Three-Pronged Axe

Shen Jingye carefully organized the documents page by page and then went to Li Qi's office.

"Director Li, Du Wenming is on vacation."

"When did you take leave?"

"Yesterday, starting from Monday, actually from last weekend, he took a week off, meaning he had no alibi when Yu Yaoming was abducted!"

Li Banfeng said, "Wasn't it Du Wenming who called you today to invite you to the meeting?"

"That's because something happened in the research lab, and his vacation was terminated. When he called me, he had just returned to his office."

Li Banfeng said earnestly, "Comrade Xiao Du is someone we know quite well. Is it really appropriate to list him as a suspect just because he took two days off?"

Shen Jingye glanced at Li Banfeng. These were clearly not words Li Banfeng should have said; they should have come from above.

Li Banfeng is helping Shen Jingye prepare a response. If he wants to formally investigate Du Wenming, or even arrest Du Wenming, someone will definitely step in to obstruct him. These are all problems he must face.

"I not only have an alibi, but also other clues."

"No matter how many clues we have, we can't wrong an innocent person," Li Banfeng's tone became even more serious. "His colleagues all know that Xiao Du isn't Dark Energy User; he can't use dark abilities!"

Shen Jingye gave Li Banfeng a document. "According to the official resume, although Du Wenming is not Dark Energy User, he worked in the Guanfang Hall for a long time. Most of his work experience came from Pro State, which makes him qualified to become a mechanic."

"Having the right conditions isn't enough; where's the evidence?"

Shen Jingye then took out another document. "Du Wenming is a radio enthusiast, and he has joined two radio enthusiast groups."

A radio enthusiast?

Li Banfeng wanted to ask a question, but didn't speak, because the question might reveal his age.

Radio enthusiasts were a special group active in the 1980s. They had a certain level of communication knowledge and used their self-assembled radio equipment to communicate with other enthusiasts through radio signals on different frequency bands.

In the days before the internet was widespread, this form of communication, although it didn't allow face-to-face interaction, allowed people to hear each other's voices, which was clearly superior to traditional pen pals. However, because the radio communication circle had a very high barrier to entry, its coverage was very limited.

Li Banfeng glanced at the relevant materials. "In this day and age, people still play with radios?"

Shen Jingye said, "This circle has always been very active. We feel unfamiliar with it because we know too little about it."

Last month, Du Wenming also purchased a batch of components through a radio enthusiast organization; this is the list.

Li Banfeng glanced at the list. "They're even using vacuum tubes? These devices are fit for a museum."

Shen Jingye said, "I just learned that there's a retro trend in the radio industry that uses primitive equipment."

The radio enthusiast group that Du Wenming joined was legal, and the components he purchased were also legal.

However, many of these relatively primitive electronic devices were not mass-produced, making them extremely difficult to use and assemble. This, in a way, proves that Du Wenming possessed a certain level of technical expertise.

Li Banfeng frowned and said, "Little Shen, this is too far-fetched. You can't just say someone knows how to use wireless equipment and then call them a repairman, can you?"

This tone is very similar to that of some of Shen Jingye's superiors. Li Banfeng is right; if an investigation into Du Wenming is to be launched, these kinds of questions are unavoidable.

But Shen Jingye could only do this much. "Given the current situation, this is all the clues we have. Given Du Wenming's status, it's unrealistic to arrest and interrogate him, and it's unlikely we'll get permission to search his home."

The investigation, including into those around him and related organizations, can only go so far. Du Wenming is an expert; if the investigation continues in depth, it will inevitably alert the enemy.

Li Banfeng glanced at the equipment list again.

Is Du Wenming's love for radio truly just a hobby?

Is there any necessary connection between this and his kidnapping of Yu Yaoming?

Li Banfeng couldn't come up with a solution on his own; this kind of thing needs to be handled by professionals.

