Chapter 322 - 174: The Dust Settles on the Bombing Case

Chapter 322: Chapter 174: The Dust Settles on the Bombing Case

Liao Tianming fell silent for a long while. He knew Yang Wenqing was speaking the truth; now that the Special Investigations Office and the City Bureau were on the case, there was no way they would let it go so easily.

He let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping. "What Chief Yang says makes sense... It’s just, could the arrest be handled... a bit more tactfully? He’s a deputy director, after all. The fallout from having him publicly taken from his office or home would be terrible."

"What do you suggest, Director Liao?" Yang Wenqing asked.

"How about this..." Liao Tianming mused for a moment. "As it happens, I have an urgent matter concerning land acquisition compensation in the Port District that I must discuss with him right away. I can invite him to a small gathering tonight. The City Bureau can set up surveillance, then ’invite’ him to ’assist with an investigation.’ That way, we can at least save face."

Yang Wenqing considered it briefly. It was indeed a relatively sound plan.

He then activated the Communication Array and briefly spoke with Qiu Zheng, who was busy in the precinct’s underground interrogation room.

After a moment’s thought, Qiu Zheng agreed to the plan but demanded that the surveillance be meticulous and foolproof. He also required Director Liao to cooperate fully and not let a single word slip.

"Alright, we’ll proceed as Director Liao suggests." Yang Wenqing ended the call and nodded at Liao Tianming. "My assistant, Liu Qin, will coordinate the specific time and private room with you shortly. I’m counting on you for this matter, Director Liao."

Liao Tianming nodded with a bitter smile, his steps seeming a bit heavy as he rose to leave.

After seeing Director Liao off, the sky outside had completely darkened. It was long past the end of the workday, and the lights in most of the office building had been extinguished.

Yang Wenqing did not leave right away. He needed to wait for the Special Investigations Office to apprehend the suspect. He decided to use the time to finish reviewing the backlog of routine paperwork so it could be distributed first thing in the morning.

Time slipped by to the faint scratching of his pen on paper. By the time he signed the last document, the hands of the mechanical clock on the wall were pointing to nine in the evening.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a concise report from Qiu Zheng came through his badge. "Chief Yang, Zhuang Jian has been successfully secured and is being escorted back to the precinct. The preliminary Soul Search on Li Xiulan is also complete. Her memories are intact and are currently being analyzed. Do you want to come and listen in?"

Yang Wenqing felt a wave of relief. He replied, "Good work, Captain Qiu. The precinct will fully cooperate with the Special Investigations Office. As for the case itself, follow the city’s directives. I won’t interfere. If you need any assistance, Team Leader Liu Xin of the Major Case Team will be your point of contact."

The offer had just been a courtesy; they weren’t actually asking him to come and direct the proceedings. After exchanging a few more words, they ended the call.

Ending the call, Yang Wenqing leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh of relief. The precinct had done its part. Now, all that was left was to wait for the case to be closed.

He stacked the reviewed documents neatly, placing them on a prominent corner of his desk so Liu Qin could distribute them first thing in the morning. Then, he switched off his desk lamp, leaving only a single Luminous Pearl in the corner of the room to cast a soft glow.

Walking out of the office, Liu Qin immediately stood up to greet him. The two exchanged a few simple pleasantries and then walked out of the main building together.

Arriving at the rear courtyard where the Flying Shuttle was docked, Yang Wenqing smiled at Yang Zhong and gave the order, "Home!"

The Flying Shuttle rose gracefully, streaking across the silent night sky above the New District. Down below, the city-wide curfew had yet to be lifted, and the streets remained deserted. He could finally allow his taut nerves to relax a little. He needed to go home and properly regulate his energy to prepare for the impending visit from the supervisor.

As for the case, since his master had told him to go this far and no further, he wouldn’t dwell on it. He would provide whatever cooperation and support were required, and then simply wait for the "immense benefits" his master had spoken of.

The Flying Shuttle landed in the rear courtyard of the inner residence at Yang’s Residence. The night was late, and lights were out in most of the compound. Yang Wenqing stepped onto the familiar bluestone path, intending to head straight for his Quiet Chamber, when he noticed a warm yellow light spilling from the direction of the main hall, accompanied by the faint sound of familiar voices.

He paused, a flicker of curiosity in his heart, and followed the light.

Pushing open the half-closed door to the hall, he saw his mother, Wang Qin, sitting just below the host’s seat, speaking in low tones with an elder clanswoman. A cup of still-warm tea rested beside her.

