Munitions Empire-Chapter 2012 - 1877: Eyes of the Divine

Chang’an, Forbidden City, inside the Underground Security Monitoring Center, numerous flickering screens are densely arranged on the walls like stars in the night sky, reflecting the young and focused face of an on-duty officer. He keeps his eyes fixed on the screen, fingers swiftly typing on the keyboard, control commands cascading down like a waterfall.

In the surveillance footage, crowds of people are seen, with the magnificent scenery of the Forbidden City captured entirely. He takes a deep breath, feeling an overwhelming sense of accomplishment from controlling the situation, turns his head and says to his colleague beside him: "You know, sometimes I feel like a divine being, looking down on the masses from above."

His colleague, a seasoned veteran officer, hearing this slightly naive sentiment, chuckled and replied: "In a sense, your job right now is very much like that of a divine being, monitoring everything, guarding the peace of this city. So, any discoveries?"

He knew that recently a major case was under investigation, so his tone carried a hint of curiosity. Although this case was under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Security Bureau and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, they were still obliged to assist.

"There’s no conclusive evidence yet." The young officer rubbed his sore eyes and shook his head: "We’ve recently activated all surveillance cameras and are working overtime to confirm some matters, to identify those dangerous individuals with malicious intent. The computer system is conducting initial comparisons to screen suspicious personnel."

"Any progress?" the veteran officer asked with concern.

"Some clues." The young officer pointed at the flashing red dot on the screen, "About ten people have frequently appeared around the Forbidden City recently, eight of whom have been seen multiple times in the parts of the Forbidden City open to the public."

"That many?" The veteran officer frowned: "Seems like something really might happen."

"We can’t confirm yet." The young officer cautiously replied: "I’ve already reported the information to the Imperial Security Bureau and simultaneously copied the email to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I’ve heard they’re incredibly busy over there, with many departments investigating related matters."

"Well done," the veteran officer patted his shoulder, "The rest of the matter is up to them, it’s not something we need to concern ourselves with anymore."

"Indeed," the young officer nodded, his gaze returning to the screen: "But watching these fools operating right under my nose is still quite interesting. Like this person, he showed up in the open area of the Forbidden City again today."

"Who?" The veteran officer looked where he pointed.

"It’s him," the young officer pointed at a man wearing sunglasses on the screen: "With sunglasses, seems like he’s trying to hide, but his distinctive beard caught my attention."

"Should we send someone over to detain him and question him thoroughly?" The veteran officer suggested.

"That’s what I also suggested." The young officer shrugged helplessly: "But the director said the Ministry of Internal Affairs won’t let us take unauthorized actions. Probably trying to give it a longer run... who knows."

"Then there’s nothing we can do..." the veteran officer sighed: "Just keep watching him... as long as he doesn’t cause any trouble."

"Don’t worry." The young officer said confidently: "With three layers of security checks, he won’t be able to bring any dangerous items into the Forbidden City. His frequent reconnaissance is likely for preparing future actions."

"Ha." The veteran officer laughed lightly: "I really wonder what these people are thinking, they might not even know that the Forbidden City’s security system has already been upgraded."

He paused and added: "They think they’re clever, but actually, we have every move of theirs under our control."

"Exactly." The young officer agreed, "They are like pawns being toyed with in our hands, thinking they’re unnoticed, yet not realizing their every move is under our surveillance."

"Hope they don’t regret it later, after all, I’ve heard the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Imperial Security Bureau aren’t ordinary in their methods." The veteran officer said: "They’ll come to appreciate something called law, as law is a good thing that protects the weak."

"Indeed." The young officer nodded: "The security of the Forbidden City is inviolable, anyone attempting to disrupt it will pay a price."

...

Inside the Imperial Security Bureau, the atmosphere is heavy, the air filled with a sense of tension. The highest leader of the action group, Director Li’ao, sits at the head of the conference table, silent, his sharp eyes sweeping over everyone present. The aura of authority emanating from him seems to lower the temperature of the entire meeting room by a few degrees. An officer from the action group cautiously approaches the table and gently places a photo on the surface.

"Director, after gait analysis comparison, this person has appeared near the Forbidden City as many as eleven times." The officer’s voice carries a slight tremor, evidently somewhat in awe of Li’ao’s authority: "Each time he appears, his attire is different, and on two occasions, he wore sunglasses attempting to conceal his identity."

Another member of the analysis team adds: "What’s more suspicious is that although this person hasn’t carried any camera equipment, he has frequently appeared around the Forbidden City, which is clearly inconsistent with typical tourist behavior patterns."

He strokes his chin, carefully examining the person’s portrait in the photo, his brows furrowing as he seems to strive to uncover the hidden clues within: "We are comparing video data from other directions, hoping to find more footage of him for a more in-depth analysis."