I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 299 - 275: The Approaching Storm

Jie Daohan left the viewing stand and went straight to the government office, to the place where documents were kept.

The clerk there was just about to lock the door and go home, but suddenly saw Jie Daohan walking quickly with a serious expression. Startled, he thought something was wrong.

As soon as Jie Daohan saw the clerk, he said, "Please get me the copies of the investigation documents of those registered for this Talent Selection Conference, detailing their backgrounds."

The clerk felt relieved, realizing it was just a request for documents. Seeing Jie Daohan’s intimidating expression, he had thought trouble was coming.

The clerk immediately smiled and said, "Chief Constable Jie, please wait, I’ll get it for you right away."

The clerk relit the lamp, retrieved the stored investigation document from the shelf, and handed it to Jie Daohan.

Jie Daohan glanced through it and saw it was indeed the detailed background document of those registered for this Talent Selection Conference. After signing his name in the document log, he hurried away.

The clerk watched Jie Daohan’s retreating figure, feeling a bit uneasy and unsure of what Chief Constable Jie was thinking. The Talent Selection Conference had already ended, so why was he checking those investigation documents now? Weren’t those documents already investigated last December?

Holding the document, Jie Daohan returned to his office, lit the lamp on his desk, and turned directly to Duan Rong’s page, reading it carefully...

The more Jie Daohan read, the more shocked he became. Duan Rong had only joined the Yuan Shun Escort Agency as a servant disciple last January.

In total, it had been only a little over a year, yet this lad had already reached the Great Success Realm.

What terrifying cultivation speed is this?!

Jie Daohan stared at the document spread on his desk, tapping lightly with his hand, a deep contemplative look crossing his eyes.

He was pondering something, specifically, at the time of Jie Lei’s death, to what extent could Duan Rong’s cultivation realm possibly have advanced?

According to the document, Duan Rong’s martial arts realm was at the Third Level of Inner Breath Realm, a Minor Success Realm. However, on the Zhexing Platform, he displayed a Great Success Realm the moment he appeared.

Whether he had concealed his realm before the new year or truly broke through after the new year, both scenarios were equally terrifying.

Based on this speed, Jie Daohan could almost deduce that at the time of Jie Lei’s death, Duan Rong must have already reached the Second Level of Inner Breath Realm, or at the very least, it was highly probable he had achieved the Second Level.

And Jie Lei was also at the Second Level of Inner Breath Realm.

From a martial arts realm perspective, Duan Rong indeed had the capability to commit the crime!

But even if he had the capability, why would he kill Jie Lei? Or rather, how did he get involved in this matter?

He was just a servant disciple at the Escort Agency. Even with the attainment of the Second Level of Inner Breath Realm, the matter concerning Xu Ruhu was so significant. At that time, both Fan Yuanhai and Jie Lei were investigating it amidst a massive uproar, combined with Jie Lei’s clandestine actions, which Jie Lei only learned about afterwards—it was Jie Lei who broke Xu Ruhu out of the Death Prison.

How could Duan Rong, merely a servant disciple of the Yuan Shun Escort Agency, perceive such matters?

Unable to solve the puzzle, Jie Daohan stood up and paced back and forth in the room...

Yang Zhen had already ended the shift, preparing to go back when he just reached the corridor and noticed that Jie Daohan’s office door was wide open, with a dim light spilling out, accompanied by hurried footsteps from within...

Yang Zhen frowned. He thought that since the County Office’s rear courtyard was hosting a banquet, Chief Constable Jie should be at the feast.

Yang Zhen clutched his saber and walked slowly towards Jie Daohan’s door...

Just as Yang Zhen reached the door, Jie Daohan looked up at him. Seeing Yang Zhen holding a saber, with a face full of alertness, he immediately understood his intentions...

Jie Daohan said, "It’s nothing, Yang Zhen. I’m just reviewing a document here. You can go back now..."

Yang Zhen paused, looking a bit awkward. He released his grip on the saber and clasped his fists, saying, "I apologize for interrupting, Chief Constable."

Jie Daohan didn’t speak, just waved his hand, indicating for him to leave.

Yang Zhen was just about to leave when Jie Daohan’s brow suddenly twitched, as if something had come to his mind. He suddenly barked, "Wait!"

Yang Zhen halted his steps, unsure why Jie Daohan suddenly called him back.

Jie Daohan quickly walked to the desk, flipped to a page of the document, and looked at a certain entry.

"Duan Rong, resident of Wutong Lane..."

Holding the document, Jie Daohan looked up at the confused Yang Zhen standing at the door and said, "Yang Zhen, did your family originally live in Wutong Lane?"

Six months after joining the government office, Jie Daohan noticed Yang Zhen’s cleverness and assigned him to Jie Lei, hoping to train him as an assistant for Jie Lei.

But unexpectedly, only two months later, Jie Lei was killed.

To commemorate Jie Lei, he often kept Yang Zhen by his side, frequently chatting about mundane matters. He had a vague impression that Yang Zhen mentioned growing up in Wutong Lane as a child.

Yang Zhen was taken aback by Jie Daohan’s question. He didn’t understand why Jie Daohan suddenly asked so solemnly if he had lived in Wutong Lane as a child.

Nonetheless, Yang Zhen immediately replied, "Yes, Chief Constable. Until the age of seven, I grew up in Wutong Lane."

Jie Daohan’s gaze turned icy. "Then do you know Duan Rong?"

Yang Zhen’s heart skipped a beat. He had, of course, already heard about Duan Rong’s advancement to become a sect named disciple.

Earlier, when he learned that Duan Rong had registered for the named disciple selection, it had already left him greatly impressed. But now, Duan Rong had reached the Great Success Realm and had become a named disciple of the Taiyi Sect.