novelraw Chapter 379: Completely Eradicated
Chapter 379: Completely Eradicated
Qin Bai's eyes showed no fluctuation whatsoever.
Wrongful killing?
That thought only flashed through his mind for an instant.
Remorse?
Nonexistent.
An ordinary person as insignificant as an ant, dead was dead. If their death could vent a sliver of his rage for Qin Bai, that would be this waste's only contribution.
If one had to blame something, blame his bad luck, appearing precisely when Qin Bai was in his foulest mood, and being tainted with that bit of suspicion.
Qin Bai's mind was now completely filled with Chen Qing.
This irrelevant corpse couldn't stir a single emotion in him.
"Hmph."Qin Bai snorted with disdain, "An ordinary human? Acting furtive, appearing simultaneously with unknown Mist energy fluctuations, that in itself is the greatest suspicion!
Who can guarantee he wasn't using some concealment method we haven't yet discovered?
Or perhaps he was a pawn in some hidden scheme from the start?
Record this! The target resisted interrogation, suffered sudden life failure and died during the process.
Preliminary assessment: a key suspect related to a high-risk aberrant incident. The corpse is to be immediately destroyed according to the highest-risk procedure. No samples are to be retained!"
After saying this, he didn't spare the corpse another glance, turning and striding away.
The few subordinates left behind exchanged uneasy looks. They stared at the miserable corpse on the floor, then at the sealed metal door, their eyes filled with fear.
They knew the fire burning in Specialist Qin Bai's heart was likely growing fiercer and fiercer. The next person to run into his line of fire probably wouldn't fare much better than today's ordinary man.
Qin Bai had just returned to his office.
An intelligence report with an extremely high encryption level appeared on his desk.
Qin Bai's gaze swept over the brief yet earth-shattering content on the report. He abruptly stood up from his seat.
[Confirmed: The unknown Calamity-level aberrant who gifted the 'Reforge Fruit' to Vermilion Bird Academy Professor Wang Mingyuan is Black City's highest-ranking Guest Advisor, Chen Qing.]
Chen Qing!
Reforge Fruit!
Wang Mingyuan!
These three words appeared in his mind.
Qin Bai immediately connected all the previously fragmented clues together.
His body trembled slightly from extreme agitation.
Not from fear, but from a kind of wild joy.
"So that's it... So that's it!!!"
Qin Bai growled in a low voice, his eyes erupting with terrifying intensity.
"Chen Qing... Wang Mingyuan... Hahaha!"
He let out a low, suppressed laugh, full of sarcasm, "Logically speaking, you, Chen Qing, an aberrant who rose to power in Black City, what possible intersection could you have with Wang Mingyuan, who's far away at Vermilion Bird Academy?
On what basis? On what basis would you gift him, of all people, the Reforge Fruit that even Ocean Realm powerhouses would go mad for?
It makes no sense at all!
But... what if Chen Qing is Su Zhan?!"
This speculation, which he had suppressed deep in his heart for years and was once forced to abandon due to "insufficient evidence" and external pressure, now surfaced completely.
"Su Zhan isn't dead! He never died in the Mist back then! He changed his identity, took on the aberrant identity of Chen Qing, survived, and grew even stronger!"
All the puzzling points now had a perfect explanation.
Why was Chen Qing's rise so abrupt, as if appearing out of thin air?
Why did he harbor such deep hostility towards Daxia, especially towards the Aberrant Purge Division?
Why, with such potential, did he choose to reside in Black City, a place with relatively chaotic order?
And most crucially... why would he gift the Reforge Fruit to Wang Mingyuan!
"Because Wang Mingyuan is his teacher! His mentor who showed him immense kindness!"
Qin Bai roared at the ceiling, "Chen Qing has no reason, but Su Zhan does! This master-disciple bond is the flaw he cannot conceal! My speculation back then was completely correct!"
An immense sense of excitement washed over him.
But what followed was even more serious consideration.
Chen Qing, no, Su Zhan, possessed a dual identity.
He was both the SSS-grade genius Awakened that Daxia once took pride in, and an aberrant with strength reaching the Calamity-level.
What kind of terrifying tsunami would erupt once this truth was made public?
A genius molded into a hero,
was actually a powerful aberrant?
The public's trust in the authorities, their faith in the Awakened system, would suffer devastating blows.
Especially at this critical juncture, having just endured a brutal Mist Surge and being severely weakened, Daxia simply couldn't withstand such internal turmoil.
"This matter... must absolutely not be made public."
Qin Bai's eyes turned icy, "It must be resolved in secret. He must be made to completely disappear before he causes greater damage."
Yet the real-world obstacles were equally clear.
"Calamity first-stage..."
Qin Bai felt the heavy pressure brought by those words.
The other party was no longer that Stream Realm kid he could push around years ago, but a powerhouse residing in the same major realm as himself.
Even if he had confidence in himself, what were the odds of successfully killing a same-tier existence, especially one who had that mountain, Mo Yuan, standing behind him?
If the Black City Lord learned Su Zhan's true identity, would he choose to uphold justice and eliminate his own, or would he oppose the authorities to protect this "miracle"?
These were all unknowns.
"But... this time, it's different!"
Qin Bai clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Back when he arrested Su Zhan, although there was tacit approval from higher-ups, it was more based on "suspicion." The evidence wasn't solid, which also led to the support given not being that substantial.
But now it was different!
Chen Qing gifting the Reforge Fruit to Wang Mingyuan—this act itself constituted extremely powerful evidence.
It could almost definitively confirm the connection between him and Su Zhan.
"With this justification, eliminating a latent threat and maintaining Daxia's stability becomes the highest priority."
Qin Bai's eyes gleamed with excitement, "The higher-ups will hesitate no longer. They will grant me greater authority than before, more support, deploy stronger forces!"
Su Zhan was no longer merely a potential threat, but a bomb that could detonate Daxia's entire trust system. It had to be defused.
"This time, I will not fail again."
Qin Bai muttered to himself in a low voice, "You should never have survived in this world. You are a stain on my career, a malignant tumor shaking Daxia's foundations."
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Excitement wouldn't solve the problem. He needed a meticulous plan and an impeccable operation.
Qin Bai immediately activated the highest-authority encrypted communication line.
He was going to contact the very top echelons of the Aberrant Purge Division directly.
He had to report immediately, convey the conclusion—"Chen Qing is Su Zhan, dual identity confirmed, threat level has reached the maximum, recommend immediate extermination"—in the most urgent manner possible.
This target that had plagued him for years, becoming a demonic obstacle in his heart, had finally reached the moment where it could be completely settled.
Qin Bai could already see the scene: that individual with two identities, ultimately reduced to ashes before the absolute power of the authorities.
This time, he would absolutely not let the opportunity slip away.
This inner demon must be eradicated by his own hands!