Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Cleared of Suspicion

Inside the Law Enforcement Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.

Elder Zhou Jin sat at the head of the hall, his knuckles drumming unconsciously against the hardwood armrest, creating a dull, tapping sound.

Below him, several Stewards in charge of the interrogation stood with their hands at their sides. They presented the compiled transcripts from their separate interviews with Fang Han’s group of five and the various servants.

Zhou Jin’s gaze was sharp as lightning as he quickly scanned the lines of text.

The transcripts were detailed and corroborated each other, especially concerning the key events: their arrival at the mine, the handover from Qian Yong, the intact seals, and the ambush on the road. The accounts from the five disciples and the servants were highly consistent, showing no obvious contradictions or flaws.

The description from Fang Han’s group of the attackers as "well-trained, with a clear objective, and unlike common mountain bandits" put him on high alert.

’If what these disciples say is true, and the attackers weren’t just a disorganized mob, then there’s likely something more to this incident.’

A cold glint flashed in Zhou Jin’s eyes. He had already made his judgment.

He shot to his feet, his voice as cold as ice.

"Gather a team at once! You’re coming with me to the Spirit Iron Mine!"

At his command, the formidable machine that was the Law Enforcement Hall roared to life.

Over ten Law Enforcement Disciples, all with sharp and powerful auras, quickly assembled under the leadership of two Stewards.

Led by Zhou Jin, the group employed their Body Techniques, shooting out of the sect’s main gate like arrows loosed from a bow and speeding toward the Spirit Iron Mine.

The weakest among them was an Eighth Grade Martial Artist, so their speed was far beyond what Fang Han’s group could match.

In less than four hours, the dark cyan silhouette of the mountains housing the Spirit Iron Mine came into view.

The mine was as noisy as ever. The CLANG CLANG of chisels echoed ceaselessly as workers bustled about. It seemed no different from any other day.

"Where is Qian Yong?"

Zhou Jin strode directly into the mine with his men and asked one of the disciples on guard in a cold voice, releasing the oppressive aura of a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist.

The disciple guarding the mine was terrified by this aura. His face went pale, his knees felt weak, and he stammered in reply.

"R-Replying to you, sir... Steward Qian... He... we haven’t... haven’t seen him since this morning..."

"Haven’t seen him?"

Zhou Jin’s brow furrowed. The ominous feeling in his gut intensified.

"Take me to his quarters!"

"Yes, yes!"

The disciple didn’t dare to delay, quickly leading Zhou Jin and his men deep into the mine, to the rather impressive, detached stone house where Qian Yong resided.

The door to the stone house was shut from the inside. Zhou Jin gestured for a disciple to step forward and break it down.

BAM—

The disciple slammed into the door, knocking it wide open. The faint stench of blood mixed with the smell of dust washed over them.

The furnishings inside were in disarray, with tables and chairs askew. On the floor lay five corpses!

The bodies were twisted into grotesque positions, their deaths clearly agonizing. All had been killed instantly by a powerful blow and had obviously been dead for several hours.

Zhou Jin’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward to examine the bodies.

Judging by their lingering auras and the strength of their sinews, all five of these corpses had been Ninth Grade Martial Artists in life.

The number of bodies was an exact match for the number of bandits who had escaped!

Zhou Jin continued to search the room carefully and soon found a discarded Steward’s Robe in the corner, along with an open, empty hidden compartment.

All signs pointed to the most obvious conclusion: Qian Yong had embezzled the goods he was supposed to guard, and once his scheme was exposed, he murdered his accomplices to silence them and fled with the loot.

"Search the area! See if you can find any other clues!"

Zhou Jin commanded, his expression as dark as a thundercloud.

The Law Enforcement Disciples immediately spread out, conducting a thorough search of the stone house and the surrounding area.

However, Qian Yong had clearly planned ahead. Aside from a few insignificant personal belongings, he had left no clues pointing to his escape route or to a possible mastermind behind the operation.

"That bastard!"

Zhou Jin snorted, his heart churning with rage.

A Sect Steward had been so audacious as to embezzle vital sect resources, then flee to escape punishment, just like that.

If word of this got out, what would become of the Qingxuan Sect’s reputation?

"Round up all the disciples guarding the mine. Question them in detail about Qian Yong’s recent activities and associates to determine if they were involved!"

Zhou Jin suppressed his anger and gave his orders in a low voice.

"Sketch a portrait of Qian Yong and issue a sect-wide warrant for his arrest. Conduct a full-scale manhunt within Qingyang County. I want him found, dead or alive!"

"Yes, sir!"

The two Stewards bowed, accepted their orders, and immediately sprang into action.

After lingering at the mine for several more hours and confirming there were no further clues, Zhou Jin finally led his men back to the Qingxuan Sect, taking several of the guard disciples with them for further questioning. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

...

In a temporary holding cell in the Law Enforcement Hall, the five of them waited in silence to be exonerated. Time seemed to crawl.

After what felt like an eternity, footsteps finally sounded outside. The door opened, and Elder Zhou Jin appeared in the doorway.

His expression was still stern, but the sharp glint in his eyes had softened slightly.

His gaze swept across the five of them, and he spoke in a steady voice that carried unquestionable authority.

"The investigation has concluded that Steward Qian Yong of the Spirit Iron Mine embezzled sect property, swapping out the resources under his care. He is also suspected of hiring men to pose as bandits to ’steal’ the compromised goods en route. When his plot was exposed, he murdered his accomplices to silence them and has since fled."

"You all performed your duties admirably in this matter and did your utmost to protect the convoy. Although the resources were lost, the fault does not lie with you. You are cleared of all suspicion."

Hearing these words, the tension that had gripped the five of them finally dissipated. Expressions of immense relief appeared on their faces in unison.