The Dark Star Bureau also has communications professionals, Shen Jingye called over Cheng Zhiyuan, a key member of the communications department.

Cheng Zhiyuan looked at the list for a long time, then explained the function of each component, "The main function of the rectifier tube is to convert AC to DC, the function of the amplifier tube is to amplify the audio signal, and the function of the frequency converter tube is—"

Shen Jingye frowned and said, "Who told you to bring this up? Did I come here to listen to your lecture? I wanted to ask you, what can these components on the list be assembled into?"

Cheng Zhiyuan looked at it for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I can't tell."

Li Banfeng asked, "You really can't tell, or are you just afraid to say?"

Cheng Zhiyuan shook his head and said with a wry smile, "Director Li, you've put me in a difficult position."

Both Li Banfeng and Shen Jingye could understand this key technical personnel.

It's like someone buys a few pieces of glass and a box of glue. They might want to make a handmade fish tank, or they might want to make a handmade mirror, or they might not want to make either a mirror or a fish tank, and they just want to stick a piece of glass on a table.

In casual conversation, it's fine to offer some deductions, but within the Dark Star Bureau, a wrong deduction could have serious consequences. Therefore, Cheng Zhiyuan remained silent until he received official orders.

Given the current situation, Shen Jingye couldn't issue a formal order, so Li Banfeng simply took the list and went to find his own channels.

He also has experts who may not be familiar with advanced equipment from Outer State, but when it comes to this kind of antique equipment, Luo ZhengNan is an expert among experts.

Back at his lodgings, Li Banfeng called Luo ZhengNan and told him the contents of the list.

After hearing this, Luo ZhengNan was also a little troubled. "Seventh Master, the things this person bought are a bit scattered, so I can only make a rough estimate."

These things can be used to make TV antennas, radios, and for more advanced projects, even radio telescopes.

But based on my experience, it's more likely a radio. I have one on hand; I'll bring it to you to take a look another day.

"Don't postpone it. I'm in a hurry. I'll go take a look today." Li Banfeng arrived at Green Water City via Iron Gate Fort, Luo ZhengNan had already prepared the radio.

In the eyes of young people, radios are either installed in cars or held by old men in parks; they are usually small, about the size of a palm.

The radio Li Banfeng saw this time was taller than him and about the same size as his wardrobe at home.

Luo ZhengNan opened the back cabinet door of the radio and introduced the components one by one.

"The electrical signals in Pro State are very weak, so the semiconductor materials from Outer State don't work. Vacuum tubes have excellent response characteristics at high frequencies, and they are stable and not picky about the environment, unlike those new devices from Outer State that are so delicate."

Vacuum tube equipment is also easier to repair; if one tube breaks, you simply replace it, unlike more advanced equipment where a whole set needs to be replaced if one fails.

Li Banfeng roughly understood something. He turned on his phone, but only heard a series of static.

"Seventh Master, don't worry. Relying solely on electronic devices, the received signal is still very limited. To listen to the radio in Pro State, we need some special materials." Luo ZhengNan took out a wooden box, pulled out an antenna from the box, and connected it to the radio.

This antenna is very special; it's the one he usually keeps inserted in his brain.

After plugging in the antenna and carefully turning the knob, the radio finally found a station.

Amidst a cheerful chorus of gongs, drums, and flutes, Li Banfeng heard a GG:

"Brother, why haven't you harvested your sorghum yet?"

"I dare not accept it. I just chopped up Uncle Liu at the village entrance a couple of days ago. His body is still in the field. If I harvest the sorghum, I won't be able to hide the body anymore, and Uncle Liu will definitely not let me off!"

"Just hiding it like this isn't a solution. You haven't used Ma Lao San's Corpse Dissolving Elixir before, have you? One spoonful, and it's completely clean, not a speck left, just a little bit of liquid that seeps directly into the soil. You don't even have to clean it up!"

"Is it really that effective?"

"It's a long-established brand, a trusted name. I'm a regular customer; would I lie to you?"

