Chapter 19: Mind Games

Chapter 19: Mind Games

Silence fell upon the office.

Yan Xiao yearned to refute, but no matter how high one's talent, they were still ultimately a low-level Other. Before their talent was honed and manifested, they were still weak.

With his strength, he could kill Ji Xinghuo with a mere wave of his hand.

However, the three-tier difference between them meant that if they were both low-level Others, then Ji Xinghuo could just as easily lift a hand and shoot an arrow to take his life.

But that was a rotating magnetic field!

Ming Chongwu, that baldie, couldn't integrate it, so he didn't care, but as a Dark Wind Guest, a rotating magnetic field was an incredibly suitable match for him, allowing him to advance to a more powerful class template.

Zhou Yishang turned off the surveillance recording and asked, "How's the information gathering on Yoshikuni-kun going?"

"Song Fei from the Security Department of the Metropolitan Police Department has already sent the materials." Yan Xiao was prepared and replied, "Yoshikuni-kun is probably a pseudonym. His father is from the autonomous province of Fusang, and his mother is a second-generation descendant from the Western Alliance. He joined 'Obsidian Security Company' six years ago and was dispatched to Chang'an four years ago. The process and procedures are all legal. If it weren't for the tip-off, it would be difficult to discover his true identity."

"Have we found the source of the tip-off?"

"No." Yan Xiao shook his head. "However, based on the content of the tip-off, we can speculate that the informant knows Yoshikuni-kun well, but was soon discovered by him, so they didn't have time to investigate before he ran away."

"Is there a problem with this Obsidian Security Company?"

"Most likely not."

Yan Xiao answered fluently, "Based on past experience, the upper management of the company was also kept in the dark. However, I still sent someone to investigate, and we are currently screening those who have been in contact with Yoshikuni-kun."

Ming Chongwu suddenly interjected, "But didn't the tip-off letter mention that Yoshikuni-kun was trained by the American Federation and is involved in a big conspiracy with many important people involved?"

"We can't take it all at face value." Yan Xiao scoffed, "Use your brain."

Zhou Yishang, however, was very cautious. "This kind of infiltration method is indeed a common channel used by the American Federation. We can't be careless."

"Yes, Deputy Commissioner Zhou." Yan Xiao lowered his head.

He dared to scoff at Ming Chongwu for being brainless, but in front of Zhou Yishang, he was well-behaved.

This was not only because Zhou Yishang was the deputy director of the Sword Bureau but also because he was a powerful legendary Other, renowned as a formidable figure in the global intelligence community.

Zhou Yishang pondered for a moment.

A few minutes later, he finalized the direction, "We must fully investigate Yoshikuni-kun's case, find his online and offline connections, confirm his tasks, and preferably, identify the informant. I have a feeling that this case is far from simple, but for now, let's keep a low profile and focus on discreet investigations to avoid alerting the culprit."

After finishing, he looked at Ming Chongwu and then turned to Yan Xiao, "Yan Xiao, you're in charge of this case."

"Yes."

Yan Xiao's spirit lifted, and he stood up to accept the task.

Ming Chongwu was dissatisfied, but since the deputy director had already chosen a person, he could only obey.

At this moment, Yan Xiao asked again, "Deputy Director Zhou, what about Ji Xinghuo?"

Zhou Yishang seemed to have already made arrangements. "The rotating magnetic field will be distributed according to the spoils of war principle. If you want it, go find Ji Xinghuo. If he's willing to sell it to you or make a trade, I won't interfere."

"But there's something wrong with that person..."

Yan Xiao wasn't giving up. The rotating magnetic field was worth at least 50 to 60 million, and if auctioned, it could easily fetch 200 to 300 million. How could he get his hands on that much money? His only option was to intercept it.

There were many suspicious points about Ji Xinghuo's body. Given some time to employ his methods, he would definitely be able to find something to coerce Ji Xinghuo into giving up his rights to the spoils of war.

"I know what you're thinking."

Zhou Yishang interrupted Yan Xiao, his expression suddenly turning serious as he said sternly, "The Sword Bureau grants you law enforcement powers, not to let you act recklessly and abuse your authority for personal gain! I warn you, if anything happens to Ji Xinghuo in the next ten years, whether it's an accident or some other situation, you will be the prime suspect. I hope there won't come a day when I personally send you to the Mercury Prison spaceship."

