Investigator in the Shadows

Investigator in the Shadows

Before Evening Self-Study began, Ma Shicheng sat at his desk playing games.

Every so often, he looked up at the back door. Teachers would not bother them during this time, but if one of the school leaders in charge of discipline saw him, they might confiscate his phone.

Back in middle school, one student had been especially brazen about playing on his phone, drawing a crowd during breaks. Later, when the Grade Director passed by, he took the phone away.

As he kept watching the door, Ma Shicheng saw Wang Yong come to the back row and quietly chat with Wang Longlong. He had no idea what they were discussing.

After a while, Wang Yong left through the classroom's back door.

Bored in his seat, Wang Longlong came over to watch Ma Shicheng play, hoping to mooch some time with his phone.

Ma Shicheng asked him, "What did Wang Yong want with you just now? He was acting all mysterious."

Wang Longlong had his eye on Ma Shicheng's phone, so naturally he did not hide anything. "Wang Yong was talking to me about Song Sheng's fight that day."

"Song Sheng? He hasn't shown up for days." Ma Shicheng spoke without pausing his controls, looking completely practiced.

"I'm telling you, don't go spreading this around. Wang Yong told me Song Sheng was hospitalized," Wang Longlong said quietly.

"Hospitalized?" Ma Shicheng froze for a moment. "I thought he'd transferred schools!"

"If Guo Kunnan and Shan Kaiquan find out, they'll definitely crack open a bottle of beer tonight."

"Wang Yong sure knows a lot. His connections run deep," Ma Shicheng said.

Wang Longlong had gotten going. He looked honest enough on the surface, but inside, he was often restless and eager for excitement. Otherwise, he would not have wanted to mooch off Ma Shicheng's phone.

To get some time with the phone, he instantly tossed Wang Yong's demand for secrecy to the wind. "He was also asking me about Song Sheng just now. He asked whose desks Song Sheng and Shan Kaiquan knocked over when they fought that day."

"My seat was a prime spot. I saw everything that happened that day."

Ma Shicheng was curious why Wang Yong was asking about that. He recalled, "They did knock over quite a few desks, but I can't remember exactly whose."

Song Sheng had charged in his direction that day, and he had been busy figuring out how to dodge.

A hint of pride appeared on Wang Longlong's round face. "I remember it especially clearly. Huang Yuzhu's desk fell over, and so did Xue Yuantong's." He went on to name several more classmates.

"Not bad. School's only been in session for a few days, and you already know everyone in class," Ma Shicheng said, somewhat surprised.

I was planning to become Class Monitor. Wang Longlong had secretly put in considerable effort. He had studied the class roster over and over, matching every name to a face, intending to quietly run for Class Monitor and stun everyone in one stroke.

Unfortunately, his competitors for Class Monitor were simply too strong—Huang Zhongfei and Bai Yuxia. If he stepped up, he would only be throwing himself away, so he never made a move.

Wang Longlong chatted with Ma Shicheng for a while longer before changing the subject. "Ma Ge, that game looks fun. Can I play for a bit?"

Ma Shicheng nodded. "Sure. Wait until I finish this round."

During the final period of Evening Self-Study, no teacher came by.

Ma Shicheng had originally planned to keep playing on his phone, but its battery had died. He could only find someone to chat with and pass the time.

He had originally wanted to talk to Geng Lu, but then he remembered how she had ignored him that afternoon and would not even add him on QQ. How could he possibly go looking for her again? Just then, Ma Shicheng remembered what Wang Longlong had told him and shared it with Jiang Ning.

After hearing it, Jiang Ning's first reaction was that Wang Yong was investigating him.

He had no grudge against Wang Yong, so why was Wang Yong investigating him? Jiang Ning recalled yesterday's Evening Self-Study. Wang Yong and Lin Zida had returned from the Small Garden, and upon seeing him, Wang Yong had taken the initiative to greet him and introduce Lin Zida as well.

Thinking it over, perhaps Lin Zida had instructed Wang Yong to investigate him.

Why would Lin Zida investigate him?

Though he was somewhat recognizable in Grade One, Class Eight, he was nothing worth mentioning in the entire grade. There was absolutely no reason for Lin Zida to investigate him for no reason.

