Chapter 38: Investigation
Li Dongze sat behind his luxurious desk, using a sharp razor to trim his two small mustaches.
"I don't like trimming my mustache because it's troublesome, but for the sake of elegance, this is a price that must be paid," Li Dongze said with a smile as he examined Zhang Yuanqing.
"It looks like you passed the Taiyi Sect's screening."
So, Squad Leader really did know why the Taiyi Sect approached me, yet he didn't even give me a heads up beforehand. He'll lose me this way... Zhang Yuanqing thought.
"Squad Leader, do you also know about the Demon Lord?" he asked casually.
"Across official organizations, evil organizations, civilian groups, and rogue cultivators, the number of high-level Spirit Realm Walkers who have died at the hands of the Demon Lord exceeds the number of fingers on both hands. Given such a fierce reputation, I would of course know about him," Li Dongze said as he continued trimming his beard with focused attention.
"However, such a big shot is far too distant from us to be of concern. An elephant might step on ants, but it would never deliberately trample them."
This Demon Lord didn't seem like a good person at all. How did Bro Bing have any connection to this kind of guy?
Zhang Yuanqing took the opportunity to ask, "Squad Leader, please help me request for an update with Jiangnan Province. I want to know about the progress on Lei Yibing's case. Also, please ask if they could investigate Lei Yibing's movements and social relationships during his university years. The more detailed the better."
Previously, as a novice lacking ability and experience, Zhang Yuanqing had harbored fantasies about Bro Bing's disappearance as being explained by a "long-term quest."
But now that he knew the truth about the Demon Lord Character Card, he had to rethink Bro Bing's disappearance.
Why did Bro Bing disappear? Was he dead or alive? What reason did he have for giving him the Demon Lord Character Card?
The truth behind all this was shrouded in layer upon layer of mystery, and concerned both Bro Bing and himself. Even though his strength was still meager at this point in time, he had to try to explore and investigate.
Bro Bing had only sent him the Character Card, without revealing any information. The reasons for this were understandable. Sometimes, it wasn't that one didn't want to talk, but that others couldn't pry open one's mouth.
The interrogation he just had was a perfect example of that.
Bro Bing's silence was probably for his own good, but he would definitely leave corresponding clues to guide him step-by-step in his own exploration and in uncovering the truth. Therefore, Zhang Yuanqing needed as much information about Bro Bing as possible.
Li Dongze nodded thoughtfully and said, "Alright, I'll call and ask my colleagues there, but this will take time."
In his view, Yuanshi caring about the safety of his childhood friend was human nature, but Li Dongze felt that any Spirit Realm Walker who had entered the Spirit Realm for a full week had most likely died inside.
After speaking about Bro Bing's matter, Zhang Yuanqing finally got to the main topic.
His expression grew serious, and he said, "Squad Leader, I have something to report."
Noting his subordinate's earnest demeanor, Li Dongze put down the razor, closed the makeup mirror, and sat up a little straighter.
"What is it?" he asked.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately gave Li Dongze a detailed account of the haunting at his little aunt's hospital and how she had inadvertently brought the infant spirit home. However, he concealed and modified the information about the spirit servant.
He described the infant spirit as a kind of dull spiritual entity that had undergone refinement but failed to advance to becoming a spirit servant.
As he said all this, Zhang Yuanqing kept a firm hand on his emotions, ensuring his expression and tone revealed no flaws to avoid being detected by the Scout.
Finally, he concluded, "I suspect a Spirit Realm Walker, most likely a Nocturnal Specter, is conducting spirit servant refinement experiments in the hospital, but I don't know if they're unaffiliated or part of the official organizations."
Li Dongze's face grew darker as he listened. He couldn't help but grip his cane tightly and angrily declared, "Oh God, this is a guy who should go to hell. I swear I will make him pay for his actions."
Devouring spirits and enslaving spirits were different concepts. Spirits would always dissipate inevitably—devouring them simply hastened their dissipation.
But refining spirits into spirit servants for enslavement violated all sense of humanitarianism, especially when it came to an infant spirit.
The prohibition against using ordinary people's spirits to refine spirit servants was also based in humanitarianism. To put it bluntly, how would you feel if your family and friends, who were special to you, were refined into spirit servants after death?
I thought you were going to say you really wanted to kick his ass, Zhang Yuanqing complained inwardly, critiquing Squad Leader's catchphrase.
"Squad Leader, I've already helped that child pass on to the afterlife, and read about the target person from its memories. I'd like to apply to execute this mission alone, as a form of training."
As soon as he presented his position, he knew Li Dongze would absolutely refuse, and indeed, Li Dongze immediately shook his head.
"Your idea is good, but in the process of accumulating experience, you'll inevitably fall for some traps. Among Spirit Realm Walkers, one mistake could mean death."
Li Dongze mulled over the issue for a moment then said, "How about this? Let Guan Ya accompany you. Her combat techniques and marksmanship are better than mine."
Zhang Yuanqing was secretly delighted by this counter-proposal.
"Yes, Squad Leader."
In the case of this infant spirit, he had to control it to cover up Little Goofball's existence. However, as Li Dongze said, matters involving Spirit Realm Walkers required utmost caution. The price of negligence was often death, as Ou Xiangrong's case demonstrated. He would need an experienced helper.
