Now that both of his hiding places had been exposed, perhaps the best choice now was to return to Greenwood Residence and seek protection from the old teacher. However, Li Dong did not have such plans because he felt that he had not really reached the end of his rope. Based on the current situation, acting alone could make the enemy lower their guard, which would expose more flaws.
Unknowingly, they arrived near the river-crossing bridge in the south of the city. This river-crossing bridge was connected to the island in the middle of the lake. Opposite it was the legendary Nightless City. Celebrities and dignitaries from all over the world had set up many properties there. There was also a large-scale international aristocratic college with rich teachers in the Nightless City-Dongshan International College.
Although many of them were commoners, they were actually first-class noble academies that served the children of nobles.
Li Dong stretched out his right hand and waved it gently from left to right, as if he was gently pulling open a curtain. A black travel bag appeared in his hand. He carried the travel bag on his back and walked towards the bridge.
Of course, Li Dong did not intend to infiltrate Nightless City. Those upper-class people could indeed be an excellent cover, but the risk was too great. Moreover, Nightless City's surveillance equipment and police force could be said to be the most concentrated and densest in the entire Canghai City. If they were not careful, they would be exposed.
Walking into the hole under the bridge, Li Dong realized that there was already a guest.
The man looked dirty. He was dressed in a beggar's outfit that was tied together with rags. His hair was messy like a grass nest. However, surprisingly, this person's face was old, but he exuded a heroic aura. His beard was slightly dark, and the broken cigarette in his mouth added a sense of fortitude to his temperament.
"D * mn, are even homeless people so good-looking these days?”Li Dong ridiculed in his heart, but his expression did not change. He smiled and said,"I'm sorry, I'm a foreigner. For some reason, I want to borrow your precious land to stay for a night.”
"There's nothing inconvenient about it. Anyone can come to this place.”The wanderer replied in a very easygoing manner.
Li Dong smiled and took out two blankets from his travel bag. He handed one to the homeless man and said,""We're both people who have fallen from grace. If Big Brother doesn't mind, take it."
The homeless man glanced at the soft, fragrant blanket and shook his head.""Thank you for your good intentions, little brother. However, I won't accept any rewards without merit, so there's no need.”
Li Dong's smile grew wider when he saw that there was no trace of longing or desire in the homeless man's eyes. When he noticed that the homeless man's cigarette was about to die out, he reached into his backpack and fiddled with it for a moment before producing a pack of Red Wolf brand cigarettes.
"Brother, you won't refuse a cigarette, right? You and I are fated. How about we be friends?”As he spoke, Li Dong moved towards the wanderer.
Staring at the cigarette in the stranger's hand, Chen Rong seemed to be a little tempted. In this world, perhaps only cigarettes could arouse his strong desire.
"My name is Li Dong. I don't have a job. Because I offended a local evil force, I can only hide here temporarily.”Li Dong opened the cigarette pack and handed a cigarette over. When Chen Rong took it, he took out a lighter and lit it for him.
" My name is Chen Rong, and as you can see, I'm a scavenger. I've been wandering around the world since I was young, and I've made the Eight Wastelands my home..." Chen Rong saw Li Dong holding a cigarette and lighter and listening very seriously, so he asked curiously,""Don't you smoke?"
"Ah, I don't smoke. I don't like the smell. I don't smoke for myself. I smoke for others. Because I work everywhere, I always prepare a pack of cigarettes to get close to my colleagues and leaders.”Li Dong answered truthfully.
"You look young, but you have a lot of thoughts.”
"Hehe, I didn't study hard in high school and didn't graduate. I only knew the hardships of work after entering society. In order to suffer less, I could only play tricks.”Li Dong scratched his head and smiled.
The two of them sat side by side and looked at the brightly lit Nightless City on the other side. Li Dong couldn't help but sigh."If I had studied hard in the past, I might have been able to study at Dongshan International College in Nightless City.”
" Everyone's fate seems to be out of your control, but it's actually closely related to your own choices. Even if you can go back to the past and study hard, your current fate won't change much because this has always been your choice. So as long as your choice doesn't change, no matter how many times you go back to the past, the result will be the same.”Chen Rong said indifferently.
"What if I change my choice? Or not?"
" It's very difficult. Just like me, I chose to wander in the beginning. My life was destined to be a home in the four seas. No matter what changes I make in the middle of the journey or what choices I make, my fate will not change. However, I can find the starting point and see my final fate. Can you find the starting point that will decide your fate?”Chen Rong said.
This sentence rang in Li Dong's heart like a warning bell.""That's right. Where exactly is my starting point?”
If saving Yang Zilan was the turning point of my life, then where was the starting point of my destiny?
Cracks appeared on his Niwan Palace as Li Dong's mind was shaken violently. White, purple, and golden lightning leaked out from it and seeped through his meridians into every part of his body. A storm stirred up in his quiet sea of consciousness. The rain mixed with lightning screeched in his sea of consciousness, and an indescribable pain tortured Li Dong's brain.
