Chapter 063: A Higher Level

As he stared at the line of text displayed on the screen, the corner of Xue Beichuan’s mouth twitched uncontrollably, as though he’d seen a ghost. Insufficient clearance? With his current rank, Xue Beichuan had authority to access the files of more than 99.99% of the population in all of China. He could even view information on those one or two grades above him through the system. Yet now, the system was telling him he didn’t have sufficient clearance?

A surge of dread welled up in Xue Beichuan’s heart. The only explanation was that the other party’s level far surpassed his own.

His assessment wasn’t wrong. Due to the unique nature of the Kyushu Bureau, every core member, upon entry, was assigned a rank far higher than that of normal military personnel. Even compared to others of the same rank, they possessed absolute priority in decision-making. Naturally, the confidentiality level each Kyushu Bureau member was required to sign off on was also several grades higher—and even after leaving the bureau, it was forbidden to mention those three words to outsiders. Violation would lead to the strictest of punishments.

Lin Yue, though he had only spent three years in the Kyushu Bureau, had participated in and completed many critical cases during that time. Especially the last major case before his departure, which instantly elevated his level by two grades. If one were to compare military rank alone, Lin Yue was indisputably far above Xue Beichuan.

Realizing this, Xue Beichuan’s gaze toward Lin Yue was tinged with awe and respect, mingled with his astonishment.

Yet Lin Yue’s expression remained as calm as ever. Seeing Xue Beichuan’s reaction, Lin Yue already knew that the other must have run into an obstacle while investigating his records. This was entirely expected—having once been part of the Kyushu Bureau himself, who could better understand the organization’s secrecy protocols?

“Could it be… you’re a superior officer?” Xue Beichuan asked in disbelief.

“Director Xue, if there’s nothing else, may I leave now?” Lin Yue replied noncommittally, his tone indifferent.

Hearing his voice, Xue Beichuan snapped out of his shock. “Of… of course.” The usually assertive Xue Beichuan found himself unexpectedly ill at ease before Lin Yue.

“One last thing—did Zuo Tianlang leave any clues at the time of his death?” Though Zuo Tianlang was now dead, unless the man behind him was exposed, the matter would not truly be resolved.

“No.” After weighing the matter in his mind, Lin Yue replied.

He chose not to mention Hou Jinlong because he knew that, without evidence of collusion between Hou Jinlong and Zuo Tianlang, Xue Beichuan wouldn’t be able to convict him anyway. It was better to handle it himself. More importantly, Lin Yue was intrigued by the fact that Hou Jinlong would go so far as to target the Tang family over a single plot of land. Was there something unusual about Plot No. 81?

“Also, about my dealings with the Tang family—” Lin Yue began.

“Don’t worry. I will keep your identity strictly confidential,” Xue Beichuan promised.

“Thank you, Director Xue,” Lin Yue said as he opened the door to leave.

Just as he opened the door, someone outside was about to enter—it was none other than Police Officer Xue Manman.

“It’s you!” The moment Xue Manman saw Lin Yue, she exclaimed in surprise.

“You two know each other?” Xue Beichuan asked, puzzled.

“Dad, did you forget about that guy I mentioned last time—the one who single-handedly turned the whole Tianxiong Gang upside down?” After that incident, Xue Manman had told her father about it.

“So the person you spoke of is actually him!” Xue Beichuan’s face betrayed even greater shock.

After Xue Manman recounted Lin Yue’s feat of taking on the entire Tianxiong Gang alone, Xue Beichuan had already been deeply impressed. He hadn’t expected that such a formidable figure could be found in the small city of Haizhou. Yet never would he have guessed that the man his daughter spoke of was Lin Yue himself.

Only now did Xue Beichuan realize why Lin Yue could take on the whole Tianxiong Gang. As a martial artist of grandmaster-level inner strength, he naturally possessed such ability.

Now, when Xue Beichuan looked at Lin Yue, his gaze changed yet again.

Xue Manman, however, showed no concern for Lin Yue’s martial prowess. All she remembered was how, in the interrogation room last time, she’d been taken advantage of by this guy.

“You brat, you looked so honest, but you’re clearly a sly old fox—always hanging around our precinct. What have you done this time? Kicked in a widow’s door or dug up a cursed grave?” Ever since the button incident, Lin Yue’s image in Xue Manman’s mind was no different from a street thug, and her attitude toward him had completely soured.

“Manman, how can you speak to Mr. Lin that way?” Xue Beichuan reproached her.

