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Chapter 709: Chapter 613 Is this expert a fake? (Subscription request!)_1
Northeast.
Hei Province.
Research Institute 751
This is a comprehensive materials research institute, mainly engaged in researches of special steel for surface ships and certain weapons, as well as undertaking some special alloy-related research projects.
After such a big incident, the whole institute has been put under martial law. As it is inherently a semi-militarized institution, there is no need for external forces, the internal security department can complete the lockdown.
Such a huge scene could not be concealed from these researchers. Even a brainless person would know what has happened.
After learning that someone stole data,
Each of them was filled with righteous indignation. As scientific researchers, what they despise the most are people who steal technology. Many have burnt out from the strenuous research they and their predecessors have put in, causing many to go completely gray in their thirties.
They worked so hard for the strength of their nation, so the Huaxia defense industry would not lack the most important foundation---materials. They hoped not to be controlled by others, and not to bow to developed countries.
The last similar incident was six years ago.
Still, they have yet to capture the person involved, and they still don’t even know who did it.
Due to the low prevalence of computers at the time, the theft was merely several tens of kilograms of data printouts. In contrast to the tens of tons of blueprints piled up in the ’storage room’, it wasn’t too serious.
However, now the use of computers is on the rise, data storage devices are becoming increasingly advanced. Despite tight precautions, they still couldn’t deter those with ill intentions from their petty tricks.
The lockdown has lasted for quite a long time.
But they don’t feel any discomfort. Their emotions are still stable. They are determined to find the person who stole the data. After all, they derived it through many days and nights of experimenting and rack their brains.
...
Inside the main conference room of the Research Institute.
The Director and several Deputy Directors, along with numerous experts, were sitting inside. The room was surrounded by personnel from the secret department who had temporarily taken over the command of the institute’s security personnel.
Everyone constantly smoked, and the room was swirling with smoke.
The Institute’s Director, Kang Nan, wore a solemn expression on his face.
It was not because he was worried about his position, but rather about the stolen data. To be honest, the data was not extremely advanced, as Huaxia’s materials research began rather late and is still lacking compared to the UK, USA, and Japan.
However, domestically, this was the most advanced information. If it were obtained by outsiders, especially since it also included exchanged data from other materials research institutes, any foreign party would fundamentally grasp the level, progress, and direction of Huaxia’s research in this area.
The technology was a minor issue as there were backups.
The resultant problems it could bring were the major issues.
If our foundation gets unraveled by others, that’s absolutely unacceptable, just like how few people would dare to rush out naked.
In another room.
Several members of the secret department received a ’solution’ passed down from Beijing.
"Team Leader, what does this mean? Finding an open space, establishing high-definition surveillance data channels, broadcasting, and this... what are these masks for? For remote interrogation? Will it be useful?" A member of the emergency group doubted.
"I don’t know either. Since they didn’t explain it from above, we just follow their orders. It’s getting late, let’s hurry up." The team leader immediately said solemnly. Commands are meant to be executed, not discussed.
"Yes." the man promptly agreed.
Subsequently, a few of them teamed up with several security personnel from the institute and began building the strange ’remote interrogation’ environment.
After an emergency meeting in Beijing.
Finally, they consented to the plan proposed by the command room. Although they found it a little implausible, due to the long history of flawless cooperation, the command room had never failed before.
They didn’t seem to be joking this time, so after some deliberation, they agreed since there were face masks involved. It didn’t count as leaking photos, and they had a guess that if the command room were willing, they could access personnel information anytime.
Thereupon, orders were passed down layer by layer.
In less than ten minutes, the orders reached the Research Institute.
Soon, using pre-existing tools, they set up the site underneath the flag pole in front of the institute’s office building.
"Clack."
The team leader opened the door and walked into the conference room, saying to Kang Nan: "Director Kang, have all the people in the office building, starting from the first floor, grouped in tens. We will interrogate in groups; this will be the last round of questioning."
"Do you have any leads?" Kang Nan stood up in surprise.
The team leader did not mention that the intruder infiltrated through the computer in his office, to avoid affecting Kang Nan’s future work relationships. He merely nodded and said: "A little, but I can’t tell you at the moment. Please arrange it."
"Alright, alright, I will arrange it promptly." Kang Nan said cheerfully. Having leads was good news.
Immediately, Kang Nan called two of his Deputy Directors downstairs and began arranging staff for the questioning process.
Soon.
The first group of ten people were called outside the training ground.
With heavy suspicion, they each put on paper masks. As this was temporary, using paper was more convenient. Looking at the serious team leader and the camera in front of them, many felt nervous. Not out of fear, but a feeling of being watched.
Looking at the lined up group, the team leader said: "Alright, someone will ask you questions through the loudspeaker. Just answer honestly." He was not privy to the cooperation between the command room and the nation, and could only assume that the opposite side was a questioning expert from Beijing.
