Something’s Wrong with This Game — I Became a God by Mining!

The Prefectural Capital Ironclad Department's Public Security Division had become a hive of activity.

A small courtyard, divided into two sections.

Yang Ling had only selected a few team members: Yun Ruo, Shi Xin, and Zhao Qing.

Plus two hundred constables who could be mobilized at any moment.

The Ironclad Department's strength did not lie in the individual combat prowess of its constables.

No, its strength lay in the fact that Zhao State's Ironclad Department could, when handling a case, mobilize every resource at its disposal.

Even the prefectural yamen had no right to refuse.

"Director Lu has already begun verifying the identities of those who entered the city recently, covering the entirety of Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital, as well as its seventeen subordinate cities, several hundred towns, and over a thousand villages."

"The main focus is on the various wharves and official roads."

"This kind of sweep requires an immense expenditure of manpower and resources, and it won't yield significant results in a short time."

Zhao Qing remained silent. He still harbored some suspicion about why Yang Ling had chosen him as a team member.

"Director Yang, which direction is our group responsible for?"

Yun Ruo looked at Yang Ling: "Based on the existing clues, we can only screen the Black List fugitives for any masters skilled in finger techniques and leg techniques."

"Actually, I've had a suspicion for a while now."

Yang Ling spoke slowly: "It's just that this line of investigation might offend some important figures."

Offend people?

Zhao Qing felt a chill run through him: "Director Yang, can you be more specific?"

"Who would it offend? Or have you already formed a theory?"

"The timing of this case is too coincidental. Before Director Kong died in Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital, there was also that heinous case of vagrants being burned to death here."

Yang Ling: "Do you think there might be some connection between these two cases?"

Zhao Qing gasped sharply. This bastard was setting a trap for him here?

He immediately spoke sternly: "Director Yang, these two cases have nothing to do with each other. How could they possibly be connected?"

"There are no leads in that case for now, so it has to be shelved. We need to focus on the case at hand!"

"Director Zhao, don't react so strongly. We're mainly investigating Director Kong's murder."

"If combining the cases helps solve this one, then we must combine them. That way we'll have another path forward."

"Otherwise, in a month, Director Lu and I will go to the Capital to plead guilty, but wouldn't you also be stripped of your position and investigated?"

Yang Ling chuckled: "Director Shi hasn't been in Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital for long. If he were dismissed, his superiors would handle his case leniently."

"You're different. You've been entrenched here for years. How could you let a Fifth-Rank official die right under your nose?"

Zhao Qing gasped sharply, staring intently at Yang Ling.

Yun Ruo and Shi Xin seemed to pick up on something, their expressions turning slightly suspicious.

"I admit, not long ago I had my subordinate sell off a batch of Fire Oil that was about to expire. Even if we hadn't sold it, it would have been buried and disposed of."

Zhao Qing spoke slowly:

"You already know about this. Whatever crime it involves, I'll confess to it myself when the time comes."

"But no one can prove that the Fire Oil used to burn those vagrants came from the batch I sold."

"That's right, no one can prove that. The Immortal God Sect could have gotten Fire Oil not just from Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital, but from any of the seventeen subordinate cities as well."

Yang Ling said.

Zhao Qing's expression shifted. So the other party wasn't trying to use this against him?

He pondered for a moment: "Director Yang, what exactly are you thinking?"

Yang Ling: "The Immortal God Sect, the vagrant burning case, the Blood Hand Scholar, Director Kong Xinghu's murder."

"If we can string all of these together, this case will finally have a thread to pull."

"Hiss-"

Zhao Qing's eyes lit up, and he gasped sharply inwardly:

"Director Yang, you mean... Director Kong's death might be connected to the Immortal God Sect that's been appearing recently?"

Shi Xin and Yun Ruo's expressions both turned incredibly grave.

Yun Ruo knew quite a bit about the Immortal God Sect. They had even gotten involved with Water Qilin Cave.

Cooperating with the Heavenly Wolf Guard, this was definitely no ordinary heretic cult.

For a cult like this to kill a Lower Fifth-Rank expert was hardly a difficult task.

"I got some leads from your subordinate, Chief Constable Ding Wei, a while back."

Yang Ling smiled at Zhao Qing: "Director Zhao, the Wangzhi Medicinal Shop has quite a background, doesn't it? Our Director Xu Wenjun is that old gentleman's son-in-law, isn't he?"

"..."

Zhao Qing suddenly understood why the other party had said they might offend people.

A chill crept up from the depths of his heart, and his gaze drifted: "Director Yang, you're... playing with fire here..."

"We are Directors of the Ironclad Department. Our only duty is to solve cases."

Yang Ling said seriously: "As long as it's related to the case, we must investigate. I can take the lead on this. It just depends on whether your man Ding Wei dares to come forward and testify."

"..."

Was this about whether Ding Wei dared?

This was about whether he, Zhao Qing, dared!

A flicker of hesitation appeared in Zhao Qing's eyes.

Was he really going to offend Xu Wenjun for the sake of this case?

"If this case doesn't get solved, I probably won't even keep my Director's Position."

"They all say I'm a member of the Zhao Royal Family, a royal member... But even facing Xu Wenjun, I have to choose my words carefully."

Zhao Qing suddenly recalled his experiences growing up.

As a royal member, he'd had more than enough sense of superiority since childhood.

But as the years passed, that sense of superiority had gradually eroded away.

He didn't dare show it, though. He had to let everyone see the aloof pride of a royal member.

That was the only way... people wouldn't walk all over him!

"Ding Wei, come over here."

Zhao Qing suddenly called out into the distance.

Ding Wei had been standing by awaiting orders. When he heard Zhao Qing call him, he hurried over.

"About that batch of Fire Oil I had you sell off back then, I remember you mentioned those oil barrels had appeared at the Wangzhi Medicinal Shop?"

Ding Wei was slightly startled and instinctively glanced at the three of them, Yang Ling included.

Had his lord lost his mind?

How could he talk about this kind of thing openly?

"My lord, your subordinate is guilty. It was I who sold that batch of Fire Oil without authorization. It had absolutely nothing to do with you!"

Ding Wei knelt on one knee: "Please, all you lords, punish me!"

Zhao Qing was taken aback for a moment, and a hint of gratification appeared in his eyes.

Yang Ling smiled: "Ding Wei, as long as you testify truthfully, I'll have Director Zhao handle your situation leniently."

Ding Wei looked bewildered. Have Zhao Qing handle him?

"Ding Wei, why aren't you confessing truthfully?"

Zhao Qing said in a deep voice.

Ding Wei realized that this matter was different from what he had imagined.

He immediately gave a full and truthful account, repeating what he had told Yang Ling before.

"You said you tampered with the oil barrels. What exactly did you do?"

Yun Ruo asked while taking notes.

"It's the Tracking Powder we in the Ironclad Department commonly use."

Ding Wei said honestly:

"I was worried the other party might use the Fire Oil for something bad, so I kept a card up my sleeve."

Yun Ruo recorded it faithfully.

Then she had Ding Wei affix his fingerprint to the document.

"Director Yang, with this testimony, we can pay a visit to the Wangzhi Medicinal Shop."

Yun Ruo looked at Yang Ling, but instead of handing him the testimony, she reminded him:

"If we don't find anything, we'll offend Director Xu."

"What do you mean 'we'? I'll go alone. You all handle the other matters."

Yang Ling took the testimony and smiled.

Zhao Qing was stunned for a long moment, then a look of admiration gradually appeared in his eyes.

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