Backed by Powerful Connections

Since Qi Haoguo pressed for details, Xiao Liu naturally recounted everything he knew, including some hearsay, trying his best to appear knowledgeable.

Although Xiao Liu didn't quite understand why Qi Haoguo was so interested in the old man's affairs, he could vaguely guess from Qi Haoguo's reaction that it was probably related to the eight-armed wooden carving and the similar image in the old man's painting.

In the months before his release, he had indeed thought carefully about how to arrange his life, but the best way out he could think of was to use the skills he had learned in prison to open a small shop or something. This time, he came here, shamelessly hoping to get some capital from his aunt to start a shop.

Now that I have the opportunity to show my face to my cousin's husband, I should naturally seize it. If I can gain his approval, then I will truly have no worries.

Through Xiao Liu's account, Qi Haoguo also learned about the old man's general situation:

The old man had previously swindled money by pretending to be a wise man and, with the help of many others, by using various pretexts. However, last October, he suddenly had a change of heart or something, and reported all the others. Because of his significant meritorious service and the fact that he was already over seventy years old, his sentence was reduced considerably.

When he first went to serve his sentence, many people called him a traitor and a snitch, disliked him, and wanted to get rid of him. Some people who had some connection with his gang before even wanted to harm him. But he wasn't afraid or care at all, acting as if he was "I'm over seventy and have lived enough, so what if we all die together?" This made others start to fear him.

Moreover, this old man is indeed quite skilled; he can basically assess most people's situations with just a glance.

Xiao Liu had also had his fortune told by that old man. The old man could tell at a glance that he was in jail for fighting, and that his sentence was almost up and he would be released soon. He could even guess his plans after his release, things that Xiao Liu had never told anyone before.

Although the old man kept claiming that he was just good at judging people, had a lot of experience, quick thinking, accurate guessing, and good luck, and that he didn't actually have any supernatural powers or magic, and that feudal superstition was all a lie.

But many of the people inside had a natural reverence for such things, and naturally, the old man's status inside suddenly became extraordinary. Many people would privately call him "Old Immortal" - although he himself did not accept this.

People inside often take the initiative to chat with the old man. He is old, knowledgeable, and speaks very skillfully. After talking with him, people always feel like they can unload their burdens and clear their minds.

Every day, inmates are given a certain amount of time to read books and newspapers and write, and at that time, the old man's most frequent activity was to draw an eight-armed, eight-eyed monster with a pencil.

The old man clearly had some artistic skills; with just a pencil, he drew the monster quite well.

And every time he draws, he mutters to himself, I don't know what he's talking about.

The old man drew many portraits of that Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Monster. Many people saw them, and when asked what they were, the old man would just smile and never answer.

However, some people have heard the old man muttering to himself while he was painting. He muttered things like "hell," "inner demons," and "Yama," but the old man himself said that feudal superstitions were all fake and that he had been doing deceitful things all along.

Some people speculated that the old man must have lost his mind to suddenly report his accomplices. Otherwise, with so much money in his pocket, wouldn't it be better to enjoy life outside? Why would he want to suffer in prison?

However, many people are becoming increasingly convinced that the old man is a so-called "old immortal"...

After listening to Xiao Liu's account, Qi Haoguo recalled his feelings when he saw the Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Monster a few days ago, and vaguely understood why the old man suddenly reported his accomplice and was willing to go to jail.

That old man, like him, must have experienced that deep-seated fear, and he must have seen what he feared, and he must have actually seen that eight-armed, eight-eyed monster.

While Qi Haoguo was deep in thought, Xiao Liu was also secretly observing his renowned cousin-in-law and the strange-looking Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving beside him, wondering what kind of creature the eight-armed, eight-eyed monster was.

"What are your plans for this period?" Qi Haoguo suddenly asked.

"Ah? Oh, I just... was thinking of doing some small business, setting up a small... snack stall, using the skills I've learned to make some money..." Xiao Liu replied cautiously. He knew that his reputation had never been very good, and his uncle probably didn't have a good impression of him either, so he didn't dare to say directly that he wanted to follow his uncle.

Qi Haoguo stood up and said, "In that case, there's no rush. You should come with me to visit that old gentleman first."

Although Xiao Liu was somewhat surprised that her uncle-in-law had decided to visit her in prison so quickly, she was still very happy to be able to help him and naturally did not raise any objections.

Qi Haoguo called his secretary to book plane tickets and arrange a driver. After informing his wife, he and Xiao Liu set off for the airport.

They arrived in the city where Xiao Liu was serving his sentence that afternoon.

Although regulations stipulate that only relatives and guardians can visit prisoners on specific visiting days each month, nowadays, as long as a complete registration is made, friends of inmates can also visit them on ordinary working days in addition to designated visiting days.

After arriving in the city where the prison was located, Xiao Liu contacted the prison authorities to request a visitation the next day. He could be considered a friend of the old man, and he believed the old man wouldn't refuse the visit. However, the reply he received was that the old man had fallen accidentally the day before and had been taken to the hospital for treatment, and it seemed his condition was quite serious.

