"First, tighten the gate..." Dumpling took a deep breath and shook her head. She felt ashamed; she couldn’t understand why she had mentioned the ’gate’ to Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng smiled. The slope was getting smoother; she was about to tell the truth.
"Miss You Xuehan, you’ve been lying this entire time. Every lie is riddled with flaws.
"Dick Chen’s identity will be revealed sooner or later. In fact, I’ve already uncovered a lot about him. From you, I only need some confirmation and supplementary details.
"Just tell me his real identity, and today’s matter will end here. Why make things so difficult for yourself?"
Dumpling shook her head. "You can kill me. I’m not afraid of death. Do you think this humiliation and torment mean anything to me?"
"It’s not that simple." Li Banfeng moved the flower stand beside the coffee table, revealing a hidden camera. He adjusted its angle and said, "You’ve investigated me, so you should know I have a film company. I told you earlier that you’d fly from that chair. This is a rare special effects shot, and I’ll use it in my movie. And let me tell you, quite responsibly, I’ll use it more than once."
Dumpling bit her lip, sweat droplets falling from her hair one by one. "I don’t care. I have remained true to my mission."
Li Banfeng nodded. "I know you’re true to your mission. You might even believe you’re a hero. But some things are inescapable. You, soaring into the sky on a golden dragon—that event will be recounted for many years, possibly far longer than your own life."
Dumpling trembled more violently.
Li Banfeng laid out the final section of the slope. "As I said, I know most of Dick Chen’s background. He’s balancing relations between various regions; his identity will be public eventually.
"Tell me what you know. It won’t affect him at all. Such a simple thing can free you from your current predicament.
"But if you stubbornly refuse, this will greatly impact you. Lose your reputation, and you could lose everything.
"The restroom is right over there. Don’t pay an irretrievable price for inconsequential people and matters."
Another spasm of pain shot through her. The pressure on the gate was at its limit.
Her face beaded with sweat, Dumpling lifted her head and said rapidly, "Dick Chen’s real name is Chen Weixin. He’s the new deputy director of the Dark Star Bureau."
Li Banfeng asked in surprise, "Xiao Zhenggong was only a deputy team leader. How did Chen Weixin secure such a high position?"
Dumpling shook her head. "That’s beyond my knowledge, but I’ve heard rumors that Balancers can choose their own posts. Xiao Zhenggong could have held a higher position, but he insisted on staying with the team."
"Go on."
Dumpling looked at the restroom, her eyes filled with longing. She said, "Chen Weixin is the new Balancer, succeeding Xiao Zhenggong. He was born in Soda Kiln and studied in countries like Amikan, Audrey, Xi Panni, Ingrid, and Fulunxi. Later, he lived in Lavsha Nation for an extended period and was a classmate of Director Shen Jingye.
"Since his appointment, he has established certain connections with the Inner State. Negotiations between the Inner State and the Outside Provinces, which had been suspended for many years, have also resumed."
"What kind of negotiations?"
"The Outside Provinces will help the Inner State open some routes to Puluo State, and in return, the Inner State will give the Outside Provinces some high-purity dark energy carriers."
"These dark energy carriers you mentioned, are they Magical Treasures?"
"Not Magical Treasures," Dumpling said, clutching her stomach, her eyes red as she looked at Li Banfeng. "They’re ores—extremely rare ores. These can be used to make special equipment and weapons; only top-level personnel know their specific uses. This material is exceedingly rare in Puluo State and completely absent in the Outside Provinces."
Li Banfeng’s cheeks trembled slightly. "Negotiations have only just restarted, right? The deal hasn’t been finalized yet, has it?"
"It’s almost finalized. Dick Chen is very efficient; communication between the two sides has been very smooth." Dumpling’s words came faster.
Li Banfeng’s eyes gleamed coldly. "Do you have any idea what the Inner State People will do when they get to Puluo State? Don’t you realize that in their eyes, the lives of the People of Puluo State are no different from dirt beneath their feet? The Outside Provinces trade with the Inner State People for ores, and Puluo State is the one that ends up suffering? What do you think Puluo State has become because of you?"
Dumpling choked back tears, her body trembling. "This is not something I can decide..."
"Then what can you decide?"
"The gate... I can still decide about the gate right now... but soon I won’t be able to..." Dumpling burst into tears.
Li Banfeng raised his hand, signaling Dumpling to go to the restroom.
Dumpling sprinted to the restroom. Judging by the sounds from within, she indeed seemed to have experienced a brief liftoff.
Li Banfeng thought he should tell Sun Tiecheng about this matter.
The ’Follow the Slope’ Technique, if the slope is laid in the right place, can give rise to a new Technique called ’A Torrent of Momentum,’ which appears to be more efficient.
About fifteen minutes later, Dumpling returned to Li Banfeng, her expression calm. She sat down, her hair still damp with sweat.
Li Banfeng said, "Go back and rest for a while. You’re scheduled for a solo performance tonight. Discuss the song choice with the band, and remember to pick your best piece. Forgetting the lyrics during a solo is very embarrassing."
Dumpling looked at Li Banfeng in surprise.
"You’re not going to interrogate me further?"