Chapter 100: Slum Fourth District (Revision)

On the other side, the few people investigating the Gloomy Fluorescent Stone smuggling case are facing a more practical dilemma.

During a pause in their conversation, a Supervision Bureau member in charge of external reconnaissance hurried in and handed the freshly compiled intelligence to Yue Chengzhang.

"Team Yue, this is the report we gathered after a preliminary sweep of several suspicious locations we previously earmarked."

The team member's tone still carried confusion, seeming to still doubt the conclusions presented in the report.

"But... it's strange. Our people investigated around the Undercurrent's base points and found those sites unusually 'clean', with no signs of large‑scale cargo stockpiles or frequent personnel traffic."

"And the informant's feedback after receiving our message also indicated no material movement matching the Gloomy Fluorescent Stone's characteristics."

Yue Chengzhang flipped through the report quickly, his brows furrowing tighter; after reading it himself, he passed the report to the nearby Su Jingchuan and Min Tianyou for review.

"Indeed, it's odd," Yue Chengzhang said in a low voice.

"These are only the obvious sites; either they're decoy formations deliberately set by the Undercurrent, or they have hidden caches we haven't discovered. In any case, finding a breakthrough in a short time is very difficult."

Yue Chengzhang has spent these years in Tianmian City and Linxiao battling wits and strength, so he is fully aware of his methods.

Linxiao had never dealt with smuggling before; the main reason was the huge risk. Though the profit is high, being caught could wipe out all of Linxiao's arrangements in Tianmian City over the years in an instant.

If he hadn't received clear intelligence, he wouldn't suspect any link to the Undercurrent.

But if it were Linxiao's doing, it would be normal that they find no clues; however, the cargo ending up outside by accident is a low‑level mistake he wouldn't make.

For a moment, the entire command center fell into brief silence.

The trail seems to end here; facing a cautious, deeply hidden opponent, they can barely see any results from conventional sweep methods.

Su Jingchuan's gaze swept over the marked sites on the map.

"If the Undercurrent deliberately avoided these obvious sites, it shows they are prepared for the Supervision Bureau's search; forcing an investigation would not only alert them but could also fall into their trap."

Just as everyone was pondering the next move, Min Tianyou's crisp voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Team Yue, Teacher Su, perhaps we can return to the original clue itself."

After everyone's eyes focused on him, Min Tianyou continued to explain.

"I haven't been part of this investigation long; before tracking the Gloomy Fluorescent Stone's flow, I also relied on prophecy fragments, but I haven't yet visited the original site where the Gloomy Fluorescent Stone was first found for on‑site inspection."

He stepped to the map, his finger landing on a region of the Slum.

"Since scattered Gloomy Fluorescent Stones appeared there, whether by accident or other reasons, it proves the smuggling crew's route once passed that area, perhaps even lingering or trading nearby."

"Perhaps that place still holds some traces we missed."

His suggestion offered a new line of thought.

Instead of circling in the Undercurrent's meticulously laid fog, it's better to return to the origin, restarting the search from the fatal mistake that drew the Supervision Bureau's attention.

Yue Chengzhang looked at the spot indicated by Min Tianyou's finger on the map, pondered briefly, then nodded.

"Makes sense; we can't let the Undercurrent lead us by the nose."

"That location is an abandoned street in the Slum's Fourth District, near the edge of the old industrial zone; few people pass there normally, so it could indeed retain details we overlooked."

He looked up, scanned Su Jingchuan and Min Tianyou, then issued the decision.

"Alright, we'll first go to the Fourth District site. Tianyou, you and I plus Teacher Su, we'll take a team there. As for Ying Duo..."

His gaze lingered on the quiet green light source, then paused.

Honestly, Ying Duo is only a Mitra student, likely lacking combat ability, but leaving him alone could pose unknown risks, since his hair itself is the most direct 'evidence' of the Gloomy Fluorescent Stone.

Su Jingchuan also understood Yue Chengzhang's concern and spoke.

"He stays with me; I'll protect him," he said, his tone quite firm.

Yue Chengzhang gave Su Jingchuan a glance and did not refuse.

"Of course, but Teacher Su, please keep a close eye on him."

As he said this, looking at Ying Duo's striking green hair that stands out in any setting, he thought the request wasn't unreasonable.

However, if Ying Duo simply accompanies them to survey the site, it shouldn't cause major issues.

"Then prepare; we'll depart in ten minutes."

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At the same time the Supervision Bureau team headed to the Fourth District, in a narrow, junk‑filled alley of the Slum's Fourth District, two young men out of place walked one ahead of the other.

The one in front, Shen Zexi, wore a sharply cut denim blue jacket; even though he deliberately chose an inconspicuous style, the fabric and tailoring still starkly contrasted with the surrounding dilapidated setting.

He furrowed his brows, carefully sidestepping the flowing sewage and scattered trash, his tone carrying unmistakable surprise.

"You actually live in a place like this?"

He had been to the Slum before, even lived there for a while for various reasons, but he never imagined that Qi Hengyu, the rumored descendant of an Ancient Martial Family from the Academy, would reside in such a place.

Although Shen Zexi had heard the Ancient Martial Family was declining, he didn't expect it to have fallen to this level, forced to scrape by in the Slum's corners.

Half a step behind, Qi Hengyu walked steadily; he was far more familiar with the environment than Shen Zexi, able to move silently even on uneven, pitted ground.

He heard this, a faint, temperature‑less smile curling his lips, his voice tinged with habitual sarcasm.

"What? Young Master Shen disdain this place?"

After days of being roommates, their relationship is no longer as tense as when they first entered school, but verbal probing and occasional banter still occur.

Shen Zexi lacks the nauseating superiority and control some Dome dwellers exude, yet the 'gap' his background creates still registers with Qi Hengyu.

Shen Zexi shrugged, trying to make his tone sound more casual, yet couldn't hide his true thoughts.

"I just didn't expect the famed Ancient Martial Family to have... hmm, fallen to this state."

While saying this, he kept glancing around: rusted iron shacks, ubiquitous trash, and the foul smell of unknown decayed matter hanging in the air.

All this was far from the 'reclusive clan' he imagined.

"Destitute?" Qi Hengyu seemed to hear something amusing and let out a cold laugh.

"I have long had no connection with that Ancient Martial Family whatsoever."

Qi Hengyu's words truly surprised Shen Zexi.

He stopped, turned back, and examined Qi Hengyu closely.

Qi Hengyu's breathing is long and steady, and the muscle lines of his arms and shoulders flow smoothly, brimming with explosive power; all of this is clearly the result of years of strict training.

Someone who has diligently trained in traditional martial arts would even mention his own background in such...... disgusted tone?