"I'm at the police training base, just finished training with Gao Bo."

"Then I'll send you the location."

"Sure."

Gu Ji hung up the phone and casually took off his training gloves,

Gao Bo, standing nearby, eavesdropped for a moment and showed a meaningful expression.

"Chen Zhiyu?"

"Yeah."

"Why's she looking for you so late? She knows I'm with you, yet deliberately didn't call me. Something must be up!"

Gao Bo touched his chin, suddenly recalling what Zhang Wenjun said yesterday, glanced around, and spoke in a low voice.

"Do you think she might be here to pass on information? After all, Zhang Zhong mentioned the case involves national security. She might be part of the operation!"

"Impossible, even if she is involved in the case, she wouldn't show it."

Gu Ji took off his bulletproof vest and explained seriously.

"National security has strict confidentiality regulations. Even the lowest 'secret level' must be restricted to the smallest scope based on work needs, pinpointed to every specific individual. People involved in secrecy must report who they've met and where they've been."

"Not to mention that public security and national security are two separate systems. Even within the same department, different levels of confidentiality shouldn't be discussed with each other. Once leaked, everyone, including those who heard the secret, must abide by confidentiality rules, starting with a minimum of ten years."

"Wow, this is way stricter than us in public security. I wonder what Chen Zhiyu was thinking when she decided to go to such a place..."

Gao Bo scratched his head.

Just thinking about reporting all his trajectories to the organization daily made his head want to explode. It was suffocating.

Leaving the training base.

Gu Ji followed the location Chen Zhiyu sent and arrived at a water bar.

In the dim ambient light, the bar was playing soothing light music. The place was mostly filled with young men and women, creating an ambiguous atmosphere. Gu Ji instinctively scanned a few dead angles and spotted Chen Zhiyu in a corner by the window.

Maybe because of her shift today, it was rare to see Chen Zhiyu dressed so formally, wearing a burgundy blouse with a slightly open neckline and a white long skirt, matching her bob haircut, making her look sweet and professional.

Seeing him, Chen Zhiyu immediately waved her hand.

"What made you reach out to me today? Do you need my help with something?"

Gu Ji sat down accordingly and asked casually.

Hearing this, Chen Zhiyu couldn't help but feel a bit irritated.

"Why, can't I reach out if I have nothing going on?"

"Uh, that's not it, but this place you chose..."

"What's wrong with this place?"

Chen Zhiyu was about to retort but then noticed a couple next to them tightly holding and kissing each other.

"You... haven't had dinner yet, right? The desserts here are really good."

She blushed slightly, seemingly using the menu to ease her embarrassment and then used it as an excuse.

"I haven't had the chance to congratulate you since you got the job. I also heard you cracked a big case during the practical exam. You're doing pretty well!"

"Ah, just lucky."

"Oh, come on, don't be modest. My stepmom was just telling me yesterday how you've been more reliable lately. Seriously, did something happen to push you?"

"What do you mean by that, what... do you mean by pushing me?"

Gu Ji paused while looking at the menu, suddenly grinning, and looked up directly at Chen Zhiyu.

Chen Zhiyu rested her chin on one hand and pointed at a dessert on the menu with the other.

"I've tried this scone before; it tastes pretty good."

Seeing Gu Ji's gaze turn back to the menu, she continued: "If you weren't pushed, why are you suddenly working so hard? I heard Wu Kang was quite upset with you. Your SWAT team stole their thunder twice already."

Twice now.

Gu Ji narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly.

Almost every time before creating a topic, Chen Zhiyu would present the menu first, catching his attention, causing his brain to think briefly: "What food to order."

Then, taking this chance, in a light-hearted joking tone, she would introduce the topic using a family reference, increasing the context's amiability and credibility before probing, and both times, the inquiry angles were almost identical.

Divert focus;

Find a weak point to break through;

Repeatedly question the same point, and delve into the details.

This is...

The key points of interrogation techniques!

Gu Ji again surveyed the surroundings with his peripheral vision; no wonder Chen Zhiyu chose to meet here — dim, ambiguous, relaxing — likely to trigger primal desires, making it easier for people to let their guard down.

It's a good thing he recently strengthened his knowledge in SERE survival training on anti-interrogation tactics.

Otherwise, he might not have noticed.

You see, Gu Ji had known Chen Zhiyu since childhood. As his closest buddy, his guard against her was almost at the lowest, equivalent to his parents.

Before coming, he and Gao Bo had just talked about national security confidentiality issues.

So when Chen Zhiyu brought up the 7.19 case, his instinct was to consider whether discussing it would impact her confidentiality work and whether the topic was appropriate...

And as Chen Zhiyu shifted the conversation from his mother to his own performance,

Gu Ji started feeling something was off.

Gao Bo often works with him, training and joking about such topics is reasonable, but he hadn't seen Chen Zhiyu in over a month, and upon meeting, she probed into his performance level, asking twice. There could only be one reason:

Someone instructed her to investigate him!

"Who could it be..."

Using his investigative instincts, Gu Ji had an intuitive feeling that Chen Zhiyu meant him no harm.

Could it be that national security is investigating me?

Was it because of participating in this secret case this time, or because of the code name: 7472...

He carefully recalled every detail, seemingly not having exposed his identity.

If it was because of the case, it actually didn't make much sense.

