Li Fan took out a small note from within his clothes pocket and placed it on the table.
Looking at the small note, Yang Yi’s heart abruptly shuddered for a moment. Solemnly, he asked, “Is that journal for me?”
Li Fan calmly replied, “It has yet to be decided. It depends on what you finally chose to do. Before you decide, we will first need to have a talk.”
Yang Yi nodded. He looked at the small note on the table for a long time in silence before softly replying, “If this is my dad’s journal, how did you obtain it?”
Li Fan continued calmly, “Your dad was always worried something unfortunate would happen to him, so he left this as a last resort. On the day of the accident, your dad had told me a few meaningless words before I was to meet up with him. After I had you in custody, I manage to discover there were ciphers written within the textbook found in your school bag. This was created from it.”
Yang Yi was perplexed and asked in puzzlement, “Communication technologies are so developed nowadays. There are hand phones and e-mails, what couldn’t be said over the phone and had to be told face-to-face?”
Li Fan laughed while shaking his head, “Seems like you are not aware that anything kept within a phone or computer can never be kept secret. It’s also by no means a foolproof communication device. If your dad knew he had been earmarked and his life was in danger, he wouldn’t risk telling me over the phone. If there was nothing unexpected, he would most certainly choose to pass on intelligence in a face-to-face meeting. It’s the most primitive method, but also the most secure.”
After completing his explanation, Li Fan glumly said, "Unfortunately, your father had miscalculated the situation."
With a sigh, Yang Yi dejectedly asked, “My dad died because he wanted to pass you intelligence?”
“That’s right. It’s the only reason.”
“Can I ask you what the intelligence was?”
Li Fan was silent for a moment before nodding, “It’s not that I can’t tell you, but that I am also clueless. Before we met, your dad never told me what the intelligence was. Only that the intelligence was related to the Man in Gray. His life was in danger because of this intelligence.”
“Man in Gray? Who is that?”
“Man in Gray is not a person but an organization. It’s a very mysterious, multinational intelligence agency. It has a long history and is very powerful. I suspect your dad is part of the organization or, at the very least, had contact with it. That’s only a speculation on my part though.”
“Please thoroughly explain to me this Men in Gray organization.”
Li Fan contemplated for a moment before he solemnly explained. “Men in Gray is one of our oldest rivals. In fact, it’s not only a rival of China, but the rival of all countries in the world. It can be said that Man in Gray is the enemy of every sovereign country. This organization is very mysterious. Otherwise, they would not have existed till today. So apart from knowing there is a mysterious organization called ‘Man in Gray,’ we know nothing beyond that.”
After completing his explanation, Li Fan waved his hand and raised his voice to reinforce how serious he was, “I need to emphasize another point. Man in Gray is just the unofficial name given to them by the international intelligence community. Since the people in this organization always wear gray suits, they were given this unofficial name. It is, in fact, not the organization’s real name.”
Scratching his head, Yang Yi distressingly said, “The culprit who killed my dad is a mysterious, multinational organization. Moreover, it’s also an organization you can’t even handle. This feels extremely scary.”
As he put down his hand, Yang Yi looked at Li Fan and asked in puzzlement, “Why would you suddenly tell me this? I mean, so many years have passed, yet you suddenly chose to tell me this today? Coincidentally, it happened when the police have me arrested. Logically speaking, you should be very busy. That’s unless you have always been monitoring me. Did you send someone to keep watch? Now I feel even more terrified. Is there a huge secret hidden on my body?”
Li Fan shook his head and solemnly said, “There is no huge secret hidden within your body. I have always been monitoring you. Today’s event is just a coincidence.”
“Coincidence? I would rather say it was timely. You arrived the moment I step into the station.”
Li Fan sighed and solemnly replied, “Fine. Today’s event is a turning point. Before this, I had yet to decide whether I should tell you about this matter. After I found out what happened today, I made my decision. You are no longer young and you have a right to find out what happened in the past. That’s why I am here.”
Yang Yi asked in surprise, “Ah! Was Xiao Ran arranged by you as well?”
