Luo Sen could act tough in front of others, but in front of Yang Liya, he was no different from a kitten. Firstly, because Yang Liya's strength was formidable, extremely so. This could be seen from her battles with Zhuang Yanshan, where she repeatedly killed Zhuang Yanshan in seconds. If Zhuang Yanshan hadn't relied on the Nightmare Demon and used the life force from Netherflame for Ultra Regeneration, he would have been hammered into meat paste by Yang Liya long ago. Secondly, Yang Liya's leadership ability was also very strong; she always led the Hunters to make the most correct choices. Luo Sen was once a team member under Yang Liya, so he had a lot of respect for her. "Er, I've calmed down." Seeing that Luo Sen had become obedient, Yang Liya no longer focused on him and instead turned to look at Lu Luo. "Let's go. I'll take you to the crime scene." Yang Liya was as decisive and swift as ever. Zhang Anran shivered on the side, not daring to speak. Although they were both Hunter Team Leaders, he was only Fifth Tier, while Yang Liya was Sixth Tier. The gap between their strength and status was very large. Now that Yang Liya was personally taking over the matter, Zhang Anran naturally didn't dare to let out a peep. Getting to the heart of the matter, Lu Luo naturally wouldn't have any objections. In the office of Security Bureau Director Li Kaizhe, Lu Luo had already activated over-frequency mode and was scanning the surrounding environment. The range of the battle extended from the Director's office to the private bathroom and bedroom, with signs of a struggle in all these places. The nature of the battle was hand-to-hand combat; both parties were unarmed. One was on the offensive, while the other was on the defensive. The fight was very intense, with wall cracks, fist marks, and collisions, totaling 193 places. Lu Luo nodded; it was clear that the crime scene had already been cleaned up, and possibly more than once. Lu Luo lingered for quite a while, so much so that the people from the Security Bureau were starting to get impatient. "Hey, you're here to assist with the investigation. Shouldn't you be cooperating with our questions according to the rules at this time?" Before Lu Luo had a chance to speak up, Yang Liya, standing next to him, had already stepped in to block these people. "This is my turf, and you're talking about your rules on my home ground? By what right?" Yang Liya's response left Lu Luo a bit taken aback; in his memory, Yang Liya was someone who abided by the rules. What has Yang Liya been through during this period? Could it be that Ludie's death caused such a drastic change in her personality? This reason isn't sufficient. If Yang Liya could change so easily, she wouldn't have been able to climb to her current position step by step. Nor would she have been the main person from the Security Bureau in charge of monitoring Ludie. The people from the Security Bureau were also surprised; Yang Liya's assertiveness made them feel a bit embarrassed. However, they hadn't come here to cause trouble, and Liu Wei stepped forward. "Captain Yang's actions seem a bit like shielding someone!" "I'm investigating seriously. If you really want to know the truth of this matter, it's best if you shut up." Yang Liya was radiating such hostility that the Security Bureau personnel didn't dare to speak further. Everyone's gaze shifted back to Lu Luo. "Based on the investigation of the scene, I've obtained some useful information," Lu Luo stated. "During the incident, the parties involved fought, resulting in 193 instances of damage. These are just the obvious signs of destruction; many other combat collisions must have occurred in mid-air. This indicates one thing: it was a very protracted and evenly matched battle. Such high-intensity collisions must have been maintained for at least seven minutes." Yang Liya frowned; the length of the fight was too long for a Transcendent. "Seven minutes? Is this deduction accurate?" Lu Luo nodded; the Observer's analysis was certainly accurate. "Based on the traces at the scene, it can only be more, not less." Yang Liya looked towards Zhang Anran, who immediately responded, "I was in the Bureau the whole time, and our team's area is very close to the office. I'm certain I didn't hear any sounds of battle. A seven-minute fight isn't short. If there had been any noise, even if I didn't hear it, my other team members would have. So, that means..." Zhang Anran didn't say Lu Luo's deduction was wrong, but the signs at the scene didn't look fake either, so there could only be one reason. "A barrier!" Yang Liya declared. "The battle between the murderer and Li Kaizhe was shielded by some kind of power. This shielding power is very strong, exceeding the perception limits of even a Hunter Team Leader, which is why Zhang Anran and the others didn't notice it." This was Yang Liya's analysis, and it made a lot of sense. And by saying this, she effectively cleared Lu Luo of any suspicion. After all, although Lu Luo was very powerful, his combat style had been recorded by the Security Bureau. He leaned towards close combat, was somewhat impulsive, the type who dared to charge and fight. His main Cultivation Technique was the Six Paths