Chapter 144

144. Chapter 142: Is That All?

Riditang sighed helplessly and could only explain:

"Lord Jin, this is unlikely. You know, after Ding Huan arrived at the Four Directions Star Continent, he settled in our Small Star Corner Market—we naturally had to monitor him for three months."

Jin understood what Riditang meant.

Any outsider arriving at the Four Directions Star Continent who chose a settlement location must be monitored by the local official authority of that location.

Ding Huan chose Small Star Corner Market as his settlement, so Small Star Corner Market was responsible for monitoring him for three months.

This monitoring was not done by sending people to watch, but by using surveillance equipment.

Neither the Four Directions Star Continent nor any surrounding star continents had the capability to produce surveillance equipment.

But advanced civilization star continents did have such devices.

Each time an advanced civilization star continent's spaceship came to the Four Directions Star Continent, the most numerous items they brought were: broken spiritual artifact fragments, broken crystal core stones, and surveillance equipment.

Especially the broken spiritual artifact fragments—these were tossed into garbage heaps on advanced civilization star continents and left uncollected.

When brought to the Four Directions Star Continent, these items became enormous profits, easily allowing them to sweep up every valuable thing in this corner of the universe.

Including top-grade spiritual herbs, ores, rare treasures, and more.

The Four Directions Star Continent used this surveillance equipment to control the entire continent.

"So, Captain Riditang means this Ding Huan who bought the house has no problem?"

Jin frowned and asked.

Even though in his heart, whether Ding Huan was guilty or innocent, anyone who dared buy Kan Ni's house would eventually get a visit from him.

Riditang's smile never faded:

"Yes, after Ding Huan received the property deed, he returned to his courtyard and never came out again. Only the woman who came with him occasionally left to buy food and returned."

"Captain, please continue," Jin nodded.

Riditang's anger grew inside—he damn well interrupted me out of nowhere, and now he's telling me to keep going.

He clearly doesn't respect me as the Enforcement Team captain.

"Since Kan Ni's corpse was found on the way to the Gu brothers, we've sent people to bring the Gu brothers in."

"To ensure no innocent person is wronged, we've also sent people to bring Ding Huan in."

…

Ding Huan was practicing Extreme Shadow Dash; for him, this small courtyard's limited space made it more suitable for training.

At that moment, the courtyard gate was knocked on again.

Ding Huan's spiritual sense swept out, recognized two men in official market attire, and immediately understood—Kan Ni's matter had finally arrived.

He opened the gate; the shorter man bowed to Ding Huan:

"Friend, you're involved in a case—please come with us to the Market Enforcement Office."

The Small Star Corner Market's enforcement team never acted so politely normally.

But they'd stayed in Small Star Corner Market long enough to know who to provoke and who to avoid.

Compared to ordinary people, they knew more information.

In their eyes, Ding Huan was a dangerous figure—a person not to be touched.

Kan Ni tried to cause trouble for Ding Huan, then vanished, now proven dead.

The Sister Who Invested wanted to cause Ding Huan trouble, but before even entering Small Star Corner Market, she was taken away and hasn't been heard from since.

If they believed these two incidents had nothing to do with Ding Huan, they wouldn't even believe themselves.

But even if they did have something to do with Ding Huan—so what?

They were just doing their jobs, handling their duties; if the matter exceeded their capacity,

no matter how suspicious they were, they wouldn't interfere even a little, not even say an extra word.

Looking at the two enforcement officers before him, Ding Huan looked utterly confused:

"Gentlemen, since arriving here I've always behaved properly and never left—how could I be involved in a case?"

Seeing Ding Huan's genuine confusion, the shorter officer even doubted whether he'd guessed wrong.

Whether he'd guessed right or wrong, Ding Huan's attitude pleased them greatly, and their goodwill toward him rose sharply; the other officer smiled:

"Friend, don't worry—it's because Kan Ni's patron, Lord Jin, has returned, and he's ordered our enforcement team to solve the case quickly."

"The Gu brothers are also being brought in—it's all about your courtyard."

Normally, this information would never be revealed.

Because Ding Huan's attitude pleased them, these two officers voluntarily gave Ding Huan some information.

These simple details might seem trivial, but to Ding Huan they were crucial.

They let Ding Huan know who was watching this case.

Second, if Jin hadn't returned, the enforcement team wouldn't have taken this case seriously.

The shorter officer added: "Captain Riditang enforces justice fairly—if you didn't do it, you have nothing to fear."

"Thank you both. I'll go with you right away—please lead the way."

Ding Huan bowed politely, cooperating fully.

When the trio arrived at the Small Star Corner Enforcement Office, the Gu brothers were already there.

"Ding Huan greets Captain Riditang."

Ding Huan didn't know Riditang, but he assumed the captain would be seated at the head, so he bowed immediately upon entering.

"You're Ding Huan?"

What puzzled Ding Huan was that the one asking him wasn't the captain he assumed— but another man.

This fellow sat near Riditang, radiating heavy killing intent—he clearly hadn't killed few people in his life.

Could he have mistaken someone?

While Ding Huan was still puzzled, the man he had greeted laughed heartily:

"Friend Ding Huan, this is Jin. He came here specifically because of Kan Ni's case."

