499: Chapter 434: Clues Point to the Quartermaster as a Strong Suspect (Part 2)

Three days after Major General Huo En fled, Lin Zhou sat in the command center, with all the accounts and communication records seized from Major General Huo En's office spread out before him.

The Temple of Civilization's data analysis System was running at high speed, searching for anomalies among millions of data points.

Qin Qing walked in carrying a cup of hot tea, and seeing the bloodshot eyes of Lin Zhou, she sighed.

"Captain, you haven't slept for two days."

"I can't sleep." Lin Zhou took the teacup but didn't drink. "Major General Huo En has run away, but he left behind a lot of things. Accounts, communication records, the flow of supplies... each one could point to his superior."

"Didn't you say his superior might be a high-ranking member of the Void Sect? The White-robed Cardinal and the Cardinal are dead, and the Void Apostle is also dead. Who else is there?"

Lin Zhou pulled up the analysis results from the Temple of Civilization and pointed to a record marked as "Highly Abnormal."

It was a record of correspondence between Major General Huo En and an encrypted communication address, spanning thirty years.

The communication frequency was not high, only two or three times a year, but before and after each communication, large quantities of supplies would be allocated to the edge of the Old Universe's Ruins.

[Encrypted Communication · Analysis]

- Counterpart Codename: "Sword Forger"

- Communication Frequency: 2-3 times per year, for thirty years

- Communication Content: Supply lists, spatial coordinates, time nodes

- Encryption Rank: SSS (Highest Rank of the Expeditionary Force)

- Counterpart Identity: Unknown (Authority higher than Major General Huo En)

"Sword Forger..." Lin Zhou murmured. "Not the White-robed Cardinal, not the Cardinal, not the Void Apostle. It is someone else."

"Authority higher than Major General Huo En? Major General Huo En is a Major General; those with higher authority than him in the entire army do not exceed one hundred people." Qin Qing pulled up the list of generals in the Expeditionary Force. "Generals, Lieutenant Generals, Major Generals. Removing non-combat and administrative personnel, about fifty people remain. Further filtering for those with intersections with the Seventh War Zone, less than twenty people."

"Twenty people... investigate them one by one."

"We can't investigate. Among these twenty people, there are three Generals, five Lieutenant Generals, and the rest are Major Generals. Without concrete evidence, the Inspectorate has no right to investigate them."

Lin Zhou was silent. He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gray-white mist outside the fortress.

Major General Huo En fled toward the edge of the Old Universe's Ruins, which is the direction of the Lord of Nothingness's anchor point.

If he went to defect to the Lord of Nothingness, then he must still have accomplices. One person cannot survive at the edge of the Ruins; there are no supplies or support there.

"Major General Huo En did not escape alone. He has a contact."

"Who is the contact?"

"I don't know. But, those fifty Space Origin Stones in his storage ring were to be sent to the Lord of Nothingness's anchor point. This shows that there is still someone at the anchor point—someone who can receive supplies and use the Space Origin Stones to reinforce the anchor point."

Lin Zhou turned around. "Li Mo, have there been any signs of life detected around the anchor point?"

Li Mo's projection shook his head. "The concentration of Ruins energy around the anchor point is too high, and the detectors cannot penetrate it. However, after the death of the Void Apostle, there should be no guards inside the anchor point."

"Not necessarily. The Void Apostle was just a guardian, not an operator. The operator is someone else—someone capable of using Space Origin Stones deep within the Ruins must be at least at the high-tier divine power level."

Iron Face walked in from outside the door, holding an encrypted document just sent from headquarters.

"Lin Zhou, we have tracked an address in Major General Huo En's communication records."

"What address?"

"It's not a spatial coordinate, it's a bank account. Major General Huo En's private account from the Old Universe era; the opening bank was an interstellar bank of the Old Universe. The account was activated once three months ago, and a large sum of funds was transferred out."

"Transferred to whom?"

"An account named 'Anvil'. It is the alias of Zhao Heng."

Lin Zhou's pupils contracted. "Didn't Zhao Heng also run away? They still have financial dealings between them?"

"This shows that Major General Huo En and Zhao Heng are not superior and subordinate, but equals. They have the same person directing them from behind the scenes."

