I Have Infinite Skill Points-Chapter 445: Investigating the Murderer

Atop New City Mansion, Speedy Wind tussled with Wang Lan’s hair. The wind pressure system on the top floor was emitting a roaring hum. About a dozen of the Tianjian Bureau’s special operatives were meticulously collecting evidence, inch by inch.

"Wang Lan, the sniper was lying in wait at this location, 1,500 meters from where Ms. Wang Qi was assassinated. The bullet’s trajectory would have passed through the high-rise area ahead, where air currents are extremely unstable. I’ve consulted experts from the police special combat team."

"A bullet passing through that zone of turbulent air would experience significant fluctuations. Ordinary snipers would find it nearly impossible to make a precision kill along this trajectory. This clearly indicates the sniper is a master among masters."

"The killer’s last trace is at the edge of the railing. We’ve checked ventilation ducts, fire exits, and all other possible escape routes. We’ve confirmed there are no signs of the killer’s escape."

"Could it be a Star Martial Warrior?"

"Unlikely. There aren’t many people in the world with such high-level sniping skills, much less one who is also a Star Martial Warrior. You know Star Martial Warriors excel at using Star Martial Skills in combat; none of them would bother with extensive marksmanship training."

"Even those few who like taking potshots are definitely not proficient with sniper rifles. Sniping isn’t as simple as aiming and firing; it requires mastering numerous precise skills, and its technical difficulty is comparable to that of a top-tier engineer."

"If it’s not a Star Martial Warrior, how did he escape New City Mansion? Below the 88th floor, surveillance cameras cover every angle. Even if he were Spider-Man and could scale walls, he couldn’t have avoided being filmed."

Wang Lan thoughtfully approached the railing and looked up at the distant signal tower. He raised his hand. "What tower is that?"

"A 5G signal tower, 300 meters away."

"Have any cameras captured the signal tower?"

Xu Shiyun promptly took out a walkie-talkie. "Communications Department, listen up. There’s a signal tower 300 meters southeast of New City Mansion. Review all footage from cameras that could capture the signal tower. Check for any suspicious individuals in the period after the incident."

They waited atop New City Mansion. Roughly half an hour later, a response came: "No surveillance equipment captured it. However, twenty minutes after the incident, an employee from the power company attempted to climb the tower for maintenance but was stopped by our colleagues and sent away."

Wang Lan’s expression hardened. He quickly shot into the air and floated toward the signal tower. From high above, he began to inspect it meticulously from top to bottom. At a height level with New City Mansion, he discovered a slightly deformed alloy panel.

Instantly, a scenario flashed through Wang Lan’s mind: someone swinging from New City Mansion, crashing into the signal tower, and slightly deforming the alloy panel.

Wang Lan slowly floated back to the top of New City Mansion. Xu Shiyun looked at him with a resentful expression. "Being able to fly... it’s so damn good."

"Can’t you? If you can’t, then learn," Wang Lan retorted irritably.

"I’m an Earth Attribute, and you’re telling me to learn? If I were a Wind Attribute, I’d have learned long ago!"

"This is just the Earth Attribute’s Weight Exchange. It seems all seven major attributes have ways to fly, right?"

"Forget I said anything." Xu Shiyun rolled his eyes. Weight Exchange is an S-rank Star Martial Skill. You’re telling me to learn it? Is it that easy to learn? All seven major attributes do have flight capabilities, but most are high-level Star Martial Skills, alright!

"The killer likely escaped via the signal tower. They must have used a wire launching device, shot it to the top of the signal tower, then swung across to land on it and get away safely."

The group left New City Mansion and quickly found the guard who had seen the power company maintenance worker.

"When we received the alarm, we rushed to the scene, immediately set up a police cordon, and evacuated the crowd. Then I saw a worker climbing the signal tower, so I promptly called him down."

"The man was from the power company and said he was there to maintain the signal tower. I checked his work ID, confirmed there were no issues, and let him leave quickly."

"That person probably wasn’t climbing up. He had likely just come down and pretended to be climbing up when he saw the police arrive," Wang Lan analyzed immediately.

Hearing Wang Lan’s words, the guard opposite him slapped his thigh hard. "I messed up! I let a suspect get away right under my nose? Damn it!"

"Do you remember what that person looked like?"

"His appearance? A very ordinary face, nothing special. But he seemed injured at the time, with blood on his forehead. He said he accidentally got cut by a screw while climbing the steel frame."

"Where was the wound?"

"Right here, between the eyebrows," the guard said, pointing to his own.

"Xu, there must be traces of the killer’s blood on the signal tower. Have your men search it thoroughly."

"Got it."

Just then, Wang Lan’s phone rang. "Hello, Zeng? Auntie’s awake? That’s great! I’ll be right there."

After hanging up, Wang Lan’s figure flashed as he soared into the sky, speeding toward the hospital. Upon arrival, he found his aunt’s ward was in a separate, high-end convalescent cottage.

The exterior was guarded by heavily armed security, while the inner layer was protected by the Tianjian Bureau’s Action Department. Inside the ward, a special operations team personally overseen by Zeng Xiaomo was stationed. With such impregnable security, even Wang Lan couldn’t have infiltrated unnoticed.

Outside the ward, he saw his aunt was still on an oxygen tube, but her complexion had regained some color.

