The Decaying World-Chapter 128 - 120: Investigation 2

Dai Enran raised her blade, and the Void Power on its surface began to slowly spread into the surrounding air.

Void Power could be gathered or dispersed. Gathered, it was indestructible; dispersed, it could stagnate all things.

The Void Power cultivated from different Divine Skills varied, but the vast majority possessed these two characteristics.

This was the fundamental reason for the huge gap in power between Upper-Rank Summonings and those at other levels.

"That’s enough. With that display of strength, I believe you’re from the Inspectorate," Lin Hui said suddenly.

WHOOSH...

The Void Power dissipated. Dai Enran sheathed her blade, but her heart skipped a beat when she noticed Lin Hui’s Dual Swords were still in their scabbards.

’This guy... is he really not at the Circulation realm?’

A sudden sense of absurdity washed over her.

A mere Inner Power Realm Martial Artist from the Outer City District had already broken through the limits of an External Martial Artist to reach Perfection. That was unbelievable enough. But now, facing her—a martial artist at Inner Power Perfection and an Upper-Rank Summoning—he still maintained such a calm and composed demeanor.

’Just who is the Upper-Rank Summoning here, him or me?’

Dai Enran felt a sense of dislocation, but since her objective had been met, she didn’t want to expend any more energy.

From the brief test, it was clear that Lin Hui’s speed was the real deal. Since he was willing to cooperate, it was best not to fight.

"Good. Please, come with me." Dai Enran’s tone had unconsciously become much more polite.

Lin Hui noticed it, as did the surrounding Black Armor Army soldiers. But everyone accepted it as a matter of course.

Respect was never something begged for; only strength could earn status.

Lin Hui followed them, using his Body Technique to maintain a speed similar to Daoist Baohe’s, as they headed toward the South Nine Gates.

What shocked him was that this Inner City department he had never heard of, the Inspectorate, had such a high average strength.

The six accompanying Black Armor Army soldiers all had Body Techniques on par with Daoist Baohe’s, and all of them were at Inner Power Perfection. Furthermore, their equipment seemed to have some sort of special amplifying effect, emitting a faint heat as they ran.

In his perception, the faster the Black Armor Army soldiers moved, the stronger the heat radiating from their black armor became.

Clearly, there was some special connection between heat, speed, and the black armor.

Fortunately, by the time they reached Zhaoji Tavern near the South Nine Gates, Lin Hui had only seen a total of eight Black Armor Army soldiers, and that number included Vice Commander Dai Enran.

They entered the tavern and went up to a private room on the fifth and top floor.

The private room was empty except for a single table and a single chair.

Judging by the drag marks on the floor, all the other furniture had been temporarily moved out.

A waiter, barely in his teens, stood trembling in the corner. His head was bowed, and his brick-red sleeveless shirt was soaked through with sweat.

The moment Lin Hui entered, his gaze was drawn to a man with white hair, white clothes, and white eyebrows sitting in the chair.

"Lin Hui of Qingfeng Temple? I am Commander Hong Ling of the Inspectorate. I’ve been ordered to investigate leads related to you. Where were you on April sixth?" Hong Ling looked up, his calm gaze fixed on Lin Hui as he asked directly.

"April sixth? I went to the Inner City’s Xuanya District to buy a Treasure Medicine for my cultivation that I couldn’t find around here. Is there a problem?" Lin Hui replied with equal calm as he entered.

"What medicine did you buy? And from whom?"

"At Bailin Residence. I bought a Yun Lingzhi and a Purple Cloud Ganoderma from Shopkeeper Zhao Bingsheng. I still have the proof of transaction."

"On your way to the Xuanya District, did you encounter anyone suspicious?"

"Yes. When I was passing a stone bridge..." Lin Hui held nothing back, recounting what he had seen.

"People in blue? Two of them?" Hong Ling’s brow furrowed. He had indeed found a lead, but it was so vague it was almost useless.

