Chapter 340: I Have Connections, What About You?

That day, constables from the Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital Ironclad Department appeared all over the prefectural capital, arresting people everywhere.

Anyone with even the slightest connection to the Immortal God Sect was taken to the Ironclad Department.

But most were just ordinary, deluded commoners.

They had no useful leads on them at all.

However, the source of the Fire Oil had been traced—it had indeed leaked out from the Ironclad Department itself.

Zhao Fu watched Zhao Qing from his seat with a blank expression.

Everyone present remained silent, not uttering a word.

Zhao Qing's face was slightly pale as he defended himself:

"The Fire Oil under our Public Security Division's jurisdiction has always been stored in the warehouse. Without the Director's authorization slip, it's impossible to transport it out of the division. There are several checkpoints to pass through."

The Director of the Inspection Department's First Division mused:

"According to the approval document, it has your signature and official seal."

"Forgery! It's absolutely a forgery!"

Zhao Qing snapped.

The document had already been passed around and reviewed by Zhao Zheng, Zhao Fu, Zhao Chonghong, and the others.

The three Directors of the Bandit Apprehension Division had each examined it, and the three Directors of the Inspection Department had scrutinized it countless times beforehand.

Their expressions were complicated. How could the signature and official seal on this be a forgery?

Typically, items like Fire Oil, after being stored for too long, would incur some Normal Losses or a decrease in effectiveness.

The Capital's Ironclad Department would send a batch of new Fire Oil to each department branch at fixed intervals to replace the old stock.

The old Fire Oil was usually disposed of through special treatment. However, this special treatment gave each department branch a lot of leeway.

Privately selling it off was a common occurrence.

It's just that this time, something went wrong.

"Regarding the Fire Oil matter, every Ironclad Department branch likely has some shortages. It also can't be proven that the Fire Oil used in this arson came from our prefectural capital's department."

Zhao Chonghong spoke slowly.

Zhao Fu's eyes lit up slightly, and he immediately nodded:

"What Lord Zhao says is reasonable."

Yang Ling said nothing. Without capturing Blood Hand Scholar Xu Ying first, he had no evidence to implicate Zhao Qing.

This man was a royal member, someone of a different status than ordinary people, so the handling method required the proper procedure.

"Let's set aside the Fire Oil matter for now. I've personally reviewed the confessions of those captured Immortal God Sect followers, and it's hard to determine that this incident is related to the sect."

Zhao Chonghong said, then looked at Yang Ling:

"Director Yang, do you have any leads yet?"

"No leads for now."

Yang Ling replied.

Zhao Chonghong nodded slightly: "The time is too short. Having no leads is normal."

"Director Yang, I've always heard that your investigative skills are nothing short of divine. Back at the Changhe Prefectural Capital, you handled several cases brilliantly."

"For instance, when Valley of the Dead disciple Dai Huaijin was murdered on the street, and the culprit was Mining Guild Elder He Dongfeng."

"Or when Tingjiang City Magistrate Shen Shuyan was exposed as a Rong tribe spy, codenamed Copper Two of the Heavenly Wolf Guard."

"Or when Changhe Prefectural Governor Lan Wentao colluded with the Rong tribe."

"You were able to root out all these scoundrels. Surely you can also root out the arsonist this time?"

Zhao Fu said with a smile.

Shi Xin's expression shifted slightly, and he hurriedly interjected:

"Third Prince, even the cleverest housewife can't cook a meal without rice. Director Yang is unfamiliar with Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital. Asking him to root out the arsonist might be..."

"Director Shi, I wasn't speaking to you."

Zhao Fu frowned.

Shi Xin was secretly furious. He was the Director of the First Division of the Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital Ironclad Department's Public Security Department...

He glanced around at everyone present.

Zhao Chonghong, Kong Xinghu, Zhao Fu, Zhao Zheng...

Shi Xin shut his mouth and said no more.

"The Third Prince jests. This subordinate truly has no leads at all. I'm afraid I won't be able to root out the mastermind."

Yang Ling cupped his hands: "I've disappointed all the lords. This subordinate should return to the Blazing Gold Mine and complete the mining business."

A flicker of disappointment passed through Zhao Chonghong's eyes, but he nodded slightly:

"True enough. You came here for the Blazing Gold Mine. Go back and start the mining."

Seeing this, Zhao Fu said nothing more.

