The villainous young lady is actually a scientific research genius!

"you?"

Wen Che only asked one question, his gaze still fixed on the meeting application.

The operations room fell silent.

Gu Zhaozhao took the application under the lamp and read it from the application date all the way to the final signature.

Applicant: Harold Harrison.

The identity section reads: Head of the Asian region for the Overseas Agricultural Aid Program.

As for the reason for the meeting, it was written in a very respectable manner, taking up two full pages.

Support young scholars.

Promote international academic exchange.

Provide long-term support to promising researchers.

The ammunition boxes intercepted at the border are still in the joint investigation team's evidence room.

Harrison's meeting request had already been delivered to Gu Zhaozhao.

The timing was perfect.

Qin Beihai flipped to the attachment, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"He is willing to cover all your expenses for attending the International Congress of Mathematicians abroad, and also plans to establish a lifetime research fund in your name."

Wen Che added from the side:

"The amount wasn't fixed; they only said it could be increased annually based on research needs. Labs, assistants, housing, travel—they can arrange everything you ask for."

Gu Zhaozhao raised her head.

"What are the conditions?"

"No conditions."

After Wen Che finished speaking, he paused for a moment.

No one answered in the operations room.

Everyone present understood.

The so-called "no conditions" are often the most expensive conditions.

The International Congress of Mathematicians will be held in August, and Gu Zhaozhao has once again been shortlisted for the Fields Medal.

Just at this critical juncture, a lifetime fund was presented to her.

Harrison's timing was impeccable.

Jiang Yi took the application form and quickly scanned the two pages.

"Reject it outright."

Qian Qishen looked at him.

"What's the reason?"

"His identity is highly questionable, and border evidence has pointed to his organization."

Jiang Yi put the application letter back on the table, his voice deep.

There's no need for him to have contact with Zhaozhao.

He paused for a moment.

"Whether he came to discuss academic matters or to try and find out our background, everyone knows."

Qian Qishen nodded.

"The foreign affairs department shares this opinion. However, the fact that he dared to come to us so readily means he doesn't yet know just how much we actually know."

Gu Zhaozhao remained silent.

She flipped to the last page of the application and read Harrison's promise again.

If the meeting is approved, the fund can be established before the general meeting.

Gu Zhaozhao can choose her own research direction, and her funding is not subject to interference from any administrative agency.

Every sentence was thoughtful and appropriate, with no obvious problems.

It is precisely because it is so thorough that it deserves to be studied in depth.

"Don't refuse yet."

Gu Zhaozhao suddenly spoke.

Jiang Yi turned his head to look at her.

"You want to see him?"

"not see."

Gu Zhaozhao took out three blank cards, pushed aside the photos on the table, and laid the cards out in front of her one by one.

"He requested to see me simply to confirm three things."

She held up her pen and spoke slowly.

"What exactly was left at the border?"

"Have we connected the South China Sea and the border?"

"Also, how far has the investigation progressed?"

Qian Qishen adjusted his glasses.

"You want him to let it slip himself?"

"Since he's willing to set aside a lifetime fund, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to answer a few basic questions first."

Gu Zhaozhao picked up her pen and wrote a line on the first card.

—Please describe the actual contents of agricultural relief supplies numbered A-317 to A-736 and provide the original packing records.

She didn't stop writing and quickly finished the second page.

—Please provide a complete distribution list of the supplies after they enter the neighboring country, including the warehouse, vehicles, drivers, and final recipients.

Gu Zhaozhao stopped writing when she got to the third page.

She double-checked the dates on the South China Sea case file before finishing the last line of text.

Please specify the purpose of all payments made by your organization to overseas news agencies and shipping companies between the 17th and the 20th.

After reading the three questions, Jiang Yi's gaze lingered on the last card.

"There is currently no publicly available evidence pointing to any aid organization as to the rental funds for the South China Sea journalist ship."

That's why you have to ask.

Gu Zhaozhao closed her pen.

"The first two questions were about the border."

"The third question didn't mention the reporter's boat or its name. If he really was unaware of it, we just need to go through the normal accounting process and he won't think much of it."

What the answer is is not the most important thing.