Xiao Chen let out a long sigh, Chen Ying’s furrowed brow smoothed out, Shi Yong broke into a wide grin, and Zhao Li gently patted her chest.

Fang Han remained outwardly calm, but the deep-seated worry in his eyes finally faded away.

They had made it through the ordeal shaken but unscathed.

"The Sect will handle this matter," Zhou Jin continued. "A warrant has already been issued for Qian Yong’s arrest."

"You were all put in harm’s way during this mission, yet you successfully repelled the attackers. You have performed meritorious service and are without fault. As compensation, your mission reward will be doubled. The Contribution Points will be transferred to your Identity Jade Tokens shortly."

’A double reward?’

Fang Han’s interest was piqued. The mission was originally worth fifty Contribution Points; doubled, that meant a hundred. This was an unexpected windfall.

"Thank you for your discerning judgment, Elder!"

The five of them bowed in unison.

"You may go. Rest well."

Zhou Jin waved a dismissive hand, said no more, and turned to leave.

Stepping out from the somewhat grim gates of the Law Enforcement Hall and into the afternoon sun, all five felt as if they’d been given a new lease on life.

The mountain breeze caressed their faces, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees and blowing away the tension and exhaustion of the past few days.

"It’s finally over..."

Xiao Chen stretched, his joints popping softly.

"That was a really close call. We were almost done for."

Shi Yong said, still shaken, as he unconsciously touched the bandaged wound on his arm.

"Thankfully, the truth came out."

Chen Ying’s reply was terse, but his tone held a hint of relief.

Zhao Li nodded slightly, her gaze falling on Fang Han as she spoke softly.

"We have Fang Han to thank for this."

If Fang Han hadn’t revealed his astonishing combat strength at the critical moment, single-handedly fighting and killing the Eighth Grade Martial Artist, the five of them would have likely met a grim fate.

Xiao Chen and the other two nodded in agreement, looking at Fang Han with obvious gratitude.

After this battle, they were completely convinced of Fang Han’s strength.

"You’re too kind. It was a team effort," Fang Han replied, shaking his head and refusing to take all the credit.

The five of them chatted as they walked along the mountain path back to the Sub-Branch.

The near-death experience had invisibly forged a bond between them.

When they reached the Sub-Branch, they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

Fang Han pushed open the door to Room C-7, slid the bolt shut behind him, and placed his Cyan Blade Sword on the table. After a quick wash, he collapsed onto his bed, still fully clothed.

The mental strain of the past few days, combined with the fierce battle and the exhausting journey, washed over him like a tidal wave.

His head had barely hit the pillow before his consciousness sank into darkness and he fell into a deep sleep.

He slept deeply, without dream or disturbance.

By the time Fang Han awoke naturally, the sky outside was bright. Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting bright patches on the floor.

He slowly opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and clear-headed. The fatigue that had built up over the past few days was gone, and his body was brimming with qi and blood. He’d never felt better.

He got up and stretched his limbs, his joints letting out a series of crisp cracks. A feeling of vibrant power flowed through his entire body.

A sharp pang of hunger hit him. He straightened his clothes, pushed open the door, and headed straight for the dining hall.

After a hearty meal, Fang Han returned to his room. Instead of immediately beginning his Cultivation, he took out his Identity Jade Token.

He channeled a wisp of Inner Qi into the token. Its surface shimmered, and a number appeared: "230".

’Two hundred thirty points...’

Fang Han murmured the number aloud.

He had started the month with one hundred forty Contribution Points, spent ten on a Peiyuan Pill, and had just earned another hundred from the mission, bringing his total to two hundred thirty.

At a rate of twenty silver per point, two hundred thirty Contribution Points was equivalent to 4,600 silver—not a small sum by any means.

’It’s a good thing I joined the Qingxuan Sect. I could never have accumulated this much wealth back in my family clan.’

’Panel.’

Fang Han summoned the system panel, and it appeared in his field of vision.

[Host: Fang Han]

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Stepping Talent Amplification: 8x (Level 4 Amplification requires 10,000 silver)]

[Wealth: 3832 silver]

’Just over a thousand more!’

Fang Han calculated silently. He had 3,832 silver according to the panel, plus Contribution Points worth another 4,600 silver. He was just over one thousand silver short of his 10,000 silver goal.

’I just need one more high-paying mission...’

A flicker of eagerness flashed in Fang Han’s eyes.

Just one more lucrative mission would be enough to cover the difference. Once his wealth reached ten thousand silver, he could unlock the Level 4 Amplification for his Stepping Talent, boosting the multiplier to sixteen times.

At that point, the speed at which he cultivated his Body Technique would take a qualitative leap.

’But what I need right now is rest!’

However, he quickly suppressed the thought as soon as it arose.

He had just finished a dangerous, multi-day mission. Both his body and mind needed time to fully recover and consolidate his experiences.

Besides, while taking missions frequently was a fast way to accumulate resources, it would be putting the cart before the horse if it delayed his actual Cultivation.

More importantly, he could clearly feel that after his life-and-death battle with the Eighth Grade Martial Artist Qian Li, combined with his recent period of intense cultivation, he was on the verge of breaking through to the Late Stage of Ninth Grade.

’Late Stage of Ninth Grade...’

Fang Han clenched his fist, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Once he broke through to the Late Stage of Ninth Grade, with his Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship at the Minor Achievement Level, he was absolutely confident he could challenge for a spot in the top ten of the Sub-Branch Martial Arts Stele!

And once he was in the top ten, he would receive an additional Contribution Point reward every month.

At that point, he could make up the remaining thousand-plus silver just from the ranking rewards and basic benefits, without even needing to take on more missions.