Chapter 83: Clues Gradually Emerge

Since receiving the secret order from Jing Yuan, Qing Cu set off almost without stopping.

Using her temporarily borrowed highest-level access, she overcame numerous obstacles, meticulously reviewing Bai Xuan's nearly century-long travel records in and out of Luofu, even verifying the destinations and durations of stays, afraid of missing any details. She even contacted local inspectors to confirm the authenticity of these records.

You wouldn't know unless you looked it up, and what you found was shocking.

When Qingcui saw the port inspection video sent by the other party, she frowned. She wondered, why was he going to such lengths to hide his true destination?

Yes, from the moment he first left Luofu under the guise of "travel," Bai Xuan traveled to almost every corner of the world. On the surface, he appeared to be traveling far and wide, his footprints covering the entire starry sky; but in reality, he merely treated these places as carefully selected transit points—staying for a few days, leaving his mark, and then quietly setting off again.

Everything seemed to be deliberately weaving a false trajectory to conceal the path leading to the true destination.

Qingcu played the video repeatedly, examining each frame carefully.

In the scene, Bai Xuan carries her luggage, her steps are steady, her expression is calm and indifferent, showing no interest in anything, which is completely different from the image described by the general.

But Qingcu keenly noticed a detail: every time Baixuan arrived at the port, she would linger near her lodging for a short while, as if she were confirming something or waiting for someone.

She retrieved all his "stops" one by one, marked them on the star map, and then compared them with the entry and exit records of all people in Luofu over the past century.

Luofu Port is always bustling with people. Even with the highest authority granted by Jing Yuan, finding a "fellow traveler" whose route completely overlaps with Bai Xuan's in the vast sea of ​​records is like finding a needle in a haystack. If she were to check them one by one, by the time she finished, the world might have changed beyond recognition.

She had no choice but to narrow down the search to people who had traveled from Luofu within the last two months and whose destination was the same as Bai Xuan's.

Even so, she still felt a little uneasy.

What if the other party is cunning and has multiple escape routes, and instead of departing from the same port as Bai Xuan, they set off from another star system and then meet up at the agreed location?

In this way, even if she holds the highest authority in Luofu, she has no right to demand that other star regions cooperate in retrieving entry and exit records.

The lifespan of the immortals is inherently long; a hundred years is but a blink of an eye, and there are quite a few who live for thousands of years.

If someone were to patiently pave a hidden path over a period of a century, then this seemingly endless stretch of time would become the most natural and insurmountable barrier to her investigation.

Qingcu slowly exhaled, staring at the dense markings on the star map.

Each "stop" may seem random, but the distance between them is precise, as if they form a route that exists only in his mind.

If all these years he wasn't traveling, but rather quietly searching, paving the way, planning, and designing—then that century was not just a cover, but also a time for sharpening his tools.

Thinking of this, Qingcu felt as if ice water had been poured over her chest, and an ominous chill crept up her spine.

What exactly is Bai Xuan trying to find that is worth hiding for a hundred years?

Now that things have come to this, she dared not speculate on her own any longer.

Qingcu gathered his thoughts and prepared to report everything to the general immediately, to hear the general's judgment first.

Qingcu immediately connected to the general's dedicated line. The screen flickered a few times, and Jingyuan's figure appeared in the virtual light screen.

He stood in the twilight, seemingly having just escaped from the search party, still wearing the same clothes he had worn during the day. His gaze was calm, but his expression carried a hint of weariness.

"What did you find out?" His voice was as gentle as ever, yet it left no room for evasion.

Qingcu took a deep breath and reported Bai Xuan's itinerary, places of stay, and locations where he was suspected of having contact with him, along with his own speculations.

On the other end of the screen, Jing Yuan listened quietly, his arms crossed, his fingers tapping rhythmically on his arms, as if weighing the weight of every detail.

“That’s possible.” After pondering for a while, a thoughtful look flashed across Jing Yuan’s eyes. “Go to the Shence Mansion’s database and retrieve file number 7379.”

He paused, then added, "Also, check on the whereabouts of these two people."

He then gave the names of the two people—and their former names.

Upon hearing one of the names, Qingcu's heart skipped a beat, and her voice instinctively rose: "It's him—"

Before he could finish speaking, Jing Yuan raised his hand to stop him, indicating that this was not a safe environment.

“Qingcu, the intricacies of this matter cannot be explained in just a few words.” His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable pressure. “What you see now as the ‘final verdict’ is merely a facade shaped by countless interventions.”

Jing Yuan tilted his head slightly, his eyes darkening: "Time waits for no one. The mastermind is still at large, and Shen Mi is waiting for us. Let's go quickly."

"Yes!" Qingcu responded, and the virtual projection flickered and then disappeared in an instant.

Jing Yuan picked up his phone, scrolled to the hidden contacts in his address book, and quickly typed out a message—

Real-name internet access: You're in Luofu, right?

Perhaps it was late at night, but the whole world seemed to have slowed down its pace, and even breathing became slow and heavy. Jing Yuan stared quietly at his phone screen, but he did not receive a response from that person.

Before him stretched an endless forest, where enormous ancient trees swayed like ghosts in the night, their branches resembling countless black hands beckoning to him.

The night was as still as ink. Jing Yuan's eyes were sharp as torches as he gazed at the soldiers still searching the forest. His voice was deep and resolute as he issued a stern order to the Cloud Cavalry behind him:

"Immediately issue a military decree to withdraw troops and return to camp, escorting the stranded people of Luofu back to their hometowns safely. Ensure the safety of the people, maintain strict military discipline, and be on high alert wherever the army passes, allowing no mishaps."