Yan Xiao turned pale from the sudden scolding, lowering his head and remaining silent.

"Deputy Director Zhou is wise!"

Ming Chongwu gave a thumbs-up, only to be glared at by Zhou Yishang.

"Alright, let's all sit down." Zhou Yishang eased the atmosphere, "I plan to recruit Ji Xinghuo into the Sword Bureau. Of course, we'll need to conduct a few more rounds of background investigations. What do you think?"

"I agree."

Ming Chongwu immediately voiced his agreement. He was very optimistic about Ji Xinghuo's potential and believed that he would become a sharp sword for the Sword Bureau in the future! Yan Xiao's expression was complex, but he could only nod, "I agree as well."

In the interrogation room, Ji Xinghuo was making a statement, with two Sword Bureau swordsmen sitting across from him. They first let him narrate the entire incident, recorded it, and then proceeded to ask him a few questions.

He answered truthfully.

Of course, he didn't mention the existence of the Myriad Phenomena Star Pupil, only stating that as he entered the main door of the building, he happened to sense someone hiding under the pier of the superconducting highway—the wanted criminal. The criminal wanted to silence him, so he had no choice but to take the offensive.

The two swordsmen in charge of taking the statement had both seen the surveillance recording and were shocked by Ji Xinghuo's account, finding it hard to fully believe.

The biggest point of confusion was how Ji Xinghuo had spotted Yoshikuni-kun.

A Super Shadow Blade, with Shadow Escape Level 3, would be hard to detect even for a Pursuer with "Hawk Eye." Yet, he had revealed a flaw in front of a low-level Ranger.

This question perplexed Ji Xinghuo as well.

If given a choice, he certainly wouldn't want to provoke a wanted criminal. With that 10 million, he could cultivate and improve his strength peacefully.

He didn't want to attract attention, let alone be exposed to the eyes of an intelligence agency like the Sword Bureau.

However, plans often go awry.

At that moment, he had no choice but to fight back or die.

"It was intuition."

Ji Xinghuo's face showed unwavering confidence, "Since I was young, I've had a kind of intuition. Whenever danger approaches, I get a sense of alertness in my heart. It's very accurate!"

He insisted that it was intuition, and anyway, they couldn't detect it.

The door to the interrogation room opened, and three figures entered: Zhou Yishang, Ming Chongwu, and Yan Xiao.

"You two may leave," Zhou Yishang instructed the swordsmen, taking a seat opposite Ji Xinghuo.

Ming Chongwu and Yan Xiao stood to the side, despite there being an empty chair, choosing to remain standing.

Ji Xinghuo noticed this and realized that the middle-aged man before him held a high position.

"I am Zhou Yishang, Deputy Director of the Sword Bureau," he introduced himself.

Zhou Yishang's expression was pleasant, but it only served to heighten Ji Xinghuo's alertness. He tensed and stood up, replying, "It's an honor to meet you, Director Zhou."

"No need to be nervous. Please sit down," Zhou Yishang said, getting straight to the point. "The Sword Bureau has reviewed the surveillance footage and confirmed that Mr. Ji acted in self-defense. Not only do you bear no legal responsibility, but you are also entitled to a reward."

Ji Xinghuo breathed a sigh of relief. "That's wonderful."

He did feel somewhat relieved.

The Sword Bureau must have seen something in the footage, but for whatever reason, they chose not to pursue it further. Even though he didn't know their motives, it seemed to work in his favor.

The system of the APAC was not perfect, but it guaranteed citizens' rights and, while it might not ensure absolute fairness, it was generally satisfactory.

This was all due to the people's confidence in the leadership of the Chief Executive.

While Ji Xinghuo may have had doubts about the APAC government, he had none about the Chief Executive, and the Sword Bureau was directly under the Chief Executive's jurisdiction.

Even if the Sword Bureau was an intelligence agency that handled dirty work.

"However..." Zhou Yishang deliberately paused, creating a sense of suspense.

Ji Xinghuo played along and immediately asked, "However, what, Director Zhou?"

