After breaking up with my boyfriend, I made a fortune and rose rapidly in my career.

Director Chu said, "Don't move," and Chen Ping really didn't move.

Although Chen Ping didn't take any action, his mind was still working.

That afternoon, he instructed Han Zhiming, on behalf of the Chipfire Project Office, to submit a "Request for Instructions on a Special Survey of the Information Technology Construction of the Jiangsu Provincial Party School" to the General Office of the Provincial Government. The reason was quite valid: the five-province alliance needed to assess the current state of network infrastructure in training institutions at all levels to promote collaborative digital government services, and the Provincial Party School, as the main training center for cadres, should be included in the first batch of surveys.

The request was submitted and the deputy secretary-general in charge gave his approval within two hours.

agree.

Han Zhiming returned with the approval document and rubbed his hands together.

"Director, how was the list of names for this research team determined?"

"You lead the team, and borrow two more people from the information center."

Chen Ping took out a public floor plan of the Party School from the drawer and drew a circle in the northwest corner with a pencil.

"Pay attention to this part."

Han Zhiming leaned over and took a look.

"This area is marked on the map as the old library, which was closed three years ago."

"It's been shut down but still has power and is still running on a dedicated fiber optic line."

Chen Ping threw the pencil back into the pencil holder.

"Once you're inside, follow the normal procedures, starting with the main building's server room. Ask questions and examine each room one by one, making sure it looks legitimate. When you get to the old library area, focus on two things: the current readings of the distribution boxes and the port occupancy rate of the fiber optic access points."

Han Zhiming wrote it down in his notebook, then hesitated for a moment.

"What if the Party School doesn't cooperate?"

"You have a research letter from the Provincial Government Office in your hand, stamped with an official red seal. If anyone doesn't cooperate, just put the letter on their desk."

Chen Ping paused for a moment.

"Remember, you're there to conduct research, not to investigate a case. Be polite, keep your mouth shut, and keep your eyes open."

The following morning at nine o'clock, Han Zhiming, accompanied by two technicians from the Information Center, arrived at the gate of the Party School in a minibus provided by the provincial government.

The security guard checked the identification and the investigation letter and let them through.

The director of the Party School office came out to greet him personally. He was a middle-aged man in his early forties, surnamed Lü, wearing frameless glasses, and his face was full of wrinkles when he smiled.

"Director Han, you've come all this way, thank you for your hard work. The school leaders have classes today, so they asked me to accompany you the whole time."

Han Zhiming shook hands.

"Director Lü, you're too kind. We're just conducting a routine survey; we won't take up too much of your time."

The group first went to the central computer room in the main building. This is the flagship project of the Party School's informatization construction. The server racks are neatly arranged, the temperature control system is humming, and a bronze plaque hangs on the wall, indicating that the school passed the Level 3 Information Security Protection Certification last year.

Han Zhiming had the technicians take photos and record the data, fill out the relevant forms, and then he flipped through the equipment ledger in the computer room, looking at it page by page.

All equipment is standard and there are no abnormalities.

After leaving the main building, Han Zhiming took out a floor plan and pointed to the northwest corner with a pen.

"Director Lü, what's the current status of the old library marked here?"

Director Lü adjusted his glasses.

"That place hasn't been used for a long time. It was closed off three years ago after we moved to the new building. It's full of old periodicals and discarded tables and chairs."

"What about the network infrastructure? Is it still in use?"

"It should be cut off by now," Director Lü said, scratching his head. "I've only been at the Party School for two years; you'll have to ask the logistics department for details."

Han Zhiming smiled.

"Since we're already here, let's go take a look and fill in the data."

Director Lü hesitated for a moment, then took out his phone and made a call. Han Zhiming didn't hear who he called, but he saw Director Lü turn to the side, mumble a few "uh-huhs," and then hang up, his smile fading.

"The keys over there are in the logistics department. I'll have someone bring them over."

While waiting for the key, Han Zhiming took a few steps toward the old library.

The L-shaped building actually looks older than it does in satellite images. Large patches of gray paint have peeled off the exterior walls, and the windows are covered with a thick layer of dust. However, the air conditioning units on the roof are clearly new models installed within the last two years.

A three-year-old abandoned building has been fitted with a new air conditioner.

The logistics department staff arrived on an electric scooter, a large bunch of keys hanging from their waists. Han Zhiming noticed that the lock cylinder was very new, a stark contrast to the rusty metal of the door, as his hand trembled slightly while unlocking it.

The door was pushed open, and a musty smell hit us.