On the quiet grass, a simple circle of long-handled lamps was set up, and many people sat inside, dozing off. From above, it looked just like a fluorescent circle that children play with.

Sitting on the grass, Gantang was restless from the mosquito bites. Songhou, who was next to her, was sleeping peacefully with his mouth slightly open, just like the others, as if everything around him was irrelevant, even though the kidnapped person was a classmate they had spoken to just a few days ago.

Another mosquito, having eaten its fill on Gan Tang's arm, flew past her with its belly full. Gan Tang inwardly cried out, "Why doesn't it bite Song Hou?!" She was so angry that she wanted to push away the head that was leaning on her shoulder.

Just as she was about to put her idea into action, the Cloud Cavalry, who had been searching from all directions, returned one after another.

Gan Tang stood up, her eyes shining, and asked impatiently, "Did you find it?!"

Emerging from the darkness was Nishizaka, the squad leader who had been ordered to escort them home. Her expression was grave, her steps steady. She stopped before them and spoke slowly, “Not yet. However, you have all been cleared of suspicion, so you may leave now. The Cloud Cavalry will escort you safely home.”

Gan Tang was taken aback, her initial sense of luck vanished instantly, and her shoulders slumped slightly, as if she was thinking about something.

Song Hou slowly woke up, rubbed his eyes, and seemed not to fully understand what had happened. He asked groggily, "Huh? We're going back?"

"Yes." Nishisaka responded briefly, then glanced at everyone as if to confirm the number of people. "We'll set off once the team is ready. Although the night road is quiet, we must not let our guard down."

The Cloud Cavalry quickly formed an escort formation. Their armor gleamed a warm yellow under the lamplight, and the sounds of horses' hooves and the light clinking of armor mingled together, creating a reassuring sense of order.

Gan Tang was assigned to walk in the middle of the group. Although she still felt regretful, looking at the wall of guards around her, she couldn't help but feel much safer.

She looked around and realized that Bai Xuan was not among the people being escorted.

Gan Tang nudged Song Hou and asked in a low voice, "Where is your master?"

Song Hou wasn't fully awake yet. It took him a while to realize what was happening. He squinted and looked around, then scratched his head: "Just now... it was here."

Gan Tang's heart sank, and she couldn't help but ask again, "Could it be... that it fell into the woods?"

Song Hou frowned, a hint of unease showing in his expression: "No way, I saw him before I fell asleep?"

The two exchanged a glance, both noticing the doubt in each other's eyes. Gan Tang opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but then saw Xi Ban's figure approaching from somewhere.

"Who are you looking for?" Nishisaka's voice was calm, but when he leaned in, it was like a wall, carrying an unavoidable force.

Gan Tang looked at her and hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully, "It's just... Bai Xuan, he's not in the group."

Nishisaka's eyes flickered slightly, as if a thousand thoughts were passing through them, but he quickly composed himself, his tone resolute and his expression unwavering: "He is by the general's side."

Seeing that Gan Tang hesitated, Xi Ban pondered for a moment before adding, "Miss Nanqiao, do you have any clues to provide?"

Gan Tang pursed her lips, as if carefully choosing her words, but finally spoke: "I'm not sure if this counts as a clue... but I find it very strange..."

Because the last time I saw Miss Chen Mi was not around noon as everyone says, but around 11:00 AM.

Nishisaka paused slightly, his gaze fixed on her: "Are you sure? Could you describe in detail what Ms. Shinomi was wearing at the time, and the situation when you saw her?"

Seeing that Gan Tang looked a little nervous, Xi Ban softened his tone and added, "Miss Nanqiao, please don't misunderstand. I'm not questioning you. I just need to get as many details as possible from you to confirm the accuracy of the information."

"Okay, I understand."

Just as Gan Tang was about to begin recounting the events, the Yunqi soldier beside Xiban Chao gave him a wink, and the soldier immediately took out something to record them.

"If I remember correctly, Miss Chen Mi was wearing a dark green coat and a pale yellow undergarment, with a string of white pearls around her neck. Because it was so beautiful, I took a few extra glances at it."

Finally, Gan Tang chuckled a few times and said, "I usually pay attention to pretty things, so it's not surprising that I have an impression of them."

Nishisaka looked her up and down and nodded. Even though more than ten hours had passed since she left home in the morning, Ms. Minami's makeup was still perfect. This showed that what she said was true; she was indeed a meticulous person.

"What was her expression like at the time? Was it unusual, or different from usual?" Nishizaka asked inquiringly.

Gan Tang tilted her head and recalled, "She must have looked very happy, carrying a lunchbox and walking happily into the woods."

Nishisaka raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise and complexity flashing in his eyes, and asked in a deep voice, "Which direction of the woods was it? Were there any other people with her at the time?"

Gan Tang shook her head and said regretfully, "I'm not sure about the direction, because I only glanced at her a few times, but when I saw her, there was no one else with her."

Nishisaka nodded, turned to the Cloud Cavalry soldier beside him, and whispered, "Bring me the map."

She turned around, her tone gentle and a smile playing on her lips, as if a ray of victory was dawning: "Miss Nanqiao, your clue is very crucial. Now I may need to ask you a few more simple questions. Could you point me to where you were standing at that time?"

"OK."

Gan Tang responded, her heart heavy, realizing that this clue might be the key to finding Shen Mi.

Xiban took the map from the vice-captain. The two palm-sized pieces of simulated paper clearly depicted all the activity areas for the day, including the camp that Gantang and the others had set up that morning.

"I think I was facing the camp at the time..." Gan Tang said, pointing out his location.

………

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Author's Note: Thank you everyone!!! [doge][doge][doge]