Chapter Thirty-Five: Death

At two in the afternoon, Yin Nian arrived at the police station.

The officer showed her several clips of surveillance footage from inside the Fenghui Building. In each, a black figure appeared; its limbs were stiff and its gait was unnaturally rigid, as if it were gliding across the floor. Surrounded by a shroud of mist, its facial features remained obscured.

After capturing a screenshot of the figure’s face and processing it with software, the image revealed a striking resemblance to Yuan Yi. However, the person’s complexion was deathly pale and their eyes were blood-red, giving them a bizarre and terrifying appearance—they did not look like a living person at all.

"Is this... Yuan Yi?" Yin Nian asked, staring at the image with astonishment.

"Yuan Yi is already dead; this is not him," the officer replied. "It is either someone who looks like him or someone wearing a mask."

"But why..."

At the border of the Phantom Realm, according to the regulations of the Phantom Beasts and the realm itself, the outer five miles were originally under the jurisdiction of the Phantom Realm. Yet, all of this had ceased to exist the moment the Phantom Beasts began their assault.

These, however, were not the things she most wanted to know. What she truly longed to understand was whether she could still trust him. After the agonizing tragedy of a thousand years ago and the remorse that had spanned a millennium, could she afford to believe in him this time?

At this moment, the indigenous people of Moore City were no longer as chaotic and disorganized as they had been during their first stand against the Philian Legion at the City Hall. After days of rigorous training, the once scattered sand had coalesced into powerful, tightly clenched fists.

The newly crafted wedding dress was exquisite, featuring a high-waist design with layers of fluffy chiffon that cascaded like white sea foam. The fluid tailoring, accented with lace and scattered diamonds, added a touch of brilliance, bestowing a breathtaking beauty upon Cheng Anya.

Perhaps it was the bond between sisters; outside the door, Stephanie suddenly felt her heart leap, as if something were calling to her. She turned and ran back into the room. Upon seeing Lola safe and sound, Stephanie could no longer restrain her emotions, and the two sisters embraced, weeping.

Huang Tianchou shook his head vigorously. Under our gaze, his eyes finally focused, centering directly on me.

At that same moment, the scene before Lei Zhan shifted abruptly. The previously clear sky was instantly blanketed by dense fog, obscuring everything in his sight, while a chilling, sinister wind swept past him.

Even Jiang Sichen did not know the reason behind this. Bai Ming watched Mo Xi, whose face remained devoid of any expression, as if the person Jiang Yu was talking about had nothing to do with him at all.

The mysterious figure in the black cloak had inexplicably dropped the news that the Willow Tree was still alive. For Liu Qingzhou, this was a perfect revelation, for if the news were true, it would completely dispel many of his misgivings.

Zhang Jue, riding on the neck of the zombie, suddenly frowned as he sensed a presence from up ahead.

Pei Sichen was remarkably patient outside. He first took a stroll through his social media feed, then picked up a nearby newspaper, reading from the first page of the month to the last, before the bathroom door finally clicked open.

On the day the Maoshan Talisman was completed, all manner of venomous creatures and evil spirits would gather, engaging in brutal slaughter, all for the sake of that talisman. It was said that if an animal consumed the Maoshan Talisman, it would gain sentience; if a spirit consumed it, its magic would be amplified. It was a treasure.

"How could this happen? Why is this happening? What on earth is going on?" Long Tianci was completely dazed, his mind momentarily blank, leaving him to ask questions incessantly. Yet, who among those present could possibly answer him?

Finally, he walked up to me. "Li Ke, once you're dead, you won't know anything. Do you really think I'm afraid of your threats? Fine, since you want me to tell you who is behind this, I will." With that, Fourth Uncle pressed his hands onto my shoulders, pulled himself up, and leaned in to whisper into my ear.

An employee immediately called out to the boss, who was busy working an abacus at the counter. He told us to wait a moment, promising he would be right over. The employee told us that the coffins in the shop were of excellent quality, with the width, length, and depth all perfectly suited for the deceased to find their final rest.