A person in Ultraman receives a gift from the will of Earth at the start.

Chapter 329 Sawai: I completely trust Daigo and Lin Yeming

"Director?" A calm, gentle male voice came through the receiver, with a barely perceptible Chinese accent. "It's so late, what instructions do you have?"

Sawai slowly sat down in the large leather chair, her gaze falling on the report on the table, "Analysis of the Correlation between Global Anomalous Energy Fluctuations and Ancient Sacrificial Sites," with the word "Confidential" prominently printed on the cover.

"Yunze." Zejing's address was very personal; it was a form of address he only used in informal settings. "I'm sorry to have disturbed your rest."

"No, I just finished a video conference with the Americas branch." Xia Yunze's voice remained calm, but Zejing could hear the vigilance hidden beneath the calm.

A confidential phone call made directly from the director's office late at night is definitely not a casual chat.

Sawai's fingers unconsciously traced the report cover: "Crown Prince Darram just came by."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"It's about the investigation at the shrine." Xia Yunze stated rather than asking.

"how do you know?"

"The interim report submitted by the Third Intelligence Bureau was filed yesterday. According to the established procedures, the Royal Security Department will receive a summary notification within 48 hours," Xia Yunze answered flawlessly. "I guessed they would react, but I didn't expect it to be Crown Prince Dharam personally, and so quickly."

Sawai nodded slightly, even though the other person couldn't see it.

Xia Yunze is always like this: meticulous in his thinking and anticipating events.

This staff officer from China rose rapidly through the ranks at TPC headquarters, not only because of his outstanding strategic mind, but also because he was able to accurately grasp the delicate balance between the various parties in the complex international politics.

“His demands were very clear,” Sawai said succinctly, “demanding a halt to the investigations into shrines, especially the Imperial Shrine, and implying that ‘someone needs to be held accountable.’”

"This hints at me and Ye Ming," Xia Yunze replied calmly once again.

Sawai did not deny it: "What do you think?"

The sound of papers turning could be heard from the other end of the phone; Xia Yunze seemed to be looking up some information.

“Director, based on the existing 27 confirmed cases, the correlation between the ancient sacrificial sites and the abnormal energy fluctuations is 73%. Among them, 11 locations held traditional ceremonies of varying scales within three months before the abnormal events occurred.” Xia Yunze’s voice became professional and calm, fully engaged in his work. “This is no longer a ‘possible’ correlation, but a warning signal that needs to be taken seriously. The intelligence bureau’s investigation procedures are fully compliant and necessary.”

“I know all that,” Sawai said. “But Darram mentioned ‘bloodline,’ ‘oath,’ and ‘pure faith,’ and he thinks we are blaspheming the sacred with science.”

This time, Xia Yunze's silence lasted even longer.

"Director," he finally spoke again, his voice unusually heavy, "do you still remember the Angel Cult incident that happened before the Spring Festival?"

Sawai's eyes narrowed.

Of course he remembers.

He even clearly remembered that it was Lin Yeming who personally ordered the China branch to intervene.

To this end, he even had the intelligence agency investigate. Besides clearing up the issues with Lin Yeming's paperwork, he also learned that the other faiths hadn't been touched, so he didn't interfere anymore.

Thinking of this, Zejing had a sudden thought.

Could it be that...?

“Yunze,” Zeyi’s voice deepened, his fingers tapping lightly on the table—a habitual gesture when he was deep in thought. “You mean… His Highness Darram’s reaction to the shrine investigation was so intense not only because the TPC’s investigation touched upon the traditional territory of the Imperial Family, but also because… the ‘Angel Cult Incident’ touched some sensitive nerve, causing him to make connections, or… become wary?”

On the other end of the phone, Xia Yunze's breathing seemed to have become slightly heavier.

"Director, please understand." Xia Yunze's voice was even lower, and even though he knew this was a confidential line, he instinctively maintained the highest level of caution. "The file level for the 'Angel Cult Incident' is 'Deep Blue,' and the full report is only known to you, me, Ye Ming, and a few core personnel. However, the essence of the incident—a 'pseudo-belief' phenomenon with extremely strong spiritual assimilation capabilities, formed based on the guidance of the collective unconscious and the resonance of an unknown energy field—has a certain... vague similarity in theory to the 'power' that we currently suspect some ancient traditions may possess."

Sawai felt a chill run down his spine. He stood up and walked to the window again, his gaze seemingly trying to pierce through the night to look at the royal shrine nestled in the mountains on the outskirts of the city.

