First-Year Internship—And You Went to Site 749 to Contain Monsters?!-Chapter 840: The Extraordinary Anning—Heroes Across the Land Like Carp Crossing the River

"At first, I could still consider it a coincidence."

"Or perhaps you were relying on Elder Shui's influence."

An Ning stared directly at Lu Ding. "But later, when I investigated, I discovered that you seemed to have appeared out of thin air."

"You possess the special merit award, and the identity of a Senior Investigator back then, now a Special-Class Investigator."

"I know that the investigator ranks within the 749 Bureau aren't something one can just get promoted to casually through connections; one must achieve actual accomplishments."

"Yet, your records in the Second Circle Great Han are completely blank."

"That is the first point of suspicion."

"Now, regarding His Highness the Filial Prince."

"Like you, he appeared suddenly. Moreover, his habits in daily life, the sentence structure, word choice, and phrasing in his speech are all different from those of someone who grew up locally in Great Jing."

"Although His Majesty publicly claims he was lost among the common people."

"I investigated. He also lacks a verifiable life history, and he possesses innate Celestial Being cultivation out of nowhere."

"Simultaneously, he retains very ancient imperial habits. Coupled with the habits on his person that are clearly more aligned with modern Great Han..."

"He has countless intricate connections with Great Han."

Hearing this, Lu Ding understood. Great Han's confidentiality work was indeed well done, but the new city was chaotic, a mix of fish and dragons. Keeping things secret was strange. He asked again, "Aside from you, has anyone else noticed these suspicious points?"

An Ning shook her head. "Those arrogant fools wouldn't notice. I only did because my father holds Great Han in extremely high regard, so I have some of my own insights regarding things related to Great Han."

"Furthermore, His Highness the Filial Prince's situation in the Royal Capital isn't very good. His Majesty also told him to go out less, which reduces the chances of others discovering suspicious points."

"As for me, I am famously the unruly princess of the Royal Capital. With my father, Prince Zhao, backing me, I am lawless and unconstrained. Naturally, I can go to places others cannot, meet people others cannot see, and do things others dare not do. Even if His Majesty finds out, I don't hide it from him, and he won't say anything to me because now is not yet the time to move against my father."

An unruly princess, lawless and unconstrained. With such a persona, nothing she does would be surprising.

Coupled with An Ning's cunning, it was simply adding wings to a tiger.

Hearing that no one else would discover this for the time being, Lu Ding felt relieved.

"Continue."

An Ning resumed her previous topic. "Because Great Han's confidentiality work is very thorough, I couldn't find your records."

"But your similar experiences to the Filial Prince, and the similar time nodes of your appearances, made me, who was already suspicious but hadn't yet suspected the relationship between you two at the time, instantly discover a not-quite-pivotal pivot when I later heard a report saying the Filial Prince had sought out people from the White Eagle."

"Then, connecting all these known pieces of intelligence together..."

"I concluded that you most likely come from the Third Circle, and the Filial Prince also comes from the Third Circle."

"Although those nations in the Third Circle are very united. Even if they fight among themselves, they won't open the door to outsiders getting involved, firmly guarding their fundamental position, not revealing the slightest bit of information to the outside."

"But only this explanation can more reasonably prove your investigator rank, your special merit award medal, the Filial Prince's habits, and the ancient imperial etiquette."

"Moreover, when I visited the Filial Prince before, I also saw a black leather garment of Great Han style hanging high in his home."

"That kind of relatively ordinary material, lacking any craftsmanship, doesn't match his status at all, yet he treasures it greatly."

"Now, seeing what you're wearing, it also doesn't seem to match your status."

"And the size of that garment..."

An Ning looked seriously at Lu Ding's physique.

"...was a bit too big for His Highness the Filial Prince, but not by much. Yet, it seems to fit you just right..."

Lu Ding clapped. *Clap, clap, clap...*

"Marvelous, truly marvelous..."

Since it had come to this, what was there left to hide?

He turned his head to look at Fu Xinghe. "This is what it means when the world's heroes are as numerous as fish in a river. Relying solely on these scattered, disorderly bits of information, she was able to deduce the general origins of myself and An Wuyang, arriving at the viewpoint that we are connected."

Slowly turning back, a red light flickered in his pupils. "But by saying all this, from today until before I arrive at the Royal Capital, at the very least, you cannot leave my sight."

"Furthermore, if the words you speak afterwards fail to move me, I won't mind killing you to silence you. It would settle the matter once and for all, saving me the trouble of having to watch over you."

Suddenly, Lu Ding paused. He took the long blade Blood Frost from his waist and slapped it on the table. "And that guard of yours hiding in the shadows, better not make any rash moves. One move, one slash..."

He extended a finger, pointing at An Ning and then her shadow in turn. "Two, severed."

An Ning's shadow trembled slightly.

Even though the person hidden within was an existence just one step away from stepping into Spirit Refinement, stronger than Lu Feng of the Listening Rain Pavilion, now, even though Lu Ding had placed the blade on the table, it still dared not act rashly.

It was stronger than Lu Feng, but not by much. Moreover, Lu Feng, with all his trump cards deployed, was killed with a single slash.

Then it...

Furthermore, its skills leaned more towards concealment and escape. Even an ordinary Spirit Refinement cultivator might not compare to it in this regard, which is why Prince Zhao had arranged for it to guard An Ning.

Now, being pointed out by Lu Ding with a single glance...

Meant that its strengths held no advantage in Lu Ding's eyes.

It was pinned down completely.

At this moment, Fu Xinghe, who had been standing to the side all along, once again experienced what it meant to 'break ten thousand techniques with a single force'.

With An Ning's performance like this, even he wouldn't dare claim absolute victory in terms of intellect, only having some confidence. Such a monstrous talent appeared so pale in the face of absolute strength.

An Ning also showed no panic.

"Since I came, I certainly didn't plan to leave now. I will accompany you into the Royal Capital, which also indicates my stance."

"You have come to Great Jing, presumably to support the Filial Prince."

"And His Highness the Filial Prince is currently penniless and destitute, possessing no advantages locally in Great Jing. I am unwilling to remain trapped in a cage. I also wish to secure a path of retreat for my father, to secure a path of survival for my father's soldiers."

"My father is even less suited to governing a country. He is too righteous."

"Therefore, An Ning can now declare my stance. I am willing to represent my father in supporting His Highness the Filial Prince to ascend to the position of Crown Prince."

"Of course, if it were only His Highness the Filial Prince alone, the situation would remain as before. The soldiers under my father's command would not be willing."

"But if you are involved in this, you represent Great Han. My father himself holds Great Han in high regard. The soldiers under my father's command have even witnessed the military might of Great Han's armies, so they would not be unconvinced."

"The only point is that Great Han's philosophy of governance does not align with my father's stance. On this point, His Highness the Filial Prince's identity would perfectly compensate. I will also do my utmost to persuade. I can make this guarantee now."