As Lu Yangcheng had said, the meeting ended quickly.
Everyone in the Intelligence Department dispersed, with some retreating back to their desks while others left the office in dribs and drabs.
Li Jing stood by the door with a milk tea in hand, waiting patiently.
The special envoy from the Capital Inspection Headquarters was still in the office.
Probably because Ren Jie had acquired the information regarding the Dark Alley years ago, she was the only one the special envoy asked to stay behind. They were engaged in a quiet conversation in front of the whiteboard.
After quite a while, their discussion came to an end.
The special envoy then sought out another investigator from the Intelligence Department, while Ren Jie walked out of the office looking quite upset.
Seeing her displeasure, Li Jing handed her the milk tea and, glancing at the special envoy in the office, asked in a low voice.
"What were they saying? Was the conversation with the envoy from the Capital not that pleasant?"
"How could it be pleasant? Some leader parachuting in out of nowhere, making arrangements without understanding the situation in North City."
Ren Jie puckered her lips, took the milk tea and sipped from it after sticking in a straw, then said.
"When the Chief went to the Capital, he left a power vacuum. In normal circumstances, we, at the North City Branch, wouldnât let someone else meddle."
Li Jingâs brows furrowed at her words.
Initially, he hadnât pondered much over it.
But after Ren Jieâs words, he realized that this special envoy might seem like a normal administrative replacement but was actually installed by someone who had issues with Chen Jing.
As Lu Yangcheng had explained before.
For every area confirmed of having activities related to the Demon Beast Union, a special envoy from the Capital would be assigned, which could potentially become a golden opportunity for some.
Given Chen Jingâs absence in the Capital, it was indeed an opportunity too good to miss.
Glancing at the special envoy in the office, Li Jing quickly lost interest.
Even though he knew the guy was problematic, there was nothing he could do.
The man was currently just there to guide their work, and Li Jing could not very well walk in and tell him to shove off, could he?
Compared to fretting over this special envoy, it would be more productive to figure out how to quickly sniff out and eliminate the Demon Beast Unionâs branch in Jianghai.
Once the Union was dealt with, the man would naturally leave.
Shifting his gaze back, Li Jing looked at Ren Jie, who was sipping her milk tea and pouting.
"We canât talk properly here, can we step aside?"
Ren Jie glanced at him and nodded, then headed for a secluded corner around the corridor.
Seeing this, Li Jing quietly followed.
...
Soon enough, both of them ended up at the corner of the corridor.
Ren Jie turned to face him, and was the first to break the silence.
"I just asked Yang Cheng, youâve been privately investigating the Demon Beast Union. Let me make one thing clear first, the pawnshop in the Dark Alley was established by me when I joined the Intelligence Department for information gathering. If youâre targeting it because of the Demon Beast Union, I can tell you that youâre on the wrong track."
Before Li Jing could even respond, she continued.
"Also, donât expect me to provide any useful information. I belong to the Intelligence Department. If I knew anything, I wouldâve already turned it in for rewards."
Seeing that Ren Jie had set a firm stance right from the beginning, Li Jingâs brows furrowed slightly.
The information from the Dark Alley had been acquired by Ren Jie two years ago when the Demon Beast Union was active there.
As a Great Demon, she mustâve known then that it was the Demon Beast Union.
However, the Intelligence Department only deduced this conclusion after the Capital issued an instruction to strike against the Union, carrying out a series of verifications in the process.
There was little doubt that Ren Jie had withheld information.
She clearly had some reservations and did not dare to reveal what she knew casually.
Ren Jie definitely didnât fear being exposed as a demon.
Even if someone suspects her, no one could do anything to her.
Even if Li Jing had openly asked her for confirmation, knowing that she was indeed a demon, he couldnât do anything if she refused to admit.
How could he confirm it?
As a demon, she didnât even have a Health Bar, so was he supposed to find another demon that recognized her to accuse her of being one?
Not to mention whether any demon would be willing to reveal her, accusing an active investigator of being a demon also seemed a bit far-fetched.
The only way to confirm her identity was to kill her outright and let her revert back to her original form with her death.
So...
How could he make Ren Jie confess?
After thinking it over for a bit, Li Jing said in a low voice:
"Inspector Ren, I also wonât hide from you. I found your pawnshop through a female demon, and Iâm aware that youâre the Fifth Boundary Big Monster thatâs been hiding in Dark Alley for over fifty years."
Ren Jie was taken aback at his words and then let out a laugh.
"You believe what a female demon says? Do you think I look like a demon?"
"Honestly, Iâm a bit hesitant."
Li Jing shrugged while saying:
"Inspector Ren, you probably wonât believe me, but I possess the ability to identify human-shaped demons among a crowd. Although, your disguise is so flawless that I canât detect anything, at the very least, I can tell that the two girls at your pawn shop are young female demons who have recently transformed."
Ren Jieâs face remained calm during the first half of his sentence.
But at the mention of the two shop assistants, an unnatural look appeared on her face as she fell into silence.
