Chapter 228 - 228 209 The Insider

Words : 1543 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

228: Chapter 209: The Insider 228: Chapter 209: The Insider “If I am a Sophist, and I was expelled from my hometown years ago, now I am back to make trouble, what would I do? Where would I hide?” All this time, Lu Ping’an had been very concerned about that Sophist. The reason is simple, they have met personally. “…I always feel that he is not as simple as the information suggests.” In the information Lu Ping’an could access, Yuan Dunxing was regarded as a criminal, a once-talented person who was led astray by a cult… But Lu Ping’an felt a sense of “fellow pleasure-seeker” from him. Lu Ping’an read the case file, back then, after being tempted by a certain cult, Yuan could have left alone, but he still staged a grand farewell performance. He killed many innocent people and Secret Keepers, but what did he gain? Other than a pile of deadly enemies, it seems not much. “He just enjoys it, enjoys the happiness of gaining trust from his partners, truly enjoys the joy of friendship and comradery, and even more, enjoys the shock and disbelief of those around him when he tramples over everything…” The inner world is very dangerous, some people mess around and die, some people seem to mess around but are just gambling… At least a 50% chance of winning, at least to attract enough attention, at least the script is interesting and full of twists and thrills, worth betting everything on. “…All for the thrill of winning, the eyes of the losers, and as for the achievements and battles later, it’s best to have them, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t.” If it’s a complete loss, nobody needs to throw their life away, if there’s no challenge, then it’s not interesting. The more thrilling, the more dancing under the eyelids of the opponent, the more he should like it. “Tch, what a pervert. I guess he’ll only feel alive when people look at him with hatred and shock. It’s kind of sad. Ah…” Lu Ping’an understood him but noticed the difference between himself and the Sophist. He didn’t need others’ perception to satisfy himself… If it weren’t for these messy things, he would likely be rotting away while playing video games in some basement. Ahem, getting off track, the Sophist, as one of the earliest exposed Mother Goddess believers, naturally received special attention from Lu Ping’an. His mysterious disappearances and various exaggerated vanishing acts were very smooth, but as a fellow magician, Lu Ping’an knew there must be a Mechanism behind it all, and to make the magic work, all kinds of “assistance” and “helpers” were indispensable. “Reality isn’t like crime shows, if the police always lag behind just a step, instead of thinking the criminal was skillful, maybe consider if there’s an insider in the police team.” From the perspective of the Sophist, Lu Ping’an thought about it. If he were him, how would he play this most effectively and dramatically? “…And what could be more exciting than repeating the betrayal of the past? Rather than clueless new audiences, it’s the familiar faces from the past that bring more pleasure…” All these were just speculations, merely guesses made by Lu Ping’an based on his knowledge of the person and his deeds, just one of many possibilities. But as the situation developed and a series of strange intelligence leaks occurred, things became more delicate. “Let me give you a BUFF, this logistics work is tireless, it’s tough. Finish it early and we’ll go for a late-night snack together.” Previously, Lu Ping’an had actively suggested giving Old Ke a BUFF, but he was politely declined. “No need, no need. I don’t need to use my power in the field, and it’s been many years since I’ve used my ability. Don’t waste yours.” Since the other person refused, Lu Ping’an wouldn’t force it. Using “investment” to obtain information and to flush out an insider was also Lu Ping’an’s goal. No matter the reason, whether reasonable or not, Lu Ping’an would always keep it in mind. Finding clues and insiders in reality was not like in “spy dramas”, where decisive evidence and clues were unlikely to be obtained. All he could get were one suspicion after another. Old Ke was one of the three remaining members of Team 3 and also an old acquaintance of the Sophist; he was an optimal choice if he were to meddle… Without “replacement,” it all came down to acting skills. There was a huge difference between playing an acquaintance and a stranger. Whether he was a fake (disguised) or a traitor didn’t really matter. “…You guys know a lot about me, though…” The “deal” with Fang Wen was like finding a breakthrough in a dead-end for Lu Ping’an. From her mouth, Lu Ping’an learned that his information had been leaked to an extreme extent, even including the “investment”… “The mole is within Team 3.” This was a key point, something learned from Fang Wen, the “secret” traded by the Mother Goddess believers, and it had a source. The main suspect was naturally the older members. Therefore, Lu Ping’an and the only person he could trust, Xia Qin, communicated… Lu Ping’an trusted her not only because she was willing to accept his investment at any time but also because she appeared with the Sophist and killed with her own hands. And the following development proved Lu Ping’an’s judgment. About the Dragon Yuhe incident, only Team 3 of the “Special Service Team” knew about it. Even Fang Wen knew that Dragon Yuhe was set up. Would Xia Qin and Lu Ping’an not see this? Lu Ping’an did not play the game of “giving different messages to different people for different purposes.” There were too many supernatural abilities that could confuse logical reasoning in this world. He only needed to confirm that the “traitor” was in Team 3. So, there was that list of names. Besides, there were many other big and small clues, such as the Sophist’s mysterious appearances and disappearances, the channels of intelligence leaks in many incidents like the escort mission, and the short life expectancy of Old Ke, etc. However, there was still no sufficient “accusatory evidence.” Lu Ping’an knew that the opponent was not bad and that it was impossible to find a weak point. Investment? He could use the “unable to lie” as fraudulent information while the Sophist, who was also a Contractor, could sacrifice a whole day to be honest. Even those who regularly requested investment could be considered as suspects meant to confuse the investigation. Every professional had secrets. If they wanted to find them, everyone had something suspicious about them, more or less… Behind that short list were too many calculations and abnormalities. However, there was still no decisive evidence. Fortunately, he was not a law-enforcement agent who needed complete evidence and a logical chain to handle cases. Having clues and suspicions was enough… In his hands, he still had Fang Wen, the “wolf-man.” “As long as we kill according to the list, the number of moles and traitors on the other side is limited, and they will eventually be exposed.” When Old Ke, the number one suspect, was verified to be the Sophist’s puppet at the first chance, Lu Ping’an was not satisfied. He even felt that Fang Wen had messed up and startled the snake. He knew that this meant that the nesting balance of “I know Team 3 has a mole” and “I know that you know” had been broken, and the other side would act without fear… On his side, he knew too little about the Sophist, and the first encounter was an opportunity to extract information from this “performer.” Both sides were actually waiting for the moment when the balance was shattered. The start of the ‘re-enactment’ would be the bell ringing to break the balance. Lu Ping’an had no time for “clues and evidence” anymore and could only try his luck by breaking the deadlock forcibly. There was no need for the Sophist to maintain a false mask anymore. It was time to enter the stage as the main character from being a supporting role… At that moment, he should have a lot to say. “Idiot…” As Lu Ping’an operated his mobile phone, he despised the white war machine in front of him from the bottom of his heart. “Ding!” A text message, along with a photo sent from the Special Service Team’s internal route, made Xia Qin, who was on the front line, stop. “Old Ke….” She glanced at the photo, and the next moment, her stable mindset exploded, with Sword Qi raining and erupting all around. The surrounding Magic Monsters and her teammates suffered for a while. But before they could react, the text messages of the others also started ringing one after another. There was only one content. “Former Deputy Captain Lei Huoren of Zion District Special Service Team Three attacked Captain Li Tao of South District and took away one Rule-level Taboo Item. All teams must retrieve the Taboo Item as quickly as possible. If they resist, kill them indiscriminately….”

Chapter 228 - 228 209 The Insider

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