Chapter 127: Probing for Information at the Prison

I looked at my master in confusion and asked, "Are we going to the prison?"

Master nodded and replied, "Otherwise? He cannot come out, so we must go in. Let us hope we can pry some information out of Gu Chenguang. Tidy up; we are heading to the Criminal Police Brigade immediately."

After speaking, Master placed Wei Wujiang's documents into a file folder and turned to Li Xin. "Li Xin, please help me look into this further. See if you can uncover any more information. I am counting on you."

Li Xin waved his hand. "Rest assured, Senior. As soon as there is news, I will inform you immediately."

Master hummed in acknowledgement, patted Li Xin on the shoulder, and walked straight out of the room. We followed closely behind. Once we were in his car, I fastened my seatbelt and asked, "Master, do you think Gu Chenguang will tell us the truth? After all, he holds a grudge against us."

Master, sitting in the driver's seat, pondered for a moment and said, "He will have to speak, whether he wants to or not. I am not afraid of him staying silent; I have plenty of ways to make him talk."

I was stunned and said with a smile, "Are you doing a stand-up comedy routine?"

Master rolled his eyes at me, started the engine, and drove toward the Criminal Police Brigade. On the way, Li Muyang, who was sitting in the back, suddenly asked, "Senior, is this Wei Wujiang a formidable person?"

Master glanced at Li Muyang in the rearview mirror and replied, "Average. Not particularly formidable, though his illusions are somewhat skilled."

"Then, if you were to fight him, who would win?"

Master paused, made a turn, and exclaimed, "Me? I would give him a three-move head start! Furthermore, I do not fear his illusions. Generally, illusions fall into two types: either they target the darkness in one's heart, magnifying it many times over to torment the victim, or they cause one to lose their true self. As long as one maintains inner peace, illusions are really nothing."

I nodded at his explanation. Soon, the car pulled up in front of the Criminal Police Brigade. The people and officers coming and going looked on in astonishment at Master’s car. The officer on guard duty was the same one who had stopped me earlier; when he saw me step out of the passenger seat, his expression shifted repeatedly. Master walked ahead of us, and this time, the guard did not stop us, as Captain Liu was already waiting at the entrance.

Master walked over with a smile, and Captain Liu greeted us warmly. After exchanging pleasantries, Captain Liu said, "Boqing, I have already made arrangements at the prison. We can go whenever you are ready."

Master thanked him and asked, "How long is Gu Chenguang's sentence?"

Captain Liu hesitated. "He is on a suspended sentence; it depends on his behavior. However, ever since that incident, he has become very withdrawn and avoids interacting with others. We thought he might be having mental issues, but everything seems normal."

Master nodded, checked the time, and said, "Let's go now."

Captain Liu agreed. After parking, we boarded a police car and headed to the Yuzhou Prison in the Jiangbei District with the sirens blaring. In the car, Captain Liu asked curiously, "Boqing, why are you suddenly looking for Gu Chenguang?"

Master, sitting in the passenger seat, replied, "He is connected to last night's case. We are going to question him."

"What? You mean Gu Chenguang was involved in last night's case?" Captain Liu exclaimed in disbelief.

"That is not what I meant. I mean he can help us find someone. Once we find that person, we can solve the case," Master said, sounding slightly exasperated.

Captain Liu gave an awkward laugh. "Oh, I see. Have you made any progress?"

Master nodded. "Almost. We have tentatively locked onto a suspect. Finding him next depends on Gu Chenguang."

Master let out a long breath. With the sirens on, we had a clear path and reached Yuzhou Prison quickly. After getting out, two guards stopped us. Captain Liu presented his credentials. "I am Liu Yunfeng, captain of the Criminal Police Brigade. I have already cleared this with the warden. We are here to solve a case; please let us through."

The guards exchanged glances before stepping aside and escorting us to the office. Upon entering, I saw a man in a suit sitting at a desk, rubbing his temples with both hands, surrounded by stacks of files. Hearing us, he looked up and smiled. "Captain Liu, you’ve arrived."

Captain Liu nodded, took in the office environment, and responded with a smile, "Brother Cao, you have a nice place here."

The man laughed. "What is nice about a prison? Facing these things every day, my head is about to explode. Just call me Cao Zhi; ‘brother’ sounds a bit awkward, especially since you are not younger than me."

Captain Liu chuckled. "You are a busy man, after all!"

Cao Zhi waved a hand. "Enough with the flattery. You are here to question a prisoner, right? Let me make the arrangements."

Captain Liu agreed. Cao Zhi picked up the phone and spoke briefly. A moment later, an officer in uniform entered and saluted, "Sir!"

Cao Zhi nodded. "Where is Gu Chenguang?"

"Gu Chenguang is on cleaning duty today; he is sweeping the floors. He has been very well-behaved lately. Is something the matter?"

"Stop what he is doing and bring Captain Liu and his friends to see him. Go ahead." After the officer left, Cao Zhi sat down and rubbed his temples again.

The officer nodded to us and said, "Please, this way."

We followed him to the prison block. There were many inmates, some locked in cells and others moving about freely. We reached an iron door, and the officer pointed through the small window at a figure in the distance. "That is Gu Chenguang. He has been behaving well, just quiet. You can wait in the visitation room while I go get him."

We nodded. After the officer gave orders to his subordinates, they opened the iron gate, and we entered the visitation room. A short while later, an elderly man with his hands and feet shackled was brought in. As he sat opposite us, I realized it was indeed Gu Chenguang, who had lost his cultivation.

Gu Chenguang did not look up, his face expressionless. Master signaled to Captain Liu, who then said to the guards, "Could you two step aside for a moment? We have some private matters to discuss. Don't worry, he won't be going anywhere."

The two guards frowned, exchanged looks, and walked out, closing the door behind them. Master chuckled. "Gu Chenguang, you are doing quite well here. Even the management praises your conduct. Keep it up, and you might get out sooner."

Gu Chenguang remained silent, his head bowed. Master continued, "Gu Chenguang, surely you haven't forgotten me? Don't be like that. I came all this way to see you; you could at least show some courtesy."

Master’s tone was calm and devoid of anger, but Gu Chenguang remained silent. Master paused, then said, "Well, the third time’s the charm. What is the meaning of this silence?"

After this, Gu Chenguang finally raised his head. His eyes were filled with weariness. In a hoarse, low voice, he said, "Tan Boqing, it was you who sent me here. You have the nerve to show your face now?"

Master smiled, unfazed. "That is more like it. Why shouldn't I have the nerve? One thing at a time. If you behave, you can get out sooner. With your intellect, it won't be hard to start a small business and make money once you are out."

After Master finished speaking, Gu Chenguang suddenly let out a low, raspy laugh. "You coming to the prison to see me means either you need my help, or you have nothing better to do. Speak up—what do you want to know?"

I was stunned, as was everyone else in the room. None of us expected that a man we had personally sent to prison would face us with a laugh and so readily offer to answer our questions. One would expect resentment and a desire for revenge, yet Gu Chenguang was surprisingly forthcoming.