Chapter 192: "Surprise"

Chen Ling's eyes narrowed slightly.

In this situation, it was unlikely Liu Chen was lying. This guy was probably just a small henchman under Yan Xishou, and pressing him for more information would yield little.

Although Liu Chen's confession was brief, it provided Chen Ling with several key insights: the involvement of Yan Xishou, the young master of the Starfall Merchant Guild, and the concept of "exchanging favors and interests." It seemed the trade of these organs wasn't a typical market transaction as Chen Ling had initially believed, but rather a commodity circulated among high-status individuals in Aurora City.

As the Heart Serpent's effect subsided, the accumulated fear gradually faded, and Liu Chen's trembling body slowly calmed down.

He knelt on the ground, staring at Chen Ling with deep bewilderment. He couldn't understand why he had felt such intense fear towards Chen Ling moments ago, even though the other man had done nothing to frighten him into kneeling and kowtowing. To him, the entire experience felt like a dream.

Chen Ling knew further questions would yield nothing, so he simply ended the interrogation, put his hands in his pockets, and walked away.

Behind him, Jian Changsheng watched him with a shocked and bewildered expression.

"How did you do that?" Jian Changsheng finally couldn't help but ask.

Chen Ling didn't answer. As he passed Jian Changsheng, he patted him on the shoulder.

"You still have a lot to learn, young man."

Jian Changsheng was speechless.

"Wait." Several thoughts flashed through Jian Changsheng's mind, and he called out to Chen Ling. "Are you investigating the organ trade? Do you also have a grudge against the Starfall Merchant Guild?"

"From the looks of it, yes," Chen Ling nodded slightly.

Regardless of who took his heart, Yan Xishou was now confirmed to be involved in the organ trade. It was possible his own heart had entered the market through him. If that were the case, the Starfall Merchant Guild could not possibly escape culpability.

"Perhaps we can join forces," Jian Changsheng said immediately. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We met today through a confrontation, and since we both intend to confront the Starfall Merchant Guild, perhaps we can cooperate."

Chen Ling raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a plan?"

"Not yet."

Jian Changsheng paused, then added, "But there will be opportunities, won't there? The Starfall Merchant Guild is a powerful force, and it's difficult to oppose them alone. Having a trustworthy teammate is always beneficial."

Seeing this, Chen Ling slowly turned around.

"Before we trust each other, shouldn't we at least know each other's names?"

Jian Changsheng froze for a moment, then hesitated for a long time.

"My name is Jian Wubing."

"Heh..."

Chen Ling said expressionlessly, "My name is Lin Yan."

"Alright," Jian Changsheng nodded. "Where do you live? If I come up with a plan, where can I find you?"

"I don't have a fixed place to stay. Why don't you tell me your address, and I'll find you?" Chen Ling naturally couldn't reveal his residence; after all, he still considered Jian Changsheng a dangerous individual, and there was no trust between them yet.

"I... I don't have a fixed place to stay either."

The two simply stared at each other, and the air suddenly fell silent.

"...Alright," Jian Changsheng said, having thought of a solution. "Do you know the Century Tower? It's the tallest building in the city. If either of us needs to find the other, we can go to the top of the tower and fly a red kite. How does that sound?"

"That's a good suggestion."

Chen Ling glanced at the sky. He had no more time to spend with Jian Changsheng, so he waved his hand and walked away.

"Then, I'll see you when the time comes."

As Chen Ling's figure gradually disappeared into the dense forest, Jian Changsheng's expression turned grim. He turned back to Liu Chen, who was still sitting in a pool of blood, and slowly walked towards him.

With his hands in his pockets, he mimicked Chen Ling's earlier demeanor and spoke coldly:

"From now on, you'd better answer whatever I ask... Understand?"

Liu Chen weakly rolled his eyes.

"Get lost!"

In the end, Chen Ling did not attack Jian Changsheng.

This wasn't due to Chen Ling's soft-heartedness, but rather the grotesque nature of Jian Changsheng's Blooddrop Serpent ability. He calculated that even if he made a move, his chances of subduing Jian Changsheng were less than fifty percent. Furthermore, Jian Changsheng was indeed an adversary of the Starfall Merchant Guild. While Chen Ling didn't expect sincere cooperation, Jian Changsheng could at least help divert some of the guild's attention.

Chen Ling hoisted the body, wrapped in a white sheet, and hurried through the dimly lit streets. On the horizon, a faint sliver of dawn, like a fish's belly, was just becoming visible.

He hadn't realized he'd been busy the entire night.

He had gained much from the night's work. Liu Chen's testimony was for his ears only and couldn't be used as valid evidence. The real evidence and clue was the corpse he carried.

But how should he handle this corpse?

While he had obtained the body, he wasn't a forensic doctor and had little idea how to investigate it himself. Handing it over to law enforcement was out of the question, as they were likely complicit. The only option seemed to be...

Chen Ling frowned in thought for a long time, then his eyes lit up. He suddenly changed direction, heading towards another part of Aurora City.

The next day.

Chen Ling rubbed his sleepy eyes and slowly emerged from his room.

"Where did you go last night?" Chu Muyun, who was still sitting in the courtyard, asked, closing his book as Chen Ling finally appeared.

"I went to investigate some things... and made some progress." Chen Ling brewed himself a pot of hot tea and checked the time. "Did Wen Shilin come by last night?"

"No."

"Considering the time, it should be about now..."

"About what?"

As Chu Muyun asked, a hurried knock echoed from the courtyard gate.

Chen Ling unhurriedly set down the teapot and walked towards the main gate. As he opened the door, he saw Wen Shilin standing outside, looking somewhat odd.

"Good morning, Mr. Wen," Chen Ling yawned.

"Morning." Wen Shilin seemed to remember something, pulling a press ID from his pocket and handing it to Chen Ling. "Oh, your credentials are ready. Starting today, you're an official reporter for the *Aurora Daily*, with full press freedoms."

Chen Ling took the press ID. It indeed bore his photo and name and was remarkably well-made. Such a document was not easy to acquire, indicating that Wen Shilin had gone to considerable effort these past two days.

"Thank you, Mr. Wen," Chen Ling said sincerely.

"Don't thank me just yet. I have something more urgent to discuss!"

"What is it?"

Wen Shilin first glanced around, and only after confirming they were alone did he lean closer to Chen Ling's ear, lowering his voice.

"Early this morning, I heard someone knocking at my door. To be safe, I waited inside for about twenty minutes before opening it. Can you guess what I found on my doorstep?"

"What did you find?" Chen Ling asked cooperatively.

"A corpse!" Wen Shilin's eyes gleamed, filled with excitement and curiosity. "Someone left a body with its internal organs removed right at my door!"