On the Ark.

"Can I choose it myself?"

"Choose for yourself?" Lin Ye thought for a moment, deciding it was good to avoid having to agonize over it, and asked, "Okay, what do you want?"

"Um... I don't need any things. It's rare for me to get out and breathe some fresh air, and I don't know when I'll be able to go again. There's a place I've always wanted to go; would you come with me?"

"Okay," Lin Ye readily agreed. "Where is it?"

"Yan Kingdom".

Lin Ye was stunned.

……

Lungmen, Imperial Guard Bureau.

Chen Dada stretched in the office and then turned to look at the wall clock.

"It's already this late." Chen withdrew his gaze, then patted the table. "Alright, we can go home now. Let's continue tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, all the members of the Guard Bureau in the office let out a wail.

"You still need it tomorrow?"

"Officer Chen, we've been working overtime for three days straight! Give us a break!"

Chen said coldly, "Overtime will not be canceled until the matter from last time is investigated thoroughly. If you want to leave work earlier, work harder and don't let those terrorists treat this place like their backyard."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's wailing stopped, replaced by expressions of helplessness.

The kidnapping case a month ago had turned Chen into a workaholic, determined to uncover the truth. This gave the Guard Bureau's agents a major headache, but they couldn't really say anything, because Chen was working overtime with them every night.

"Alright, let's rest." Looking at his exhausted subordinates, Chen felt a pang of sympathy. "You've all worked hard these past few days. Let's cancel tomorrow's overtime."

Cheers erupted again in the office.

Chen shook her head and was about to leave when an operator stopped her.

"Inspector Chen, we've made some progress on what you asked me to investigate."

Chen stopped in his tracks: "Did you find out where those people came from?"

"No, it's someone else. Didn't you ask me to investigate someone named Lin Ye?"

"Oh." Chen remembered, "What did you find out?"

“Hmm… I’m not sure if it’s him either.” The operative scratched his head and said, “But I saw someone who looks a lot like him on a list of smuggling records from five years ago.”

Chen was stunned.

"Smuggling?"

……

……

Author's BB: Still owes 125

Chapter 516 Who Are You Calling a Pig? (3K)

Chen sat back down in his chair and looked through the report that the Guardian Bureau officer had just handed over.

"Since the new emperor ascended the throne, the number of undocumented immigrants choosing to smuggle themselves into Ursus has increased significantly compared to the old emperor's time," said a Guardian agent. "Moreover, many of them are being secretly supported by the Ursus government."

Chen frowned slightly: "Supporting them secretly? What do you mean?"

"Laws in various countries have very clear punishments for illegal immigrants, and Ursus is no exception," the Guardian agent explained. "During the old emperor's reign, illegal immigrants caught were basically deported or imprisoned. But after the new emperor ascended the throne, the royal family's control over the borders greatly decreased. And it's a thankless task for local border governments to handle deportations or imprisonments. So gradually, local border governments have started to turn a blind eye to illegal immigrants. Some even secretly support such activities for high rewards, for reasons you probably already know."

Chen Weiwei nodded: "The vast majority of people who choose to smuggle themselves out are people with a dark past."

“Yes, more than 75 percent of those who choose to smuggle themselves into Ursus are wanted criminals from other countries,” the Guardian agent said. “And the local governments on the Ursus border can extort these people without any scruples, allowing them to enter the country while receiving high rewards from them. It can be said to be a job with zero investment but high returns.”

Chen snorted: "That certainly sounds like the style of Ursus officials. So where did you get this information on the illegal immigrants?"

The Guardian agent chuckled: "Naturally, I bought it from the Ursus local government. Because the person you asked me to investigate, named Lin Ye, is a genuine illegal immigrant, and there's no way to find his entry information. So I changed my approach and tried to target those who have smuggled themselves into Ursus in recent years."

Chen asked, "Does Ursus still register undocumented immigrants?"

