All Heavens: Dual Cultivation of Magic and Martial Arts Starting from the Republic of China

Chapter 69 High-profile comeback, low-profile investigation

Upon hearing this, Chen Ji'an turned his head and glanced at Fu Ze.

He is now a warlord with a large army, but back then he was a revolutionary hero who followed Mr. Sun and Liao Xibai closely and overthrew the Manchu dynasty.

The sheer power emanating from him was so immense that ordinary people simply couldn't withstand it!

However, Fu Ze simply smiled without saying a word, calmly meeting his gaze without backing down.

Chen Ji'an frowned.

"This young man seems a bit dissatisfied?"

Fu Ze scoffed.

"What do you think? His own elder brother came to his own territory, and before he even entered the city, he was surrounded and attacked by three assassins. Isn't that a mess?"

Chen Ji'an's breathing became heavier, but he didn't speak.

Seeing that the atmosphere in the room was becoming increasingly oppressive, Liao Xibai coughed lightly and waved his hand with a smile.

"Oh dear, meeting an old friend should be a joyous occasion. Let's not let this petty illness spoil everyone's happiness. Since I started following Sun Xianjin, I've survived at least a hundred assassination attempts, big and small. It's nothing to worry about."

He looked at Chen Ji'an.

"Ji An, this young man is a true chivalrous man. He escorted me all the way from the southwest to Wenlong. He was worried about my safety, please don't mind."

The oppressive feeling on Chen Ji'an disappeared, and a look of shame appeared on his face. He bowed to Liao Xibai again.

"I'm sorry, sir, I'm sorry to have startled you. It's my fault."

He never expected that even in the armory guardhouse, they would find items related to the assassin!

This indicates that the assassination attempt at the city gate was not an isolated incident. The enemy's reach had penetrated deep into Wenlong's defenses, perhaps even further than they anticipated!

Chen Ji'an turned around abruptly.

"Search! Search the city defenses, patrol stations, police stations, armories, and all barracks duty rooms!"

"I'm going to dig these people out by tonight!"

His voice was deep, yet it carried an barely suppressed anger.

This is not just a simple outburst of anger.

In his view, Wenlong was his territory. Someone had attempted to assassinate Liao Xibai at the city gate and left sorcerer talisman ash in the armory; it was as if they had slapped him in the face.

Tang Ziming immediately replied.

"Yes, Commander!"

Liao Xibai spoke up at this moment.

"Ji An".

Chen Ji'an immediately turned around.

"gentlemen?"

Liao Xibai put down his teacup, his expression calm.

"Of course we need to investigate. But there's something else that's more urgent than the investigation."

Chen Ji'an was taken aback.

Liao Xibai said slowly.

"Tonight, I would like to trouble you to host a formal welcome dinner for me."

Everyone in the room was stunned for a moment.

Zhao Rui even subconsciously glanced out the window.

They just survived an assassination attempt, and now talisman ash has been found in the armory. Holding a banquet at this hour?

Chen Ji'an clearly hadn't expected this either.

"Sir, tonight?"

"Yes, tonight."

Liao Xibai's voice was gentle, but without the slightest hesitation.

"Invite all the important military and political figures, business guild leaders, bankers, money changers, newspaper editors, and Chinese and foreign journalists from Wenlong City. The bigger the event, the better."

"I want everyone to know that I'm back."

Chen Ji'an's expression changed slightly.

He was no ordinary person after all, and after his initial surprise, he quickly understood the situation.

He took a deep breath.

"Rest assured, sir. I will make sure this banquet is a resounding success."

Liao Xibai smiled.

"It's not about being glamorous, it's about being in the open."

Chen Ji'an lowered his head.

"The student understands."

After saying that, he turned to look at Tang Ziming.

"Ziming, come with me. Continue the investigation, but the banquet must be arranged immediately."

"The city defense command, the chamber of commerce, several newspapers, and foreign reporters all sent people to invite them."

"Write down whoever fails to do so."

Tang Ziming said in a deep voice.

"yes!"

Chen Ji'an then looked at Liao Xibai.

"Please rest here, sir. I will come to pick you up personally before the dinner."

His tone remained respectful.

However, there was still an underlying sense of dominance in his words.

Fu Ze could tell.

Li Junfeng could also tell.

Liao Xibai simply smiled and nodded.