Li Fan was stunned, “Xiao Ran? Is she the lady who committed the crime with you? Why would I make such arrangement? It’s easy for me to meet you. There is no need for me to play tricks.”
Yang Yi smiled bitterly, “Well, I suspect Xiao Ran was just acting. It still felt right at the beginning, but the crying at the end just seems very fake. That’s why I thought it was your ploy.”
Li Fan immediately stood up and solemnly asked, “Acting in front of you?”
After frowning in contemplation for a while, Li Fan stood up to open the interrogations room’s door and spoke to someone who Yang Yi was unable to see, “Go and investigate the other few people. Do a thorough investigation.”
As Li Fan came back to his seat, Yang Yi asked, “Is there a need for that? Are you suspecting something is amiss? Am I the target?”
Li Fan answered, “We will know once it has been investigated. Though the probability of you being the target is low, but it’s still better to be careful. Alright, let’s continue where we left off. Do you want to join the Department of Intelligence?”
Yang Yi indignantly replied, “I am annoyed that you brought this up. I know my dad was a spy. In fact, I originally thought he was a spy the country had sent out. So, I would like to serve my country as well. Near graduation, I had signed up with the people from the Department of State Security who came to my school recruiting. The whole experience confounded me. Since I passed both the written exam and interview, I thought I would be admitted. After a week, someone came to notify me I had not been selected and the reason is because I am too handsome! What sort of F******* reason is that? Even if I am being toyed with, it should be a fitting excuse.”
Li Fan smiled awkwardly, “So, you probably still didn’t know that you have passed both the written exam and the interview with full marks?”
Yang Yi waved his hand in objection, “It’s not surprising that I am not aware of it”
Li Fan lightly coughed twice, “I was the one who told them not to select you. Due to your identity, it’s unsuitable for you to join our country’s intelligence agency. Although you are one of the best prospects I have ever encountered, your relationship overseas is just too complicated and sensitive. There are others who keep track of you from time to time. Hence, it’s impossible to allow you to join. This is an ironclad rule which will never be broken. I am sorry. Otherwise, you would have been admitted.”
Yang Yi could only lower his hand in resignation. There was nothing he could say.
Li Fan then spread his hands and helplessly said, “You being too handsome was also a valid reason. Those who are handsome are not suitable to be spies. That’s unless I placed you in the office doing administrative work until you retired of old age. You wouldn’t be happy with that either, right?”
Yang Yi rubbed his chin in discontent, “Being born too handsome could also be an issue. My dad wouldn’t have been singled out in a crowd. It’s the same for you, too. It seems like a spy cannot be too handsome.”
“007 is just a movie. A real spy’s life is miserable, tiring, very dangerous, and routine. It’s also very dull and has no excitement. At times, you would even have to give up a lot of the things a normal person gets to enjoy. Though you have the qualification and ability to be an excellent spy, your character is just not suitable for it.”
After stating his opinion, Li Fan emotionally continued, “Your mom was very beautiful. You grew up taking after your mom. If you took after your dad instead, you wouldn’t be so handsome.”
Yang Yi responded in distress, “It seems like you don’t want me to be a spy. If so, what’s your purpose for telling me all this today?”
Li Fan gravely said, “I owe your dad a large debt of gratitude. That’s why it’s my obligation and responsibility to protect you until you became an adult. It was hoping that you were just an ordinary person enjoying a simple and fulfilling life. However, I am neither your father nor your guardian. So, I do not have the qualification to plan your future. Originally, it was my intention to tell you all this when you turned eighteen, but I felt that you were still too young. So, I put if off until you were twenty and then postponed it again until you were twenty-two. Today, I believe it’s finally time for me to tell you and hand over the most important legacy your dad left behind.”
Yang Yi pointed at the small note on the table, “It’s this item?”
“Yes.”
After taking a deep breath, Yang Yi asked with a smile, “You should give it to me then.”
Li Fan placed his hand on the note and gravely spoke, “You should think this through. This note might look simple but you will have to say farewell your peaceful life once you have read it.”
Yang Yi frowned, “Really? Can’t I make my decision after I have read it? Perhaps I might not take any action after I have read it.”
