I Have Infinite Skill Points-Chapter 473: Almost Led Astray

"Officer, just ask me whatever you want to ask," the beauty said impatiently as Wang Lan and his partner had yet to speak.

"Is your name Fang Qianxian?"

"Mhm."

"Were you Chen Shijie’s girlfriend?"

"I broke up with him just a week ago. Why do you ask?"

"You broke up?" Wang Lan asked curiously. "Was it his idea?"

"Him? If only he had the guts. It was me who ended it. But isn’t that my personal business? What do you officers really want to ask? Is it about Chen Shijie? Has something happened to him?"

"Recently, have you noticed anything unusual about Chen Shijie?"

"Unusual? No, what’s going on? Tell me, what happened to him?" Fang Qianxian suddenly stood up, looking anxious.

"Didn’t you break up with him?"

"Even though we broke up, he’s still my ex-boyfriend. Has something happened to him? What happened?"

"Were you very attached to him? What I’m about to say could be a big shock to you. Are you sure you want to know?"

"I was his girlfriend. I have the right to know."

In such a short time, Fang Qianxian managed to force herself to remain calm. Wang Lan moved swiftly to her side and grabbed her hand.

"Hey! What are you doing? Are you harassing me, officer?"

"Don’t shout. I’m just verifying whether you’re a spy from the Demon Clan."

"A spy from the Demon Clan? Are you filming a TV show?"

"Didn’t you see the recent news about what happened in Suzhou City? Still think this city is safe, this world is peaceful? Spies from the Demon Clan are all around us," Wang Lan said calmly, channeling a bit of Star Power.

If the spy from the Demon Clan had replaced a Star Martial Warrior, this test of repulsion would be ineffective. But if they had replaced an ordinary person, the introduction of Star Power would induce a repulsive reaction, whereas a normal person wouldn’t react at all.

After the Star Power entered without any disturbance, Wang Lan finally let go of Fang Qianxian’s hand.

"Sorry for the rudeness just now. Our investigation suggests Chen Shijie is likely a spy from the Demon Clan!"

"That’s impossible!" Fang Qianxian shook her head vigorously, her eyes wide as she gazed at Wang Lan. "How could he be a spy from the Demon Clan?"

"But that’s the truth. This afternoon, he killed two of our officers and then disappeared without a trace. That’s why we brought you here, hoping to get some clues from you to help us find him."

"It can’t be... How could he be a spy from the Demon Clan? He’s such a gentle boy, his heart so kind, how could he be a spy?"

"Anyone could be..." Wang Lan said indifferently. "Even if he wasn’t before, the Demon Clan can inhabit a person’s body like a parasite. Once inhabited, it means the original person... has died."

"How could this happen..."

"So, have you noticed any odd behavior in Chen Shijie recently?"

"No! He’s been very reticent; he seldom spoke to me about his own matters. Just last week, he said he was joining his teacher’s research institute. He was so excited, telling me only the top scientists from Jade Country could join that institute, and that he had finally proven himself. Usually, when we dated, it’s me talking about the things I encounter, and he would just quietly listen.

He led a very regular life, basically just doing research with his teacher. Then he would call me from the hostel and have a casual chat before sleeping around ten o’clock. After dating for over a year, I felt disheartened. Love, ultimately, can cool off."

"Hmm? Did you say last week he mentioned joining his teacher’s research institute? Which institute?"

"Is it the Haotian Research Institute?"

"I don’t know. He said the research institute was highly confidential and he couldn’t tell me. He even mentioned that after joining the institute, he would have even less time to spend with me, so he asked me out specifically for a meal?"

"Hahaha... What a foolish yet adorable man. Whether he goes to the institute or not, what difference does it make? Even if he didn’t go, how often could I see him? We’re at the same school, yet we can only meet a few times a month.

Whenever I felt unwell and sought him out, he would always say he was busy. Now I understand what my mother used to say: love can only decide the beginning of two people’s relationship, but it can’t determine the outcome.

Begun from talent, trapped by distance, ended in banality."

Listening to her words, Wang Lan fell into deep thought. Chen Shijie was about to join the Haotian Research Institute? If that were the case, he couldn’t withdraw prematurely, no matter what. I’m aware of the Demon Clan’s desire for the Time-Space Gemstone. Didn’t the Giant Demon risk his life infiltrating the Star Martial Academy for it? If Chen Shijie joined the research institute, he would have the opportunity to access the Time-Space Gemstone, whether for covert theft or inside-outside collaboration. And I only had my people follow Chen Shijie for protection; I hadn’t suspected any of Dr. Wen Wen’s students. So why withdraw in such a hurry? Was it reasonable? Without the premise of joining the Haotian Research Institute, an early withdrawal might have been possible. But to withdraw on the cusp of such a pivotal moment, wasn’t it too hasty? And if Chen Shijie wasn’t a spy... then why did he run away? The problem is that the two brothers protecting Chen Shijie are already dead. Images from the lakeside kept replaying in my mind: the corpses of only the two brothers beside Haoyun Lake, and Chen Shijie nowhere to be found. Based on this, we deduced that Chen Shijie was a spy who had killed two guards and fled... Isn’t that a bit presumptuous? Could it be that Chen Shijie is also dead?

"Miss Fang, as Chen Shijie’s girlfriend, do you know if there’s anyone who could call Chen Shijie and he would immediately leave?" Wang Lan asked judiciously.

