Jiang Linchuan gripped the book tightly, his aura growing increasingly oppressive.
He didn't know what to do.
This was the first time in so many years that he had lost his focus during a mission, and even had other thoughts.
He is a soldier, the guardian of this land and this country. He should not, cannot, and will not tolerate any concealment of matters concerning national security.
But... this matter is related to Xu Xinghe.
That was the girl he loved most.
She would be in great danger if she got involved with spies.
As her man, he should shield her from all danger.
Zhao Feng had no idea what he was thinking. He stepped forward and snatched the book away.
His gaze fell on the poem on the title page, he raised an eyebrow slightly, and his eyes swept over Jiang Linchuan's tense face. "Commander Jiang, this looks pretty ordinary. Why are you so engrossed in it? You've even forgotten about the mission."
Before Jiang Linchuan could speak, Zhao Feng threw the book directly into the bag.
That's where all the evidence we're going to collect is kept.
"Commander Jiang, don't waste any more time, let's continue the search." Zhao Feng waved the evidence bag in his hand. "Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to report the facts to Political Commissar Wang."
Jiang Linchuan looked at the transparent evidence bag, and his heart sank even further.
It was as if the cold wind outside had blown in, seeping into his bones, and his whole body was filled with chill.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just pursed his lips, turned around and walked to the other side of the desk. "Continue the search!"
He cannot take the evidence away directly now.
Yes, what he should do is not hide the evidence, as that would likely cause more trouble and be even more disadvantageous to Xu Xinghe.
What he needs to do is to clear Xu Xinghe's name of his stain.
He couldn't believe that his beloved girl would be involved with a spy!
Zhao Feng stood outside the door, his gaze fixed on the evidence bag.
He knew Jiang Linchuan well and rarely saw him with such an expression, as if something major had happened.
So, there was a problem with that book?
Snowflakes started falling outside the window again sometime earlier.
The temperature is even lower.
It's only late October, but it's already as cold as November in previous years.
Winter has truly arrived.
After the search was completed, the soldiers dispersed and regrouped outside the town.
The car sped past, braving the wind and snow, heading straight for the military headquarters.
It was already late at night.
The office lights were still on.
Political Commissar Wang paced back and forth anxiously.
Finally, the sound of an engine came from outside.
He immediately went to the window, his gaze falling on Jiang Linchuan and Zhao Feng.
Zhao Feng deliberately walked ahead and entered the office. "Political Commissar Wang, we're back with some leads. These are the things we found during the search; we haven't had time to examine them closely yet."
After saying that, he glanced at Jiang Linchuan, "I searched this bag. As for Commander Jiang's, it's in his own hands."
Jiang Linchuan spent too much time in the bedroom, so the search only yielded half a bag.
On the contrary, Zhao Feng's hands were full, making it seem as if he had put more effort into it.
Political Commissar Wang sighed, but said nothing.
The entire military knew about the discord between the two.
Many soldiers even took sides; some preferred Jiang Linchuan, while others felt that Zhao Feng was more humane.
However, both young men are very talented, so Political Commissar Wang couldn't show favoritism. Besides, as his superiors had said, a competitive spirit is essential for becoming even more outstanding.
What a nation needs are individuals who excel in peacetime competition and can unite as one in times of war.
"Both of you, please sit down and give me a report on the situation."
Zhao Feng spoke first, "Political Commissar Wang, we didn't find any signs of intrusion at Chen Jingming's home, so it seems his affair hasn't been exposed yet. I've already sent word that something happened at Chen Jingming's home, so he had to go back temporarily. I even found someone to impersonate him and go to the train station, and notified the comrades there to keep an eye on his family."
"Well done."
Zhao Feng, having received his reward, glanced smugly at Jiang Linchuan. "Political Commissar Wang, I think Commander Jiang should take a couple of days to rest. He's not in good shape; he even got distracted while searching for evidence."
Political Commissar Wang rubbed his temples, looking a bit of a headache. "Alright, leave your things here, you can go now."
This Zhao Feng, he's already causing trouble as soon as he got back from his mission.
It's likely that Jiang Linchuan was dissatisfied because the Frostfall incident gave him an opportunity to make a name for himself, which is why he rushed back.
"Wait a minute," Zhao Feng spoke again. "Political Commissar Wang, I think this physical evidence might be very important."
After saying that, he took out the poetry collection directly from the evidence bag. "Commander Jiang is looking at this book, but he seems to be completely absorbed in it. I suspect there's something wrong with it."
Political Commissar Wang's expression changed. "I don't care about the competition between you and Lin Chuan, but there are some things you absolutely cannot say carelessly!"
“I know, I was just raising my reasonable doubts.” After saying that, Zhao Feng placed the poetry collection on the table. “Political Commissar Wang, I hope that I can participate in the entire next mission. This is the commendation letter I received after completing a previous mission.”
Political Commissar Wang was having a headache; Zhao Feng was putting pressure on him...
The reason he prefers Jiang Linchuan to Zhao Feng lies in this.
What Zhao Feng wanted more was merit. With this merit, he could be transferred to the capital or some other better place.
But Jiang Linchuan was different; his heart belonged only to this place.
"I understand." Political Commissar Wang didn't open the letter; he simply placed it aside. "You'll be in charge of the entire mission this time."
"Thank you, Political Commissar." Zhao Feng gave Jiang Linchuan a provocative look, then turned and left.
Political Commissar Wang sighed, "Lin Chuan, he's just trying to claim credit. After this, he should have accumulated enough and will be transferred soon, so you don't need to take it too seriously. Also, don't really confront him. He's actually a good soldier, just a little too ambitious and competitive."
“I know.” Jiang Linchuan’s expression was solemn, and the atmosphere around him was frighteningly tense, but his duty as a soldier prevented him from escaping at this moment. “Political Commissar, there’s something I have to tell you. I found a collection of poems in Chen Jingming’s house, and the handwriting on it… is exactly the same as Xinghe’s!”
Commissar Wang froze, his breath caught in his throat, and after a moment of silence, he seemed to come back to his senses, his brows furrowed and his eyes grave. "This...this is really hard for me to believe."
But Jiang Linchuan wouldn't lie.
Why do all sorts of things always happen to Xu Xinghe?
This time, she's even been implicated in the spy incident!
“Lin Chuan, since this involves espionage, there are some things I can’t make decisions about. As for the poetry collection you mentioned, it’s very important evidence, and I can’t tamper with it; it must be handed over intact. Luckily, you didn’t do anything wrong, otherwise this matter would have become much more difficult.”
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