The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 169

Regarding Bai Ruoxi, Jiang Fei naturally saw no need to hide anything. Even if he didn’t tell her now, he would eventually share everything he could with her. Otherwise, how could she—his girlfriend—possibly feel at ease?

When Jiang Fei grabbed Bai Ruoxi’s wrist, she stopped trying to leave and sat back down.

Ye Yuanyuan gave Jiang Fei a surprised glance, immediately realizing that Bai Ruoxi wasn’t just his official girlfriend but also held significant importance in his heart—enough for him to confide in her without reservation. With that understanding, Ye Yuanyuan no longer hesitated and said,

“The gunman you killed left no traces online, but through the military’s special database, we identified him as a professional assassin with multiple murders to his name. As for the man you fought, we retrieved his face from street surveillance footage—he’s the same type of killer.”

Jiang Fei’s eyes lit up. “So we can track down who hired them? We’ll know who tried to kill me?”

The military’s system might not be as fantastical as depicted in novels, but its capabilities far exceeded ordinary imagination—its reach was astonishing in certain areas.

“No.” Ye Yuanyuan shook her head. “These two mostly operated overseas and only recently returned under fake identities. Tracing their employer or contacts will take more time.”

“Then the only lead is the assassin who escaped last night?” Jiang Fei sighed bitterly, frustration creeping into his voice.

Had he not been shot beforehand, that cold-faced man wouldn’t have slipped away. If he’d taken down both killers, this would’ve been much simpler.

“That’s the case. But given how meticulously the mastermind covered their tracks, even locking down Jincheng and securing all checkpoints won’t guarantee we’ll catch the escaped assassin. The odds are practically zero.”

“Why?”

“If I’m right, the escaped killer is probably already dead.”

“Silenced?”

“Exactly.”

Jiang Fei let out a dry laugh. “These people are even more ruthless than I thought.” After a pause, he met Ye Yuanyuan’s gaze intently. “Now, tell me your theory—or the clues you uncovered from your grandfather’s poisoning case.”

Ye Yuanyuan’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve already connected this assassination attempt to my grandfather’s poisoning?”

Jiang Fei rolled his eyes. “I’m not an idiot. Sure, I’ve made enemies lately, but none bold or resourceful enough to hire professional hitmen. The only plausible explanation? My involvement in curing your grandfather drew attention—and made me a target.”

For once, the usually unshakable Ye Yuanyuan looked genuinely guilty. “I’m sorry. Our family dragged you into this. If I hadn’t asked for your help, you wouldn’t be caught in this mess.”

Seeing her rare display of remorse, Jiang Fei’s mood lightened. He teased, “Hearing you apologize sincerely is a rarity. But some things are just fate. No need to blame yourself.”

Ye Yuanyuan stayed silent, though guilt still flickered in her eyes. To her, the Ye family owed Jiang Fei an immeasurable debt—not only had he saved her grandfather twice (first by healing his legs, then by detoxifying him), but now he’d nearly paid with his life. Even her pride couldn’t overshadow that shame.

“Once we find the mastermind, I’ll make sure you get justice. We already have a lead,” she vowed, her tone resolute.

“A lead?” Jiang Fei’s jaw tightened. “Tell me. After taking a bullet, I’ve got plenty of anger to vent. Even if I can’t kill the bastard yet, at least I can curse them properly.”

“We can’t confirm the mastermind, but we traced the poison used on my grandfather. We know who made it.”

“Who?” Jiang Fei’s curiosity piqued. That poison had been terrifyingly potent—without the antidotes from his system, Old Master Ye would’ve died. Its creator had to be a master of pharmacology.

“A man called ‘Poison King’ Wu Xuelian,” Ye Yuanyuan spat, her eyes flashing with murderous intent.

“Wu Xuelian? A woman?”

“No, a shriveled old man. The traitor who poisoned my grandfather was killed before we could interrogate him, but we backtracked through surveillance and found the Poison King. He’d been staying at the Shu Palace Hotel but vanished before we arrived. One thing’s certain—he’s still in Jincheng.”

“Be careful. His poisons are deadly. Most doctors wouldn’t stand a chance,” Jiang Fei warned.

“Don’t worry. I’m hoping he strikes again—so I can catch him,” Ye Yuanyuan said coldly. “For now, focus on recovering. Leave the investigation to me. My grandfather put me in charge. Oh, and there are police outside waiting to take your statement. Should I send them in?”

Jiang Fei glanced at Bai Ruoxi and patted her hand. “Let them in.”

As Bai Ruoxi stepped out, she frowned. The conversation had left her with more questions than answers—she’d need Jiang Fei to explain everything later.

Once alone, Jiang Fei lowered his voice. “About that one million yuan fee you promised for treating your grandfather… when exactly am I getting it? An apology won’t pay my bills.”

Ye Yuanyuan stared at him, incredulous. “You’re seriously bringing this up now? You’re that desperate for money?”

“You don’t understand. I need it urgently. Don’t transfer it to me—send it to Jiang’s Clinic, to Lin Moli’s account. Today if possible.”

Eyebrows raised, Ye Yuanyuan glanced toward the door where Bai Ruoxi had exited. “Is this ‘secret savings’ now that your girlfriend’s back?”

“It’s not what you think. Just do it. It’s important.”

Seeing his urgency, she relented. “Fine. I’ll arrange the transfer this afternoon. Honestly, I’d forgotten about it—it should’ve been handled sooner.”

“Good.” Jiang Fei smiled in satisfaction.

With this million, his “Guild” (Jiang’s Clinic) would net 2,000 gold coins. He could buy a healing pill from the system store, ditch the hospital sooner, and—with coins in reserve—feel safer after last night’s brush with death.

“One more thing,” Ye Yuanyuan added, studying him. “Unrelated to the case, but I’m curious. Last night, Qiao Yiyi mentioned you killed the gunman with a throwing knife? How? That man was a renowned marksman. And why did you remove the knife afterward?”

“Trade secret. Let’s just say it’s my trump card.” Jiang Fei smirked.

(You think I’d admit I know ‘Li’s Flying Dagger’?)

Soon, Bai Ruoxi returned with three police officers to take Jiang Fei’s statement. While Qiao Yiyi and the captured thugs from the van could provide some details, only Jiang Fei had faced the assassins directly.

Two hours after Ye Yuanyuan and the police left—before noon—a “Ding!” echoed in Jiang Fei’s mind, followed by the cheerful jingle of virtual coins.

Pulling up his system interface, he grinned.

“Congratulations! Your guild ‘Jiang’s Clinic’ has received 4,000 gold coins!”