While Yan Qing’s autopsy was still in progress, Chief Li had already come to find Shi Ting with preliminary investigation results.

“Director Shi.” Chief Li’s expression was troubled. “Following our investigation into Mo Xiangrong’s movements last night, we’ve preliminarily identified a suspect.”

“Have they been brought in?”

“Not yet.” Chief Li said, “This person’s identity is rather unusual, so I came to consult you, Director Shi.”

Shi Ting said, “Chief Li, since the Shun Cheng Law was promulgated, it has upheld the principles of fairness and justice. The law is a tool that serves the people — not a tool for ruling over them. Therefore, under the rule of law, the law applies equally to royalty and commoner alike. No matter how unusual this person’s identity may be, if they have broken the law, they will be dealt with accordingly without exception.”

Chief Li saluted with great feeling. “Director Shi, those words are all I needed to hear. I’ll go bring them in right now.”

After Chief Li left, Bai Jin asked, “Seventh Brother, who could this person with the unusual identity be?”

“The only person here who could make Chief Li this apprehensive must be someone connected to Commander Li.”

The Military Police Division’s branch office in Taishan County operated as an independent department and was not subject to the jurisdiction of the local government. Chief Li naturally had no need to concern himself with government personnel.

The entity independent of the government was Li Yongqi’s Li Family Army. Because they were the commander’s most capable right hand, the local government was obsequious toward the Li Family Army, holding them in the highest regard.

Bai Jin was startled. “We came here specifically to probe Commander Li’s true allegiances — to see if he’s one of the Second Young Master’s men. If the killer truly has a connection to Commander Li, won’t that mean making an enemy of him?”

Whether Commander Li had yet aligned himself with any faction was still uncertain. He might still be the commander’s man, or he might have already pledged his loyalty to Shi Qian or Shi Guang.

Taishan was a strategically vital military location, and the Li Family Army was an unstoppable force — like the sharpest of blades before any enemy. To gain the support of the Li Family Army would be like adding wings to a tiger’s strength.

If the killer truly had ties to Li Yongqi and Shi Ting ultimately convicted him of the crime, it would mean alienating a man they hadn’t even managed to win over yet.

Shi Ting furrowed his brow in thought for a moment. “Bring the person in first. We’ll see from there.”

Before long, a young man in a black sable coat and sable hat was escorted in by two officers.

He struggled all the way, shouting loudly, “Have you lost your minds? Do you know who I am? You dare lay hands on me?”

The young man was pushed and shoved into the interrogation room, bellowing as he went.

“It’s just a Military Police branch office — nothing special about that. Let me tell you, if you don’t release me right now, I’ll have my father level this place to the ground.”

“My father is Li Yongqi. Do you know who Li Yongqi is?”

Just as the young man was stamping his feet and raging, the door to the interrogation room was pushed open.

“Ah, so now you’re scared — coming to let me out? Even if you do release me, I won’t let this grudge go…”

“Sit down.” Shi Ting’s sharp gaze swept across him, his low voice carrying an oppressive force.

The young man suddenly met his eyes and, for reasons he couldn’t quite explain, his legs went weak. He instinctively sank back into the chair.

The young man looked Shi Ting up and down. This man appeared to be about the same age as him, yet carried a kind of dark, unfathomable quality. That powerful, inherent aura — an imposing presence born from deep within — created an invisible barrier that existed simply by virtue of his sitting there.

The young man swallowed.

“Name?” Shi Ting asked.

The young man rolled his eyes and resumed his previous posture, casually playing with the sable fur on his sleeves. “You arrested me and you don’t even know my name? Is this how the Military Police Division operates — randomly grabbing people off the street?”

“Answer what you’re asked.” Bai Jin found himself immediately irritated just looking at this person.

Shi Ting glanced at him. “Li Haotian, is it?”

The young man blinked. “How did you know?”

Shi Ting had noted that the young man’s features resembled Li Yongqi by six or seven parts, and just the previous evening Li Yongqi had mentioned his son. His instinct told him that the young man sitting before him was Li Yongqi’s only son, Li Haotian.

He was confident it wouldn’t be long before Li Yongqi sent someone over.

“Do you recognize this person?” Shi Ting had Bai Jin place a photograph of Mo Xiangrong on the table.

Li Haotian glanced at it, then turned his head away. “Don’t know him.”

“Last night, someone saw you and the person in that photograph together at Yanque Tower. And now you’re saying you don’t know him?”

Li Haotian’s eyes darted. “Just because they say they saw me doesn’t mean anything. Am I really that easy to spot?”

“You don’t have to admit it — that’s fine. I’ll send someone to Yanque Tower right now to question the people there. I imagine quite a few people saw you there last night.”

As Shi Ting moved to have Bai Jin go fetch them, Li Haotian quickly reached out to stop him. “Alright, alright — I saw him, I saw him, okay?”

“You’re afraid of this becoming too big a scene and getting a beating when you go home, aren’t you?” Shi Ting said with a cold laugh. “Just now you kept demanding to know if we knew who your father was. Let me answer that — not only do I know your father is Li Yongqi, but even if he came here himself, I still wouldn’t release you.”

Li Haotian stared at Shi Ting in utter shock, his expression saying: are you out of your mind?

“You’re just a small Military Police Division — how dare you go up against the Li Family Army? Believe it or not, with one word from my father, this place would be razed in minutes. Given my father’s relationship with the Commander, uprooting your entire Military Police Division would be nothing to him. What are you showing off for?”

Bai Jin nearly burst out laughing.

Everyone said Commander Li Yongqi was invincible in battle, a general of both courage and strategy. Who would have imagined that his only son was so unruly and simple-minded — a good-for-nothing wastrel with no real worth?

“Let me ask you something in return,” Bai Jin said, unable to suppress a snort. “Do you know who the person in front of you is?”

“How would I know? He’s just someone from the Military Police Division. Chief Li is your superior, isn’t he? I’ll have you know that when Chief Li had his people arrest me, he was perfectly polite about it. What gives you the right to shout at me?”

Li Haotian slouched carelessly in the chair. “What, is he the Commander’s son or something?”

“Ha — you actually got it right,” Bai Jin said. “This is Director Shi of our Military Police Division — the Commander’s seventh son.”

The moment he heard that, Li Haotian shot upright in his seat. “Impossible.”

“If it’s true or not, just go ask Chief Li.”

—