When had his soul suffered trauma? During high school, he had just gone through the motions every day—attending classes, doing practice problems, no different from any ordinary student. How could his soul have been traumatized?
As Zhang Yuanqing pondered, Bill Tarantino continued, "To treat your headaches, your mother consulted numerous experts across the medical and pharmaceutical fields. I was one of them. Well, I am merely a businessman with no grasp of pharmacology, but Ante Pharmaceutical has no shortage of specialists in that domain.
"At the time, this medicine had just been developed. After I informed your mother of its effects, she decided to take the gamble. God bless, your symptoms truly were relieved."
Reining in his thoughts, Zhang Yuanqing asked after a moment's contemplation, "What was your company's objective in developing this drug? I mean, you must have had a target demographic in mind to develop it. Did they suffer from the same condition as me?"
Bill Tarantino rested his clasped hands over his stomach and smiled, shaking his head. "We do indeed have a target demographic. These pills are widely acclaimed among that group, with demand far outstripping supply. However, I cannot disclose any information regarding that group to you. It is a trade secret."
After saying this, the charming middle-aged gentleman added, "Of course, I am a businessman. If you are willing to spend money to purchase information from me—"
Before he could finish, Annie, the blonde bombshell standing nearby, cleared her throat softly.
"...That still won't do," Bill pivoted smoothly.
Annie chuckled coquettishly beside him. "Unless Mr. Zhang can prove something to us. Such as... your identity."
Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her. "Identity? What identity?"
Her smile was seductive and alluring, every little expression capable of stirring a man's most primal urges.
This was the first time Zhang Yuanqing had ever encountered such a stunner.
Annie smiled. "For example, tell us how your headaches came about. I don't mean the medical diagnosis, but what kind of incident you experienced before the onset."
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head helplessly. "My apologies, but I have no idea whatsoever."
Annie gave a slight nod. "All right, I understand."
Zhang Yuanqing turned to Bill and sighed with regret. "I was planning to pay ten million to buy intel from you. What a shame."
*What? Ten million?* Bill Tarantino snapped upright. "I believe the greatest taboo in business is leaving oneself no way out. I take back what I just said."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded placidly. "Once I raise the funds, I will come back to you."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Zhang Yuanqing took his leave.
Bill Tarantino snapped his fingers, and Annie walked over to the desk with practiced ease, retrieving a business card from a card holder.
Bill said, "I will be staying on the mainland for quite some time. Here is my card. If there is anything you wish to buy or sell, you can always contact me. I will offer a fair and reasonable price based on the item's value."
Zhang Yuanqing took the card and blinked in surprise. "But I know nothing about the pharmaceutical industry, sir. I'm just an ordinary college student."
Bill shook his head. "My position at Ante Pharmaceutical is merely one of my identities. At heart, I am a merchant. My dream is to drive a pickup truck loaded with goods across the globe, trading with the peoples of different nations."
*And then hang a loudspeaker on the truck blaring 'Chicken feathers exchanged for sugar'?* Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but roast internally.
Once he took the card, Annie smiled dazzlingly. "I will see Mr. Zhang out."
Bill Tarantino watched the two depart. He stood up, walked to the liquor cabinet, and poured himself a glass of whiskey. By the time he had finished the liquor at an unhurried pace, his assistant Annie returned.
Holding his glass, Bill remarked with feeling, "Selling a simple piece of intel for ten million is a temptation that people like us can hardly resist. It's not about the money, but about a low-cost, high-yield transaction. It brings me pleasure from the very depths of my soul."
Annie shook her head. "We cannot reveal the existence of Spirit Realm walkers to ordinary people. That is the rule."
The Spirit Realm had never restricted freedom in this regard, yet major organizations—and even rogue cultivators—almost instinctively concealed the existence of Spirit Realm walkers.
It was an instinct for self-preservation.
Over time, the rule against exposing the existence of Spirit Realm walkers to ordinary people had taken root across all the major factions.
Bill pondered for a moment. "How was it? Did you test whether he is a Spirit Realm walker?"
As a profit-seeking merchant, taking time out of his schedule to meet an ordinary college student was partly out of courtesy to a business partner, but another reason was that ordinary people had no business encountering soul-level injuries.
Chen Shu's son was either a Spirit Realm walker or had once been entangled in a Spirit Realm walker incident.
Annie laughed. "In the elevator, I used Charm on him. Sure enough, he fell for it—his hand kept fondling my ass the entire time. Analyzing his spiritual energy state, he appears to be an ordinary person, though we can't rule out the possibility that he was playing along with my game. Mm, I trust I didn't misuse that idiom."
Bill gave a slight nod. "Keep in touch with him. Making more connections with the mainland's native Spirit Realm walkers will only benefit us."
Annie nodded gently.
Bill finished off the liquor in his glass and added, "Set up an appointment with the President and ask about a meeting time. This time, the guild's upper echelon has issued strict orders: we must bring the President back."
