"Hmm, well, what I was really implying is that you're underpaid."
Hearing this bold statement, Keqing surprisingly sheathed her sword instead of getting angry.
"Alright, I appreciate your honesty and directness."
Keqing placed both hands firmly on the table in front of Gu Sanqiu. "I'll cut to the chase—there's a matter that requires the power of a Fengxiang practitioner like you."
"Tell me what the matter is first, then I'll consider whether or not to refuse."
"Lately, there have been several cases of child trafficking in Liyue Harbor, and the Millelith haven't been able to find any solid leads so far."
Keqing pulled out a dossier from her desk and handed it to Gu Sanqiu.
"The Millelith is stuck, so I immediately thought of you. We need your help to get some useful information at the very least."
"So, I'm just a tool to be called upon when needed, huh? You never even check in on me unless there's trouble." Gu Sanqiu quipped as he took the dossier from her. "When are these incidents happening? Is there a specific time, or are they random?"
If it was the former, then the traffickers likely had some limitations and patterns to their operations. Staking out during those times would definitely yield results. But if it was the latter, then their boldness indicated they had some sort of confidence or backing.
Ideally, they'd be the kind who fancied themselves as clever thieves—that type was much easier to deal with. But if they were tactical and part of a larger crime syndicate, that would complicate things.
"There's no set time or place, and that's what's been giving the Millelith such a headache," Keqing replied, her brows furrowed. "The incidents are happening in two areas of Liyue Harbor. We've even caught some copycat criminals, but the main perpetrators are still nowhere to be found."
"Copycats?"
"Yes, technically different from regular copycats, but these people were still targeting children in various locations and times."
"During the early investigations, we lumped them all together, so that's the official narrative right now," Keqing added.
"Have you considered that the copycats might actually be the real culprits, or at least pawns of the real culprits, and they're using this chaos to their advantage?" Gu Sanqiu asked.
"Pawns, maybe. But the children those copycats abducted have all been safely returned," Keqing sighed, rubbing her temples. "That's the only reason the public hasn't lost faith in the Qixing yet."
"In a twisted way, they helped?" Gu Sanqiu finished reading the dossier. "Can you arrange for someone to take me to the prison to see those copycats?"
"I can take you myself."
"Sit down and eat something instead. Get someone else to show me the way. Skipping meals is bad for a girl's health—you'll age faster," Gu Sanqiu said, pulling out a meal from his storage: one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and a bowl of rice. "It's perfectly preserved. If it's a bit cold, have one of the secretaries heat it up for you."
"This... thanks." Keqing hesitated for a moment before accepting the meal. She then called someone to escort Gu Sanqiu to the prison to gather information.
---
"Talk! Are you going to talk or not?!"
Gu Sanqiu gripped a rock-element-infused staff, hitting the copycats harshly but precisely. He had placed a shield over them, ensuring that while there were no visible injuries, the blows would leave their insides writhing in pain. Perfect for making sure there'd be no post-interrogation complaints.
Besides, he was a Fengxiang practitioner. If they had a problem with his methods, they were welcome to visit the Gu residence anytime.
Human traffickers deserved no mercy. If this were a xianxia world, he'd already be sending little notes to the underworld officials, asking them to give these scum some "extra care."
"We—we really don't know anything! We only took advantage of an opportunity to make some quick money..." one of the prisoners stammered.
The secretary from Yuehai Pavilion watched nervously, sweat dripping down his forehead, afraid that this unpredictable Fengxiang practitioner might accidentally kill the prisoners.
As much as he secretly wished Gu Sanqiu would hit harder, this was Liyue's prison, and some basic rules still had to be followed.
"Alright, one question then. When exactly did you realize you had the opportunity to pull this off?"
Gu Sanqiu's staff pointed at each of the prisoners in turn.
"I'm giving you the chance to speak. If you don't give me something useful, I won't hesitate to toss you lot into a Hilichurl camp."
"Gu Fengxiang, that's illegal. That's not an approved form of punishment," the secretary nervously reminded him.
"No worries. I promise they'll show up in court perfectly fine. I won't kill them."
|( T﹏T )|
So he means we'd get tortured by the Hilichurls, and then still face legal punishment? That's inhumane!
Oh wait, we're human traffickers. Never mind.
"We'll talk! We'll talk! Just stop hitting us!"
"Half an hour... half an hour window," one of them muttered.
Gu Sanqiu turned to the secretary and the guards outside. "Separate them. Have each one write a statement. If there are any inconsistencies, I want you to interrogate them thoroughly. Got it?"
"Understood!"
The Millelith guards snapped to attention, raising their spears as they responded to his orders with booming voices.
"Gu Fengxiang, here are the statements from the prisoners. If you find any discrepancies, we'll increase the intensity of the interrogation."
The secretary spoke as tactfully as possible, but Gu Sanqiu still rolled his eyes.
"You might as well have written 'I want to use torture' across your forehead. Leave that to me. I don't want to stain your pristine record—Keqing would kill me for that."
"The basic information seems consistent. They must have been lying during the initial interrogation," Gu Sanqiu said, waving dismissively. "That question about the timing was just a trick. If they were working independently, there's no way their opportunities for kidnapping would have been this similar."
"Tell the Millelith to get serious. Use torture if you have to. I want the mastermind behind this uncovered. Raise the confidentiality level, and make sure you're personally overseeing the investigation."
"If the people behind this are influential or have connections, tell Keqing directly. The Qixing will remind them of the laws of this land."
"Understood."
The secretary couldn't help but glance at Gu Sanqiu with a mixture of respect and admiration. Though he wasn't thrilled about being given more work, Gu Sanqiu's decisive actions and unconventional thinking were truly inspiring.
"Gu Fengxiang, have you ever considered working at Yuehai Pavilion? With your talents, you shouldn't be wasting away in the civilian sector. The world needs more people like you to fulfill their ambitions!"
(￣□￣;)
Gu Sanqiu froze for a moment before waving his hand to dismiss the secretary.
I help you guys out of kindness, and now you want to drag me into the bottomless pit of overwork? Absolutely not!
---
If there are any mistakes let me know!
Also once I reach chapter 50 here, updates will slow down!
Bye bye 5 chapters a day ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ
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