Dr. Xia gave him a cold look. "Restricted movement. Does he still have access to communications?"
"Limited access."
"Does he still control ration distribution?"
Colonel He paused.
"Yes."
Tang Li Yue leaned back in her chair.
"So he is imprisoned in the room where everyone keeps the keys."
Councilor Ren looked tired. "If we remove him immediately, the supply system may collapse. He centralized distribution after the first two days. Warehouse passwords, fuel allocation, ration records, and generator schedules all pass through his office."
"That sounds deliberate," Lu Chengran said.
"It was," Councilor Ren replied. "We believed centralization would reduce theft."
Tang Li Yue looked at her.
"And now the thief owns the lock."
Councilor Ren's mouth tightened, but she nodded.
Colonel He placed both hands on the table.