He anticipated that once he proposed the desire to gain experience, Li Dongze would most likely give up on the idea of personally accompanying him, and compromise by having Guan Ya go in his stead.
After all, they all understood that Zhang Yuanqing was a Nocturnal Specter with a rule-type item at his side. Therefore, he had much more margin to maneuver. Ordinary dangers couldn't defeat him.
In Zhang Yuanqing's view, Guan Ya was much "easier to fool" than Li Dongze.
"Should I go find Guan Ya now?"
Li Dongze grunted in acknowledgment, then suddenly commented, "You sang quite well. But don't sing again next time."
"..."
***
Pingtai Hospital, Kangyang District.
As a top tier hospital, Pingtai's was especially known for its obstetrics and gynecology department, with several authoritative experts in the field stationed there. It ranked in the top five among national obstetric hospitals.
A black SUV arrived at the hospital. The door slid open automatically as Guan Ya examined Zhang Yuanqing's dull expression and asked with concern, "Have you been seeing double images on your phone and computer screen lately?"
"Why do you ask?" replied Zhang Yuanqing as he pulled his mind away from his thoughts. He had been thinking about how to catch their target.
The corners of Guan Ya's delicate mouth curved upward, and she blinked her watery, alluring eyes.
"Your expression tells me you haven't been showing any restraint lately," she commented.
Zhang Yuanqing had long grown accustomed to her way of speaking and ignored it.
"The Squad Leader told me to cooperate with you," he replied instead. "In this kind of situation, what should we usually do first?"
Guan Ya let her smile fade and said in a serious tone, "First, lock onto the target person, then investigate his real world identity. You've seen what he looks like, so locking onto the target shouldn't be difficult. Once that's done, make contact with him. If his strength isn't great, overpower him. Otherwise, notify the Squad Leader and prepare for a violent arrest.
"However, we don't know the scale of this spirit servant refinement operation, or if he has accomplices in the hospital, so it's best to hold back for now and do a thorough investigation of Pingtai Hospital."
She paused to mull over possible strategies, then continued, "We can start with pursuing these rumours of hauntings and when they began to determine a rough timeframe. Besides the infant spirit, are there any other haunting rumors?
"Check the records of abortions and miscarriages during that period—male babies with significant development. That group won't be too large, making it easy to identify the infant spirit.
"Babies have extremely weak mental strength. Once they die, they dissipate quickly. So personnel who had contact with pregnant women during that period are all subjects for our screening. If we find the target you saw during spirit interrogation among this group, we'll arrest them. If not, that means there are accomplices."
Zhang Yuanqing listened in amazement. Such clear thinking, he marveled. Is this what Scouts are like?
"My little aunt works in the hospital. It's inconvenient for me to head to the obstetrics department. How about we split up? I'll investigate the spirit-related content, and you go check out the obstetrics department."
The two got out of the car, put on masks and baseball caps, and split up outside the outpatient building.
Guan Ya entered the building and took the elevator to the fourth floor. She swept her gaze over the women with either slightly-protruding bellies or large pregnant stomachs. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
Walking toward her was a female doctor in a white coat. She had a round, oval face that was fair and delicate, large bright eyes, a straight nose, and wavy hair cascading down her back.
She had a piece of candy in her mouth, and her cheeks were slightly puffed out, making her appear even sweeter and more adorable.
Despite Guan Ya's confidence in her own beauty, seeing this natural-faced female doctor still filled her with admiration.
She quickly approached the doctor's and stood in her path, smiling.
"Doctor, I'm planning to try for a baby recently. What should I pay attention to?"
***
Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanqing entered a secluded stairwell and summoned Little Goofball.
"Aba, aba..."
The round, cute baby with sparse fetal hair lay on the ground, looking at Zhang Yuanqing with its dark, pure and innocent eyes.
Zhang Yuanqing nudged it with mental suggestions like "move freely" and "go play".
He planned to use Little Goofball to lure the snake from its hole. If a precious spirit servant went missing, the person behind it would surely search for it. When they discovered the infant spirit had reappeared in the hospital, they would definitely be drawn to it.
Even if the plan to lure the snake from its hole failed, Little Goofball could still lead him to the mastermind. It would still retain impressions of the person who refined it, and would still possess some inherent natural affinity to them.
With Zhang Yuanqing's permission, Little Goofball cheerfully moved its limbs and began crawling along the stairwell.
Zhang Yuanqing followed it all the way to the fourth floor, pushed open the stairwell door, entered the waiting hall, and continued following it to the obstetrics department.
Is that guy really in the obstetrics department? he wondered.
Just as the thought crossed Zhang Yuanqing, he heard bell-like laughter. "Really? Really? You also like that brand of skincare products? I often travel abroad. I'll bring some back for you next time."
That was Guan Ya's voice.
Following the sound, he saw the woman chatting and laughing animatedly with a female doctor.
That female doctor in the white coat was his little aunt.
Damn it! Zhang Yuanqing pulled his cap down low, trying to keep his gaze downward to avoid looking at his little aunt and prevent their eyes from meeting.
Although he wore a mask and hat, he was sure that one glimpse of his eyes would be enough for his little aunt to recognize him, given her familiarity with him and their intimate knowledge of each other.
At that moment, he saw Little Goofball cheerfully crawling toward his little aunt.
