Chapter 3

The female assistant smiled, tapped the keyboard, and a shield icon appeared, showing a frigate: "Your opponent this time is it."

"It?"

"Fifteen years ago in London, a retired MI6 agent founded a company called Escort. The main business of Escort is counter-commercial espionage, protecting corporate secrets. Any legal company can hire them. The company members are very diverse, including retired agents, business elites, lawyers, hackers, chemists, and enforcers, forming a professional anti-commercial espionage company."

Zhao Ang asked, "Is it an international organization?"

"No, a local organization," the female assistant said. "The peak of the British Escort Company was only thirty people, and they only conducted business protection activities in Europe. Due to their ability to conceal their identities, they are little known in Asia. Five years ago, the British Escort Company faced a major incident. They were deceived under the guise of humanitarianism and helped a group of terrorists uncover a CIA mole among them. After that, the company disbanded, and most of its members were imprisoned."

"Playing with fire," Zhao Ang laughed.

Wu Rui sneered, "To be able to uncover a CIA mole who had been undercover for four years, with that kind of ability, what资格 do you have to mock them? Yes, they made a big mistake, but please don't doubt their capabilities. Xiao Liang, continue."

"After the British Escort Company disbanded, ten of them were convicted and imprisoned on September 11th of the same year. One year later, on September 11th, twelve Escort companies were registered globally, all named Escort 911, distributed across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Currently, we don't know if these twelve companies are connected. According to our and Interpol's understanding, all twelve companies are shell companies, including our Dongcheng's Escort 911."

"Do we have an Escort 911 in Dongcheng?" everyone asked in surprise.

"Yes, this is the company's registered address, a shell company," the female assistant said. "But we firmly believe they exist and are your opponent this time."

Wu Rui said, "I and seven colleagues worked continuously for three months and finally brought three commercial spies to court yesterday. The final result was a fine of 300,000 each and six months in prison. We police act after the fact, only after the law-abiding citizens have suffered losses can we intervene in the investigation. The mayor and I discussed the issue of commercial secrets for Dongcheng's enterprises. We believe that we can purposefully collaborate with Escort. In fact, we have already established some contact, and their performance has impressed me. However, the cooperation is still shallow. They are a commercial organization, and our government cannot provide funds to hire them, and many companies do not believe they need outsiders to protect their secrets. Last week, a major incident occurred."

The female assistant opened a screen: "Dongcheng Guoye Group and Japan's Songling Group were bidding to design and build a $2 billion Malaysian port. Everything went smoothly until the last day, when Japan's Songling Group suddenly raised their bid by 3%, securing the design and construction rights with a difference of only $800,000. Guoye Group had spent over a year and countless efforts and resources on this project, and all the data and information they obtained were suddenly shared with their competitors. Songling Group only spent ten days in negotiations, using all of Guoye Group's efforts and adding $800,000, ultimately becoming the winner."

Wu Rui said, "This is why I applied for a court order to temporarily seal the case. Although we have different ranks, we all serve the taxpayers of Dongcheng. Even though the Zhang Tian case is over, we are still curious why Dongcheng Escort accepted Zhang Tian's commission. All case files will be sealed, and I ask that you do not mention this case for now. We know that an informant provided you with information about Zhang Tian, so we will take all the files."

Zhao Ang said, "Inspector Wu, you don't have to tell us these things. We are just low-level officers, we don't need to know."

Wu Rui shook his head, "We are colleagues. If you are defeated by Escort, I think it is understandable. If you are defeated by Zhang Tian, you would have been long gone. I am explaining this clearly so that you understand the situation. After all, the media is involved this time, and I hope you do not mention this case to the media. Dismissed, Zhao Ang, stay behind."

Everyone left, and Zhao Ang immediately softened, "Uncle Wu."

"Zhao Ang, you are one of the most unique in our Dongcheng police force, a top student from Scotland Yard, a promising new generation of police officers, and you were transferred here in just three years," Wu Rui said. "Your father, a senior inspector, has been hospitalized twice due to your actions. Now, I am giving you a chance, do you want it?"

"What kind of chance?"

"This time, Zhang Tian is involved in illegal activities. I want to talk to the people at Escort and see if we can arrange a liaison."

"A liaison?"

"表面上是为了免除他们与警方打交道的一些法律上的麻烦，实际上呢……" Wu Rui smiled and did not continue, asking, "Are you interested?"

……

Zhang Tian left the drug enforcement office and hailed a taxi on the roadside to head to the bus station. After driving for about ten minutes, the taxi stopped near the dock. Zhang Tian looked around and asked, "Hey, what's going on?"

The taxi driver turned back and said, "Boss, someone asked you to get off here."

Zhang Tian glanced at the driver, got out of the car, and it was already 7 PM. The area was sparsely populated. After waiting for a while, a black car with the license plate 911 pulled up in front of Zhang Tian. The driver's side window rolled down, and a finger in a white glove pointed to the back seat. Zhang Tian, somewhat nervous, opened the door and got in.

This was a high-end business car, with soundproof glass and a black curtain separating the front and back seats, making it impossible to see the driver and the front passenger. The car started, and an electronically altered voice came from the intercom: "Mr. Zhang, there is a set of keys on your left. Your belongings are now in the warehouse at Dock 7 in Dongcheng, safe for three days. We have already removed all fingerprints, sweat, and other evidence that could incriminate you. After three days, the items will be treated as scrap, so it's up to you whether you want to retrieve them."

"Of course I want to, I need the money," Zhang Tian was delighted, thinking he had been double-crossed, but now he could get his goods back.

"Who doesn't need money?" the driver said. "Mr. Zhang, the person who betrayed you this time is your wife and her lover."

"My wife has a lover?" Zhang Tian was stunned.

"That's not my concern, I'm just telling you what I need to tell you," the driver said. "This collaboration is over, you can get out now."

Zhang Tian was flustered, "My wife betrayed me? What should I do?"

"I don't give advice on other people's lives," the driver stopped the car to the side, "Please get out."

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