Soul Devouring and Boundary Breaking: I Embark on the Path to Immortality in the Era of Demon Chaos

Chapter 71: The Shadow of the Night Candle

Liu Xiong, observing the situation, knew the time was right, so he stopped pressing and instead said in a gentler voice, "Brother-in-law, Lin Yan certainly needs to be eliminated, but it doesn't necessarily have to cause too much of a commotion in Qingzhou Prefecture. We can think of a safer way."

Zhao Kun then came to his senses and hurriedly said, "Sir, I have an idea!"

"speak."

Zhao Kun licked his slightly dry lips, a glint of cunning and ruthlessness flashing in his eyes: "We can 'invite' him out. Two hundred miles west of Qingzhou Prefecture, there is a forbidden area called 'Seven Star Pass'. The terrain there is treacherous, filled with miasma all year round, and several ferocious demonic beasts, at least at the mid-stage or even late-stage of the Transcendent Realm, reside there. Ordinary cultivators dare not approach it. We explored it before and originally wanted to set up another 'cellar' there, but unfortunately the environment was too harsh, the demonic beasts were too ferocious, and the cost of setting up an altar was too high, so we gave up."

His eyes gleamed as he spoke: "We can come up with a pretext, for example, say that there's been unusual activity in Qixing'ao recently, suspected to be caused by high-level demons or evil cultivators hiding there, threatening the area. We can send Lin Yan with a team to 'investigate.' He just got his position as inspector and is eager to prove himself, so Zhou Yan is happy to let him take on a tough task. Once he gets into Qixing'ao..." Zhao Kun sneered, "the demons inside will be enough to give him a hard time. We can also send a few trusted experts, disguised in inconspicuous clothing, to infiltrate or ambush them on the outskirts. Once they've fought to the death, our people can finish them off, making it look like the demons were responsible, or we can simply say they accidentally triggered a restriction during their investigation, resulting in their deaths. Then, with no one to testify, even if Zhou Yan has some suspicions, he won't be able to find any evidence against us!"

After listening, Liu Xiong nodded slightly and added, "This plan is excellent. Qixing'ao has a notorious reputation, so it's reasonable for Lin Yan to have died there. The people we send must be unfamiliar faces, quick and efficient, and afterwards... we must handle the matter cleanly."

Liu Wenhuan fell silent. The jade ball in his hand spun slower and slower until it finally stopped. He looked up, his gaze shifting between Liu Xiong and Zhao Kun's faces. The candlelight flickered in his eyes, reflecting the intense internal struggle he was facing. After a long while, he slowly exhaled, his voice returning to its previous low tone, yet carrying a hint of determination:

"Very well. Lin Yan is indeed a menace. We'll proceed as you say, at Qixing'ao. Remember, everything must be done cleanly! The people you choose must be absolutely reliable. After it's done, those who need to be kept quiet must be kept quiet, and those who need to be sent away must be sent away. We absolutely cannot leave any loose ends!" He paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening as he stared intently at Zhao Kun. "There's one more thing. Where are those survivors brought back from Black Wind Ravine, especially that old ghost Mo, being held now?"

Zhao Kun hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the garrison commander, Zhou Yan has locked them up in the row of solitary cells at the far west end of the branch's inner courtyard, and assigned trusted confidants to guard them day and night. However..." A smug look appeared on his face, "Coincidentally, among the jailers guarding that row of cells, there is one named Wang Simao, who is my fellow villager. Years ago, his family suffered a disaster, and it was I who helped his mother survive. This lad has always remembered this kindness."

A glint of light flashed in Liu Wenhuan's eyes: "Reliable?"

"Absolutely reliable!" Zhao Kun patted his chest. "I've inquired, and for some reason, Zhou Yan and Lin Yan haven't immediately interrogated Mo Laogui and the others for confrontation. They seem to be waiting for some opportunity. This gives us a perfect chance. As long as Wang Simao puts 'that thing' into their food when he delivers it..." He made a swallowing motion, "I guarantee they'll 'die suddenly' without a trace. Even if the coroner comes to examine them, they won't find any poison. Then, Wang Simao can 'commit suicide out of guilt,' and this matter will be completely resolved!"

Liu Xiong clapped his hands and sighed softly, "Commander Zhao has thought things through thoroughly. In this way, there will only be physical evidence left, not witnesses. Even if Zhou Yan and Lin Yan have evidence, without any living witnesses to identify them, its power will be greatly reduced. We can then calmly arrange the matter at Qixing'ao."

Liu Wenhuan pondered for a long time, his facial muscles twitching slightly, before finally nodding heavily: "Proceed as planned! Zhao Kun, you will personally arrange this matter, ensuring everything goes perfectly!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Zhao Kun stood up abruptly, clasped his hands and bowed. The armor plates emitted a soft clanging sound, which was particularly jarring in the quiet study.

