noveltune Chapter 96: A Triple Countdown?
Chapter 96: A Triple Countdown?
Chapter 96: A Triple Countdown?
When Yan Chen posed the question, Qiu Tu's heart skipped a beat, knowing that the most critical moment had arrived. He quickly glanced at Jia Shu out of the corner of his eye. It seemed that Jia Shu hadn't expected Qiu Tu to uncover so many clues, or perhaps he hadn’t anticipated that Qiu Tu would dare to go against his earlier hints and seriously pursue the investigation. For the first time, Jia Shu's expression shifted from his usual calm demeanor to one of a faint, bemused smile.
Feeling the pressure of both powerful figures' gazes, Qiu Tu surprisingly didn’t feel overwhelmed. The reason he had dared to disclose so many clues and progress was that he had already formulated a plan to navigate this crisis.
Taking a deep breath, Qiu Tu looked directly at Yan Chen and suddenly pointed at Jia Shu. "Director, I suspect it was Minister Jia who orchestrated it!"
[14:58]
At Qiu Tu's words, the entire office fell into a stunned silence. Even Yan Chen, who typically maintained a stoic demeanor, appeared taken aback. Jia Shu, usually the epitome of composure, was visibly caught off guard, his bemused smile faltering.
For a moment, Jia Shu’s expression betrayed genuine surprise. He hadn't expected Qiu Tu to say so much, only to turn around and accuse him—especially when none of the clues Qiu Tu had mentioned pointed in his direction.
But knowing Qiu Tu’s reputation for calculated actions, Jia Shu’s mind raced as he tried to understand Qiu Tu's intentions.
Meanwhile, Yan Chen's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing as he considered why Qiu Tu would make such a bold accusation. In the short time he had known Qiu Tu, Yan Chen had developed a strong impression of him. He didn’t believe that Qiu Tu genuinely thought Jia Shu was the culprit, especially not when making such an accusation in front of him.
As both men fell into deep thought, Qiu Tu held his breath, maintaining a calm exterior, waiting for feedback from the Loyalty Game and Crisis Sense.
Seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity.
Finally, two notifications appeared before Qiu Tu:
[Yan Chen Suspicion -3, Satisfaction +4]
[Jia Shu Satisfaction +12]
Qiu Tu discreetly glanced at the two men. Yan Chen had returned to his impassive state, while Jia Shu’s faint smile had turned into a genuine, wide grin. More importantly, the Countdown Hourglass in Qiu Tu’s peripheral vision, which had been ticking down to [14:28], had now stopped.
Qiu Tu quietly exhaled, relieved that he had gambled correctly.
When Qiu Tu was assigning tasks to his subordinates earlier, his mind had been racing with one key question: Could the reason why Crisis Sense didn’t specify where the danger was coming from be because the crisis originated from both Yan Chen and Jia Shu? In other words, no matter which side he chose, he risked angering the other and putting himself in grave danger.
This line of thought led Qiu Tu to a bolder hypothesis: What if no matter which side he chose, he would end up antagonizing both?
After all, Jia Shu wasn't just Yan Chen’s right-hand man; he was also one of the nine top figures in the Investigation Department, with voting power at high-level meetings. Despite any discontent Yan Chen might have with Jia Shu, would he really abandon such a valuable subordinate over a minor issue?
Qiu Tu doubted it.
As someone with his own subordinates, Qiu Tu considered how he would react if one of them, like Cao Dabiao or Chen Feng, did something against his wishes. Would he immediately discard them? No, he would likely reprimand them severely, then continue to monitor them. After all, developing a capable, loyal, and well-positioned subordinate wasn’t easy.
Having figured all this out, Qiu Tu realized his predicament. The moment he received the Crisis Alert, his initial instinct was correct: He was merely a pawn in the power play between Yan Chen and Jia Shu.
Thus, choosing a side would be a mistake. The only way to navigate the crisis was to stand with both, satisfying them both simultaneously.
With this in mind, Qiu Tu quickly analyzed their respective goals.
Yan Chen’s was straightforward: he was clearly angry and dissatisfied with Jia Shu's loss of control. Qiu Tu needed to reassure him, to make sure Yan Chen didn’t feel like things were spiraling further out of control. Given the increase in Yan Chen’s "satisfaction" and the cues from Crisis Sense, Qiu Tu knew that Yan Chen had begun to trust him again, viewing him as a loyal subordinate. To maintain this trust, Qiu Tu needed to distance himself from Jia Shu and make it clear to Yan Chen that he was firmly on his side, that Jia Shu’s schemes hadn’t fooled him, and that he was still working in line with Yan Chen’s intentions.
"Qiu Tu, I recognize your abilities as an investigator, but your reasoning is entirely flawed!" he scolded in a low voice. "This time, I’ll forgive you on Minister Jia’s behalf, but don’t let there be a next time!"
He paused for emphasis before adding, "No matter the circumstances, you must never question or oppose your superiors! That would only lead to chaos within the Investigation Department!"
Despite the stern tone, Qiu Tu could tell that the reprimand carried little real weight. Understanding that it was time to shift the conversation back, he obediently lowered his head and replied, "Yes, Director. It was my lack of experience that led me astray."
Yan Chen nodded in satisfaction and said, "Good. Recognizing your mistakes is important."
His gaze deepened as he continued, "I initially thought this case might be too challenging for someone of your capabilities, and I was considering reassigning it. But seeing the progress you’ve made, I’ll leave it in your hands. However, this case has the Municipal Council's full attention, so you must find the culprit and close it quickly!"
After a moment's thought, he set a deadline. "I want results by next Wednesday at the latest!"
As Yan Chen finished speaking, the first countdown hourglass in Qiu Tu's vision transformed into a small treasure chest. But then, a second countdown hourglass began to appear.
Qiu Tu: ??
He glanced at Jia Shu, who was watching him with a knowing smile, and then at Yan Chen, who wore a stern expression.
Qiu Tu: ...
At that moment, Qiu Tu felt as though a thousand curses were racing through his mind.
Why are these two playing their twisted games at my expense? What did I ever do to deserve this?
‘One crisis wasn’t enough; now there’s a second?’
‘I managed to meet both of their demands this time thanks to the information gap, but how will I handle it next time?’
For a brief moment, Qiu Tu considered refusing the task outright. But before he could speak, a third countdown hourglass suddenly appeared beside the other two, its notification jumping out:
[Through your brilliant performance, Yan Chen has regained trust in you.]
[And with your 'help,' he successfully reprimanded Jia Shu, reclaiming his sense of control.]
[So, do not anger him or defy him at this moment of his greatest satisfaction.]
[You don’t want to find out what he might do to you in his wrath...]
Qiu Tu: ???
Alright, fine. If this is how you want to play, don’t blame me for what happens next!
Taking a deep breath, Qiu Tu looked at Yan Chen and spoke earnestly, "Director, I believe I can complete this task!"
"But... the timeline is tight, so I request authorization to use unrestricted special methods!"
Author's Note