"Two people: one is his teacher, and the other is his senior fellow, Zhang Zhiliang. Sometimes I really wonder whether Chen Shijie likes me or Zhang Zhiliang more. Last week, when Zhang Zhiliang asked for his help, he left without a second thought. If it hadn’t been for that incident, I wouldn’t have broken up with him."

"Wait a minute... you were living together with Chen Shijie?"

Fang Qianxian’s face showed a blush. "Officer, that’s private."

"No, I need to determine Chen Shijie’s nature. I want to know, when was the last time you were intimate with Chen Shijie?"

Seeing Fang Qianxian’s hesitation, Wang Lan promptly explained, "Previously, I said I suspected Chen Shijie was a spy from the Demon Clan. But Demons and our Human Clan are not of the same race. They can take on the appearance of our Human Clan, but they would absolutely not have relations with us. This is a cross-species barrier..."

At this, Fang Qianxian also understood. "The last time was last week, which is also the day before Dr. Wen Wen was killed."

Wang Lan’s eyes gleamed sharply. After a moment, with a WHOOSH, he stood up. "Li Yan, let’s go to Haoyun Lake."

The night had completely soaked Modu City, its magnificent lights illuminating the urban landscape. A large number of police cars from the Modu Police Department sped, sirens wailing, toward the location where the two brothers had been killed.

"Boss, why don’t you let the brothers do the dredging? You can just wait on the surface."

"You guys dredge too slowly. I have Water Attribute Star Martial Skills, and I’m faster," Wang Lan said, slowly walking towards the surface of the lake. Wang Lan stood on the lake’s surface as lightly as a feather, as if he were stepping not on water, but on solid ground.

Activating Water Demon, Wang Lan’s figure vanished above the lake in an instant.

In the Water Demon state, Wang Lan was water itself; he could appear anywhere there was water. Haoyun Lake was less than five square kilometers. For the police department to search it would mean it could drag on indefinitely.

Soon, his senses detected an elongated, pillar-like stone sarcophagus. In a flash, Wang Lan arrived at the sarcophagus. There was no silt or moss on it, clearly indicating it hadn’t been underwater for long.

Wang Lan grabbed the sarcophagus and, with a light lift, burst out of the water’s surface.

BOOM—

With a loud noise, a spray of water exploded on the lakeshore. The guards on the shore instantly became alert, scattering to both sides.

BANG! The sarcophagus landed forcefully, sending a slight numbing sensation through the feet of the police officers present.

BOOM! Wang Lan emerged from the water’s surface, returning to the shore. Water droplets on his body fell off as if they were a layer of gel, leaving his clothes and hair completely dry.

"Commander Wang, this is..."

"Open it and see!"

Several officers hurriedly came forward, trying to pry it open with their hands and feet, but the sarcophagus seemed welded shut and wouldn’t budge. Wang Lan asked them to back away and struck the sarcophagus with his palm.

CRACK— 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

A crisp sound rang out, and the sarcophagus burst.

Once the broken stones were peeled away, everyone understood why it couldn’t be opened. It would have been stranger if it could. The sarcophagus was cast in one piece; not only were the lid and body fused, but even the interior was solid.

After clearing away the broken stones, a body was indeed found inside the sarcophagus. It was Chen Shijie, whom they had suspected of being a spy.

"When Demons replace people, the original person is either eaten or assimilated. That person simply disappears completely, leaving no body behind. The appearance of Chen Shijie’s corpse can only prove..."

"Such cunning Demons! They even frame others for their crimes!"

"So who’s framing whom? And what’s to gain by framing Chen Shijie?" Wang Lan wondered aloud.

"Boss, I remember Fang Qianxian said that Chen Shijie would leave immediately upon receiving calls from two people. Dr. Wen Wen was already dead at that time. Could it be Zhang Zhiliang?"

"It’s possible," Wang Lan said. "From what we learned from Dr. Wen Wen’s other students, Dr. Wen Wen planned to take one student into the Haotian Research Institute, and everyone assumed it would be Zhang Zhiliang.

After all, Zhang Zhiliang had been with Dr. Wen Wen the longest, and his achievements were the highest. But Fang Qianxian said that Chen Shijie might have been the one to enter the institute. If Zhang Zhiliang is the spy, then the motive is very clear.

Call the brothers who were watching Zhang Zhiliang. What did Zhang Zhiliang do last night?"

Li Yan promptly acknowledged and hurried aside to make the call.

「About half an hour later.」

Li Yan returned to Wang Lan’s side. "The brothers said that yesterday afternoon, Zhang Zhiliang was with his wife shopping at Jinshen Mall. Then, at five o’clock, they went to eat hotpot. During that time, he went to the bathroom for about fifteen minutes, then came back and continued to eat.

At the time Chen Shijie was killed, Zhang Zhiliang was still in the hotpot restaurant, so he shouldn’t have had time to commit the crime. It wasn’t Zhang Zhiliang."

"What was the exact time Zhang Zhiliang went to the bathroom?"

"This... the brothers don’t know. After all, the purpose of watching Zhang Zhiliang was to ensure his safety, not to supervise him, so... the level of surveillance wasn’t that strict."

"Eating at five o’clock, did he leave halfway through the meal or after eating for a long time?"

"It should have been over half an hour, right?"