Chapter 678: Great Change

Afterwards, Chen Yongren again took the thermos and the warehouse's in-and-out records from the past two years, looked at the two Japanese soldiers at the door, and had them carry Xishi Gong's corpse and place it in the back seat of the car.

Chen Yongren then drove away from the warehouse, deliberately took a detour, and hid him in a haystack by the roadside.

Then he took the corpse found yesterday from the system warehouse, first fed it aconitine, then removed Xishi Gong's clothes and changed it into them, placed it in the back seat, then hid Xishi Gong's "corpse", took out a notebook, and noted the exact coordinates and direction.

To avoid Chen Yongyi's misunderstanding, Chen Yongren added another sentence, telling him that Xishi Gong was merely unconscious and would wake up in a day, so he needed to be moved to a safe place as soon as possible.

He also controlled a crow, making its claws tightly grip Xishi Gong's coordinates.

After doing all that, Chen Yongren sped toward the city, controlling the crow to fly above the car while simultaneously opening the Heaven's Eye map to monitor Chen Yongyi's position.

All the way back to the city, Chen Yongren deliberately passed by Chen Yongyi's residence, had the crow fly to his doorstep, cawed twice, and dropped the coordinates there.

……

At Chen Yongyi's home.

Chen Yongyi, who had been waiting at home for news, suddenly heard a crow's call from outside the door.

Chen Yongyi felt something was off, opened the door to look, but found nothing.

When he retreated back to the room, however, he discovered a rolled-up note on the floor.

Chen Yongyi's heart tightened, he glanced left and right, quickly picked up the note, closed the door, returned indoors, unfolded it, and saw only a location and a sentence on it.

He acted this quickly?

Did it succeed just like that?

Chen Yongyi had no time to think it over, quickly left the city and headed for the target location.

……

At the same time, Chen Yongren also returned to the North China Military Bureau, first arranging for someone to take the thermos for inspection, then finding a stretcher, and had the two Japanese soldiers carry Xishi Gong's "corpse" to Okamura Neji's office.

"Chief, why did you come back alone?" Okamura Neji exclaimed, "Didn't you run into the people I sent to pick you up?"

Chen Yongren shook his head: "I was worried about encountering an accident on the road, so I deliberately took a detour to avoid the main intersections."

Okamura Neji didn't dwell on it further and asked, "Chief Director Sir, what exactly is going on? What did you find that made them want to kill?"

"I don't know either..." Chen Yongren said helplessly: "Just like yesterday, we were preparing to continue the screening when Xishi Jun took a sip of water and suddenly fainted, then..."

"Water?" Okamura Neji exclaimed.

"Ha yi, it's precisely the water sent by the warehouse garrison." Chen Yongren bowed his head: "I have already arranged for someone to inspect that bottle of boiled water, and I believe the results will come out soon."

Looking at Xishi Gong's "corpse" on the ground, Okamura Neji's expression grew grave, and beside him, Adachi Nijūsan likewise wore a constipated look.

"Chief Director Sir, have you leaked your mission to them?" Okamura Neji said in a low voice.

He was suspicious, wondering whether their conversation had led the insider to mistakenly think their investigation had progressed, prompting him to suddenly strike with lethal force.

Chen Yongren shook his head: "No, at least I didn't; as for whether Xishi Jun discovered anything, I don't know..."

After all.

Xishi Gong's death was too sudden.

If the insider were safe, he would certainly not strike rashly unless the two had uncovered something in their investigation.

So Chen Yongren could only pin this black pot firmly on Xishi Gong's head.

"Little master, I saved your life, used you to escape, and that's just collecting interest."

After a pause, Chen Yongren added: "However, our large-scale investigation of the records is obvious to anyone with discernment; whether we speak of it or not makes no real difference."

"Perhaps this insider truly feared that if we continued investigating the shipping records we would uncover problems, so he wanted to kill us."

Chen Yongren also did not speak definitively, but left room on both sides.

That statement is indeed correct.

If the logistics were problem-free, who would be idle enough to suddenly start checking logistics records?

Okamura Neji stared fixedly at Chen Yongren.

The two went to inspect together; the result was that only Xishi Gong died, and Okamura Neji also began to suspect that the Yuan Chief had an issue.

But upon further thought.

This guy had been in Jinmen before, and had only just arrived in Beiping not long ago—when would he have had time to set up these arrangements?

Even if he had an issue, it would be impossible for him to drag Xishi Gong into investigating the case together.

To go to the trouble of letting Xishi Gong investigate the case together, then kill him—what would be the point?

Logically, it simply makes no sense.

Having sensed Okamura Neji's inner thoughts, Chen Yongren remained calm.

He clearly understood that Okamura Neji would suspect him; that is normal investigative thinking.

But even if the old Japanese devil investigated to death, he could never uncover any connection between Chen Yongren and this matter.

Okamura Neji looked at Xishi Gong's "corpse" and said in a muffled voice: "Since they struck at you, that proves one thing: our investigative approach is not wrong, and the warehouse in‑out records must have a problem!"

"General Okamura, I share that view." Chen Yongren said angrily: "Please rest assured, General, I will definitely investigate this case thoroughly."

"These bastards now dare to kill even high officials of the Younger Brother Country; from now on there's nothing they wouldn't dare do!"

"General, I suggest we immediately take control of the warehouse garrison and examine each person's identity for problems!"

Chen Yongren also did not know Xishi Gong's true identity; from a normal perspective, he would certainly be furious.

He was also weighing in his mind that he needed to find someone of sufficient stature to bear this black pot of selling supplies, treason, and collaboration with the enemy.

A mere lieutenant could at most be an accomplice.

This matter at minimum requires a colonel‑level officer…

As for the person who administered the poison and carried out the assassination…

Chen Yongren then prepared to use a timid, fearful little shrimp to take the black pot, because he feared exposure and thus wanted to suddenly administer poison.

It naively thought that if the investigator died, the investigation would be interrupted.

A brainless little shrimp, whatever it does, is not surprising.

With mind control skill at hand, such things are no problem for Chen Yongren.

Also there is this fake corpse of Cunxi Gong.

Although the disguise technique is flawless, this is ultimately a counterfeit and must be dealt with quickly, lest the flaw be exposed.

Chen Yongren also found an opportunity to burn down the mortuary.

Even several other warehouses in the suburbs of Beiping.

Only then does it match the script of a Younger Brother Country major pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Chen Yongren was thinking when he heard Gangcun Ningci call out: "Come here!"

No sooner had he spoken than two Japanese soldiers pushed the door open and entered.

"Send the corpse of the Lord of the West Village for autopsy immediately; tonight I want to see his examination report!" Gangcun Ningci barked.

The two Japanese soldiers acknowledged, hoisted the corpse, and hurried away.

Gangcun Ningci then turned to Chen Yongren and snapped: "Chief Director Sir, the nature of this matter has changed; no matter what, we must investigate this thoroughly and root out the mole lurking in the military headquarters!"