GAMMT - Chapter 14
Chapter 14: Arrangements
Fu Chuan knew she would definitely get her hands on the bandits' assets. The people from the Economic Department were experts in financial matters and quickly finished inventorying the loot. Since it was a minor case and the bandit den wasn't particularly high-level, with all the evidence and witnesses in place, the law enforcement department could handle it on the spot. This saved the trouble of burdening other departments with a redundant case and straining public resources.
So, Fu Chuan spent two days lying in bed.
During those two days, the female prosecutor and her team were nearly driven mad by her.
The doctor sighed, "Anyone who knew would think he was injured. Anyone who didn't would think he was paralyzed."
But at least she was willing to go to the bathroom on her own. Other than that, she ignored everything, just lying down to sleep and sleeping to lie down, eating and drinking. She looked at the prosecutors as if they were idiots.
It was infuriating.
"Does this person think the Xie Clan is so powerful that he's about to hit the jackpot, which is why he's acting so arrogant?"
They had dealt with many nobles, and the Xie Clan was nothing special in the eyes of their department. Besides, this person was just an illegitimate child.
After calming down, the female prosecutor suddenly had a thought. While organizing the list of assets to be handed over to Fu Chuan, she said pensively, "Perhaps he's deliberately acting this way because he's afraid we'll hold a grudge against him."
"What?"
The others were taken aback but quickly understood.
The female prosecutor's expression was subtle. "Actually, he's not stupid, maybe even a little clever. He might think that by acting arrogant and idiotic, he'll prevent us from seeing him as a threat. If he were a talent like Qin Minfeng, would you dismiss him so easily? Or would you think he's so foolish that he'd probably get himself killed by other members of the Xie Clan?"
The doctor thought for a moment. "That's true. This kid is a bit cunning."
"It's just human nature. All we can say is that this illegitimate child of the Xie Clan is neither that complicated, nor that simple."
The prosecutors soon found Fu Chuan, went through the notarization process, and legally presented her with the reward.
"The total assets of this bandit den amount to twenty-five million copper coins. According to testimonies, investigative evidence, and the 'Survivor Legal Relief Ordinance,' we have determined that your contribution to this operation was 80%, with the others accounting for 20%. A rescue relationship exists between both parties, so based on humanitarian principles… we have decided to allocate 65% of the bandits' assets to you. This comes to a check for 16.25 million copper coins. Do you agree to this distribution?"
Fu Chuan observed their expressions and postures, and her heart skipped a beat. They saw through it? It seems this group isn't as stupid as I thought; they weren't fooled. They're quite sharp, considering the timing.
Then why were they so easily fooled by the male lead? They were like brain-dead fans, believing everything he said, their emotions swayed, and all their professionalism gone.
Is it because he's the male lead? And I'm just cannon fodder?
If that's the case, won't other NPCs I encounter in the future also be easily influenced by him?
Is this some kind of protagonist-exclusive bug?
A stupidity-inducing halo?
Fu Chuan suddenly recalled certain plot settings in games where the reactions of NPCs were pre-programmed for when the protagonist interacted with them.
Her heart sank a little, but she showed no sign of it on the surface. Instead, she acted excited and comical.
"I agree, I agree! Thank you, comrades, thank you so much."
Just then, Zhou Linlang walked in and saw this "paralyzed good-for-nothing" smoothly scramble down from the bed to get the check. She was full of energy and high spirits, even knowing enough to verify the check's authenticity on the spot by looking for the banking authority's stamp. She was just short of breaking into a dance right then and there.
Zhou Linlang: "…"
In response to her gloating, nouveau-riche expression, Zhou Linlang casually remarked from the doorway, "Getting too excited can reopen his wounds. Re-bandage him."
An hour later, the airship passed over the town and arrived at the Li Corporation's mining base.
This place had once been the highest sanctuary for all the refugees on X5 Star, a world they could never hope to reach in their lifetimes, a place untouched by the daily stench of rust and sewage that wafted up from the city below.
In the plaza in front of the base, people from the Li Corporation were waiting. They were an elite group, dressed in sharp suits, with warm smiles and impeccable speech. The person in charge didn't forget to ask, "I wonder where the young master of the Xie Clan is? The Xie Clan has also inquired. It must be fate that you esteemed officials were able to rescue him."
"Where? Isn't he right here?"
Someone pointed, and when the person in charge looked, his expression twitched.
Fu Chuan, bandaged up like a mummy and sitting in a wheelchair, gave an awkward smile. She glanced sideways at Zhou Linlang, who was shaking hands with the head of the Li Corporation not far away. Moreover, Zhou Linlang was tacitly allowing Qin Minfeng to stand behind her.
It was like a form of affirmation and protection.
Ah… does this mean my warning failed, and this rich and beautiful prosecutor has fallen for it herself?
Or was the warning successful, and she's setting a trap for the male lead?
But the male lead looks quite happy, like a two-hundred-pound oaf who's just married a goddess.
