Captured By The Cold Detective (BL)-Chapter 477: Festering Roots

He Juan did not even stop to catch a break as soon as he returned to his home country.

He went straight to Xuanlong’s headquarters where the head of the accounting department had been waiting for him. The middle aged man was sweating profusely as he opened the office door to He Juan, his smile stretched unnaturally wide in an attempt at cheerful professionalism, "Y–You are here early, Sir. Is there something wrong with the records?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

One couldn’t blame him for being nervous. Since the time when Xuanlong was built, He Juan very seldom involved himself in financial matters, preferring to entrust it to the professional managers instead. Now that he suddenly asked to view the records from three years ago, the man couldn’t help but feel like he had done something wrong. Wasn’t it known that XIU was the most approachable and easy-going out of all the core members? Then why was he not smiling at all right now?!

He Juan glanced into his office and saw a tall stack of documents on the table. "That’s all?" He asked lightly. "Even the illegal ones?"

The man wiped the sweat on his forehead and responded swiftly, "The illegal ones are kept in ledgers and journals, which I have put on your table. As for the legal ones, in recent years we have switched to using accounting software and spreadsheets. Do you want to view them as well, Sir?"

"No, just the illegal ones will do." He patted the man’s shoulder in passing as he entered the office, "Thank you for your hard work. I will call you again if I need assistance."

The man thought that his job was finished here, and a genuine smile spread across his face. Alas, he had rejoiced too soon, because not even an hour later, he was summoned back into He Juan’s office and did not come out until the sky outside had turned inky black. The rest of the staff in the accounting department, who had been fervently praying for their leader’s safety, went to surround him as soon as he returned.

"What is it? Is there an issue with the records?"

"Damn it, Old Cheng, your complexion is so horrible! Why did you look like your life has been cut into half?!"

"XIU couldn’t have found any embezzlement, right? No, who would dare to tamper with Xuanlong’s funds? We still want our lives!"

Amidst the flurry of theories and speculations, the middle aged man dismissed their concern with a weary wave of his hand. He slumped into his chair in a lifeless manner, "You guys are overthinking it. He didn’t do anything to me. He just asked a lot of questions, but..." his shuddered just by recalling the low pressure that constantly exuded from the Alpha’s body. "Damn it, can I resign from this position? I never want to be summoned into XIU’s office alone again!"

Inside the office, the table lamp was brightly lit as He Juan sat on his swivel chair, deep in thought.

His eyes felt a bit sore and dry, so he rummaged through the drawer for a vial of eyedrops. He blinked after applying them and his lashes grew damp, making each strand appear longer and darker. They cast shadows over his cheeks and obscured the chill in his silver eyes.

Funding the research would definitely require a lot of money, and there was no way Luo Xuan’s personal savings would be enough to cover everything. So there were only two possibilities – either he had secured a wealthy and influential partner, or he had tapped into Xuanlong’s resources. Judging from Luo Xuan’s cautious nature, He Juan inclined more towards the latter, hence the reason why he rushed back to comb through the company’s transaction records.

Lo and behold, he truly found a handful of shell companies which he had never heard of before, yet they operated with a collective funding that could easily tally in the billions. And he wouldn’t know it unless he checked for himself because all the documents were signed by Luo Xuan himself.

The corner of his lips curved into a sneer, his fists clenched with seething rage.

What had become of Xuanlong?

What had become of the organization he had poured almost a decade of his life, his entire youth, his blood and sweat, into building and nurturing? Xuanlong was supposed to exist for the sake of ordinary citizens, to uphold justice for the weak and defenseless, but now... he was hit with the discovery that a portion of its funds had been spent into a research experiment that was causing harm to hundreds of Omegas in the country!

He felt like a gardener who had cherished and revered a field of vibrant red roses, only to uncover that beneath their breathtaking beauty, the roots were festering with rot. Not only that, the very soil nourishing them was also drying and withering away.

It sickened him down to the guts. Nausea churned in his stomach, and he abruptly shot up from his seat, racing to the bathroom in a hurry to vomit. Unfortunately, he had hardly eaten anything throughout the day, save for a few bites during the flight to Korea this morning. As a result, what came out was nothing but stomach acid. Even then, the disgust persisted— for Xuanlong, for Luo Xuan, and for himself for being so oblivious for so many years.

If only, if only he had realized everything sooner... would he have been able to change anything?

He Juan had no idea, because there was no ’if only’ here. The reality would not change no matter how much he wished it to be. He could only watch everything unfold, helpless to do anything.

But was there really nothing he could do?

He Juan splashed his face with cold water and raised his head to look at himself in the mirror. The countenance that stared back at him was stern, somber and marked by weariness. For a fleeting second, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity as if the person in the mirror was a stranger. But one second later, he realized it was because his usual smile was absent.

Turning away, he gathered all of the ledgers pertaining to the shell companies. He snatched his jacket and car keys, and marched toward the door.

Amidst the city’s vibrant nightlife, he floored the accelerator with force. His arms were tense and his white-knuckled fingers gripped the wheel, using the thrill of speed to alleviate the suffocating weight on his chest. Under his reckless driving, the initial two hours of journey was cut to just over an hour.

He parked his car sharply in front of Marius’ villa.

Upon entering the house, he found Marius and Ye Qiu busy baking cookies in the kitchen. The delightful aroma of chocolate and honey filled the air, yet He Juan was unable to conjure even a hint of appetite. He paused on the doorway, hesitating. It was his fault for dropping by without a notice. Had he intruded on a personal and intimate moment?

But Marius’ smile was the same as usual as he caught sight of He Juan. The infamous drug lord, renowned for his fearsome reputation and formidable abilities, was currently wearing a blue apron and mitts as he bent down to retrieve a tray from the oven, exuding a thick domestic and homely aura.

"Hey, care for some late-night snacks?" He inquired. However, upon catching a closer look at He Juan’s face, he gradually realized that something was amiss, and the smile on his face faded slightly. "Is there something wrong, XIU?"

He Juan struggled to push the words past his dry throat, "I need to talk to you."