Upon hearing this, Li Banfeng's mouth dropped open. "This kind of drug, you can publicly use it to kill someone?"

Luo ZhengNan laughed and said, "That's the kind of atmosphere we have in Pro State. We like to do things in a straightforward manner."

Li Banfeng was furious. "This isn't about whether it's straight or not; it's that this medicine is inherently unreasonable. Do you know how precious a corpse is? It dissolves in just one spoonful of this medicine. Using this kind of medicine is a waste of resources!"

Luo ZhengNan was somewhat puzzled. "Then what should be done with the body after the murder—"

"Leave it to me, I have plenty of good ideas. Let's call it a day tomorrow—"

Before he could finish speaking, a sweet voice came from the radio.

"Dear listeners, this is Ah Hui. It's that time of year again when farming is in full swing. First of all, I'd like to say thank you to all my fellow Farming Cultivator for your hard work."

Upon hearing this voice, Li Banfeng remained stunned for a long time.

Luo ZhengNan laughed and said, "Seventh Master, isn't that a sweet voice? This is the best broadcaster in the entire Pro State."

"The best?"

"That's right, listen to it again."

The radio's sound quality was a bit rough, but that couldn't mask the sweetness of the voice. "In busy seasons, people's mindsets are prone to change. When conflicts arise with others, always think twice before you act."

In two more months, it will be snow season. Regardless of whether there are new or old grudges, it's best to settle them in the snow to facilitate the disposal of the body and other aftermath—..."

Li Banfeng examined the radio's antenna closely. "With this antenna, will we be able to receive this station even in Outer State?"

Luo ZhengNan nodded and said, "You can call me even from Outer State, it's the same principle."

"What is this antenna made of?"

Luo ZhengNan hesitated for a moment.

Li Banfeng said, "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I won't force you."

This antenna was Luo ZhengNan's livelihood, but since Li Qi had asked, Luo ZhengNan still said, "I won't go into the materials like iron, manganese, and nickel. The most crucial material is Heaven Heart Stone."

When this antenna was forged, a small piece of Heaven Heart Stone was melted down—just a tiny piece the size of a fingernail. Without this Heaven Heart Stone, the antenna would only be worth sixty Huan Country Notes; with it, it might not even be worth six thousand silver dollars.

The Heaven Heart Stone has a guiding function, which Li Banfeng is very clear about. Back then, Chu Shaoqiang relied on the Heaven Heart Stone to send Knife Ghost Ridge to Sage Peak.

Perhaps this thing can also guide electromagnetic signals.

If Du Wenming also had a device similar to a radio, would he also have the Heaven Heart Stone?

Of course, he invested so much money not just to listen to the radio, but he must have also been engaged in other research.

He kidnapped Yu Yaoming to prove that there was overlap between Yu Yaoming and some of his research, and that Yu Yaoming may have even achieved the results he wanted.

The results certainly go beyond theory; what else has Yu Yaoming researched?

Li Banfeng immediately returned to Yuezhou, went to the Dark Star Bureau, and summoned Shen Jingye: "Yu Yaoming's laboratory..."

Who is now in charge of guarding it?

"Currently, the Dark Matter Research Lab is still in charge of guarding the lab, but the task of finding Yu Yaoming has fallen to us. We can take over the lab at any time." Shen Jingye prepared to call the lab.

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "Don't take over yet. Such a big thing just happened. Even if the research lab is useless..."

During this time, vigilance will definitely be heightened, and the opponent will not be given an opportunity easily.

Shen Jingye, "Are you certain that Du Wenming will attack the lab?"

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "I can't say for sure, but the chances are high. Find me a place to stay near Yu Yaoming's lab, but don't alert the people in the research lab. I'll go over and keep an eye on things tonight. Right now, I'm worried that Du Wenming won't dare to go to the lab easily."

Shen Jingye asked, "Is there a way to lure him over there?"