Li Fan shook his head and gravely said, “I can tell you what’s inside are the names and contact details of your dad’s friends and business partners. Every one of them is a spy. What’s contained within this note is a spy network. Once you have read what’s inside, you will have the means to get in touch with a network of spies. Given your dad’s status and connection, you will be able accomplish many great things with this note in your possession.”
Yang Yi laughed, “I might not contact them.”
Li Fan shook his head, “Once this note is in your possession, you will be deemed a threat by all the countries. At the very least, there are many variables. On my side, I am left with two options. Either I assign personnel to monitor you your whole life or to exile you from this country. Can you guess what I will choose?”
Yang Yi rubbed his eyes while sighing. Then he slowly said, “I find the act of revenge rather meaningless. However, all this while I have been suspicious of my mom’s death. Although I have not shown any intention or told anyone all these years, I have always been envisioning revenge.”
Li Fan calmly stared at Yang Yi.
Yang Yi smiled sardonically, “I have very good memory. Although photographic memory sounds nice, it was a burden for me because I can never forget my mom. I can’t forget all the little details of my childhood. My mom’s love and me loving my mom in return. My feelings for my dad weren’t particularly strong since he was rarely home. Nevertheless, he was my dad and had been good to me. Though the feelings weren’t strong, they were still present. As for my mom...”
Yang Yi stroked his hair and solemnly asked, “Do you think I will not seek revenge for my mom? It has been my desire for the past eleven years.”
With a sigh, Li Fan softly asked, “Have you fully considered this?”
Yang Yi calmly answered, “The opportunity I have been waiting for arrived the moment I saw you. I have waited for this opportunity eleven years and thought it will never arrive. So, you do not have to ask me this question again.”
Li Fan slowly took his hand away from the small note. Then he blankly said, “I will give you a month’s time to leave China. Let me know your destination and I will handle the formalities. In addition, I will personally fund you with a hundred thousand RMB. I can only give you this much, since I don’t have much savings. You can now take this note away.”
Li Fan took out a small note from within his clothes pocket and placed it on the table.
Looking at the small note, Yang Yi’s heart abruptly shuddered for a moment. Solemnly, he asked, “Is that journal for me?”
Li Fan calmly replied, “It has yet to be decided. It depends on what you finally chose to do. Before you decide, we will first need to have a talk.”
Yang Yi nodded. He looked at the small note on the table for a long time in silence before softly replying, “If this is my dad’s journal, how did you obtain it?”
Li Fan continued calmly, “Your dad was always worried something unfortunate would happen to him, so he left this as a last resort. On the day of the accident, your dad had told me a few meaningless words before I was to meet up with him. After I had you in custody, I manage to discover there were ciphers written within the textbook found in your school bag. This was created from it.”
Yang Yi was perplexed and asked in puzzlement, “Communication technologies are so developed nowadays. There are hand phones and e-mails, what couldn’t be said over the phone and had to be told face-to-face?”
Li Fan laughed while shaking his head, “Seems like you are not aware that anything kept within a phone or computer can never be kept secret. It’s also by no means a foolproof communication device. If your dad knew he had been earmarked and his life was in danger, he wouldn’t risk telling me over the phone. If there was nothing unexpected, he would most certainly choose to pass on intelligence in a face-to-face meeting. It’s the most primitive method, but also the most secure.”
After completing his explanation, Li Fan glumly said, "Unfortunately, your father had miscalculated the situation."
With a sigh, Yang Yi dejectedly asked, “My dad died because he wanted to pass you intelligence?”
“That’s right. It’s the only reason.”
“Can I ask you what the intelligence was?”
Li Fan was silent for a moment before nodding, “It’s not that I can’t tell you, but that I am also clueless. Before we met, your dad never told me what the intelligence was. Only that the intelligence was related to the Man in Gray. His life was in danger because of this intelligence.”
“Man in Gray? Who is that?”
“Man in Gray is not a person but an organization. It’s a very mysterious, multinational intelligence agency. It has a long history and is very powerful. I suspect your dad is part of the organization or, at the very least, had contact with it. That’s only a speculation on my part though.”