"You mean, Darram, or the forces behind him, are worried that the TPC's investigation will eventually uncover the workings of some kind of 'power' that might actually exist within the shrine's heritage, just like the investigation into the 'Angel Cult'? And thus... break its mystique and exclusivity?"

“That’s not all.” Xia Yunze’s voice carried a cold, analytical tone. “If the ‘power’ passed down by certain shrines is real, then is it the tradition itself that wields this power, or… a specific family or individual who controls the tradition? The core of the ‘Angel Cult’ is an individual who accidentally gains a special resonance ability, amplifying the group effect through specific rituals and symbols. If the power of a shrine also requires a similar ‘key’ or ‘medium’…”

“Then the royal family, or rather the family to which Crown Prince Dharam belongs, is very likely one of the holders of this ‘key’.” Sawai picked up the thread, feeling his thoughts suddenly become clearer, yet even more so. “The TPC’s investigation is not only about prying into secrets, but may also be about inadvertently assessing the effectiveness of the ‘key’, or even looking for ways to replace the ‘key’ or ‘break’ its mechanism. This touches upon the true foundation of their power.”

“Yes. That’s why His Highness Darram came in person, with such a strong attitude. His mention of ‘bloodline,’ ‘oath,’ and ‘pure faith’ is not merely religious rhetoric; it’s likely a veiled declaration of their legitimacy and exclusive control over this ‘power.’” Xia Yunze paused, then added, “And his targeting of me and Ye Ming, besides the potential political interpretations stemming from our Chinese background, might have a deeper reason… Ye Ming spearheaded the handling of the ‘Angel Cult Incident.’ In that incident, we proved that TPC is capable of dealing with, and even ‘deciphering’, certain supernatural belief phenomena. In His Highness Darram’s view, this might be a dangerous precedent and signal.”

Silence filled the office. Sawai could almost hear the veins throbbing in his temples. He had always viewed the shrine investigation as a matter of balancing scientific exploration with cultural heritage preservation, at most involving some political sensitivities. But now it seemed the waters were far deeper and more murky than he had imagined, perhaps even touching upon some deliberately buried dark secrets of true power in human history.

"Lin Yeming dealt with the 'Angel Cult' swiftly and cleanly, but his post-incident report mentioned that they discovered some... residual energy patterns that couldn't be fully explained by current science, vaguely corresponding to the 'power of will' and 'power of faith' described in some ancient texts." Zejing recalled the details of that Deep Blue file. "Yeming once told me privately that he believed it might be an energy form based on the interaction between consciousness and spacetime, not yet fully understood by modern science. Could it be...?"

"Could it be that some ancient shrines have been consciously or unconsciously gathering, guiding, or even using this energy for thousands of years?" Xia Yunze voiced Ze Jing's conjecture. "And the royal family, as the highest guardians or presiding over these shrines, has held the relevant secrets for generations. Although TPC's modern instruments and investigative methods cannot fully understand its essence for the time being, continuous observation and data accumulation are like prying open a black box that has been sealed for thousands of years. It is inevitable that Prince Dharam feels uneasy."

Sawai took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

The outline of the truth gradually emerged, but what followed was not enlightenment, but a more complex game and unpredictable risks.

"Wait a minute." Ze Jing's eyes suddenly sharpened. He interrupted Xia Yunze's analysis, quickly connecting the previous conversation with the new clues in his mind. "Yunze, your analysis makes a lot of sense, but we may have missed a more direct and pragmatic angle."

Xia Yunze on the other end of the phone seemed to realize something as well: "You mean?"

“Prince Darram’s main goal may never have been some vague ‘royal glory’ or ‘protecting ancient power’ from the very beginning.” Sawai’s voice was cold and sharp, with a chilling insight into the essence of things. “You and I both know that in this world where monsters frequently appear and anomalies are constantly occurring, the right to speak and influence are certainly important, but the most crucial thing is always actual power—the power to control the situation, deal with crises, and even, when necessary…the power to protect or expand oneself.”

He strolled to the huge global TPC base distribution map in the center of the office, his gaze sweeping over the densely packed dots and markings on it.

“The TPC is the only international organization in the world that legally owns and uses heavily armed forces, and possesses the most advanced technology. Although countries have their own defense forces, when dealing with unconventional threats, they must rely on the TPC’s technology, intelligence, and rapid reaction forces, especially the Victory Team.” Sawai’s finger lightly tapped the location of the representative headquarters. “The royal family enjoys a prestigious status in name, but within the TPC, which actually dominates global security, their direct influence is… quite limited. Prince Dalram’s personal visit, using the shrine investigation as a starting point to launch his attack, is probably what he really wants: to place ‘his own people’, or at least ‘more obedient people’, within the TPC, thereby gaining greater convenience in his actions, and even… some degree of internal discourse power or information channels.”

