Era of Magic and Martial Arts-Chapter 215 - 199: Critical Intelligence, Full Initiative
The entrance to the restroom in the prison corridor.
Feng Mu habitually unhooked his electric baton and handed it to Wang Cong, saying, "Hold this for me, I’m going to the bathroom."
Wang Cong took the baton, nodded slightly at Feng Mu, and then lit a cigarette at the doorway, taking a drag and gently exhaling the smoke.
Feng Mu pushed open the bathroom stall door, locked it, and then took out his phone from his pocket, connecting to a call from a virtual number.
As soon as the call connected, he didn’t rush to speak. Instead, he tapped a rhythmic signal on the phone case with his fingers, patiently waiting for the response of coded taps with different frequencies from the other side.
Until he confirmed that the code matches from the other side, Feng Mu then lowered his voice and asked, "Has something happened?"
Ma Bin’s voice slowly came through the phone: "This morning, there was an explosion on Qiming Street. The news reports say it was an accident caused by a gas pipeline leak, but coincidentally, Qian Tong’s car was caught in the explosion."
Feng Mu frowned slightly, suspiciously asking, "Who is Qian Tong?"
Ma Bin promptly replied, "The general manager of Celestial Light Capital, and also the uncle of Qian Huan, the current warden of the Second Prison."
Feng Mu was slightly taken aback, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.
He didn’t remember instructing Ma Bin to pay attention to the warden’s relatives, which was clearly an initiative taken by Ma Bin.
In fact, it was indeed so. Since Feng Mu asked Ma Bin to help transfer Chen Ya and others to different prisons, although Ma Bin didn’t know the inside story, he instinctively started closely monitoring all kinds of information related to the Second Prison.
This behavior wasn’t driven by any specific purpose but was an instinctive action displayed by Ma Bin as an excellent offline contact.
He didn’t need explicit instructions from Feng Mu to take action. Instead, he would proactively remain vigilant in his daily life, always ready to provide any support and help that the online contact might need.
Just like high-ranking eunuchs in ancient times serving emperors, they wouldn’t foolishly wait for the emperor to say he’s thirsty before brewing tea.
Instead, they’d always be prepared to warmly and expertly offer a perfectly brewed and fragrant cup of tea to the emperor’s lips.
Similarly, upon sensing that the news might be useful to Feng Mu, Ma Bin would proactively verify the news and pass the confirmed information to Feng Mu as soon as possible.
Feng Mu squinted his eyes and said, "Continue."
Ma Bin replied, "The Second Prison is a pilot for the privatization reform by the Executive Government, with only half a year left until the reform agreement expires. The former warden’s death from overwork was highly suspicious."
While Ma Bin answered the question, he was very aware of the online’s capabilities, so he assumed Feng Mu was knowledgeable about the background of the Second Prison.
He didn’t waste words but rather went straight to the point with the conclusion:
"So I think the explosion on Qiming Street was an accident targeted at Qian Tong."
Feng Mu’s concise response also confirmed Ma Bin’s judgment. He said, "Power struggles are a matter of life and death, so is Qian Tong dead?"
Ma Bin replied, "The explosion didn’t kill him, but he died in the hospital anyway."
Ma Bin directly provided the answer without elaborating on how he, upon receiving the news, disguised himself, infiltrated the hospital, and skillfully used various methods and keen observation to deduce the cause of Qian Tong’s death and its subsequent covert handling.
Although the process was full of twists and complexity, even brain-racking and thrilling, Ma Bin didn’t view these details as merits to boast about.
His goal was simple and clear: to provide the online contact with the most accurate and timely support and help.
Every effort he made was for the noble goal of Destiny, not for personal advancement.
Feng Mu was slightly surprised, "The explosion didn’t kill him, but he still died in the hospital?"
Ma Bin affirmed decisively, "Qian Tong’s car was reinforced against explosions, so the explosion wasn’t lethal. He was killed by poison injection after coming out of the emergency room."
"The hospital has sealed off the information. Outsiders only think Qian Tong was injured and not dead. In reality, his sister, Li Hanyu— Qian Huan’s mother—has secretly packed up Qian Tong’s body and transported it to the Bright Group Headquarters, seeking sympathy and support."
Feng Mu didn’t ask how Ma Bin inferred the above conclusions. He trusted that since Ma Bin dared to say so, the truth was almost certainly as such.
Feng Mu pondered for a moment and then asked, "Is there anything else?"
Ma Bin supplemented, "Li Hanyu went to the Bright Group Headquarters and hasn’t come out. Qian Huan has been to the hospital twice. After leaving the hospital the second time, he returned to the prison."
Ma Bin paused and said, "Qian Tong’s death will significantly affect Qian Huan. His mother went to the Bright Group Headquarters, blocking the news and risking it all, and he urgently returned to the prison. Qian Huan’s behavior in the prison may become very aggressive."
Feng Mu understood in his heart that Ma Bin was advising him to act cautiously and safely while also testing whether he was actually in the prison.
Feng Mu smiled slightly and inwardly praised the good fortune of having such a capable offline contact.
Feng Mu grinned, considering it a reward for such a capable offline contact. He said faintly, "Got it, I’ll make good use of this opportunity while in prison."
On the other end, Ma Bin’s lips curled slightly. He heard the unsaid implication in the words, akin to the online contact acknowledging and revealing his identity.
Heh—
So, Mask was indeed Feng Mu!
Ma Bin took a deep breath and said, "Got it, I’ll try my best to keep an eye on the dynamics of those governors within the prison system for you."
Feng Mu responded succinctly with, "Okay." Then he gently hung up the phone.
There was an unspoken understanding between the two, and they didn’t delve into who exactly killed Qian Tong or analyze the possibility of the prison system personnel being involved in the murder.
These details weren’t important to them.
"What’s important is that Qian Tong is dead, who the warden Qian Huan believes to be the killer, and in Qian Huan’s revenge plan, what role I should play or what adjustments I can make to climb up faster?"
Feng Mu thought for a while in the bathroom and, after figuring out some critical issues, stepped out with a soothing smile back on his face.
"Let’s go, back to work."
Feng Mu retrieved his baton and casually stuck it back into his waistband, pretending to stifle a yawn.
Wang Cong’s pupils slightly contracted as he lowered his head and followed behind Feng Mu.
...
