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墨書 Inktalez
"Who?" Director Wen had not yet asked when Old Shao had already stepped out of the surveillance room.
In the meeting room, Jiang He was crouched next to a trash can in the corner.
This action caught the attention of several detectives nearby, leading to a flurry of discussions. Observing Jiang He's disheveled appearance, many thought he resembled a beggar rummaging through the trash rather than a detective participating in an exam.
Wang Chao also did not understand what Jiang He was doing. Faced with the hawk-like gazes of numerous detectives, he felt somewhat embarrassed.
"What are you doing?" Wang Chao asked.
Jiang He ignored him and continued searching through the trash can. Just when Wang Chao could hardly bear to watch any longer, Jiang He pulled out a square box. The box was small and looked quite exquisite. When Jiang He opened it, he found a note inside.
Written on the white paper was a line: Congratulations on becoming a member of the project team.
Jiang He took out his phone and checked the time; it was exactly three o'clock.
He looked at Wang Chao and said, "Congratulations on becoming a member of the project team."
"What?" Wang Chao could hardly believe his ears.
Everyone else heard Jiang He's words and gathered around.
"Congratulations on becoming a member of the project team."
Before Jiang He could say anything further, a voice came from outside the door.
Everyone turned to look at the entrance and saw Old Shao, who had arrived later than expected, standing at the door. That line had come from him. Upon seeing Old Shao, everyone instinctively stood up straight and saluted.
Jiang He held the note and watched Old Shao approach him.
Old Shao was dressed in ordinary casual clothes, walking at a steady pace with a breeze on either side. It was clear that Old Shao was in good health; his legs were not particularly agile, but there were no issues. He wore a pair of glasses, which from the lenses appeared to be reading glasses. At that moment, Old Shao squinted his eyes, observing Jiang He.
"Sit down," Director Wen said, following closely behind Old Shao. He waved his hands downward in a gesture for everyone to take their seats.
The detectives promptly sat down.
Old Shao stood in front of Jiang He and patted his shoulder before turning to address everyone: "Actually, the exam has been underway since two o'clock. However, my exam is different from others; while others will tell you the questions, my exam requires you to find the questions yourself."
The crowd erupted in murmurs, not understanding what Old Shao meant.
Old Shao gestured for silence before explaining: "Before you all came in, I had already arranged for someone to enter. I wonder if any of you remember this person who was dressed entirely in black but wore white shoes. This is quite a distinctive outfit, yet you all overlooked it."
"Sit down," Director Wen moved a chair behind Old Shao.
Old Shao shook his head slightly and continued standing: "I know you all want to join the project team, so you've prepared thoroughly for this exam, focusing all your attention on it. I observed through the surveillance that two-thirds of you have not comprehensively observed this conference room or the people around you."
As Old Shao's words fell, the detectives began to discuss among themselves again. Many recalled someone dressed in black but struggled to remember specifics.
Old Shao cleared his throat: "The remaining third are the truly smart ones. Since entering, they have been continuously observing this conference room and its furnishings. Although you are clever, you did not consider that the person next to you might not be here for the exam; he is the exam itself."
"I noticed," Old Shao said, glancing at several individuals before continuing: "I saw that some of you did well; you noticed this person but did not act rashly. Until this person beside me entered, your attention shifted entirely to him, suspecting he was the real question."
Jiang He looked at Old Shao and replied honestly: "We passed through ten traffic lights and encountered traffic due to slippery roads from the rain; that's why we arrived forty minutes late."
Old Shao smiled: "That person is actually a Cleaner from the Provincial Public Security Department whom I temporarily assigned a special task. His role was that of a terrorist; he placed a bomb in a trash can set to explode at three o'clock. I instructed him to leave precisely at two fifty-five—no later."
At that moment, Jiang He understood why that person kept checking his watch. There was no clock in the conference room; to know the time, one had to check their watch or phone. When Jiang He entered, there were only fifteen minutes left until the exam ended. To complete Old Shao's task and leave on time, he needed to keep track of precise timing at all times.
As he was about to leave, the Cleaner felt a sense of relief wash over him. He instinctively glanced at the spot where the bomb was placed, and at that moment, Jiang He noticed something suspicious in the trash can. Finally, just before the exam was about to end, Jiang He discovered the bomb.
