"Leave request report?" Qin Ningyi murmured.
All the previous deductions were based on the logic that Cheng Guozhong knew he was going to participate in the operation, yet still brought his phone and used it for calls.
But what if he had submitted a leave request from the beginning and had no intention of participating in the operation?
All deductions would be overturned.
"Was it approved?"
"It was approved."
Qin Ningyi's brows furrowed. "Where?"
As soon as the question was out, Elder Qin's expression became somewhat peculiar.
"It's gone."
These two words, paired with his now long beard, made him look weak and aged.
"Did the investigation team back then not know about this matter?" Qin Ningyi immediately felt something was amiss as he asked. If the investigation team knew, they wouldn't have so easily convicted Cheng Guozhong.
Qin Ningyi recalled his time at Fenghuo. "The leave application back then was done through the system, wasn't it?"
Fenghuo was one of the earliest to implement online office operations. Many of their applications could be done online. For such a top-secret operation, these procedures would generally be moved to the internal system.
Elder Qin sighed, "I saw it on the system."
At that time, he had also been invited to the Fenghuo Assault Team for that operation. While everyone was focused on the situation on the ground, he, wanting to learn from Fenghuo's experience with digital management, happened to glance at the computer placed beside him.
It was at that glance that he saw the leave report that had already been approved.
"After Cheng Guozhong was arrested, I kept thinking something was wrong. I told the investigation team about this matter."
He did what he could, but who would have thought that after the investigation team checked, they couldn't find that application report in the system?
"I know I couldn't have remembered it wrong." Elder Qin looked deeply at Qin Ningyi. His memory had never failed him, and he wasn't old back then.
"So, after finishing my work, I heard the investigation team's results, and then rushed to the Fenghuo Assault Team overnight to intercept the people from above and told them about this situation."
Qin Ningyi could roughly guess what happened next. Huo Rou overheard their conversation, but missed the first half about the leave application.
So in her mind, Qin Han became someone who abused his power and deliberately harbored a traitor.
"As far as I know, Fenghuo's system has been updated several times. The old one..."
"It can't be found." Qin Han knew what Qin Ningyi was trying to do. "I found the best experts, but our technology was backward at the time. Even if I suspected someone tampered with it, I couldn't find anything."
The technological gap had existed since those years. China's development over so many years had only produced talented individuals like those in the Chiyou unit and the intelligence department, but it was all too late.
"As for now... that system is too old, and there are no traces left."
Huo Jinyi was full of passion, someone he greatly admired. He didn't want such a person to die without knowing the truth, so he investigated the truth and exonerated Cheng Guozhong, who might have been wrongly accused.
He wanted to bring the real traitor to justice.
"I've been watching the Jiang family because after years of investigation, besides the potentially problematic system, they are the only ones who actually acted."
Elder Qin didn't know why Huo Rou trusted the Jiang family so much, but he had been investigating for years, and this was the only tangible clue. How could he give up?
"Oh! Little An'an!"
Speak of the devil, just as the Jiang family was mentioned, Elder Jiang's booming voice rang out.
Elder Qin's mind was in turmoil. According to his usual style, upon hearing information about the Jiang family, he should have been furious, shouting threats and curses.
However, he had been able to hear the outside world while he was unconscious. He knew Elder Jiang had visited and, despite his sharp words, had left behind life-saving medicine.
As he was struggling with his thoughts, An'an's excited voice called out, "Grandpa Jiang!"
Elder Qin's brows furrowed. Listening to An'an's tone, she seemed to know Elder Jiang.
"This..." He looked at Qin Ningyi in confusion.