Qian Guran's encounter has finally been "clarified" through investigation, and as expected, the result shows—it was just an accident.

Around 4:30 a.m. on October 5th, Qian Guran was driving along Jiangbei Embankment from east to west, that is, from Fubo City towards Qi Yuan, when the vehicle suddenly lost control, veered off the roadbed, and plunged into the river.

It was a Level 2 highway, with the roadbed serving as the embankment. No one knew why Qian Guran was driving at that time and place—perhaps due to poor visibility or drowsiness—that led to the accident.

Traffic control cameras recorded the entire incident; although the footage was taken from a distance, it clearly illustrated the situation. There were no other cars or people on the road at the time, making it entirely Qian Guran's own responsibility.

This was a simple accident, and the police have reached a conclusion in their investigation. Many people probably heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing this result.

From the perspective of the Magic Sect's higher-ups, they also did not want Qian Guran to be murdered by his fellow members; and from Gu Yunteng's standpoint, he could finally prove his innocence, passing this hurdle.

However, from He Kao's perspective, he was deeply confused, and then considered a possibility. Because when Old Qian had the accident, he and Huang Xiaopang were already all "done" with their tasks.

It was Old Qian who received He Kao's call, and it was Old Qian who notified Huang Xiaopang. Old Qian himself also went to Jiangbei, knew what happened, but he never showed up on the scene… It seemed he didn't need to intervene at that moment.

Once everything was over, Old Qian created an alibi and a reason not to speak. Old Qian most likely had an "accomplice," and that was Lawyer Yao Shaolan.

The more He Kao thought about it, the more plausible this theory seemed, but he didn't say it out loud. Whatever Old Qian did, it was primarily to help him, then to protect himself, neither wanting to disclose what had happened nor expose Hidden Moth's identity.

When Old Qian wakes up, he might claim he remembers nothing. Facing such an accident, temporary amnesia is not unusual; there are many clinical examples.

In fact, the police discovered this accident two weeks ago, but the surveillance footage was too distant, making it impossible to determine the specific details of the vehicle involved. It wasn't until a few days ago, when the car was salvaged, that they identified the owner's identity based on the registration information.

According to the owner, the car had been lent to a friend named Qian Guran, leading to the deduction that Qian Guran was the driver at the time. Qian Guran was incredibly lucky, managing to escape the car after plunging into the river, somehow drifting downstream to Jinshan Temple, where he was rescued.

But he was also unfortunate, as he's still lying in the hospital. Once he wakes, he has to compensate his friend for the vehicle and cover the police's salvage costs… Hmm, Lawyer Yao has already taken care of those payments in advance.

He Kao saw that piece of surveillance at Yao Shaolan's place, and indeed, there was nothing to fault—it was entirely Old Qian's responsibility!

Lawyer Yao also told He Kao something else, which was not exactly good news. After the festival, a special investigation team was established in Qi Yuan City specifically to investigate the black files about Gu Yunteng, but the investigation has currently concluded.

The investigation team reached an initial conclusion: the material dates back too far, with many eyewitnesses and evidence having disappeared, making it difficult to ascertain their authenticity. Additional evidence is needed to continue the investigation.

The last sentence was just formal language, suggesting they hadn't given up on the investigation, but it actually meant this was the end. Gu Yunteng managed to scrape through danger, and as for what price he might have secretly paid, no one could know.

According to Yao Shaolan, the only apparent price Gu Yunteng had to pay was a temporary restriction on leaving the country.

How did Yao Shaolan find out about these things? Of course, she had her own sources and deliberately sought this information. Many departments in various places received the report materials, and the investigation into Gu Yunteng, though not covered by news reports, has already spread within certain circles.

He Kao felt very disappointed, unable to stop himself from asking Yao Shaolan, "Could he really pass just like that? Even if not sentenced to death, a few years would do!"

Yao Shaolan smiled bitterly and said, "In such matters, either you pursue it, or you don't. If you want to pursue, there's an excuse to do so; if not, there's a reason not to."

"Last time you were here, venting about the legal system, but did you think about another issue?"

He Kao: "What issue?"

Yao Shaolan: "That material—I managed to get a copy, and after thoroughly studying it, my conclusion is four words: insufficient evidence.

If taken out twenty years ago, it might have delivered a fatal blow to Gu Yunteng. But by now, many people and institutions involved are no longer around, and the financial transaction records can't be traced, making it impossible to determine its truth.

Not to mention that if those were isolated incidents, they would long surpass the prosecution statute of limitations… If in this situation, even someone like Gu Yunteng couldn't protect himself, what about ordinary people?"

He Kao was stunned for a while, not expecting Lawyer Yao to pose the question from this perspective.

If with insufficient evidence, someone like Gu Yunteng could be easily taken down, then ordinary people could hardly protect themselves, as anyone could be thrown into prison with just any excuse.

The rules should not subjectively differentiate between good and bad people but should treat all equally based on objective facts.

After a long silence, He Kao finally nodded and said, "I didn't think of it like that before. You have a point." Then, after a moment's thought, he asked, "Regarding Old Qian's accident, is there a possibility that someone secretly used magic techniques to cause it?"

