Chapter 424: Eight Levels in a Row!

The Water Transport Guild wharf was as bustling as ever.

Li Zhong looked completely at ease, unhurried and calm.

Yang Ling followed half a step behind him, like a young man from the family taking his old grandfather out for a stroll.

"Chief Constable Yang, do you know the true foundation of the Water Transport Guild?"

"The foundation of the Water Transport Guild? This subordinate only knows that the guild is an indispensable part of our Zhao State."

"When we went to the Water Qilin Cave back then, we also traveled on Water Transport Guild boats."

"Exactly right, the Water Transport Guild is that important. But it's not a unified gang like those sects."

"It was formed by reorganizing countless small factions. If you truly want to speak of foundation, a single Water Transport Guild could rival a first-rate sect."

"Its foundation runs even deeper than our Ironclad Department, and its importance far surpasses even the Six Ministries of our Zhao State's court."

As Li Zhong said this, his eyes held even deeper emotion.

Yang Ling was slightly taken aback. He had guessed the Water Transport Guild's foundation was formidable.

Its ability to generate wealth might even surpass the Mining Guild and the Pharmacy Guild.

Back when they went to the Water Qilin Cave, a Sixth-Rank Water Transport Guild supervisor named Cao Junxiong had traded one hundred and fifty Foundation Consolidation Pills for the martial arts technique Seven-Inch Sword that Fourth Prince Zhao Zheng had bestowed upon Yang Ling.

That was when he had already guessed the Water Transport Guild was filthy rich.

But to say the guild's foundation ran deeper than the Six Ministries of the court? What kind of reasoning was that?

"Every year, a portion of the silver the Water Transport Guild generates goes into the Zhao State treasury, distributed to the various prefectural capitals to keep them running."

"A portion goes into His Majesty's hands, maintaining the living expenses of the royal family members."

"As for the rest, even the civil and military officials all get a share."

"Even the Four Top-Tier Sects, the second-rate sects throughout the land, and the third-rate sects, they all hold some stake in the Water Transport Guild to a greater or lesser degree, contributing funds and effort."

"This is an extremely intricate behemoth."

Li Zhong sighed with emotion: "I've heard that even our current Grand Secretary has planted quite a few of his own people within the Water Transport Guild."

"The current Guild Master of the Water Transport Guild is a Third-Rank Grandmaster Supreme."

"And the previous Guild Master is said to have stepped down to cultivate in seclusion, but in reality, he may have already become a human immortal."

"Our Ironclad Department sometimes needs to travel overseas as well, and we too must rely on Water Transport Guild boats."

"Now do you understand the foundation of the Water Transport Guild?"

Yang Ling gasped sharply inwardly.

This wasn't just called foundation anymore; the guild was completely fused with Zhao State itself, truly an indispensable part of it.

Even the Pharmacy Guild, the Mining Guild, and the various major sects all had to go through the Water Transport Guild when shipping their goods.

The web of vested interests here was complicated to the extreme.

"The reason I'm telling you all this is to remind you that even though the fire oil was transported on Water Transport Guild boats, the guild has nothing to do with it."

"If you try to pin this on the Water Transport Guild, I'll lock you up first, so you don't make things difficult for our Ironclad Department."

Li Zhong revealed his true purpose.

Yang Ling gave an awkward smile: "Lord Li, this subordinate wouldn't be that impulsive. Rest assured."

He paused, then added: "If Water Transport Guild personnel truly were involved in this matter..."

"Then arrest them as they should be arrested. It won't affect the guild's operations."

Li Zhong said.

Yang Ling immediately understood the Ironclad Department's stance on this matter.

Not far away, Yun Buchuan and his men had already found the fast boat that Yang Ling and the others had ridden.

It truly hadn't left the wharf. A group of Ironclad Department agents were searching it.

Several of them held iron chains in their hands, attached to massive hounds with golden fur and long hair.

These hounds, when standing on their hind legs, could reach a height of two and a half meters.

"Lord Li, those hounds are..."

"Golden retriever hounds, a type of mystical beast our Ironclad Department found overseas. They're extremely obedient, and their sense of smell is exceptionally keen."

"As long as they've smelled something, they can track it down even from over three miles away."

