He hung up the phone and returned to the dorm before calling back.

"Are you busy?" Tan Xiang asked.

"Not busy now." Song Guanchao asked, "What's up?"

Tan Xiang said, "The transaction time and location have been set."

"When?"

"Tomorrow noon, Baima Town Red Brick Factory."

"Tomorrow?"

Song Guanchao couldn't help but frown. Why is the timeline so tight?

Tan Xiang asked, "Is there a problem?"

Song Guanchao didn't immediately answer; his intuition told him there was a problem.

He walked over to the window, opened it, lit a cigarette, held the phone to his ear, and silently smoked, pondering for a long time, suddenly realizing something was off.

He flicked the ash and asked, "Where is Chairman Tan?"

"Why are you asking?"

"There's something I want to discuss with you in person. If convenient, let's meet up."

Tan Xiang couldn't quite grasp his thinking, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright."

Ten thirty.

Song Guanchao drove to the outskirts of the city to an abandoned school.

Driving over waist-high weeds, Song Guanchao parked the car on a sandy area.

About ten minutes later, a black off-road vehicle drove into the school.

Tan Xiang, dressed in black with sunglasses covering half her face, walked towards Song Guanchao who was squatting beside the car smoking.

"District Chief Song, what do you want to talk to me about?"

Song Guanchao exhaled smoke and asked, "Why schedule it for tomorrow?"

Tan Xiang hesitated for a moment before realizing he was referring to their earlier phone conversation.

"Why can't it be tomorrow?"

Tan Xiang found his question puzzling.

Song Guanchao said, "The timeline is too tight, let's postpone it a few days."

Tan Xiang frowned, "You sought me out just for this?"

"Yes."

"No can do."

"Why not?"

Tan Xiang suddenly fell silent.

Song Guanchao flicked away the cigarette butt, stood up, and said, "Chairman Tan, do you really think I'm easy to fool?"

Tan Xiang calmly said, "District Chief Song, what do you mean by that?"

"What do you think I mean?"

"Is Chairman Tan still pretending?"

"If I'm not mistaken, tomorrow's transaction wasn't arranged by you, right?"

They agreed that Tan Xiang would intentionally let some losses occur, stage a drug deal to flush out undercover cops.

But since it's a setup, the transaction time can be decided at will.

Yet Tan Xiang scheduled it for tomorrow, allowing only a day for preparation.

This was very unusual.

Furthermore, she refused to change the date.

The only possibility was that she wasn't the one who arranged the deal!

So she couldn't change it.

Song Guanchao even suspected the transaction wasn't with her faction but another crime syndicate.

Tan Xiang might be using him to strike against this criminal gang.

The lure for undercover cops seemed more incidental.

Tan Xiang's silence further confirmed Song Guanchao's suspicion.

"Tomorrow noon's transaction is with Lei Group," Tan Xiang admitted.

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Guanchao suddenly closed in, pressing her hands against the car door.

The face that spent an intimate night with her revealed a violent expression.

"I now doubt you're really an undercover agent?"

Song Guanchao coldly interrogated.

Tan Xiang's behavior made him doubt the truth of her previous words.

Tan Xiang met his gaze defiantly, "I didn't deceive you."

"What's going on with this transaction?"

"Unwilling to let your company suffer a loss?"

"Want to use me to suppress competitors?"

"Tan Xiang, your calculations are quite clear!"

Song Guanchao wasn't foolish; her behavior was suspicious with too many hidden agendas.

Tan Xiang said, "Say whatever you will, if you don't trust me, we can stop cooperating. Even if this road leads to ruin for me, I haven't lost."

Song Guanchao stared at her for a long time; Tan Xiang's eyes remained unwavering, calmly meeting his gaze.

Song Guanchao slowly let go and said, "I'll find a way to verify if you're an undercover agent, don't let me catch you deceiving me."

Tan Xiang rubbed her slightly sore wrists, said, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."

"Wait." Song Guanchao asked, "How much is the transaction volume tomorrow?"

"It won't be less than 20 kilograms."

"Who knows about it currently?"

"Lei Group's higher-ups."

"So there are people within Lei Group's higher-ups influenced by you?"

"Yes." She couldn't deny it anymore.

Song Guanchao said, "In cooperation you need sincerity; if you deceive me next time, whether you're an undercover agent or not, our cooperation ends here. From then on, I won't see you as an informant but as the crime syndicate's leader."

"Finished?"

Tan Xiang calmly turned around, got in her car, and left the abandoned school.

Song Guanchao grew wary of this woman.

Whether she's an undercover or not, for a woman to become a spokesperson for a crime syndicate, her competence wouldn't be lacking.

Dealing with such people requires caution.

This transaction, actually speaking, wasn't a big deal.

Song Guanchao could tolerate it; he just didn't want to be deceived.

Had Tan Xiang explained in advance, he wouldn't have had such a strong reaction.

But deliberately hiding certain information, with deceitful intent, forced Song Guanchao to question Tan Xiang's true intentions.

He took out his phone and called Liang Jianfeng.

"Mr. Liang, are you in the bureau? I have something to discuss. I'm heading over now."

Upon reaching the city bureau, it was nearing noon.

Just as he entered, he ran into Liang Jianfeng coming out.

"Have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

"Let's talk over lunch then."

Liang Jianfeng led him outside to a Sichuan restaurant near the city bureau.

He was obviously a regular; the owner knew him.

In the private room, after ordering a few dishes, Liang Jianfeng asked, "So, what's up?"

Song Guanchao said, "Tomorrow noon at Baima Town Red Brick Factory, there's a transaction."

Liang Jianfeng was taken aback, "Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Who's involved in the transaction?"

"Lei Group."

Upon hearing the name, Liang Jianfeng exclaimed, "Are you sure?"

"It should be legit."

Given Tan Xiang's history, Song Guanchao was cautious to avoid making firm declarations.

"Should be..."

Liang Jianfeng felt slightly uneasy.

Song Guanchao said, "Don't blame me for being unsure. My informant providing this intel is already impressive, but I can't guarantee its accuracy."

He then added, "Oh, and Mr. Liang, it's best not to disclose this to many. Notify them before the operation and collect their phones afterward."

Liang Jianfeng raised an eyebrow, "Why, suspect someone in the police might be leaking information?"

Song Guanchao said, "It's wise to be cautious."

"Such operations are rare, and let's face it, every police force has some bad apples. Some people will do anything for money. Leaking info isn't surprising."

Cre-ak~

The waiter pushed the door open, serving the dishes.

Liang Jianfeng didn't continue the discussion. He checked the time, then dialed a number, "Are you on your way?"

Soon, Song Guanchao heard a familiar voice from the other end—it was Liang Jiajia.

After hanging up, Song Guanchao asked, "Is Jiajia coming over?"

"Yeah, she'll be here soon, let's wait for her to eat together."

Just as he finished speaking, his phone rang again, "Alright, alright..."

After the call, Liang Jianfeng said, "You wait for Jiajia here; I have to deal with something. Also, don't mention tomorrow noon's matter to Jiajia, nor to Political Commissioner Wen."

Song Guanchao asked, "Not even to Commissioner Wen?"

Liang Jianfeng sternly replied, "Strictly speaking, you're a police informant now. The fewer people aware of your identity, the better. And since you're worried about leaks, how can you be certain Wen Ru isn't the one leaking?"

Song Guanchao chuckled, "Uncle Liang, aren't you being overly cautious?"

Liang Jianfeng shook his head, "I don't know them well enough nor trust them fully."

"Understood."

Liang Jianfeng's careful approach was indeed appropriate.

His cautiousness was also for his own safety.

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