Chapter 41: The Hunter's Tavern

There are 712 pages in the Advanced Artifact Forging textbook, which is comparatively fewer than those of Advanced Runes or Advanced Alchemy. However, if one wished to flip through and master every page of Advanced Artifact Forging, it would require at least 712 individual pieces of knowledge, which, converted into money, would cost 71,200 yuan.

Naturally, Chen Meng didn’t have that kind of money on hand. The only place he could quickly get such an amount was Mouse Beibei’s little treasury.

“The Law Enforcement Bureau has already given up on investigating the old neighborhood. Soon, I’ll be able to raid Mouse Beibei’s stash. Who knows how much gold that mouse has hoarded, but it certainly won’t be a small sum.” As Chen Meng thought of this, he couldn’t help but swallow in anticipation.

Money—it's all about the money!

...

That evening, when he returned home and saw Mouse Beibei diligently studying, Chen Meng managed to quell his urge to immediately raid the mouse’s treasury. For the sake of safety, he decided to wait another two days.

...

At the Law Enforcement Bureau, it was already the third day.

Han Hao examined the information gathered by his team, his brows knit tightly together. “Nothing—not a single match at all. Could it be the murderer isn’t among the residents of these three neighborhoods? Was my deduction wrong?”

He knew that if he was mistaken this time, it would be tough to catch the culprit and the mouse within the week.

Wu Tengkong had already said that if Han Hao didn’t find the mouse within the week, he’d replace him. If he was removed from his position, it would certainly be seen as a sign of incompetence. For Han Hao, this was an unbearable humiliation.

As the captain with the highest case-solving rate in Jiangzhou City, he couldn’t accept such a thing. Yet, if Wu Tengkong insisted on a replacement, there would be nothing he could do.

“Captain, there are still two thousand people left to investigate. We should be able to finish by tomorrow morning,” a team member said. “Maybe the culprit is among those two thousand. Don’t worry too much.”

“Let’s hope so,” Han Hao murmured.

What he didn’t know was that Chen Meng was an anomaly. Still just a high school student, he had used the system’s analytical abilities to practice at the UFO shooting range only twice, yet raised his marksmanship to a terrifying level. Therefore, Han Hao’s focus on investigating suspects based on shooting skills naturally filtered Chen Meng out of suspicion. After all, the only one who knew about Chen Meng’s marksmanship was Lv Guang.

By noon the next day, Han Hao reviewed all the information they had gathered, feeling heavy-hearted.

No matches—not a single one.

Even those who hadn’t been home were still investigated through their personnel files. While the files weren’t very detailed, it was still clear enough that none fit the profile of the person he was looking for.

“Maybe the culprit isn’t in these three neighborhoods at all. Maybe my deduction was just wrong,” Han Hao sighed helplessly. “It’s already Thursday; there’s not enough time to change direction now.”

The other team members fell silent.

Han Hao lifted his head, thinking for a moment. “Still, we need to keep searching. Organize all the residents’ information, and everyone else continues to investigate who Wang Jie came into contact with prior. Also, check if anyone has recently advanced to Divine Body status. The killer must have taken the serum, and as soon as it’s used, the killer would have become a Divine Body.”

The team nodded and went off to their tasks.

Once everyone had left the meeting room, Han Hao took out his boxed lunch. He didn’t care if it was cold as he began to eat, but just then, he received a message.

“Mouse, meet at Hunter Bar at nine tonight.”

Staring at the message, Han Hao was taken aback for a moment before replying, “Alright.”

His eyes swept over the sender’s profile picture—a man with a severed arm.

...

The Hunter Bar was a private establishment in Jiangzhou City, typically frequented by Divine Body individuals, many of whom were retired soldiers or adventurers who often ventured into the Wilds.

Wearing a trench coat, Han Hao crossed several narrow alleys and finally arrived at the dimly lit entrance of the bar. Above, the words “Hunter Bar” glowed in fluorescent paint—no neon, no electricity.

Inside, it wasn’t noisy like most bars. Instead, the atmosphere was quiet; small groups sat drinking and chatting in low voices.