He was enduring unimaginable pain. Perhaps it was because he was used to it, but his senses were somewhat numb. Li Dong did not appear as intense as he did.
Chen Rong did not notice the change in the person beside him, so he continued," There are many opportunities in a person's life, but very few people can truly grasp and change their own destiny. This is because most people can't see the starting point of their life, and some people are unwilling to change even if they see it. Or rather, they can't change it because they like to convince themselves with the phrase 'reality is cruel.'”
After calming himself down, Li Dong gradually emptied his mind and stopped paying attention to the memory fragments that flashed past his mind. As his Spiritual Sense continued to strengthen his Niwan Palace, the impact of the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning gradually dissipated, and the pain also began to disappear.
Inadvertently, Li Dong said something very rude,""Then is Big Brother the kind of person who is unwilling to change or unable to change?”
Chen Rong didn't mind and said,"" In the past, I was, but not now. At that time, I also blamed the heavens and envied others for having their parents to protect them. However, as I wandered around, I passed through Qiong Province, Yun Province, Hei Province, Liao Province, Mengzhi District, and about fifteen provinces and autonomous regions. In thirty years, I wandered half of China. The memories, experiences, and what I saw and heard over the years became my most precious treasures. Gradually, I fell in love with them, so I decided to continue wandering and go to further places to see.”
After finishing his cigarette, Li Dong passed another one to Chen Rong and lit it for him." Big Brother, can you tell me about the local customs of the provinces and cities you've been to?”
"Sure! It's a pity that I haven't studied and can't write. Otherwise, I really want to write all of this down…"
The two of them chatted all night. When the sky was hazy and bright, Chen Rong fell asleep tiredly. Li Dong covered him with a blanket and took advantage of the opening of the breakfast shop to buy some vegetable buns, steamed buns, fried dough sticks, and soy milk before returning to the bridge.
Just like that, they stayed under the bridge for five days. Li Dong learned about the situation in many provinces and cities from Chen Rong. On the morning of the sixth day, Chen Rong said goodbye to Li Dong. He said that he would continue his journey.
Li Dong didn't say anything else. He just calmly said," Take care."
The ancients often said that the friendship between gentlemen was as light as water. However, in today's society full of interests and money, such plain and simple communication could only be seen occasionally at the bottom of society. It was as precious as gold deposited under the riverbed and covered by sand and stones.
At night, Li Dong looked at the island in the middle of the lake on the other side. The bustling city was still brightly lit, and the bustling bridge was filled with traffic. Li Dong's heart was very calm. If it was in the past, he would definitely envy the people living on the other side, especially when he confessed to Xu Rong. At that time, he had the foolish mentality of not having to work after finding a fair, rich, and beautiful woman.
However, when Li Dong went to the Mountain and Sea Realm, and spent 44 days there, his inner structure changed. In the past, he had only yearned for a peaceful life. However, the Otherworld was filled with danger, as well as tension and excitement. It had a huge impact on his previously mechanical life.
Even in his current state of life, Li Dong did not feel the slightest bit of depression or fear. Instead, he felt fresh and excited.
"Ah ah ~~ You can't think like that. I keep feeling that something bad is about to awaken. Tsk tsk, Hongwu Sect, I hope your strength isn't only this little. Don't disappoint me.”Li Dong's eyes flickered with a dangerous light. Although he had been in a rather sorry state for the past six days, his aura had not weakened at all.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar aura appeared within a 100-meter radius. An uninvited guest had appeared outside the bridge, and the other party was clearly here for him. After eliminating all possibilities, Li Dong thought of a person, so he took the initiative to walk out of the bridge and stood beside the river guardrail to wait patiently.
This person was dressed in casual clothes. He was an ordinary-looking uncle in his fifties. Li Dong recognized him at a glance. He was Director Luo of the Criminal Investigation Department. Although they had never met before, Li Dong knew that he was Uncle Qin's old leader and the instructor of the police academy.
"It seems like you knew I would come?”Luo Changshen asked with interest.
"I had this premonition before. After all, when Fan Tong ordered you to arrest me, I felt that you might have your eyes on me. Uncle Qin mentioned you to me. He said that you have a very high sensitivity to criminals. Although the things I did were suppressed, if the people inside the system really wanted to investigate, they could still find some clues…"
"You are very smart." Luo Changshen praised. He rarely praised others, not even his favorite disciple, Qin Shijun.
"Heh, you flatter me. I'm just more vigilant than the average person.”Li Dong had never cared about other people's praise or criticism of him. He had to know his own standards." There's no need to talk nonsense anymore. Chief Luo came alone and dressed casually. I don't think he's here to arrest me."”
" Of course. I'm just an ordinary police officer. I'm quite confident in dealing with ordinary criminals and even vicious thugs, but I'm not Shijun. I can't deal with a human-shaped weapon that killed hundreds of thugs with my bare hands.”
Luo Changshen's words sounded like a joke, but Li Dong's eyes narrowed slightly as he said coldly,""You have evidence that I killed someone?"
