Ark Chess Player.

Dear readers, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day!

May our great motherland prosper and become strong, and may everyone enjoy good health and peace!

Here's a big thank you to the player "荆棘火" for the golden treasure chest!!

Thank you, boss! You're so generous! You've achieved great success in your studies! And you're in good health!

I was writing until 5:30 last night, and after finishing the update I went straight to bed and didn't get up until after 1 a.m. When I woke up and looked through the group chat, I thought I had misread it.

That's wonderful, that's wonderful.

Hehe~ I also want to thank the other readers for their support.

I wasn't feeling well last month, and I'm very grateful for everyone's understanding and concern.

According to the bounty, 4K cat cookies will add 1 chapter, 40 blades will add 1 chapter, and a gold treasure chest will add 30 chapters.

I currently owe 37 chapters, but I'll try my best to update them!

Go for it! Good luck!

Chapter 268 The Smoke of War at Longmen (5K)

"..."

Swire quietly looked at the dark room in front of him.

Countless long female hairs, and specimens made with preservatives and other ingredients.

The rusty torture instruments still bore traces of dried blood and fragments of remains.

This sealed room is enough to silence anyone with criminal investigation experience. Even a novice, with a focused examination, could tell it was no makeshift forgery. A seasoned criminal investigator could discern from it the horrific and gruesome tragedy that had occurred at the scene.

Swire unconsciously clenched her fists, turned around, and walked to the elevator.

Compared to the locked room, the traces left by this elevator are more obvious.

Judging from the signs of blood clotting and its color, it could not have been left within three hours.

These numerous traces left in the elevator may have been there for three days, three months... or even day and night.

As for the number of people, Swire was certain that it was definitely more than all the corpses she had seen today.

"Hehe, hehe..."

Swire let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Even she herself was surprised; the voice she made sounded completely unlike her own, which was incredibly tragic.

Swire couldn't help but recall the missing persons cases he had searched for time and time again without success. Because the missing people were often powerless and insignificant, once the case processing time exceeded the limit, it would be marked as an unsolved case and thrown into the archives to be downplayed.

Incidentally, if a wealthy person disappears, it's not called a missing person, it's called a kidnapping.

These missing persons include both men and women, and even if the Guard Bureau were to deploy all its personnel for a thorough search of Lungmen, they might not be found. Moreover, some members of the Guard Bureau are lurking in the shadows, deliberately obstructing the search, making their efforts thankless and futile. No one will blame them if they can't find the missing persons, but if they are found, they might even face retaliation from certain individuals. This is why handling missing persons cases has become the Guard Bureau's most passive task.

"I see, I see... Heh, hehe."

Swire suddenly realized that he now understood many things that he couldn't understand before.

In the glamorous city of Longmen, the hidden dark side is equally present.

Because humans have desires.

I want many things, and I get quite a lot, but I'm never satisfied.

Even within the Lungmen Guard, which stands at the forefront of order, there are those who fall into corruption, blinded by the power in their hands, and whose behavior changes as a result.

Perhaps at first these people are approachable and willing to listen to advice. But gradually, they will enjoy the flattery of those with ulterior motives, only like to hear what they want to hear, stop listening to advice, and turn around and remove these people who are in their way, so that they will never appear in front of them again.

The more prosperous Longmen became, the more dark things it bred, because these developments were all allowed to continue by Wei Yanwu.

Wei Yanwu understood better than anyone how to transform an unknown mobile city into a world-renowned trading hub.

—Longmen has its own pride.

Swire suddenly felt a bit disgusted with his own motto.

"Really, it's so annoying..."

Swire murmured to herself, her voice echoing within the secret room.

"Did the intruders leave from here?"

Charlotte asked, his expression calm, seemingly unaffected by the horrific scene.

Perhaps the sheer impact of the path strewn with mercenary corpses was so overwhelming that everything else seemed dull to him. Or perhaps his life experience rendered him insensitive to such things.

"may be."

Swire raised her right hand, gloved in white, to avoid disturbing the fingerprints at the scene, and carefully examined the elevator's control mechanism. The existence of this elevator was not registered in Lungmen's records. Normally, the construction of every building in Lungmen must be fully registered and monitored by the relevant departments to prevent illegal construction.

It seems that the relevant departments embezzled money and concealed the truth.

Swire's eyes dimmed slightly, but she quickly rallied and carefully observed the scene.

She is no longer the young girl with ideals in her mind. Having risen from the lowest level of the security guard to where she is today, she has seen a lot more.

One of Swire's former bosses told her that if she didn't want to associate with those people, the best way was to resign.

Her boss said earnestly, "I know who you are, and I know how terrifying your family background is. The heiress of the Swire Group, the richest of the rich, the apple of Longmen's eye. Sigh, I'm not afraid to tell you, but I'm being so nice to you for my own selfish reasons. If you hold a high position in the Guard Bureau in the future, as your mentor, even if I never get promoted, I won't have to worry about my superiors finding fault with me. As long as you're in this position, I can happily hold onto my secure civil servant job. Your reputation is my best resume."