Qi He; he possessed an excellent physical constitution and strength-based prowess. In Lu Luo's combat records, there was never an instance of him using barrier abilities, nor had he attained the Fifth Tier. So, Lu Luo's suspicion was immediately washed away. Liu Wei stepped forward, looked at Lu Luo, then turned his head to Yang Liya. "Captain Yang's analysis is logical and well-founded, but if the murderer isn't Lu Luo, then who could it be? The creator of Steam abilities was Captain Ludie, who has now fallen in the line of duty. Although he has several disciples, the only ones left alive are Lu Luo and Ding Peng. If neither of these two is the culprit, then could Captain Yang tell me, is the real murderer truly Captain Wang Jie?" Wang Jie was a seasoned Sixth Tier Hunter. In the hearts of most Hunters, he was even more important than Lu Luo, certainly not someone to be cast aside. Yang Liya's eyes also showed a hint of doubt at this point. Because regarding the Steam Qi He, also known as the Dust Demon Mystery Technique, there was a fourth person who knew it. Not long ago, she had taught the Steam Qi He to Lu Xiaotian. But Lu Xiaotian had only just started to practice it, a mere two months' time. Could there really be someone so gifted as to go from a complete beginner to killing a veteran Fourth-Tier expert within two months? The murderer is an eight-year-old child? How could that be possible? If she revealed this matter, not to mention the Inner Ring people, even her subordinates, and she herself, would hardly believe it. "Could it really be Da Tian?" Hesitation flickered in Yang Liya's eyes; she might know something. Lu Luo narrowed his eyes slightly. The relationship between Yang Liya and Ludie was somewhat vague. If Yang Liya also knew the Steam technique, then the death of the Security Bureau Director became somewhat puzzling. "Captain Yang? What are you thinking about? Do you have any clues?" Lu Luo's gaze seemed to penetrate hearts, but the battle-hardened Yang Liya was not swayed. Trying to gather useful information from her gaze was too difficult. "Nothing much, just pondering who the murderer might be," Yang Liya turned to Liu Wei and said, "The person who killed Director Li Kaizhe is still being pursued. Captain Liu Wei can rest in the Outer Ring for a while. Once we have cleared up this matter, we will naturally inform you." Yang Liya's attitude was very firm; though she didn't outright refuse, she also showed no intention of cooperating with Liu Wei and his team. Seeing her , Lu Luo also wondered if Yang Liya was prepared to completely break with the Inner Ring. "Captain Yang Liya, isn't what you're doing a bit inappropriate?" Liu Wei pressed. "After all, we represent the Inner Ring. And Director Li Kaizhe was an important talent sent by the Inner Ring to supervise the development of the Fourth Ring. No matter what, you owe the Inner Ring an explanation." Yang Liya's phoenix eyes narrowed. "Explanation? What kind of explanation would you like?" "We don't need your assistance with the investigation; we can investigate on our own. Our demands are simple right now: just don't interfere with our investigation and evidence collection." Facing Yang Liya, Liu Wei stood up to the pressure. At this moment, he represented the Inner Ring investigative team. The investigative team's task wasn't just to investigate the cause of Li Kaizhe's death and apprehend the criminals. An even more important objective was to ascertain the current stance of the East Fourth Ring and to demonstrate the Inner Ring's current position. The Inner Ring wasn't afraid of engaging in battle; it was just that everyone in the Inner Ring was waiting for the death of a certain prominent figure. If the East Fourth Ring truly failed to appreciate the situation, perhaps humanity's civil war, another purge, would begin anew! Yang Liya felt Liu Wei's firm stance, but she too hesitated about whether to truly break with the Inner Ring. Could the Fourth Ring really survive in the Wasteland relying solely on its own strength? Yang Liya instinctively looked at Lu Luo, and Lu Luo nodded at her. Lu Luo had seen Yang Liya's hesitation. His thoughts were straightforward: if even Yang Liya wasn't ready, if the Hunters weren't ready, then any resistance from others in the East Ring would be pointless. Since they weren't ready, it would be better to accommodate the Inner Ring and let them continue their investigation. Things that the Hunters and Lu Luo couldn't figure out would, at the very least, buy them some time. What the Fourth Ring needed now was time! "What sort of investigation do you want to conduct?" Yang Liya finally asked. "If conditions allow, I can have people cooperate with you." "We don't need your evidence or cooperation," Liu Wei stated. "Regarding the investigation, we have our own professionals. We just hope you won't interfere." For origınal chapters go to 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽 Yang Liya raised her eyebrows slightly. "Alright then. This will give me a chance to see what these so-called Inner Ring professionals are like." When Liu Wei heard Yang Liya agree, a triumphant expression immediately appeared on his face, as if victory was already in