Seeing her reaction, Li Jing raised an eyebrow.
His intention was to let her know that he was aware of something, with no anticipation of getting her to confess.
Her current silence was as good as an indirect admission.
Because as soon as she admitted that the two girls were indeed demons...
It was obvious that Ren Jie was concerned for the safety of the two girls, due to him being a current investigator.
Seeing her waver so easily had caught Li Jing somewhat by surprise.
But he was able to confirm that Ren Jie was indeed a kind-hearted Big Monster, just as he assumed she would be.
Just as he was about to speak, Ren Jie lifted her eyes coldly.
"What do you want?"
"I donât want anything."
Li Jing shook his head while responding in a casual manner.
"Rest assured, I donât plan on harming your shop assistants, nor do I have any issues with you. As for the female demon who provided me with the information, I bought it off her with ten million after revealing that I am an investigator and addressing her true identity. I didnât threaten or bully her in any way. She should be starting a new life somewhere else with her money by now. I didnât ask for her name, since I donât think you would be interested in finding out who she was."
Facing Li Jingâs candid explanation, Ren Jie blinked with a peculiar expression on her face.
She could understand Li Jingâs investigation into the Demon Beast Union.
She could also understand him being able to identify demons amongst crowds and yet choosing not to use this ability to harm them.
With such an ability, he could not possibly go around killing every demon he sees.
If he was too conspicuous and violent against demons, he would inevitably meet an untimely demise.
Donât forget, what heâs threatening is not a single demon, but all demons living in human society.
When necessary, demons will band together too.
But what on earth was Li Jingâs investigation method?
Plunking ten million on a female demon to purchase information related to her?
Even if she had no significant connection with the Demon Beast Union, and even if she did have some, so what?
If she didnât want to talk or flatly refused to admit anything, wouldnât Li Jingâs investment be wasted?
And then again.
How much does Li Jing earn in a month as an investigator?
Setting aside this sum that seems like itâll be thrown into the water, even if Ren Jie did provide valuable information, how much could he earn from the rewards?
There was a limit to spending money capriciously!
What was his motive?
Ren Jie was completely puzzled.
Just as she was in deep thought, Li Jing spoke.
"I have already said all there is to say. Itâs difficult for me to function, Inspector Ren, if you stay silent."
Saying this, he raised two fingers.
"Two hundred kilograms of Fifth Boundary Tiger Demon meat, tell me what you know."
"..."
Ren Jie.
Two hundred kilograms of Fifth Boundary Tiger Demon meat?
Where did a third-rank Fourth Realm inspector like Li Jing get meat from a Fifth Boundary Tiger Demon?
Had he killed a Great Demon?
No way?
Bought it?
Thatâs even more ridiculous!
Two hundred kilograms of Fifth Boundary Tiger Demon meat, even at its cheapest, would cost tens of millions!
Regardless of the source of the Fifth Boundary Tiger Demon meat, Li Jingâs proficiency was simply outrageous. It was clear that this was not his first time using demon flesh and blood to bribe demons to work for him.
Ren Jie discovered that she really couldnât understand Li Jing at all.
At the same time, she began to understand why he had been involved in various case investigations and even solved major cases repeatedly, though he was not yet an inspector.
In the Patrol System, most of the cases that Li Jing participated in involved demons.
He had the ability to recognize demons and could easily identify potential demons involved in a case, then generously spend money to gain their favor, resulting in natural leads.
In cases involving demons, they often provided lots of information, but due to the risk of exposing themselves, they were unwilling to step forward.
Seeing him waiting for her response with his lips puckered, Ren Jie said,
"Regarding the Demon Beast Union, I canât provide you with any information. I never had direct contact with them and I would also like to know where they are now active in Jianghai, but unfortunately, I have no such information. As I said earlier, if I had relevant information, I would have cashed it in for a bounty long ago."
Seeing that Ren Jie finally spoke but didnât give any substantial information, Li Jing began to speak patiently,
"Inspector Ren, since weâve had this frank discussion, letâs be honest about our intentions. I didnât come to you in hopes that youâd know where the Demon Beast Union is currently active. I know you are not an associate. What I want to understand is, why was the Demon Beast Union active in the dark alley two years ago?"
After speaking, he continued,
"The Dark Alley, a place full of fish and dragons, is not suitable for a demon group like the Demon Beast Union to lurk. They must have had other reasons for going to the dark alley. Inspector Ren, you must know something about this. I understand that you might have some reservations. I can assure you that I wonât submit any information you provide to high level officials. If you think my offer is not high enough, I can add another hundred kilograms..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Ren Jie made a "tsk" sound with her mouth.
"After all weâve been through, canât you leave me alone?"
After saying this somewhat resentfully, she looked around and lowered her voice,
"There are some things I donât say for a reason. I can see that you often use the power of the demons to solve cases. I wonât judge you for that. Your assurance that you wonât submit anything to the higher ups suggests that you intend to go solo on this investigation. I can accept that, but I donât want you to get killed."