"I finally crawled out of the slums and got a slightly more capable position in the Guard Bureau. To be honest, when I first became an official, I also wanted to be an upright official who could clear the sky and restore order, but I was wrong. This officialdom is even more rotten than the slums, rotten to the core. In the slums, you just couldn't get enough to eat, but here, you can only eat people. Even after all this, you still won't let this go? Fine, fine! Miss, if you insist on making these incriminating facts public, fine, very well! I'm willing to use my life to let you see clearly whether this world is truly pure or corrupt!"

"I hope you can still stay true to yourself by then, but this path will definitely be more difficult than you imagine."

"I only wish that you, Miss, may live a life of solitude and purity forever."

…Swire’s words of advice remained in her heart; she never forgot them.

This was the opportunity for Swire to be promoted from a reserve police officer to a full-fledged police officer. Despite numerous obstacles, she persevered and solved a case involving the theft of Originium psychoactive drugs, ruining a scheme between a high-ranking member of the Guard Bureau and the Lungmen underworld.

Originium psychoactive drugs are not good things.

On the contrary, this is a poison that is extremely harmful to human physical and mental health.

People who take Originium psychoactive drugs will experience hallucinations, and their nervous system will be damaged by the strong effects of the drugs. After taking them several times, they will become disabled.

Generally speaking, these two points alone are enough to make people keep their distance and feel disgusted. This kind of thing is a double-edged sword, bringing considerable energy while also bringing diseases with a 100% fatality rate.

What's more, this Originium-based psychoactive drug is harmful in every way.

Unfortunately, some capitalists are willing to exploit even Originium for money, forcing others to risk their lives in dangerous mines.

Naturally, some people will spread this toxic and addictive Originium drug for profit, reaping people's lives and souls.

Lungmen, this emerging mobile city, has been recognized as one of Terra's model cities. With its high employment rate, abundant business opportunities, and one of the world's largest populations enjoying a comfortable standard of living, this city always inspires hope. Lies or illusions may be true, but it's so close, seemingly within reach, that it makes people willing to risk everything.

People flocked to and from Longmen, all hoping to rise through the ranks and amass wealth in this financial metropolis brimming with opportunities. But reality often differed from their ideals. Caught between opportunities and pitfalls, many of these outsiders gravitated towards the latter, becoming the city's breadbasket.

Living in this rapidly developing city, everyone needs something to rely on to escape the bitterness of reality.

After all, people want to rely on something to live.

Most people choose cigarettes, even though repeated use of nicotine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, reduce appetite, cause nausea, and even lead to death when overdose... But if life is really unbearable, if you don't know how to live and are afraid to die, you can only try your best to deceive yourself for the rest of your life.

Even the former king of mercenaries would light a cigar in the dead of night and rest alone in the wisps of smoke.

The underground forces of Longmen saw this opportunity.

They don't just intend to plunder the rich; they also intend to plunder the poor.

The underground forces in Lungmen obtained supply channels for Originium psychotropic drugs from other cities, and distributed these drugs after diluting them to a level that would not kill people.

In the early stages of Longmen's development, venues similar to Zuiyuelou (醉月楼), nightclubs, and other establishments providing karaoke equipment and spaces for singing and dancing emerged in large numbers. These entertainment venues attracted a large number of people and satisfied their desires, which were hidden beneath moral constraints and the suppression of public opinion.

The underground forces of Lungmen set their sights on these establishments. Initially, they distributed these pills for free to the wealthy and those struggling financially through shopkeepers, playboys, hostesses, and street thugs. Even the poor, as long as they had a house, a wife, and daughters, were within their hunting grounds.

These drugs are so hallucinogenic and highly addictive that once people become addicted, it is almost impossible for them to quit.

Free things are always the most expensive.

Once you do it the first time, you'll want to do it again, but the second time will require expensive Lungmen Dollars.

The wealthy can afford to purchase Originium-based psychoactive drugs regularly, carefully controlling the dosage and frequency. Even knowing their bodies are gradually heading towards the abyss, they willingly succumb to this false pleasure.

Those without money cannot resist this desire and impulse. To obtain Originium psychoactive drugs, they are willing to pay any price, selling their houses, cars, wives, daughters, and even their organs. But the money they can obtain is limited, and ultimately, they suffer a fate worse than death without the drugs, meeting a tragic end.

When Governor Wei Yanwu of Longmen realized that such things were being sold in his territory, he immediately flew into a rage. He could tolerate some illicit activities in Longmen, but he would never allow psychotropic drugs to be sold there.

As a citizen of Yan, Wei Yanwu knew about Yan's past and also knew the consequences of allowing such psychotropic drugs to spread unchecked.

This will not only cause a massive outflow of Lungmen Dollars, leading to a financial crisis, but will also corrupt Lungmen's ruling institutions. Once Lungmen's nobles, bureaucrats, and wealthy individuals become immersed in the illusions of Originium Spirit Drugs, they will only become more corrupt in their efforts to solve their financial problems, exacerbating the parasitic and decadent nature of the ruling class.

