Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Another Clue
DING DONG—
Wang Lan sat up in bed as his phone chimed with a notification. He picked it up to take a look. It was from the Tianjian Bureau, containing the information on Mu Fanghua that he had requested.
Mu Fanghua, born in 1997, was twenty-two years old this year. She was a senior student at the Star Martial Academy in Modu City and had been taken as a disciple by Vice President Nangong Meng last year. Although her registered name was Mu Fanghua, she was, in fact, the illegitimate child of Duanmu Qingsuang. Her mother, Mu Qiaoli, had fallen in love at first sight with Duanmu Qingsuang, who was then thirty-two, and they quickly became deeply involved. Mu Qiaoli herself was a highly gifted Star Martial Warrior. She had graduated from the Star Martial Academy in Zezhou, having already reached the mid-phase of the Galaxy realm by then.
In her three-year career as a professional Star Martial Warrior, Mu Qiaoli had made quite a name for herself. With her strength and reputation, marrying Duanmu Qingsuang would have been considered appropriate. However, at that time, Duanmu Qingsuang was vying for the position of family head. To secure enough leverage, he married a woman from the Lv Family, another top-tier Star Martial family. Heartbroken, Mu Qiaoli, pregnant with Mu Fanghua, left him. Ten years after giving birth to Mu Fanghua, she suffered an accident that severely damaged both her legs; even Star Martial medics couldn’t heal them.
According to the Tianjian Bureau’s investigation, Mu Qiaoli’s accident was likely connected to the Lv Family. After that incident, Mu Qiaoli severed all ties with the Duanmu Family. The information seemed to confirm this. The rest of the report detailed Mu Qiaoli’s financial information. Notably, Mu Qiaoli had a bank account under her name containing one billion in funds. However, she had never used this account. It had been opened twelve years ago, around the time Mu Qiaoli was injured. It might have been compensation from Duanmu Qingsuang, or perhaps the Lv Family’s attempt to settle the matter and compensate her. But it seemed as if even Mu Qiaoli was unaware of the money’s existence; in twelve years, not a single transaction had been made.
Duanmu Fanghua must harbor resentment towards the Duanmu Family, right? Then it makes sense that he would help push Duanmu Yi. Duanmu Yi has been living in Jinghua District longer than Bai Ji... could it really be a coincidence? Wang Lan muttered to himself.
On social media, the Yu Family had also begun to exert their influence. Their justification for taking action against the Duanmu Family? The Duanmu Family was connected to the assassination of Princess Yu. However, the specifics of their involvement were not elaborated upon. Moreover, new evidence kept surfacing online: the Duanmu Family was involved in the Space Stone trade, the Soul Bead trade, illegal business operations, commercial crimes, smuggling... This barrage of evidence caused those who had previously sympathized with the Duanmu Family to switch sides and openly lambast them.
However, the most significant and closely watched issue was whether the Tianjian Bureau had mercilessly slaughtered the vulnerable members of the Duanmu Family—the old, weak, women, and children—and whether there had been an attempt to exterminate the entire Duanmu Family. In fact, doubts about this had been numerous from the very beginning. Times had changed, and public trust in the government was very high. Jade Country’s legal system was sound; even in the world of Star Martial Warriors, the extermination of an entire family was unthinkable. Especially when the Duanmu Family released videos of innocent family members being killed, creating a public opinion bombshell. Even with photographic evidence, many criticized, "Could you be any more dramatic? Are you going to bring up the execution of all nine degrees of kinship next?"
But there were always some people who acted thoughtlessly. Coupled with the Tianjian Bureau’s mysterious and fearsome reputation, and its association with other official departments, it was often likened to ominous historical agencies like ancient suppression offices and the Guard. It seemed entirely plausible for such ruthless departments to commit any act.