***
*As expected, Ante Pharmaceutical, which produces the little blue pills, really is connected to Spirit Realm walkers...*
Downstairs outside the International Building, Zhang Yuanqing looked up at the towering skyscraper.
From the conversation in the office, he had already deduced that the target group Mr. Tarantino spoke of referred to Spirit Realm walkers.
Ante Pharmaceutical had developed the little blue pills to alleviate and treat spiritual trauma for Spirit Realm walkers.
It was similar to a Wood Demon's antidote pills or the Musician clans' Life Essence.
The difference was that in capitalist-dominated nations, these pills were sold publicly to all Spirit Realm walkers and even ordinary people.
Here, on the other hand, antidote pills and Life Essence were strategic resources—controlled substances that rogue walkers couldn't buy even if they had the money.
*From the looks of it, the fact that I was able to bring the pills into dungeons wasn't a glitch. It was because they belong to the Spirit Realm in the first place, created by Spirit Realm walkers.*
*But when was my soul traumatized?*
The headaches had started back in his sophomore year of high school. Without any rhyme or reason, the pain had just struck out of the blue one day.
*Back then, I was just an ordinary high school student who had never come into contact with the Spirit Realm. How could I have suffered that kind of injury? I can basically rule out the possibility of being deliberately targeted...*
After thinking it through carefully, Zhang Yuanqing considered the most plausible explanation to be that in his sophomore year, he had accidentally gotten caught up in a clash or experiment between Spirit Realm walkers, resulting in trauma to his soul.
The reason he had no memory of it was simple: he hadn't realized what was happening at all.
The methods of Spirit Realm walkers were unfathomable, completely beyond what ordinary mortals could perceive.
Just like his uncle, who still hadn't figured out why money kept vanishing from his wallet.
*While that's plausible, it still doesn't explain why the scanner wussed out... Whatever, take it one step at a time. Obsessing over it won't give me answers right now anyway. That said...* Zhang Yuanqing stared at his palm and sighed from the bottom of his heart:
*Annie's ass really felt great—so soft and bouncy. I think I know what profession she is.*
Ever since meeting the enchanting Annie, he had suspected she was a Spirit Realm walker. The reason was simple: Lord Tianzun was now among the cream of the crop in the Transcendent stage; ordinary beauty couldn't shake his composure.
Yet every smirk, every provocative glance, and every sultry smile from this woman made Zhang Yuanqing distinctly feel his primal instincts stir.
It reminded him of the Love and Desire profession that Demon Lord had mentioned in the Cat King Speaker. Annie's peculiar allure matched the characteristics of that profession perfectly.
*Women of the Love and Desire profession really are stunners. Any man would want to sleep with them. Unless someone has zero physical desires, they're bound to be seduced. Still, that doesn't stop me from laughing at the Demon Lord, haha...*
As for Mr. Tarantino's profession, based on their interaction just now, Zhang Yuanqing guessed he likely belonged to the Void profession, commonly known as Merchant.
Of course, his knowledge of foreign professions was limited; for now, the only ones he was somewhat familiar with were Love and Desire and Void.
By now, the morning rush hour was coming to an end. Office workers rushing to their companies could be seen scattered along the street. These people were either reckless daredevils or had connections in high places, because it was already nine thirty in the morning.
Of course, it was also possible they were clutching a subway delay slip, which kept them from panicking.
Standing by the curb, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Kou Beiyue's cell.
"I need your sister's name and the Public Security Bureau that handled her case."
"Hold on, I'll text it to you." Kou Beiyue perked up and agreed without hesitation.
*So straightforward. Didn't he consider that this would expose his true identity? This kid seems even dimmer than Jingwei...* Zhang Yuanqing grunted in acknowledgment and hung up.
A few minutes later, he received Kou Beiyue's message.
Kou Beiyue's sister was named Kou Yusi, born in '95, and was twenty-six when she died. The branch that handled the case was indeed the Shakou District Public Security Bureau.
After reading it, Zhang Yuanqing dialed his cousin Chen Yuanjun.
Find professionals for professional matters; he wanted to hear his cousin's take.
"Yuanzi?" His cousin's voice came through the speaker.
"Cousin, let me ask you something. If I want to look into an old case from two years ago, where the victim was held captive, abused, and sexually assaulted before being murdered by a police officer, who then used his authority to cover up the truth... how should I investigate it?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
This matter involved a deacon and a Public Security Bureau. He certainly couldn't just kill him and perform spirit questioning like he would with an evil profession.
"Investigate my ass!" Chen Yuanjun snapped. "Any evidence that could be found was definitely destroyed long ago. And if the killer is an officer, the bureau's leadership would be the first to jump out and suppress you. There's no overturning that verdict."
Pausing for a beat, he added, "Unless someone is deliberately gunning for the killer, then maybe there's a shot. You can't get anything done in a case like this without serious connections. Anything else? If not, I'm hanging up."
Between the financial company homicide and the bureau chief's leap from the building, he had been swamped lately.