“Mr. Lin? Dad, you must be joking. He’s just some kid—where does he deserve the title ‘Mr.’?” Xue Manman retorted disdainfully.

Xue Beichuan wanted desperately to tell her that the man before them held a rank far above his own, but Lin Yue clearly wished to keep his status secret, so he didn’t know how to proceed.

“It’s fine. Captain Xue is straightforward—I’m used to it. By the way, I still have something of Captain Xue’s to return,” Lin Yue said with a faint smile.

“Something? What is it?” Xue Manman blinked her large eyes.

“I only realized after I got home last time that it had fallen into my clothes. I may as well return it now.” As he spoke, Lin Yue took something from his pocket and handed it to Xue Manman.

“Director Xue, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now.” Before Xue Manman could react, Lin Yue bid farewell to Xue Beichuan and quickly strode away.

Once Lin Yue was gone, Xue Manman finally saw what was in her hand and let out a shriek. “Ah, you pervert!”

In her palm lay a single button—the very one that had fallen from the front of her shirt last time.

The thought that something from so close to her body had been carried around by him made her skin crawl.

She looked up, intending to chase after Lin Yue, but he had already vanished without a trace.

Pervert! Creep! Lin Yue had acquired yet another negative label in Xue Manman’s mind.

Meanwhile, Xue Beichuan, watching the empty corridor, was filled with amazement.

He had just witnessed how Lin Yue had slipped away in an instant. The corridor was more than ten meters long, but Lin Yue had crossed it in just five steps, so stealthily that an ordinary person would never have noticed. This was no feat for a common man.

A youth, yet already a grandmaster of inner strength? Capable of killing a sixth-ranked assassin from the Shadow List? Today, Xue Beichuan truly understood what it meant to be a martial prodigy.

In all his experience, besides Lin Yue, only one other person came to mind who could compare—Hua Xifeng from the capital. Not yet thirty and already having entered the Transforming Realm, he had become the youngest grandmaster in China, his prowess now at the early stage of that realm. Because of his unparalleled martial skill, Hua Xifeng had become the military’s most promising rising star, with limitless potential.

As for Lin Yue, though not yet at the Transforming Realm, he was still only seventeen or eighteen. Give him time—his breakthrough was a matter of course. Who could say he wouldn’t surpass even Hua Xifeng?

Thinking of this, Xue Beichuan’s respect for Lin Yue deepened even further.

After leaving the police station, Lin Yue’s gaze turned cold.

He made his way to the parking lot, retrieved his car, and headed toward Hou Jinlong’s mansion in the northern part of the city.

Over the years, Hou Jinlong had leveraged his skills and connections to drive the Wanli Group’s rapid and aggressive growth, making it one of the few conglomerates in Haizhou capable of competing with the Tang Group. His recently built mansion was the epitome of luxury—golf courses, beauty salons, and all manner of leisure facilities, making it a frequent gathering place for Haizhou’s elite and expanding Hou Jinlong’s network even further.

At that moment, by the rooftop pool of the Hou estate, a man clad in swim trunks was romping in the water with several curvaceous women in bikinis, hands wandering freely, utterly at ease.

This man was none other than Hou Jinlong, CEO of Wanli Group.

By the poolside sat a scar-faced man covered in tattoos, two statuesque bikini-clad women nestled at his sides.

This scar-faced man was Wu Sanxing, the boss of the North City Black Prosperity Society.

“Boss Hou, you really know how to enjoy life. With all these beauties at home, I’ll have to come here every day!” Wu Sanxing laughed and cursed.

“With our relationship, Boss Wu, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like. These women are yours to enjoy as you please, ha ha ha…” Hou Jinlong and Wu Sanxing burst into another round of bawdy laughter.

“But Boss Wu, there shouldn’t be any problem with Zuo Tianlang’s side, right? Why hasn’t he reported back yet?” Hou Jinlong asked casually.

“Don’t worry, Boss Hou. Zuo Tianlang is ranked in the top fifty of the Shadow List—his strength is no less than Yao Kun’s. With him on the job, that Tang fellow won’t live through the night,” Wu Sanxing replied confidently. “But it is taking a bit long. Yao Kun, call that guy and ask what’s taking so long to kill one person!”

Yao Kun, Wu Sanxing’s bodyguard and second-in-command of Black Prosperity Society, pulled out his phone and dialed Zuo Tianlang’s number—but there was no response.

“What’s going on? Try again,” Wu Sanxing said impatiently.

“No need. The man you’re looking for is no longer available…” A voice suddenly echoed in their ears.