So that's how it was—he hadn't mistaken the person.

Jin, seeing Ding Huan ignore him, instantly felt murderous intent.

Ding Huan immediately sensed the killing intent, thinking inwardly: How many people has this guy killed?

He looked like he was about to strike at me.

Lidí seemed to deliberately prevent Jin from acting, and spoke again:

"Friend Ding Huan, half a month ago, after you purchased the house in Xingtan, Kan Ni left with you—and then vanished.

Only recently was Kan Ni's body discovered. Is there any connection between you and this?"

Ding Huan bowed again:

"Captain Lidí, I've just arrived in Four Directions Star Continent—I'm a stranger here. How could I possibly harm Kan Ni?

If I truly intended to kill him, I wouldn't have paid such a premium for the house.

Besides, Kan Ni looked so honest and trustworthy—I couldn't even match him in strength if I wanted to strike."

After speaking, Ding Huan rubbed his forehead anxiously:

"Captain Lidí, I don't know how to prove my innocence. After buying the house, I never left it. But I just arrived here—I know no one, and no one can vouch for me."

The crowd heard Ding Huan's incoherent words—how did being honest and trustworthy relate to being unable to fight back? Clearly, Ding Huan was desperately anxious.

Captain Lidí smiled faintly:

"Don't worry. We will investigate and uncover the truth."

After saying this, his gaze fell again on the Four Brothers Gu:

"Can any of you four prove that you didn't kill Kan Ni?"

Though independent, the Four Brothers Gu had mostly assisted Jin in his affairs—how could they possibly have killed Kan Ni?

But now that the Enforcement Team was questioning them, they had to answer.

The eldest, Gu Yi, quickly explained:

"Captain Lidí, you know well our relationship with Kan Ni—how could we possibly kill him?"

"Kan Ni's body was found near your home, and he didn't even have time to struggle—clearly, the one who killed him was far stronger than Kan Ni," said Lidí coolly.

His implication: You four surrounded Kan Ni—he likely had no chance to resist.

"We had no reason to kill Kan Ni."

The youngest, Gu Gu, grew frantic—was this an attempt to frame the Gu brothers?

"According to our examination, Kan Ni died right after the house transfer half a month ago. At the time, five thousand purple gold coins remained on his person.

Five thousand purple gold coins are enough to stir someone's greed," Lidí's words cut deep.

"Five thousand purple-gold coins is enough to make a person start having ideas." Lidi Town's words were very cutting.

"Captain Lidí, what are you implying? That the Four Brothers Gu are the murderers?"

"Captain Town, what do you mean? Are you saying that we four Gu brothers are the murderers?"

"Of course not—you're merely suspects. According to the laws of Four Directions Star Continent, suspects must be temporarily detained by our Enforcement Guard."

"Of course not, you are merely suspects. According to the laws of our Four Directions Star Continent, suspects need to be temporarily detained by our Law Enforcement Guard."

"Captain Lidí, isn't this enforcement a bit odd? If there's suspicion, then Ding Huan is equally suspect—why isn't he detained?"

"Captain Town, isn't there something off about your law enforcement? If he's a suspect, then this Ding Huan is also a suspect—why doesn't he need to be detained?"

"Because he has no suspicion. He was brought here only to confirm evidence. If you don't believe me, ask Lord Jin."

The Gu brothers turned their gazes toward Jin. After all, over the years, the Four Brothers Gu had done much for Jin.

Surely Jin would speak up for them.

Jin's earlier anger had vanished, but his expression remained calm—he showed no intention of answering the Gu brothers at all.

Jin no longer had his previous fury, but his expression was calm, showing absolutely no intention of answering the four Gu brothers.

"Take the Gu brothers away. We'll render judgment once we gather further evidence."

Several Enforcement Team members immediately stepped forward, shackled the Four Brothers Gu, and led them away.

Ding Huan was stunned—was that it?

Was this case really settled so hastily? He had prepared legal clauses to argue, yet now he couldn't even interject a word.

Was Captain Lidí's method of judging cases rendering his expertise useless? Hmm—he didn't oppose this approach.

Though Lidí claimed they'd find more evidence later, taking the Gu brothers away was effectively closing the case.

"Give me back your house. I'll pay you one hundred purple gold coins," Jin stared coldly at Ding Huan.

Ding Huan, still lost in thought over the hasty case, heard this absurd remark.

He turned to Jin, face full of confusion:

"Are you trying to forcibly buy my house?"

Ding Huan said this deliberately—he knew that in Four Directions Star Continent, any forced transaction exceeding ten purple gold coins carried a death sentence.

Ding Huan said this deliberately; he knew there was a law in the Four Directions Star Continent that any forced transaction exceeding ten purple-gold coins was punishable by death.

"I, Jin, am a lord—I abide by law and order. How could I possibly force a sale?"

With that, he turned and walked away.

Ding Huan paid no mind. He bowed to Lidí:

"Thank you, Captain Lidí, for upholding justice for me."

"Thank you, Captain Machi, for standing up for me."

Lidi Ting laughed heartily:

"The moment I see a friend, I know they're someone worth befriending. If you don't mind, shall we have a few drinks?"