“Please thoroughly explain to me this Men in Gray organization.”
Li Fan contemplated for a moment before he solemnly explained. “Men in Gray is one of our oldest rivals. In fact, it’s not only a rival of China, but the rival of all countries in the world. It can be said that Man in Gray is the enemy of every sovereign country. This organization is very mysterious. Otherwise, they would not have existed till today. So apart from knowing there is a mysterious organization called ‘Man in Gray,’ we know nothing beyond that.”
After completing his explanation, Li Fan waved his hand and raised his voice to reinforce how serious he was, “I need to emphasize another point. Man in Gray is just the unofficial name given to them by the international intelligence community. Since the people in this organization always wear gray suits, they were given this unofficial name. It is, in fact, not the organization’s real name.”
Scratching his head, Yang Yi distressingly said, “The culprit who killed my dad is a mysterious, multinational organization. Moreover, it’s also an organization you can’t even handle. This feels extremely scary.”
As he put down his hand, Yang Yi looked at Li Fan and asked in puzzlement, “Why would you suddenly tell me this? I mean, so many years have passed, yet you suddenly chose to tell me this today? Coincidentally, it happened when the police have me arrested. Logically speaking, you should be very busy. That’s unless you have always been monitoring me. Did you send someone to keep watch? Now I feel even more terrified. Is there a huge secret hidden on my body?”
Li Fan shook his head and solemnly said, “There is no huge secret hidden within your body. I have always been monitoring you. Today’s event is just a coincidence.”
“Coincidence? I would rather say it was timely. You arrived the moment I step into the station.”
Li Fan sighed and solemnly replied, “Fine. Today’s event is a turning point. Before this, I had yet to decide whether I should tell you about this matter. After I found out what happened today, I made my decision. You are no longer young and you have a right to find out what happened in the past. That’s why I am here.”
Yang Yi asked in surprise, “Ah! Was Xiao Ran arranged by you as well?”
Li Fan was stunned, “Xiao Ran? Is she the lady who committed the crime with you? Why would I make such arrangement? It’s easy for me to meet you. There is no need for me to play tricks.”
Yang Yi smiled bitterly, “Well, I suspect Xiao Ran was just acting. It still felt right at the beginning, but the crying at the end just seems very fake. That’s why I thought it was your ploy.”
Li Fan immediately stood up and solemnly asked, “Acting in front of you?”
After frowning in contemplation for a while, Li Fan stood up to open the interrogations room’s door and spoke to someone who Yang Yi was unable to see, “Go and investigate the other few people. Do a thorough investigation.”
As Li Fan came back to his seat, Yang Yi asked, “Is there a need for that? Are you suspecting something is amiss? Am I the target?”
Li Fan answered, “We will know once it has been investigated. Though the probability of you being the target is low, but it’s still better to be careful. Alright, let’s continue where we left off. Do you want to join the Department of Intelligence?”
Yang Yi indignantly replied, “I am annoyed that you brought this up. I know my dad was a spy. In fact, I originally thought he was a spy the country had sent out. So, I would like to serve my country as well. Near graduation, I had signed up with the people from the Department of State Security who came to my school recruiting. The whole experience confounded me. Since I passed both the written exam and interview, I thought I would be admitted. After a week, someone came to notify me I had not been selected and the reason is because I am too handsome! What sort of F******* reason is that? Even if I am being toyed with, it should be a fitting excuse.”
Li Fan smiled awkwardly, “So, you probably still didn’t know that you have passed both the written exam and the interview with full marks?”
Yang Yi waved his hand in objection, “It’s not surprising that I am not aware of it”
Li Fan lightly coughed twice, “I was the one who told them not to select you. Due to your identity, it’s unsuitable for you to join our country’s intelligence agency. Although you are one of the best prospects I have ever encountered, your relationship overseas is just too complicated and sensitive. There are others who keep track of you from time to time. Hence, it’s impossible to allow you to join. This is an ironclad rule which will never be broken. I am sorry. Otherwise, you would have been admitted.”
