Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 656 - Chapter 656 Chapter 42 Wastes of Four Types

Chapter 656: Chapter 42 Wastes of Four Types Chapter 656: Chapter 42 Wastes of Four Types Kaohsiung Harbor, Banana Pier.

“After the incident at Pearl Tower, severe casualties occurred among the police force, despite making an arrest, the case remained unclear. This caused widespread outrage among all the police in the harbor. The special investigation team’s pursuit of the hidden body case became more urgently covert. They have now essentially locked onto Liu Shiqing, also known as Wutou Qing. Since leaving Hong Kong, Wutou Qing has been hiding in Kaohsiung Harbor under the protection of local gangs. The police have decided to carry out a joint arrest operation for Wutou Qing today at 3 p.m., with immediate interrogation after the arrest, giving no time for any side to react. However, due to Kaohsiung’s mix of good and bad people, word of the joint arrest operation has actually leaked. Wutou Qing is prepared to leave by boat from Banana Pier at twelve o’clock, and he should be arriving soon.”

Over the phone came the voice of the head of the office, Ren’er.

Cha Xiaodao had just disembarked, wearing a colorful shirt and biting an apple. Scanning the crowd, he raised a thumb in approval, “Not bad for the ‘Earth Endurance’ worth eight million.”

“As a representative of the second seat, Mr. Li Yan, as long as you are willing to spend Yan Fu points, you have the authority to command our intelligence work. However, the ownership of Earth Endurance belongs to both Hou Tu and Mr. Zhao, and we must report their actions to Mr. Zhao truthfully. Please understand this point.”

“Understood.”

Cha Xiaodao’s gaze drifted through the crowd when suddenly, a hurried figure carrying a slanted backpack entered the restroom–it was Wutou Qing.

Cha Xiaodao bit fiercely into his apple and followed him into the restroom.

Wutou Qing took off his mask and washed his face in front of the mirror, heavily exhaling.

Lately, his life had been very wretched as he hid from place to place.

Unlike Wenle and Vivian, Wutou Qing only worked for Xue Wenhai because of money, and although he was one of Xue’s confidants, he was just an ordinary person.

In his earlier years, Wutou Qing spilled blood on the streets, escaping with his guts in his hands after being chased, but never dying even after running several streets. He was later picked by Xue Wenhai due to his life of constant disasters.

This fate was quite peculiar, dominated by prison disasters, achieving nothing, and plagued by misfortunes. Yet, somehow, he would live a long life, surviving all manner of fatal encounters–doomed to be unlucky for a lifetime, finding it difficult even to commit suicide.

Xue Wenhai promised Wutou Qing a hefty reward to form a partnership with Wenle, and the two did many deeds in the shadows that harmed their morality. Wutou Qing had several close brushes with death, each time saved by his unfortunate fate, luckily escaping danger by chance.

This time would probably be the same…

Wutou Qing looked up, suddenly noticing in the mirror the approaching Cha Xiaodao, and realizing something was wrong, swung his backpack backwards, only to have darkness overcome him as he passed out.

Before losing consciousness, Wutou Qing’s last thought was, “Is it failing this time?!”

——————————–

The hospital corridor was bustling with people.

Mr. Li and Ren Yi stopped in front of the ward.

“Firefighters rescued the unconscious Jin Siblings from a fire and immediately transported them to the nearest hospital for treatment. Jin Zhong’s left leg had been so badly burned that it had to be amputated, and he is still in a coma, not ruling out brain damage. Jin Lu wasn’t seriously hurt, and is still recuperating in the hospital. She insisted on seeing you and called the office several times.”

Li Yan held a bouquet of carnations, quietly listening until Ren Yi finished speaking, then nodded.

“I understand, thank you for the trouble.”

“It’s my duty. Also, the paper currency of this world is now useless to Yan Fu, so if you want to negotiate terms with her, you can ask for antiques, medicinal herbs, or precious metals.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yan involuntarily raised an eyebrow.

Ren Yi, noticing Li Yan’s mood, immediately bowed his head, “I’ve overstepped.”

“No, you’re considerate.”

After speaking, Mr. Li no longer paid attention to Ren Yi. He opened the door of the ward where Jin Lu sat in a wheelchair looking out the window, looking very haggard,

When she heard the door, Jin Lu turned her gaze to the entering Mr. Li, her eyes unexpectedly calm.