Xia Yunze's voice came through, tinged with realization and deeper vigilance: "So, his targeting of Daigo might not just be because of Daigo's 'abnormality,' but more likely because Daigo, as a formal member of the Victory Team and in TPC's core operations department, has a 'relatively simple background,' seemingly a fulcrum that can be leveraged? Transferring or suppressing Daigo could be a test of your control and bottom line over the Victory Team's personnel, Director, or it could be to make room for his preferred candidate, or to send a signal that 'the Victory Team is not untouchable'?"

“Not only that.” Zejing’s thoughts became clearer. “He specifically emphasized my and Lin Yeming’s Chinese background, implying ‘externalization’ or accountability. Besides the fear of handling the ‘Angel Cult incident’ that you just analyzed, the deeper reason may be that he wants to weaken the relatively independent and powerful high-ranking members of TPC headquarters who are not within their traditional sphere of influence. You and I are his obvious targets, while Lin Yeming is far away on Mars and is safe for the time being, but he may also become his next target. Once successful, a gap will appear in the high-level structure of TPC headquarters that is conducive to their influence.”

Sawai returned to her seat, her fingers tapping the table faster. "You just mentioned that faith is prevalent but there's no armed force. That's the key! The royal family, or rather the interest group behind Prince Darram, may possess some implicit 'influence' or special knowledge based on ancient traditions, but when faced with real monsters, aliens, and various physical disasters, this 'soft power' is far from enough. They need more direct power guarantees, or at least, they need to ensure that when a crisis comes, TPC's power can be prioritized for their use, or... not used against them."

Xia Yunze continued, "And the most effective way to gain this kind of protection or influence is to infiltrate the core of TPC's power and operations. The Victory Team is undoubtedly the core of the operations core. A Victory Team member who is obedient, or at least able to relay information, is invaluable. Daigo... perhaps it is precisely because of his coexistence of 'ordinary' and 'abnormal' that he is both an easy target and could be mistaken for a potential 'loophole' that can be won over or controlled?"

“That’s possible.” Sawai’s gaze deepened. “Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility that they do know some secrets about Daigo that we don’t, and that these secrets make them think Daigo deserves attention or must be controlled. But in either case, Prince Darram’s fundamental purpose is likely to enhance his actual influence within TPC, preparing for some future arrangement or self-preservation. The shrine investigation is just a legitimate 'excuse' and 'entry point' that can touch TPC’s sensitive nerves.”

Silence fell in the office again, but this time it was filled with a cold understanding of the true nature of power struggles.

“Director, if this assessment is correct, then our response strategy may require a double or even multiple considerations.” Xia Yunze’s voice regained absolute calm and composure. “On the one hand, we still need to carefully investigate the ancient secrets and potential powers involved in the shrine investigation. This is TPC’s scientific and security responsibility. On the other hand, we must remain highly vigilant and build firewalls against the Royal Family, or rather, Prince Dalram’s group’s attempts to infiltrate TPC.”

“Specifically,” Sawai said succinctly.

"First, the strategy for the shrine investigation will be adjusted as planned, shifting to the public guise of 'cooperative research' and 'cultural heritage protection' to reduce the intensity of direct confrontation. However, at the same time, the 'watchtower' team's covert investigation into the secrets of related ancient traditions cannot be relaxed, but it needs to be more secretive and the targets more precise."

"Secondly, in response to potential infiltration, we need to strengthen the secondary background checks on personnel at headquarters and the Victory Team, especially those who have recently had close ties with the royal family or traditional aristocratic classes. At the same time, the promotion and transfer of personnel in the Victory Team must be strictly controlled, and non-technical and non-ability factors must not be allowed to interfere."

"Third, regarding Daigo," Xia Yunze paused, "protection and observation must be carried out simultaneously."

Upon hearing the third point, Sawai chuckled softly, "You don't need to say anything about Daigo and Lin Yeming; I trust them."

"What I mean is to strengthen the surveillance of His Highness the Crown Prince and replace him with more professional people."

Xia Yunze found it strange. He knew that Director Zejing trusted Lin Yeming because of his appreciation for talent, as well as political considerations.

After all, Lin Yeming represents China to a certain extent, and he also knows that Director Zejing intends to cultivate Lin Yeming.

But what makes Daigo so special?

Could there be information that their intelligence agency is unaware of?

Despite thinking this, Xia Yunze didn't ask, but instead continued to express that he accepted the order.