Chapter 328 - 327: Looking for Old Friends, With Good Appearance and Greatness

Upon leaving the Capital Inspection Headquarters, Li Jing took a taxi out of the "water meter ring" and found a nearby tea house to sit in a quiet corner.

Drinking tea culture in the capital is quite exquisite.

Of course.

Li Jing wasn’t here for the tea.

He needed a quiet environment to sort out all the associated threads of thought.

Looking over the menu, Li Jing ordered a pot of Spiritual Tea, valued at ten Spirit Crystals.

That’s right.

A pot of tea was worth ten Spirit Crystals.

Converted to cash, that was about 130,000.

Tea that can be called Spiritual Tea is naturally different from ordinary tea.

But if we’re talking about its efficacy, it’s not that great.

Spiritual objects that truly benefit cultivators can’t be measured by single-digit Spirit Crystals.

So-called Spiritual Tea is at most a low-level spiritual object, made by drying tea leaves containing a small amount of Spiritual Qi.

The tea brewed from it has a distinctive taste due to the Spiritual Qi in the leaves, and it also has a tiny beneficial effect on the human body.

Expecting to enhance your cultivation level by drinking tea is less effective than concentrating for a few minutes during cultivation.

However, since it is a drink, there is naturally a market for it.

Even though many people can’t afford Spiritual Tea because of its price, it’s still considered a luxury in the world of tea, and many people are willing to try it.

Li Jing didn’t care about the money, spending ten Spirit Crystals was nothing to him.

What he valued most was the quiet, undisturbed environment inside the tea house.

When the waiter brought the Spiritual Tea, Li Jing poured a cup and took a small sip.

Hmm.

He couldn’t appreciate the taste.

Indeed, high-end tea is not suitable for someone young and inexperienced like him.

Setting the tea cup aside, Li Jing took out his tablet to access the Patrol System and view the classified content that Jin Ruixin has authorized him to see.

Having glanced over the list of current and serving sect disciples in the capital, Li Jing was slightly taken aback.

Not realizing this before, it was truly shocking to find out.

There were more than a thousand sect disciples working in the public departments of the capital.

However, their positions were generally not high.

Out of the list of a thousand people.

Most of them were working in the Capital Inspection Headquarters and the Administration Bureau, many of them were at the grassroots level, and only a small portion held positions above the team leader.

Apart from the Capital Inspection Headquarters and the Administration Bureau, the two main departments, there were also some strange positions.

Quite a few of the listed sect disciples worked in the street administrations, neighborhood committees, and even some who were grassroots cadre in the labor departments.

Li Jing couldn’t tell whether they were choosing positions more conducive to cultivation in society for their cultivation, or if it was Longyu’s arrangement.

But looking at it this way, the capital’s threshold for sect disciples is indeed high.

Those who were eligible to serve in the capital were mostly those who had made outstanding contributions in other local cities or jurisdictions.

The sect disciples who came to the capital were basically all at the grassroots level, and the high-ranking ones were few and far between.

This threshold was unusually high.

According to what Jin Ruixin said.

Longyu allowing the sect disciples to cultivate in society was mainly to reinforce the insufficient top combat power in all places, to make up for the fatal shortcoming in some areas that had no strong ones stationed and were relatively chaotic and difficult to develop.

If this logic is followed, these sect disciples at least needed the rank of a deputy director when they start cultivating in society.

Strength can indeed convince the crowds.

But a sufficiently high position is also an indispensable factor.

There is an old saying in Longyu.

It’s called a clever woman can’t cook without rice.

No matter how strong you are or how far-sighted you are, if you have strength but no corresponding authority or position, no one will care about your voice.

Like Qi Chen, whom Li Jing had met before.

He was directly the district director of the Eastern District Management Bureau of Longyu.

This rank was not just one or two levels higher than Jiang Yini, the local director.

Based on the current names on the list, supposing Qi Chen came to the capital, he might just have a grassroots position.