his grasp. "Let Yuan Mian come over." Lu Luo looked at Zhang Anran with confusion, his eyes clearly asking: who is Yuan Mian? Zhang Anran wasn't slow-witted and quickly understood Lu Luo's unspoken question. "Yuan Mian is that eccentric woman from the Inner Ring. Her Sequence allows her to communicate with spirits and create images. She was the one who confirmed that the person who killed Li Kaizhe used Steam Qi He." Based on the description, there's a high probability that their Sequence is Sequence B-Phantom Reveal: Manifests past events of a target through a medium and sacrifice. Lu Luo nodded slightly. Indeed, if such a Sequence existed, it would be an incredibly powerful forensic tool. The ability to display past events using a medium meant that finding an item connected to a body could reveal what happened to the person before death. This ability was almost infallible and possessed nearly one hundred percent accuracy. After a short wait, some Inner Ring personnel helped a somewhat frail girl come forward. Skinny, withered, without luster, and even lacking the most basic nutrition. That was the impression this girl gave to everyone present. "Is this the person, Yuan Mian?" someone whispered. "Why does she look like she's about to die?" Identity unknown. Fourth-Tier Transcendent, suspected Sequence B-Phantom Reveal. Attributes: Strength 0.25, Constitution 0.17, Agility 0.11. The target suffers from long-term malnutrition. As a Transcendent, she lacks the most basic physical constitution. The Dark Energy of a Fourth-Tier is continuously eroding her body. In this state, her lifespan will continue to shorten until death. Truth be told, it was Lu Luo's first time seeing a Transcendent with attributes even lower than a normal person's, much lower in fact. As the Observer hinted, such a frail body couldn't withstand the intrusion of Fourth-Tier Dark Energy. Even without specific physical training, a Transcendent's constitution should naturally strengthen as their tier increases. This natural strengthening should allow Transcendents who don't focus on physical cultivation to still far surpass ordinary people. But Yuan Mian was completely different; she was several times weaker than an average person. With such a physical condition, Lu Luo simply couldn't imagine how she usually absorbed Dark Energy. Even if she used Dark Spirit Stones, or if the Dark Energy in the Inner Ring was gentler, the energy surge during a tier breakthrough was absolutely violent. With this constitution, breaking through to the Fourth Tier would have been enough to kill her a hundred times. Yuan Mian released the hand that was supporting her; actually, she wasn't unattractive, and her double-pupiled eyes were quite spirited. It was just that her body was too withered. Yuan Mian looked around at the few people and bowed to everyone very politely. "I am Yuan Mian, the forensic specialist for the investigative team. I'm pleased to meet you all." The Hunters' expressions were somewhat strange; some of them had already witnessed Yuan Mian's abilities. Even those who hadn't seen it for themselves had heard about her abilities from their colleagues. But with such a frail body, wouldn't using a Sequence that consumed so much Dark Energy just accelerate her death? Liu Wei walked up to Yuan Mian's side and pointed at Lu Luo. "This man is named Lu Luo. He is the last one who can use the Steam Qi He. Do you need to check him out?" Yuan Mian looked at Lu Luo, her eyes first showing confusion, then disbelief. She walked up to Lu Luo with small, shuffling steps and extended her very withered palm towards him. "Mr. Lu Luo, may I see your hand please?" Lu Luo hesitated for a moment, and the Observer quickly offered guidance. The Observer has no record of the advanced abilities of Phantom Reveal, so you'll have to judge for yourself! Lu Luo nodded; with so many people around at this time, there was no way he could refuse Yuan Mian. Yuan Mian was too frail, without any sense of aggression. Even Lu Luo found it hard to link such a person with an enemy. He was even a bit afraid that if he accidentally touched her, she would simply collapse and die. Lu Luo extended his hand, and Yuan Mian grasped it tightly with both of her hands. Her eyes suddenly turned completely black, her double pupils becoming stark white. As they made eye contact, Lu Luo witnessed a scene that surprised him: some of Yuan Mian's memories and past. Yuan Mian, help me with my homework; you're so good at studying anyway! Yuan Mian, you're so thin, you can't eat that much, right? I'll take the chicken leg. Yuan Mian, with such impressive talent, you will surely become an extraordinary Transcendent. So, can you give me your spot this time? Yuan Mian, you bitch, why did you seduce Shi Tao? Yuan Mian, from today on, don't say a word to Shi Tao, understand? Yuan Mian, you're so obedient, so well-behaved. Can you steal the master's secret book for me? Yuan Mian! Yuan Mian! Yuan Mian! Yuan Mian! Yuan Mian! Yuan Mian! Yuan Mian… Okay, I'll do it now… Lu Luo and Yuan Mian awoke at the same time, their eyes locking! "Yuan Mian, you?" Lu Luo began. "Reporting," Yuan Mian declared, her voice surprisingly firm. "I saw it. Mr. Lu Luo is the murderer."