Chapter 86: Dark Currents in Nanye City
The message Zhou Ning had obtained was never passed on to Cai Hu afterward, and in his heart Zhang Ze had come to approve of Zhou Ning’s handling of the matter.
At noon that day, when Cai Hu woke, the two of them set out at once for Green Wind Old Town.
...
“Brother Ze—”
“Thanks for this.”
Cai Hu had still been under the impression that he was going to hunt down the killer, and his condition seemed fairly good as well.
“Heh—”
“No need to say that. What matters more is whether you’ve thought about how to arrange things from here on out.”
After spending these days with him, Zhang Ze had realized that Cai Hu no longer seemed as passionate about the Martial Bureau as he had been before, which was why he asked.
After a brief silence, Cai Hu smiled. “I really don’t intend to enter the Martial Bureau to cultivate anymore.”
There was some disappointment in his smile, but it vanished almost at once.
He added, “Brother Ma told me that each provincial Investigation Bureau headquarters has its own martial action team.”
“Once my mother is in better shape, I may go apply to the action team.”
“I believe that in the near future, the provincial Investigation Bureaus will surely eradicate those cult vermin once and for all!”
Zhang Ze listened quietly at his side and did not speak from beginning to end.
The two moved swiftly, and by around three in the afternoon they were already on the bus bound for Green Wind Old Town.
...
Nanye City.
A five-star hotel.
“Uncle Xia, regarding the matter I mentioned before, what do you think? Have you given it some thought?”
The young man wore his hair slicked straight back, and from his clothing alone one could tell his family was extraordinarily wealthy.
Across from him sat a middle-aged man in his fifties. Though his temples were faintly silvered, he looked full of vitality.
With a smile, the middle-aged man said, “Xiao Hao, how have things been going with Minmin lately?”
“That girl has been spoiled by me since childhood, and her temper really is a bit difficult. It’s been hard on you, putting up with her.”
Chen Hao shook his head and replied, “Uncle Xia, my relationship with Minmin has always been very stable. She may have a bit of a temper now and then, but she’s still very lovely.”
“Heh heh—”
Hearing Chen Hao’s answer, the middle-aged man gave a silly grin.
“The matter you mentioned before, I’ve indeed been thinking about these past few days.”
“Don’t mind your Uncle Xia speaking bluntly, but if a step is taken too large, you’re bound to stumble.”
“And I’m already fifty-two this year. Even if you manage to lift me up, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold it for more than a few years before I have to step down.”
As he said this, the middle-aged man showed a troubled expression, clearly somewhat hesitant.
Chen Hao seemed to have anticipated this long ago. A shadow flickered across his face, then vanished quickly.
“Uncle Xia, you’re joking. You’re still in your prime.”
“Haha—”
The two appeared to chat for quite a while, yet each sat opposite the other with ulterior motives.
As for the so-called rise in position, it was probably not something that could be settled in a moment or two.
...
Nanye City Investigation Bureau Branch.
Zhuang Ning slumped in the office chair, with documents scattered messily across the desk.
“Knock, knock—”
At the sound of knocking, one of his subordinates walked straight in.
“Captain Zhuang—”
“Any progress on the investigation?”
Zhuang Ning glanced at him and asked softly.
The subordinate replied in a low voice, “We’ve investigated it very clearly. Before those two cultists disappeared, they had contact with Liu Ying.”
“And behind this Liu Ying is none other than Chen Hao, heir to Radiant Investment!”
“If the action team’s guess is correct, then we can basically confirm that there’s something wrong with Radiant Investment.”
As he said this, the subordinate’s expression grew grave as well.
Everyone in the Investigation Bureau found the web of implications behind this matter extremely troublesome.
“Do you think we should contact the action team about this first?”
Zhuang Ning no longer hesitated. With a wave of his hand, he instructed the subordinate, “The investigation has basically reached this point already. Hand it over to those people in the action team.