Taking out his phone, Li Jing opened the tablet’s Bluetooth and copied the information to his phone via point-to-point transmission, then reviewed the information of the three missing patrollers.

The three patrollers.

Belonged to different departments.

One was from the Crimes Investigation Department, one was from the Intelligence Department, and the other was from the Special Action Team.

Gender, two male and one female respectively.

The three had no explicit connection.

The female investigator from the Intelligence Department was the first to disappear, and her disappearance took place not during an investigation, but at home.

The members of the Crimes Investigation Department and Special Action Team did indeed disappear during investigations.

Having read through the three individuals’ records in the Patrol System, Li Jing rubbed his forehead.

The information that Jin Ruixin had authorized him to view was of no real significance.

But given the current situation, honestly, there wasn’t much help to be expected from the Capital Inspection Headquarters.

The Capital Inspection Headquarters itself had no leads yet, except for information that sect disciples had gotten involved in the affairs of the Wang and Lu families.

After a moment of thought, Li Jing copied the information of the three missing patrollers to his phone, then messaged a task to Little Obstacle.

"Little Obstacle, the location is the capital, within this month. Check through the capital’s street surveillance to see where those three missing patrollers were active before they disappeared and who they interacted with, I need detailed information. Then, investigate the personal lives of the more than one thousand people on the list, check if they have any connections with business or any families in the capital."

After the message was sent, Little Obstacle quickly replied.

"Received, the workload is quite large, it may take quite a bit of time."

"It doesn’t matter, take your time."

Li Jing replied to the message, took a sip of his tea, and then sent another message.

"The thousand-plus individuals on the list can be put off for now. Prioritize the three missing patrollers."

"Understood."

Little Obstacle replied.

Having instructed Little Obstacle, Li Jing picked up his tablet again and carefully searched through the list of over a thousand sect disciples.

Soon, he found two familiar names.

Ji Youyu, Tong Yao.

Although he didn’t pay much attention to the list earlier, he was clear about the activities of these two in the capital.

After all, unlike Qi Chen, they were commissioners for the Alien Civilization.

The title of Alien Civilization Commissioner has a low profile in Longyu.

From the words, we can clearly see the function of this title.

But basically, no one has heard of it.

Even if they have heard of it, they probably don’t know which public offices these positions belong to.

Ji Youyu and Tong Yao, with this title on their foreheads, are also relatively special.

When needed, their authority and priority even exceed the power that the Management Bureau possesses in special events.

Such as in the confirmed existence of a communicable Alien Civilization at Chongyuan Holy Realm.

Their rights are much higher than Qi Chen’s.

However, under ordinary circumstances, both of their positions are genuinely leisurely jobs.

It couldn’t be helped.

The opening of the Secret Realm itself has many uncertainties.

When a Secret Realm will appear, it’s hard to say.

Which Secret Realm will have Alien Species present, it’s also hard to say.

Add to this, up to now, Longyu has never encountered a friendly Alien Civilization that is willing to communicate with people, so practitioners with the title "Alien Civilization Officer" basically have nothing to do usually.

Chongyuan Holy Realm, could be said to be the first time.

However, the God-Human Race of the Chongyuan Holy Realm that communicates with people is just seemingly friendly...

If it weren’t for Li Jing, Ji Youyu and Tong Yao would have gone to the Chongyuan Holy Realm for a whole month with no results.

By the way.

Alien Civilization Officer is essentially a position affiliated with the Communication Department of Longyu, mainly dealing with affairs in communication with Alien Species.

Finding the records of the two, Li Jing found out that Ji Youyu was still in Jianghai and hadn’t returned, while Tong Yao had returned from Jianghai a week ago, reported her work and officially submitted her gains in the Chongyuan Holy Realm to the Ministry. She is currently on leave at home.

That Ji Youyu was still in Jianghai, Li Jing was not surprised.

After all, Quan Chang was in Jianghai Management Bureau all the time, nowhere else to be found.