"Yes," Li Banfeng thought for a moment, and had a general idea in mind. "You talk to the people in the research lab. I need to investigate Yu Yaoming's students."

Shen Jingye said, "If needed, we can take over all his students."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "You don't need to take over. Just arrange one investigation. That way, someone will send a message to Du Wenming. Du Wenming will call you then. You must handle it properly."

Shen Jingye went to arrange accommodation near the laboratory, while Li Banfeng went to the hospital to visit Fang Yufei, a classmate from his high school and university days.

Before leaving, Li Banfeng specially put on makeup and applied a fake beard. In addition, he had his Wife stick some clay on his face to make his face look much rounder.

Convinced he wouldn't be easily recognized, Li Banfeng went to the hospital, showed his credentials to the agents sent by the research lab, and entered Fang Yufei's ward.

The investigators in the lab didn't see Li Banfeng's identification clearly and chased after him to the door, asking, "Could you please register me?"

Li Banfeng turned around and looked at the detective with a blank expression.

The detective felt a chill and, without daring to ask any more questions, quietly closed the ward door.

There's really no need to ask any more questions. The higher-ups have already given instructions that the Dark Star Bureau is sending people. This is a pre-arranged task, so why should I meddle?

The detective comforted himself for a few moments and then sat back down by the ward door.

Li Banfeng pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Fang Yufei.

Fang Yufei indeed didn't recognize Li Banfeng, because her glasses had been confiscated by the Dark Star Bureau. She nervously looked at the bearded man in front of her and cautiously asked, "Who are you?"

Li Banfeng waved his badge in front of Fang Yufei: "I'm the investigator in charge of this case. I'm here to ask you a few questions."

Fang Yufei shook her head and said, "I've said everything I can say. What else do you want to ask?"

"Don't be nervous, these are just a few simple questions. You were at the scene on the day of the incident; were you trying to offer your advisor some help?"

Fang Yufei lowered her head and said, "At first we did have that thought, but then we saw that the teacher was arrested, and we were all scared."

Obsessive, yet very real.

It seems that similar changes occur in people who spend a lot of time with Yu Yaoming.

Li Banfeng then asked, "After your teacher was arrested, did you ever consider rescuing him?"

"No, absolutely not!" Fang Yufei denied it outright. "After the teacher was arrested, we were all arrested too."

We lack both the ability and the courage.

"Besides you students, are there any other members in Yu Yaoming's organization?"

"What organization are you talking about?" Fang Yufei shook her head repeatedly. "We don't have any organization. We're just ordinary teacher and student."

"Still trying to deny it!" Li Banfeng emphasized. "Who was sitting next to you at the academic conference?"

Fang Yufei said, "It's Han Yuelong. We're from the same school and our majors are somewhat similar, but he's not one of our advisors' students."

"Besides him?"

"The person sitting on the other side is a man, I don't know him."

"You don't recognize her?" Li Banfeng frowned. Was she deliberately protecting me? She seemed to have said she would never forget me.

"I really don't know him. I think I talked to him a bit, and he seemed to have done some research on wormholes, but I really can't remember what we talked about!"

She doesn't seem to be lying.

It seems someone erased part of her memory.

What method did that person use?

The person did this to protect me. If Fang Yufei's memory hadn't been erased, the Dark Star Bureau and the Dark Matter Research Lab would have reached a conclusion during the investigation: Li Banfeng is Li Qi.

Li Banfeng looked at Fang Yufei, a hint of authority emanating from him. "I know your organization is still trying to rescue Yu Yaoming. You can continue to argue, but if you continue to refuse to cooperate with the investigation, you, like Yu Yaoming, will face the most severe punishment!"

Fang Yufei sat on the bed, her body convulsing in waves.

Li Banfeng got up and left.

They hadn't gone far when they heard Fang Yufei shouting, "I didn't! I didn't lie! I'm telling the truth!"