"Don't hang up! Just give me a few general pointers. I'm not trying to gather courtroom evidence; I just want to understand the whole story from start to finish," Zhang Yuanqing said.
Chen Yuanjun pondered for a moment and replied, "If it were me, I'd check the case file first to see how it was officially concluded. If the victim suffered sexual assault and abuse, obvious traces would have been left behind, like bruising and lacerations.
"That completely changes the nature of the case—they couldn't just close it on a whim. In my experience, they probably reported it as a suicide, but suicide wouldn't account for signs of abuse. Therefore, the officer handling the scene back then likely didn't take photos.
"The lack of scene photos is a glaring loophole. Next, I would interrogate the officers who took on the case back then..."
He rattled on for quite a while.
Zhang Yuanqing distilled the key takeaways: basically two methods. First, visit the victim's family, colleagues, and neighbors. Second, interrogate the officers involved in the case.
Chen Yuanjun took a sip of water to moisten his throat and asked, "Why are you suddenly asking about this?"
"Nothing much. Just got into an argument with some guy online and wanted to debate him." After giving a perfunctory excuse, Zhang Yuanqing ended the call.
He turned around and dialed the veteran flirt's number.
"Sister Guan Ya, could you do me a favor?"
"I'm not in charge of handling the adolescent angst of young boys," Guan Ya teased.
"Young boys resolve adolescent angst by themselves; no need to beg anyone else. But for my troubles, only you will do..." Zhang Yuanqing pivoted smoothly. "Help me pull a case handled by the Shakou District Public Security Bureau two years ago. The victim's name is Kou Yusi."
Hearing that it was official business, Guan Ya put away her playful tone. "Hang on!"
A little over ten minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing received Guan Ya's reply: "I sent the file to your email. Tsk-tsk, this case is quite something. To think there's such a beast of a brother in this world."
*Huh?* Zhang Yuanqing immediately logged into his email and downloaded the file.
He spent half an hour reading through the file with utmost care, an unnamed fury flaring in his chest as he read.
The official conclusion of Kou Yusi's case was that she had suffered imprisonment, sexual assault, and abuse—and the criminal suspect identified by the Public Security Bureau was the victim's younger brother, Kou Beiyue.
After the incident, the suspect Kou Beiyue had fled and remained at large to this day.
*I remember Kou Beiyue saying he didn't die back then. Instead, he obtained a character card and became a Bewitching Demon. Chi Yue'an calculated that Kou Beiyue wouldn't be able to testify for himself, so he dumped all the dirty water on him...*
What kind of move was this? Not only killing someone, but assassinating their character too!
Was this something a human being would do?
Zhang Yuanqing exited his email and dialed Kou Beiyue's number.
"I've pulled your sister's case file. What you told me yesterday wasn't detailed enough. I have a few questions."
"What questions?" Kou Beiyue replied nonchalantly.
"You said you became a Spirit Realm walker after dying, and Chi Yue'an was present at the time? How did you escape after returning to reality?"
Kou Beiyue said, "When I returned to reality, I found myself lying in the Public Security Bureau's morgue. There was no one around, just corpses everywhere. So I made a run for it."
*That explains it. Chi Yue'an must have realized afterward that he had returned to life as a Spirit Realm walker, so he changed his strategy and framed Kou Beiyue...* Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment, then asked, "I read through the file. It's full of holes and wouldn't stand up to scrutiny. Didn't your family cause a scene?"
There was a long silence on the other end before Kou Beiyue let out a bitter laugh.
"Didn't you read the file? Cause a scene for what? To make sure everybody knew about it? I had no way to step forward and testify for myself. I'm an evil profession—I could only let him dump all that filth on me.
"You probably don't know, but Chi Yue'an sent people to spread rumors in my hometown that I held my sister captive and sexually assaulted her. People sneered and pointed at my parents behind their backs. They couldn't hold their heads up anymore. How would they dare make a scene? Not long after it happened, they packed up and moved away."
If the family didn't make a fuss, the matter was easy to sweep under the rug. These days, without an outcry from the populace, officials wouldn't bother investigating. With a little maneuvering behind the scenes, the Five Elements Alliance wouldn't meddle in ordinary people's cases either—it fell strictly within the Public Security Bureau's jurisdiction...
Murdering someone's child and then assassinating their character, leaving the parents unable to hold their heads up for the rest of their lives... this Chi Yue'an... Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath, suppressing the fury burning in his chest.
"I don't have any more questions," he said. No wonder Kou Beiyue hadn't mentioned this last night; it was truly too humiliating to speak of.
No wonder Kou Beiyue's obsession with revenge was so intense.
Kou Beiyue gave a low grunt in response.
Zhang Yuanqing said, "I've already looked into it. The officer who handled the case back then was named Kong Liangping. He's currently the captain of the public security brigade at the Shakou District Public Security Bureau. Tonight at ten, I'll come find you, and we'll pay him a visit."
Chapter 156