Cultivating Through The Game

"Have you figured out the source of the video?" Gongcheng asked Zuo Hui, who was on the screen.

Zuo Hui turned the tablet in his hand toward the camera, and Gongcheng's eye twitched at the content on the tablet, "Don't show me this, I only want results."

Retrieving the tablet, Zuo Hui said, "The video source has been identified, it's from the cameras inside the underground research facility. However, these few frames are stitched together from several different cameras."

"If we can't obtain a complete video, it's impossible to ascertain the truth just from a few stitched clips."

With a serious expression, Gongcheng said, "I've already sent people to the underground research facility to find those cameras you mentioned."

"Judging from the video shakes, these cameras might have been affected, and the chances of them being intact are slim," Zuo Hui reminded Gongcheng.

"Mm, I understand." Gongcheng ended his call with Zuo Hui.

Just as he closed the screen, other call requests started popping up one after another.

Gongcheng looked at the flood of call requests with a headache, as they came from research facility higher-ups and some were comrades of the Gudao machine.

They had somehow seen the video and were petitioning Gongcheng for the capture of the murderer who killed their colleagues, mentors, and comrades.

Upon first seeing the video, Gongcheng felt angry inside, but he didn't make any decisions then because he knew decisions made in anger were usually wrong.

Once calm, Gongcheng noticed some issues and sent Zuo Hui to verify the video's authenticity.

The result came back: the video was genuine.

But the video had been edited, possibly cutting out some crucial content; it's impossible to convict Lu Yu of murdering the underground research staff and the Gudao machine members from that video alone.

While waiting for Zuo Hui to verify the video's authenticity, he received calls from several research facility higher-ups, who were urging Zuo Hui to catch the murderer.

They had already watched the video.

When receiving these calls, Gongcheng was bewildered; how did they know about this video?

Judging by the timing, from Gongcheng calming down after watching the video, asking Zuo Hui to verify its authenticity, to receiving calls from several research facility higher-ups, the interval was very short.

This meant that not long after Gongcheng saw the video, those doctors and management in the research facility had seen it too.

It's obvious that the person who sent the video sent it to others after sending it to Gongcheng.

This action made Gongcheng even more suspicious of their intent.

Under normal circumstances, sending such a video to oneself is enough, there's no need to spread it, nor should it be spread.

Facing the investigations from the research facility, Gongcheng couldn't just ignore them, hence he ordered the capture of Lu Yu, and to investigate the truth later.

Gongcheng was unclear whether Lu Yu destroyed the underground research facility.

But now the situation has blown up; not just research facility members, but the Gudao machine's comrades and superiors are aware of this incident.

Pressure from all sides forced Gongcheng to make the decision to apprehend Lu Yu first and investigate the truth afterward.

...

Lu Yu dialed Fei Yuqing's number.

Upon receiving Lu Yu's call, Fei Yuqing hesitated for a moment before answering. Based on his understanding of Lu Yu during this time, Lu Yu was definitely not someone who would indiscriminately kill innocents, he didn't believe Lu Yu killed the Gudao machine and researchers, or that Lu Yu was the culprit behind the destruction of the underground research facility.

Before Lu Yu could speak, Fei Yuqing said first, "Lu Yu, some people will come looking for you soon. You need to cooperate with their work, I'll help you find evidence to clear your name."

"?" Lu Yu was bewildered, completely unclear about what Fei Yuqing was talking about.

"Clear my name? What crime did I commit?"

Before Fei Yuqing could answer Lu Yu's question, Lu Yu heard a knocking sound; it came from outside the door.

"We are personnel from the National Security Department, please cooperate with us. There is a matter related to you, and we ask you to come with us."

"Are they pursuing the failure of the underground research facility task?" Lu Yu thought to himself and opened the door for them.

On the other end of the call, it was unclear when Fei Yuqing had hung up, leaving Lu Yu with a question: had he unknowingly committed a crime.

He wanted to ask Fei Yuqing.

But now, with people from the National Security Department right at his doorstep, he could only deal with them first.

The underground research facility was destroyed because of Iron Tomb's interference, which led to its destruction. The officials are aware of Iron Tomb's existence; as long as he tells the truth to his superiors, they shouldn't pursue his responsibility excessively.

Especially under those circumstances, surviving alone with his documented realm level was already very challenging.

As soon as he opened the door, Lu Yu found a large group of people crowded outside, with three Core Formation Realm cultivators standing at the forefront. Their Spiritual Power was very active, seemingly ready to fight.

Behind the three Qi Blood realms, a person in enforcement attire read aloud the arrest document: "Lu Yu, from Blue Sea City, residing at Building 10, Room 302 in Panorama Garden Community, is suspected in the case of the destruction of Blue Sea City's Underground Research Facility No. 2. Please cooperate with our investigation and come with us."