"Thank you for your trouble, go ahead."

After Chen Ji'an left, the sound of footsteps quickly faded into the distance in the courtyard.

Only Liao Xibai, Fu Ze, Li Junfeng, Zhao Rui, and Feng Xuan remained in the room.

Zhao Rui was the first to lose his temper.

"Mr. Liao, we've just been assassinated. Wouldn't it be too risky to hold a banquet at this time?"

Li Junfeng also frowned.

"Sir, your health is already poor. And the city is obviously not clean."

Liao Xibai did not answer immediately, but only glanced at Fu Ze.

Fu Ze understood.

He took out a talisman and flicked his fingertips with spiritual energy.

The talisman ignited spontaneously without fire, turning into a faint glow that gently spread throughout the room.

Feng Xuan glanced at it and nodded.

"Good. We can't hear it outside anymore."

Zhao Rui was stunned.

"Do we have to guard against people eavesdropping?"

Fu Zedao.

"This house may not be safe now."

Zhao Rui clicked his tongue.

"The water in Wenlong is indeed quite murky."

Fu Ze then looked at him.

"Mr. Liao's move is not a gamble, but a breakthrough."

Zhao Rui frowned.

"How so?"

Fu Ze thought for a moment and tried to explain in simple terms.

"The biggest problem now is not whether Chen Ji'an is loyal or not, nor where the assassin is hiding. It's that Mr. Liao is still in the shadows."

"When people are in the shadows, they are easily killed, hidden, or pushed into traps set by others."

"If Chen Ji'an is truly loyal, of course he will protect Mr. Liao. But what if he has problems? Or what if the people around him have problems? There's too much room for maneuver in the shadows."

Zhao Rui listened and nodded slowly.

Fu Ze continued.

"But if Mr. Liao makes a public appearance tonight, and this dinner is personally arranged by Chen Ji'an, then the situation will be different."

"All the military and political officials, business gentry, newspaper reporters, and foreign journalists in Wenlong City knew that Mr. Liao had arrived in Wenlong. They also all knew that Chen Ji'an was Mr. Liao's former subordinate and his younger brother."

"If Mr. Liao gets into trouble in Wenlong, regardless of whether Chen Ji'an did it or not, he will have to take the blame."

Li Junfeng's eyes flickered slightly.

Fu Zedao.

"Especially since the incident happened at the banquet personally arranged by Chen Ji'an, he can forget about having any political future. Everyone will think that he is either incompetent or ungrateful."

"Both of these are fatal to a powerful figure who wields considerable military power."

Zhao Rui suddenly realized.

"So—not to trust him, but to make him obligated to protect Mr. Liao?"

Fu Ze nodded.

"That's right. Mr. Liao is putting himself in the spotlight so everyone can see him. Anyone who wants to make a move should think carefully about who will get burned."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Feng Xuan sighed softly.

"This humble Taoist priest only knows how to exorcise evil spirits and catch ghosts; he is indeed inferior to you all in matters of power and intrigue."

Liao Xibai smiled.

"It's not as complicated as Brother Fu made it out to be."

Zhao Rui rolled his eyes.

"Mr. Liao, please don't be so modest. If this weren't complicated, my brain must be made of wood."

Liao Xibai looked at everyone with a gentle expression.

"I must attend the banquet tonight. Junfeng and Daoist Fengxuan will accompany me. Junfeng is familiar with my old subordinates, and Daoist Fengxuan is wary of sorcerers."

Li Junfeng immediately replied.

"I'll follow you, sir."

Feng Xuan nodded.

"This humble Taoist priest has an inescapable responsibility."

Liao Xibai then looked at Fu Ze and Zhao Rui.

"Brother Fu, Arui, you don't need to go to the banquet."

Zhao Rui was taken aback.

"Not going?"

"Go and check the armory."

Liao Xibai said.

"The presence of talisman ash in the Third Battalion's armory indicates there's definitely something wrong there. Brother Fu is skilled in magic and has just entered the Transformation Realm, so his qi is very sharp. Arui is familiar with the weapons barracks. You can request to investigate together with Ziming."

Fu Ze nodded.

"clear."

Zhao Rui grinned.

"Alright. The civilian officials over there are drinking and exchanging pleasantries, while we're investigating ghosts and arresting people here. It suits us well."

Liao Xibai looked at them.

