The power of great nobles is imnse, surpassing the laws of the kingdom. If it weren’t for special circumstances, even their Imperial Police could not investigate them.
After all, they are an institution that serves the nobility class.
"Stay silent for now, let do the talking, even if that butler really has issues," Chris instructed the team mbers beside him, "The butler holds considerable authority, managing everything in the estate."
Even though they are all Extraordinary individuals with significant abilities, the estate’s power is also not to be underestimated.
Several Imperial Police, including Lina, showed serious expressions, all believing the butler was problematic... Captain Chris is generally right; he is acknowledged for both his strength and ability.
Lina similarly believed so. Under Chris’s leadership, they had apprehended nurous criminal Extraordinaries, maintaining the kingdom’s stability.
A group of attendants saw them approaching and walked up greeting:
"What are you doing here? The castle is currently holding a funeral ceremony, entry is prohibited!"
In the eyes of these attendants, these Imperial Police were not much different from others; within the estate, they were the real "police."
Chris smiled and said, "We want to see a butler, we have serious matters, we are investigating the assassination of Young Master Bai Lai."
The attendant maintained a haughty deanor, replying indifferently:
"Wait at the entrance, soone will inform you and arrange for your entry... after all, outsiders cannot casually enter the castle."
Chris continued smiling and nodded, "Much appreciated."
To Lina and others, Chris’s behavior was entirely normal; the captain has always been approachable. They felt this attendant was sowhat condescending, despite them being Imperial Police.
Soon after.
A male servant dressed in blue and white attire ca to lead them inside, advising, "Only two people may follow to the inner periter, the others must wait outside."
Chris turned and said, "Lina, you co with inside, the others wait here."
No one objected to this decision.
Lina had a special ability to deeply analyze a person, often proving highly effective in cases.
Following the servant into the castle’s inner periter, they were t by the butler with a cold expression, who said:
"I wonder if there’s any progress in your investigation? I am certain the murderer of Young Master Po Lai is within the estate."
Lina noticed a faint bloodstain on the edge of the butler’s plain long robe, sothing only her professional instinct could detect imdiately.
But recalling Chris’s words, she said nothing.
Chris shook hands with the butler and said calmly:
"Hmm, so progress, but we’ve not identified the exact individual. We should soon find the murderer... if they’re indeed within the estate."
The butler’s attitude wasn’t pleasant, he gave a cold huff, "Hopefully."
Chris observed the others with the corner of his eye, then shifted the conversation:
"We’d also like to investigate your funeral ceremony. If there’s any issue, we hope Butler Huo Jia will inform us directly."
The butler’s expression slightly changed, he waved a sleeve and said:
"There’s no issue; if you want to see, go ahead... Lead them to the ceremony hall, I have other matters."
He instructed a servant beside him curtly.
This side of the castle was almost deserted, empty, with not even guards patrolling.
"Is there no one here?" Lina asked the servant.
The servant glanced back at Lina and said, "There’s never anyone here; the castle is too large. We mostly operate at the front."
Indeed, this castle was overly large and extravagant for a viscount.
Lina furrowed her eyebrows slightly, sensing the unsettling air grew stronger.
She glanced at Chris and whispered:
"This... ceremony seems odd."
Generally, funeral ceremonies are peaceful, bright, and most are conducted by a Church Priest.
Chris nodded in agreent, hesitated, and said, "Let’s take a look first."
They walked down a long corridor, with faint yet intricate oil lamps on the walls. As footsteps echoed, it sounded as if water droplets dripped by their ears.
"This is..."
Lina saw two ghost-faced stone statues by the altar, and was sure this was nothing like a funeral ceremony, but an unknown and mysterious ritual.
"This ceremony is problematic! Captain, they must stop imdiately; according to the ceremonial regulations, such unknown rituals are strictly forbidden and could very likely bring calamity."
She spoke earnestly, her stance resolute, knowing this was certainly not a trivial matter. A misstep here, and everyone in the estate could face disaster.
Strangely, Chris remained calm, unfazed by the black ritual hall, and said slowly:
"If it’s the Duke, using such a ceremony should be fine. What’s forbidden is only for others."
Lina’s eyes trembled; she sensed Chris was acting unusually, his gaze sharp unlike his usual gentleness, like a completely different person.
He clasped his hands at his chest, index finger and thumb forming a triangle, with an apologetic expression on his face:
"Lina, sleep now, just a sleep will do."
A flash of white light appeared, and as Lina was about to speak, she softly collapsed to the ground, breathing evenly, seemingly asleep.
"There’s no such thing as justice, just the ebb and flow of power."
Chris’s hoarse voice echoed through the hall, his eyes pitch black, as hollow as the dark hall, looking at the ghost-faced statue in the center, recalling past events.
He used to be very similar to Lina, filled with a longing for justice, believing that they existed to uphold fairness...
He picked up the Ruby Pendant from Lina’s neck and walked toward the altar, where there happened to be a matching groove of the sa shape, a half-moon shape that perfectly aligned with the gemstone.
