Chapter 1578 — Wei Zhao's Resolve

"After a careful examination by our plastic surgery experts, this suspect was found to have undergone cosmetic surgery. So this matter is, exactly as we suspected, undoubtedly a frame-up targeting you," Yang Huaijun said. "Therefore, whether it is for solving our case or for you to unearth the mastermind behind the scenes, both are of the utmost importance."

"I'll do my best — let's wait and see how it goes," Wei Zhao nodded. "However, if his brain was damaged by drugs, the chances of restoring it are very slim..."

"Good! Let's head to the hospital together," Yang Huaijun said.

"By the way, how are Qiu Lingshan and Wu Chengtian?" Wei Zhao asked.

"It's quite miraculous. The doctor said they only sustained external injuries — all their internal organs are perfectly intact. It really is a miracle!" Liu Wangli's voice still carried a note of wonder as he spoke of it.

Yang Huaijun and Wei Zhao exchanged a glance, a wordless understanding passing between them. He naturally knew what had happened, and Qiu Lingshan had already told him about Wei Zhao's extraordinary abilities — but Liu Wangli was in the dark.

Liu Wangli still had business to attend to, so Yang Huaijun personally accompanied Wei Zhao to the hospital.

On the road, with only the two of them, conversation was far easier.

"Eagle — could it be some faction you've crossed paths with before? Otherwise, an ordinary criminal gang wouldn't possess such advanced technology!" Yang Huaijun said. "Between the plastic surgery technique, the hypnotic technique, and that man's instantaneous burst of strength, none of it is something an ordinary criminal gang could achieve! I examined that man's strength myself — right now he's no different from an ordinary person, with no trace of Xuan-tier power whatsoever! So his strength must have been boosted instantaneously by drugs, not his own innate ability!"

"Oh?" Yang Huaijun's words plunged Wei Zhao back into deep thought. But no matter how he turned the question over in his mind, he could not think of which faction might be responsible. After all, he had indeed offended some criminal gangs in the past — but those gangs didn't know his current identity, and they certainly didn't possess such formidable means.

Now it seemed more like enemies he had made since arriving in Songshan City — only he couldn't tell which one.

"If you can't figure it out right now, don't torment yourself. We'll wait and see when the time comes," Yang Huaijun said, watching Wei Zhao's brooding expression. "From what I understand of prominent families, this level of means is beyond what any ordinary family could pull off. It would have to be the work of a Hidden Family or a sect."

"True — we'll see when the time comes," Wei Zhao managed a bitter smile. The people from Hidden Families and sects — he had crossed plenty of them.

"Let's drop that for now. Lingshan tells me you're planning to go after the Yu family?" Yang Huaijun hesitated before asking.

"Mm..." Wei Zhao nodded.

"Sigh — didn't I tell you before? Don't make a move against the Yu family unless you're absolutely certain," Yang Huaijun sighed. "From my covert investigation, the secular Yu family's backing isn't simply the Hidden Yu family — it goes far deeper than that. Over the years, the secular Yu family has quietly engaged in all manner of unsavory dealings — drug trafficking, smuggling, and so on. These are precisely the things the Hidden Yu family would consider beneath them. So these under-the-table operations point to one conclusion: behind the secular Yu family, there must be a powerful figure pulling the strings..."

"Brother Jun, why do I feel like you've become so cautious and hesitant when it comes to taking action now? You second-guess everything far more than you used to," Wei Zhao said, turning the question around instead of answering.

"Perhaps it's age," Yang Huaijun replied. "And the wisdom that comes with it — I've learned that not everything can be accomplished through sheer courage and ruthlessness. A true man can bend and endure; why prove some momentary bravery? Sometimes restraint can be a form of wisdom."

"Chen Yutian — you know him too. Look at how Yu Feng beat him. Tell me, how am I supposed to keep swallowing it?" Wei Zhao shook his head. "Besides, Chen ended up like this because of me! If I don't strike back, do you think I'll ever be able to sleep at night?"

"But..." Yang Huaijun knew Wei Zhao spoke the truth — yet sometimes, even when something is the truth, one should think thrice before acting.

"And even if not for Chen Yutian's sake, then for Chuanshanjia's. Have you ever met Ying Ziyu? What a pitiful child — her brother's fate unknown, and she still holds out hope that one day they'll be reunited..." Wei Zhao's emotions grew increasingly agitated as he spoke. "As long as the Yu family stands, my conscience will never be at peace!"

"Since you've already made up your mind, nothing I say will change anything." Yang Huaijun knew Wei Zhao's fiercely protective nature all too well — whether it was Chuanshanjia or Chen Yutian, they were all Wei Zhao's brothers. If a brother is humiliated, the leader naturally cannot stay silent.

Put another way: if Yang Huaijun ever found himself in trouble, Wei Zhao would be the first to charge in. That was simply who Wei Zhao was.

"Since you know that, then why say more?" Wei Zhao laughed.

"In any case, be careful in all things," Yang Huaijun said. "The only thing I can do is help you investigate the Yu family in secret. You know, prominent families fall under the jurisdiction of the Mysterious Investigation Bureau — I cannot investigate them openly. And Hidden Families and sects are managed by the Family Arbitration Association, which is even further beyond my reach..."

"We can set aside the Hidden Yu family for now," Wei Zhao said. "Let's focus on the Yu family first. The Chuanshanjia matter — can it be confirmed as connected to the Yu family?"

"One hundred percent!" Yang Huaijun nodded. "The Yu family has close ties to the Red Conch. What happened back then was almost certainly the work of the Red Conch, with the Yu family serving as accomplices and enforcers! No wonder I was puzzled at the time — the Red Conch was just an ordinary international criminal organization with no truly formidable fighters. So how did they suddenly produce capable hands strong enough to wipe us all out? It turns out elite fighters from the Yu family had joined the fray..."

"The Red Conch?" Wei Zhao furrowed his brow. He hadn't expected the world to be so small — he had already clashed with the Red Conch twice. It seemed that the next time he encountered them, it wouldn't just be about helping Feng Tianlong; it would also be about fighting for himself, for Chuanshanjia.

"Yes, and this criminal organization is no pushover. I hear there's a major syndicate backing them!" Yang Huaijun said. "So for the time being, don't go looking for trouble with the Red Conch."

"One ring linked to the next..." Wei Zhao couldn't help but smile ruefully. "What major syndicate?"

"That's still unclear for now," Yang Huaijun said. "These criminal organizations are so difficult to eradicate precisely because there are even greater powers standing behind them. If they existed in isolation, they'd be easy enough to deal with. But all signs point to this backing syndicate being more formidable still than Hidden Families or ordinary sects..."

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