Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 1298: Chapter 425: Chen Yiqing, Defection and Bad News (Part 2)

Liu Yuan seemed to have said something pointless, but after a moment of contemplation, both Li Longkai and Zhao Bao’s expressions immediately became grave.

Crack......

”Sir, the body has been dug up!”

Coincidentally, at the same time, Tong Xingsheng’s voice came from the direction of the mound.

The four of them, led by Lin Kai, rushed over immediately. Upon seeing the condition of the female corpse within the mound, they all furrowed their brows slightly.

The temperature of the Ice Abyss is extremely low, so even without treatment, the corpse can be preserved for a long time. The appearance of the female corpse within the mound has hardly changed, making it clear that she hasn’t been dead for long.

Of course, this was not unexpected for the four of them, as Ji Jiang had only gone missing on the night of the first day of the third month. Even if she had died right after going out, it’s only been nine days since then, so the condition of the body makes sense.

The four of them furrowed their brows because they saw the deep wound on Ji Jiang’s neck.

”She was murdered!”

After Lin Kai said this, a suspicion flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t say much else and just continued to wait for Tong Xingsheng to conduct the autopsy.

”She’s been dead for about nine days and was likely killed on the night of the first day. The fatal wound is on the neck, and there are no other injuries on the body. Considering the depth of the neck wound, the assailant must have had overwhelming power over her. She probably didn’t even realize what was happening before she was killed with a single blow...”

Tong Xingsheng, experienced in autopsies, quickly gleaned a lot of information from the neck wound of the female corpse. He then lifted the corpse, intending to continue inspecting other parts.

But as he lifted it, his expression suddenly froze.

”Sir, you should come down and see this...”

Hearing this, the four of them, led by Lin Kai, immediately jumped into the burial pit.

Following the direction pointed by Tong Xingsheng, their expressions were suddenly stunned.

It turned out that beneath the female corpse, there were three words.

These three words were temporarily arranged with small stones. The handwriting was not neat, clearly showing that the person who arranged it was very flustered. In fact, due to Tong Xingsheng’s large movements when lifting the corpse, the words were somewhat disturbed.

Tong Xingsheng naturally noticed this too. He put down the female corpse, then carefully rearranged the stones. The three words immediately became clear again.

[Chen Yiqing]

”A person’s name?”

”Didn’t you say that the tombstone for Ji Jiang was most likely erected by Ji Hong? So this name must have been left for us by Ji Hong, right?”

Unlike Liu Yuan and the others’ reactions, upon seeing the name, it was as if Lin Kai immediately understood something, his pupils suddenly constricted.

”I know what Ji Hong wants to tell us. Gather Ji Jiang’s body carefully and bring it back to Xia City for burial. Come back with me first!”

After saying this, Lin Kai turned and walked towards Hongmen.

Although Liu Yuan and the others were somewhat puzzled, they quickly followed.

.........

The ninth year of Great Xia, March 12, nighttime

Fourth floor of the Hongmen City Government Building, mortuary of the Prison Department

Zeng Rou walked in from the doorway, trembling slightly. Seeing her once lively and cheerful friend now lying still on the ice bed, turned into a cold corpse, her breath stopped suddenly, and tears poured down her cheeks like raindrops as she couldn’t help collapsing onto Ji Jiang’s body, crying uncontrollably.

”Ah Jiang......”

She was not alone in the mortuary, as Tong Xingsheng and more than a dozen Iron Order Prison Guards were there. Hearing her cries, they all sighed slightly.

Tong Xingsheng was examining another corpse and, seeing that Zeng Rou had been crying for an hour without stopping, he couldn’t help walking over to her, softly comforting, ”Miss Zeng, restrain your grief. The dead cannot be revived. Ji Jiang has no family; we plan to transport her body back to Xia City for burial tomorrow. If you...”

”Lord Tong, Brother Ji would never defect. He is loyal to the Lord and Great Xia, and he could never betray the camp. It must be your Prison Department’s mistake. Lord Lin has misunderstood...”

Tong Xingsheng hadn’t finished speaking when Zeng Rou turned her head to interrupt him. Before Tong Xingsheng could speak, she seemed to think of something and continued, ”Moreover, there must be a hidden truth behind Ah Jiang’s death. Brother Ji is not the kind of person who is fickle. I know his feelings for the Lord better than anyone; he...”

”Miss Zeng!”

Tong Xingsheng suddenly interrupted Zeng Rou, his tone exceptionally serious, ”Ji Hong’s defection was personally announced by Lord Lin, and there’s no room for negotiation. Regardless of the hidden truths behind Ji Jiang’s death, they cannot justify his defection. From now on, Ji Hong is an enemy of Great Xia.”