Ji Youyu, with such a position, had a rare opportunity to do something related to the interests of the Sect, so she naturally had to pay more attention to it.

Upon confirmation that Tong Yao, who could tentatively be considered a close acquaintance, was in the Capital, Li Jing glanced at her address in her personal information, called over the waiter to pay the bill, and left the teahouse.

This case.

It’s harder than the one Augustus is dealing with.

The same lack of clues, at least Augustus’ case still had a crime scene.

But this case has nothing.

Two missing male patrol agents, we don’t even know where the two disappeared.

The only female patrol agent can confirm that she disappeared at home.

But she was the first to go missing, three weeks ago practically, so any traces in her home would be long gone.

News from Xiao Ai has to wait.

However, Li Jing can’t just rely on Xiao Ai for this matter.

He had to find his own way and think of a solution.

...

A few minutes later, Li Jing arrived at the entrance of an old neighborhood near the outskirts of the Capital.

Believe it or not, the place where Tong Yao lives is in this old residential area over forty years old.

Not only her, Ji Youyu also bought a house here.

Of course.

Even in the Capital, which is more expensive per square meter than Jianghai, the price of such an old house is extremely expensive, even more expensive than some excellent properties in the Earth Realm.

In fact, this old neighborhood is mainly composed of privately-owned homes.

They are not villas, but their value is not less than villas.

Here, mainly the living conditions are slightly worse.

At the same price, if you really want to buy, you can buy many better properties on the Earth Realm in the Capital.

Apart from the advantage of being less noisy than the city center, it’s expensive because you never know when it will be relocated.

When we mention relocation!

Those who understand will understand.

However, Tong Yao and Ji Youyu buying houses here certainly wasn’t for the prospect of relocation.

Sects are not allowed to meddle in commercial matters, but they are allowed to settle permanently in the Secret Realm, so they simply cannot lack money.

The Secret Realm is unlike the mortal world where there are human footprints everywhere and the environment has been severely damaged.

Not to mention the beautiful environment, there are inexhaustible resources.

All the major Hidden World Sects have secluded themselves for at least thousands of years.

With a thousand years of accumulation, only heaven knows how many resources they have accumulated.

Just casually bringing out some of them is enough to ensure that the disciples of the Sect can live a life without worry of food and clothing in the mortal world.

In the end.

No matter how expensive a property is, its value is limited.

People simply don’t lack this bit of money.

Talking about this.

Li Jing also genuinely envies the treatment of Sect disciples.

In the permanently inhabited Secret Realm, there should be things with Health Bars on their heads everywhere, right?

With the Secret Realm being so vast, there must be some indigenous creatures that are hostile to humans, right?

What if he didn’t traverse to the mortal world but instead to the Secret Realm space, or if he had the chance to be invited into a permanently inhabited Secret Realm as a guest...

Walking slowly into the old district, it didn’t take long for Li Jing to find the mansion that Tong Yao had bought.

Speaking of which, it’s quite a coincidence.

Just as Li Jing had reached the entrance of the mansion and was about to ring the doorbell, the gate inside the compound was suddenly opened. Tong Yao walked out holding a basin of what looked like footwashing water, and dumped the entire bucket of liquid into the flower bed.

At a glance, Li Jing was taken aback.

On the other side, Tong Yao was also startled to see a man standing outside her house all of a sudden, thinking she had seen it wrong and rubbing her eyes.

The two stared at each other across the gate for a while before Li Jing smiled and raised his hand.

Upon seeing this, Tong Yao dared to recognize that the man outside her door was Li Jing.

She only knew Li Jing, and they hadn’t had much contact.

Previously in the Chongyuan Holy Realm, her sister had even made it clear that she should get closer to Li Jing.

After Ji Youyu followed Li Jing into the living space of the God-Human Race, not only did she cancel this "plan", she tried to avoid taking Tong Yao with her when she contacted Li Jing.