However, all these doubts were utterly dispelled after the Tianjian Bureau released another video. It showed the Tianjian Bureau erecting a protective barrier to shield the innocent Duanmu Family members during their evacuation, while intense gunfire from the periphery targeted them. The Tianjian Bureau and the Yu Family had never used a single firearm in their operations. Yet, the Duanmu Family’s own death warriors were slaughtering their kin.
Are these even human? They’re worse than beasts!
Subsequently, some Star Martial Warriors affiliated with the Duanmu Family came forward with accusations, completing the public relations takedown. Virtually overnight, public opinion flipped, and the Duanmu Family was irrevocably nailed to the pillar of shame.
The Yu Family went even further, pinning deeds not even committed by the Duanmu Family onto them, even fabricating baseless accusations. It didn’t matter; they just piled it on. This pushed the Duanmu Family deeper into an abyss from which they could not rise. The Duanmu Family wanted to protest, "I didn’t do it! That wasn’t me! Stop your slander!"
But the public sentiment was, "Go ahead and argue; if I believe a single word you say, I lose."
The explosive battle of public opinion concluded within three days. The Duanmu Family, despite striking first, was swiftly routed and cast into hell.
However, even after the dust settled, the system still hadn’t issued a notification for rewards or skill points. This caused Wang Lan’s relaxed brows to furrow involuntarily.
Could it be that the Duanmu Family’s affair isn’t truly over? That’s impossible. Duanmu Qingsuang already self-immolated, the Duanmu Family has been eradicated, and even their clandestine Space Stone trading has been thoroughly investigated. What could possibly be left unfinished?
In the system tasks, two unfinished items remained, like thorns stuck in his throat.
The sensational topic quietly faded from public attention after a few days. Originally, the Yu Family had planned to press their advantage, aiming to permanently disgrace the Duanmu Family. However, considering international repercussions and Jade Country’s reputation, the state actively suppressed further discussion of the Duanmu Family.
「Another three days passed in silence.」
Wang Lan continued his routine: editing the Star Martial Toxin Vaccine in the mornings and crafting Soul Bead grenades in the afternoons. Jiayi Biotech Company’s independent production line had also been set up, and the first batch of Star Martial Toxin medical products had begun production. This venture promised considerable profits for Jade Country, Wang Qi, and the Star Martial Academy in Modu City.
"Wang Lan—"
While Wang Lan was in the medical department leading his team on Star Martial Toxin research, his phone suddenly chimed.
"Xiao Ai, what’s up?"
"You asked me to monitor all of Mrs. Mu’s activities. Just a moment ago, Mrs. Mu’s one billion fund was transferred overseas."
"Oh?" Wang Lan finally paused his work, stood up, and walked into his private office.
The Kingdom of Ice and Snow... a small nation located within the Arctic Circle. It was an island nation situated in a volcanically active region. So, although the surrounding temperatures were polar and the island was perennially covered in ice and snow, a considerable part of its land area still enjoyed spring-like conditions year-round. The Kingdom of Ice and Snow possessed abundant energy mineral resources and had originally also had various calcium, phosphorus, and potassium resources. However, due to the opening of Different Dimensional Spaces within its borders, and the fact that most Exotic Beasts emerging from these spaces were Poisonous Beasts, the kingdom had been in dire straits for the past ten years.
Wang Lan occasionally came across news about the Kingdom of Ice and Snow. Compared to the chaotic situation in the Middle Eastern regions, the Kingdom of Ice and Snow seemed almost invisible. Yet, from these sporadic news reports, it was clear that the Kingdom of Ice and Snow’s predicament was even more miserable than that of the small nations in the Middle East. Jade Country, possessing the magnanimity and responsibility of a major power, provided aid to the Kingdom of Ice and Snow annually, but this assistance was mostly a drop in the bucket.
Mrs. Mu transferring one billion in funds to the Kingdom of Ice and Snow? Wang Lan found it puzzling; he wouldn’t have figured it out even if he racked his brains.
