Chapter 95 - 83: City Leader
Yang Wenqing immediately put down his work and strode toward Vice Director Gao’s office. He pushed the door open to find Vice Director Gao inside along with two strangers.
One man was in a dark blue uniform, plain except for a special circular badge on his chest. The other, dressed in casual clothes, looked slightly younger and had an unremarkable face, but he was carrying an oddly shaped metal case covered in sealing runes.
"Wenqing, come over here," Vice Director Gao called out. He then introduced the middle-aged man. "Specialist Zhou, this is Captain Yang Wenqing, the lead investigator I told you about for the Zhenyuan Mining case and its related files."
The middle-aged man, addressed as Specialist Zhou, gave a slight nod after his sharp gaze swept over Yang Wenqing. It was a curt greeting, and he said nothing more.
Vice Director Gao then introduced them to Yang Wenqing. "Wenqing, this is Specialist Zhou Mingyuan from the Municipal Special Cases Office, and his assistant, Xiaowei. They’re here to perform the Soul-Searching Technique on the Wang family father and son."
Yang Wenqing immediately snapped to attention and saluted. "Specialist Zhou!"
Zhou Mingyuan waved his hand dismissively. His voice was deep and direct. "Vice Director Gao has already briefed me. Your request received emergency special approval from the Provincial Hall. Where are the targets now?"
"In the holding cells," Vice Director Gao replied.
"Lead the way," Zhou Mingyuan said tersely.
The group left the office and walked silently toward the holding cells. The guards they passed along the way instinctively snapped to attention, their gazes fixed in awe on Zhou Mingyuan and the metal case in his assistant’s hands.
Yang Wenqing walked at the rear, notifying Wu Yan, Liu Rong, and Zhao Qin, who were in charge of the case’s specifics. By the time Vice Director Gao’s group reached the holding cells, the three of them had just rushed over.
When the heavy, rune-etched iron door swung open, Vice Director Gao only let Yang Wenqing follow him inside. Wu Yan and the other two could only wait outside.
The Wang father and son were held in two separate small cells. The two were about to say something when they saw Vice Director Gao and Yang Wenqing, but Zhou Mingyuan pulled out a file from his Storage Bag. He compared the information to the father and son before speaking in an icy, emotionless tone:
"Wang Zhenhai, Wang Lei. In accordance with Article Thirty of the ’Wanxuan Special Case Emergency Response Regulations’ and the special directive from the Provincial Hall, we will now perform the Soul-Searching Technique on you both. This is to ascertain your connection to the series of evil cultivator cases in Qianjiao County. You have the right to remain silent, but your memories will reveal the truth."
Upon hearing this, Wang Lei began to tremble, screaming hoarsely, "No! You can’t do this! I’m innocent! I want to see Director Zhang!"
Wang Zhenhai, however, was deathly pale. His lips trembled, but he couldn’t make a sound.
Zhou Mingyuan turned a deaf ear to Wang Lei’s screams and simply nodded to his assistant.
The silent assistant stepped forward and opened the metal case. Inside were several quaintly styled jade Magical Artifacts engraved with complex silver runes, as well as a few vials of liquid that emanated a cold aura.
The assistant took out a Lotus Jade Crown and a vial of liquid. As he approached Wang Zhenhai, Zhou Mingyuan casually cast an Immobilization Spell, freezing Wang Zhenhai in place.
The assistant dripped the liquid onto Wang Zhenhai’s forehead. It seeped in instantly. Goosebumps broke out on Wang Zhenhai’s immobilized body, and his gaze became vacant. The assistant then gently placed the Lotus Jade Crown on his head. One by one, the runes on the crown lit up, emitting a faint blue glow.
Zhou Mingyuan walked to stand in front of Wang Zhenhai and extended the index finger of his right hand. A point of blinding white light appeared at his fingertip as he slowly moved it toward the space between Wang Zhenhai’s eyebrows.
Yang Wenqing stood to the side, watching with bated breath. He knew the truth might soon emerge from the depths of the father and son’s forcibly opened memories.
About fifteen minutes later, Wang Zhenhai’s body trembled like a candle in the wind. Inarticulate gurgles escaped his throat, and his eyes completely lost focus.
When Zhou Mingyuan withdrew his finger and the light from the Lotus Jade Crown dimmed, Wang Zhenhai collapsed to the floor as if all his bones had been removed. His breathing was so faint it was nearly undetectable, his life force all but severed. He was barely hanging on by a thread.
The assistant stepped forward with a blank expression, checked Wang Zhenhai’s condition, and then quickly packed up the jade crown and liquid before walking toward Wang Lei’s cell.
Having witnessed his father’s fate, Wang Lei was already scared out of his wits. Snot and tears streamed down his face as he struggled to shrink into a corner, but he was immediately frozen in place by an Immobilization Spell. He could only watch helplessly as the cold liquid dripped onto his forehead, the Lotus Jade Crown was placed on his head, and the blinding point of white light moved toward the space between his eyebrows...
Another fifteen minutes passed.
When Zhou Mingyuan withdrew his finger again, Wang Lei’s condition was slightly better than his father’s. His life force hadn’t been completely severed, but his eyes had become utterly dull and vacant. Drool trickled uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth, and his face was fixed in an idiotic grin. He was like a three-year-old child, completely unresponsive to the outside world.
The assistant once again stepped forward and retrieved the Magical Artifacts.
The holding cell fell deathly silent, leaving only the sound of Wang Zhenhai’s faint breathing and Wang Lei’s idiotic mumbling.
Zhou Mingyuan opened his eyes and turned to Vice Director Gao and Yang Wenqing. "Both of their core memories have been altered with a considerably sophisticated technique," he said in a low voice. "The crucial parts have been cleverly distorted, which is why your previous conventional interrogations couldn’t get the truth out of them."
Yang Wenqing had a sudden realization. No wonder Wu Yan and the others couldn’t get anything out of the Wang father and son, no matter what methods they used. The two had adamantly claimed ignorance.
"However!"
Zhou Mingyuan’s tone shifted, now carrying a hint of cold certainty. "The Caster was skilled, but it’s impossible to completely erase all related traces. From the depths of their memories, the fringes of their subconscious, and the residue of their emotional responses, I was still able to capture some fragmented information."