Why only investigate him but not Gao Bo, especially since he was just on the periphery assisting the arrest and not a core figure in this case.

Or was Chen Zhiyu worried about me?

Gu Ji remembered Gao Bo saying that Chen Zhiyu might also be responsible for this case involving Shao Liang; if she saw the list of operatives and noticed his involvement in the arrest, it was understandable for her to check on his status out of concern.

"Ahem, I honestly never thought about working this hard. You don't know, after the police training, the instructors started to eye me. Li Ruilin and Zhang Wenjun, for some reason, often scold me in front of many officers, pushing me. How could I not work hard!"

He pondered for a moment and decided to bring up Mr. Li and Zhang Zhong's names.

No matter what the reason behind Chen Zhiyu's secret investigation is, or whoever is behind her, as long as he mentions the Special Police Team, they should have no further questions.

If there's anything to inquire, just go and ask Li Ruilin in the white shirt!

"Li Ruilin? Isn't he the commander of the Special Police Unit? He even visited our Special Police Academy's drill during the graduation ceremony!"

Chen Zhiyu seemed to have thought of something, "Maybe it was your performance in the drill that caught Mr. Li's attention, and he's arranging Zhang Wenjun to focus on nurturing you!"

"I've heard before that Mr. Li really cherishes talent; most of Ningzhou City's Dragon and Tiger Assault Team members were selected from the grassroots by him!"

"Could be..."

Gu Ji answered casually.

Who would've thought that after joining national security, this girl Chen Zhiyu not only learned advanced interrogation techniques but her analytical skills have also improved rapidly.

But of course, having good grades at the police academy, receiving professional training after joining national security, her level surely wouldn't improve any slower than his or Gao Bo's.

Perhaps having gotten the answers she wanted, Chen Zhiyu didn't ask further.

The two of them chatted simply until around 9 PM.

Seeing that it was getting late, Gu Ji finally took her home.

After returning to her room.

Chen Zhiyu took out her phone from her pocket and dialed her father Chen Hongsheng's number.

After a delay of two or three seconds, a voice came through the receiver.

"How about it, Xiaoyu?"

"Gu Ji has no issues, maybe it's just that the police training has been exhausting lately; I heard him say the instructors are quite strict with him, Uncle Gu is just overly worried."

Indeed.

This afternoon, Chen Zhiyu received a call from her father and Gu Jian. They initially asked if she had dined with Gu Ji in recent days. When she answered no, Gu Jian expressed concern, suspecting his son had perhaps seen someone and feared he might go astray, asking her to subtly inquire about it.

She thought Gu Jian was worried about Gu Ji's recent behavior changes and agreed to do it.

"Alright, I understand. You also take care, don't overwork while at work."

"Got it, Dad."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Zhiyu went to the window in the living room. She saw Gu Ji's back at the entrance of the community, and her mind involuntarily recalled the list of participants in the "Shao Liang" arrest she saw while on duty in the afternoon.

She could never have imagined that a newly recruited special police officer would participate in a "top secret level" arrest operation, which was really too dangerous.

So, her conversation with Gu Ji tonight wasn't solely for Gu Jian's inquiry; she was genuinely worried whether Gu Ji had offended anyone in the police force.

And from his explanation tonight, it's largely inferred that Li Ruilin is assessing Gu Ji's ability, wanting him to enter practical combat and grow quickly.

"Be very careful, Gu Ji."

…

Meanwhile.

In a hotel suite in Dubai.

Chen Hongsheng put down the phone and turned to look at Gu Jian beside him, "You heard it all, Xiaoyu said it's fine, don't worry, there won't be any issues!"

Gu Jian sat on the chair, hands resting on his knees, without saying anything.

After a moment of silence, he abruptly stood up.

"I still feel something's off. How about this, Lao Chen, you stay here and continue attending the expo; I'll go ask David for leave."

"You're planning to return to the country early?"

Gu Jian nodded.

Chen Hongsheng pursed his lips, "It's not that serious, is it, Mr. Gu? Aren't you making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"Gu Ji has always been quite independent and has his ideas. Since he lied about something trivial like dining, it implies he must have a motive, or... encountered something!"

Gu Jian rubbed his forehead, looking somewhat exhausted, "For the past few days, my left eyelid kept twitching."

"Mr. Gu, maybe I should go back with you to have a look!"

Seeing his off state, Chen Hongsheng couldn't help but feel a bit worried.

"Both of us team leaders leaving at the same time, David won't agree to that. You stay here, I'm just going back to check on Gu Ji, and once I'm assured there's no issue, I'll inform you if need be."

"Alright then..."

…

In Ningzhou City.

After leaving Chen Zhiyu's house, Gu Ji hailed a cab to head back. On the way, he mulled over their conversation while opening a game page.

Today is Saturday, and based on last Saturday's challenge completion, it's exactly seven days later, the time to open the treasure chest has arrived.

It's Gu Ji's first time earning a treasure chest, so he couldn't wait to see what it held inside.

Find the item tab.

[Would you like to spend 2 crisis points to open the imprint, item chest?]

[Yes!]

With just a thought, a white light flashed from the wood grain of the two shattered chests. Accompanying a violent shake, the chests finally opened:

[Congratulations on obtaining a white imprint: Hearing Enhancement (Small), and a white item: Poison Needle Trap!]

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