"How were we exposed?" Yang Xiao asked the crucial question. He had been pondering which step had gone wrong all this ti.
The sa doubt troubled Professor Cui. This secret mission was overseen by the Provincial Office. Lower offices were unaware, it wasn’t even reported to the General Bureau, and only a handful of people within the Provincial Office knew about it. There seed no reason for it to be exposed.
Yang Xiao only learned about the specific details of the mission upon reaching the border, and it seed the confidentiality asures were thorough.
"Deng deng deng..."
There were hurried footsteps outside the door. The next second, the door was pushed open. Commander Nalin, who had returned, held a piece of paper and, after dismissing a few attendants outside, sat down and conveyed an important ssage to them.
Their informant within the Dharma Sect had obtained a critical piece of information, and it was this intelligence that led to Yang Xiao and the others being exposed.
"You were betrayed," Nalin spread the paper on the table, "by your own people."
Professor Cui snatched the paper, breathing rapidly as he examined it. Monts later, he looked up sharply, staring at Yang Xiao with a strange look in his eyes.
Yang Xiao, not understanding, reached out to take the paper from Professor Cui. It clearly stated that the people from the Dharma Sect identified Yang Xiao and his team after receiving a phone call.
And this call was made from within the country, traced back to a city nad Rongcheng.
The paper seed to have another half-section torn off. Yang Xiao deduced that it was the Esoteric Sect’s effort to protect the information source.
"Can you find out who in Rongcheng made this call?" Yang Xiao looked urgently at Nalin, he roughly understood that the leak did not originate from the Provincial Office.
The source of the leak was in Rongcheng, and the Dharma Sect people deciphered his identity, which led them to deduce that they belonged to the Patrol Defense Office, causing the subsequent tragedy.
"The call was made from the Rongcheng Union, the na is unclear, but the Dharma Sect referred to him as Mr. Fu." Nalin sat upright, revealing the most crucial information.
"Mr. Fu?" Yang Xiao’s mind buzzed, "Fu Qingzhu?"
Stunned for several seconds, Yang Xiao shook his head repeatedly, "Impossible, Fu Qingzhu would never betray . Are you sure of your information source?"
"Absolutely reliable." Nalin nodded decisively.
"I don’t believe it, do you have any other evidence? I want the phone call content, I want to hear his voice myself!" Yang Xiao would never believe Fu Qingzhu would betray him even if beaten to death.
"This person knew your details and even the several magic artifacts on you," Nalin introduced.
With this, Yang Xiao’s heart went cold. He indeed knew a few people from the Apostles Union, but the only one who knew his details, especially the magic artifacts, was Fu Qingzhu.
Seeing Yang Xiao extrely unstable emotionally, Nalin didn’t dare provoke him further, suggesting he calm down for a mont. Their informant would soon send back the content of the call, but it would take so ti.
"Yang, don’t be too heartbroken, people’s hearts are unpredictable, not even friends or brothers can be entirely trusted."
Experiencing betrayal, Sheng Yanlin sympathized, recalling how he was similarly despondent.
Back when he was captured by the Dharma Sect, his captors used both kindness and coercion, but he remained unyielding until he found out his most trusted brother had betrayed him, and he collapsed.
"Shut up!"
Yang Xiao ordered Sheng Yanlin to shut up; he didn’t want to hear any comfort, as it wasn’t yet the ti of truth’s revelation.
Unless Fu Qingzhu stood before him, admitting to betraying him, Yang Xiao wouldn’t believe it.
After half an hour, or even slightly less, Commander Nalin received the latest news; the phone call recording had arrived.
Nalin took out his phone, without turning on the speaker, plugged in headphones, and handed them to Yang Xiao.
After ntally bracing himself, Yang Xiao put on the headphones. Soon, the recording with so hissing played.
A few seconds later, Yang Xiao heard the voice of "Mr. Fu," a slightly aged voice; this person must be nearing 60.
The recording was short, just over ten seconds, not revealing critical information. It seed the Dharma Sect intended to protect their informant, not providing a full recording, or perhaps they couldn’t obtain it.
The voice in the recording was not Fu Qingzhu’s, which eased Yang Xiao’s heart considerably, but it didn’t completely clear the suspicion, even though the Esoteric Sect assured they inspected the recording and no voice-changing equipnt was used.
The surna Fu is not very common. The antagonist using this alias to contact the Dharma Sect evidently knew about Fu Qingzhu’s relationship with him, but how did the Rongcheng Union get involved with the Dharma Sect?
Moreover... Yang Xiao slightly frowned; why did this leaky old voice in the recording sound sowhat familiar?
"Let listen," Professor Cui took the headphones. He had interacted with several high-ranking mbers of the Rongcheng Union before.
After listening for a while, Professor Cui’s brow furrowed as he removed the headphones, stating with certainty, "Not them; I’ve never heard this person’s voice before."
A call from the Apostles Union, an old man, who knew Yang Xiao’s details, yet wasn’t among the few top leaders; Yang Xiao really couldn’t figure out who it was.
"Perhaps soone has impersonated the Apostles Union; we should consider another angle."
Sui Chengguo took the headphones and put them on. Sotis an outsider’s perspective helps perceive overlooked hints.
But as the recording played for a few seconds, Sui Chengguo’s expression changed instantly; the voice... he found it familiar, he definitely knows this person, and knows them well!
The next second, Sui Chengguo stood up with a start, veins bulging on his forehead:
"Damn! It’s Old Monster Pu!"
"Who?" Yang Xiao and Professor Cui were bewildered.
"Elder Pu from Yiling Academy, he was the one who chased all the way to Rongcheng, and you were the one who got out of it!" Sui Chengguo spoke quickly and urgently.
Familiar mories awakened, Yang Xiao grabbed the headphones and listened again, seconds later, his face turned dark.
Yes, it was Elder Pu from Yiling Academy. Previously he had shown leniency considering his identity, yet this guy remained in hiding in Rongcheng and had hooked up with the Apostles Union.
Simultaneously, Yang Xiao rembered an incident from not long ago, when he, Fu Qingzhu, and Qu Muzhi encountered a supernatural event in a hotel and the perpetrator still remained at large.
"Old Ghost Pu..." Yang Xiao’s eyes turned red, fists clenching audibly.
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