Chapter 58: Chapter 58: The Investigation Inquiry of Officer Jin Zhang from the Six Doors_1
"Six Doors, there is a matter I would like to ask you about." A middle-aged man in an Eagle Robe showed his golden badge at his waist.
He was Officer Jin Zhang, indicating his status.
"Hello, feel free to ask." Wang Linchi didn’t mind; he knew the Prefecture was at work.
Officer Jin Zhang didn’t speak but looked at Ruan Tian, who was curiously peeking into the office. Ruan Tian also noticed his gaze and chuckled reluctantly, "Then I’ll go to the restroom first. Call me when you’re finished."
He naturally understood the other party wanted him to leave.
After Ruan Tian left, Officer Jin Zhang activated a Soul Skill, soundproofing the office from the outside.
"My name is Li Xijian. You can call me Officer Li."
"I’m here to inquire about certain matters. These matters concern your life, so you must answer truthfully," Li Xijian said solemnly.
Wang Linchi immediately nodded, indicating he understood.
"Your fellow townsman sent you an invitation to a gathering at the Fan Village Hotel. Why didn’t you go?" The officer’s first question was rather blunt.
"It was too far, and besides, we don’t really keep in touch anymore, so I didn’t go," Wang Linchi replied honestly. He suspected Li Xijian might have some way to detect lies.
"And why didn’t you go home yesterday, instead spending the night in the Soul Seed Bureau office? Do you know something?" Li Xijian asked again.
"I sensed something was off, so I didn’t dare go back," Wang Linchi told the truth.
He had indeed sensed something last night, but he’d held back, fearing he might hit the wrong target.
Otherwise, a fight would have been unavoidable.
"Did something happen?" Wang Linchi feigned ignorance.
Li Xijian naturally didn’t think Wang Linchi would know. Currently, there were only two ways to learn about this matter: one was through the Peacock Sword Sect, and the other was the black market.
Wang Linchi had no contact with the Peacock Sword Sect, and as a mere White Porcelain level, he couldn’t access the black market either, so it was normal for him to be unaware.
Then, Li Xijian briefly outlined the situation to Wang Linchi.
Wang Linchi showed no surprise or fear. After a moment of silence, he asked, "So the invitation was a trap, and I narrowly escaped because I didn’t attend?"
"The feeling I had last night wasn’t an illusion then. Someone really was planning to make a move against me, right?"
Li Xijian didn’t refute. Instead, he said, "Therefore, you must cooperate with the Six Doors. Only when we catch this murderer will you truly be safe."
"But I don’t know much," Wang Linchi shrugged.
"It doesn’t matter how little you know, as long as you’re willing to cooperate." Li Xijian was practically telling Wang Linchi to act as bait.
Wang Linchi understood this too. The problem was, he didn’t want to be bait! He wasn’t Yan Ming King; acting as bait could very well get him killed.
How many supporting characters survived being used as bait? Let alone a nobody like him.
He wouldn’t even know how he died if he encountered the murderer.
Therefore, he could only continue to feign ignorance.
"I’ll cooperate, I’ll cooperate. I’ll tell you everything I know." Wang Linchi wouldn’t risk his own life.
In Li Xijian’s view, using Wang Linchi as bait was the fastest and best solution; it wasn’t that they lacked other methods to catch the murderer.
Reusing an Awakener with a Waste Spirit Phase could be considered a good thing.
However, the two were not in the same department. He had also ascertained that the Feng Family and the Peacock Sword Sect backed Wang Linchi, so he couldn’t use force. If Wang Linchi died, there would be troublesome repercussions.
The Soul Seed Bureau would naturally hold them accountable. Their employee cooperated with you, and you got him killed? What kind of mess is that?
If they didn’t provide an explanation, what would stop the Six Doors from casually taking people from the Soul Seed Bureau and getting them killed in the future? What about their cohesion then?
They went back and forth. Seeing that Wang Linchi was completely unresponsive to his hints, like someone casting amorous glances at a blind man, Li Xijian finally had to say plainly, "The Six Doors needs you to act as bait to lure out the murderer. We will guarantee your safety. This is the only way to resolve this matter as quickly as possible."
"I can believe my safety will be ensured, but on what grounds?" Wang Linchi said calmly. "You gain merits, the city gains safety. What do I gain?"
"You will also gain safety. A murderer is targeting you. I think..." Li Xijian began to refute without hesitation but was interrupted by Wang Linchi.
"I can stay in the Soul Seed Bureau for the rest of my life. But can the Six Doors afford to never catch the murderer?" Wang Linchi countered directly.
It wasn’t that he was deliberately refusing, but how could they expect him to take such a risk without offering anything in return? Such a thing was unheard of.
"Just say what you want." Li Xijian rubbed his temples. Wang Linchi was, after all, a colleague. Although his rank was lower and he wasn’t in the same department, since he had made a request, Li Xijian would agree as long as it was reasonable.
"I want ten Natural Treasures that can break the Mental Power Capacity Limit for the White Porcelain level," Wang Linchi made an exorbitant demand.
"At most three. Ten is impossible," Li Xijian refused without hesitation.
"Then add a ten-cubic-meter Storage Treasure." Wang Linchi hadn’t actually expected to get ten; getting anything substantial was good enough. But he still wanted the Storage Treasure. After all, the Peach Talisman he possessed was stolen goods and couldn’t be openly displayed.
"Fine," Li Xijian immediately agreed.
In smaller places, Storage Treasures are quite rare. But in Yi Ning Prefecture, the capital of Yingzhou Prefecture, such items weren’t considered particularly uncommon.
In the black market of Qinghe City, using a Storage Treasure would get you watched. But in the black market of Yi Ning Prefecture, it was quite ordinary.
Most Black Iron Level Awakeners had one.
The ten-cubic-meter Storage Treasure Wang Linchi asked for wasn’t actually that large, so Li Xijian found it completely acceptable.
Just as Wang Linchi had implied, the three White Porcelain level Natural Treasures for breaking the Mental Power Capacity Limit were the main prize; the Storage Treasure was merely an add-on.
Although Natural Treasures for breaking the Mental Power Capacity Limit at the White Porcelain level were considered strategic materials, those who could obtain them were by no means ordinary people.
Li Xijian observed Wang Linchi, "You’ve been keeping a low profile. It seems you’re about to break through to the Black Iron Level."
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be asking for White Porcelain level Natural Treasures capable of breaking the Mental Power Capacity Limit.
"I must thank the former Director for his support," Wang Linchi subtly credited Yan Ming King’s father-in-law, the former Director.
Li Xijian would definitely investigate the matter of the former Director sponsoring him, so it was better to reveal it upfront.
"Alright, let’s settle it like this for now. I’ll inform you of the timing. The items will be delivered to you by someone this afternoon." Li Xijian was being generous. He didn’t say they would be given after the fact; if you ask someone to take a risk, you should offer the benefits upfront rather than just making empty promises.
Most importantly, these items weren’t coming out of his own pocket but from the Six Doors in the Prefecture, which was why he was being so generous.