That's the truth...

Hearing the shouts, the detectives outside rushed in and, together with the doctor, managed to calm the agitated Fang Yufei down.

Li Banfeng turned around and glanced at Fang Yufei.

She is beautiful and outstanding.

Hopefully, she will remember this fear and not, like Yu Yaoming, dabble in powers she cannot control.

Will Du Wenming know about the situation at the hospital?

Li Banfeng firmly believed that he would find out.

Because the detective in charge of guarding the gate had already taken out his phone to report to his superiors.

Shen Jingye had just chosen a place to stay near the laboratory when he immediately received a call from Du Wenming.

"Director Shen, what's going on? You just arranged one interrogation, and you've driven the witness crazy?"

Shen Jingye quickly apologized. "We sent a new person over there, and he might have been a bit too hasty in his work."

"Fortunately, this is in the hospital, Fang Yufei's condition is under control by the doctors. If this were in your Dark Star Bureau..."

Let's see how you handle this in the end.

"Director Du is right. I will handle this matter seriously."

"I really don't know what you're thinking. You suspect that Yu Yaoming was kidnapped by Fang Yufei? Do you think she has that kind of ability?"

"Director Du, we believe that Yu Yaoming has more than just Fang Yufei under his command. He has a sizable organization under him, with Yu Yaoming as the leader and Fang Yufei and others as important members."

This organization launched a rescue operation and abducted Yu Yaoming from the research lab. Fang Yufei and several other students definitely have crucial clues about Yu Yaoming!

Du Wenming pondered for a moment and said, "I agree with your point of view, but we must pay attention to the methods and approaches used during the investigation."

Tomorrow I will hand these students over to the Dark Star Bureau. I'll take the blame for this; you should investigate as soon as possible.

After hanging up the phone, Shen Jingye wiped the sweat from his brow. He reviewed the conversation to make sure he hadn't given anything away.

Du Wenming sat behind his desk, his fingertips lightly tapping the surface.

Shen Jingye turned his attention to those students.

Ultimately, the Dark Star Bureau still relies on these Three-Pronged Axe.

That evening, Li Banfeng arrived at the accommodation arranged by Shen Jingye.

Yu Yaoming's lab is in a remote location. There are two faculty dormitories nearby, both emptied by the lab. A little further away is a warehouse, but the warehouse staff have all left, and there's no one guarding it. Suitable accommodation is...

Only here.

Li Banfeng wasn't picky; he lived in Portable Abode anyway.

Shen Jingye also arranged an assistant for Li Banfeng, a special forces member Geng Congyi.

The man was around fifty years old, physically strong, and very polite to Li Banfeng: "Director Li, I am a Ripper, known as a Blade Cultivator in Pro State, and I have a certain ability to restrain Craftsmen."

"Blade Cultivator?" Li Banfeng had heard the name before, but he didn't know much about this Daoist sect. "What methods do you use to counter Craft Cultivator?"

Geng Congyi replied, "By severing the connection between the craftsman and the weapon, the blade craftsman excels at slashing, capable of cutting through matter and also severing the bonds between energies."

Shen Jingye explained, "To put it bluntly, if we encounter a marionette again, Old Geng can cut the strings."

The puppet naturally won't work!

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "He's indeed a good helper. Old Geng, keeping watch here will be tough, can you handle it?"

Geng Congyi stood ramrod straight. "Don't worry, Director, I guarantee I'll complete the mission."

That evening, Li Banfeng told Lao Geng to wait in the warehouse while he went to the laboratory to conduct a preliminary investigation.

Having bypassed the guards and unlocked the door, Li Banfeng used the projector to control the surveillance equipment and began his investigation.

He took out the gloves and asked, "Anything valuable?"

"Yes, there's something good!" The glove went through each piece of equipment, taking a metal box from the resonator, a glass tube from the spectrometer, and a resistor from the interferometer.