"Haha, don't be nervous, young man. The evidence won't be leaked.”Luo Changsheng looked at the serious Li Dong and said with a smile," Although the river in the western suburbs is remote, it's a pity that there's a lot of water there all year round, so there's a flood flow monitor installed. The entire process of your murder was recorded. In addition, more than 30 male corpses were found in the river. If it were anyone else who met a Nanjing judge, they would have been sentenced to death.”
"The surveillance records have been sealed? Who helped me suppress it?"
Li Dong looked at Luo Changsheng, hoping that he could answer his question.""Is it the backer behind the Vast Martial School?"
"Don't think too much, young man. The person behind the Hong Martial School is far from being able to cover the sky with one hand. There are also various factions in the leadership level. I think this is similar in any country in the world. After all, who can walk on the path of official career without a background?”Luo Changshen said with a smile.
Suddenly, Luo Changshen passed a USB flash drive and a stack of paper materials to Li Dong and said,""This is the evidence I collected from investigating Fan Tong over the past few days. From the money laundering company, the businessmen, the family members who helped, the officials who were in cahoots, to the cooperation relationship with the Hong Martial School, I have dug up the entire interest chain. To be honest, I quite admire you. Although Fan Tong looks like a good-for-nothing, his ability is not weak. I've worked with him for many years but I can't catch him, but you don't even have to waste any effort?”
Li Dong looked at the materials that recorded the history of the Hongwu Sect's development and said,"Heh, I've already pulled out his underwear. Of course he's in a hurry to clear his name. No one is willing to give others a handle.”
At this point, Li Dong turned to look at Director Luo and said seriously,""There's no point in dealing with Fan Tong now. The key is to dig out the person behind him.”
"Don't worry, I'm more experienced than you in dealing with this group of corrupt officials. I'll swat small flies and big tigers.”Luo Changshen said confidently.
Seeing this, Li Dong felt a little suspicious. He had a feeling that this division chief was not as simple as he seemed. After all, Luo Changshen was only a department head on the surface, and Uncle Qin had never revealed what kind of background his instructor had. It was very difficult to topple a high-ranking official with just some irrelevant evidence.
"Alright, let me know before you take action. I'll try my best to cooperate with you.”Li Dong gave his contact information to Luo Changshen.
"By the way, someone is looking for you tonight. Don't leave this place.”Luo Changshen left behind a mysterious sentence and left alone.
At first, Li Dong was still wondering who would come looking for him. Not long after, a military jeep stopped by the bridge and a person got out.
Li Dong took the initiative to step forward. He had seen the owner of this aura before.
It really came at the right time! Li Dong smiled faintly as he walked over.
"Hello, Mr. Li." That person was wearing an ordinary long robe, and his appearance was also ordinary. Like Li Dong, he had an ordinary face that could not be found in a crowd of people.
Li Dong had recognized him because he had learned to rely on his aura to sense living things. It was different from the physical characteristics of a living thing. Aura was the law of breathing within a living thing, and was an underlying law of breathing within the cells of a living thing from birth to death. It was like the frequency of a radio signal. Every living thing had a fixed biological frequency, which was the aura. It could be said that only a small number of people could change the frequency of their aura through special techniques. Most people's breathing frequency was fixed from birth to death.
" I remember that you were the general who led Sect Leader Han and me to Mount Helan…" Li Dong said.
"My surname is Xu. It's rare for you to remember me.”
"General Xu, is there anything you need from me?”
"I was ordered by the Dragon King to take you there.”Major General Xu said.
The Dragon King was referring to Bureau Chief Qian Yu, the leader in charge of special work. He was usually addressed by a code name. His real name and work content were top secrets. If it were not for Sect Leader Han, Li Dong would not have been qualified to know the Dragon King's identity.
Hearing this, Li Dong immediately heaved a sigh of relief and said,""The old general has really solved my problem this time. I originally planned to take the risk and go to their old camp if the Vast Martial School continued to increase their strength to deal with me.”
Major General Xu didn't say anything and only smiled faintly. Li Dong continued to ask,""Does the old chief know about my current situation?”
Major General Xu nodded and pointed at a Volkswagen parked on the side of the road.""Sir, please get in the car."
Without any hesitation, Li Dong carefully observed his surroundings before getting into the car. In the car, he asked,""General Xu, do you know Director Luo from the Criminal Investigation Department?”
"I know him, but he might not know me." Major General Xu was slightly stunned.”
He knew that there were some things that he couldn't ask, so Li Dong didn't continue asking. He changed the topic and said,""Old Chief, why are you looking for me? Can you tell me in advance?"
"I'll tell you about it when we get there.”Major General Xu replied politely.
Alright, it seemed like he couldn't get any more information. Li Dong didn't ask any more questions. They didn't say anything else along the way. When they reached the Canglong Army division, the car drove directly to a helicopter. They flew in the helicopter for more than two hours and changed several means of transportation in the middle. Finally, they arrived at Lan Province and entered the Helan Mountain Range in a green military vehicle.
When Li Dong arrived at the headquarters again, it was already the afternoon of the second day…
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。