As Liang Bendao departed, the office immediately fell silent. Xiao Yunlong sat upright in his office chair, while Liu Ruyan accompanied him, seated nearby.
Shi Daqiang, however, remained by the doorway, not daring to enter or speak. At this moment, a large contingent of people had already arrived at the entrance.
Judging by the scene, these inspection personnel must have been assembled here under the command of Captain Shi Daqiang, presumably to prevent Xiao Yunlong from escaping.
With a large number of men at his side, Shi Daqiang's confidence surged. He placed his hands on his hips and sneered, "Listen, Xiao, you're completely surrounded now. You won't escape even if you had wings. You two are dead for sure today!"
Xiao Yunlong raised his eyelids and glanced at him, letting out a faint hum. "If you have the guts, try coming over here!"
Although Shi Daqiang's fists were clenched in anger, his tall and imposing physique trembling, he didn't dare to step forward, let alone utter another word. Clearly, he was still intimidated by Xiao Yunlong's punch from earlier.
Xiao Yunlong, too, was too lazy to bother with him any further.
The office became quiet again. Suddenly, Xiao Yunlong's phone rang.
"Big Brother, just as you predicted, someone is indeed trying to tamper with the corpse from the film crew!" Jun Bufan said directly upon answering the call.
Xiao Yunlong frowned and asked, "You didn't let them succeed, did you?"
"Of course not. Fortunately, you alerted me early, Big Brother. I arrived in time with Master Buddha and the others, otherwise, that corpse would have been taken by them!" Jun Bufan replied.
"Who were they?" Xiao Yunlong demanded.
"We don't know for sure yet, but they seemed to be people from the martial world, with some skill. If I hadn't arrived, Hong Shisan and the others wouldn't have been able to stop them!" Jun Bufan stated truthfully.
Xiao Yunlong pondered for a moment and then asked, "Have you examined the corpse thoroughly? Was it really killed by a slap from Ruyan?"
Jun Bufan immediately replied, "I have checked, Big Brother. Although I haven't determined the exact cause of death yet, one thing is certain: the deceased was definitely not killed by a single slap, as that wouldn't be fatal!"
Hearing this, Xiao Yunlong breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that he was worried about Liu Ruyan being implicated in a murder case, but rather that it might cause her psychological distress.
Of course, if Liu Ruyan had indeed caused a death by negligence, she would likely have to pay a price. If that were the case, Xiao Yunlong estimated he would openly reveal his identity and use his military merits or royal status to offset Liu Ruyan's culpability.
However, speaking of which, Xiao Yunlong had always believed in his fiancée. He believed that Liu Ruyan would never resort to killing someone out of momentary anger.
"Listen, Bufan. No matter what, protect the scene. The deceased must not be moved. Also, I've already asked Liang Bendao to summon the Director of the Inspection Department personally. When he arrives, convey my message and instruct him to do three things!" Xiao Yunlong said coldly.
"Big Brother, tell me, what are the three things? I'm listening!" Jun Bufan replied.
"Firstly, have him invite a reliable forensic doctor to determine the true cause of death of the deceased. Secondly, ascertain the identity of the deceased and their family. Also, include who the deceased had unusual contact with in the past few days. Thirdly, after all this is clarified, have him come to see me immediately!" Xiao Yunlong stated in a deep voice.
Jun Bufan on the other end of the phone frowned and said, "Big Brother, he's the Director of the Inspection Department, a person of high authority. Will he listen to your instructions?"
Xiao Yunlong smiled and said, "Just tell him that I'm giving him one hour. If he can't handle it, I'll resolve it my own way!"
With that, Xiao Yunlong hung up the phone directly.
Listening to the beeping of the dial tone, Jun Bufan on the other end was bewildered. He couldn't help but wonder, "Will the Director of the Jiangdong Inspection Department really obey Big Brother's orders? If so, then Big Brother's background and status are truly immense!"
Liu Ruyan looked up and asked, "How is it, Yunlong? What's the situation with the film crew? Have things been clarified?"
Xiao Yunlong shook his head. "Not yet, but one thing is certain: that crew member wasn't killed by you. The cause of death wasn't that slap."
"Really? That's great."
As Liu Ruyan said this, she suddenly realized her words were inappropriate and quickly added, "No, I don't mean it's great that the person is dead. I mean, it's a relief to confirm that I didn't kill them."
Xiao Yunlong nodded slightly. "Don't worry, I will get to the bottom of this entire matter and clear your name."
Shi Daqiang, who was still guarding the door, saw this and sneered. "At this point, whether she killed him or not is no longer important. What matters is that you, boy, dared to barge into the Inspection Department and assault an officer. This in itself is a serious crime. When Deputy Director Du returns, you'll surely face consequences."
Xiao Yunlong, however, was too lazy to engage with him further. While the other was waiting, he was also waiting for the film crew to thoroughly investigate the matter.
Time slowly passed. About half an hour later, two cars suddenly roared into the courtyard outside the Inspection Department building. Following them, Deputy Director Du Mingheng, flanked by three robust men, strode inside.