Zhou Yishang placed a crystal on the table, and Ji Xinghuo's eyes widened as he recognized it as the 'rotating magnetic field' exotic.

"With Mr. Ji's eyesight, you must have noticed that Yoshikuni-kun was seriously injured before you shot him, right?" As Zhou Yishang said 'eyesight', a hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

So that was it...

Ji Xinghuo thought to himself. The Sword Bureau had indeed latched onto the biggest suspicious point in his story—how he had spotted Yoshikuni.

He could only nod in admission, "Yes."

Zhou Yishang continued, "In that case, you knew about it before you shot Yoshikuni-kun. Can this still be considered a solo kill?"

Ji Xinghuo fell silent.

The war spoils principle regarding solo kills was based on the premise of ignorance.

However, there were no clear standards for what constituted knowledge. Was it knowing that the target had already been attacked and injured, knowing the identity of the attacker, or knowing that the attacker was nearby? Even laws had loopholes and required multiple revisions and supplementary clauses.

And the 'principle' lacked such nuances.

Therefore, many times, especially in the Starry Sky, the principle was difficult to enforce thoroughly, and in the end, it came down to who had the stronger fist.

Whoever had the stronger power held the distribution rights! Zhou Yishang glanced at Yan Xiao next to him. "Yoshikuni-kun is a spy for the American Federation. He was accidentally exposed during his infiltration, and the Sword Bureau dispatched people to capture him. Yan Xiao here seriously injured him, not only poisoning him with a neural toxin but also destroying his 'star gland'."

Realization dawned on Ji Xinghuo's face.

No wonder Yoshikuni-kun's strength had decreased so much; his 'star gland' had been destroyed.

The so-called 'star gland' was an artificial organ or foreign object implanted in paranormals during their evolution from advanced to superpower.

The star gland could store, release, and condense stellar power, making it visible to the naked eye, and it also regulated the body's endocrine and movement systems.

A superpower without their star gland would not be much stronger than an advanced paranormal.

"Yan Xiao destroyed Yoshikuni-kun's star gland, so you were able to shoot him. Do you agree with this?" Zhou Yishang asked.

Ji Xinghuo looked directly into Zhou Yishang's eyes, not a flicker of emotion in his own.

Zhou Yishang remained calm and collected.

Ji Xinghuo's heart sank, and from the corner of his eye, he noticed Yan Xiao. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him.

Logically, Yan Xiao was the most likely candidate for obtaining the exotic, but as he listened to the conversation between Ji Xinghuo and Zhou Yishang, there was no hint of happiness on his face, as if it had nothing to do with him.

Could it be that Zhou Yishang wanted the rotating magnetic field for himself?

No, that didn't seem right.

If that were the case, Zhou Yishang wouldn't have let his 'flaw' slide. He wouldn't even need to get involved personally; he could have just instructed his swordsmen to exploit the situation and take the exotic by force under the pretext of law.

The deputy director of the Sword Bureau was at least a legendary paranormal, with connections everywhere. This wouldn't have been difficult for Zhou Yishang.

Then I understand!

Ji Xinghuo's face suddenly broke into a smile. "Regarding this matter, I was unaware, and I do not agree."

"In that case, you and Yan Xiao may have to go to the Arbitration Court," Zhou Yishang said, a hint of coercion in his tone. The Arbitration Court was one of the official institutions of the APAC, responsible for arbitrating civil disputes. "The Arbitration Court may not rule in your favor. Do you want to lose this exotic?"

Ji Xinghuo remained unmoved. "Then let's go to the Arbitration Court. I stand by my statement."

Zhou Yishang's expression froze, and he was at a loss for what to do as Ji Xinghuo skillfully navigated the psychological battle, refusing to budge.

The two men stared at each other for several seconds, the atmosphere growing awkward.

Finally, Ji Xinghuo broke the silence, offering Zhou Yishang a way out, "Director Zhou, if you have any advice, please feel free to give it."

Zhou Yishang signaled to Ming Chongwu, who came forward with a document and placed it on the table in front of Ji Xinghuo.

"Young man, sign this contract, and the exotic will be returned to you," Zhou Yishang leaned back in his chair, a benevolent smile on his face, clearly confident in his position.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end