Retired for A Hundred Years: Re-Employment for the Apocalypse Bigshot!-Chapter 469 - 464: Investigation (Part 3)

"No."

Li Tao looked regretful, "In our line of work, it’s crucial to know one’s place. If someone notable offers advice to a newcomer, but the newcomer indiscreetly spreads it around, it looks like they’re trying to ride on coattails or stir up hype, making the person feel that the newcomer lacks integrity. So next time, they wouldn’t offer guidance. That’s why my sister never told me who her mentor was. If I had known she’d suddenly disappear, I would have forced her to reveal the identity of that close mentor..."

Xiao Kong asked sharply, "So, do you also believe that your sister’s disappearance is related to the mentor who was guiding her?"

A hint of speculation appeared in Li Tao’s eyes, "I’m not sure, but when I later asked Big Head and other crew members, they all said they didn’t notice my sister getting particularly close with anyone in the crew. On the contrary, she seemed to keep to herself, never seen being close with any mentor."

Xiao Kong’s hand paused again as he was taking notes, and Asheng suddenly spoke up, "Do you think this mysterious mentor your sister talked about is a man or a woman?"

Li Tao replied decisively, "A woman. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been so reassured."

"How did you determine?"

"Every time my sister talked about that mentor, she was extremely respectful, filled with admiration, and there wasn’t even a hint of romantic involvement. Once, I saw her buying a large bouquet of red roses, saying it was the mentor’s favorite flower. I don’t think men generally like flowers, right?"

After finishing, Li Tao seemed a bit hesitant, unsure if his speculation was completely accurate.

"Detective, in my opinion, it’s a female mentor... It shouldn’t be a man, right?"

Ji Ning said, "From your description, it’s possible she was a woman, but we can’t rule out the possibility of it being a man. When you initially filed the report, did the police investigate all the crew members?"

Li Tao quickly nodded, "On the third day after reporting, the police opened the case and questioned everyone in the crew. The production was halted for four or five days. Everyone was quite cooperative, but their statements were almost identical, stating that apart from filming, my sister wasn’t often around the set, nor did she get particularly close to any female mentor."

Ji Ning asked again, "If she wasn’t on set, where would she usually go?"

"Nowhere in particular. Besides filming, she would go home or attend classes at the film school to improve her skills..."

"Was the school investigated?"

"It was, but the day she disappeared, she didn’t go to school."

"Is the mysterious mentor someone from the school?"

Li Tao shook his head again, "We investigated it. Apart from knowing a few students, she didn’t have any particularly close relationships with any teacher..."

The inquiry seemed to hit a bottleneck at this point.

Ji Ning gently tapped her fingers on the table, mentally sorting through the case details.

Everyone in the room fell into a brief silence; the atmosphere was heavy.

Until Ji Ning spoke again, "In the days before your sister disappeared, did anyone special come to the film school? Someone your sister particularly admired, an actor or a senior in the entertainment industry?"

Li Tao froze for a moment, fell into thought, and suddenly, as if remembering something, he quickly said, "It seems a big-name actor did come, but..."

Li Tao frowned slightly, a look of self-doubt and skepticism in his eyes.

"It shouldn’t be her..."

"Who?" Ji Ning asked.

Li Tao glanced at Ye Tong, hesitated, and then said a name, "Su Qiangwei."

"Impossible!" Ye Tong blurted out instinctively, her expression quite agitated.

Ji Ning warned her with a call, "Ye Tong."

Ye Tong quickly closed her mouth, suppressing her urge to speak further, her eyes filled with urgency, eager to tell Ji Ning that it couldn’t be Teacher Su Qiangwei.

But Ji Ning remained unmoved, "Go on."

Li Tao said, "I heard some gossip. Just a few days before my sister disappeared, Teacher Su Qiangwei was teaching at the film school. If the information is accurate, she seems to match all the characteristics you asked about. My sister also admired her greatly, which is why she embarked on an acting career..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Ning spoke up, "Xiao Kong, investigate Su Qiangwei immediately. Pay special attention to her relationships in the Outer Continent during that period."

"Asheng, find out if Su Qiangwei was teaching at Anhe Film and Television School eight years ago. If the timeline matches, immediately question Su Qiangwei and halt all her recent plans to leave the country."

The two immediately stood up, said "Yes," and left the room.

The others in the room were taken aback by Ji Ning’s decisive order, feeling momentarily disoriented.

Especially Ye Tong, whose mind went blank at that moment.

She wanted to speak up for Su Qiangwei but knew that Sister Ning was just following normal investigative protocol.

She couldn’t speak lightly.

On the contrary, Li Tao was quite concerned, "Detective Ji, uh... Teacher Su Qiangwei is very famous, with high standing in the industry, and significant international influence. Will it cause trouble if you investigate her so abruptly?"

Ji Ning looked at him, her expression calm, "It’s fine."

Li Tao wasn’t sure about Ji Ning’s background and cautiously asked, "Detective Ji, I heard from Xiao Tong that you have news about my sister. I just want to know if she’s still alive at this moment?"

"Uncertain," Ji Ning didn’t conceal it.

The information in the chip only mentioned that a believer had seen the Holy Daughter in the Eternal Life Sect eight years ago, with no further information. They couldn’t determine her current situation either.

Across from him, tears welled up in Li Tao’s eyes as his hand clenched tightly on the table, turning his knuckles white.

Feeling distressed, Lin Qing patted him gently twice, "Uncertainty is also good news. At least your sister might still be alive."

Li Tao sniffed, his voice hoarse as he asked again, "Where did you find news of her?"

"West Continent."

"West Continent?" Li Tao’s voice rose, "When?"

"Eight years ago. She might have gone to the West Continent after disappearing."

Li Tao was even more puzzled. Eight years ago, his sister hadn’t even left Anhe City, so how could she have gone to the West Continent?

Could it be she was really trafficked to the West Continent?

"What was her situation eight years ago? Was she in danger? Do you have plans to investigate in the West Continent?"

Li Tao’s voice was filled with urgency, his eyes fixed on Ji Ning, as if he would immediately start planning to search in the West Continent if she said there were no plans to go there.

"Based on the information, she wasn’t in any danger eight years ago and likely went to the West Continent voluntarily."

"Impossible."

Li Tao didn’t believe it at all, "Before she disappeared, my sister hadn’t left Anhe City. You’re saying she went to the West Continent voluntarily? How could that be? First, how would she go? She had neither the money nor the necessary documents..."

"What if Su Qiangwei helped her to the West Continent?" Ji Ning spoke calmly, and the three others in the room were momentarily stunned, but quickly returned to a look of disbelief.

Who is Su Qiangwei?

An internationally renowned double winner of film and TV awards, recipient of the Huazhou Alliance medal, vice president of the Film and Television Association, a first-class actor in the Hua Continent, with over a billion fans worldwide.

Would someone of such status, power, and wealth lure away a girl with nothing to her name?

What an international joke?