Chapter 93: Chapter 92 Research Lab

Ling Chen closed the documents and smiled faintly: "Officer Xia, this is a matter for the police. Why ask me, an outsider? Moreover, what insights could an ordinary person like me possibly have?"

"Don’t play dumb with me. With your martial skills and sharpshooting, who would believe you’re an ordinary person? A ’dead man’ showing up in East Sea City – I don’t think it’s a coincidence. There’s definitely a conspiracy, but I’m lacking clues right now."

"Officer Xia, have you checked how he got into the banquet hall?"

"I have. The surveillance inside Yulong Mansion didn’t capture him. That person is very professional, knowing how to avoid the cameras."

During the conversation, a police officer knocked on the door and entered, placing a document on the table. "Captain Xia, the wine glass we collected from the VIP room last night has been examined, and there’s nothing wrong with it."

A wine glass?

Suddenly, Ling Chen remembered that last night, when he was carrying Nanrong Wanqing into the VIP room, a wine glass had been left on the carpet.

"Did you check the fingerprints on that wine glass?"

Xia Mutong glanced at him and casually picked up the inspection report. After flipping through a couple of pages, she said, "The fingerprints on the wine glass belong to Zhu Hong. Is there a problem?"

"Is it him?" Ling Chen raised his brow.

He clearly remembered that last night, after the man named Jiang Yang died, he returned to the banquet hall with Nanrong Wanqing, just in time to meet Zhu Hong, who had rushed over. At that time, he had asked Zhu Hong who had been in that VIP room, but Zhu Hong told him he didn’t know.

Since Zhu Hong’s fingerprints were on the wine glass, it indicated that he had been in the VIP room. Furthermore, there was another issue. From Jiang Yang’s appearance, it could be inferred that he wasn’t previously ambushed in the VIP room but had accidentally encountered Nanrong Wanqing. Before that, he had always been in the lounge.

Jiang Yang had been in the VIP room, and so had Zhu Hong. Could there be something fishy between these two men?

Otherwise, why would Zhu Hong deny the fact that he had been in the VIP room?

Thinking this, he became more suspicious of Zhu Hong. It seems Hu Fei’s speculation was not wrong; there was indeed something off about that guy, Zhu Hong.

"Ling Chen."

Seeing that he hadn’t responded for a while, Xia Mutong couldn’t help but call out.

Ling Chen came to his senses and stood up, saying, "Officer Xia, I’m very sorry, I can’t help you with this matter. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first."

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help Xia Mutong, but the matter was of great importance. Moreover, with the Ghost Organization personally getting involved, it was clear how dangerous the situation was. Xia Mutong was just a local police officer; for her safety, it was better not to entangle her in this.

Back in the car.

"Why did it take so long?" Tang Yuan had grown somewhat impatient waiting.

"Old Tang, the identity of the deceased has been confirmed." Saying this, Ling Chen handed over a folded A4 paper to Tang Yuan.

While flipping through the documents earlier, he had stealthily taken the paper with the identity record on it, and Xia Mutong hadn’t noticed his small maneuver.

After examining the documents, Tang Yuan furrowed his brow and said, "It looks like we’re facing quite a problem."

"I suspect Zhu Hong is connected to this man named Jiang Yang. Keep a good lookout; we might discover some clues." After saying that, he started the car and slowly drove onto the road.

At ten o’clock in the morning, Ling Chen arrived at Hongyu Group’s headquarters with Tang Yuan.

"Ling!"

Wei Jun saw Ling Chen approaching from afar and immediately waved to greet him, quickly walking over.

"Wei, your face is beaming; you must have been indulging out and about these past few days."

Wei Jun laughed and cursed, "Is that any way to talk? What do you mean ’goofing around’? Do you think I’m that kind of person? By the way, Ling, you’re back today. Could it be you’re preparing to take up your post again?"

Ling Chen let out a sigh with feigned helplessness, "No choice. The chairman has been to my thatched cottage three times, begging me with tears to come back. What could I do? My heart softened, and I had no choice but to agree."

"That just shows how much face you, Ling, have."

"Alright, I won’t talk to you anymore. I’ve got to take my friend to HR for the onboarding procedure. Let’s find a place for lunch at noon and have a good chat."

"Sure, I’ll be off."

Before coming, Ling Chen had already notified Zhong Ping. The HR department worked with astonishing efficiency, and in less than ten minutes, Tang Yuan successfully joined Hongyu Group, becoming a glorious member of the security team.

"Old Tang, you go ahead and sit in the office for a bit. I still have something to discuss with Nanrong Wanqing."

Upon reaching the top floor, Ling Chen pushed open the door to the chairman’s office and saw only Nanrong Wanqing sitting at her desk, concentrating on documents, with a cup of coffee beside her, gently wafting warmth.

"Chairman."

Ling Chen walked up to the desk and unceremoniously sat down on a chair.

Nanrong Wanqing looked up, putting down her pen. An incredibly beautiful tranquility and purity rested on her features, like that of a newborn baby.

"Have the onboarding procedures for your friend been completed?"

"Mhm." Ling Chen nodded and opened his mouth, about to speak. But then, he heard Nanrong Wanqing say, "Before you start, I would like to clarify two things."

"What things?" Ling Chen looked puzzled.

"First, I did not summon you thrice to my cottage. Second, I did not beg you with tears. Please respect the facts in the future and stop making things up."

Hearing this, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. Weren’t these the exact words he had just said to Wei Jun? How did she know? Could it be... could it be this has spread in such a short time? Thinking of this made him somewhat regretful. Had he known Wei Jun’s mouth was so unreliable, he would not have spoken like that.

However, he was quite surprised by Nanrong Wanqing’s reaction, to be speaking to him about this so calmly.

"Chairman, I was just saying that off the cuff; please don’t take it to heart," he said sheepishly with an awkward smile.

Nanrong Wanqing picked up her coffee cup, shifting the topic, "What did you want to ask me just now?"

When they got onto the main topic at hand, Ling Chen became unusually serious.

"Regarding the incident last night, I think we should be frank with each other."

"What do you want to know?"

"The research lab." Ling Chen gazed into her eyes and spoke deliberately, "I don’t know what that research lab is working on, but whatever you’re secretly researching has drawn the attention of many. I just made a trip to the police station, and the identity of last night’s deceased has been confirmed. According to his records, he has been ’dead’ for over ten years."

Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing was visibly shaken, her cherry-red lips slightly parted, carrying a hint of shock in her voice, "How do you know these things? Who told you?" Such state-level secrets, of course, could not be so easily leaked; that’s why she was so surprised to find out Ling Chen was aware of this.

"I have my ways."

Seeing Ling Chen didn’t wish to reveal more, Nanrong Wanqing slightly furrowed her brows, and with a somewhat disheartened change of direction, asked, "Are you certain this person has been dead for ten years?"

"I wouldn’t have brought it up if I weren’t sure. Chairman, you might not realize the significance of this, but I’m very clear on it. To be able to forge a person’s death record indicates that there are powerful forces supporting him. Now that they have set their sights on you, they won’t give up until they achieve their goal."

Nanrong Wanqing pondered for a moment, her beautiful eyes shimmering flawlessly.

"What do you suggest?" After a while, she finally spoke.