“Also tell our people they don’t need to ask about this matter anymore. I want every effort devoted to searching for the whereabouts of those two cultists.”
“Understood.”
The subordinate left quickly, leaving Zhuang Ning alone once more, his expression tense as he pondered something no one could tell.
...
Anqing Martial Bureau.
The moment Peng Fei saw Zhang Qingping across from him, his head began to ache.
“I say, why is it you again?”
Ever since he had been blocked in the restroom by her, Peng Fei had developed a strange apprehension toward Zhang Qingping.
Now that his opponent was her once more, he could not help feeling dispirited.
“Hmph—”
Zhang Qingping stepped onto the arena and said in a low voice, “If you’re afraid, you can just admit defeat yourself.”
In truth, she said this purely to provoke Peng Fei with her words.
She had never expected him to be so straightforward.
“I admit defeat—”
Almost as soon as Zhang Qingping finished speaking, Peng Fei called out to the Martial Bureau instructor nearby.
The latter was still slow to react.
You have to understand that if Peng Fei defeated Zhang Qingping, he would be able to step through the doors of the Anqing Martial Bureau!
And now you’re choosing to forfeit on your own? Isn’t that practically a sign of some serious illness?
After asking twice more, the instructor at last stopped hesitating and directly announced Zhang Qingping as the winner.
Even Zhang Qingping herself probably had not expected to obtain the only two qualifying spots in such an effortless manner.
At the end of August, she would enter the Anqing Martial Bureau ahead of schedule to cultivate together with Zhang Ze and the others.
The other qualifying spot, meanwhile, was in Li Zixing’s hands.
When Zhang Qingping realized she had truly won so easily, she looked at Peng Fei’s departing back, and a strange glint flashed through her eyes.
The martial hall tournament, which had lasted for days, thus came to an end.
...
“I never would have thought—”
“That Peng Fei would really be willing to sacrifice himself for you—”
Leng Bingbing and Zhang Qingping walked together toward the gates of the Martial Bureau, and she could not help teasing the latter.
Zhang Qingping did not react at first. After a moment, sensing something amiss, she muttered, “What do you mean, sacrifice himself for me?”
“He knew he wasn’t my match!”
The two girls were laughing and joking when they saw Peng Fei ahead of them not far away.
Leng Bingbing quickened her pace and caught up, teasing him, “I didn’t realize you were actually willing to spend so much to chase a girl.”
Caught off guard by her words, Peng Fei was momentarily at a loss. “What are you talking about?”
Leng Bingbing did not mind, and gestured toward Zhang Qingping behind her with a light smile. “Still saying you’re not after our Qingping?”
“Damn—”
“Lady, have you lost your mind?”
“Or do you think I’ve lost mine?”
“Chasing her?!”
Peng Fei suddenly erupted, looking as though life itself had become utterly hopeless.
But Leng Bingbing wore an expression of thoughtfulness and smiled as she nodded, then changed the subject. “How come I didn’t see your good buddy today?”
“His old man went home. He’s gone back with his dad to find him a wife.”
Peng Fei said it casually.
“...”
Leng Bingbing was left a little speechless.
...
A moment later.
Zhang Qingping caught up from behind.
Seeing her, Peng Fei said bluntly, “I may be a bit handsome, sure, but Miss Zhang, you don’t need to go around saying I like you, do you?”
“Of course, if you want to seduce me, then that would be understandable.”
Zhang Qingping’s face was cold as frost.
The three of them were still laughing and joking when, just as they came out of the Martial Bureau gates, they ran into a familiar figure.
“Where are your two brothers?”
A young man standing beside Li Zixing shouted sharply at Peng Fei.
Seeing this, Peng Fei could not help but snort with laughter.
“Are you blind or something?”
“Didn’t you see there are only these two girls beside me?”
“No men here. If you’ve got ideas about them, then take them yourself.”
Leaving those two lines behind, Peng Fei strode away.