Liu Xiong also stood up and bowed slightly to Liu Wenhuan: "Brother-in-law, rest assured, Zhao Dutou and I will arrange this matter properly. However, the choice of personnel to be sent to Qixing'ao still needs careful consideration."

Liu Wenhuan waved his hand, a deep weariness on his face, and closed his eyes again: "Go and do it. Remember, be quick and steady. I... am a little tired."

"Yes, brother-in-law/garrison commander, please rest early." Liu Xiong and Zhao Kun replied in unison and quietly left the study.

The door closed gently, shutting out the candlelight and the lingering scent of ambergris. Liu Wenhuan sat alone in the armchair, motionless for a long time. The wind outside seemed to pick up, making the paper windowpanes rustle. He opened his eyes, gazing at the flickering candlelight, its glow dancing in his cloudy eyes before finally settling into a bottomless darkness. He slowly raised his hand, looking at his well-maintained but slightly trembling fingers, and sighed silently.

***

The next day, before dawn, a hurried and suppressed commotion arose in the westernmost part of the inner courtyard of the Qingzhou Prefecture Demon Suppression Division branch, in a secluded area of ​​solitary cells that was rarely visited.

This place, though called a prison, is more like a secluded courtyard. It's surrounded by high walls, with only a small iron gate on the south side. Inside are several low stone houses built of heavy bluestone, without windows, only a small ventilation hole above the door, fitted with iron bars as thick as a child's arm. In front of the stone houses is a small open space, paved with rough gravel, now damp with morning dew, its color a patchwork of dark and light.

The air was filled with a musty, damp smell that had never seen the sun for years, mixed with a faint, almost imperceptible stench of blood and herbs—the residue left from applying medicine to the severely wounded prisoners a few days ago.

There were four jailers guarding the place, working in two shifts. The two who were on duty last night were now standing outside one of the stone rooms, their faces filled with terror, completely at a loss. One of the younger ones was deathly pale, his lips trembling. He looked into the room, then at his superior, a clerk from the prison named Guo, who had rushed over after hearing the news, and couldn't utter a single word.

Guo, the clerk, was a thin, middle-aged man dressed in a faded blue official robe. At this moment, his brows were furrowed and his face was grave. He stood at the entrance of the stone house, not immediately going in, but merely peeking inside.

The stone hut was dimly lit, with only a sliver of daylight filtering through the doorway, barely illuminating the small space. Dry grass lay scattered on the ground, now a mess. Three figures were huddled in bizarre positions on the pile of grass—the three less seriously injured evil cultivator prisoners brought back from Black Wind Ravine. Their faces were ashen, dark red, already congealed blood seeping from their seven orifices. Their eyes were wide open, pupils dilated, filled with the extreme pain and fear of impending death. Their mouths and noses were crooked, their tongues slightly protruding, also a purplish-black. Their bodies were stiff, their fingers curled like chicken claws, nails digging deeply into their palms, leaving dark purple bruises.

Most horrifyingly, on their skin exposed outside their tattered clothes, there were faint, spiderweb-like, dark red patterns, like bursting blood vessels or the onset of some kind of eerie toxin.

The situation was even more horrific in the adjacent stone house where Old Ghost Mo was imprisoned. Already critically injured and on the verge of death, Old Ghost Mo lay collapsed on the cold ground, a pool of dark brown blood beneath him, half-dried. His face was even more ashen, almost indistinguishable from a corpse. His eyes, which had once gleamed with a venomous green light, were now empty sockets, staring blankly at the low ceiling. His body was contorted at an unbelievable angle, as if he had endured unimaginable agony before his death.

In addition to the usual musty smell, there was a very faint, strange odor in the air, a sweet and fishy smell mixed with a burnt bitterness, which made people feel nauseous.

"What's going on?!" A deep shout came from the courtyard gate. Zhou Yan, the branch leader, strode in, accompanied by Sun Wenyuan, the clerk, and two heavily armored guards with imposing auras. He was still wearing his worn dark blue robe, but his face was even more stern than usual, and his gaze swept across the scene like lightning.

Clerk Guo hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, stammering, "Reporting...Reporting to the Master! Everything was fine when we changed shifts at 1-3 AM today, but just...just after 5-7 AM, the relieving officers, Old Zhang and Little Li, came to deliver breakfast. They knocked on the door for a long time but there was no response. They felt something was wrong, so they forced the door open and went in...and...and this is what happened! All four of them...are dead! Judging from their appearance, it looks like...it looks like they were poisoned!"

Zhou Yan walked to the door of the stone house, his gaze calmly sweeping over the horrific scene inside, his brows furrowed deeply. He didn't step inside, but instead said to Sun Wenyuan, "Go and fetch Deputy Chief Zheng, and the best coroner from the branch. Also, all personnel who were on duty or had contact with this place from last night to this morning are to be placed under surveillance and questioned separately. There must be no mistakes!"

"Yes!" Sun Wenyuan accepted the order and immediately turned to carry it out.

Zhou Yan then looked at the terrified young jailer: "Where's breakfast? Has it been touched?"