"Compared to them, your nose is nothing more than a minor sorcerer in the presence of a great one."

Li Zhong said with a faint smile.

They could smell something from over three miles away?

Yang Ling was shocked inwardly. His nose truly couldn't compare to these golden retriever hounds.

To possess such an ability, one would need at least seven to eight hundred points of Spirit.

A Water Transport Guild supervisor was currently standing beside Yun Buchuan, speaking with him in hushed tones.

Li Zhong and Yang Ling walked over slowly, and this Water Transport Guild supervisor immediately bowed in salute:

"This subordinate is Cao Xiaoshu, a supervisor of the Water Transport Guild. Greetings, Lord Li."

After a pause, he also gave Yang Ling a slight nod:

"Chief Constable Yang."

Li Zhong said with a faint smile: "Supervisor Cao, I must ask for your cooperation in today's matter. Once our Ironclad Department finishes its work, we'll withdraw. We won't take up too much of your time."

Cao Xiaoshu nodded: "Lord Li, rest assured. This subordinate understands."

About a dozen breaths later, Yun Buchuan's side had already produced results.

"They deliberately left one barrel behind."

Yun Buchuan had already ordered his men to bring out that barrel of fire oil.

Li Zhong nodded gently, then smiled at Cao Xiaoshu:

"Supervisor Cao, have your men wash this boat thoroughly. Additionally, this official needs to see this boat's log. Where it stopped, how long it stayed, every detail no matter how small, we need to know it all."

"After Water Transport Guild boats reach their destination, they're usually given a thorough cleaning as well. We'll also need the list of personnel responsible for that cleaning."

"These people must report to the Ironclad Department today."

Cao Xiaoshu pulled a ledger from his robes and handed it to Li Zhong:

"Lord Li, rest assured, we will cooperate unconditionally. This ledger contains all the details the Ironclad Department wishes to know."

Li Zhong took it, opened it and glanced through, then handed it to Yun Buchuan.

About an hour later, Yun Buchuan had arrested over a hundred Water Transport Guild disciples.

However, the entire process was conducted very discreetly, and the supervisors at the wharf were also cooperating with the Ironclad Department's actions, not making much of a commotion.

The entire Water Transport Guild wharf continued to operate normally and orderly.

"This is the redundancy of a behemoth."

Yang Ling sighed inwardly.

Upon returning to the Ironclad Department, he thought Li Zhong would still have him assist with the case investigation. Instead, Li Zhong dismissed him with a single sentence.

"You should be departing for Fire Flood Dragon Island in another two days."

"Rest well for these two days. No need for you to participate in this case."

Yang Ling naturally had nothing more to say.

The next day, the moment he opened his eyes, a surging wave of icy-cold energy poured out from the void, continuously flowing into his body.

"This feeling... it's a massive influx of experience!"

Yang Ling's burly frame trembled, and he immediately perked up.

At the same time, he was somewhat puzzled. Could the case from yesterday already be closed?

That fast?

"Congratulations, you have leveled up. You have gained 1 Free Attribute Point."

"Congratulations..."

The notifications rang out one after another, and the icy energy within his body surged endlessly.

In the blink of an eye, he had already risen three levels.

"Awesome, three levels in a row!"

Yang Ling felt refreshed and invigorated, but then he discovered the icy energy within him was still surging fiercely, which caught him off guard.

"It's not over yet?"

Sure enough, the torrential experience was still pouring in.

His level continued to rise.

93!

94!

95!

"Level 5?"

Yang Ling was somewhat stunned.

Just as he thought the leveling had come to an end.

The system notification appeared once again.

"Congratulations, you have leveled up. You have gained 1 Free Attribute Point."

Yang Ling opened his Status Panel and watched helplessly as his level soared all the way from 90 to 98 before finally coming to a stop.

"This is even faster than mining!? Was yesterday's case really that significant?"

"Is it because it involved the Eldest Princess, involved the Four Directions Lodge, a dozen Sixth-Rank geniuses, and the innocent civilians who might have been affected?"

Yang Ling gasped sharply inwardly.

He could rise eight levels in a row just from sleeping. For a moment, he actually felt somewhat grateful to Luo Kai.

This guy was feeding him experience!