CH 179 Now Is Your Time
Translated by The BL Muse (ko-fi)
The secretary didn't understand either and could only turn on the speakerphone.
The person on the other line knew that this was a call from the director of the Scientific Research Bureau, and his tone was very respectful. The nervousness could be heard in the occasional pause, but fortunately, he quickly gathered himself and explained the cause and effect of the matter clearly.
After hearing what he said, everyone in the laboratory was quiet for a moment. The head of the Special Department had a strange expression: "You mean, He Qianjian scared himself into a fall that sent him into the ICU?"
It was no wonder that Director Ren of the Special Department found it strange. Even Jiang Chen, who knew some of the prison conditions, could not imagine how terrifying the prisoner in He Qianjian's cell was to make He Qianjian forget that he was still standing on the frame that was used to build the stage at just a stretch of the other's hand in his direction, such that he would frantically step back, lose his balance and fall onto the steel bars that had not been arranged yet, resulting in a punctured lung.
If it hadn't been for the fact that He Qianjian's condition was not serious, Jiang Chen would have suspected that he did this deliberately to get medical parole.
No one answered the words of the head of the Special Department, but silence was the best answer.
Director Wang looked at the gentle and silent old gentleman standing in the middle, wanting to ask for his opinion.
But the old gentleman just waved his hand and expressed his attitude that he did not intend to interfere in this matter.
Director Wang and the head of the Special Department walked aside. They discussed in a low voice and quickly gave instructions to their subordinates. When they came back, within five minutes, everything had been arranged.
"Xiao Jiang, after He Qianjian's condition stabilizes, we will send someone to send him to a special hospital for management, and we will contact you then."
Jiang Chen thought he would have to wait at least two or three days, but he didn't expect to receive a call from the Secretary-General of the Scientific Research Bureau early the next morning, and the car escorting him was already waiting downstairs.
"Mr. Jiang, please have a seat."
The person driving the car was still Qian Yi, but the other bodyguard was replaced by two unfamiliar faces whom he had never met before. The person speaking was one of them. He was sitting in the back seat with Jiang Chen. He had an ordinary appearance and maintained a smile at all times.
The two briefly introduced themselves, and then quickly introduced their destination and the people they were about to meet.
"The meeting location this time is at the headquarters of the Scientific Research Department in District 10... That's basically the situation. Apart from that, if you have any other questions, you can ask me."
Jiang Chen looked calm. Even after getting in the car and realizing that the purpose and destination this time were different from what he expected. When he saw two unfamiliar faces he had never seen before, he did not even show the slightest surprise on his face. He just said lightly: "I see."
The man who spoke didn't say anymore, but couldn't help but use his peripheral vision to vaguely examine the young man beside him.
He was only in his early twenties, and after knowing that he was about to meet the most powerful leaders in the country, he could be so calm. Was he pretending to be calm, or was he really so calm and steady?
The man couldn't tell whether it was the former or the latter. He had been working in the scientific research team of the Special Department for more than ten years. During this period, he had protected many people who had sealed files and had extremely high confidentiality levels. After so many years of experience, he deeply understood the truth that those extraordinary geniuses must not be speculated by ordinary logic.
When an ordinary twenty-year-old boy learned that he was about to meet those people, most of them would be excited, if not restless, at least. No matter how well they disguised themselves, there would inevitably be a hint of nervousness in their eyes.
But the young man in front of him was not an ordinary twenty-year-old boy. The man had indeed seen a few people with top-secret files, but there was only one who was as young as the young man in front of him. For this reason alone, no matter how calm the other behaved, it was actually not that surprising.
Jiang Chen didn't know what the man beside him was thinking. At this moment, his head was spinning rapidly, analyzing and calculating the current situation and what might happen soon.
When he received a call from the Secretary-General before, he just thought it was related to He Qianjian who was transferred to another hospital, so he went out without thinking much until he saw these two unfamiliar bodyguards in the car and heard what they said. Only then did he realize that this trip was not as simple as he thought.
However, after the car started to move, he found that the nearby cars that seemed to have just coincidentally started at the same time or happened to pass by at this time all met up with the car he was in smoothly after a few blocks. There were even other cars appearing on the road halfway that gradually formed a protective shield around the car he was riding in. Jiang Chen immediately knew that today's meeting might be more serious and urgent than what the bodyguard had revealed and what he had imagined.
For a long time in his previous life, Jiang Chen had lived under such a high level of protection, in fact it was even worse, so he very keenly concluded that the people sitting in these seemingly coincidental vehicles were actually all plainclothes who were sent here to protect him.
Before, he thought that after the report was handed in, it would take some time for the leaders to respond. Just now, he also thought that the meeting he expected would take at least three days to be held. However, he did not expect to have underestimated the country's speed of execution.
The car passed a special checkpoint and drove for more than ten minutes before finally stopping in front of the Scientific Research Bureau building.
Jiang Chen walked quickly and finally stopped in front of the door of the highest conference room. The soldiers at the door saluted him and opened the door of the conference room.
This conference room was large and could accommodate at least a thousand people. However, there were less than a hundred people sitting in it at this time, so it looked a bit empty.
When Jiang Chen entered, some people looked up at him. Most of them didn't recognize him, but they were surprised by his youth and couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
Several people sitting in the center of the audience seats also looked over. When the expressionless old gentleman saw Jiang Chen, a smile appeared on his face and he waved him over.
Jiang Chen walked quickly, and under the even more surprised eyes of everyone, arrived at the old gentleman's side, and calmly greeted these leaders who usually only appeared in the news.
The old gentleman called Jiang Chen over in order to reveal the real content of today's meeting, as well as out of worry that he would be nervous. Now that he saw his calm demeanor, he felt relieved and the smile on his face deepend.
The two chatted in a low voice, attracting a lot of attention. The people sitting in the back rows all looked forward. The old gentleman appeared amiable and the young man was also smiling. In the background was the huge national flag on the stage a few meters away and the national emblem above the beam. For some reason, seeing this scene, the eyes of some moistened.
It didn't take long for Jiang Chen to get the specific content of the meeting from the old gentleman. It was almost the same as he predicted, but what he didn't expect was that the old gentleman actually asked him to be the keynote speaker of this meeting.
Without any preparation, without any warning in advance, it was the first time for a young man in his early twenties to step into the top circle in the country in all senses and industries, and participate in a meeting that 99.99% of the country's people didn’t even have the right to know, and even be appointed to be the keynote speaker of the entire meeting.
Could he do it?
The old gentleman's eyes were gentle, but they were also as clear and sharp as an eagle.
Jiang Chen: "I can."
After the words fell, someone informed the old gentleman in a low voice: "Everyone is here."
The old gentleman suppressed his smile, looked at Jiang Chen, and patted his shoulder gently: "Now is your time."