What was the first thing that came to his mind when he saw this question? That's what Gu Zhaozhao really wanted to test him on.

Wen Che took the card and scanned it, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"What if he himself mentions the journalists' boat?"

"Write down his exact words, word for word."

Gu Zhaozhao put the photo of the border pass back into the file bag and pressed the seal with her fingertips.

"A person in charge of agricultural relief should not know the internal leasing arrangements of the South China Sea journalist ship."

Qian Qishen immediately stood up.

"Understood, I'll arrange it."

"etc."

Gu Zhaozhao called out to him.

"Don't approve or reject the visitation request yet."

"Tell Harrison that I'm busy with work lately and can't find the time. As for whether or not to accept this academic grant—"

She looked up at the three cards on the table.

"Let's see if he can answer these basic review questions well."

Qian Qishen couldn't help but laugh twice.

"Exchange a lifetime fund for three exam questions."

"This is probably the first time he's ever seen a meeting like this."

Gu Zhaozhao lowered her head to organize the files, her tone calm and matter-of-fact.

"I'd never seen it before, but now I have."

……

3 PM.

Friendship Hotel, third floor meeting room.

There were two cups of coffee on the table.

The glass in front of the Chinese foreign affairs personnel remained untouched.

Harrison's coffee remained untouched, the last wisp of steam long since dissipated.

The three question cards were neatly arranged in the center of the table.

Qian Qishen did not attend.

The person in charge of transferring the issue was Lao Ma, the deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office, with a translator sitting next to him. Paper and pen were already prepared.

Old Ma wore a polite smile, but his attitude was entirely businesslike.

"Professor Gu is currently handling an important task and is unable to accept a meeting at this time."

As he spoke, he pushed the three cards forward half a foot.

"These are the three questions she asked us to pass on."

"We will consider whether to arrange further exchanges after you provide a full explanation."

Harrison looked down at the first card, then rubbed his thumb back and forth on his cufflink.

"These goods are part of an agricultural aid project."

"The actual packing and transportation are handled by local contractors. We only provide funding and do not participate in the actual operations."

The translator lowered his eyes and recorded the words word by word.

Old Ma asked casually:

"What about the original packing records?"

"It should be kept at the regional office."

Harrison answered quickly.

"There was a warehouse relocation during transportation, and some documents may have been lost."

The explanation was very solid.

If there's a problem with the packing, contact the local contractor.

The file is missing; it will be moved to the repository for adjustment.

Even if the container numbers eventually match, they can still explain it as local personnel swapping the goods without authorization.

For every vulnerability, an escape route was prepared in advance.

Harrison put down the first card and picked up the second one.

"The distribution list is internal information of the recipient country. We are not authorized to provide it to outsiders without the permission of the local government."

Old Ma's smile remained unchanged.

"They can't even provide information about the vehicle and driver?"

"The project covered many remote areas, and the vehicles were temporarily dispatched by multiple units."

Harrison paused.

"It will probably take some time to compile a complete list."

Old Ma lowered his head and made another mark on the record sheet.

Harrison said quite a bit.

Not a single piece of information could be verified on the spot.

He put down the first two cards and reached for the third.

The clock on the wall ticked past two squares.

His hand stopped on the paper.

A few seconds later, Harrison looked up.

The composed smile on her face faded for the first time.

"What does this have to do with Professor Gu's mathematical research?"

Old Ma answered calmly:

"Professor Gu needs to assess the source of the funding."

"Any foreign funding must undergo necessary review before it is formally accepted."

Harrison leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressing down on a corner of the card.

"There are already many normal business dealings between overseas news agencies, shipping companies, and aid projects."

"Aid projects need publicity and media coverage, so it's natural to send reporters to investigate locally. There's nothing to be surprised about."

The translator's pen paused for a moment.

The question card only asked about payment.

I didn't ask the reporter.

But he said nothing and continued to write down Harrison's exact words.

Old Ma glanced at the other person.

"Since these are all normal business operations, they are easier to explain."

He raised his hand and pointed to the third card, his tone still polite.

Please specify the recipient of the payment, the specific amount, and the actual purpose of each payment.