Old Shao looked at everyone and said, "Fortunately, there was only a note in the box and not an actual bomb. As a detective, you must possess keen observational skills wherever you go. You need to be aware of everything around you and not just focus on your immediate surroundings. The things you overlook could lead to a serious incident."
"That means," Old Shao turned his gaze to Jiang He, "you all would be dead by now."
The conference room fell silent; no one expected Old Shao to pose such a tricky question.
Old Shao continued, "In reality, environments are often more complex than simulations. The noisy crowd, cars and bicycles on the street, vendors calling out their wares, children playing by the roadside, windy or rainy weather, extreme temperatures—these factors can all affect your observations and cause you to miss important clues in fleeting moments."
"That includes you," Old Shao pointed at Jiang He. "According to my reasoning, someone should have figured it out early on. Unfortunately, discovering the bomb at the last second is no different from never having noticed it at all."
It seemed that Old Shao's words held deeper meaning; he likely implied that Jiang He had not truly passed the test.
Jiang He analyzed Old Shao's words and realized that according to the actual situation, he was indeed 'dead.'
"However," Old Shao shifted his tone, "the task force can't afford to lose everyone. Therefore, I will select some individuals from among you—those who have not observed the conference room as a whole should leave now."
Upon hearing this, about ten people, including Wang Chao, left the conference room without hesitation. However, most remained behind, which clearly contradicted Old Shao's earlier statement about one-third leaving.
"Do not think you can stay by chance; my eyes have seen too much." Old Shao continued without looking at them. "So when I raise my head again, I do not wish to see a liar."
Old Shao's voice was not loud but resonated clearly in everyone's ears. Strangely enough, despite his gentle tone, it carried an immense pressure. Those who had intended to stay and observe quickly lost their courage after hearing his words.
In an instant, over sixty people left the conference room, making it feel much more spacious.
Old Shao lifted his head with satisfaction and said, "Very good. If you're less skilled than others, you can come back next year. But if you're deceitful... then you really should..."
"You haven't observed the entire room, have you?" Old Shao suddenly pointed at someone.
The person was noticeably shorter than Jiang He, standing at about one meter seventy. He looked at Old Shao with a cheerful smile, giving off the impression that he was still a minor.
"I observed," said the Male Police Officer.
"Did you really observe?" Old Shao's expression suddenly turned serious as he slammed his hand on the table and questioned, "Do you really think I can't see through this?"
The Male Police Officer quickly saluted, "I truly observed."
At that moment, Director Wen spoke up, "Which department are you from? Why are you lying? Do you know who is standing in front of you?"
"I know!" replied the Male Police Officer.
"Knowing and still not admitting your mistake!" Director Wen was visibly angry. "Do you think we can't see anything from the surveillance? Get out immediately and write me a report!"
However, Old Shao stopped Director Wen. "Don't be so harsh. Comrades can make mistakes, but as long as they correct them, it's fine. Let me ask you again, did you really observe?"
"I observed," the Male Police Officer replied firmly.
"Strip him of that uniform and take him out," Old Shao said with a serious expression, waving his hand.
Director Wen nodded and gestured with his hand. A few detectives entered from outside and dragged the Male Police Officer out the door.
"By the way, what’s your name?" Old Shao asked the Male Police Officer.
"Bi Shenghui," he answered just before being pulled away. The two tall police officers handled Bi Shenghui as if they were carrying a chick.
"I don't want to see another person like this," Old Shao said as he lowered his head again.
After a commotion, only a few people remained in the classroom.
Old Shao nodded and glanced at several people, including Jiang He. "Congratulations to you all..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a police officer hurriedly walked in from outside. He leaned in close to Director Wen and Old Shao, whispering something. Jiang He noticed the furrowed brows of both Director Wen and Old Shao.
However, Jiang He felt a surge of excitement; clearly, the task force had not yet been established, but a case had already come in.
Jiang He was about seventy percent sure that those who remained had already been selected for the task force.
But Old Shao's next words took Jiang He by surprise: "Jiang He, come with me. The rest of you can go back to where you came from..."
With that, Old Shao began to lead Jiang He outside.
Old Shao had just congratulated everyone, yet in the end, he informed them that apart from Jiang He, everyone else was eliminated. This sudden shift left everyone struggling to accept the news.
One of the detectives spoke up, "Old Shao, why is that?"
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