Seeing that Xiao Liu had hung up the phone, Qi Haoguo frowned and asked, "He fell down? Could it be that his accomplice, whom he reported before, had someone do it?"

Xiao Liu shook his head and said, "Probably not. The management inside is quite strict. And he has many people looking after him. Because he's older and doesn't cause trouble, the prison guards are always careful to keep an eye on him. This should just be a simple accident..."

Fortunately, the hospital the old man was transferred to was also in the city and not far away. After finding out the address, they had a quick dinner and went there.

Because we had contacted them in advance, we quickly found the old man's ward at the hospital.

The old man had no relatives; only a prison staff member was there to look after him.

In order to get a chance to meet the person, Xiao Liu went up and told the staff that the old man surnamed Du was his "godfather" whom he had met in prison.

The staff recognized Xiao Liu and had previously contacted the prison, so they knew they were coming and didn't suspect anything. According to the doctor, although Old Du had been rescued, he was unlikely to recover completely; he would even have difficulty standing up, and would have to serve most of his remaining sentence in the hospital. Having relatives and friends to help would make things easier for them.

Old Du had just regained some of his senses, and his gaze immediately fell on Qi Haoguo, who had entered the ward.

Or more precisely, he focused his attention on the dark wood carving in his hand.

Although Old Du looked tired and haggard, he had an inexplicable calmness in his expression, as if the body that was so badly injured was not his own. But when he saw the wooden carving in Qi Haoguo's hand, his eyes widened and his breathing became more rapid.

"Mr. Du, you've seen this wood carving before?" Qi Haoguo placed the Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Wooden Carving, which he had specially commissioned a master craftsman to make, on the cabinet beside the hospital bed, so that Old Du.

Old Du opened his mouth, and Qi Haoguo immediately bent down to listen.

Xiao Liu, who had followed them in, immediately pleaded with the prison staff to let Old Du and Qi Haoguo talk alone, while the two of them went to the door together. In any case, Old Du was in such a state that there was neither a possibility nor a need for him to escape.

By bringing his ear close to Old Du's mouth, Qi Haoguo heard his weak voice. "You also... had that dream?"

A dream? Qi Haoguo was taken aback, frowning as he looked at Old Du: "You saw it in a dream...?"

Sensing that Old Du was about to speak, Qi Haoguo leaned closer and asked, "You... you weren't dreaming?"

Xiao Liu had barely exchanged a few words with the prison staff when Qi Haoguo was already out.

He told the prison staff that he wanted to take over Old Du's treatment and had already arranged for someone from his company to come and provide Old Du with a better treatment plan. Of course, he would first liaise with the prison and complete the necessary procedures.

Considering Old Du's behavior in that case, his remaining sentence, his conduct in prison, and his current health condition, there should be no problem in granting him medical parole or allowing him to serve his sentence outside of prison.

Qi Haoguo and Xiao Liu temporarily left the hospital and took a taxi back to the hotel. As for Old Du's situation, whether he should stay in the hospital, be transferred to another hospital, have his ward changed, or have his treatment plan altered, people from Qi Haoguo's company would come and take over.

Seeing the wooden carving that Qi Haoguo brought out of the ward and was holding in his arms, Xiao Liu was very curious, but she wisely refrained from asking.

Meanwhile, Qi Haoguo kept replaying the last few words Old Du had said to him, "Fear can reveal your true self... Trust your feelings, follow your heart's choice... Death... is not the end."

He understood the phrase "fear can reveal the true self," and based on that phrase alone, he was basically certain that he and Old Du were "seeing" the same being, except that the old man seemed to be seeing it in a dream.

"Trust your feelings and follow your heart"—he also understands that his actions during this period are in line with this statement.

But what on earth does "death is not the end" mean?

When he pressed for more information, Old Du simply shut up and closed his eyes, as if he had no intention of saying anything more.

This statement was incredibly impactful, immediately sparking a flood of thoughts in Qi Haoguo. He could tell that Old Du probably knew more about the eight-armed, eight-eyed monster than he did.

Qi Haoguo dared not disobey the warning given to him by the Eight-Armed Eight-Eyed Monster, nor did he dare to investigate the people in the two cars that day. He dared not take any chances, nor did he believe that he could truly escape the monster just by leaving Tongshi Town. Judging from the way the monster appeared and disappeared, it might appear beside him at any time.

But after meeting Old Du and hearing those words, Qi Haoguo still couldn't resist the urge to find out what kind of being that eight-armed, eight-eyed monster really was.

After frowning and thinking hard for a while, he suddenly thought of Liu Feibao.

Yes, that's right. Although he warned Liu Feibao not to provoke those people, based on his past understanding of Liu Feibao, the fat man would most likely still investigate privately.

Given Liu Feibao's connections in Tongshi Town, it should be easy for him to find out the identities of the people in those two cars.

If that's the case, then if he confirms with Liu Feibao, then he didn't actively "provoke" those people, right?

After hesitating all the way, Qi Haoguo finally made a decision after arriving at his hotel room: he would give it a try.

He called Liu Feibao, and without any greetings or pleasantries, he went straight to the point and demanded, "Did you ignore what I said?"

