"Are you an underling of Golden Fox?"
"Or....." he paused and asked, "his superior? One of the Thirteen Saints?"
The Director did not directly answer his own identity.
Instead, he said cheerfully, "I am neither Golden Fox's underling, nor his superior. I am just an accident."
Fang Ze asked, "Then you say you will tell me the whole truth? But what exactly is the whole truth?"
With his back turned and gazing into the distance, the Director spoke as if catching up with an old friend, "Actually, this whole affair could be considered an accident."
"I am a piece that our Saints had placed in Xida State over the past decade or so."
"Mostly, I just drink tea, chat, and pass on intelligence."
"However, who knew that two years ago, Cui Xuemin would be transferred under me."
"Due to a certain ability of mine, I easily detected the abnormalities in his identity and strength."
"After conducting extensive inquiries and investigations, I finally confirmed his identity: A Messenger from our Rejuvenation Society, under another Saint, codenamed Golden Fox."
"But, this didn't concern me in the least."
"He did his thing, and I continued to be a free piece."
"We coexisted peacefully for quite some time."
"While living my small life, I observed his actions and learned that he had developed an underling: Han Kaiwei."
"This carefree life continued until some time ago when it was interrupted."
"The organization tasked Golden Fox with seizing something."
"Golden Fox, perhaps too confident, sent only a four-person squad, plus you, a periphery member, to carry out the mission."
"As a result, the mission failed, one died, one was seriously injured, and three escaped."
"The seriously injured one was you....."
"During the subsequent sweep by the Investigation Bureau, we found you."
"Faced with this situation, Golden Fox was frantic. On one hand, he started to erase Traces; on the other, worried you'd spill secrets, so he planned to dispose of you."
At this point, Director Pang couldn't help but shake his head, then said with a sigh, "I must say, his methods were too crude. His cleanup work was too rough."
He looked at Fang Ze, smiled, and said, "You, a periphery member, how much information could you possibly know? Even the name of the organization you know is fake."
"Even if you were taken by the Security Bureau, you really wouldn't reveal much information."
"On the contrary, taking you out when you were already under the Investigation Bureau's control would make the Security Bureau suspect there was a mole within the Investigation Bureau."
"At that point, things would become even more uncontrollable."
"Therefore, I stopped him from making a move on you several times, seemingly by accident."
Upon saying this, Director Pang added, "Later on, you woke up only to be afflicted with memory loss."
"Both he and I breathed a sigh of relief."
"He planned to let you fend for yourself and watch the Security Bureau's decision."
"Whether they killed you or jailed you, it didn't matter to us."
"Originally, I didn't really want to concern myself with you either, but then I thought...given that we're both members of the same organization, fighting for the same ideal."
"So, I suggested to Officer Bai Zhi, to give you a chance and stage a play, to extract some intelligence from you."
He said cheerfully, "In reality, there was no intelligence on you."
"I just knew that despite Officer Bai Zhi's harsh methods, she actually has a soft heart."
"I planned to use the investigation as a way to let her see that you were merely a periphery member and hadn't delved too deeply into this affair, to give you a chance to live."
"Who would have thought that you actually had some talent? Even as a periphery member, you dug up quite a few clues."
"Honestly, I was truly shocked."
"So, I hinted several times that you could take a rest. You're injured; don't exhaust yourself, don't hurry to solve the case." (Chapter 1)
"But it seems you didn't grasp my kind intentions."
Director Pang looked at Fang Ze with a chuckle, then his expression gradually turned serious as he continued, "Later, I noticed something was off about you."
"Although I didn't know the you from before, your personality and behavior didn't quite match the records."
"Until....you used some sort of Mind Influence Type artifact on the Special Case Team."
Hearing this, Fang Ze's pupils shrank slightly.
With hands clasped behind his back and a smile, Director Pang shook his head, "Crude. Too crude."
"Haven't you thought, in a world with Awakening Abilities, while Mind Influence Type artifacts may be rare, how could they go unnoticed? At the very least, Law Fluctuations in close range can still be sensed."
"Not just me, Golden Fox noticed as well."
"Worried that you might continue this act and be discovered by the Security Bureau, I brought you out, hoping to put an end to your artifact's ability."
"Furthermore, I consoled you not to be overly stressed or burdened, suggesting that better days were still ahead."
"I also continued to remind you, it's okay if you don't find any clues." (Chapter 13)
"Who would have thought that instead you would wish to meet people from the Security Bureau."
"I could only procrastinate until your ability faded, then bring you in."
Perspiration trickled down Fang Ze's forehead.
Gazing at the sunset clouds in the sky, Director Pang then continued slowly, "But who knew, after you went in, you ended up ratting out another member of our organization: Han Kaiwei."