The next morning.
After communicating with Zhou Yi in advance, Lin Ran quickly took Luo Qingyan to Jianggu City No. 1 High School.
Jianggu City No. 1 High School was in winter break, and there were almost no people on campus.
Lin Ran and Luo Qingyan were quite familiar with the place and made their way to Zhou Yi's principal's office.
Zhou Yi had obviously been waiting for a long time. Seeing the two of them arrive, he immediately stood up to greet them, his excitement overflowing:
"Good, good, good! Excellent!"
"Xiao Ran, Qingyan, you've really come back!"
Lin Ran smiled and said,
"It's almost New Year, we'll definitely come home."
"Uncle Zhou, please sit down, let's talk slowly..."
He didn't expect Lin Ran to still remember his previous address!
It seemed that the investment made that day was definitely the most correct decision he had ever made in his life!
Zhou Yi's excited face turned a little red.
After the three of them exchanged pleasantries for a while, Lin Ran finally got to the point:
"Uncle Zhou, your control over Jianggu City should be at the highest level now..."
"So, I want to ask you something."
Zhou Yi had already felt a little unworthy being addressed as "you" by Lin Ran so much.
Seeing Lin Ran ask, he quickly replied with great humility:
"Xiao Ran, please speak, I will do my best to answer."
Lin Ran smiled and briefly recounted what he had seen at the steamed bun stall earlier.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi's expression became somewhat subtle:
"This matter does indeed exist..."
"About half a month ago, Awakened individuals who went to explore the forbidden area began bringing back Thunder Crystals and Thunder Shards."
"However, due to our lack of powerful personnel, we haven't been able to investigate the situation thoroughly."
"Originally, fearing something bad might happen, we planned to prohibit low-level Awakened individuals from entering the Changyuan Forbidden Area..."
"But doing so would inevitably displease those Awakened individuals who heard the news and went to the Changyuan Forbidden Area hoping to strike it rich."
"The resistance was too great, and this policy was eventually dropped..."
Lin Ran thoughtfully stroked his chin:
"About half a month ago... then there should still be time..."
Seeing Lin Ran lost in thought, Zhou Yi asked:
"Xiao Ran, Qingyan, are you planning to investigate the Changyuan Forbidden Area?"
Lin Ran nodded:
"We do have that intention."
"Once various matters are linked to alien races, there will never be any good outcomes..."
"It's very necessary to investigate their movements."
"After all, if they make a big fuss about this, it might even endanger the entire Jianggu."
"How can we stand idly by when our hometown is in trouble?"
Zhou Yi also smiled:
"As expected of the great hero of our Dragon Country! Your perspective is indeed different..."
"If that's the case, then you must pay close attention to your safety."
"I will help you keep your whereabouts confidential."
"Oh, right! The person you asked me to investigate earlier also has results now!"
As Zhou Yi spoke, he handed a stack of documents to Lin Ran.
Lin Ran took the documents, skimmed through them, nodded with satisfaction, and clasped his fists at Zhou Yi:
"Thank you again, Uncle Zhou..."
"Time is short, and there's a lot to do. Qingyan and I will take our leave now."
Zhou Yi also hurriedly returned the bow:
"Farewell..."
"I wish you immediate success and a triumphant return!"
...
After leaving the school, Luo Qingyan looked strangely at the document file in Lin Ran's hand:
"What is this?"
Lin Ran smiled:
"Do you still remember the scene of our first meeting?"
Luo Qingyan was startled.
The terrified little girl, the resolute young man, the fierce wolfdog, the spinning iron gate, the timely rescue... and the dismissed gatekeeper.
"You mean?"
Lin Ran nodded:
"That's right, it's his information."
"The gatekeeper who saved us from the wolfdog that day was named Li Desan. He had no children, no relatives..."
"His wife passed away early from illness, and his only son died in the beast tide war..."
"He is already seventy-two years old this year."
"After he was dismissed, no one dared to hire him, so he was unemployed for nearly ten years."
"It wasn't until recent years, as the past was gradually forgotten, that he reappeared in public and used his savings over the years to open a small restaurant."
"However, according to what we've learned, it's possible that the old gentleman's cooking skills are not very refined, so the restaurant's business is quite average, barely enough to make ends meet..."
"We... should go and see him first..."
Luo Qingyan was in a daze for a while before emerging from her memories, and said firmly:
"Let's go!"
...
In a small city like Jianggu, using high-end hovercars as the ultimate mode of transportation makes traveling anywhere quite fast.
It took less than half an hour for Luo Qingyan to drive Lin Ran to the restaurant's location.
Li's Noodle House.
A very simple and common signboard, it was not at all conspicuous on this entire snack street.
However, Lin Ran and Luo Qingyan's car was extremely eye-catching, with a回头率 (return rate) approaching 100%.
It was then that Lin Ran remembered that they were currently in Jianggu, not Qingjing.
Hover sports cars like this, valued at only about 20 million Dragon Coins, could be seen everywhere on the roads of Qingjing.
In fact, compared to other cars, they were considered mid to low-end.
After all, Luo Qingyan had only considered the handling and appearance when buying the car, and had bought it rather casually on impulse.
But such sports cars were a sensation in Jianggu.
How often would people in such remote small towns see such a thing?
Along the way, they had indeed captured all the gazes.
Fortunately, Lin Ran and Luo Qingyan's appearances were still disguised by illusion formations, and they wore thick sunglasses, so they were not recognized.
Otherwise, it would have been a big spectacle.
After the two got out of the car, in front of countless onlookers, Lin Ran couldn't put the car back into his Ring of Soul as usual.
So, he could only leave the car outside and walk into Li's Noodle House with Luo Qingyan.
It was not yet ten o'clock in the morning, so it was neither breakfast nor lunch time, and there were no customers in the noodle shop.
However, in a corner of the dining area, there was still an old man with white hair and a messy beard.
Hmm! He looked exactly like the photo in the documents!
After confirming that this was Li Desan, Lin Ran brazenly took off his sunglasses and removed the illusion formations on Luo Qingyan and himself, revealing their true appearances:
"Master Li, two bowls of vegetable and shredded pork noodles!"
Li Desan was watering flowers when he heard Lin Ran's voice and hurriedly turned to look.