Chen Ling narrowed his eyes slightly.
Under these circumstances, it was unlikely that Liu Chen was lying. This guy was probably just a small-time lackey under Yan Xishou’s command. Asking him for deeper information wouldn’t yield much.
Though his testimony wasn’t extensive, it still pointed Chen Ling toward a few key details: one was Yan Xishou, the eldest young master of the Stellar Chamber of Commerce, and the other was the concept of "trading favors and benefits." From the looks of it, the organ trade wasn’t conducted through conventional "market transactions" as Chen Ling had initially assumed, but rather circulated as commodities among Aurora City’s elite.
As [Heart Python] exhaled, the accumulated fear gradually dissipated, and Liu Chen’s trembling body slowly calmed.
He knelt on the ground, staring at Chen Ling with deep confusion in his eyes… He didn’t understand why he had felt such overwhelming terror toward Chen Ling just now. The man hadn’t even done anything, yet Liu Chen had been so frightened that he kowtowed. To him, everything that had just happened felt like a dream.
Chen Ling knew that pressing further wouldn’t yield anything useful, so he simply ended the interrogation, shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked away.
Behind him, Jian Changsheng watched him with a mix of shock and bewilderment.
"How did you do that?" Jian Changsheng finally couldn’t hold back his question.
Chen Ling didn’t answer. As he passed by, he just patted Jian Changsheng’s shoulder.
Jian Changsheng: "…"
"Wait." Several thoughts flashed through Jian Changsheng’s mind, and he called out to Chen Ling. "You’re investigating the organ trade? You also have a grudge against the Stellar Chamber of Commerce?"
"Judging by the current situation, it seems so." Chen Ling nodded slightly.
No matter who had taken his heart, Yan Xishou was now confirmed to be involved in the organ trade. There was a good chance his own heart had passed through Yan Xishou’s hands into the market… If that were the case, then the Stellar Chamber of Commerce was undeniably implicated.
"Maybe… we can work together." Jian Changsheng spoke up immediately. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We crossed paths today, and since we’re both targeting the Stellar Chamber of Commerce, we might as well cooperate."
Chen Ling raised an eyebrow. "You have a plan?"
"…No."
Jian Changsheng paused before adding, "But there’ll be opportunities sooner or later, right? The Stellar Chamber of Commerce is a massive force. Going at them alone is tough. Having an ally you can trust isn’t a bad thing."
Chen Ling watched him for a moment, then slowly turned around.
"Before we can trust each other, shouldn’t we at least know each other’s names?"
Jian Changsheng froze, hesitating for a long time.
"…My name is Jian Wubing."
Heh.
Chen Ling replied expressionlessly, "I’m Lin Yan."
"Alright." Jian Changsheng nodded. "Where do you live? If I come up with a plan, how do I find you?"
"I don’t have a fixed place. You’d better give me your address, and I’ll come to you." There was no way Chen Ling would reveal where he lived. To him, Jian Changsheng was still a dangerous figure—far from trustworthy.
"…I don’t have a place either."
The two stared at each other, and the air fell into silence.
"…How about this." Jian Changsheng thought of a solution. "Do you know Century Tower? The tallest building in the city. If either of us needs to find the other, we’ll fly a red kite from the rooftop. How’s that?"
"Not a bad idea."
Chen Ling glanced at the sky. He didn’t have time to keep wasting on Jian Changsheng, so he waved a hand and started walking away.
"Then I’ll see you when the time comes."
As Chen Ling’s figure gradually disappeared into the depths of the forest, Jian Changsheng’s expression turned solemn. He looked back at Liu Chen, who sat in a pool of blood, and slowly approached.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, mimicking Chen Ling’s earlier demeanor, he spoke coldly, "Next, it’s best if you answer whatever I ask… Understand?"
Liu Chen weakly rolled his eyes.
"…Piss off!!"
---
In the end, Chen Ling didn’t make a move against Jian Changsheng.
This wasn’t out of soft-heartedness—it was because Jian Changsheng’s [Blood Drop Step] skill was too overpowering. After calculating the odds, Chen Ling figured his chances of successfully killing him were less than fifty percent… Besides, Jian Changsheng was indeed an enemy of the Stellar Chamber of Commerce. While Chen Ling didn’t expect genuine cooperation from him, at the very least, he could serve as a distraction for the commerce.
Chen Ling carried the white-shrouded corpse as he hurried through the dimly lit streets. At the horizon, the faint glow of dawn was beginning to emerge.
Had he really been busy all night?
The night’s haul was substantial. Liu Chen’s testimony, while useful, couldn’t serve as concrete evidence. The only real evidence and lead he had was the corpse in his hands…
But what was he supposed to do with it?
Though he had the body, Chen Ling wasn’t a forensic expert. He had no clear idea how to investigate it. Handing it over to the enforcers wasn’t an option—they were clearly in cahoots with the guild. The only solution seemed to be…
After frowning in thought for a long time, Chen Ling’s eyes suddenly brightened. He changed direction, heading toward another part of Aurora City.
---
The next day.
Chen Ling rubbed his sleepy eyes as he slowly stepped out of his room.
"Where were you last night?" Chu Muyun, still sitting in the courtyard, closed his book and asked when he finally appeared.
"Investigating some things… made a bit of progress." Chen Ling poured himself a cup of hot tea and checked the time. "Did Wen Shilin come by last night?"
"No."
"Timing-wise, it should be about time…"
"Time for what?"
Just as Chu Muyun asked in confusion, a rapid knocking sounded at the courtyard gate.
Chen Ling unhurriedly set down the teapot and walked to the entrance. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Wen Shilin standing outside, his expression strange.
"Mr. Wen, good morning." Chen Ling yawned.
"Morning." Wen Shilin seemed to remember something and pulled out a press pass from his pocket, handing it to Chen Ling. "Oh, right. I got your credentials sorted. Starting today, you’re officially a reporter for the Aurora Daily, with full media freedom."
Chen Ling took the pass. It bore his photo and name, crafted with meticulous detail… Obtaining something like this wasn’t easy. Clearly, Wen Shilin had put in a lot of effort over the past two days.
"Thank you, Mr. Wen." Chen Ling spoke sincerely.
"Don’t thank me yet—there’s something more urgent!"
"What is it?"
Wen Shilin glanced around to ensure no one was nearby before leaning in and whispering, "Early this morning, I heard someone knocking… For safety, I waited inside for about twenty minutes before opening the door… Guess what I found on my doorstep?"
"What did you find?" Chen Ling played along.
"A corpse." Wen Shilin’s eyes gleamed with excitement and curiosity. "Someone left a hollowed-out corpse right outside my door!"