Qin Minfeng had actually been anxious for several days. When he saw Zhou Linlang's disdain for Xie Keli and how she treated him as one of her own, he felt he had already won half her heart. All he had to do now was improve himself and gain her family's approval, and the position of son-in-law would be his for the taking.
Qin Minfeng went with the prosecutors to deal with the Li Corporation's elites, conducting inspections and reviews. Fu Chuan couldn't care less whether he attracted the Li Corporation's attention; after all, the man had the male lead's halo. Compared to Qin Minfeng's "insider treatment," she felt like she was in prison, with two guards watching her at all times.
"Uh, guys, I'm in a safe area now. You really don't need to watch me like this."
"Inspector Zhou said you have mobility issues. She even gave you a wheelchair, so what's two more guards? If your lazy limbs can't get you to the toilet and you end up falling headfirst into the bowl and drowning, she'd have to take responsibility."
"…"
This woman is so vicious.
Fu Chuan was under supervision and couldn't even stretch her legs. All she could do was wait.
Bored with nothing to do, she asked one of the public relations ladies in the hall to turn on the optical computer to watch the news.
The news was varied, but when she saw a report about the upcoming school season, Fu Chuan paid closer attention.
She knew very well that the Arcane Throne world was academy-style combat plus dungeon instances. It was a world of scene-by-scene progression, where martial prowess and prestige allowed one to transcend social classes.
A world where the strong were revered.
Being an Arcanist was a profession that required a solid foundation of knowledge. Relying solely on skill books would make one no different from a mere player, unable to shorten casting times or improve skill efficiency, and they would eventually be left behind by the times.
"There are 15 days until the start of the school season. According to the 'Arcane Directive Summary' recently issued by the Education Ministry, the benefits for Arcanists will be further improved, and imperial departments will expand their recruitment of Arcanists in preparation for the needs of the once-a-decade Black Obsidian Expeditionary Force dungeon."
Black Obsidian Expeditionary Force?
Fu Chuan remembered. In the early stages of the plot, Arcane Throne began with an imperial prison being breached and its inhabitants slaughtered by a group of dark powerhouses. They rescued a secret figure from within—Hei Ze, the chief Grand Arcanist of Black Obsidian, the empire's largest rebel faction. Hei Ze was a master strategist who held a great secret crucial to the rebels' military plans. That was why the empire wanted to form an expeditionary force to crush them. However, all battlefronts were stretched thin, and Black Obsidian's forces were scattered and secretive. Furthermore, Hei Ze's arcane specialty was inciting dark creatures into a frenzied state, directly threatening the safety of the populace. Therefore, the empire wanted to mobilize the power of civilian Arcanists…
Against this backdrop, expanding the strength of civilian Arcanists was imperative.
Academies were the most effective platform for this.
Fifteen days. First, I need to enter the Xie Clan and obtain legal citizenship. Then, I'll see if I can use the Xie Clan's Green Blood Noble status to enroll in an ordinary high school that qualifies me to take the Arcanist exam.
If I can achieve that, I can tolerate some of the trouble from the Xie Clan.
Fu Chuan was calculating her plans, waiting until her legs were nearly numb. Three hours later, the inspection was finally over.
Zhou Linlang came out just as another airship was landing outside.
The people from the Xie Clan had arrived.
It was a different group of guards with a different captain, but they were just as dismissive of this illegitimate child. After exchanging pleasantries with the people from the Li Corporation, they took Fu Chuan and left.
As they were leaving, Fu Chuan was still shouting, "Someone is trying to kill me! Did Father have you investigate? I'm not leaving! I'm not leaving right now! I want to see who's trying to kill me! First bandits, then a wolf pack—is this normal? This isn't normal!"
"Young Master Keli, these matters will be investigated later. For now, please come with us. This is the head of the family's order."
Amidst her commotion, Fu Chuan turned back and saw Zhou Linlang looking at her.
Her gaze was incredibly deep.
A thought flickered in her mind: It seems she's noticed that the Xie Clan didn't ask the Li Corporation or her team for a report on the attack. I hope my reminder makes her realize there's more to it.
Zhou Linlang stood by the window, watching the airship depart. She heard Qin Minfeng behind her say, almost to himself, "This world is so unfair. Some people commit all sorts of evil yet get away scot-free."
Zhou Linlang didn't turn to look at him, only replying faintly, "Because most of those people are very good at pretending. They seem innocent but are actually masters of self-interest."
Qin Minfeng thought she agreed with him and said, "Exactly. Let's hope that person turns over a new leaf in the future."
But he didn't see the pensive look on Zhou Linlang's face.
She had a handle on the Li Corporation case, but this Qin Minfeng gave her a strange feeling. After reviewing the information he had provided, she realized that while it seemed crucial, it was actually skirting the real issues. If they could just get their hands on one key piece of evidence from the mining disaster case, the Li Corporation would have grounds for an appeal, but that evidence was now missing.
Of course, she couldn't blame Qin Minfeng for that.