This statement seemed somewhat incoherent, but Liu Feibao on the other end immediately realized what he was talking about and quickly said, "President Qi, Brother Qi, please let me explain. This is what I was thinking... When a big shot comes to our Tongshi Town, I can't just be completely clueless about their background, can I? What if some fool gets involved with them, and I end up taking the blame again..."

Qi Haoguo thought to himself, "As expected," and then continued, "Stop trying to fool me. What have you found out? How did you find out? Did they notice your movements over there?"

Liu Feibao quickly told Qi Haoguo all the information he had found about Xiang Kun and his companions, and mentioned that they had eaten together and met the following evening.

However, he didn't mention the matter of Qin Dong, or the fact that his investigation led to the Liu Zhengyi brothers, Liu Gaoshang, staging an accident to extort money. He only mentioned that he knew a "Brother Chu" who was acquainted with Liu Caifu, a friend of Xiang Kun, so they had a meal together and talked about some investment-related matters.

"Is the Brother Chu you're talking about Chu Xiuwen?" Qi Haoguo asked.

"Yes, yes, it's Brother Chu Xiuwen," Liu Feibao quickly said. "Recently, an old friend of Brother Chu's who invests in a security company came over, and that old friend... also used his channels to investigate this Mr. Xiang. He said... he has a very powerful and mysterious background, he can't figure him out, and he's confirmed to have an official background. President Qi, what exactly is this big shot's background? Could you... reveal a little bit? After all, I heard before that he was going to develop his business in Tongshi Town in the future..."

Liu Feibao was naturally unaware that Qi Haoguo was also completely dumbfounded after hearing his words.

He went over Liu Feibao's words in his mind for a long time, and then combined them with what Old Du said earlier that day. He felt even more confused.

Official background? That person actually has an official background?!

Qi Haoguo thought for a moment and then asked, "Chu Xiuwen's 'friend from the security company,' could it be someone surnamed Ji?"

"Yes, yes, his surname is Ji, his name is Ji Hang, and his company is..." Liu Feibao quickly relayed the information about Ji Hang that he had learned from Chu Xiuwen.

Although Qi Haoguo didn't know Ji Hang personally, Ji Hang's security company was quite well-known among the wealthy in the provincial capital, so Qi Haoguo had heard a lot about Ji Hang and knew what he did before entering the security industry.

If Ji Hang made this judgment, then it is undoubtedly accurate.

He didn't respond to Liu Feibao's question, saying he'd talk to her later, and then hung up the phone.

Could that monster... also be official? -- Qi Haoguo couldn't help but have this thought pop into his head.

Then he remembered what Liu Feibao had said: that Mr. Xiang was going to expand his food business in Chongyun Village and Tongshi Town, and also establish a large-scale breeding industry. And those who had accompanied him earlier included Zhang Hongpu's granddaughter and the son of a well-known chain supermarket group.

Is there something special about Tongshi Town, and is their development being carried out secretly with official authorization?

Qi Haoguo stroked his chin, pondering, "Perhaps I could get involved too? After all, I already have business in Tongshi Town!"

Of course, one cannot directly meddle in the area that "Mr. Xiang" intends to enter, as this might give the impression that he is trying to cause trouble or steal the credit.

In fact, he doesn't care whether he can make money or not, nor is he trying to ride the wave to make money, so he can invest in other related fields.

The same goes for charity. Where can't you do charity? You can do charity in Tongshi Town and Chongyun Village too.

Perhaps through this meeting, he could legitimately reconnect with that "Mr. Xiang"?

Earlier today, Ji Hang, who had already returned to his company, received a reply from the friend he had previously asked to inquire about Xiang Kun's information.

This friend works within the police system, and he found some information that Liu Feibao hadn't been able to find before.

However, he told Ji Hang that his actions of querying the internal system were quickly discovered, and he was questioned. What he checked was actually just very basic information; there was likely more confidential information that he had no right to access.

Based solely on the information he gathered, Xiang Kun was involved in the cracking of multiple cases and might be an informant or similar figure.

Furthermore, Xiang Kun also had financial dealings with the police. Although it was nominally a reward for a wanted criminal, he speculated that it was probably for operating expenses or something similar.

Based on his recollection of his interactions with Xiang Kun, Ji Hang concluded that it was unlikely Xiang Kun was a police informant, and there were probably other possibilities.

Although there is no detailed and conclusive evidence yet, it can be basically proven that what General Manager Liu Feibao said about Xiang Kun having an "official background" is indeed true.

Ji Hang then made a phone call to inform Chu Xiuwen of the situation, since he had initially intended to help Chu Xiuwen investigate Xiang Kun. He didn't explain in detail the process of asking a friend to investigate, only stating simply, "Through reliable channels, Xiang Kun does indeed have an official background, but his specific identity is unknown."

After Chu Xiuwen learned of this, he relayed it to Liu Feibao, who was naturally filled with the sense of "just as I expected," and felt a sense of relief that "the top student's calculations were exactly what I guessed."

So when Liu Feibao suddenly received a call from Qi Haoguo that evening, he told him unequivocally, "Xiang Kun definitely has an official background!"