"Mom?" Yang Wenqing was a little surprised, then a genuine smile bloomed on his face as he strode inside. "What are you doing here? You didn’t say you were coming."

Wang Qin looked up at his voice, her eyes immediately filling with affection and delight. She waved for the elder clanswoman to go and rest, then beckoned to Yang Wenqing. "Come and sit. You must be exhausted. Yang Zhong told me you’ve been run off your feet lately."

Yang Wenqing sat down beside his mother, accepted the cup of hot tea she poured for him, and replied, "I’m fine. It’s all part of the job. You came this time for...?"

"What else? It’s about your second uncle’s family," Wang Qin said, smiling as she patted the back of his hand. "His eldest daughter is engaged to that boy from the Sun family, isn’t she? The wedding is set for the sixth of next month, so I had to come back and help with the arrangements. Your father’s back too, though he was dragged off for drinks by some old friends as soon as he got home this afternoon. I expect he’ll be back any time now."

Hearing his father was also back, the smile in Yang Wenqing’s eyes deepened. "Is Wenning doing okay in Qianjiao County? I haven’t sent her a message in a while."

"She’s doing fine. That girl has really matured, and she’s working hard on her cultivation." Wang Qin began to chatter about her daughter’s recent life, her face filled with motherly concern as she recounted various family matters.

The mother and son made idle conversation like this, and the warm atmosphere in the hall temporarily dispelled the fatigue and tension that had plagued Yang Wenqing for days. Before he knew it, more than an hour had passed. A hint of weariness appeared on Wang Qin’s face, and she covered her mouth to stifle a small yawn.

Seeing this, Yang Wenqing immediately stood up. "Mom, you’ve had a long journey. You should get some rest."

"Yes, and you shouldn’t stay up too late, either. Cultivation is important, but your body is more so," Wang Qin urged as her son helped her up and escorted her back to her room.

After seeing his mother to her room, Yang Wenqing finally headed toward the Quiet Chamber in the rear courtyard.

The night of cultivation passed uneventfully. Aided by the Blood Marrow Lingzhi and the Spirit Gathering Array, his progress on the First Transformation of Bone Marrow Cleansing was steady. Nurtured by the Yuqing Secret Skill, the Five Yang Qi within his five organs also showed an imperceptible hint of growth.

「The next morning, at the crack of dawn.」

Yang Wenqing concluded his cultivation on schedule and went to the training grounds to practice the Wind Manipulation Technique. After days of arduous practice, his perception and control of the wind had become increasingly refined. As he moved, he could already use the wind to glide for more than ten zhang. While he still couldn’t truly soar, his short-range maneuverability had already far surpassed that of an ordinary Light Body Technique.

After finishing his practice, he walked slowly toward the dining hall.

The moment he stepped through the door, he saw his mother already seated at the dining table, upon which were laid out simple congee and a few side dishes—all his childhood favorites.

"Mom!"

Yang Wenqing said with a smile, his eyes scanning the room. "Is Dad not up yet?"

Wang Qin was about to answer when, from the corner of her eye, she caught a flicker of light and shadow at the door as a figure walked in.

It was Yang Jianmu.

He wore a set of dark gray casual clothes, and his face carried the faint weariness of a lingering hangover. The dark circles under his eyes made it clear he had returned very late last night and had not slept well.

But when he saw Yang Wenqing standing in the dining room, the weariness in his eyes—so similar to his son’s—was instantly replaced by pride.

"You’re up." Yang Jianmu’s voice was tinged with the slight hoarseness of early morning. He walked to the head of the dining table and sat down, his every movement betraying an unconcealable exhaustion.

He didn’t ask his son if he was busy with his official duties, nor did he make small talk about family matters. He simply picked up his chopsticks, placed a portion of a side dish onto the plate in front of Yang Wenqing, and said simply, "Eat while it’s hot."

Yang Wenqing looked at the food his father had placed on his plate, then glanced up at the dark circles under his father’s eyes and the weariness etched on his brow. A warmth spread through his heart. ’He must still be dead tired,’ he thought, ’but he knows that as a high-ranking official, my time is precious. If we miss this short breakfast together, who knows when we’ll be able to eat at the same table again.’

’That’s why, no matter how tired he was, he forced himself to get up early—just to see me, to have one breakfast together.’

"Why didn’t your younger brother come back?" Wang Qin asked.

"He has an assignment at the bureau. I told him to come back in the afternoon," Yang Wenqing replied.

"If he has an assignment, then let it be. He’s at a critical stage right now," Yang Jianmu quickly interjected, stopping Yang Wenqing from pulling strings for his younger son.