Du Mingheng had graying hair and was not tall, standing at about 1.7 meters. He appeared somewhat thin but was very capable. His hooked nose, coupled with his sharp eyes, gave him an indescribable air of authority.
"Deputy Du is back! This is going to be interesting."
"Stop gawking, can't you see Deputy Du's displeased expression? Hurry up and clear the way!" someone whispered in the corridor of the office building.
Du Mingheng's face was grim. As soon as he entered the building, he barked, "Where is that kid surnamed Xiao? Is he still here?"
"Yes, Deputy Du, he's still here, right in your office. Captain Shi is also here!" the guard at the entrance replied immediately.
"Everyone, get out of the way! What's there to see? Get back to your work!" Du Mingheng shouted angrily at the ordinary inspection personnel who were watching the commotion.
The surrounding crowd dispersed immediately. After all, it was Deputy Du who had spoken. Even with a hundred times their courage, they wouldn't dare to continue watching.
Du Mingheng, with his hands clasped behind his back, strode quickly through the corridor and arrived at his innermost office.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Shi Daqiang immediately said, "Deputy Du, you're finally back! This is truly excellent."
"Where is he? Where is the person?" Du Mingheng demanded directly.
"He's inside!" Shi Daqiang pointed inward.
Du Mingheng strode directly through the doorway. However, when he saw Xiao Yunlong leisurely sitting in his exclusive office chair with his legs crossed, his anger ignited, and he was utterly furious.
"Unacceptable! Truly unacceptable! You, boy, you kid surnamed Xiao, you really have the audacity of a heaven-defying dog!" Du Mingheng roared.
Xiao Yunlong remained calm, still seated motionlessly. He glanced at the newcomer and said faintly, "You are Du Mingheng, the Deputy Director of the Jiangdong Inspection Department?"
"Since you know me, why aren't you getting off that chair immediately!"
Du Mingheng gritted his teeth, pointed at Xiao Yunlong, and roared, "You kid, you first murdered Shang Fagu and several other members of the Shang family not long ago, and now you've openly barged into my Inspection Department and assaulted an officer. You truly are brazen and lawless!"
Shi Daqiang's back straightened at this point. He snorted, "Deputy Director Du, why bother talking to such a murderer? Just apprehend him on the spot. If he resists, then execute him on the spot!"
Xiao Yunlong remained seated, unmoved, and said coldly, "Du Mingheng, I ask you, was the film crew incident a setup by you and Shi Daqiang and others to avenge Shang Fagu and the rest? If you confess now, perhaps I can spare your life. Otherwise..."
Before Xiao Yunlong could finish, Du Mingheng interrupted with a grin, "What did you say, kid? Spare my life? Did I hear you correctly? You dog, who do you think you are to speak so boastfully!"
Xiao Yunlong also smiled, but it was a cold smile. "I originally wanted to give you a chance. Since you don't cherish it, then you can't blame me. Do you think because this is your territory and you have weapons in hand, you can act with impunity? If you truly believe that, then you can try to make a move!"
"Do you really think I wouldn't dare?" Du Mingheng gritted out each word.
Shi Daqiang quickly said, "Deputy Du, this kid seems to be a martial artist. His movements are very fast. I was just caught off guard by him earlier. Be careful!"
"I know he's a martial artist. Do you really think I'm that foolish and haven't inquired about the situation with the Shang family in Sucheng?"
Du Mingheng said this and waved his hand. The three burly men behind him stepped forward directly.
"These three are masters I specifically invited. They are all lay disciples of Shaolin Temple, true internal martial arts experts!"
Du Mingheng grinned, his face filled with mockery, and looked coldly at Xiao Yunlong, sneering, "What do you say, kid? Will you kneel down and surrender, or shall I have them help you?"
In fact, Xiao Yunlong had noticed these three as soon as they entered. Their breathing was indeed quite steady. Du Mingheng wasn't lying; these three were all masters of the minor internal energy realm, and they appeared to have considerable skill.
Xiao Yunlong had originally intended to let Liu Ruyan take the opportunity to gain some experience. However, with the three of them making a move directly, it was no longer suitable to have Liu Ruyan participate.
After all, she had only recently broken through to the minor internal energy realm and was still inexperienced. She could barely handle one of them, and dealing with three at once would be very strenuous.
"Lay disciples of Shaolin Temple? I wonder if your Great Vajra Palm has been mastered?" Xiao Yunlong slightly raised the corner of his mouth and chuckled.
"Insolent brat, not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth, daring to question us three esteemed masters! You're seeking death!"
The burly man in the center, with a fierce gaze, let out a cold roar. He stamped his foot, and with a bang, the floor tiles beneath him cracked and shattered.
With a whoosh, accompanied by a gust of wind, the Shaolin lay disciple shot forward like a cannonball, directly towards Xiao Yunlong. He followed up with a palm strike aimed at Xiao Yunlong's face.