Yang Yi could only lower his hand in resignation. There was nothing he could say.
Li Fan then spread his hands and helplessly said, “You being too handsome was also a valid reason. Those who are handsome are not suitable to be spies. That’s unless I placed you in the office doing administrative work until you retired of old age. You wouldn’t be happy with that either, right?”
Yang Yi rubbed his chin in discontent, “Being born too handsome could also be an issue. My dad wouldn’t have been singled out in a crowd. It’s the same for you, too. It seems like a spy cannot be too handsome.”
“007 is just a movie. A real spy’s life is miserable, tiring, very dangerous, and routine. It’s also very dull and has no excitement. At times, you would even have to give up a lot of the things a normal person gets to enjoy. Though you have the qualification and ability to be an excellent spy, your character is just not suitable for it.”
After stating his opinion, Li Fan emotionally continued, “Your mom was very beautiful. You grew up taking after your mom. If you took after your dad instead, you wouldn’t be so handsome.”
Yang Yi responded in distress, “It seems like you don’t want me to be a spy. If so, what’s your purpose for telling me all this today?”
Li Fan gravely said, “I owe your dad a large debt of gratitude. That’s why it’s my obligation and responsibility to protect you until you became an adult. It was hoping that you were just an ordinary person enjoying a simple and fulfilling life. However, I am neither your father nor your guardian. So, I do not have the qualification to plan your future. Originally, it was my intention to tell you all this when you turned eighteen, but I felt that you were still too young. So, I put if off until you were twenty and then postponed it again until you were twenty-two. Today, I believe it’s finally time for me to tell you and hand over the most important legacy your dad left behind.”
Yang Yi pointed at the small note on the table, “It’s this item?”
“Yes.”
After taking a deep breath, Yang Yi asked with a smile, “You should give it to me then.”
Li Fan placed his hand on the note and gravely spoke, “You should think this through. This note might look simple but you will have to say farewell your peaceful life once you have read it.”
Yang Yi frowned, “Really? Can’t I make my decision after I have read it? Perhaps I might not take any action after I have read it.”
Li Fan shook his head and gravely said, “I can tell you what’s inside are the names and contact details of your dad’s friends and business partners. Every one of them is a spy. What’s contained within this note is a spy network. Once you have read what’s inside, you will have the means to get in touch with a network of spies. Given your dad’s status and connection, you will be able accomplish many great things with this note in your possession.”
Yang Yi laughed, “I might not contact them.”
Li Fan shook his head, “Once this note is in your possession, you will be deemed a threat by all the countries. At the very least, there are many variables. On my side, I am left with two options. Either I assign personnel to monitor you your whole life or to exile you from this country. Can you guess what I will choose?”
Yang Yi rubbed his eyes while sighing. Then he slowly said, “I find the act of revenge rather meaningless. However, all this while I have been suspicious of my mom’s death. Although I have not shown any intention or told anyone all these years, I have always been envisioning revenge.”
Li Fan calmly stared at Yang Yi.
Yang Yi smiled sardonically, “I have very good memory. Although photographic memory sounds nice, it was a burden for me because I can never forget my mom. I can’t forget all the little details of my childhood. My mom’s love and me loving my mom in return. My feelings for my dad weren’t particularly strong since he was rarely home. Nevertheless, he was my dad and had been good to me. Though the feelings weren’t strong, they were still present. As for my mom...”
Yang Yi stroked his hair and solemnly asked, “Do you think I will not seek revenge for my mom? It has been my desire for the past eleven years.”
With a sigh, Li Fan softly asked, “Have you fully considered this?”
Yang Yi calmly answered, “The opportunity I have been waiting for arrived the moment I saw you. I have waited for this opportunity eleven years and thought it will never arrive. So, you do not have to ask me this question again.”
Li Fan slowly took his hand away from the small note. Then he blankly said, “I will give you a month’s time to leave China. Let me know your destination and I will handle the formalities. In addition, I will personally fund you with a hundred thousand RMB. I can only give you this much, since I don’t have much savings. You can now take this note away.”