“Yes, that’s probably their only job,” the Royal Guard agent said. “The local government is still afraid that the new emperor might suddenly investigate, so they keep records of every illegal immigrant they handle. If the emperor holds them accountable, they can immediately arrest these people and claim that they have always been under their control and are just waiting for the right time to repatriate them.”

"Tsk, so you bought this information from them?"

"Yes, I guess I was lucky."

"Good luck?"

“Yes,” the Guardian agent chuckled. “The local government stopped registering illegal immigrants in recent years. The new emperor has no intention of investigating this, and most illegal immigrants don’t stay in the outskirts of Ursus, so the list has become meaningless. So what you see here is the last one they’re doing, and I just happened to find it.”

"Is it perfect..." Chen flipped through the files again and found the photo that the Guardian Bureau agent had mentioned that resembled Lin Ye. However, the photo was very blurry, with torrential rain in the background. The Ursus officials had clearly taken a perfunctory approach, not bothering to find a better setting to take the picture. Everyone was several meters apart, just snapping a quick photo and calling it a day. So the person in the photo did look somewhat like Lin Ye, but only somewhat.

Moreover, the biggest difference between the person in the photo and Lin Ye in Chen's memory was their spirit. The person in the photo had a timid look in their eyes, not daring to look directly at the camera, hunched over, with wet hair covering their head like a mop, making them look no different from a beggar. Of course, it's also possible they caught a cold, since the wind in the background was quite strong.

"Is this the only photo?" Chen asked.

"There's also the registration information." The Guardian officer took the leather bag, then found a yellowed piece of paper and handed it to Chen. "This person used the name Hayashi Konosuke when registering."

"Hayashi Konosuke?" Chen was taken aback. "A name from the East?"

“Yes.” The Royal Guard agent nodded and said, “He said he’s from the East.”

“Eastern Kingdom?” Chen pondered for a moment and said, “It’s not impossible. I originally thought he was from Yan Kingdom.”

"A Yan nationality? It's not impossible."

Chen looked up at the other person: "What do you mean?"

“Inspector Chen, you may not know much about these illegal immigrants,” the Guard Bureau agent said. “They’re already illegal immigrants, so the information they register is unlikely to be true.”

"You mean, this name, and his nationality, are all made up?"

“I can only say that this is highly likely. Although the ship did indeed come from the Eastern Kingdom, it passed through the Yan Kingdom. It's not surprising that these people boarded the ship midway and then forged their identities,” the Guard Bureau agent said. “Moreover, even if they lied, the Ursus officials wouldn't verify it. They're just doing their job. Just look at this document; what kind of entry registration only includes a photo, name, age, and nationality? This is as perfunctory as it gets.”

Chen Wei nodded slightly: "We really can't expect those Ursus officials who only want money to give us any useful information. But you just said 'they'? So, Lin Ye... no, this guy named Konosuke didn't smuggle himself in alone?"

The Guardian nodded and said, "Yes, it seems there are five people in total. Like Hayashi Konosuke, they all registered in the Eastern Country. I've included their information here; you can take a look."

Chen reviewed everyone's information, then pondered for a moment before handing the information to the Guard Bureau operative: "Go and check the whereabouts of these five people, focusing on the area around Chernobog."

The Guardian agent took the documents and said with some difficulty, "Chernobyl? The government there is quite capable, so it's not easy to investigate. It's not like a local government on the border, so it's not easy to bribe them."

Chen said irritably, "Are you stupid? Why would a policeman like you bribe people? Just ask the Chernobog government for help in your capacity as a member of the Guard Bureau, say that these people are fugitives from Lungmen, and ask the Chernobog military and police to help investigate, wouldn't that be enough?"

The Guard Bureau agent paused, then said, "Oh yeah, dealing with local governments on the border so much, I forgot Ursus even has places where things can be done through official channels. I'll go check right away... But Officer Chen, do we really have to use the Guard Bureau's name? Who exactly is this Lin Ye?"