Yao Shaolan: "There is no evidence whatsoever to support that speculation." After some thought, she added, "The likelihood is very small; if that were true, Old Qian probably wouldn't have survived."

He Kao: "I am curious about one thing—in what situations can Magic Sect disciples use techniques, and how does the Ancestral Hall regulate it?"

Yao Shaolan retorted, "Haven't you heard of the Piao Gate Law?"

He Kao: "What is this Piao Gate Law? Among the Seven Great Magic Sects, there's no mention of any Piao Gate!"

Yao Shaolan: "Didn't Old Qian tell you?"

He Kao shook his head: "He never mentioned it."

Yao Shaolan: "He probably didn't have the chance yet, but now it's important for you to know..."

The so-called Piao Gate Law, also known as the Sect Hall Order, differs from the specific sect rules of each Magic Sect, yet it is included within them as a guiding principle.

It explains under what circumstances a Sorcerer may use their techniques and when they should refrain. It is also the basis for the Ancestral Hall to oversee the conduct of Sorcerers.

Sorcerers often interact with ordinary people in the world, but the Ancestral Hall only oversees internal matters of the Magic Sect. If it is unrelated to the sect or techniques, the Ancestral Hall will not intervene. So how to distinguish this?

The so-called "Piao" refers to wandering the Jianghu and the conduct of Magic Sect disciples outside; the so-called "Gate" refers to the various Magic Sects; the so-called "Law" is certainly the guiding principle.

The Piao Gate Law is very concise, consisting of only three articles—

Do not violate matters, first resolve with the authorities.

Do not provoke without reason, keep techniques hidden.

Do not leave disaster unresolved when it must be ended.

These three principles are not in a parallel relationship but in a progressive one, with later principles based on the premise of earlier facts.

The first point "Do not violate matters, first resolve with the authorities" primarily requires Sorcerers to not easily break the law. In encountering issues, refrain from using techniques as much as possible and try resolving problems through legal and reasonable methods.

This was true even in the chaotic times of the past, let alone in today's peaceful and civilized society.

The second point "Do not provoke without reason, keep techniques hidden" demands that Sorcerers should not flaunt their techniques daily, much less act recklessly relying on them.

Even though you possess secret techniques, strive not to use them unless necessary, especially not to stir up trouble or provoke anyone without reason. Those who are always ready to fight are not true masters, but mere hooligans.

Techniques should only be used at critical moments when necessary; otherwise, you might one day find yourself unlucky, encountering someone you can't provoke or someone more skilled than you.

Regarding when Sorcerers should take action, Yao Shaolan introduced three sentences—

The first sentence: I have not harmed the other party, but they intend to harm me or my family. The second sentence: Neither I nor my family are in trouble yet, but not because the other party showed mercy or had a change of heart.

The third sentence: If both previous sentences are true, don't worry about the reasons behind the other party's actions!

The third point "Do not leave disaster unresolved when it must be ended" means that based on the previous two principles, when it's necessary to take action, do so decisively. Avoid harboring fantasies or hesitating.

Your actions must be clean and efficient, leaving as few vulnerabilities as possible to prevent irreversible situations. Simply put, when necessary, act decisively without becoming as tragic as Lin Chong from Water Margin.

Yao Shaolan not only used Lin Chong as examples but also from the same ancient Eastern Country storytelling book Water Margin, such as the "Wu Song Kills His Sister-in-law" story.

When the Magic Sect's Ancestral Hall explained the Piao Gate Law, they often used this story as an example.

When Wu Song returned home on duty and found that his elder brother had passed away, he suspected his sister-in-law had conspired with an adulterer to murder him. But he did not confront them immediately, instead collecting evidence from all parties involved and reported it to the government.

When the government acted unjustly, covering for the murderer, Wu Song had no choice but to take matters into his own hands. He acted decisively and with conclusive evidence... If his martial arts were replaced with techniques, this would be a model of the Piao Gate Law.

Although Wu Song was later detained and exiled by the government, that was the government's handling, and the Magic Sect's Ancestral Hall didn't consider Wu Song to have violated the Sorcerer's principle of conduct.

Another example from the same book, such as the "Shi Xiu Kills His Sister-in-law" story, differs from Wu Song's situation. Whether Shi Xiu was arrested by the government is another matter, but if he had used techniques, it obviously would not align with the Piao Gate Law.

Previously, He Kao had never heard these things. Neither Old Qian nor Lin Qingshuang seemed to have mentioned them to him. Because he was not a Magic Sect disciple, there was no issue of whether he should use techniques.

But from another perspective, as a Guest of Fate, he can use this to judge the conduct of Sorcerers he encounters, which is why Yao Shaolan explained it to him in detail.

Yao Shaolan is a lawyer, so she is undoubtedly sensitive to these matters.

He Kao pondered for a long time, blinking, then repeatedly nodded in thanks. Afterward, Yao Shaolan gave him a pile of things, including a property deed with his name on it, an access card for Guanliu District, and the keys to that house now.

**

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