Chapter 448 - 268: Shadow Association
Chapter 448: Chapter 268: Shadow Association
"You have a point." Fang Yue nodded in agreement. "But that doesn’t mean we’re helpless. I’m confident that everyone here is an elite of the Observatory, and that we can come up with a solution."
He glanced around at everyone present and continued, "We need to heighten security to prevent another infiltration. At the same time, we must dispatch people to secretly investigate for clues. No matter what, we must bring Vice Director Liu justice."
At Fang Yue’s words, everyone fell silent, lost in thought.
They knew Fang Yue was right. In this situation, they could only rely on their own strength to solve the problem.
Just then, an Inspector hurried in. After bowing to Fang Yue, he said, "Lord Director, there’s someone outside who wishes to see you. He claims to have clues regarding the murder of Vice Director Liu."
"Oh? Show him in at once!" Fang Yue’s eyes lit up as he spoke urgently.
Soon, a middle-aged man was brought in. Dressed in simple cloth robes, he appeared utterly unremarkable. But his eyes glinted with a shrewd light, revealing he was no simple man.
"Greetings, Director Fang," the middle-aged man said, bowing to Fang Yue.
"Dispense with the formalities." Fang Yue waved his hand, motioning for the man to sit. "I hear you have clues regarding the murder of Vice Director Liu. Let’s hear them."
The middle-aged man nodded and said in a low voice, "To be frank, Director Fang, I do know some inside details. However, this matter is far-reaching. I only dare to speak of it to you alone."
Fang Yue’s brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at the others in the room and said, "All of you, leave us. I need to speak with this gentleman alone."
Though some were clearly displeased, no one dared to disobey Fang Yue’s command. They all rose and departed.
Once they were gone, Fang Yue said to the middle-aged man, "You can speak now."
The middle-aged man glanced around. Once certain they were alone, he lowered his voice and said, "Director Fang, wasn’t it you who killed Vice Director Liu?"
Fang Yue’s expression remained unchanged. He stared coldly at the man and said, "Do you have any idea what you’re saying? Slandering a court official is a capital offense!"
The man seemed unfazed. He gave a faint smile and said, "Director Fang, if I dare to say such a thing, it’s because I naturally have proof.
Besides, I’m sure you’re aware that it’s just the two of us here. If I’d truly wanted to expose you, I would have shouted it from the rooftops by now. Why would I wait?"
A chill ran through Fang Yue’s heart. ’This man is no simple character,’ he thought.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. "If you have proof, then show it."
The man shook his head. "The proof isn’t on me, but I can tell you where to find it. Before that, however, I’d like to make a deal."
"A deal?" Fang Yue raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"For Director Fang to join us in a grand undertaking!"
At these words, Fang Yue’s expression turned grim. He stared intently at the man, trying to read something in his eyes, but the man’s gaze was perfectly calm, as if everything was within his grasp.
"A grand undertaking? What do you mean by that?" Fang Yue asked coldly.
The man smiled faintly. "Director Fang, you’re an intelligent man; you should understand my meaning. The imperial court is in turmoil. This is a time for heroes to rise. Why not seize this opportunity, join forces, and conspire for control of the realm?"
Fang Yue was stunned. He hadn’t expected the man to make such an audacious proposal. He took a deep breath, struggling to remain composed.
"Are you with the Shadow Association?" Fang Yue asked.
The man didn’t answer directly. Instead, he gave a mysterious smile and said, "Director Fang is as perceptive as they say, to think of the Shadow so quickly. But whether or not I’m one of them isn’t important. What’s important is that we can join forces and conspire for a grand undertaking."
Fang Yue’s heart sank. He had been the one to foil the Shadow Association’s plot back in Gongzhou Prefecture.
It was fair to say that his actions had severed most of the Shadow Association’s tendrils within the Observatory.
And now, this man had come to him, seeking to cooperate...
Fang Yue sneered internally. ’This man’s visit is definitely part of some scheme,’ he thought.
’The ’cooperation’ he mentioned is just a pretense. His real goal is likely to test my reaction, or perhaps to set some kind of trap.’
But Fang Yue was not so easily dealt with.
He took a deep breath and said slowly, "You want to cooperate with me on a ’grand undertaking’? In that case, can you tell me what this ’grand undertaking’ of yours actually is?"
The man smiled faintly. "Director Fang, you should understand. The imperial court is in turmoil—a time for heroes to rise. As long as you’re willing to join our Shadow Association, we can pretend the past never happened. In fact, the Shadow Association will even help Director Fang advance his career."
Fang Yue’s internal sneer deepened. He knew the man was deliberately exaggerating the Shadow Association’s power to intimidate him.
"Oh? Is that so?" Fang Yue asked, feigning interest.
As Fang Yue listened to the man, he couldn’t stop sneering internally.
He understood that the "cooperation" the man spoke of was just a ploy to drag him down, to turn him into a pawn for the Shadow Association.
And how could he, Fang Yue, submit so easily?
"Oh? Is that so? In that case, I’ll really have to give it some serious thought," Fang Yue said lightly, feigning a flicker of interest.