“Commander Wei Yanwu’s friend,” Chen said calmly. “He said he has amnesia and doesn’t remember anything from before Chernobog. Mr. Wei Yanwu promised to help him regain his former identity as a reward for the last incident, so his matter is official, not private, and it’s not excessive to use the name of the Guard Bureau.”

"I see. I understand now." The Guardian agent nodded, then smiled. "But I thought amnesia only existed in romantic dramas. Does it actually happen in real life?"

Chen's brows furrowed slightly.

"Ah, sorry, Officer Chen, I was just saying it offhand." The Guard Bureau officer thought Chen was angry and immediately took his leave. "I'll go draft a notice to send to the Chernobyl government right away."

"No need to rush. It's so late, go back and get some rest."

"Okay, then you should go back early too, Inspector Chen."

Chen nodded, watching the other person leave her office, but she made no move to get up.

She was bothered by what the Guardian operative had just said.

Is it really possible that amnesia is something that just happened to Lin Ye?

She looked at the blurry photo in the document while tapping the table lightly, lost in thought.

This photo is from five years ago, meaning Lin Ye… no, this Lin Ye named Hayashi Konosuke smuggled himself into Ursus five years ago. According to Lin Ye, his memory ends when he arrived in Chernobog, which is only three or four years ago. The timelines don't quite match up. If Lin Ye is indeed Hayashi Konosuke, where was he during that year?

Originally, Chen hadn't cared much about Lin Ye's past. But now it was different. As a senior inspector of the Royal Guard Bureau, she knew very well what kind of people illegal immigrants were. If Lin Ye was indeed the illegal immigrant Hayashiki Konosuke, then it was enough to prove that Lin Ye's past was definitely not simple.

Chen seemed to sense a conspiracy.

If Lin Ye really is Hayashiki Konosuke, then where was he the year before he went to Chernobog? Where did the five people who went to Ursus with him go? And since Hayashiki Konosuke was already his alias, why would he change his name again? Also, why did he work as a veterinarian in Chernobog for so many years?

And the most important point.

Aside from their appearances, Lin Ye and the man in the photo, Lin Muxing, seemed to have absolutely no resemblance. Could it be that he's faking it now? Or is he faking it at this moment? Could the cowardice and fear hidden deep in his eyes truly be faked? What had he been through?

Chen pondered deeply, then circled back to the initial and most crucial question.

Is Lin Ye really suffering from amnesia? His brain clearly seems to have never been damaged.

But if he hasn't lost his memory, then it can only mean that this person is really good at hiding his true nature, and not nearly as annoying as he appears. Besides, if Lin Ye were really just an ordinary person, how could he possibly pull out the Crimson Sky Sword?

Chen pondered for a long time before slowly taking out his phone.

Since that's the case, let's try a bluff. If Lin Ye is really faking amnesia, he probably wouldn't expect the Guard Bureau to be able to trace his movements to the Ursus border. So she dialed Lin Ye's number directly, and after about ten seconds, Lin Ye's voice came through: "Inspector Chen? It's so late, is there something you need?"

Chen said in a very casual tone, "Hello, Hayashi Konosuke."

At this moment, Chen focused intently. It's difficult for anyone to remain calm under such a sudden question. As the most experienced inspector, Chen could detect even the slightest hint of something amiss in Lin Ye's tone.

Come on, let me hear how you respond!

Chen is ready!

"Huh?" Lin Ye asked, his voice filled with confusion. "Who are you calling a pig?"

List:"……"

Chapter 517 Grani and the Red Sun Travel Agency (3K)

"Dr. Lin, what are you thinking about?"

A crisp sound pulled Lin Ye out of his thoughts.

"Ah, it's nothing." Lin Ye waved his hand and said, "It's because a woman suddenly called me last night and started yelling at me. I was wondering if I had offended her somehow."

"Insulting you?"

"Hmm."

"How did they insult you?"

Lin Ye thought for a moment and said, "It sounds like you're calling me a pig."

The man immediately laughed: "How could this be an insult to you, Dr. Lin? Can't you see such a simple hint? Are you really that clueless?"