"Lin Yu."
Su Zhan looked at Lin Yu and asked, "Generally speaking, how does your Aberrant Purge Division handle situations where a company boss turns out to be an aberration?"
Lin Yu was momentarily stunned, then replied, "I haven't been a purge officer for long, but... I heard from Captain Chen that this situation should be quite similar to that aberration Commander Qin was escorting earlier.
All the aberration's assets are confiscated.
The funds are directly seized, while things like companies, calligraphy paintings, and properties are auctioned off.
However, considering the company employees would lose their jobs if the company disappeared, we usually auction the company to competitors of Du Corporation, essentially just changing ownership."
"Mhm."
Su Zhan nodded slightly.
This indeed matched what Manager Liu had said.
After all, Du Shanhe's generous treatment was likely just camouflage for his aberrant identity.
Other bosses wouldn't have that need, so salaries and benefits would certainly be reduced.
Even if they had such needs, they couldn't maintain such high compensation packages after Du Shanhe's exposure, as that would only make them more suspicious.
"Su Zhan, let's go."
Wang Mingyuan raised his hand to gesture, then entered the back seat of the black SUV first.
"Got it."
Su Zhan responded loudly, said "see you" to Lin Yu, and immediately followed.
"Big brother, until we meet again!"
Lin Yu raised his right hand and waved slowly.
...
Returning to the hotel room.
Su Zhan locked the hotel door behind him.
Without turning on the lights, he went straight to the window and sat cross-legged.
Su Zhan could feel the accumulated medicinal energy within his body.
The enhancement drugs forcibly administered over the past three months were now slowly awakening within his meridians.
What began as subtle fluctuations soon transformed into surging waves, washing over every inch of his flesh and blood.
Su Zhan focused entirely on guiding this violent energy in orderly circulation.
The medicinal energy cycled through his body at increasing speed.
At times scalding like molten lava, at other times piercingly cold like icy springs.
Su Zhan's breathing gradually became deep and rhythmic, his forehead bangs damp with sweat.
The sounds of traffic outside, the elevator operations—all noise was shut out.
The entire world narrowed down to the flowing medicinal energy within his body.
The next day.
A sliver of morning light filtered through the curtain gap.
Su Zhan slowly opened his eyes.
He moved his stiff neck, feeling the abundant power within his body.
He had now digested about 70% of the residual medicinal energy.
It wouldn't be long before complete digestion.
Su Zhan glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table, which showed 05:10.
Too early.
Perfect time to catch more sleep.
Although at his current level, going without sleep for a day or two wasn't problematic.
But if he could sleep, why shouldn't he?
Su Zhan casually pulled the blanket over himself and collapsed onto the bed without even removing his combat uniform.
Three hours later.
Su Zhan had already opened his eyes.
The sunlight streaming through the curtain gap had become much brighter.
At 8:15 in the morning, the hotel door was knocked.
Su Zhan had just finished washing up and was using a towel to dry his damp hair.
Opening the door, he saw Wang Mingyuan standing in the hallway.
"Qin Bai wants us to go to the Aberrant Purge Division."
Wang Mingyuan's voice was very calm: "The financial director revealed important information that needs your verification."
Su Zhan paused his hair-drying motion.
Verify information?
What information could possibly need his verification?
He had never had any interaction with Du Corporation.
Except... Doberman.
That mad dog who insisted until his dying breath that Su Zhan was an aberration.
Su Zhan's heart tightened.
Doberman was Du Shanhe's son. If he had shared his suspicions with his father... and the financial director was Du Shanhe's trusted subordinate...
"Go now?"
Su Zhan asked.
Wang Mingyuan nodded: "The car is waiting downstairs. Qin Bai specifically requested your presence."
These words felt like a bucket of ice water poured down his spine.
Su Zhan slowly put down the towel, put on his jacket, and followed Wang Mingyuan.
The black SUV drove smoothly through Jiang City's morning rush hour streets.
Su Zhan turned his head sideways and spoke as if casually: "Teacher, Commander Qin specifically asked for me to come to the Aberrant Purge Division. Do you know what it's about?"
"I'm not sure about that either."
Wang Mingyuan frowned slightly, turning to look at Su Zhan: "Strangely enough, how could the information revealed by that financial director be related to you? You shouldn't have any connection whatsoever."
Su Zhan nodded: "That's exactly what I can't figure out."
Wang Mingyuan patted his shoulder with just the right amount of force: "Don't overthink it. We'll find out when we get to the Aberrant Purge Division. But remember, we're from Vermilion Bird Academy. Anyone who wants to mess with us will have to think twice."
Su Zhan's eyes brightened: "I understand."
Outside the car window.
The gray-white building of the Aberrant Purge Division was already faintly visible.
Su Zhan subtly adjusted his breathing rhythm.
Wang Mingyuan's final words felt somewhat comforting.
In the metallic corridors of the Aberrant Purge Division.
Qin Bai leaned against the interrogation room door, leisurely playing with a Heart-Interrogation Needle.
"Teacher Wang."
Qin Bai spoke first, his voice carrying a hint of laziness: "Guess how much useful information that financial director revealed?"
Wang Mingyuan adjusted his glasses: "Given Du Shanhe's cunning, he probably wouldn't have let him know too much."
"Smart."
Qin Bai snapped his fingers: "The ten accounts he gave me, claiming they were Du Shanhe's secret accounts—after investigation, they were all decoys. The hiding places he provided were fake too."
He shrugged: "That old fox anticipated we'd catch people and deliberately left false clues."
Su Zhan stood to the side.
Qin Bai suddenly turned to him: "Student Su, know why I specifically called for you?"
"It can't be just to appreciate the art of interrogation, right?"
Su Zhan's tone remained calm.
Qin Bai chuckled lightly: "I heard you performed quite well at the academy's freshman exchange event."
Wang Mingyuan interjected: "Su Zhan is indeed the most outstanding student I've ever taught."
"That financial director did say something interesting though."
Qin Bai put away the photos and walked over to Su Zhan: "He said Du Shanhe often watched surveillance footage in his office, particularly combat videos of a certain Vermilion Bird Academy student in various locations."
Wang Mingyuan frowned: "What does that prove?"
"Even stranger."
Qin Bai suddenly moved closer to Su Zhan: "That aberration said before dying that Du Shanhe had a safe in his study filled with materials about you, recorded from the day you awakened your life soul."
Su Zhan said calmly: "So Commander Qin suspects I'm colluding with Du Shanhe?"
The pressure this person exuded was far greater than Doberman's.
His interrogation methods were countless times more cruel than Doberman's.
And he didn't care about others' lives—if the interrogation yielded results, it was profit; if not, it didn't matter; death was just death.
This was Qin Bai's interrogation method.
He didn't bother with evidence at all.
Wasn't this just hooligan behavior?
How was he supposed to handle this?
Su Zhan could only pray to fate now.
"Suspicion?"
Qin Bai laughed loudly: "No no no, I'm just curious—why would a senior aberration you've never met before be so interested in you?"