Chapter 770: The Reason Behind It

“Captain Meng, don’t worry. They are definitely fine. However, before we get to that, I want to confirm one thing first.”

He set down his teacup, his gaze falling on the mask covering Xu Wuyi’s face. “Captain Meng, this mask is top secret within the Inspection Department. However, the person behind it actually isn’t hard to guess.

“The youngest Grandmaster in Federation history, who single-handedly dealt with seven Rifts in Dongjiang Province, slaughtering over twenty thousand Star Beasts and fifty or sixty Great Commanders.” He paused, the smile on his face deepening. “Grandmaster Xu Wuyi, am I right?”

Xu Wuyi looked at him and remained silent for a few seconds before raising a hand and taking off the mask. He placed the black-and-white mask on the coffee table beside him, revealing his true face.

Song Qingwu looked at that face, his smile becoming much more sincere. “As expected,” he said, a hint of emotion in his tone. “Grandmaster Xu, I’ve heard so much about you.

“To be honest, I wasn’t entirely certain. It was just a guess. But now that you are here in person, I can rest easy.” He stood up and walked toward a door at the back of the living room. “Please follow me. I’ll take you to see them.”

Xu Wuyi stood up and followed him. They passed through the door and entered a corridor flanked by several side rooms. Their doors were all closed, and no sound could be heard from within.

Song Qingwu walked in front at a leisurely pace, speaking as he led the way. “Grandmaster Xu, there are some things I want to clarify beforehand. Your two team members, Zhou Bin and Li Zhaowen, are indeed here with me.

“However, from the moment they stepped into the Song family’s residence, I haven’t laid a single finger on them. They have been treated to good food and drink every day, and they are staying in the best guest rooms.” He paused and glanced back at Xu Wuyi. “I’m not trying to claim credit. I just want you to know that the Song family harbors no ill will toward the Inspection Department, and certainly none toward them personally.”

Xu Wuyi didn’t say anything, merely following him forward.

At the end of the corridor was a moon gate, which led to a standalone courtyard. The courtyard wasn’t large, but it was exquisitely arranged. The ground was paved with bluestone bricks, and several wintersweet trees planted in the corners were blooming with pale yellow flowers, exuding a faint fragrance into the night air. On the northern side of the courtyard was a row of three side rooms, warm light filtering through their windows.

Song Qingwu stopped in the middle of the courtyard and pointed at the row of rooms. “They are staying right here. The room on the left is Zhou Bin’s, the middle one is Li Zhaowen’s, and the one on the right is a reception room prepared for them.

“Over the past few days, they’ve been free to move around the courtyard. Whenever they want something to eat or drink, someone brings it right away.” He turned to look at Xu Wuyi. “Grandmaster Xu, you can go in and see for yourself.”

Xu Wuyi nodded and walked toward the side room on the left. He walked up to the door, raised a hand, and knocked gently. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

A familiar, deep voice came from inside. “Who is it?”

Xu Wuyi didn’t answer. He simply knocked three more times. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

After a brief silence, there was a flurry of hurried footsteps. The door was violently pulled open, and Zhou Bin’s square face appeared behind it. When he saw Xu Wuyi standing outside, he froze completely. He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak for a moment.

Only after several seconds did he manage to squeeze out a few words. “Captain… Captain Meng?” His voice was a bit hoarse, his eyes slightly red.

Xu Wuyi looked at him and nodded. “It’s me.”

Zhou Bin took a deep breath, then abruptly turned around and shouted toward the middle room. “Zhaowen! Come out! Captain Meng is here!”

The door to the middle room quickly opened, and Li Zhaowen, wearing his glasses, jogged out. The moment he saw Xu Wuyi, he froze as well. “Captain Meng… is it really you?”

Xu Wuyi looked at the two of them, carefully observing their condition. Zhou Bin was wearing loose-fitting casual clothes. His complexion was ruddy, and his spirits were high; there were no visible signs of injury or mistreatment. The same was true for Li Zhaowen, who actually seemed to have gained a little weight compared to when he was at the Inspection Department.

Xu Wuyi nodded and said, “Let’s talk inside.”

The three of them entered Zhou Bin’s room. It wasn’t large, but it was kept very clean. There was a bed, a table, two chairs, and a few books stacked in the corner. Zhou Bin offered Xu Wuyi a seat on a chair, while he and Li Zhaowen sat on the edge of the bed.

“Captain Meng, why are you here?” Zhou Bin asked, his tone laced with urgency. “Did Fang Xiaoxiao send you a message?”

Xu Wuyi nodded.

Zhou Bin fell silent for a few seconds before lowering his head. “I was careless. I shouldn’t have ignored protocol, and I shouldn’t have come straight to see that witness. If it weren’t for me—”

“We won’t talk about that right now,” Xu Wuyi interrupted. “Tell me about the situation over the past few days. What has the Song family done to you?”

Zhou Bin raised his head and looked at Xu Wuyi with a complicated expression. “Captain Meng, to be honest, the Song family hasn’t done anything to us. Since we were brought in, they haven’t touched a hair on our heads. Three meals are delivered on time every day, and we can even order whatever we want to eat.

“This courtyard we’re staying in is also the best guest accommodation within the Song family’s estate.” He paused, then continued, “That Song Qingwu has visited a few times. He was very polite every time, chatting with us, asking about our work in the Inspection Department and our methodology for investigating cases.

“He said he was very interested in the Inspection Department’s work and wanted to learn more.”

Xu Wuyi frowned slightly as he listened. Song Qingwu was interested in the Inspection Department’s work? That made no sense.

“What else did he say?”

Zhou Bin thought for a moment and said, “He said detaining us wasn’t aimed at the Inspection Department, nor was it directed at us personally. He said he just wanted to meet someone and wanted to use us to draw that person out.”