Chapter 678: Inquiring
Zheng Mingchuan wasn’t the highest-ranking official, but his position was critical.
The Logistics and Support Committee was responsible for material allocation and funding approvals across all Federation departments, giving it considerable power. Anyone occupying that seat was no simple character.
Luo Jing looked up. Seeing who it was, he frowned slightly before his expression returned to its usual placid state.
"Director Zheng, what brings you here?"
Zheng Mingchuan walked over to the sofa with a smile and sat down. "Minister Luo, I wouldn’t drop by without a good reason. I’m here today to ask about someone."
Luo Jing set down the document in his hand, leaned back in his chair, and looked at him. "Who?"
"The captain of your Inspection Department’s Squadron Four, Meng Zhishou."
Luo Jing’s expression remained completely unchanged. He asked coolly, "Why are you asking about him?"
Zheng Mingchuan’s smile held steady, though a probing tone seeped into his voice. "Minister Luo, we aren’t strangers, so I’ll be blunt. I heard this Captain Meng went to the Celestial Swallow Battle Group by himself and dragged Li Mingyuan back. Is that true?"
"It’s true."
Zheng Mingchuan’s eyes lit up. "Then what exactly is this Captain Meng’s background? How come I’ve never heard of such a figure in the Inspection Department before?"
Luo Jing stared at him and remained silent for a few seconds before asking, "Director Zheng, what are you trying to find out?"
"It’s like this," Zheng Mingchuan said. "Our Logistics and Support Committee recently started a project that requires a sufficiently strong Quasi-Grandmaster to oversee it. I heard this Captain Meng’s strength is astonishing, so I wanted to ask if we could invite him to help out."
"He’s busy with a case. He doesn’t have time," Luo Jing replied.
Zheng Mingchuan’s smile stiffened for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Minister Luo, don’t be in such a hurry to refuse. I’m just asking. If it’s inconvenient for him, then forget it. But could you at least tell me who he really is? I promise I won’t breathe a word to anyone."
Luo Jing looked at him, his gaze growing somewhat subtle.
That look gave Zheng Mingchuan the creeps, but he forced himself to maintain his smile while waiting for an answer.
Luo Jing stayed quiet for a few seconds before finally speaking. "Director Zheng, I don’t really like it when people poke around asking about my people."
Zheng Mingchuan’s smile froze.
"If you have official business, state it plainly," Luo Jing continued. "If not, please leave. As for who Meng Zhishou is, it has nothing to do with you, nor does it have anything to do with that project of yours."
Zheng Mingchuan opened his mouth to speak, but the look in Luo Jing’s eyes stopped him dead in his tracks.
Luo Jing stood up and walked over to the window. With his back turned, his voice wasn’t loud, but every word drove into Zheng Mingchuan’s ears like nails.
"I don’t care where you heard the news, and I don’t care who is standing behind you. You had best forget the name Meng Zhishou. Don’t ask about him again, and don’t send anyone else to ask, either."
Zheng Mingchuan’s expression turned exceedingly ugly.
Having spent so many years navigating the Federation’s political circles, he had seen plenty of tough officials, but never one who would deny him face so blatantly. He was, at the very least, an executive committee director under the Supreme Council. Even minister-level officials had to be polite when they saw him.
Yet this Luo Jing was kicking him out just like that?
He wanted to lose his temper, but looking at Luo Jing’s back, he couldn’t find the nerve to let his anger out. He knew full well that Luo Jing was notoriously impervious to both persuasion and coercion. Back when the Supreme Council had tried to plant someone in the Inspection Department, Luo Jing had pushed back directly, refusing to give face even to the Speaker. Over the years, no one had been able to do a thing about him.
Zheng Mingchuan took a deep breath, stood up, and squeezed out a forced smile. "Since it’s inconvenient for Minister Luo to say, let’s forget it. I’ll take my leave."
With that, he turned and walked toward the door.
Just as he reached it, Luo Jing’s voice drifted over from behind. "Director Zheng, remember what I just said. Stop asking."
Zheng Mingchuan’s footsteps faltered for a second before he pushed the door open and left.
***
Xu Wuyi had no idea about the heated discussions taking place outside. Even if he did, he wouldn’t care.
He continued to arrive and leave on time every day. He spent most of his time sitting at his workstation, staring at the constantly updating data and intelligence reports. At first, the team members wanted to talk to him about the rumors circulating outside. However, upon seeing his frighteningly calm demeanor, they swallowed their words.
Fang Xiaoxiao spoke privately with Zhou Bin. "Our captain is such an oddball. Everyone out there is talking about him like he’s a god, yet here he is, acting like nothing happened and just going about his business."
Zhou Bin smiled. "That’s what you call a true master. A real powerhouse doesn’t need to rely on the gossip of others to prove himself."
Fang Xiaoxiao thought about it and nodded. "You have a point. But I’m still curious—who exactly is he?"
Zhou Bin shook his head. "Don’t ask. If the captain isn’t saying, he definitely has his reasons."
A few days later, a breakthrough finally occurred in Li Mingyuan’s case.
From the massive ocean of data, Li Zhaowen had managed to untangle a complete chain of clues. Centered around Li Mingyuan, this chain connected seven different smuggling syndicates and involved twenty-three suspects, with the total amount of money implicated exceeding five billion.
More importantly, the chain of clues also pointed to a specific person.
This person’s name was Zheng Hai. He was a small local merchant in Celestial Swallow Province. On the surface, he traded agricultural products, but in reality, he was the middleman between Li Mingyuan and other Star Realm factions.
Pointing at a picture of Zheng Hai on the glowing screen, Li Zhaowen said, "This guy is crucial. According to Li Mingyuan’s confession, he was in charge of liaising with foreign factions. All the smuggled goods were sold through him. If we can catch him, we can definitively prove Li Mingyuan’s collusion with foreign powers."
Xu Wuyi stared at the photo. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "Where is he now?"
Li Zhaowen pulled up an intelligence file. "According to the latest information, he’s been active in a small county town in Celestial Swallow Province recently. It’s a very remote area. He should be lying low until the heat dies down."
Xu Wuyi nodded and looked at Zhou Bin. "Get ready. We leave tomorrow."
Zhou Bin blanked for a moment. "Tomorrow? Tomorrow is Lunar New Year’s Eve."
𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Xu Wuyi just looked at him.
That stare gave Zhou Bin the chills. "Understood," he said hastily. "I’ll go get ready right now."
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, the six members of Squadron Four split into two groups and left Xingjing. Xu Wuyi took Fang Xiaoxiao and Li Zhaowen to capture Zheng Hai. Zhou Bin took Sun Jing and Chen Yunxuan to apprehend a few other suspects.
As the car drove out of Xingjing, Fang Xiaoxiao looked out the window. Seeing the streets adorned with red lanterns, the storefronts plastered with spring couplets, and the people hurrying along with their New Year’s goods, she couldn’t help but sigh.
"Captain, what do you think we’re doing this for? It’s the New Year. Everyone else is at home reuniting with their families, yet we have to be out here catching criminals."
Xu Wuyi kept driving, offering no reply.