In the interrogation room of the Jibei City Public Security Bureau in Qingzhou.
"Name."
"Ye Ling."
"Position."
"Vice Chairman and shareholder of Ye Corporation."
"Ms. Ye," Zhang Hen Shui interrupted the recorder and asked, "Do you know why you are sitting here?"
Ye Ling simply leaned her back against the interrogation chair. She subconsciously reached for a cigarette from her pocket, but the anomaly-restricting handcuffs reminded her that she had already been searched. So, she placed her hand on the small table and asked, "Mr. Zhang, why don't you have your father come? You are not qualified to make me speak."
"What about me?"
Ye Ling looked over and saw He Qing Shi enter the interrogation room dressed in a beige suit. He asked, "Captain Zhang, I'm here to participate in this interrogation. Is that okay?"
"Of course," Zhang Hen Shui said with a smile. "The anonymous tip and evidence were all provided by Mr. He. There's no problem with Mr. He observing."
Upon hearing this, Ye Ling's expression turned cold. If it were just the Zhang family acting alone, she might have had a chance to turn things around. But with the He family involved, she had no hope.
"So, Ms. Ye," Zhang Hen Shui turned his gaze back and asked, "Do you know why you are sitting here?"
"I don't. Perhaps Captain Zhang can offer some guidance." Ye Ling deployed her first strategy: probing, to see what evidence they had against her.
"Heh, Ms. Ye, you won't confess until you see the coffin, will you?" Zhang Hen Shui did not fall for the ploy and said directly, "I'm giving you an opportunity for leniency if you confess, yet you doubt me?"
"I believe I have no crimes to confess." The second strategy: outright denial.
"Is that so?" Zhang Hen Shui chuckled, clapped his hands, and asked everyone to leave, leaving only He Qing Shi, Zhang Hen Shui, and Ye Ling.
Zhang Hen Shui opened the isolation gate and slowly walked towards Ye Ling.
"Ye Ling, we have found countless crimes and evidence against you, your Ye family, and your Ye Corporation." Zhang Hen Shui narrowed his eyes and said, "Just your own transgressions are enough to keep you in jail for a lifetime."
As he spoke, Zhang Hen Shui took out three items from his pocket and placed them on the table one by one: a spirit energy bullet mixed with spirit crystals, a petal of the Red Hidden Flower, and a key.
The first two were acceptable. But upon seeing the last item, Ye Ling's eyes twitched uncontrollably.
The first two referred to the Ye family's smuggling of foreign anomaly hot weapons and materials controlled by Long Country. These were not severe enough to warrant death.
However, the last item referred to the Ye family's house in the Thirteen Hangs of Huzhou. What happened in this house? It was simple: the Yama incident.
If Zhang Hen Shui had proof of Ye Ling's presence, it would not be difficult to sentence Ye Ling to death by firing squad.
This was contact with the Underworld, a red line, a national taboo that could not be touched.
"Alright, think about it yourself. We're going for a drink." Zhang Hen Shui turned and walked out of the iron fence, saying to He Qing Shi, "Let's go, Uncle He, my treat."
Ye Ling was left alone in the interrogation room, staring blankly at the three items, her expression shifting multiple times as she pondered.
...
Loulan Palace.
The guide held a oil lamp and led the way. He Lan Xin held the Overlord Spear and Zhang Han Shan stood guard around them, protecting the elderly guide. Behind them were Devinson, Qian Xiao, Cao Bei Jie, and the female student, standing in the middle. Finally, Qing Lian Zi, another female teacher, and Mo Chuan brought up the rear.
The first floor of Loulan Palace was relatively flat, with little significant damage to the ground. Only the skeletons of people and beasts who had died here were scattered along the roadside.
Loulan Palace was designed in an interesting way: a large room was divided into several smaller rooms, with corridors resembling underground mazes. Combined with the thick supporting beams and pillars, the entire corridor was extremely crowded.
"Are these murals?" Zhang Han Shan pointed to the mottled colored paintings on the wall, illuminated by the lamplight.
Due to years of disrepair and lack of maintenance, the colored pigments on these murals had largely peeled off, leaving only a general outline.
After walking for a long time, they encountered this wall of murals. They decided to take a ten-minute break, allowing the guide, Qing Lian Zi, and the others to study them.
"I recall some people studying photos from those who returned to reality from the Loulan ruins," the female teacher said, rubbing her temples. "Most of the murals in the Loulan ruins depict the deeds of the Loulan royal family, focusing on their cultural achievements, military prowess, and myths. It is said that the higher the floor, the more complete the murals will be, the more detailed the events recorded, and the more illustrious the figures depicted."
"This should be the thirteenth emperor of Loulan," the guide said, pointing to a blurred depiction on the mural. "Only he would do something as foolish as creating a 'wine pool and meat forest'."
"There shouldn't be any useful information here," Qing Lian Zi said. "Didn't those who escaped previously all go to higher floors? We should focus on finding a way upstairs first."
Saying this, Qing Lian Zi summoned her Sorrowful Ghost Attendant and sent her ahead to scout and illuminate the path.
The group also reorganized their formation and continued to advance deeper into the corridor.
After some time.
"Does it feel like we're going in circles?" Zhang Han Shan frowned.
"I feel the same," He Lan Xin nodded.
"When will we find the stairs!" Qian Xiao couldn't take it anymore. He angrily threw his torch on the ground and pointed at the guide, saying, "Look at the path you're leading us on! If you let us die here, I'll kill you first!"
Everyone frowned at his words. Although Qian Xiao had always been arrogant, he wasn't foolish. It was clear that the entire team needed the elderly guide to lead them, and he was threatening him?
"Qian Xiao!" Devinson said with a grim expression, "Do you know what you're saying?! Apologize!"
"You are all jinxes! If I hadn't been with you! I would never have been trapped in this godforsaken place! I'm leaving on my own!" Qian Xiao's emotions seemed to break. He didn't even pick up the torch and ran off into the depths of the corridor.
The female teacher tried to stop him, but Qing Lian Zi held her back.
"Qian Xiao is not right," Qing Lian Zi whispered. "Let him run, let's see what happens."
The elderly guide also seemed to have noticed something. He didn't get angry the entire time, but quietly observed Qian Xiao's condition.
"Boom—"
A few minutes after Qian Xiao disappeared, a loud noise of moving boulders echoed throughout the first floor. The group exchanged glances and hurried towards the direction of the sound.
They saw that where the mural of the thirteenth emperor of Loulan was, a staircase had appeared out of nowhere, guiding them upwards.
"This should be the way to the second floor," the elderly guide said after shining his oil lamp for a moment. "Find something, I'll scout ahead."