Chapter 371 – Innocent

The hearing continued; every question the investigators threw at Fu Jue was answered with calm precision. None of the replies were particularly satisfying, yet they were airtight in both procedure and logic.

An hour passed quickly. The middle-aged man from Ying County raised his voice: “From everything we now know, Fu Jue is innocent. Leading the Bureau of Anomaly Affairs through the final instance was reasonable. If no one objects, we’re adjourned.”

No investigator voiced agreement. Not every loser has the grace to applaud the winner; this was not the outcome they had wanted or could accept.

Fu Jue rose and walked straight out. Investigators from the Beidu General Bureau, waiting in the corners, left their seats and ringed him protectively.

All was silent. The group left the hearing room expressionless, offering no words or glances to anyone.

The tall woman who had first questioned him followed a few steps. “Fu Jue, both the Fallen Savior and the Immortal Witch Priest decks have plenty of minor cards. How many slots for the final instance are you giving us?”

Fu Jue didn’t answer immediately; he glanced at the young woman beside him, her hair cropped short. “Li Yunyang, do you still have minor cards left?”

She wore camouflage, her brows as sharp as blades—Li Yunyang, top of the previous rookie list and holder of the Immortal Witch Priest identity card.

She had roamed the Anomaly Game as a free player until two weeks ago, when she accepted an invitation to the guild summit and joined the Tingfeng Guild. Yesterday she followed Fu Jue back to the Jiuzhou Guild, officially becoming an investigator of the Bureau of Anomaly Affairs.

As she put it, she had no opinion about the major guilds and didn’t even know what use they served; she simply shared Fu Jue’s philosophy and was willing to stand in the same guild as him.

The tall woman smiled at Li Yunyang. “I hear the Immortal Witch Priest deck has eight minor cards, and every county has strong players. The final-instance team should be the best of the best, don’t you think?”

Li Yunyang studied her for a moment, then gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention at the guild summit. Only after visiting the Ruins of the Sunset and seeing the Revelation Fragment did I realize identity cards had so many uses.

“That day in the instance, I suddenly saw minor cards appear under my identity card. The instance was tough, and without thinking I handed them all to my teammates.”

The tall woman frowned. “Not a single one left?”

Li Yunyang gave a dry laugh and spread her hands. “Nope, not one.”

It was pure nonsense. Any normal person attending their first guild summit would never zone out; after Yu Jinsheng’s emphasis, how could anyone still be clueless about identity cards?

Even if you’d dozed off, wouldn’t you check the forums afterward? Countless threads analyzed identity cards—how could you miss them all?

Any player with a brain, seeing their identity card change mid-instance, would first investigate. Who blindly gives away every minor card?

And even if you did, by the “don’t put all eggs in one basket” rule, shouldn’t you keep a few for comparison? Not keeping even one was overkill.

Clearly she feared others would covet her minor cards and struck first. Behind it, odds were, was a nod from the Long County faction.

Everyone saw the game, yet no one could object; on paper Li Yunyang had joined the Bureau only yesterday, so no one could criticize what she’d done before.

Still unwilling to give up, the tall woman pressed, “Li, you know the final instance is perilous; even top-hundred players can’t guarantee survival.

“Are you sure you want your friends in trouble? After binding, minor cards can’t be transferred, right?”

Li Yunyang sighed, feigning remorse. “Exactly. Once I realized the mess I’d dragged them into, I regretted it.

“But the game confirmed: bound cards can’t be transferred. Even if the holder dies, the game just reclaims them.”

Other investigators had gathered in the corridor, having heard every word.

An old man from Maple Leaf County beamed at Fu Jue. “Mr. Fu, the young lady’s green, but surely you haven’t given away all your minor cards too?”

Fu Jue shook his head. “The Fallen Savior also has eight minor cards, none bound yet. I agree with Ms. Shandy: the final instance is dangerous; participants must be the best. I want to pick, county by county, the players most suited to the Anomaly Game and send them in, making the optimal team decision.”

The old man blinked, clearly not expecting Fu Jue to agree so readily.

The delegate from Crystal County said, “Then we’ll use the rankings from the stele before it was destroyed. Our Frank Parker ranks twenty-first overall, eighth inside the Bureau…”

“No.” Fu Jue shook his head again. “Before today, you’ve repeatedly said the comprehensive rankings don’t reflect reality, and I concur.

“Using value judgments instead of factual ones, judging by outcome while ignoring process, valuing brawn over brains, measuring by gear stockpiles instead of personal strength—this standard is unscientific.”

A bad premonition flickered across the old man’s face; his eyes narrowed. “Then how does Mr. Fu propose we select candidates?”

Fu Jue glanced at his watch, then swept his gaze over everyone. “The final instance opens in thirty-two hours and thirty-seven minutes. Any player who wishes to enter will queue for new instances starting now; the eight who clear the most instances within the time limit get the slots.”

The investigators exchanged glances, puzzled.

All present were elites of the Anomaly Game, once top of the now-destroyed overall rankings. Clearing instances was like solving high-school math: not trivial, but hardly impossible.

Fu Jue’s proposal seemed utterly public-spirited, aimed at assembling a team expert at clearing instances, with no hidden traps.

Then they saw Fu Jue pull a handful of white rings from his pocket and casually scatter them on the floor, his voice flat. “During this period I’ll queue as well; accidental death can’t be ruled out. To prevent the Bureau from losing the Fallen Savior card on the eve of the final instance, any player who wishes to bind it may queue into the same instance with me.”

Murmurs broke out. Li Yunyang also took out a handful of red rings and tossed them down likewise. “I’ll follow Senior Fu Jue and queue for instances later; comrades are welcome to watch my back.”

The Crystal County delegate asked coldly, “What do you mean by this? Think we’re going to snatch your identity cards?”

Before Fu Jue or Li Yunyang could reply, Shao Qingmin stepped between the two groups and snorted. “I’ve held my tongue out of courtesy, but I can’t stand it any longer.

“Who knows what you’re scheming? The final instance isn’t even here yet, and you’re already slapping labels and playing politics!”

As quarrel loomed, Fu Jue raised a hand, motioning his side to quiet, then turned and left without a change of expression.

More than a dozen investigators from the Long County Bureau followed, sweeping down the corridor and disappearing round the corner, leaving the other counties’ investigators staring after them.

After a long while, the investigators with varied expressions bent to pick up the fallen rings; a few quietly slipped them onto their little fingers.

Fu Jue took the elevator to the first floor and entered a temporarily set-up office. Li Yunyang hurried after him and asked softly, “Senior, what do I do next? Anything I should prepare?”

“No need.” Fu Jue looked back at her, his tone softening slightly. “Stay adaptable, survive with all you’ve got—nothing more.”