Major Investigation

At dawn, sunlight filtered faintly through the shadows of wood and stone in the garden. The warm lights of the house and stone lanterns automatically went out, leaving nature's light to paint and adorn the scene. For a time, the garden seemed shrouded in a thin bluish mist, cold, somber, and still.

Yet it was already late spring, less than two days from the start of summer. In the hearts of many, Ban City had clearly begun to grow hot and dry.

Yuchuan Yingjie sat kneeling on the veranda platform, saying nothing as he watched the filled bamboo tube of the "water dispenser" pour its gurgling stream into the shallow pool. Then, with a snap, it swung back into place, startling the early-rising sparrows into flapping away. It should have been a classic little scene of Zen tranquility, yet his thoughts were like those departing birds, unable to settle for a long while.

Beside him, Takemoto Shigeru, his chief intelligence operative, reported in a low voice, "So far, the Emerald Light's voyage plan remains unchanged. However, many of those who made reservations or received invitations have still not confirmed. Others have canceled their trips on the grounds of ill health..."

Yuchuan Yingjie waved a hand. "Those boarding in Ban City are merely people there to show support. A hundred Ban City tycoons combined cannot compare to the president of the Ability User Association. President Abner has returned to Sandalwood City and confirmed that he will not attend the auction... They cannot even find a target to applaud."

Takemoto Shigeru's voice deepened. "As for this matter, it can now basically be confirmed that something happened in Sandalwood City. They have sealed off the news tightly, but multiple intelligence channels indicate that approximately twenty hours ago, there was an intense energy reaction