The two men sat down on the sofa simultaneously.
Zhang Wan brought in two glasses of water before retreating into the kitchen to continue her work.
A moment of silence passed between them before Fu Hu cautiously spoke. "Director Li, may I ask you a few questions?"
"Of course. But do understand—some matters are classified and beyond my liberty to disclose."
"Fair enough. I was wondering, when exactly was this National Risk Intervention Bureau established? And what are its functions?"
"It was founded thirty years ago. In brief, its mandate is to anticipate, intervene in, manage, and obscure large-scale, unpredictable national events. We deal with 'risks beyond the surface,' serving as a final safeguard for national strategic security."
Fu Hu narrowed his eyes. "Earlier, you said my rank was too low to be aware of this bureau. Why, then, are you telling me so openly now?"
Su Jin smiled faintly and raised his glass, casting Fu Hu a sidelong glance. "Simple. Very soon, the entire country will know about this department."
"Why..."
Just as Fu Hu was about to probe further, Su Jin drew a disc from his pocket and handed it to him.
"Would you mind playing this for me? Don't worry, it's just a regular movie—you can watch it too."
Fu Hu studied the disc briefly, then rose to insert it into the player.
Meanwhile, Su Jin crossed one leg over the other, set a notebook on the armrest, and poised his pen, ready to write.
When Fu Hu returned and caught sight of Su Jin's composed demeanor, he was struck again by a wave of uncertainty.
"This has nothing to do with you," Su Jin said, lifting the pen slightly. "Go ahead and ask your questions, Old Fu. I'll tell you whatever I can. I know my visit was abrupt, but between comrades, I'd rather not leave any misunderstandings."
Fu Hu gave a nod and pressed on, "You say you're the director of this National Bureau, but by your appearance, you can't be much older than twenty-something. How could someone so young hold such a high-ranking position in such a critical agency?"
"I'm actually in my thirties—just happen to look young. But you're right, even for someone in their thirties, it's unusual to reach this rank."
"The truth is, individuals like me are extremely rare. This department handles grave responsibilities—proficiency in foreign cultures, fluency in multiple languages, mastery in mathematics, physics, computer science, even psychology... Across the nation, those who meet these criteria can be counted on one hand."
"I only just returned and rented this place. These apartments used to be reserved for retired personnel, so I ended up here by coincidence—never expected to become your neighbor."
"Hmm…" Fu Hu fell silent again.
A mysterious man, from a department he'd never heard of.
Though Su Jin had shown some proof, Fu Hu remained unconvinced. Everything about the situation was too strange.
Even if the explanation seemed coherent, he couldn't accept that a young man had ascended to the top of such a powerful organization.
He pondered what else he could ask...
Just then, Su Jin spoke first. "Old Fu, I know you're skeptical. But take a look at this."
Unlocking his Xiaomi 6, he tossed it toward Fu Hu, who caught it swiftly and began inspecting it.
The device had struck him as highly unusual from the very beginning—clearly a product of cutting-edge technology. Now that he had it in hand, he wasn't about to waste the opportunity.
"What is this thing? And what's written on it?"
"It's essentially a smartphone," Su Jin replied coolly. "But its system has been fully modified by our department. The interface uses encrypted code only recognizable by our internal personnel."
"This device consolidates the capabilities of nearly every known consumer electronic. It was developed as part of a classified foreign project with revolutionary strategic implications. My overseas mission was to acquire its manufacturing schematics."
Fu Hu fiddled with the device, utterly absorbed, until the screen locked. He looked up, eyes narrowing. "This kind of intel... aren't you telling me a little too much?"
Su Jin nodded approvingly. "Good. As a former candidate for our bureau, your instincts are sharp. In truth, there's nothing to hide—those manufacturing documents were already sent back a year ago. Domestic trial production began six months ago."
"Once our bureau is made public, this device will be launched as a consumer product. When that happens, it will shake the international tech world... and it's less than a month away now."
"You're serious? This kind of advanced tech will be available to the public?" Fu Hu's eyes widened in disbelief. "How much would it cost?"
"Eight to ten thousand yuan."
"That's affordable?!"
"Zero-interest installment plan."
"..."
Before Fu Hu could process all this, Su Jin leaned in, taking the initiative. "You must have many doubts—about who I am, why someone like me would appear here."
"To be frank, I returned in secret without informing headquarters. My mission was completed long ago, and next month, my classified period will officially end. There's some internal turmoil—one of the deputy director positions opened up. It was meant to be mine, but I've been away from Longshan too long. Others are trying to seize the opportunity. That's why I've been in discreet contact with loyal subordinates and temporarily rented this apartment."
"Running into you was pure chance. All I wanted was to borrow a TV. Everything else I've told you doesn't matter, as long as you keep it to yourself."
Fu Hu's eyes remained guarded. "And you think it's appropriate to tell me all this?"
Su Jin chuckled and leaned lazily against the sofa, eyes fixed on the screen. "Why not? You're not part of the bureau. None of this affects you. Besides, I still hold leverage—if I decrypt the remaining data and hand it over, the position is mine regardless."
As he finished, Su Jin lifted his notebook.
The writing on the page matched the encrypted text on the device—utterly indecipherable.
Fu Hu was speechless, lost in thought.
It was all too much, and too sudden.
Logic told him not to believe a word. The kid didn't seem like a government official at all... but he couldn't find a single hole in his story.
The background was too obscure, and everything he presented was beyond comprehension.
"Old Fu…" Su Jin said, eyes still on the TV, "our meeting must be fate. I've already confided so much. My people are under watch now—if you'd be willing to run an errand or two, I'd be truly grateful."
"Money won't be a problem. In another ten, fifteen days, this whole matter will be wrapped up. If you're interested, there's always a spot open in our bureau's office... starting salary's over ten thousand."
Ten thousand to start?!
Fu Hu's shoulders stiffened slightly. He murmured, "Director Li, I suppose... this was your real reason for moving in next door and saying all this?"
Su Jin smiled. "Half correct. Ending up next door to you really was a coincidence. But—will you help me?"
"I still want to know—which country did you carry out this mission in?"
"My operations are top secret. They'll never be made public... But it's fine, Old Fu. If you don't want to help, that's your choice. It won't affect your life."
"Thank you, Director... uh, have you eaten yet?"
Su Jin paused mid-sentence, glancing toward Fu Hu. "Not yet."
"Then stay for dinner?"
"Will that be all right?"
"Of course! No trouble at all. I'll check how the dishes are coming along." Fu Hu rose and cast a sidelong glance at Su Jin as he headed to the kitchen.
Once inside, he pushed the kitchen door halfway closed.
Zhang Wan, spatula in hand, leaned in and whispered urgently, "Who is that young man? What's he doing here?"
"Shhh! Keep your voice down," Fu Hu muttered. "There's something off about that kid."