"Remember, investigating a case isn't about catching a few scapegoats. It's about figuring out exactly where the other side's influence has extended."

Fu Ze's expression turned solemn.

"Know."

Half an hour later, Tang Ziming returned.

Chen Ji'an had already gone to coordinate the banquet and city defenses, and the entire Wenlong City began to operate at high speed.

Invitations were sent out one after another from the city defense command.

Just as Zhao Mengqiu, the director of the Civil Affairs Department, put down his teacup, he heard a servant report that his hand trembled and tea splashed onto his sleeve.

"Who?"

"Liao Xibai?"

His expression changed instantly.

The secretary next to him whispered.

"Sir, is it really that Mr. Liao? The Minister of General Affairs under President Sun Yat-sen back then?"

Zhao Mengqiu remained silent for a moment.

"Besides him, who else would dare to have Chen Ji'an personally host a banquet?"

"Prepare the car."

At the same time, Finance Minister Shen Shuheng was discussing cash flow with several bank managers.

Upon hearing the words "Liao Xibai returned to Wenlong," he was stunned at first, then rubbed his temples.

"With this man's return, things are likely to change in Wenlong."

Chamber of Commerce President Lu Shaotang paced back and forth in his back room.

"Mr. Liao was one of President Sun's most trusted men. As Minister of General Affairs, he was in charge of money, personnel, confidential matters, and documents. To put it bluntly, in the early days of the Republic of China, half of the central government passed through his hands."

He looked at the several chamber of commerce directors around him.

"Everyone should go tonight. The gifts should be substantial, and everyone should be there."

"However, before we can see which way the wind is blowing, no one should speak recklessly."

The newspaper office was in an uproar.

Zhou Yunfu, the editor-in-chief of the Wenlong News, slammed his fist on the table and shouted.

"Quick! Extra!"

The title should read: "Mr. Liao Xibai returns to China and appears in Wenlong tonight!"

A young reporter blushed with excitement.

"Editor-in-chief, could you write about the former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications?"

Zhou Yunfu glared at him.

"Of course it should be written! It should also be written about how he followed Mr. Sun, traveled at home and abroad, organized funds, and planned charitable acts."

"But don't write definitively. Things are complicated in the city right now, so don't portray Commander Chen too highly."

Several foreign journalists also received the news.

Inside a small building in the foreign concession, a blond reporter, pipe in mouth, flipped through the invitations and asked the comprador translator a question with suspicion.

Who is Liao Xibai?

The translator said in a low voice.

"Sir can be understood as one of the most important revolutionary leaders in this country. When Mr. Sun was alive, he was the Minister of General Affairs. If he were to return to Nanjing now, the positions of many people would be insecure."

The blond reporter's eyes lit up immediately.

Big news.

When the news reached the streets, it took on a different meaning.

Several porters were gathered around the tea stall.

"Have you heard? Mr. Liao is back!"

"Which Mr. Liao?"

"Who else could it be? The one who fought alongside Mr. Sun back then! I heard he played a significant role in the fall of the Tartar emperor."

"Does that mean things will get better from now on?"

"Who knows? Anyway, Commander Chen personally hosted the banquet, so he must be a big shot."

A child selling newspapers ran down the street, holding up a newly printed special edition.

"Mr. Liao has returned to Wenlong!"

"Commander Chen is hosting a banquet tonight!"

The news spread faster than the wind.

When Fu Ze and Zhao Rui followed Tang Ziming out, they could already hear faint whispers on the street.

Zhao Rui said in a low voice.

"With Mr. Liao's appearance, the whole of Wenlong knows about it."

Fu Ze looked at the running newsboys and nodded.

"That's the effect."

Tang Ziming couldn't help but say.

"He's still a man of principle. He just survived an assassination attempt, and he's already turned the tables."

Zhao Rui laughed.

"You power players are all cunning and scheming."

Tang Ziming gave a wry smile.

"Don't insult me ​​along with Zhao Qiangwang."

The 3rd Battalion's armory was located in a courtyard near the city defense camp.

There were sandbags, wooden fences, and sentry posts outside.

After Tang Ziming led his men inside, all the guards of the armory were gathered in the courtyard and questioned one by one.

Fu Ze didn't rush to ask anyone; he looked at the place first.