"Did you see their faces?"

"No, they were too far away. My eyesight isn’t that good. I could only tell from their clothing and figures that it was likely a man and a woman," Lin Hui answered candidly.

"If they were standing in front of you now, would you be able to recognize them?" Hong Ling continued to press.

"No." Lin Hui shook his head slightly.

"I have a question," Hong Ling said. "You’re quite far from the Xuanya District. According to my investigation, you have organizations nearby that specialize in medicinal herbs, like the Baihua Sect and the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountain Villa. Why would you run so far to buy medicine from Bailin Residence, a place you’re unfamiliar with?"

"Like I just said, the Yun Lingzhi I needed was sold out everywhere around here," Lin Hui said.

"I doubt it’s that simple, is it? Is it really such a coincidence? You just had to go to the Xuanya District, where trouble was brewing. On the way, you just happened to witness the incident, and then you just happened to run back without getting a clear look at the culprits’ faces. The most ridiculous part is that two culprits capable of annihilating the entire Peacekeeping Army would somehow not make a move on you after you discovered them?"

Hong Ling stood up. At over six feet tall, he walked over to Lin Hui, looking down at him slightly.

"Those two are named Xue Ying and Zhao Yuehang. Their estimated strength is at least that of a High Priest who is also a Triple Harmony Grandmaster. With their power, even I am not qualified to pursue them. And yet they would let a witness like you leave safely..."

"Are you suspecting me, Commander Hong?" Lin Hui raised an eyebrow.

"Correct. You can assume that. So, tell me now, why would they let you go?" Hong Ling asked aggressively.

"Because I am the Observatory Master of Qingfeng Temple. My sect’s Martial Arts excel in Body Technique and speed. Plus, I was quite far away at the time. It’s perfectly normal that they would give up the chase," Lin Hui said.

"I don’t believe you."

"Then what will it take for you to believe me, Commander?"

"Either you’re clean, and they let you go for some other reason, or... you’re one of them! An informant for Xue Ying and his partner!" Hong Ling said coldly.

"Commander Hong, words require evidence. You can’t just randomly frame people," Lin Hui’s expression also turned cold.

"So you tell me, why did they let you go?" Hong Ling said in a frigid tone. "A mere Inner Power Realm Martial Artist, not even at the Circulation..."

CLANG!!

A flash of a sword gleamed in an instant.

Hong Ling’s expression shifted slightly. He reached out to grab Lin Hui but caught only air.

He flicked his right hand repeatedly. Specks of Void Power shot out like transparent chess pieces, dispersing into clouds of mist that irregularly enveloped the room.

But none of the mist touched even a trace of Lin Hui.

It was as if he had vanished, disappearing from the room into thin air!

"Commander Hong, you can continue," Lin Hui’s voice sounded from behind Hong Ling.

Hong Ling spun around but saw nothing. He only vaguely heard a faint whoosh right next to him.

He turned his head again, but still only heard the faint whoosh and saw nothing.

Only from the stunned gaze of the waiter in the room could he tell that there was something unusual behind him.

SWISH!

SWISH!

Hong Ling turned his head and body several times in succession but couldn’t see Lin Hui’s figure at all.

After a few more attempts, he stopped. The disdain on his face vanished, replaced by a solemn expression.

"Interesting," Hong Ling said in a deep voice. "Although I’m not a speed-type, you can perfectly evade my line of sight... I accept this as proof."

"You can show yourself now."

The moment he finished speaking, his vision blurred, and a vague figure appeared before him.

The figure quickly solidified and became clear. It was none other than the just-vanished Lin Hui.

"Such speed! Indeed, unless Xue Ying was willing to go to great lengths to target you with a Divine Skill assassination, you really could have the ability to escape from under their noses."

Hong Ling’s attitude softened.

"Thank you for your understanding, Commander," Lin Hui said calmly. "May I leave now?"

