"Marshal, this traitor is named Sun Huan, a native of Ruling County, Wind Prefecture, Great Zhou. Your subordinate has thoroughly checked his promotion records, family history, and every file concerning his military appointments. They are spotless and aboveboard; no irregularities or clues were found."
Niu Er spoke rather slowly, yet with every word, Northern War Zone First Army Commander He Qi's expression grew uglier.
If nothing unusual had been found, did that not mean Sun Huan's motive for betrayal was impossible to name? Or had he hidden himself even deeper within the army?
"However, one thing can be confirmed: Sun Huan truly should have been a dead soldier of some faction. Just now, your subordinate sent an urgent dispatch to colleagues in the Wind Prefecture Heavenly Patrol Division, ordering them to urgently investigate the whereabouts of Sun Huan's clan members," Niu Er added.
"What was the result?" He Qi pressed.
"The household registrations are all on record. His clan was never populous to begin with, and over the past dozen or so years, its members died off one by one. Only an elderly mother, a wife, and two sons remained alive.
"However, when my colleagues went to verify this, his mother and wife had long since vanished without a trace. The neighbors said they had not seen them for several months and guessed they might have gone visiting relatives.
"But after my colleagues investigated, based on all known information, his clan had no other relatives whatsoever," Niu Er replied.
Ye Zhen raised a brow. "They cleaned this up remarkably thoroughly! So the trail has been completely cut off?"
Niu Er hesitated. "Reporting to you, my lord, that is indeed the case. Given the current circumstances, there is nothing left to investigate!"
This answer made Ye Zhen frown. What troubled him