Li Yan placed the flowers on the table, sitting down in front of Jin Lu, “Condolences.”

He weighed his words for a while before speaking, “If there’s anything I can do for you, just say the word. If it’s within my power, I won’t refuse.”

Jin Lu stared at Li Yan, her voice a bit hoarse, “Mr. Li, the police have been here before, saying they found my uncle’s body in the park and you reported the case. Had he been in touch with you?”

Jin Lu stared into Li Yan’s eyes.

“Yes,” Li Yan admitted readily, “Mr. Jin Longyang suddenly called me at that time, saying someone was going to kill him. He asked to meet at Cap Mountain, but by the time I arrived, he had already…”

“Mr. Li,” Jin Lu suddenly interrupted Li Yan, “at that time, what did my uncle promise to pay you? Was it money, assets, or something else?”

Li Yan pursed his lips and thought for a moment before answering, “A person should always show some empathy. Mr. Jin Longyang and I were nodding acquaintances, and he indeed mentioned such a thing. However, life and death are at stake. I just agreed on the meeting place with him and set off, but unfortunately, I was still a step too late.”

Jin Lu’s gaze flickered for a moment, “I’m sorry, I was a bit abrupt.”

“It’s all right.”

“Mr. Li, can I trust you?”

Jin Lu’s eyes were earnest, but Li Yan remained unmoved, “It’s the same thing I said before, I’ll do my best to help you with anything you need.”

“I suspect my parents were killed by someone trying to get the family heirloom Mingzha. I want to hire you to investigate the truth. Among the people I know, you’re the only one with the capability.”

Li Yan countered, “Suspect? So, Miss Jin actually has no concrete evidence?”

Jin Lu shook her head a bit dazedly, “I usually sleep early. By the time I opened my eyes, the fire had grown very large. If it weren’t for my brother, Jin Zhong, waking me up, I might have already perished in the fire.”

Li Yan thought of the gas explosion at the police station, which to others truly seemed like a coincidental accident. Even if one were to investigate, they could only conclude it was due to “equipment aging.” Besides, if Jin Lu knew the truth, Xue Wenhai might not let the Jin siblings off the hook.

“After my grandfather died, the household didn’t follow the will to bury the Mingzha as a funerary object. Instead, they divided the family right away, distributing the Boqing Foundation’s assets and the Mingzha together. It was agreed there were five Mingzha–my father, me, my brother, my uncle Jin Longyang, and my cousin Jin Hua, each had one. However, I suspect my uncle was very selfish; I doubt he gave the Mingzha to my cousin at all. That’s why my cousin is still alive and well, yet my uncle met with trouble. After the fire at our home and my uncle’s sudden death, now all the Mingzha are gone, but those Mingzha are impervious to water and fire, there’s no reason they can’t be found.”

Having heard this, Li Yan took out two folded masks from the inside pocket of his clothes and handed them back to Jin Lu.

Jin Lu’s face was incredulous, “How did this happen?”

Li Yan recounted what had happened at Cap Mountain, along with the incident involving Xue Wenhai.

“If Miss Jin doesn’t believe my words, you can listen to this.”

After speaking, Li Yan took out his phone and played a recorded phone call with Ye Shiru. As soon as Ye Shiru uttered the phrase about “doing homework,” he had pressed the record button.

“I want both the people and the goods, including the few remaining masks from Jinmen.”

Jin Lu’s entire face turned ashen when she heard this.

“This person is named Ye Shiru, she is the goddaughter of Xue Wenhai. If the Jin family had past dealings with Hanlin Cold Chain, you should recognize her.”

“I know Xue Wenhai! The Jin family has business with him, I’ve known him for nearly ten years. Xue Wenhai even attended my grandfather’s funeral, crying bitterly.”

Anger filled Jin Lu’s eyes, which, after a long while, she managed to suppress.

“Mr. Li, thank you for telling me all of this. How should I repay you?”

Li Yan smiled, “I want nothing, but I indeed would like to ask you for a favor.”

“Tell me,”

Jin Lu clenched her teeth.

“…”

No sooner had Li Yan left the hospital room than his phone vibrated. Li Yan pressed the answer button, and Cha Xiaodao’s voice came through.

“All set. I’ve dropped Wutou Qing at the police station’s door, and they’ve started the interrogation.”

“Good work.”