The lobby on the first floor was filled with discarded wooden bookshelves and metal cabinets, covered in a thick layer of dust. Han Zhiming glanced around, said nothing, and walked straight towards the stairs.

What's on the basement level?

The logistics staff turned and glanced at Director Lü. Director Lü nodded.

At the corner of the staircase is a fire door with a sign that reads "Ancient Books Digitization Project: Computer Room Area". Below the sign is a line of small print: "Funding Source: Provincial Party School Research Project, Approval Document No.: Party School Document [2003] No. 017".

The project was initiated in 2003. It has been exactly twenty-one years since then.

Han Zhiming took out his phone and took a picture of the nameplate.

The fire door is equipped with an electronic lock. There's no matching key in the logistics department's key set.

Director Lü wiped his forehead.

"This project isn't under my jurisdiction; the approval process was handled by my former supervisor. The password for the electronic lock might be in the file; I'll have to go back and look it up."

Han Zhiming remained calm and composed.

"It's okay, I'll wait."

While Director Lü was making a phone call to coordinate, two technicians squatted down in front of the electrical distribution box next to the fire door and pried open the casing to check the wiring.

One of them was stunned.

"Director Han, this line is incorrect."

Han Zhiming leaned closer.

In addition to the regular lighting and socket circuits, the distribution box has an independent three-phase 380V dedicated line with a thick wire diameter and a copper core cross-sectional area of ​​at least 16 square millimeters.

This specification is sufficient to power a small data center.

The technician then touched the fiber optic patch panel at the bottom of the distribution box. It contained six single-mode optical fibers, and the connectors were spotless.

The old building, which has been out of use for three years, has a basement computer room running high-power dedicated lines and active fiber optic cables.

Twenty minutes later, Director Lü returned with a six-digit number.

He said he found it in the original approval documents he found in the Party School archives. He pressed the button on the electronic lock, and the indicator light turned green.

The fire door was pushed open.

A strong blast of cold air was blowing out from inside.

The temperature inside felt about ten degrees lower than outside. There were many air conditioner vents on the ceiling, and the machines were constantly humming loudly. Han Zhiming glanced inside and saw six standard large server racks, two rows of dedicated power supply equipment, and even a large generator in the corner.

This doesn't look like a computer room for digitizing ancient books at all.

This is actually an independent node that can back up data, and it's quite advanced.

Han Zhiming was surprised, but he held back and turned around to smile at Director Lü.

"Director Lü, who was in charge of this project before?" Han Zhiming asked him.

Director Lü then began to flip through the yellowed document in his hand; it was an old approval document. He glanced at the signature on it.

"The signature of the approver is... Fang Qizheng, who was the vice principal of the Party School at that time."

Fang Qizheng.

Han Zhiming silently repeated the three words without uttering a sound. He was familiar with the name: Fang Qizheng, the current Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of Jiangsu Province, the top official in the province's political and legal system.

The technicians took photos and made records around the server racks, while Han Zhiming squatted down to examine the side panel of the server rack closest to the wall.

There is a two-millimeter gap between the side panel and the chassis frame. It's not wide, but you can fit a finger in it.

He took out his phone, turned on the flash, and shone it into the gap.

The beam of light hit a very small object.

It is a thin, translucent sheet with a warm yellow sheen.

Han Zhiming carefully used the cap of a pen to draw it out and held it in his palm.

A pick.

Made of ox horn, with rounded edges, and engraved with a seal script character on the front: "韵".

A plectrum for the guqin (a seven-stringed zither).

Han Zhiming's hand froze in mid-air. Chen Ping had shown him photos and information about Shen Yayun, one of which showed her carrying a guqin accessory. The inscription on the plectrum was exactly the same as the one in front of him.

He sealed the pick in the evidence bag, stuffed it into his inner pocket, and straightened up.

Director Lü was standing at the door of the computer room, rubbing his hands together, a layer of sweat beading on his forehead.

Han Zhiming calmly walked out of the computer room and patted Director Lü on the shoulder.

"Director Lü, today's research is basically over. Thank you for accompanying us throughout. We will send the first draft of the report over for the Party School to review later."

Director Lü breathed a sigh of relief and repeatedly said yes.

As the car drove out of the Party School gate, Han Zhiming dialed Chen Pingfang's number.

"director."

"explain."

"The server has been found. It's under a shell called the Ancient Books Digitization Project, which was initiated in 2003 and approved by Fang Qizheng."

There was a three-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Han Zhiming lowered his voice and pulled the evidence bag out of his inner pocket.

"There's one more thing. I found a guqin plectrum in the gap of the computer case. It's made of ox horn and has a character engraved on it: '韵' (yun, meaning rhythm/charm)."