Era of Magic and Martial Arts-Chapter 294 - 278: Loyalty and Righteousness

Li Shang sighed lightly and earnestly explained to Chang Erbing:

"Erbing, I’m asking you to gather this information not to target Ma Bin.

We’re doing this because if he ever gets into trouble, we can step in to help him resolve the crisis in time—do you understand this point?"

Chang Erbing felt a tinge of sentiment in his heart:

"I remember Captain Li used to be straightforward, never mincing words. So, when did he start speaking with such nuance?"

After a brief recollection, Chang Erbing realized this change began after he started interacting with Ma Bin.

Later, with the appreciation and support of Secretary Du, this transformation became even more apparent.

Chang Erbing missed the old Li Shang, but he also understood that this change was positive. If Captain Li wanted to continue progressing, he had to learn the way those above spoke and acted.

People, only by continuously learning and imitating those more excellent, can gradually become them, or even replace them.

Chang Erbing rubbed his stiff cheeks vigorously and suddenly realized he couldn’t remain stagnant—he had to improve himself too.

He took a deep breath, trying to raise the corners of his mouth. Although the smile appeared somewhat stiff and unnatural, it revealed his determination:

"Captain Li, I understand. Ma Bin is a brother we have gone through life and death with; his affairs, I will watch over as if they were my own."

Li Shang turned his head back, looked at the smile on Chang Erbing’s face with surprise, heavily patted his shoulder, and said with relief:

"Good, Erbing, I’m completely at ease since you understand this concept."

Chang Erbing took a cigarette from the pack, handed it to Li Shang, then pulled out a lighter, casually lighting it while saying:

"By the way, Captain Li, did you know? The Second Prison is undertaking a shareholding reform, and it’s said to be a pilot plan proposed and vigorously pushed by Mr. Wang Xinfa.

Back then, the person who seemed to handle the details was Secretary Hou Wendong."

Li Shang gently bent his head, bringing the cigarette in his mouth closer to the lighter’s flame.

The lighter seemed a bit old and out of oil, the flame appeared weak and unstable. It flickered, casting shadows across Li Shang’s face, causing his expression to appear intermittently bright and dim.

Suddenly, Li Shang’s pupils sharply contracted as if a flash of insight crossed his mind, like a detective’s intuition.

But this insight came quickly and faded just as fast, like smoke from a flame, impossible to capture or grasp.

Li Shang felt he was just moments away from seizing that flash of insight, but when he extended his hand, only faint smoke slipped through his fingers.

The smoke shifted in an elusive form, seeming to transform into a net trapping many faces within, yet they overlapped, making it difficult to discern their features clearly...

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

The urgent vibration of the phone interrupted the detective’s flash of inspiration.

Li Shang irritably fished out his phone, showing the screen to Chang Erbing, whose expression briefly tensed, and he quickly held his breath.

Incoming call display—Secretary Du, a warm-hearted person who helped spread Li Shang’s renown as a detective to the Executive Government building. Li Shang felt deeply grateful to him.

As soon as the call connected, a barrage of questioning erupted.

Li Shang listened quietly, waiting until the barrage subsided somewhat before sighing over the receiver, his voice tinged with a mix of helplessness and sincerity:

"Secretary Du, you’ve truly misunderstood me. I never agreed to kill Secretary Hou for you. I’m a Chief Constable, my duty is to solve crimes and save lives—how could I commit murder?"

"Secretary Du, please reconsider, what I said to you before was—please accept my condolences!"

On the other end, Du Ziteng gritted his teeth, recalling clearly this was how Li Shang had ended his call.

It was precisely this phrase that left him reassured enough to hang up. So, was it his comprehension that was flawed somehow?

Li Shang had to repeat over the call, "Secretary Du, forgive me, but I cannot accede to your unreasonable request, I must still...offer my condolences!"

Du Ziteng: "???"

Can condolences be used this way? You just say if you’re in mourning now!

Du Ziteng was so infuriated that he laughed, retorting harshly, "Why, after I’ve helped you so much, I’ve already ensured your captain’s commission was sent out, and you..."

Li Shang remained silent for three seconds before expressing sincerely into the receiver:

"Secretary Du, I know you’ve helped me a lot, so please help me one last time, and I assure you, I, Li Shang, will appreciate your kindness for the rest of my life."

Du Ziteng was dead.

The body was discovered by the cleaning lady the next morning.

It was said that at the time of death, the person lay quietly on the bed, clutching a crushed phone.

The autopsy determined the cause of death was swallowing iron, meeting with a torturous death as if their insides were being twisted by knives, dying in an exceptionally grim and terrifying manner.

The case was closed and cremated on the same day, with the Executive Government issuing a public obituary stating: "Overworked to illness, regrettable demise."

Though he passed at home, out of humane consideration, his death was classified as a work-related injury, and the Executive Government provided a generous pension, acknowledging his contributions and comforting his family.

Secretary Du was unmarried with no children, his only kin being a father living in a nursing home.

Li Shang delivered the pension personally, as per the specific assignment of Mr. Wang.

Li Shang felt deeply honored and grateful to Mr. Wang for entrusting him with this significant task, thus, after consulting with Chang Erbing, they put together an additional "big envelope" included with the pension packet.

In the nursing home, in front of everyone, Li Shang unhesitatingly knelt before Du Ziteng’s elderly father, his eyes red and his blue uniform dampened by tears.

Thus, on that day, although Du Ziteng’s father lost his biological son, he gained a devoted adopted son vowing to care for him in old age.

....

When Hou Wendong woke up, it was already the morning of the third day.

The VVIP hospital room was suffused with a faint aroma, masking the smell of disinfectant, and the white curtains were open, with the bright lights of Upper City shining in.

Hou Wendong’s body was wrapped in layers of gauze, with any slight movement eliciting a piercing pain.

Due to prolonged torment, although not fatal, his body was covered with wounds, having barely escaped death’s door.

Moreover, his main asset being his brain, and with mediocre Martial Arts Cultivation, his body couldn’t withstand certain medications that combine "high-tech and ruthlessness," so only milder drugs were used.

At this moment, the medication beneath the gauze was stimulating his flesh to slowly grow and heal.

Although the healing pace was far below that of intense medications combining "high-tech and ruthlessness," the medical expenses were equally high, if not more so.

The total daily medical expenses amounted to a million.

Approximately twice the price Wang Cong sold his parents for.

....