”No, it’s impossible. Brother Ji would never...”

Clearly, Zeng Rou couldn’t listen to Tong Xingsheng’s words, still murmuring that Ji Hong would never defect. But seeing Tong Xingsheng turn his head away and ignore her, she didn’t continue speaking either.

A sudden look of anger appeared on her face, and she questioned, ”Who says Ah Jiang has no relatives? I am her relative, and Xu An, Lord Xu from Wuyuan, is her fiancé. We don’t need you to send Ah Jiang’s body; I will take it myself.”

After saying this, she ignored Tong Xingsheng’s attempts to stop her, wrapped Ji Jiang’s body in a white cloth, and left the mortuary carrying her.

”Alas......”

Tong Xingsheng attempted to stop her but, seeing the tear stains on Zeng Rou’s face, eventually couldn’t bring himself to say anything, just sighed slightly and let her go.

.........

The ninth year of Great Xia, March 15, nighttime

Wuyuan City Government Building, third floor, main hall of the Civil Affairs Department

While dealing with official duties, Xu An’s eyebrows suddenly twitched uncontrollably.

As if sensing something, he suddenly raised his head to look outside the main hall door, his expression slightly darkening as he said, ”Who is standing outside?”

”It’s... it’s me, Brother Xu.”

A familiar female voice came from outside the door. Xu An’s expression froze, and then guilt appeared on his face as he instinctively sat up straight, wanting to say something.

”Brother Xu, don’t be nervous; I’m not here to pester you this time...”

A youthful woman dressed in a white dress walked gracefully from outside the door. She seemed to be around twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with a pair of beautiful eyes now focused on Xu An, filled with undisguised affection.

However, besides affection, there seemed to be a hint of inexplicable sympathy in her eyes.

”Yuanxiu, I’m sorry!”

Indeed, Xu An dared not meet Zhao Yuanxiu’s gaze. He prided himself on never wavering in his feelings for Ji Jiang, but Zhao Yuanxiu’s proactive pursuit over several years, along with her willingness to tarnish her own reputation to ask her father to arrange an engagement with his elder brother, had softened Xu An’s heart somewhat, causing him to feel guilty towards her.

”Brother Xu, it’s a matter between us both, nothing to apologize for. You and Ji Jiang were childhood sweethearts, meant to be together. At the end of the day, I’m the one intruding.”

Hearing Zhao Yuanxiu’s words, Xu An was taken aback. He remembered clearly that Zhao Yuanxiu was not like this before.

Has she really changed?

Thinking this, Xu An immediately felt much more at ease. Raising his head to look at Zhao Yuanxiu, he comforted, ”Yuanxiu, there are many more outstanding people in Great Xia. You...”

Mid-sentence, Xu An stopped.

Still too uneasy to meet Zhao Yuanxiu’s eyes, he’d been looking down, so upon raising his head he finally noticed the sympathy in Zhao Yuanxiu’s gaze.

He suddenly recalled the pang of unease from earlier and questioned, ”Yuanxiu, weren’t you in Xia City recently? Why have you come to Wuyuan all of a sudden?”

”Brother Xu, I just heard some bad news and thought of you in Wuyuan, possibly still unaware, so I came to inform you.”

”What news?”

Upon hearing this, a foreboding feeling crept into Xu An’s heart.

Zhao Yuanxiu’s expression momentarily faltered, as if hesitant, but she then continued gravely, ”Ji Jiang was found murdered on the outskirts of the south side of Beining Mountain. The killer is yet unknown, but her brother, Ji Hong, has been confirmed to have defected. Hongmen Guardian Lin Kai, Lord Lin, has ordered a manhunt for him throughout the Nine Towns.”

Snap......

”What?”

Xu An suddenly stood up from his chair. This news was evidently too shocking for him. He didn’t react at once, thinking he misheard and exclaimed, ”Ji Hong defected? How is that possible?”

He spoke, his body suddenly shook, belatedly realizing Zhao Yuanxiu’s first statement. His expression froze, pupils filled with panic.

”Ji Jiang was murdered?”

”No, impossible, impossible!”

”I only exchanged letters with her last month; it’s impossible.”

”Absolutely impossible!”

.........

Xu An sat back in his chair, repeatedly questioning over a dozen times before suddenly coming to, quickly standing up, and rushing out of the hall.

”Help me inform Guardian Shi of a leave. I’m going to Hongmen and will be back by morning.”