Imagine this: Lungmen officials accept bribes, protect the smuggling of psychotropic drugs, and use various methods such as increasing rents and taxes to shift the cost of purchasing these drugs onto the citizens of Lungmen, thus increasing their burden. The oppressed citizens of Lungmen, seeking refuge from reality, are now presented with Originium psychotropic drugs, tempted, seduced, or even forced to take them, thus controlling their lives.

The safety of Lungmen citizens will be a joke.

The image of Longmen will also be stained with a stain that can never be wiped away.

Wei Yanwu immediately berated the senior superintendent of the Security Bureau, and in a fit of anger declared, "I will not welcome outsiders until I have thoroughly cleaned my own house."

In order to rescue a wealthy young lady with a special identity, the Lungmen Guard once formed the prototype of a special inspection team and launched a rescue plan.

After many years, the Guard Bureau has finally united again and is unleashing its full power.

This three-month-long "cleanup" severely damaged Lungmen's underground forces, extinguishing any thought of dealing in Originium psychoactive drugs. The Royal Guard officers were given a strict order: even if it meant using the most direct and brutal methods, they had to make sure these people remembered Lungmen's wrath.

After the major cleanup was completed, the Lungmen Guard Bureau announced its results in a high-profile manner, seizing 19187 boxes and 2119 bags of Originium psychoactive drugs, with a total weight of 2376254 catties.

Wei Yanwu publicly ordered that everything be destroyed, leaving nothing behind!

However, some people still had ulterior motives.

During the disposal of drugs in the Originium isolation chamber at Longmen, a group of people conspired to secretly hide over a hundred kilograms, hoping to make a quick fortune. However, Wei Yanwu personally arrived at the scene and, during the inventory check that day, discovered that a batch was missing. He immediately ordered a search.

At the time, Swire was a police officer. He used his knowledge and skills to overcome all difficulties and successfully solved the case with his own abilities (money power).

To everyone's surprise, the person who stole from the premises was actually a senior police superintendent from Lungmen.

Once this matter is made public, the image that the Lungmen Guard has worked so hard to build will collapse overnight. The impact will be far more than just sending this person to prison; even Wei Yanwu is having a major headache. However, Swire insists on revealing the truth and restoring justice to Lungmen.

If the emperor breaks the law, he will be punished the same as the common people.

Moreover, he is a high-ranking police superintendent in the Imperial Guard, second only to the head of the bureau.

Finally, the person who stood up for Swire, who was then just a lowly guard, was Swire's superior.

He announced the incident at a press conference and took full responsibility for Swire's actions. This caused a stir in Lungmen, with the media relentlessly pursuing the matter like mad dogs. The Lungmen Guard Bureau subsequently made numerous attempts to salvage its image.

Swire's boss enjoyed a period of glory, but it was only superficial. In reality, he was ostracized by everyone, and the tasks assigned to him were all difficult and challenging. Finally, as time passed and the matter became less noticeable, the person who had orchestrated it still betrayed him.

After being absent from work for three consecutive days, he was eventually found hanged in his own house, which was less than 30 square meters in size. A suicide note was also left at the scene. The note stated that he had abused his power, committed embezzlement and adultery, etc., and was filled with remorse, choosing to end his life.

When Swire learned of this, he wanted to conduct an autopsy and go to the scene to find out the truth, but he was told that his superior's body had been cremated with the consent of his family.

Swire shouted angrily, "He's all alone, where would he get any family? This is a conspiracy! I want to see Wei Yanwu!"

However, the other party rejected her request, and Swire's appeal went unanswered. It seemed that everyone except her had tacitly approved of what had happened.

This incident left Swire disheartened and even tempted him to resign.

She finally understood what her boss had told her back then, but she understood it too late.

If Swire hadn't met Chen Huijie later, she might have become the person she hated most in her despair.

Chen Huijie is a woman who is dedicated to her duties, hates evil, and has never backed down, will not back down, and does not know how to back down.

Almost everyone believed that Chen would disappear in the power struggle, and her sharpness would soon be worn away by endless troubles.

To everyone's surprise, the crime rate and injury rate declined for two consecutive years, and the promotion of young officers became faster and more substantial. Chen rose through the ranks and joined one of the most important teams in the Guard Department, the Special Inspectorate.

In Swire's eyes, she was so dazzling, like a beacon guiding the way forward.

This gave Swire the courage to keep going.

To this day, Swire is still investigating the mysterious death of his boss.

She didn't believe her boss had committed suicide, and she was even less inclined to believe he had embezzled funds, since he had refused the Swire family.

How could someone who is overjoyed with a normal monthly income, someone who never goes to nightclubs after get off work, someone who is a coward but willing to risk their life to become a beacon in times of crisis and illuminate the way for others, possibly leave such a suicide note and commit suicide out of guilt?

This was a homicide.

Swire firmly believed this.

Even though someone was secretly warning her not to investigate the matter any further—