"Marshal, this traitor is named Sun Huan, a native of Ruling County, Wind Prefecture, Great Zhou. I have thoroughly investigated his promotion records, family history, and all files concerning his military appointments. They are utterly clean and aboveboard, with no abnormalities or traces to be found."
Niu Er spoke rather slowly, yet his report made He Qi, commander of the Northern War Zone First Army, look increasingly grim.
If nothing abnormal had been found, did that not mean Sun Huan's motive for betrayal was impossible to determine? Or that he had hidden himself even more deeply within the army?
"However, one thing can be confirmed: Sun Huan was indeed likely a death warrior of some faction. Just now, I urgently sent word to my colleagues at the Wind Prefecture Heavenly Patrol Division, ordering them to swiftly investigate the whereabouts of Sun Huan's clansmen," Niu Er continued.
"What was the result?" He Qi pressed.
"The household registrations are all on file. His clan was never populous to begin with, and over the past dozen or so years, its members died off one by one. Only his elderly mother, 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, the clan had no other known relatives at all," Niu Er replied.
Ye Zhen raised a brow. "They covered their tracks remarkably cleanly! So the trail has been completely cut off?"
Niu Er hesitated. "Reporting to 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 was not