Saying this, she said seriously,
"Youâre so young and already stepped into the Fourth Realm. Itâs fair to say that youâre an exceptional talent. With such talent, you should value your life. The Demon Beast Union is no ordinary enemy, especially now that they know they are being targeted by the Hua Country Inspection Bureau. If you cross them, itâs a life or death situation. With your Fourth Realm power, itâs highly likely that youâll lose your life if you delve into this alone."
Hearing Ren Jieâs words, Li Jingâs eyes lit up.
Ren Jieâs words were very considerate.
She was worried he knew certain things and would take risks alone and end up losing his life.
As a result...
This suggested that the part she knew was very explosive. Explosive enough to get in touch with the Demon Beast Union branch in Jianghai if one decided to look into it.
It turns out he had not picked the wrong person!
Coughing lightly, Li Jing said,
"From what I saw in the Dark Alley, I can infer that you, Inspector Ren, are very kind and will do your best to protect the weak. When I look at you now, it seems you truly are beautiful inside and out."
?
Ren Jie.
Being angrily kissed out of the blue left her a little dazed.
She was puzzled.
She was busy reasoning with Li Jing, why on earth did he jump in?
Before she could gather her thoughts, Li Jing spoke.
"Inspector Ren, you donât need to worry about me, I can tell you frankly, I was the one who single-handedly exposed the Demon Beast Union base in the capital. And the Six Realm Great Demon that was killed, I just put it for sale in the North City Spiritual Market yesterday."
???
Ren Jie.
This sudden shift in Li Jingâs discourse was too much information to digest.
Only a while ago, Li Jing had been to the Capital Inspection Headquarters for "training", which was only known to the director, Chen Jing.
But he had taken a long vacation and temporarily withdrawn from the Major Case Team Six, which was no secret in North City Patrol Branch.
As a powerful youth of the Four Realms, despite his low-key demeanor, he inevitably attracted attention.
Not to mention that he was getting along well with another rising power of the Four Realm from the North City Branch, and even rumors started to circulate about them.
If Li Jing had just said that he was responsible for the incident in the capital, Ren Jie might not have believed him.
Who doesnât know how to brag?
Isnât it just about boasting something big?
But the mention of the Six Realm Demon for sale in the North City Spiritual Market, she had to believe that one.
Yesterday, after Li Jing took the Ox Demon to Xu Jiayiâs shop for appraisal and dissection, she used the materials of the Six Realm Big Monster for advertising immediately, emphasizing that it was very "fresh".
As soon as the advertisement came out, various media forums exploded in the Jianghai region, and even seized the headlines of various local media during the Hua Country Inspection Bureauâs crackdown on the Demon Beast Union in the capital.
Many speculated that the Six Realm Big Demon appearing in the North City Spiritual Market was the one that was killed in the capital.
A Six Realm Big Monster, itâs not something that could just be killed off.
Just after one was killed in the capital, a "fresh" one that had been dissected appeared for sale in the North City Spiritual Market thousands of miles away, what a strange coincidence!
But how exactly, no one knew.
Several media outlets rushed to the North City Spiritual Market overnight to verify, but the merchants didnât give a clear answer, causing a flurry of speculations online.
Just happens to be, the merchant who sold the Six Realm Big Demon was associated with Ren Jieâs partner, Lu Yangcheng.
This morning, Lu Yangcheng was telling her about it, saying that the shop selling the Six Realm Big Monster belonged to his uncle.
Who exactly put the thing up for sale, Lu Yangcheng didnât know.
But in their conversations, he had mentioned that Li Jing was a regular customer at his uncleâs shop, often bringing in dead monsters from cases for appraisal and sale.
With what Li Jing just said now, things started to connect.
Looking at Li Jing in surprise and suspicion, Ren Jie cautiously stepped back half a step.
"You... youâre not just Four Realm?"
"Certainly more than the Four Realm, I canât tell you the specifics."
Li Jing grinned sheepishly, saying.
"Iâve already spent ten million trying to find you, Inspector Ren. The trail ending here with you is not something I can accept, I need to at least make back my investment. I hope Inspector Ren can understand."
"..."
Ren Jie.
The subtext in Li Jingâs words was clear enough, his investigation into the Demon Beast Union branch in Jianghai was not to respond to the capitalâs call to crack down, but to raid the demon lair himself and make a big profit.
To put it simply, he wanted it all.
Cautiously glancing at the seemingly harmless man with big plans, Ren Jie hesitated, then whispered.
"If thatâs what you want, I donât mind telling you what you want to know, but afterwards, I donât want you to disrupt my life," she said.
"Of course, after this is over, unless Inspector Ren volunteers, I wonât ask you for anything."
Li Jing responded decisively.
Seeing that he agreed quite readily, Ren Jie took a sip of her milk tea to calm her nerves, pondered for a moment, then looked up and spoke.
"And I have another request, you need to change the reward. I am a ButterflyMonster, I donât eat meat, the meat of the Fifth Boundary Big Monster is of no use to me, please change it to spirit plants like flowers or cash."