What she was curious about was how he had obtained the evidence he currently possessed.
Was he still holding onto that key piece of evidence, waiting for the right price?
Then, she conducted an additional review of the wolf pack incident during Xie Keli's assassination attempt. According to satellite tracking data, the wolves were heading straight for Xie Keli, which meant they must have been guided by someone using Arcane arts.
Who was this person?
"It clearly wasn't the same group that bribed the guards; otherwise, that Xie Keli wouldn't have been able to use the time gap to escape. If it wasn't the same group, does that mean there are two different factions within the Xie Clan that want him dead? The guards who came from the Xie Clan didn't even ask for the case files, which means they obviously know about the incident and don't intend to handle it. This suggests Xie An doesn't care much for Xie Keli's safety, which conversely proves the latter isn't very valuable. If so, it's unlikely that two separate factions within the family would make a move. Furthermore, the use of a wolf pack indicates a deep understanding of X5 Star's native creatures, making it highly probable that the perpetrator is a local."
A local, holding a grudge, an Arcanist, and familiar with Xie Keli's movements.
The person's identity was practically screaming to be revealed.
Zhou Linlang felt that Qin Minfeng was even more dangerous and complex than she had anticipated. She needed to be more cautious. So, she deliberately asked the Li Corporation for information on a certain person right in front of him.
"Fu Chuan? The file on that slave? Is Inspector Zhou interested in that case?"
The person in charge thought Zhou Linlang was looking to cause trouble for Xie Keli and reopen the case.
"No, just curious."
"Curious why someone like that would be worth assassinating time and time again."
Qin Minfeng's expression stiffened slightly. He watched them hand over the file, his heart turning cold with fear. He asked the old man if he would be found out.
The old man replied, "If she examines the corpses of those wasteland wolves, she'll be able to find out."
What!
Qin Minfeng felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He quickly found an excuse, saying he needed to go home to pack some things.
Meanwhile, aboard the airship about to depart X5 Star, Fu Chuan began her own act.
"I won't eat, I won't drink! I want the results of the investigation! Otherwise, how can I go home? I'm afraid of being killed!"
"If you can't give me an answer, then send me home. I want to see my mom first and let her know I'm safe. Besides, the house was just sold a few days ago; I still have the right to use it for ten days."
The guard captain was speechless. "Your mother has already passed away."
Fu Chuan retorted, "Aren't her memorial tablet and ashes still there?"
In reality, she had already taken the urn; it was in her backpack. But she couldn't leave X5 Star right now.
If her predictions were correct, something big was going to happen tonight.
The guard captain: "…"
Helpless, they finally negotiated and allowed her to stay for one night, leaving the next day.
As soon as she returned to the residence that had already been sold, Fu Chuan began to grieve, clutching an urn and wailing… Her crying so annoyed the guards that they went outside to watch television to pass the time.
Inside the room, Fu Chuan glanced at the night sky outside, kept a recording of her wails playing, and slipped into the bathroom.
"The Devouring Scroll really takes a toll on the body. Every time I switch bodies, it consumes a massive amount of mental power… Doing it too often will damage my foundation. I hope the rewards this time are worth it."
Fu Chuan watched in the mirror as she transformed into "Fu Chuan," then quietly slipped out the back window of the bathroom. After crossing two alleys, she quickly blended into the chaotic bustle of the lively town.
Half an hour later, wearing a mask, she appeared in a black market and went straight to the largest shop to purchase resources.
What kind of resources?
"I want 100 level-one agility crystals."
The shop owner probably never expected such a big customer to suddenly appear.
One level-one agility crystal cost 100,000 copper coins, so 100 of them would be ten million. In the ten years he'd been in business, he had rarely seen a customer with such a specific yet massive demand.
The shop owner couldn't help but size Fu Chuan up, but she just smiled faintly and took out the check for him to see.
"When you're in business, it's best not to know what you shouldn't. Just do as you're told."
The moment the shop owner saw the official stamp on it, he started trembling. He thought it was a higher-up coming to inspect the black market. They knew the Li Corporation was recently under investigation, and coincidentally, they were backed by the Li Corporation.
To be precise, all business on X5 Star, both legal and illegal, was actually controlled by the Li Corporation.
This was the Li Corporation's domain; they had their hands in both economies.
"We run a legitimate business and never deceive our customers. Your Excellency must see this clearly."
"Then why are you still staring!"
"I'm not looking, I'm not looking! We'll give you whatever you need."
The shop owner counted out the items with trembling hands and finally handed a chest of agility crystals to Fu Chuan. Fu Chuan was just as direct, taking it and leaving immediately. The shop owner was left holding the official ten-million-copper-coin check with a miserable expression.
Has the investigation reached all the way to the black market? Is the Li Corporation about to fall? At the very least, our days won't be so easy from now on.
Luckily, he was smart and had made arrangements.
"If this person dares to use this transaction as evidence, we'll accuse them of accepting a bribe… We'll see who's more ruthless!"
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