"Wait. With a Body Technique and speed like yours, it’s a waste to let your talents languish in the Outer City. Are you interested in joining my Inspectorate? The benefits are generous. A monthly stipend of one hundred Feather Blood and your choice of a townhouse in any town in the Central Ring." Hong Ling paused, and seeing Lin Hui about to speak, he immediately raised a hand to interrupt.

"Don’t be so quick to refuse. You have a family member in the Rain Palace, a High Priest. He should know about the Inspectorate’s authority and benefits. You can go back and ask him for details before making a decision."

Clearly, Lin Hui’s display had impressed him. Hong Ling’s attitude had unconsciously become gentler.

"The Inspectorate has always been eager to recruit useful and talented individuals. With your speed, you could complete any mission with twice the result and half the effort, making you extremely efficient. Even a High Priest’s assassination using a Divine Heart Secret Technique would have difficulty succeeding if they couldn’t lock onto you. So, my offer is sincere. Think about it carefully."

Hong Ling reached to his waist, unhooked a black token, and tossed it to Lin Hui.

"This is my personal token. If you accept, you can bring it to the Inner City’s Xuanya District. As soon as you enter the district, my people will sense it and come to meet you."

Lin Hui caught the token. As he listened, he had two clear realizations.

First, those at the High Priest level must possess absolute methods to counter extreme speed.

Second, Hong Ling knew his brother Liu Wu Jun’s cultivation level, which meant he had already investigated Lin Hui thoroughly. For Hong Ling to still act so aggressively, despite knowing about his brother, meant he wasn’t afraid of a Rain Palace High Priest. This implied that either Hong Ling himself was incredibly powerful, or his background was exceptionally deep.

"Alright, you may leave. Also, let me give you a piece of advice regarding the Xue Ying case. More people will likely come to question you. Don’t treat all of them with the attitude you showed today. You were lucky it was me. If it had been someone else... other departments might have truly resorted to forceful measures," Hong Ling added, surprisingly with good intentions.

"Thank you for the advice, Commander," Lin Hui said, cupping his fist.

"Mm, go on." Hong Ling waved his hand and turned his back.

Lin Hui also turned and left the room. In a flash, he vanished.

After he left, Vice Commander Dai Enran entered. With a wave of her hand, the door closed automatically, and a layer of invisible Void Power spread out to cover the entire room.

Dai Enran gave the waiter still in the room a look. The young man, as if granted amnesty, scrambled out of the private room as if fleeing for his life.

"Commander, that Lin Hui’s Body Technique is truly incredible. He’s clearly not at the Circulation stage, yet his speed is extraordinary. I just checked the intelligence reports and confirmed it. He created his own Secret Technique based on his sect’s Martial Arts, elevating his Body Technique and speed to a whole new level. He can be called a genius of the highest caliber," Dai Enran explained softly.

"He is indeed a talent. I hope he thinks it over and voluntarily joins our Inspectorate. Speed like that is exceptionally rare," Hong Ling nodded.

"And if he is unwilling, what should we do?" Dai Enran asked.

"If he’s unwilling, he’s unwilling. Am I such a villain that I have to force people to join?" Hong Ling chuckled. "If he refuses, arrange for some of our younger men to go out of the city to cooperate with him on some Secret Technique training. Ask him to share his experience in improving Body Technique and speed. His brother is a genius High Priest, after all, on the same level as me. It’s not like I’d do anything untoward."

"Even if he is a genius High Priest, Liu Wu Jun comes from a small family near the Outer City. You’ve arrested people of that level before. With your background and family status, why would you be wary of them?" Dai Enran shook her head.

"You’ve misunderstood something. I’m harsh with the Three Sects and Six Gangs because they’re rotten to the core. But this is the Outer City, and this man was cooperative enough. There’s no need for me to play the villain." Hong Ling smiled. "My tough act is a tool for getting things done, a protective coloring. But I, Hong Ling, am not just about being tough. I just want certain people to see that my toughness is applied equally to all. That’s it."