Jiang Ning then thought of the night he had broken Song Sheng's leg. At the time, after he used the Aura Concealment Art, it seemed a girl had noticed something. That girl was Ding Shuyan.

Back then, Jiang Ning had merely thought it was a young girl's sixth sense, so he had not paid it any mind and had still broken Song Sheng's leg as usual.

Thinking about it now, could Ding Shuyan have sensed it? Ding Shuyan was close to Lin Zida, so it was entirely possible that she had gone to him.

Jiang Ning found it amusing. When he crippled Song Sheng, he had not gone to much effort to conceal himself. He had merely used the Aura Concealment Art.

But the Aura Concealment Art alone was enough.

Perhaps the doctors would find the injury somewhat strange when assessing it, but what bizarre injuries had hospitals not seen? No one would dig to the bottom of it, much less suspect him.

There was simply no evidence to connect him to what he had done to Song Sheng, unless someone let their imagination run wild.

Jiang Ning thought it over. Figuring out why Ding Shuyan was investigating him was actually quite simple.

Since Lin Zida had shown himself, he would start with him.

Whatever monsters and demons were causing trouble, one look would tell him.

After all, with his methods, if anyone truly got in his way, dealing with them would not be difficult.

Jiang Ning checked the time. It was the last period of Evening Self-Study, and after class, he had to take Xue Yuantong home.

Jiang Ning stood up directly, informed Huang Zhongfei, the Class Monitor temporarily managing discipline, and then left the classroom for the school restroom.

Once he reached a place where no one was around, Jiang Ning spread out his Spiritual Sense. With no one nearby paying attention, he activated the Aura Concealment Art, and his figure melted into the darkness.

He formed several Magic Arts in succession and created a Divine Sense Imprint.

Then Jiang Ning returned the way he had come. Standing outside Experimental Class 1, he swept his gaze around and found Lin Zida's seat.

He openly entered Experimental Class 1's classroom. Lin Zida sat in the back row, holding a clamshell handheld console and playing a game.

Jiang Ning walked up behind him.

A 3DS Game Console. The classic model, too.

On Lin Zida's screen, a little green-capped character swung his sword at monsters, occasionally rolled across the ground, then tossed out a bomb. The game looked full of action.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time?

It was a masterpiece. Jiang Ning had played it before as well.

Jiang Ning stood behind him and watched for a minute. Lin Zida was quite skilled, whether in combat or solving puzzles, he handled everything smoothly and effortlessly.

Before leaving, Jiang Ning cast the Divine Sense Imprint, then openly left Experimental Class 1. From beginning to end, no one noticed a thing.

Evening Self-Study ended.

Xue Yuantong came down from the back row and saw Jiang Ning park his Mountain Bike, lock the door, and head toward the Dam outside.

What does he go out to do every night? Xue Yuantong wondered.

Jiang Ning walked beneath the Dam, circulating his Spiritual Energy as he traced the location of the Divine Sense Imprint.

"Not too far. Around four kilometers." Jiang Ning swallowed a Qi Gathering Pill to replenish his Spiritual Energy, while his body vanished from sight.

The moment he used Swift Steps, combined with his body-tempering cultivation, Jiang Ning's figure shot forward and sped toward his destination.

His Spiritual Sense spread outward, constantly monitoring his surroundings. Cars, pedestrians, traffic lights—none of them could obstruct Jiang Ning's progress. He passed over all of them directly.

In less than two minutes, he stopped outside a residential complex.

Jiang Ning raised his head and looked toward a building more than thirty stories tall deep within the complex, falling silent.

The target was probably on the sixteenth floor.

He was only at Qi Refining Layer 1 and could not fly on qi. Only upon reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm could one use mana to fly through the air.

During the Qi Refining Stage, anyone wishing to fly had to rely on a flying Magical Artifact.

Jiang Ning had not even found materials for artifact crafting. How could he speak of flying?

Taking the elevator would not work. Though he could hide himself, the elevator was monitored by cameras, and he needed to press a button to make it move. If anyone checked the surveillance footage afterward, it might expose a flaw.

Besides, elevators in some residential complexes even required an access card.

Looks like I can only take the stairs.

Sixteenth floor...

Jiang Ning sighed. It was not that he would get tired; it was simply too undignified.

To think that I, a dignified cultivator...