As the investigation widened, everyone in the agency began to fear for themselves.
Tips
history
From Sima Qian's 《史记·李斯列传》 (Han dynasty): under the harsh laws of Qin, '群臣人人自危' — every official feared for himself, and many sought to defect. One of the great phrases for political terror, with us since Western Han.
register
Heavy and political — used for purges, crackdowns, mass layoffs, plagues, or any climate where people no longer feel safe. Avoid for ordinary nervousness.