"Auntie, how are you feeling?"

"Ms. Wang Qi’s physical condition exceeded my expectations," said the doctor who had operated on her, his voice filled with excitement. "I was puzzled during the surgery. It was clearly a fatal gunshot wound, yet she was still alive."

"And now, her recovery speed is several times faster than that of an ordinary person. If I hadn’t repeatedly confirmed that Ms. Wang Qi is just an ordinary person, I would suspect she’s a Star Martial Warrior."

Wang Lan eyed the bespectacled doctor warily. The man’s excited tone sparked some unsettling thoughts in his mind.

"Doctor Ni, could you please step outside for a moment?" Zeng Xiaomo requested softly.

"Oh, right, of course! Although Ms. Wang Qi is recovering remarkably well, she just had surgery and needs plenty of rest. Ten minutes at most."

"I understand."

His aunt squinted, looking very weak, but her eyes were clear and sharp.

"Auntie, how are you feeling?"

"A little dizzy, and my chest hurts a bit. Other than that... I feel okay."

"Do you remember anything about being shot by the assassin?"

"I remember... I was driving, and then suddenly I was shot in the chest." His aunt was still very weak, and speaking was an effort. Even those few words made her breathing ragged.

"Then, do you know who might want to assassinate you? Any suspects in mind?"

His aunt didn’t speak, only shaking her head.

"I’m very dizzy right now... I can’t remember much..."

Seeing his aunt break out in a sweat again, Wang Lan couldn’t bear to question her further. He bent down and gently kissed her forehead.

"Don’t worry. I’ll find out who did this. No matter who it is, I’ll make sure you get justice. You need to rest and recover. Jiajia is being protected and is safe. Just focus on healing."

"Mm. You be careful too."

"Don’t worry. There are very few people in this world who can harm me now."

In the past, Wang Lan wouldn’t have dared to make such a bold claim, but now he could. His normal strength was already on par with a Titled Strongman. In his Phoenix form, he dared to clash even with powerhouses like the Five Emperors.

「After leaving the hospital, Wang Lan returned to the Tianjian Bureau.」

As soon as he stepped into Xu Shiyun’s office, Xu Shiyun stood up excitedly.

"Wang Lan, we found it!" Xu Shiyun declared. "We combed every inch of the signal tower and finally found some blood traces on a screw. The killer can’t escape now!"

"Has the killer’s identity been confirmed?"

"Not yet. Forensics is working on it. Director Lu issued a strict order: Ms. Wang Qi’s case is the highest priority. Be patient. Whether it’s a human or a ghost behind this, I want to see how they’ll meet their end this time."

Neither the Flame Emperor’s lineage nor Wang Lan’s current strength and background were things to be trifled with. In the past, when Wang Lan was not yet fully fledged, the Duanmu Family had provoked him, and the Duanmu Family had been annihilated. Now, Wang Lan had fully spread his wings; anyone who provoked him was courting death.

「Two hours later, the results from the forensics department came through.」

"Reporting to Colonel Wang and Captain Xu, the blood DNA comparison results are in. The blood belongs to an individual named Duan Lingmu. Born in 4990, he is thirty-two years old this year."

"He was an outstanding student from a young age but failed his Soul Resonance Awakening at fourteen. He was admitted to Zhangshi No.1 Middle School and later enrolled in the Xiangjiang Military Academy with excellent grades. In 5012, he served in the Southeast Military Region. That’s as far back as we can trace."

"Tracing it this far is already quite good. Come on, let’s report to Director Lu."

While Wang Lan headed to Director Lu Zhao’s office, Lu Zhao had also received the assassin’s identity information and was already using his authority to investigate further.

"Report!"

"Come in." Wang Lan and Xu Shiyun entered Director Lu Zhao’s office.

Wang Lan glanced at the gold stars on Lu Zhao’s shoulders, a slightly dazed look in his eyes. Last year, Lu Zhao was still a Senior Colonel. After the Suzhou City Tianjian Bureau was upgraded, Lu Zhao’s rank had risen accordingly. Wang Lan had played a significant part in these achievements.

"You know about Duan Lingmu’s identity, right? I just checked. Records from the Southeast Military Region show that this Duan Lingmu has been dead for two years."

"Dead?" Wang Lan’s expression instantly darkened.

"Yes, deceased. Died during a border anti-drug operation and was posthumously honored as a martyr."

"His body?"

"Fell off a cliff. Smashed to pieces."

"So it seems he didn’t die back then. He was captured and defected?" Xu Shiyun said angrily. "Damn it! If that’s the case, the trail has gone cold again. What about the targets of that operation? Were there any drug lords who weren’t eliminated? Could those drug lords have captured Duan Lingmu?"

"No, that operation was a complete success. All the drug lords were apprehended and subsequently executed."

"No, that’s not right!" Wang Lan suddenly exclaimed. "If Duan Lingmu had died a martyr, his family should have been informed and received death benefits. But the local government’s records still show him as on active duty."

"If Duan Lingmu truly died a martyr, there’d be no need to keep his identity secret. Even if confidentiality was required, there should have been a brief note about him dying on a mission. His family still believes Duan Lingmu is serving in the military."

"You’re right!" Director Lu suddenly realized. He quickly picked up the phone and dialed a number again.