“You’re here.”

Han Hao was still looking around for his contact when a voice sounded behind him.

He turned to see a one-armed man holding two wine glasses in his single hand. If not for the slender stems of the glasses, it would have been impossible for him to carry both at once.

Had Chen Meng been there, he would have recognized this man as his shooting coach, Lv Guang.

“Baldy!”

Han Hao greeted him, casually taking one of the glasses. “I say, Baldy, you’ve grown your hair out. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Lv Guang was speechless. Back in the army, he really had been bald, and with his surname Lv Guang, everyone had nicknamed him Baldy.

“The way you say that, it’s like I wouldn’t recognize you if you put on clothes,” Lv Guang retorted. Hearing this, Han Hao burst out laughing, as if the two had returned to their old days in the military, where they would banter endlessly, both clean and crude.

“You haven’t contacted me in ages. I thought you’d forgotten me, you heartless bastard.” Han Hao clinked glasses with Lv Guang. “So, what have you been up to lately? Off cavorting with your lady friend?”

“What lady friend? If Xiang Yan heard you, she’d blast you with a rocket launcher,” Lv Guang said. At the mention of a rocket launcher, Han Hao instinctively stiffened his neck—he knew that crazy woman was capable of anything. Back in the army, she’d taken out countless monsters with a rocket on her shoulder.

That woman was not to be trifled with.

“Drinks are on you tonight. In exchange, I won’t tell her,” Lv Guang remarked coolly.

“It’s just a few drinks. You really have to threaten me?” Han Hao rolled his eyes, though he was relieved.

But just then, Lv Guang called out, “Waiter, bring all those expensive bottles I never dared order before. He’s paying.”

Han Hao was dumbstruck. Looking at the waiter, he exclaimed, “What the hell—each bottle is over a thousand! I only make a little over ten thousand a month!”

Lv Guang ignored him, his mood brightening as the waiter brought bottle after bottle to their table.

“So, what’s this really about?” Han Hao grumbled, feeling the financial pain.

“I’m leaving,” Lv Guang said, downing a glass in one go. “Old Wolf and the others are going back to the Wilds. They’re forming an adventurer team, and I’m joining. At the latest, in half a month, once Old Wolf finishes acquiring the gear, we’ll set off.”

“What?” Han Hao was shocked. “You’re going to the Wilds like this?”

“Why not? Am I not rugged enough now? I can kill monsters with one hand,” Lv Guang said, shaking his empty sleeve. He’d decided recently that staying in Jiangzhou City, he was just wasting away. He might as well return to the Wilds, where he truly belonged.

“You’re insane. Fine, if you insist, I’ll take care of your family,” Han Hao said, patting Lv Guang’s shoulder with a meaningful look.

“Xiang Yan is going, too. She’s the one who convinced me. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting—you’ve got no chance,” Lv Guang smiled.

Han Hao was indignant. “If you all want to court death, go ahead. What’s wrong with coming back? Can’t you serve your country here? I’m with the Jiangzhou Law Enforcement Bureau now. I’ve solved so many cases, arrested so many criminals—my contribution isn’t less than what I did in the army!”

Han Hao’s tone showed his dissatisfaction.

Lv Guang pondered for a moment. “That’s you, not everyone’s like you. After leaving the army, I became a shooting instructor at a range. Even though my skills were better than the other coaches, I was a lousy teacher. I kept being complained about, scolded by the manager. I’ve had enough of that life.”

Han Hao fell silent for a long while.

“When you leave, let me know. I’ll see you off,” he said at last. “If you need any help or have unfinished business, just say the word.”

“Our parents—keep an eye on them for us,” Lv Guang replied. “We’ve saved enough for their retirement, but you never know what trouble might arise.”

“I understand. Your parents are my parents,” Han Hao said, recognizing this was probably Lv Guang’s main reason for coming. “It’s just a shame about all your skills. That nine-shot burst of yours was legendary. Who’d have thought you’d come back to Jiangzhou and not even teach a decent student.”

“No, I actually did find a student—a genius, in fact.” At this, Lv Guang broke into a smile.