Chapter 773: The Reason Behind It

Grandmasters of Fan Chongguang’s caliber focused their minds entirely on Cultivation; they wouldn’t necessarily pay attention to Zheng Mingchuan’s shady dealings. All he wanted was for Zheng Mingchuan to remain securely in his position and occasionally look out for the descendants of his fellow townsmen. As for the methods Zheng Mingchuan used to secure or maintain that position, he didn’t care and couldn’t be bothered to find out.

This was the source of Zheng Mingchuan’s confidence—and also his greatest flaw.

If Fan Chongguang ever discovered the truth—if he found out Zheng Mingchuan had been using his name to carry out those dirty deeds—how would he react? No one knew. But at the very least, Zheng Mingchuan didn’t dare to take that gamble.

The Song Family held some evidence, but they were unwilling to clash with Fan Chongguang because they, too, didn’t want to take that gamble. If Fan Chongguang and Zheng Mingchuan truly shared a close relationship and the former was dead set on protecting the latter, it wouldn’t be impossible given a Grandmaster’s status in the Federation.

At this point, Xu Wuyi finally understood why Song Qingwu had gone through such great lengths to involve him. It wasn’t just about meeting him; Song Qingwu wanted to see if he was still willing to utilize his identity as Captain Meng of the Inspection Department.

Other Grandmasters had no reason to intervene in the Federation’s internal anti-corruption affairs, but Xu Wuyi happened to be connected to the Inspection Department. Only if he stepped forward would the investigation be entirely justifiable. No matter how deep he dug, Fan Chongguang would have no grounds to stop him.

“I need detailed clues, especially the whereabouts of the perpetrator,” Xu Wuyi said thoughtfully.

Contrary to what the Song Family believed, Xu Wuyi actually didn’t care much about Grandmaster Fan Chongguang. He only did what he believed was right. As of right now, whatever lay behind the case was not of his concern. All he knew was that a merchant had been murdered by a Martial Artist, which meant this Martial Artist had to be brought to justice first.

Song Qingwu chimed in, “It’s already prepared.”

He pulled a file from his coat and handed it to Xu Wuyi. The file wasn’t thick, containing only a few pages, but every page was densely packed with words and accompanied by several photographs.

“Lu Sheng, an Innate Martial Artist, forty-seven years old this year. He specializes in Stealth and assassination,” Song Qingwu explained. “After advancing to the Innate realm, he completely disappeared from the public eye and rarely shows himself. However, no matter how careful a person is, there are times when they can’t hide.”

When Lu Sheng first struck three years ago, Song Qingwu used various clues to lock onto his identity. Coupled with the Song Family’s influence, they had now managed to confirm his whereabouts.

Pointing to a few lines in the file, Song Qingwu continued, “According to our investigation, Lu Sheng travels to Heihe City in Northern Plain Province once every three months.

“There is a private nursing home there called ‘Red Mountain.’ He stays for about three days every time he visits. We’ve looked into the background of that nursing home. On the surface, it’s privately operated, but in reality, it has countless ties to Zheng Mingchuan.”

Xu Wuyi flipped through the file, committing the information to memory.

Heihe City was the northernmost city in Northern Plain Province. Located near the Federation border, it endured long and freezing winters. He had heard of the place. It wasn’t heavily populated, but its unique geographical location made it a favorite hideout for people from all walks of life.

“What’s inside the nursing home?” Xu Wuyi asked.

Song Qingwu shook his head. “We’re not sure. The nursing home is heavily guarded, and our people couldn’t get in. But given Lu Sheng’s modus operandi, it must be hiding someone important, or perhaps something important.”

Xu Wuyi nodded and continued flipping through the file. Lu Sheng’s photograph showed a blurry profile, seemingly taken stealthily from a distance. The man had a medium build and ordinary features. If placed in a crowd, he wouldn’t draw any attention whatsoever.

“When will he go to Heihe again?”

“According to his previous pattern, his next visit should be in ten days,” Song Qingwu replied. “But I can’t guarantee that he won’t temporarily change his plans because of the incident with Zhou Bin and the others.”

Xu Wuyi closed the file and looked up at him. “What are you planning to do with Zhou Bin and Li Zhaowen?”

Song Qingwu smiled. “Rest assured, Grandmaster Xu. I’ve already had them sent back. While you were talking with Sixth Granduncle, they left the Song Family’s estate. We have designated personnel escorting them back to the Inspection Department.”

He paused for a moment and added, “I only detained them to draw you out. Now that you’re here and everything has been made clear, there’s no point in holding onto them anymore.”

Xu Wuyi looked at him, giving a slight nod. He stood up and tucked the file away safely. He turned and walked toward the courtyard gate, but after taking only a few steps, Song Qingwu suddenly spoke up again.

“Grandmaster Xu, there is one more thing I’d like to remind you of.

“Zheng Mingchuan himself is not greedy for wealth; he could even be described as frugal. He cares deeply about his reputation. However, since he has done many things to amass wealth, we suspect he isn’t doing it for himself, but rather for someone else.

“As for who that person is exactly, the Song Family hasn’t been able to find out.”

Xu Wuyi turned to look at him, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.

“I understand.”