Family Comes to Visit

Yang Wenqing waited until nightfall, but the forensic examiners still had not produced any further leads. Perhaps he had been too much of an eyesore; before long, Ding Lang had driven him out.

Before getting off work, he went to Deputy Director Gao's office and reported the case's progress in person once more. Deputy Director Gao appeared to listen attentively, but he did not ask about any of the case's details. He merely smiled and told Yang Wenqing, "Don't rush. Be patient." He even told him to go home and get a good night's rest. Perhaps there would be new leads tomorrow.

Yang Wenqing returned to the office and picked up the case file Liu Qin had written. After reading it carefully, he realized that there was indeed no use in being anxious now. He could only wait slowly for the results from the forensic examiners and the Port Security Office.

Wu Yan handed over a file he had compiled himself and said, "This is a case the Second Squad handled years ago. It was also related to a Life-Draining Formation. They compiled a list of all the wealthy households in the county whose lifespans were nearing their end, as well as registered Qi Refinement Practitioners. I narrowed it down to six people who may be connected to the port case. Once the victim's identity is confirmed, if he has ties to any one of these six people, that person will be the prime suspect."

Yang Wenqing gave Wu Yan an approving look and picked up the case file to read. It was actually an unsolved case. The victim had been hung from a banyan tree outside the city, and traces of a Life-Draining Formation had been found around it. It was clearly a wood-element method for stealing lifespan.

After memorizing the six people Wu Yan had marked, Yang Wenqing carefully reviewed the other wealthy households and Qi Refinement Practitioners whose lives were nearing their end. When he looked up at the window, he found that night had already fallen.

"Xiaoqin, you should head home first."

Yang Wenqing glanced at Liu Qin as he spoke, then turned to Wu Yan. "Old Wu, you can head back too."

Liu Qin seemed a little embarrassed. Only after Wu Yan left did she pick up a small bag and walk out of the office. Since the squad had no night shift, all nighttime communications were handled by the Police Alert Center. If anything happened, the Police Alert Center would notify Yang Wenqing immediately. As for the other team members, only Yang Wenqing could contact them.

Another half hour passed before Yang Wenqing finally stood and left the office. On his way out, he stopped by the forensic lab for another look. Ding Lang had already left, while two junior forensic examiners were calculating something around a formation.

He could only leave the forensic lab.

By the time Yang Wenqing stepped out of the precinct gates, it was deep into the night. Rune streetlamps on both sides of the road cast a dim yet steady glow. Out of habit, he walked back to Dongning Community. The evening wind carried the chill of early spring against his face, clearing his mind slightly as he sorted through the case.

As he neared the community entrance, he spotted a familiar figure from afar. The man was squatting by the curb, using the streetlamp's light as he lowered his head and gnawed on a hard rice cake. He wore a faded old cotton jacket, his body slightly hunched, with two bulging burlap sacks at his feet.

It was his father, Yang Jianmu.

Yang Wenqing paused, a complicated swell of emotions rising within him—surprise, bitterness, and a trace of warmth. Then he quickened his pace and walked over.

"Dad!" Yang Wenqing called.

Yang Jianmu looked up at the sound. The moment he saw his son, an awkward smile appeared on his face. He hurriedly stood, dusted off his pants, and slipped the half-eaten rice cake into his pocket.

"Wenqing, off work?"

"Yeah. You could have gone to the precinct to find me." Yang Wenqing looked at the burlap sacks by his father's feet, then at the expressionless armed guards at the community entrance. He understood. His father had no identification and naturally could not enter tightly managed Dongning Community.

"It's fine. I figured you'd be getting off work soon, so I waited here for a while." Yang Jianmu rubbed his hands together, pride showing in his smile. "You're a Qi Refinement Practitioner now. The place you live must be something special. I didn't dare barge in."

Yang Wenqing said nothing more. He bent down and lifted the two heavy burlap sacks. "Come on. Let's go home."

At the community entrance, he showed his badge. After the guard verified his identity, he saluted and let them through. Yang Jianmu followed closely behind his son, curiously yet somewhat nervously taking in the clean surroundings and the buildings that faintly radiated spiritual energy.

Back in Room 305 of Building Three, Yang Wenqing opened the door and carried the sacks into the kitchen. He opened them for a look. They contained ground rice flour and fresh vegetables.

"Dad, sit." Yang Wenqing turned to look at his father, who had followed him in, and invited him to sit in the rattan chair in the living room. Then he turned on the lights.

Yang Jianmu's gaze was immediately drawn to the Foundation-Stabilizing Formation in the middle of the living room. Then he looked up at the bright lights. As if he had suddenly remembered something, he stood and said, "You haven't eaten yet, right? I'll make you something."

"I'll do it. Sit down and rest." Yang Wenqing stopped his father, then said with a smile, "I'm already a Qi Refinement Practitioner. In theory, I can go without food."