Zhao Zheng also didn't object.

Everyone watched Yang Ling take his leave, then continued discussing the case at hand.

Zhao Qing breathed a sigh of relief inside. Although this matter wasn't directly related to him, he had indeed sold a batch of Fire Oil.

If they kept following this lead, they might just manage to pin the blame on him.

Yang Ling didn't leave the Ironclad Department directly. Instead, he turned and headed for the Second Division, Public Security Department's courtyard.

The courtyard was bustling. Ironclad Department agents were constantly coming and going, occasionally dragging captured Immortal God Sect heretics into the yard to start interrogations.

Yang Ling's arrival didn't attract much attention. After all, no one there was familiar with him.

From inside an interrogation room came the roar of one of Zhao Qing's Chief Constables.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The Ironclad Department agent outside the door instinctively stepped forward to block Yang Ling as he tried to enter, his face a mix of shock and anger.

"Do you see the Ironclad Department uniform I'm wearing?"

Yang Ling said flatly.

The man looked closely, and a flicker of doubt appeared in his eyes.

The other's uniform was different in style. At a glance, it lacked the metallic sheen of ordinary Ironclad Department uniforms.

But he remembered where he'd seen it before.

One year, when he'd followed his superior to the Yunwen Provincial Capital, he'd seemed to see a similar uniform.

"Are you... Lord Yang Ling?"

The man asked cautiously.

"Yes. I need to ask your Chief Constable a few things."

Yang Ling nodded slightly.

The man didn't dare be negligent and directly led Yang Ling into the interrogation room.

Yang Ling threw an Insight Technique at the middle-aged man who looked like the Chief Constable inside:

[Ding Wei, personally delivered a batch of Fire Oil to Black List fugitive Blood Hand Scholar half a month ago.]

"Lord Yang? Do you... have some kind of lead?"

Ding Wei was a bit unsettled, but still spoke politely.

"I have something I need to ask you in private. Have your men step outside, and take this heretical scum with them."

Yang Ling said.

Ding Wei didn't suspect a thing, thinking the other man had discovered some secret lead. He immediately had his men leave the interrogation room, taking the heretic with them.

But as soon as they left and the door had just closed, the Centenary Refined Kylin Pickaxe was already pressed against Ding Wei's neck.

Ding Wei was horrified: "Lord Yang, what is the meaning of this..."

"Half a month ago, you helped Zhao Qing ship out a batch of Fire Oil. Where was the delivery point? Where is the recipient?"

"Don't waste my time. The fact that I'm asking you means I want to leave Zhao Qing some face. Otherwise, the Third Prince would have dealt with him first."

"Lord Zhao Chonghong won't let him off easy, either."

Yang Ling's tone was calm.

But Ding Wei felt a chill run through his entire body. This pickaxe was too cold. Having it pressed against his neck made him feel a biting cold seep into his body.

"Lord, I am also an Ironclad Department agent, with an official rank... you can't do this..."

"I have connections. What about you?"

"..."

"The other party operates very covertly. I don't know where he is, but I tampered with that batch of Fire Oil. Someone saw it appear at the Wangzhi Medicinal Shop."

The Wangzhi Medicinal Shop? Yang Ling thought of that Purple-Robed Middle-Aged Man. He was the head Shopkeeper of the Wangzhi Medicinal Shop.

For this shop to become the top establishment in Xiangfeng Prefectural Capital, it not only had the Pharmacy Guild's support but must also have an even bigger background.

Determining that Ding Wei wasn't lying, Yang Ling turned and left.

Ding Wei instinctively wanted to call for help, but then suddenly realized it would be useless.

He had no evidence to prove that Yang Ling had just threatened him. On the contrary, it would expose everything...

He stood there stunned for a full fifteen minutes. Suddenly, Zhao Qing pushed the door open and came in:

"I heard Yang Ling came by. What did he want?"

Ding Wei was startled and quickly lowered his voice to explain everything.

Zhao Qing was alarmed and uncertain: "How does he know about this... Someone under his command must have a loose tongue!"

He gritted his teeth, a cruel glint flashing in his eyes, but then he calmed down:

"Since he didn't expose it to our faces, we don't need to worry about this for now. He has no evidence to prove what you said."

"The Wangzhi Medicinal Shop's background isn't simple. If he wants to go there and bump into something, let him."

"Yes."

Ding Wei breathed a sigh of relief inside.