The young jailer pointed tremblingly to a rough wooden tray on the stone steps outside the door. On it were four black earthenware bowls, each containing a thin porridge mixed with vegetable leaves and two cold steamed buns. "Untouched...untouched...when they were brought in, they...they seemed to be dying already..."

Zhou Yan walked over, bent down to examine the food carefully, and then sniffed it closely, but didn't detect any obvious odor. He straightened up, his gaze fixed on the narrow patch of sky enclosed by the high walls, his eyes deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.

Soon, Zheng Tong, the deputy head of criminal investigations, arrived with an experienced coroner. Zheng Tong still had that chiseled, stern face. He merely nodded slightly to Zhou Yan before personally leading the coroner into the stone house to examine the body.

The coroner was a taciturn old man, but his hands and feet were unusually nimble. He carefully examined the mouths, noses, pupils, fingernails, and skin of the four corpses, and then inserted silver needles into their throats and stomachs. When the needles were pulled out, the tips did not show the usual blackening; instead, they were a strange dark red. The old coroner's brows furrowed more and more deeply.

About half an hour later, Zheng Tong and the coroner came out. Zheng Tong bowed to Zhou Yan and said, "Sir, preliminary examination shows that all four died from a rare and potent poison. The poison is extremely strong, and the deaths likely occurred between midnight and 1 AM last night. The poison does not appear to be ordinary arsenic or arsenic trioxide; it is difficult to detect with a silver needle. Furthermore, blood streaks appeared on their bodies after death, and their organs may show signs of erosion. Further autopsy is needed to determine the specific poison."

Zhou Yan said in a deep voice, "Is it possible to determine when and how the poison was administered?"

The coroner bowed and said, "Your Honor, judging from the stiffness of the bodies and the contents of their stomachs, their last meal should have been around 7 PM yesterday. However, the poison took effect several hours later, and the symptoms did not appear to be as sudden as if it had entered the stomach orally... It seems more like... the poison had been lurking in their bodies for some time, and was triggered by some method, or it slowly entered through wounds, breathing, or other means, accumulating to a certain amount before suddenly erupting."

Zhou Yan's gaze sharpened: "Infiltrate? Trigger?"

Just then, Sun Wenyuan rushed back, his face grim. He said in a low voice, "Sir, we've investigated. One of the two jailers on duty last night, named Wang Simao, is missing. Someone saw him hurrying towards his quarters just before dawn, and no one has seen him since. We just led men to search his quarters..." Sun Wenyuan paused, his voice even lower, "and found him hanged himself, leaving behind a suicide note saying... saying he felt guilty for his negligence, deserving of death, and ashamed to live on..."

"Wang Simao?" Zhou Yan repeated the name, his eyes flashing with cold light. "What is his relationship with the other jailer on duty last night? What kind of person is he usually? Has he had close contact with anyone else in the branch?"

Sun Wenyuan, clearly prepared, quickly replied, "The other jailer isn't very familiar with him. Wang Simao is usually quiet and taciturn, but he's quite diligent and I haven't heard of any bad deeds. However..." He hesitated for a moment, "Some of my subordinates have vaguely mentioned that he seems to be from the same hometown as Chief Zhao Kun, and that Chief Zhao had helped his family in the past. But there's no concrete evidence, and I haven't seen them interact much."

"Zhao Kun..." Zhou Yan slowly uttered these two words, his face expressionless, but his usually gentle and peaceful eyes were now as cold as ice in the dead of winter. He did not continue to inquire about the relationship between Wang Simao and Zhao Kun, but instead asked, "Does Inspector Lin know about this matter?"

"Not yet informed."

"Go and invite him over," Zhou Yan ordered, then turned to Zheng Tong, "Deputy Captain Zheng, this place is in your hands. Guard all the physical evidence and the body closely. Also, search Wang Simao's residence and the suicide note carefully again, don't overlook any clues. This matter... don't make a fuss about it yet."

"Understood, sir." Zheng Tong bowed and accepted the order. His chiseled face remained expressionless, but his eyes were sharper than usual.

Zhou Yan said no more, turning and leaving the prison courtyard permeated with the aura of death. The morning light had fully illuminated the branch headquarters' buildings; the blue bricks and gray tiles, the flying eaves and brackets, appeared solemn and dignified under the clear autumn sky. But who could know how many conspiracies and murderous intentions had quietly brewed and then vanished overnight beneath this seemingly peaceful and formidable fortress?

He walked steadily toward his study, his back casting a straight shadow under the long corridor. The wind rustled through the old trees in the courtyard, and a few withered leaves fell, swirling and silently landing at his feet, which he strode over without hesitation.

He knew his opponent had already made their move. Clean, efficient, ruthless, and willing to sever any potential leads that might expose them.

This contest, from the moment Lin Yan stepped into Qingzhou Prefecture, or perhaps even earlier, was destined to be a fight to the death. And now, the curtain has truly risen.