Iron Face projected the account records onto the Star Map. The flow of funds was complex, passing through multiple transfers, and finally pointing to a Chamber of Commerce located in the Civilian District of the Expeditionary Force headquarters.

The registered legal entity of the Chamber of Commerce is a person named "Zhou Yongnian."

[Zhou Yongnian · Preliminary Information]

- Identity: President of the Chamber of Commerce in the Civilian District of the Expeditionary Force headquarters

- Background: Merchant from the Old Universe era, moved to the Civilian District of the headquarters after the New Universe was established

- Military Rank: None

- Suspicions: Close dealings with many high-ranking officers, including Karon, Vice Commander Chen Tianchou, and Vice Commander Zhao Lingyun

"Zhou Yongnian is not a soldier. The Inspectorate has no right to investigate him." Iron Face frowned.

"But, I can." Lin Zhou stood up. "I am the Commander of the Seventh War Zone and also the Co-Master of Civilization. The authority to mobilize resources for all races in the New Universe is in my hands. As for a merchant, I can invite him to 'have tea'."

That afternoon, Lin Zhou, accompanied by Iron Face and Wang Meng, arrived at the Civilian District of the Expeditionary Force headquarters via a teleportation array.

The Chamber of Commerce was located on the commercial street of the Civilian District, a three-story building; the storefront was not large, but those entering and exiting were all high-ranking officers.

Lin Zhou pushed the door open and went in. The receptionist was a young woman who, upon seeing the Major General Rank on his shoulder, changed her expression slightly.

"May I ask... who are you looking for?"

"Zhou Yongnian."

"The President is not here."

"Then we will wait for him to return."

Lin Zhou sat on the sofa in the lobby, the Fire of Civilization flickering slightly in his palm.

He sensed a faint residue of Ruins energy upstairs—not pollution, but traces left by someone who had come into contact with Ruins energy.

Zhou Yongnian must have come into contact with Major General Huo En.

After waiting for about an hour, footsteps were heard outside the door.

An old man in his sixties walked in, wearing a dark suit, with a kind face, carrying a briefcase in his hand.

Seeing Lin Zhou, he was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"Commander Lin, I have heard much about you. What brings you here?"

"President Zhou, I would like to ask for your assistance in an investigation."

"Investigation? I am just a merchant, what is there to investigate?"

Lin Zhou projected Major General Huo En's account records into the air.

"Major General Huo En, a believer of the Void Sect, fled three days ago. His funds were transferred to your Chamber of Commerce's account. Please explain."

Zhou Yongnian's smile did not change. "Commander Lin, the Chamber of Commerce has many account transactions; it is impossible for me to know every single one. Perhaps someone stole the Chamber of Commerce's account."

"Then please come back to the Seventh War Zone with me to provide a statement."

"Commander Lin, I am not a soldier, you have no authority to take me away."

Iron Face stepped forward and showed his Inspectorate credentials.

"I am a special envoy of the Inspectorate and have the right to investigate any economic crimes related to the military. You are a military supplier and fall under the jurisdiction of the Inspectorate."

Zhou Yongnian's expression finally changed.

He turned to run, but Wang Meng pressed down on his shoulder.

"President Zhou, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

Zhou Yongnian was escorted back to the Seventh War Zone.

During the interrogation, he refused to confess, claiming he was just a merchant and had no direct dealings with Major General Huo En.

But Lin Zhou's Fire of Civilization sensed the residue of Ruins energy deep within his divine spark—of the same Origin as Major General Huo En's.

"You have been polluted." Lin Zhou said. "There is Ruins energy deep within your divine spark. You are not a merchant; you are a believer of the Void Sect."

Zhou Yongnian lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

"I... I only helped them transfer money. I have never harmed anyone."

"The funds you transferred were used by Major General Huo En to purchase Space Origin Stones, which were sent deep into the Ruins to reinforce the Lord of Nothingness's anchor point. If the Lord of Nothingness awakens, it will devour the New Universe. You have harmed everyone."

Zhou Yongnian's body began to tremble.

"I didn't know... I didn't know they would use it for this..."

"Who directed you?"