As the gemstone was placed there, from the altar’s center, a pale blue radiance bead out, illuminating the dark hall. Everything around beca half-real, half-illusory, indistinct, with obvious lines interwoven within.
Those lines seed to be the fundantal structure of this world.
On the street, the patrolling guards paused, looking around, gazing at the sky. The manor seed to be shrouded under a translucent black veil; the moon in the sky blurred, and the light dimd.
They seed to be drifting away from the outside world.
The space was completely distorted, the street spiraled at a ninety-degree twist. Yet, those standing on the street felt no abnormality, noticeable only from afar.
"What the hell?"
Su Changxing looked from the mountain towards the manor, where the space within had shattered into small fragnts, yet each piece was interconnected.
They forcefully ford a self-contained loop, a closed-off, boundless space.
He could recognize such twisted, fragnted space, similar in principle to White Feather Flashing, only in complete chaos.
He could even use White Feather Flashing to leap directly from behind the mountain into the manor.
"Stay here, don’t move. I’ll go check the situation."
Su Changxing turned his head to Lu ngyao, his body turning into a sky full of white feathers, disappearing from the spot.
The next mont, he appeared near the square.
It was already a chaotic ss there. Several people broke through the attendants’ blockade, running towards the manor’s exit, only to find themselves again near the square, unable to leave.
Such eerie scenes caused everyone to panic, helpless, including those attendants still trying to maintain order.
Su Changxing had just appeared in the square, yet before he could walk a few steps, a golden-haired knight dressed in heavy armor stood before him, holding a longsword.
"Ha, Bloody Hand Butcher, didn’t expect you to show up here. Could it be that you killed the Duke’s son?"
The Knight’s Guild Vice President, Wang Yulin, stared at this ordinary NPC wearing a straw hat, speaking slowly.
If not for a mission hint, he wouldn’t have thought this person’s true identity would be the Bloody Hand Butcher.
Completely unexpected.
Su Changxing took off his straw hat, puzzled, asking, "Hmm, Sir Knight, do we know each other?"
Hearing this, Wang Yulin almost flew into a rage; even now, the guy pretends. He had to admit the other’s disguise ability was incredibly good, even sowhat perverse; no wonder they hadn’t found him earlier.
He raised the longsword with both hands, saying, "Stop pretending. You’re the Bloody Hand Butcher. Let personally finish you, and avenge past disgrace."
Due to the mission, his level temporarily rose to Level 35, reaching a level no player had ever achieved.
He felt invincible and triumphant; defeating this minor boss Bloody Hand Butcher should be a breeze.
Previously, he’d experienced Bloody Hand Butcher’s capabilities, strong but not beyond acceptance.
Su Changxing realized that those data streams were likely closely linked to the ga that enveloped this world; probably, his identity was exposed because he killed Po Lai.
However, he couldn’t understand why the Vice President ca alone?
Su Changxing’s face showed an exaggerated smile, mocking, "Where are your helpers? Can you really do it alone?"
Wang Yulin’s face remained impassive, saying coldly, "To kill you, I’m enough."
As soon as he finished speaking, a Light Blade spanning over ten ters halted in front of Su Changxing, moving forward extrely slowly.
Wang Yulin showed a startled look, noticing that Su Changxing beca extrely swift at that mont, only leaving behind a blurry long shadow.
Dusk!
Golden light refracted back and forth in the surrounding space.
Wang Yulin’s movents slowed imnsely, seemingly stopping, but in reality, still moving at an imperceptible speed.
Under close observation, those data streams flooded Su Changxing’s Domain, greatly enhancing its power.
Originally slowing speed, now nearly imprisoning Wang Yulin’s thoughts along with his movent.
Su Changxing sidestepped the Light Blade, drew his revolver, aiming at the Vice President’s head, shooting. With a flash, the bullet pierced through his body, leaving a fading trail in the distance.
Wang Yulin heavily fell to the ground, evading a mortal spot, yet this shot still pierced through his chest, leaving a bloody large hole, blood gushing like a spring.
Never before, real, bone-deep pain.
He suddenly realized death was so close, only then thinking he might also die, with no second chance.
"No!"
He stared at the gun muzzle, shouting loudly, retreating quickly, his body halted again in place.
A stationary target is always easy to hit.
The bullet, like blood-red petals, penetrated his body once more.
At the mont the Vice President died, white data streams gushed from his body, quickly engulfing the whole corpse and shooting towards Su Changxing.
This ti, he reacted swiftly, directly opening a "mouth" on the Pocket Galaxy in front, allowing those data streams to flow into the Pocket Galaxy naturally.
The data streams didn’t fiercely collide with the Pocket Galaxy but rged with the already sky-existing data streams, barely causing a ripple.
"What on earth is this?"
Su Changxing noticed these data streams seed to be of the sa origin as this world, sharing a similar essence, like a person’s hand and leg.
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