The Gray Area

The next morning.

Inside the Demon-Suppression Bureau's infirmary in Yuzhou City.

"What miraculous medicine did you take? It worked so well."

A Nian unwrapped the bandages on Zhao Wanqing's hand and found that the sword wound, which had been deep enough to expose bone, was now eighty percent healed.

With a slightly odd expression, Zhao Wanqing replied, "I took a pill refined by a senior... Pill Elixir."

"Hold out your hand. Let me check your pulse."

A Nian did not particularly care what medicine Zhao Wanqing had taken, as long as it had not killed her.

At that, Zhao Wanqing drew her hand out of her sleeve and rested it on the table.

A Nian placed her small fingers on Zhao Wanqing's pulse. After a long while, she studied Zhao Wanqing with a puzzled look.

"Did you suffer severe internal injuries recently?"

Zhao Wanqing frowned slightly. "Yes. Is something wrong?"

"Your pulse is a little strange. You seem to be healing a bit too quickly. It's probably because of that Pill Elixir you took." A Nian lifted her small hand and said lightly,

"All done. Nothing's wrong. You're recovering pretty fast, and you haven't been poisoned. Rest properly for a while, and you'll be bouncing around again."

"Thank you..."

Before Zhao Wanqing could finish, someone called from outside,

"Captain Zhao, someone named Chu Xingchen is asking for you at the entrance."

Zhao Wanqing promptly rose to her feet and said apologetically, "Sorry, I have to go."

Watching Zhao Wanqing hurry away like a gust of wind, A Nian shouted, "Don't forget! Make sure you rest for a while!"

Don't come back lying on a stretcher again. I'll be the one doing all the hard work.

Unfortunately, Zhao Wanqing did not respond to A Nian's reminder.

Zhao Wanqing hurried out through the Demon-Suppression Bureau's main entrance. Spotting Chu Xingchen standing beneath a tree nearby, she quickly walked over.

Chu Xingchen spoke first. "Did you report the situation in that village to the Demon-Suppression Bureau?"

"Yes. It's going through the expedited process."

"Expedited? How long?"

Zhao Wanqing smiled bitterly. "About half a month."

"That certainly sounds urgent. What about now? Are you planning to keep investigating on your own first?" Chu Xingchen looked at Zhao Wanqing. "Even if you aren't, you still owe me all the spirit stones you promised."

Naturally, the investigation had to continue. If they actually waited half a month for the process to run its course, everyone would have fled long before then.

Zhao Wanqing asked in confusion, "Of course we need to investigate. But why didn't the man who was with me yesterday come?"

"You mean Li Xingtian?" Chu Xingchen sounded puzzled. "How many people were you expecting to hire for four hundred spirit stones?"

Zhao Wanqing quickly replied, "No, that's not what I meant. Brother Li was just very impressive."

After all, that sword strike had been utterly breathtaking in Zhao Wanqing's eyes. Its power was simply beyond anything someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm should have possessed.

Moreover, he had remained exceptionally calm throughout the investigation.

Chu Xingchen did not press the matter further. His expression turned serious.

"All right. Do you have a target now?"

At that, Zhao Wanqing was at a loss for words.

The foundation establishment peak evil cultivator they had encountered yesterday had probably been deliberately left behind by that band of evil cultivators to monitor the Demon-Suppression Bureau's progress and adjust their plans.

Moreover, Li Xingtian had not killed that evil cultivator. They had probably already rustled the grass and startled the snake.

If she continued investigating according to her previous plan, those evil cultivators would likely keep leading her around in circles, leaving her empty-handed every time.

She would probably have to change the direction of her investigation to keep up with them.

But that was easier said than done. Their leads had been scant enough to begin with.

Chu Xingchen smiled and suggested, "If you have no ideas, why not come with me?"

Zhao Wanqing looked at Chu Xingchen in surprise. She hesitated to speak, then nodded in agreement.

She had no leads anyway. Someone Yaoqin recommended ought to be reliable, so she might as well follow him and see whether this senior had any good ideas.