"A person called 'Sword Forger'. I don't know who he is. Every time he contacted me, he used encrypted communication, and his voice was processed. He transferred money to me and asked me to transfer it to Major General Huo En. I only know his codename."

"When was the last time you were in contact with him?"

"Three days ago. He asked me to transfer a sum of money to Major General Huo En as funds for his escape."

Lin Zhou and Iron Face exchanged glances.

"Where is Major General Huo En now?"

"I don't know. He only said he was going to his 'Old Home'. I don't know where the Old Home is."

"Old Home..." Lin Zhou pulled up the Star Map. The location of the Lord of Nothingness's anchor point at the edge of the Old Universe's Ruins is indeed called "Old Home" in the internal communications of the Void Sect.

"He is at the anchor point." Lin Zhou stood up. "Major General Huo En has fled back to the Lord of Nothingness's anchor point. Someone is meeting him there."

"Who?"

"Sword Forger."

Lin Zhou walked out of the interrogation room and stood in the corridor. Qin Qing followed.

"Captain, who is the Sword Forger?"

"I don't know. But, his authority is higher than Major General Huo En's; he can mobilize massive resources and command people like Major General Huo En and Zhao Heng. He might be a high-ranking official at the Expeditionary Force headquarters, or perhaps some relic of the Old Universe era."

"Can we investigate?"

"We can. But we cannot investigate openly." Lin Zhou looked at Iron Face. "Does the Inspectorate have the authority for secret investigations?"

Iron Face nodded. "Yes. But we need authorization from the Command Headquarters. Give me three days, and I will apply for it."

Three days later, Iron Face brought back the authorization from the Command Headquarters—a blank investigation warrant that could investigate officers of any Rank, including Generals.

Lin Zhou put the investigation warrant away and began to deploy.

"Starting from Major General Huo En's communication records, find the encrypted communication address of the 'Sword Forger'. Then, trace it back."

"Yes."

In the following days, Lin Zhou investigated the Sword Forger while continuing to purify the wrecks and promote the Fire of Civilization. Two years passed in tension and busyness. The countdown to the awakening of the Lord of Nothingness changed from two years to one year, and from one year to six months.

[Lord of Nothingness · Awakening Countdown]

- Correction: Six months

- Anchor Point Pollution Level: 60% (rebounded after purification)

- Major General Huo En transported Space Origin Stones reinforced the anchor point

In the sixth month, Lin Zhou stood on the fortress wall, looking toward the Chaos Star Domain. In the gray-white mist, the dark red light spots were getting bigger and bigger. That was the Lord of Nothingness's anchor point, the final pulse before awakening.

"Captain, the identity of the Sword Forger has been found." Qin Qing walked over, holding a document.

"Who is it?"

"The Deputy Commander of the Expeditionary Force headquarters, General—Zhou Tianxing."

Lin Zhou's pupils contracted sharply.

Zhou Tianxing, Deputy Commander of the Expeditionary Force headquarters, General. He was General Rex's old superior, Karon's recommender, and Vice Commander Chen Tianchou's classmate. He served in the Expeditionary Force for fifty years, with illustrious military achievements and high prestige.

"What about the evidence?"

Qin Qing pulled up the tracking records. Encrypted communication addresses, fund flows, Major General Huo En's confession, Zhou Yongnian's transfer records... all clues pointed to Zhou Tianxing.

[Zhou Tianxing · Suspicion]

- Communicated with Major General Huo En for thirty years

- Repeatedly approved the transfer of Space Origin Stones to the Seventh War Zone

- Recommended Karon to the Seventh War Zone

- Tried to suppress the investigation after Vice Commander Chen Tianchou was arrested

- Had direct financial dealings with Zhou Yongnian

"Shall we arrest him?" Iron Face asked.

"Arrest him." Lin Zhou stood up. "But, we cannot arrest him here. He went to inspect the front line and is now in the Third War Zone."

The Third War Zone, adjacent to the core area of the New Universe, is the weakest point in defense.

"What is he doing in the Third War Zone?"

"Inspecting defenses. However, there is a hidden passage near the Third War Zone leading to the edge of the Old Universe's Ruins. He might be planning to run."

Lin Zhou turned around.

"Pass down the order, prepare the teleportation array. Target—Third War Zone."