Just then, the video conference outside seemed to end. Assistant Zhou stood up. Su Yan immediately closed his eyes and pretended to take a nap on the sofa. He could feel Assistant Zhou's gaze linger on him for a moment, then he picked up his briefcase and walked towards the study door.
Su Yan's heart was in his throat. Did his previous action leave any flaws?
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