The armory guardhouse was small, furnished with tables, chairs, a teapot, an incense burner, and a small bed against the wall. A portion of the ashes from the incense burner had been taken out and placed on oiled paper.

Fu Ze activated his spiritual vision.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became clear.

The yang energy, sweat, gunpowder smell, and metallic aura left behind by ordinary people are mixed together.

Beneath this chaotic atmosphere, there were a few very fine gray-black traces.

Not only the incense burner, but also the threshold and under the windowsill. Even at the foot of the small bed against the wall, there were some left.

Fu Ze's brows slowly furrowed.

Zhao Rui asked.

"What did you figure out?"

Fu Zedao.

"This place has been used to burn talismans more than once."

Tang Ziming's expression changed.

"What do you mean?"

Fu Ze squatted down and pointed to the threshold.

"There are remnants here. On the windowsill. By the bed."

"If it were just last-minute preparations before the assassination, it wouldn't be so scattered."

"It's more like someone frequently uses a talisman or something similar to conceal their presence here."

Zhao Rui stroked his chin.

"So, the mole frequently enters and exits the armory? And not just once or twice."

Tang Ziming's face turned even uglier.

"Entry and exit from the armory requires keys and registration."

Fu Ze looked at him.

Who controls the keys?

Tang Ziming turned around.

"Bring the person in charge of the armory keys and the register!"

Soon, soldiers came running to report.

"Battalion Commander, Deputy Platoon Leader Liu Yonggui is missing."

Tang Ziming's eyes turned cold.

"When did it disappear?"

"I don't know. We only discovered he wasn't there when we were taking inventory at the camp."

"What does he care?"

"The armory keys are on rotation, and they'll be in his hands for the next three days."

Zhao Rui sneered.

"What a coincidence."

There was no trace of a smile on Tang Ziming's face.

"Go to his place."

Liu Yonggui lived in a row of separate huts behind the barracks.

The location wasn't high, but it wasn't a place for ordinary soldiers to live. The room wasn't large, but it was very clean inside.

That's too dry and uncouth!

As soon as Fu Ze went in, he felt something was off.

The residence of a low-ranking military officer was surprisingly devoid of any personal traces.

There were several sets of clothes, two pairs of shoes, a teacup on the table, and the quilt on the bed was neatly folded.

But it looks too much like a place that "should be occupied," rather than a place that is actually occupied normally.

Zhao Rui noticed it too.

"This room is like a stage."

Tang Ziming frowned.

"Get me some search results!"

Bingmiao immediately began rummaging through boxes and cabinets.

Fu Ze then walked to the table.

On the table was a ceramic pen holder with several calligraphy brushes inserted inside. Next to it, in the pavilion, was an old account book.

He flipped through it and saw that it was all ordinary military equipment registration; there was nothing wrong with it.

Upon closer inspection, a faint gray-black mark can be seen on the corner of the table.

Fu Ze reached out and touched it.

It's the ashes from burned items.

"here."

Zhao Rui immediately came over.

Tang Ziming also approached.

Fu Ze moved the table aside and, sure enough, found some ash from your paper that hadn't been swept away in the gap between the table legs.

There was a small amount of unburnt paper left in the pavilion.

The scrap of paper was only the size of a fingernail, with only two and a half characters remaining on it.

South code —

Zhao Rui narrowed his eyes.

"South Wharf?"

Tang Ziming's face darkened.

"Wenlong South Wharf is a place where cargo ships, passenger ships, and military supply ships mingle. With so many people and ships, it's the easiest place for people to hide."

Fu Ze looked at the tattered paper, but he was not at ease.

"It could also be a trap."

Zhao Rui sneered.

"We should also check for traps."

Tang Ziming said in a deep voice.

"I'll transfer people."

Fu Ze shook his head.

"There shouldn't be too many people. If there are too many people, it's easy to alert the enemy."

Zhao Rui checked the two guns again.

"Then a few of us will go."

Fu Ze looked out the window.

Outside Wenlong City, it was already half dark.

Meanwhile, Liao Xibai's welcome banquet is probably about to begin.

On the surface, lights will be lit and powerful figures will gather.

Secretly, the South Wharf may be hiding the assassin Yi Lu.

Fu Ze put away the scrap of paper and said in a low voice.

"Let's go. Let Mr. Liao make an appearance, and then we'll head over to the South Wharf."