"Okay."
"No problem."
"..."
Right after they finished talking, a voice came from the loudspeaker nearby.
"Starting from your right, recount your whereabouts from four to six last night." A mechanical voice resonated from inside.
Hearing this question.
Their faces showed surprise, thinking it was something different. This same question had already been asked before, even recorded in writing. Couldn’t they just check the previous record? Even the team leader found this question to be quite silly.
Nevertheless, as it was a directive from superior authorities.
They had no choice but to repeat it again.
Though there are near ten thousand people in the research institute, not everyone is a suspect. Many people were entirely within the range of surveillance during this period. There are several laboratories where tight security is maintained around the clock.
There are also numerous surveillance cameras in the office building. Due to the challenging task of manually monitoring all the footage, they had previously had a suspicion towards nearly hundreds of people, but after the command room acquired and analyzed the surveillance footage.
The deduced data showed.
The actual number of suspects was unlikely to exceed twenty.
Currently, the blockade is merely to avoid any accomplices providing backup. Otherwise, people with solid alibis would have already been released. Earlier, their focus wasn’t primarily on this office building, but rather on the laboratory building as it was the primary data entry point.
Now, as it was found that the intrusion originated from Kang Nan’s office, the primary suspects are those who were not captured on other surveillance cameras during the said period. Whether they had accomplices or not is unknown, but they had to find the perpetrator.
The details of around twenty people has already been confirmed. But to prevent the Beijing headquarters from knowing that they have ’shared’ their institute’s personnel details once again, they adopted this method of questioning. The reason they began from the first floor was that half of the suspicious personnel worked on that very floor.
Once they had all completed giving their statements.
"Very well, please repeat your statements one by one again." The loudspeaker once again resonated only to leave them hanging after that.
Upon this command.
Both the team leader and the team members were somewhat taken aback.
Could this so-called expert be a pretender?
Using such superficial tactics?
The ten people had no choice but to repeat their statements, the content similar to what they had said earlier. The team leader thought that the ’expert’ on the other side was verifying their testimonies.
What he didn’t know was that what a person says isn’t important. Mouths can lie, but physiological characteristics can’t, such as heart rates, eye movements, muscle tremors, and habitual actions are what the command room required.
"That will be all, stay to one side, next group." The loudspeaker once again responded.
Upon hearing this.
Both the team leader and the others were utterly dumbfounded.
This expert.
Could he be here just to mock them?
At the very least, shouldn’t he ask a few critical questions relating to their statements, for verification, or maybe to play some psychological tactics? They only narrated their accounts twice. Does this line of work also spend time like this?
"Change the group." Having no other option, the team leader believed that their superiors wouldn’t be that rash as to send someone just to toy with them.
The ten people left in confusion, whispering among themselves at a remote corner.
The next group.
Was asked the same questions.
Again, twice.
And again, without asking any questions related to the content of their response.
The team leader and his subordinates’ faces were turning sour. If this interrogative method manages to identify the perpetrator, it would be nothing short of a miracle. Was this task going to be a failure?
The questioning on the first floor was over.
The questioning on the second floor was over.
The third floor, where the director’s office was located, was also finished, even Kang Nan had undergone questioning. He was rather bewildered. Could such a few sentences help identify the hacker?
Were they certain they were not joking?
As Kang Nan was in the last batch of people to be interrogated, after finishing his statements twice, he addressed the surveillance camera directly: "Leaders in the command room, have any clues been found yet? We’ve already questioned everyone in our office building. There are so many more people in the laboratory. Can we...?"
What he wanted to say was.
Could they please use a more effective approach? If this method continues, it would be late into the night before even the suspects had been questioned. And since the questions are of this nature, he couldn’t help but doubt the ’expert’s’ professional capabilities.
"The questioning has ended; no need to question anyone else. Just wait for your superiors’ orders."
Upon finishing.
The loudspeaker fell silent.
Kang Nan and the team leader, standing next to the camera, exchanged looks. They both saw the surprise in each other’s eyes. Was the questioning already over?
"Team leader, what does... this mean?" Kang Nan truly didn’t understand what was going on. Had it been confirmed that there was a perpetrator in their office building? Didn’t the guy from the Information Warfare Research Center say earlier that it was not possible to trace anything?
The team leader beckoned.
Kang Nan walked over immediately, moving towards a more secluded area.
"Director Kang, our computer expert has just confirmed that the data was copied from your office computer." The team leader confessed.
"What, my office? It wasn’t me, I was outside. Many people can vouch for me." Kang Nan protested hastily.
"That’s why we aren’t suspecting you. For now, let’s wait for instructions from the higher authorities," the team leader interrupted, reflecting upon the recent questioning process; it seemed like a grim prospect.
"Okay, I put my faith in our agency," Kang Nan responded immediately.