An enforcer without Spiritual Power emerged from the crowd, holding an enormous shackle in his hand. The shackle appeared very archaic and was one of the official methods for limiting the strength of powerful Martial Cultivators.

This shackle was also a peculiar object, capable of restricting the flow of Spiritual Power within a Martial Cultivator, rendering them unable to mobilize their Spiritual Power.

Moreover, the shackle was extremely sturdy, even a Martial Cultivator with inhuman strength could not forcefully open it.

Seeing them produce the shackle, Lu Yu's expression changed slightly, "What do you mean by this?"

"Please cooperate with our investigation. This is simply for the convenience of managing investigated persons."

"Please!"

A Qi Blood realm said expressionlessly, he was a comrade of Gu Daoji and volunteered to come capture Lu Yu.

The enforcer approached Lu Yu with some trepidation, as Lu Yu's presence was overwhelmingly intimidating, as if a single glare could kill.

Seeing no motion from Lu Yu, Qin Ming released his Spiritual Power outside his body, ready to enforce by force, and said in a deep voice, "Please cooperate with us; otherwise, we do not rule out the possibility of using compulsion."

Looking at Qin Ming who was threatening him, Lu Yu suddenly found it amusing. These people had no idea what they were facing.

Sensing the Core Formation Realm expert hovering nearby, Lu Yu obediently extended his hands, allowing them to put the shackle on him.

Whether it was because of the Core Formation Realm just nearby, or the national authority behind the enforcers, Lu Yu chose to comply.

Once the shackle was on, Lu Yu felt his Spiritual Power settle, unable to use Spiritual Power, and even his Qi Blood was somewhat affected, significantly reducing the oppressive aura he exuded.

With his Qi Blood contained and aura withdrawn, Lu Yu now appeared to be just an ordinary person.

Looking at the shackles on his wrists, Lu Yu thought: Is this also a peculiar object?

The three Qi Blood realms surrounded Lu Yu, escorting him downstairs, Lu Yu paused, the three looking at him cautiously.

Despite the fact he was now wearing the strength-limiting shackles, their expressions became increasingly severe because the Core Formation Realm had left, making them the strongest present.

Based on the prowess Lu Yu exhibited in the video, even if Lu Yu had exhausted his Spiritual Power at the western outskirts battlefield and his Qi Blood in the underground research facility, the three remained extremely vigilant.

They hurried to Lu Yu's home to take him while he had just finished a battle, heavily exhausted, with his strength reduced to its lowest.

If it were an ordinary Martial Cultivator, this train of thought might have been correct, but this was Lu Yu; such notions were gravely mistaken.

"Don't be nervous, I just want to say, help me close the door properly, lift the handle, and shut it tightly."

Upon hearing Lu Yu's words, the enforcer at the rear silently closed the door, lifted the handle, and locked the security door.

Watching Lu Yu being escorted into the specially designed transport vehicle below, Su Peng felt a bit puzzled, "Why was he captured?"

Carefully perceiving the situation inside the vehicle, he noticed a Qi Blood red sun surrounded by three flames of Spiritual Power, Su Peng smiled, "Forget it, if he doesn't want to, then so be it."

Su Peng flew into Lu Yu's home from the balcony. The sliding door opened automatically, revealing the Spiritual Power traces left by Lu Yu on the table.

"Su Peng, keep an eye on my place for a while."

He casually wiped away the Spiritual Power characters left by Lu Yu on the coffee table, done in a formation style that was hard to detect unless one was highly perceptive.

Lu Yu knew Su Peng could detect it, which is why he left the message.

"Can I ask if my capture is related to the underground research facility incident?" Lu Yu glanced at the Qi Blood realms sitting beside him and across from him and inquired.

The three remained silent, managing to restrain themselves from attacking Lu Yu was commendable enough, considering they regarded Lu Yu as the murderer who killed their comrades and the one responsible for the destruction of the underground research facility.

Though they said nothing, Lu Yu could discern their answer through their subtle expressions, puzzled as to why they harbored hostility towards him.

Even if due to his mission failure, the underground research facility was destroyed, killing everyone inside, they should hate the culprit, why were they hostile to him?

Sitting in the jolting transport vehicle, Lu Yu pondered, where were they taking him?

"Beep~~" The horn sounded, and the transport vehicle stopped.

The small window behind the driver's seat opened, and the officer in the co-seat turned and said, "The road is completely blocked ahead, we can't proceed."

The vehicles trying to exit the city blocked the roads, preventing Lu Yu's transport vehicle from reaching its destination.

Currently, in Blue Sea City, only a few main roads designated for military vehicles were not blocked, while most other roads were impassable, and the main roads did not lead to the transport vehicle's intended destination.

Qin Ming glanced at the two and said: "The three of us will fly him to the Prohibited Martial Zone."

"This doesn't comply with protocol," Guo Jing hesitated.

"Given the circumstances, rules don't matter, just get the criminal to the Prohibited Martial Zone," Ma Zhengyang said.