Tapping his fingers on the desktop, Wang Lan sank into deep thought. After a long while, his expression suddenly changed, and he stood up abruptly. "I’ve got it."
Hurriedly, Wang Lan left the academy and rode his bike to the Tianjian Bureau.
The investigation into the mastermind behind Yu Ruoyun’s assassination had also been successfully concluded, attributed to the Duanmu Family’s involvement in Space Stone trading. Although, to this day, there was no definitive proof that the Space Stones laid in The Death Valley originated from the Duanmu Family, nor was it possible to learn from the remnants of the Duanmu Family who had orchestrated this astonishing death trap. After all, Duanmu Qingsuang was dead. But since someone had taken the fall, the higher-ups were unwilling to expend further effort investigating, so closing the case by blaming the Duanmu Family was considered an excellent outcome.
This time, when Wang Lan arrived at the Tianjian Bureau, his colleagues seemed less busy than before. Quite a few of them greeted him warmly. Yang Yang’s team had already parted ways with Wang Lan; their previous collaboration had been temporary, and Wang Lan never expected a colonel to genuinely serve under him, a major. In terms of hierarchical standing, an independent team was not inferior to an operations brigade.
He knocked on Ming Baiye’s office door. Ming Baiye and the head of the intelligence department were inside, bantering and boasting, their faces creased with laughter.
"Report!"
"Wang Lan? What wind blew you here? It’s not the weekend today, is it?"
"No, Mr. Ming," Wang Lan said, getting straight to the point. "I suspect that Duanmu Qingsuang isn’t dead."
At his words, the smiles instantly vanished from the faces of the two men in the office.
"Wang Lan, what are you saying? Duanmu Qingsuang isn’t dead? Impossible! Weren’t you also present when Duanmu Qingsuang self-immolated?"
"Did the bureau perform a DNA comparison on Duanmu Qingsuang’s body?"
"Well... no, that hasn’t been done. After all, so many people saw it was Duanmu Qingsuang, and witnessed him self-immolate in public..."
"Mr. Ming, if the Duanmu Family could have three hundred death warriors, couldn’t Duanmu Qingsuang have had a body double?"
Wang Lan’s question immediately made Ming Baiye’s expression change. They hadn’t considered this. At the time, they had only seen Duanmu Qingsuang in his office and then watched him burn to death before their very eyes. Coupled with the arrests and reckonings of the Duanmu Family members, they indeed hadn’t thought of that possibility. But the idea that Duanmu Qingsuang might have had a body double was quite plausible.
"Wang Lan, how did you figure this out?"
The system told me! Wang Lan thought, but of course, he couldn’t say that aloud.
"Mr. Ming, do you remember I asked you to help investigate Duanmu Fanghua some time ago? I’ve reviewed the investigation results. On the surface, Duanmu Fanghua and the Duanmu Family seem unrelated—even hostile. But from what I’ve gathered, Duanmu Fanghua isn’t as principled as his mother. Although his name is Mu Fanghua, he has repeatedly identified himself as Duanmu Fanghua at school. Moreover, he shows no aversion whatsoever when others call him Duanmu Fanghua. Also, I’ve been discreetly monitoring intelligence on Mu Qiaoli and discovered a fund of one billion under her name."
"I saw that too," Ming Baiye said. "It was compensation given to Mu Qiaoli by the Duanmu Family twelve years ago, with some of it being atonement money from the Lv Family."
"But just now, that one billion fund was transferred to the Kingdom of Ice and Snow."
Ming Baiye’s brows furrowed slightly. "That money is Mu Qiaoli’s private property. Where she transfers it... is her freedom, isn’t it?"
"The Country of Frost is teeming with Exotic Beasts. Compared to the Middle East Countries, the Exotic Beasts in the Kingdom of Ice and Snow are predominantly Poisonous Beasts. Is transferring money to the Kingdom of Ice and Snow an act of poverty alleviation? Surely, no one with any sense would throw money into a place where their assets are under extreme threat?"