Yang Jianmu immediately said, "The clan elders said Qi Refinement Practitioners still need to eat, otherwise it wouldn't be right. I specially picked some spiritual vegetables for this trip."

Yang Wenqing smiled but did not respond. He then went into the kitchen to rinse the rice and wash the vegetables.

Several times, Yang Jianmu wanted to get up and go into the kitchen to chat with his son, but after taking two steps, he retreated again. Since Yang Wenqing had entered the Security Academy at sixteen, father and son had spent little time together. Whenever Yang Jianmu came to the city to deliver rice and flour, he would only give a few instructions before hurriedly leaving.

The meal was soon ready: a simple bowl of vegetable soup, pickles brought by his father, and steaming white rice.

The two sat at the small dining table and ate in silence. From time to time, Yang Jianmu secretly glanced at his son. He wanted to ask whether work was going well and whether cultivation was tiring, but the words reached his lips only to be swallowed back down. He merely kept putting food into his son's bowl.

After dinner, Yang Wenqing cleared the dishes while Yang Jianmu insisted on helping wash them. The two grown men squeezed together beside the tiny kitchen sink as water splashed noisily. They still did not say much, but a silent warmth flowed between them.

That was how father and son got along. Neither was good at expressing himself. All their care and concern were hidden in quiet companionship and simple acts.

After eating, Yang Wenqing took the initiative to ask about things at home, inquiring after his younger brother, younger sister, and mother. Yang Jianmu explained every detail.

Time passed unnoticed. By the time the clock on the wall reached eleven thirty, the exhaustion on his father's face had become apparent. Yang Wenqing arranged for his father to rest in the master bedroom, while he went to the desk in the living room, intending to inscribe some spell talismans. He could now inscribe twenty talismans a day.

But that money was merely a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of Qi Refining formations. Besides, he planned to improve his family's life as soon as possible.

But just after Yang Wenqing finished inscribing one talisman, his elderly father came out of the bedroom, face flushed as he told Yang Wenqing that he needed to use the toilet. Yang Wenqing immediately stopped what he was doing, led his father to the bathroom, and taught him how to use the various ingenious formations inside.

The night passed without incident.

Yang Wenqing's internal clock woke him at four thirty. Not long afterward, his father also came out of the master bedroom.

"I need to catch the early bus back." Yang Jianmu had already tidied himself up. After speaking, he went to the bathroom first.

Yang Wenqing did not try to persuade him. First, he disliked persuading people. Second, he knew his elderly father was stubborn, and no amount of persuasion would work. He could only follow him out and see him off at the public transport stop. Hover buses departed from there at five thirty in the morning and passed through Three Rivers Town.

Yang Wenqing had wanted to take his father to breakfast, but his father refused on the grounds that "if I eat too much, there won't be anywhere to use the toilet."

After seeing his father off, Yang Wenqing slowly walked back toward the community. The sky was still dark. He did not go home, instead heading to the community training ground to practice his punches.

Only when facing his father did Yang Wenqing understand why there were so many talented people in the City Defense Bureau, yet so few who truly shone. Most of them were trapped by the trivialities of life. Even Yang Wenqing was no exception. He needed to solve the Wooden Chest Corpse Case, even though it would do nothing to improve his cultivation.

Such things might follow him for a long time, until he was capable of making the rules himself. But that would be a difficult road. Even the big shots at the City Defense Bureau headquarters had to act within the rules.

Be patient enough!

He suddenly recalled Deputy Director Gao's advice during their two conversations. He then shook his head and buried those thoughts deep within his mind.

After a while, he saw a familiar figure enter his view. It was Xiao Liang, his captain from the Public Security Office.

"I heard you ran into a case involving an evil cultivator yesterday?" Xiao Liang asked.

"Yes." Yang Wenqing was not surprised that Xiao Liang knew about the case.

"I heard about it from someone from the same intake at the Port Security Office. When I heard you had taken the case, I asked a few extra questions." Xiao Liang spoke softly. "Cases like this are troublesome. Sometimes, even if you catch the murderer and every lead points to that person, you still can't find valid evidence. Unless you have enough clout to apply to use the Soul-Searching Technique on the killer."

After saying that, he assumed a starting stance and continued, "The best cases for the Major Crimes Unit are the ones where the murderer is clear and all you need to do is hunt them down to close the case. Those are also easier to earn merit from."

Yang Wenqing caught the implication and asked quietly, "You mean..."

"Don't overthink it." Xiao Liang cut him off. "Even if you don't handle it well, it won't matter. Your superiors probably won't make things difficult for you."

Yang Wenqing nodded silently. He understood the unspoken meaning in Xiao Liang's words, and he also understood that Xiao Liang had said all he was willing to say.

Sure enough, after Xiao Liang finished a set of punches, he went home. Yang Wenqing cast a Dust-Cleansing Technique on himself, then left the community and headed toward the precinct.