This has directly led to Tong Yao hardly ever seeing Li Jing after their initial meeting.

Seeing someone standing friendly outside her house, Tong Yao blinked her big eyes, looked left and right, and cautiously moved to the door.

"Why are you here? And how did you know I live here?"

As a girl, Tong Yao understood that it was necessary to protect herself.

Li Jing’s personal strength was far beyond expectation, her sister had told her a long time ago.

Now with Ji Youyu not around, and she’s alone and her residence has been found, doesn’t she need to be a little cautious?

Seeing Tong Yao’s query, Li Jing didn’t beat around the bush, took out his Patrol Certificate and presented it.

"I’m handling a case in the Capital and there’s something I need to understand with you. As for your residential information, I got it through authorized access via the Patrol System, not a private investigation."

"Investigating a case, using me for information?"

Tong Yao furrowed her brows strangely.

"I just returned to the Capital three days ago..."

Before she could finish her speech, Li Jing shrugged.

"I know you just got back, but at this point, I think you might be the only one who can help me. Would you let me in to talk?"

"This..."

Tong Yao hesitated.

Looking at her severe rusting front gate, she figured that the gate would be no obstacle to Li Jing if he had malicious intentions. In the end, she softly nodded and opened the door.

Li Jing followed suit in, glancing at the flower bed area, his expression gradually becoming peculiar.

He had just arrived when Tong Yao stepped out of her door, so he hadn’t noticed it at first.

Looking at it now, a variety of fruits and vegetables were planted in her large flower bed instead of flowers and grass.

Yes.

The kind that you could buy for a few bucks per pound at the market.

Could this...

Be Tong Yao’s way of scraping a living?

When she realized that he was paying attention to her flower bed, Tong Yao coughed.

"Stop staring, it’s just some random vegetables I planted. I was accustomed to living in the mountains, and I couldn’t shake the old habit of feeling uncomfortable not grow something to eat."

Upon hearing this, Li Jing, surprised, took back his gaze.

Farming, it’s something ingrained in the genes of the Longyu people.

That wasn’t hard to understand.

But were disciples from world-hidden sects also accustomed to this...?

Weren’t they cultivating all the time?

However, Li Jing changed his mind and understood.

The condition of residing permanently in the Secret Realm was excellent, but only limited to cultivation.

There was no entertainment there, and there certainly wasn’t a market for buying or selling anything.

If you wanted to eat something delicious, you would have to provide for yourself.

Upon understanding the situation, Li Jing realized why Tong Yao and Ji Youyu chose to live in such old houses in the Capital.

Things like villas and apartments couldn’t possibly play host to these kinds of plantations.

Not only was there no place to plant, but obstacles to plant growth, such as exhaust emissions, sunlight shielding, and various human factors, were present. Many fruits and vegetables were of a rather delicate type.

A slight lack of environmental conditions and they might wither overnight.

While considering these thoughts, Tong Yao spoke.

"Let’s talk inside. Even if you’re just a guest, I still should show you some hospitality."

Li Jing nodded upon hearing this.

"Apologies for the interruption."

...

The furnishing in Tong Yao’s home was quite meticulous.

However, despite this, the disadvantages of the old house were evident.

The wall paint inside the house had fallen off in many places, showing signs of long wear and tear.

Tong Yao apparently tried to improve the situation by putting up wallpapers.

However, due to the poor condition of the walls, she had to tear them down again, leaving only some parts that were effectively adhering.

Tong Yao brought Li Jing inside and casually said.

"Sit anywhere you like. Would you like something to drink? I have Cola, orange juice, and beer."

"Cola, please."

Li Jing answered, then furrowed his brow.

"You drink beer?"

"What’s wrong with that?"

Tong Yao laughed, walked to the fridge, grabbed two cans of Cola, and said with a smile

"Do you think, with my level of cultivation, how much beer would I need to feel a bit tipsy?"

Li Jing was at a loss for words.

