This was Lu Xuan's second time at the Inspectorate Building.
Unlike the hustle and bustle of the daytime, there was hardly anyone in the Inspectorate Building at this hour. Even the front desk had only a single receptionist.
"Move it!" The bald inspector shoved Lu Xuan and the whimpering Wu Xiaoxu, cursing under his breath. "I'm stuck with overtime in the middle of the night, goddamn it..."
Lu Xuan's steps remained steady, but Wu Xiaoxu stumbled and began to cry even louder.
He was just a child, after all. Unlike Lu Xuan, who had fled all the way from Qianlong City, he hadn't seen much of the world. He was terrified, and his sobs grew louder and louder.
The young receptionist at the front desk, who had been dozing on the night shift, was startled awake by the crying.
He lifted his head groggily and called out a greeting.
"Brother Jiu, escorting prisoners, huh? You're so dedicated!"
The bald inspector gave a slight nod.
"Yeah."
He didn't think much of these so-called 'colleagues'. In the Inspectorate, the status gap between the administrative staff and the combat personnel was like the difference between heaven and earth.
After all, one group consisted of ordinary people, while the other was made up of Cultivators—the 'big shots'.
The receptionist seemed used to this treatment and didn't mind. In fact, his fawning smile widened as he glanced at the two young 'prisoners' while continuing his enthusiastic greeting.
He froze for a second, feeling that one of the 'prisoners' looked familiar, but he couldn't recall where he might have seen him.
Before the receptionist could give it much thought, the bald inspector had already herded Lu Xuan and Wu Xiaoxu into an interrogation room in the back.
Seeing this, he couldn't be bothered to remember and, cupping his head in his hands, started to doze off again.
The Inspectorate's interrogation room had a sinister air. The main lights were dim, but bright spotlights shone on the surrounding walls, casting a stark, pale-white glow that was almost terrifying.
"Stay put and don't cause any trouble!" the bald inspector grumbled, cuffing Lu Xuan and Wu Xiaoxu to the interrogation chairs.
The middle-aged inspector on night duty at the door chuckled.
"Weren't you out catching a wanted criminal? Why'd you bring back two little brats?"
"Didn't catch him!" The bald inspector shrugged. "As for these two kids, one's the fugitive's son, and the other's a suspected accomplice. I just brought them both in."
With that, he yawned again.
"Alright, that's enough talk. I'm heading back to catch up on sleep, damn it..."
"Catch up on sleep?" The middle-aged inspector frowned. "Aren't you going to keep tracking the fugitive's whereabouts?"
The bald inspector stared blankly for a moment.
"We'll go tomorrow. Why should I bother with that in the middle of the night? I'd have to be bored out of my mind..."
"You don't know?"
The middle-aged inspector's expression turned serious.
"This case was handed over by Sakata Heavy Industries. Director Ji is taking it very seriously. Plus, there are rumors that a new deputy director is being sent down from above. With an attitude like yours..."
"There's more?" The bald inspector's face changed. "Sakata Heavy Industries... Why don't they catch him themselves? What do they need us for... And what's this about a new deputy director?"
In his interrogation chair, Wu Xiaoxu was still sobbing. Lu Xuan, however, calmly raised his head, listening intently, a thoughtful look on his face.
'Sakata Heavy Industries... It's Sakata Heavy Industries again.'
'How could Uncle Wu have offended Sakata Heavy Industries?'
At that moment, the middle-aged inspector, likely bored, began to explain with surprising patience.
"To be precise, it was the East Sea City branch of Sakata Heavy Industries. They're the ones who handed over the fugitive's information. There was no specific crime listed, so they probably just want us to go through the motions."
He paused, then added:
"As for the deputy director, rumor has it he's the one who killed the White Elephant Hall Master a couple of days ago."
Understanding dawned on the bald inspector's face.
"Oh, that guy. I've heard of him. Took down a Bone Marrow Refining Martial Master in just two punches... Sounds like a real butcher!"
After a moment's thought, he decided against going home to rest. He rubbed his chin.
"Hmm, having a butcher for a new boss isn't exactly a good thing... How about this: I'll head to the underground black market in the west side of the city and see if I can dig up something good to butter up the new deputy director. What about you?"
"Get something for me, too," the middle-aged inspector said with a smile after thinking for a moment. "I'll transfer you the money later... Alright, I'm going to report this upstairs. Director Ji should be interested, seeing as we have the fugitive's son."
"You got it!"
The two inspectors closed the door to the interrogation room and walked away, laughing and chatting.
But a dark glint flashed in Lu Xuan's eyes.
'Sakata Heavy Industries... A wanted man with no charges... Giving gifts...'
He gave a soft, bitter laugh. A look of disappointment crossed his face. This was not the righteous and noble Inspectorate he had imagined.
With no evidence, based on nothing more than a word from a major corporation—or even just one of its branches—they could randomly brand someone a fugitive.
And with a new deputy director on the way, their first thought was how to bribe him...
Lu Xuan lowered his head and shrank back in his seat, feeling a sudden chill.
He couldn't help but recall the eight words his teacher in the dream had once spoken.
"With the collapse of rites and music, chaos begins."
Although East Sea City was just one of hundreds, even thousands, of cities in Langya Province, and Langya Province itself was just one of dozens of Federation provinces on the Ancestor Star,
it was a microcosm of a much larger problem...
A heavier weight settled on Lu Xuan's heart.
...
「Three a.m. The Sakata Heavy Industries, East Sea City Branch building.」
The director of the intelligence department was, as usual, working overtime.
After reading the report just submitted by the Inspectorate, he hesitated for a moment before making a call.
"Sir, it's me."
On the other end of the line, the person in charge of Sakata Heavy Industries' East Sea City branch replied in a steady voice:
"Go on. What is it this time?"
"There's been a development regarding the fugitive, Wu Datong. They've captured his son and a close associate. Should we report this to headquarters?"