After disassembling more than thirty parts, Li Banfeng asked the gloves, "What's the use of these?"

The glove said, "I don't know what they're for, but these things are all very valuable."

Li Banfeng took all the paper materials from the lab, copied all the data from several computers, then washed his gloves, restored all the document boxes and folders to their original state, and filled them with blank paper to make them look like they were made from the outside.

With everything settled, Li Banfeng left the laboratory and took everything to Portable Abode.

The Wife looked at the components but didn't think they were of any use. She was more interested in the experimental data that Li Banfeng had brought back.

The gloves looked a little aggrieved. "Mother-in-law, take another look. This thing is very valuable."

The Portable Abode trembled slightly, and the old man spoke, "Seventh Brother, bring the third room here, let me take a look."

The gloved man shook his index finger and said, "Old man, just take a look, but please tell me before you do anything."

Portable Abode grew impatient. "Hurry up and bring it here. You're treating this pile of junk like it's a treasure."

Li Banfeng and his gloves carried a pile of parts into the third room, placed them on the ground, and waited for the old man to appraise them.

The old man didn't offer any opinion; Li Banfeng only saw a pile of parts disappearing one by one.

After the last circuit board disappeared, the old man sighed, "You've got a conscience, lad. You finally brought some good stuff home. These are priceless treasures."

The glove let out a long sigh, "Honey, listen to this, I told you I couldn't have misjudged him."

"Old man, I've given you all the good stuff, you should at least tell me where this treasure came from!"

The old man said, "These are all Heaven Heart Stone."

Gloves exclaimed in surprise, "Are they all Heaven Heart Stone? Can Heaven Heart Stone grow like this?"

"It's not a complete Heaven Heart Stone, but rather Heaven Heart Stone fused into these things. I don't know much about the power Work Method in Outer State, but after studying it for a while, I should be able to figure out some clues."

Gloves nodded and said, "We can't see any clues, but we might be able to identify a train station. Grandpa, Heaven Heart Stone is a good material for building a large train station, isn't it?"

Snap!

A broom flew by, slapping the gloves to the ground. The Portable Abode earnestly instructed, "Seventh Brother, this thing is definitely of extraordinary origin. Handle the aftermath properly; don't let anyone trace it back to us."

We're not greedy people, but once we've got our hands on something, we absolutely cannot let anyone take it back!

Li Banfeng took the old man's words to heart and returned to the laboratory wearing gloves.

He had been in the lab for so long, and the agents in the Dark Matter Research Lab hadn't reacted at all. This wasn't because they were negligent; it was because their abilities were simply too limited.

Li Banfeng handed the newly arrived lens oil to the projector. "From now on, we'll have to rely on our new friends."

"Seventh Director, do you also believe they are alive?"

"I believe that all my friends will enjoy good fortune and will never suffer any loss."

The projector was very confident about the mission: "Seventh Director, from now on, dozens of eyes will work together to complete the mission you have entrusted to us."

The following evening, a puppet wearing a large brown hat, with blond hair, blue eyes, and a long nose entered the laboratory.

He continued to walk sideways between the equipment, his body remaining still and his steps remarkably steady.

He first turned on the resonator, raised his left arm, and fumbled around inside the spectrometer for a moment.

He couldn't find the resistor he wanted.

He took out the blueprints from his pocket, glanced at them, and realized he hadn't looked at the wrong equipment, but the key components inside were missing.

He then checked the spectrometer but still couldn't find the part he was looking for.

He crawled under the resonator again, and just as he opened the bottom cover, he suddenly heard someone shout from outside the door, "Someone has entered the laboratory. All personnel, take your positions and prepare for battle."

The investigators from the research lab were the first to rush into the scene, followed by Li Qi and Geng Congyi.

The puppet was still under the resonator when its legs couldn't help but tremble.

P. S.: Little Shen, do you really think Li Qi doesn't want any reward? He's only just begun!