For a Six Realm cultivator desiring to get drunk, it is indeed a challenge.

Considering beer, no matter how much you drink, you probably won’t feel the slightest bit tipsy even if your bladder explodes.

"Back to the topic, what actually brings you here?"

Tong Yao sat down, handed a can of cola to him and continued,

"Since I have been back, I haven’t heard of any significant issues in the Capital. Moreover, you got authority to find my address, which leads me to believe this might be related to a disciple of a Sect. But again, I haven’t heard anything about that."

Hearing this, Li Jing felt a bit disappointed.

Tong Yao, knowing nothing about the matter, how could she possibly help him?

But that was understandable.

After all, she had only been back three days.

Grasping the cola, Li Jing took a gulp and started,

"Since Miss Tong doesn’t know anything, I won’t pester you for more. However, I do have another question..."

Before he could finish, Tong Yao curled up her legs and sat lazily on the sofa.

"We may not be close, but we do know each other. You can call me ’Yaojin’."

She said, as she opened her can of cola and took several sip in quick succession

Seeing her like this, Li Jing’s eye twitched.

He did not know Tong Yao well.

But from his impression.

She seemed like a delicately vibrant girl, good-looking and well-endowed. She would be quite eye-catching if she were on the street.

The world is not lacking in beauty, so good looks are not rare.

But if we’re talking about being well-endowed, it’s still a natural advantage among the female population.

Spiritual Qi nourishment could subtly improve a person’s appearance, but couldn’t change their in-born physic.

Some people were flat-chested, whereas others were more bountiful.

Li Jing had several examples of this around him.

For instance, Xu Jiayi was flat as a board, and Yulian was extremely voluptuous.

Apart from the brutally hot-bodied Yulian, Li Jing also had Ji Qing who was quite fierce. Then Liu Sisi, Chen Yuran and others were all rather standard in figure.

Not small, but not large either.

The Tong Yao in front of him, could easily compete with Yulian.

A pretty, buxom girl, who still unabashedly chugged down a drink in front of a male visitor?

Was the sophistication he saw in the Chongyuan Holy Realm just a show?

So...

Don’t judge a book by its cover?

As Li Jing was pondering on this, Tong Yao, with her youthful face, guzzled half a can of cola in one breath, smacking her lips all the while, and then looked at him and said,

"Listening to you just now, is it that you’re hoping for my help? That’s all good to me. Quan Chang has got that ’mess’ covered and has instructed me to be idle since my recent return. The higher-ups have given two months of leave, and I’m actually perplexed about what to do."

Having said that, she grinned and said,

"So, what benefit is there for me in helping you?"

"..."

Li Jing.

Tong Yao was quite smart, which was what he had hoped to see.

He indeed wanted to ask for her help.

But her character overhaul...

He had only sat down for two minutes, and where had the gentle girl, who had previously been cautious at his arrival, disappeared to?

Nevertheless, truth be told.

He wasn’t irritated by Tong Yao’s change in attitude.

After a moment of silence, Li Jing spoke.

"The benefit you’re seeking probably wouldn’t be money, I assume?"

"Of course not going to do with money. What do I need money for?"

Tong Yao shrugged and slouched on the couch, with an air of indifference.

"You were able to find me here and therefore you must have the permission to check all the files of Sect descendants in the Capital. Hence, you should know that most of the Sect descendants residing in the Capital hold some low-level idle jobs. As for someone like me, who has a relatively good position, good assignments are hard to come by. If this doesn’t change, I might die of boredom in this city."

"That issue is beyond me."

Li Jing shook his head, saying,

"I am a low-rank patroller in the inspection system and I have no power to transfer or hire anyone. Plus, you come from a Sect background, so even if I had the power... "

He cut his sentence short as Jagged left his mouth,

Tong Yao’s request wasn’t an exaggerated one.

To put it simply, all she wanted was to make her life in the Capital more exciting.

Li Jing was sure that he wasn’t able to assist with Tong Yao’s wish, but Jin RuiXin might be able to.