Besides, as Li Xingtian's master, the senior before her ought to be more meticulous than his disciple.

Seeing Zhao Wanqing nod in agreement, Chu Xingchen turned and headed out of Yuzhou City, saying with a smile,

"Solving cases isn't always that difficult. You need to look beneath the surface and see the essence. Don't get trapped doggedly pursuing a fixed set of clues. Use your imagination."

Zhao Wanqing frowned slightly at his words. They made sense, but imagination still needed some basis in reality. Otherwise, wasn't it just daydreaming?

Chu Xingchen glanced at the silent Zhao Wanqing and realized she had not taken his words particularly seriously.

Still, that did not matter. Soon, Zhao Wanqing would understand what it meant to blaze a different trail.

Outside the southern side of Yuzhou City, the Yuzhou River ran through the interior and down to the coast, with a thriving network of shipping routes.

With geography like this, the hottest business was smuggling.

Ordinary merchants smuggled illicit salt, hoarded grain to drive up prices, while those operating at the higher end dealt in foreign antiques and ingenious curiosities.

But ordinary people were not the only ones who smuggled.

Cultivators did it too. After all, they had not taken up cultivation to deliver parcels, and boats traveling along the river were hardly slow.

Most cultivators with terrible talent who still pursued the path to immortality would also smuggle herbs, pills, or certain things that could not bear the light of day, earning spirit stones from the price difference.

Everything in the world revolved around supply and demand. Where there was a buyer, there would be a seller.

Calling these people evil cultivators might have been going too far, but they were certainly no saints.

For the time being, they could be considered part of a gray area.

An officer of Zhao Wanqing's rank naturally paid little attention to whether something fell into a gray area. She could barely keep up with evil cultivators and vicious beasts. Where would she find the time to arrest those shameless cultivators at the very bottom?

Besides, those low-level cultivators were not united. They split into their own factions, each guarding its own little patch of land, and could hardly stir up any great waves.

What Zhao Wanqing might not have known, however, was that anyone capable of protecting their little patch in a place like this might not be the strongest, but they would certainly be the best informed.

If Zhao Wanqing had understood the nature of this territory, she would not have worn that expression now.

Chu Xingchen and Zhao Wanqing were standing at a secluded unloading dock belonging to the Canal Gang.

Not far away, people were carrying large crates off an old cargo ship.

Zhao Wanqing frowned at the dilapidated dock before her. Several Qi Refining cultivators holding battered sabers were staring at her with hostile eyes.

She truly could not understand what use coming here would be. Did he want her to arrest these low-level cultivators for smuggling goods?

A dock guard addressed the two of them in an unfriendly tone.

"What are you here for?"

Chu Xingchen gestured. "Show them your Demon-Suppression Bureau squad captain's badge."

Though she did not understand his purpose in coming here, Zhao Wanqing cooperated and took out the Demon-Suppression Bureau badge at her waist.

Before Zhao Wanqing could speak, Chu Xingchen stepped forward.

"The Demon-Suppression Bureau is investigating a case. Bring your boss out for questioning."

"Oh, officers! Please wait a moment. I'll fetch him right away."

The moment the dock guard saw the badge, all his earlier swagger vanished. He hastily nodded and bowed.

A Demon-Suppression Bureau badge was particularly useful here.

After all, these people lacked the desperate courage of evil cultivators. At heart, they could still be considered businessmen, and naturally did not dare lay a hand on anyone from the Demon-Suppression Bureau.

That left them easy for the Demon-Suppression Bureau to twist around its fingers.

Soon, a foundation establishment early stage cultivator decked out in gold and silver hurried over, speaking in an exceedingly humble tone.

"Officers, we're just running a small business here. We haven't broken any laws. If you want to arrest someone, go to the next dock and arrest that pockmarked Wang Er! That brat buys and sells people!"

"He also lends money at usurious rates and forces respectable women into prostitution. His countless crimes make your hair stand on end!"

"That brat's sins are piled high enough to overflow. If you're going to arrest him, I'd be willing to lead the way for you both!"