Then, Let Them Offer Their Loyalty!

After muttering to himself, Shi Youxin looked at Yu Zhengyi and asked, "Old Yu, have you unearthed any news on your end?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Zhengyi also furrowed his brows, held up his teacup, took a gentle sip, and then shook his head, "No."

"No news came from the Sanctuary. The only thing I managed to find out is that the higher-ups ordered this Bureau Chief position to be temporarily left vacant."

"But... as to which person above is responsible for this and what their purpose is, all of that is unclear."

Hearing this, Shi Youxin fell silent for a few seconds before finally saying, "I still suspect Qiu Tu."

"This tactic of deliberately leaving the position open is all too familiar."

"And... Qiu Tu has indeed been acting out of character today."

"He's been refusing visitors, and when some of the department heads wanted to report to him, his secretary would directly turn them away outside the door."

"It seems a bit like trying to hide something by being too conspicuous."

"To be honest, I'm even suspecting whether he's at the Investigation Bureau at all or if he has secretly gone to Eastern City."

"To orchestrate his Acting Bureau Chief position."

Hearing Shi Youxin's words, Yu Zhengyi fell into quiet contemplation for a moment, also feeling somewhat uneasy.

After a hesitation, he then spoke up, "Then how about this. I'll go and probe his reality."

"To see if he is actually in his office and what he thinks about the Bureau Chief position being vacant."

Upon hearing this, Shi Youxin pondered for a moment and then nodded slightly, "I think that's feasible."

Seeing that his ally had agreed with his idea, Yu Zhengyi did not delay any further.

Instead, he stood up, went to his desk to pick up a document, and then stepped out of his office.

Shi Youxin followed him out, watching as he took his secretary with him to knock on Qiu Tu's office door. As he walked towards his own office, Shi Youxin stealthily glanced over at the situation at Qiu Tu's office door.

Until he was nearly at his own office door, the door of Qiu Tu's office opened from the inside and Tan Huimin, Qiu Tu's secretary, stood at the doorway.

Upon seeing Yu Zhengyi, she looked noticeably surprised and flustered.

Such changes in expression were a blatantly clear signal to Yu Zhengyi and Shi Youxin, who were professionally trained in interrogation and criminal investigation.

So both of them felt a "thud" in their hearts—could it be that they had actually guessed correctly?

Could it be that Qiu Tu was really not in Xinjie City but had gone to Eastern City to jockey for an official position?

Meanwhile, Tan Huimin standing at the doorway quickly adjusted her composure.

She respectfully greeted Yu Zhengyi, who was at the door, with a bow and said, "Hello, Director Yu, may I ask what brings you here?"

Hearing Tan Huimin's question, Yu Zhengyi withdrew his thoughts and probed with a chuckle, "I have a work-related question that I'd like to discuss with Director Qiu. Is he available in his office?"

Upon hearing this, Tan Huimin hesitated for a moment. Then she said, "The Bureau Chief is in his office, but... he's not feeling well today and has instructed me to refuse all visitors, no matter who they are."

However, a veteran like Yu Zhengyi couldn't possibly be brushed off so easily by a few words from Tan Huimin.

He said with a smile, "I understand, I understand. Director Qiu isn't feeling well and wants to rest a bit—that's only human."

"But... I have an important matter to discuss face-to-face with Director Qiu."

"There is a document that, in the absence of the Bureau Chief, requires the signatures of the two Deputy Directors to be effective."

As he spoke, he tentatively took another step forward.

At that moment, however, Tan Huimin, as if a cat whose tail had been stepped on, hastily blocked Yu Zhengyi's path, then said, "Director Yu, it's just a document, can't it be signed tomorrow?"

Tan Huimin's apparent attempt to cover things up even further solidified the suspicions of Yu Zhengyi and Shi Youxin.

Yu Zhengyi chuckled and then looked at Tan Huimin, saying, "I'm sorry, Secretary Tan. This document is quite urgent. It must be signed today."

With that, he again made as if to walk inside.

At that moment, Tan Huimin almost wanted to cry in desperation, standing firmly at the doorway.

She would never have expected that the task Qiu Tu had given her would fall apart so quickly...

She didn't care about being punished for deceiving Yu Zhengyi; what she cared about was... might she have impacted Qiu Tu's plans!

And then... just as despair settled in Tan Huimin's heart and she no longer knew what to do,

Suddenly, the low, magnetic voice of Qiu Tu sounded from inside the office, "Hui Min, let Director Yu in."

Hearing that voice, whether it was Tan Huimin inside or Yu Zhengyi and Shi Youxin outside, they all froze for a moment.

Qiu Tu?!

He hadn't gone out?

Yu Zhengyi couldn't help but look around quickly, wondering if it was some recording device pretending to be Qiu Tu.

However, just then, accompanied by the "tap... tap..." of footsteps from within,

Qiu Tu, dressed in casual clothes, appeared behind Tan Huimin.

He walked to the door, opened it, and looked straight at Yu Zhengyi with a gaze neither joyous nor sorrowful.

For a moment, he turned his head and looked at Shi Youxin, who was eating melon seeds by his office door, with an indifferent expression.

Finally, he turned and walked back into his office, saying dispassionately, "Come in, Director Yu. Let's see what document requires the signatures of two Deputy Directors and also needs to be effective today only..."

...

Half an hour later.

In Yu Zhengyi's office.

Yu Zhengyi, frowning and with an odd expression, remarked, "Qiu Tu really was in his office."

Shi Youxin looked at him, curiously asking, "Can you be certain? Is it not someone impersonating him?"

Yu Zhengyi, with a reflective look in his eyes, pondered for a moment and then shook his head, "It shouldn't be. He's very familiar with everything about the Inquiry Bureau and knows the procedures of the higher ranks well."