With Jin RuiXin’s power and influence, it was possible for Tong Yao to shift to his department.

If Tong Yao’s assistance brought progress to the case, Jin RuiXin wouldn’t mind accepting an additional subordinate from the Six Realm.

With that in mind, Li Jing looked up.

"Hold on a moment."

He took out his phone and typed a text message, summarizing the latest updates and sent it to Jin RuiXin.

Tong Yao waited patiently upon seeing this.

Li Jing wasn’t exactly a full-time employee at the Investigation Bureau, he was just a grunt.

For any affair, he had to ask his superior.

However, at the same time, he also had an exceptional ability to investigate cases.

These two points, she knew them all.

After sending the message, Li Jing waited for a while before he received Jin RuiXin’s reply.

"Sure thing. If the case really progresses because of your friend from the Sect, I can submit a request to shift her over. The Major Crime Unit I manage is straightforward, anyone that others wouldn’t dare work with, I would. As long as she’s qualified."

Upon receiving this reply, Li Jing held out his phone for Tong Yao to see.

Tong Yao glanced at it. Seeing the words ’Major Crime Unit’ made her eyes gleam.

Then seeing that the sender was Jin RuiXin himself made her have a moment of heavy breathing.

In the Capital, she was really stifled.

Her composed demeanour outside was indeed a facade.

But her lively and restless nature was not.

Appointed to an idle position where there rarely is anything to do and being put on "leave" at any given moment, she was more than just mentally exhausted.

Joining the society was not difficult.

The challenge was, after joining, being able to find something suitable for oneself to do.

The restrictions placed on the Sect descendants in the Capital were very strict, but if they had the chance, no one would refuse it.

Only in the Capital, the core of Longyu’s power, could they gain some more substantive benefits for their respective sects. If they were somewhere else, they would just be assisting Longyu in managing and developing some backward areas.

This Major Crime Unit placement, Tong Yao felt that it suited her.

The Sect benefits matter didn’t bother her much,

Anyhow, as her elder sister handled everything, Tong Yao, being the younger sister could merely spectate.

Being able to work in the Major Crime Unit, wouldn’t her life be more thrilling than now?

She straightened her back and cleared her throat,

"Ahem. Um. Li Jing, we can be considered friends. I was just joking with you earlier. Just say what you want – whatever you need, I’ll be there."

Listening to Tong Yao’s obviously false talk, Li Jing couldn’t help but chuckle. Leaning back on the sofa, he said,

"Let me first tell you about our current situation."

With that, he relayed the situation that he had come to know through Jin RuiXin.

Tong Yao listened attentively to everything, her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"I just went to the Chongyuan Holy Realm for one month and stayed in Jianghai for a few days, and during this time, a Sect descendant in the Capital managed to cause a major incident?"

"Enough with this pointless talk."

Li Jing waved his hand, saying,

"You should have connections with many Sect descendants, and even have some understanding of some of them. Think carefully, in the group of people you know, is there a potential suspect or someone who might know something?"

"This... "

Tong Yao hesitated, saying,

"If you’re talking about potential suspects, none of the Sect descendants I know would behave so recklessly. Not just the ones I know, all the Sect descendants present in the Capital have been accustomed to the secular world for a long time, and everyone understands its rules. Crossing the line won’t do anyone good."

With that, she looked doubtful for a while and then said,

"However, if you’re asking me whether I know someone who might know something, I do know a very well-informed person. But my relationship with her isn’t so good, and she belongs to the Demon Gate and clashes with our Canglan Holy Land."

Li Jing raised his eyebrows upon hearing that,

"That’s not a problem, we’re not representing Canglan Holy Land, but the Inspection Headquarters."

Having said that, he stood up and said,

"We should not delay any further, let’s find that person now."

"Alright."

Tong Yao agreed, standing up and saying,

"Wait for me a moment, I’ll go upstairs to change."

...