I'm being held captive by a monster

Chapter 270 How did you find this place?
"Xu Zhe."

The moment Zhang Guang walked into the office, the ghostly aura suddenly dissipated!

The scorching heat, like a steamer, instantly assaulted Xu Zhe, making his face turn pale and almost suffocating!

"Xu Zhe, knowing the truth but failing to report it, imprisoning Zhao Wuji, and abandoning his post..."

"What excuse do you have for these situations?"

Zhang Guang walked up to Xu Zhe, stared into Xu Zhe's eyes, and said.

Since taking office as minister, he has always been tolerant, even permissive, towards Xu Zhe.

When Taoyuan reappeared, after Xu Zhe stepped down from his position as deputy minister, Zhang Guang immediately appointed him as the head of the action department.

The position of deputy director of the siege department has also remained vacant.

It's to let the other employees in the department know that Xu Zhe still has real power.

Upon stepping down this time, he immediately sought out Xu Zhe to succeed him.

Even just a few days ago, when the matter of monitoring Lin Xing'an was exposed, Zhang Guang still turned a blind eye.

Not only did they not announce the punishment for Xu Zhe in public, they also preserved Xu Zhe's power as much as possible and gave him face.

Even his first thought was still for Xu Zhe to replace him.

But now, to be betrayed by Xu Zhe like this...

Zhang Guang grew angrier the more he thought about it!
Anger surged and churned within him!

He strategized and planned, spanning so many years from Yu Yu to Lin Xing'an, and finally became a member of the committee. The goal of the reform committee was just one step away!
Xu Zhe almost ruined it like this...

"Xu Zhe, you're really great!"

Zhang Guang gritted his teeth and gave a thumbs-up!
In other words, he still had a sliver of rationality left, and his friendship with Xu Zhe was too deep!
If it were anyone else here, Zhang Guang would have already made his move!

"Minister, please listen to me first."

Xu Zhe took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and withstood Zhang Guang's scorching breath, which was filled with extreme anger.

"Tell me, Xu Zhe, do you have evidence that Lin Xing'an is a beast?"

Zhang Guang stared wide-eyed and let out a cold laugh.

“Xu Zhe, let me tell you, Lin Xing’an was my best friend, my best friend who has already sacrificed himself, and my only child.”

"I'd like to see what evidence you can produce!"

"I want to see! What the hell have you found out all these days, at the cost of the entire assassination squad's reputation and the safety of all your colleagues?!"

Zhang Guang tapped the table and said, word by word.

Within the ghost realm, the invisible flames seemed intent on reducing Xu Zhe to ashes!

“Minister, I have figured it out. Everything that is happening now is related to Lin Xing’an.”

Do you think the pandemic is like the burning of oneself before death in the sixth month? No!

"The epidemic is a grand scheme devised by humans and animals for the sake of Linxing!"

Xu Zhe was panting heavily, constantly rubbing the ring on his finger, his voice low and hoarse!
"Lin Xing'an is an undercover agent sent by humans and animals to infiltrate our area!"

"He provided the location of the Peach Blossom Spring server, this location... cough cough cough!"

"Minister, think about it, we've been searching for twenty years and still haven't found him. How did some mere college student know?"

"This position... cough cough cough! It's the stepping stone that humans and animals used to get Lin Xing'an into our committee!"

Xu Zhe couldn't help but cough!

But he was completely unaffected; on the contrary, his voice became even more solemn!
"Minister, think about it. If Lin Xing'an didn't know about this position, he would be nothing!"

"Moreover, even if it means sacrificing Peach Blossom Spring, we must send Lin Xing'an in!"

"Because Lin Xing'an's value is even greater than that of Peach Blossom Spring!"

Xu Zhe roared, spittle flying everywhere, his body trembling uncontrollably!

After discovering the basement in Huayu Residential Area, he pondered for almost an entire day.

After finally confirming Lin Xing'an's human-animal identity, the reasons behind Lin Xing'an's actions became clear to Xu Zhe as if the clouds had parted and the sun had risen!
"Minister, at this juncture, the purpose of allowing Lin Xing'an into the committee is to obtain the identity of the sacrificer!"

"This is something that Peach Blossom Spring could never do!"

"And once humans and animals know which of them is the hidden sacrificer, they can take measures to imprison the sacrificer!"

"The ultimate goal of both humans and animals is to prevent the birth of a mother!"

Xu Zhe was also staring at Zhang Guang, his eyes bloodshot!
His voice grew increasingly excited as he spoke.

He seemed to be completely immersed in the thrill of exposing Lin Xing'an!
"In order to achieve this goal, both humans and animals must make Lin Xing'an a candidate committee member!"

"Yes, yes, Minister, I had already guessed it when Lin Xing'an announced his candidacy for committee member!"

"However, given Lin Xing'an's qualifications and performance, he has absolutely no chance of being selected."

"That's why humans and animals allowed the plague to be released in the Sixteenth Month at this time!"

Because the ghost realm within Zhang Guang was scorching hot, like a purgatory.

So Xu Zhe was already drenched in sweat at this moment!

The intense heat caused him to pace back and forth, making him appear extremely frantic!

Zhang Guang, standing to the side, watched Xu Zhe coldly the entire time.

“Minister, sacrificing Taoyuan was a choice made by humans and animals to get Lin Xingan into the committee.”

"And now, sacrificing sixteen months means that humans and animals will put Lin Xing'an in the position of candidate committee member."

Xu Zhe shook his head and said with a sneer.

"If I'm not mistaken, Lin Xing'an must know the location of the sixteenth month!"

"He just wants to wait until the epidemic develops to a certain extent, then find an excuse to come back from the south of the city and become a hero!"

"Only in this way, Minister, only in this way will everyone vote for Lin Xing'an!"

"Only in this way can Lin Xing'an become a candidate committee member and find out the identities of the human and animal sacrificers!"

Xu Zhe's eyes were bloodshot, like a spider web!

The look in his eyes was filled with madness, confidence, and anticipation...

But Zhang Guang's brow twitched!

He looked like he was on the verge of exploding!
"Xu Zhe, it's that pointless nonsense again, and all those 'what ifs' again..."

"If Lin Xing'an is an undercover agent for humans and animals, if Lin Xing'an has problems..."

"Xu Zhe! Have you fucking lost your mind?! Who are you trying to fool with this attitude?!"

"Everything you've deduced is based on 'what ifs'! Where's the evidence you mentioned?!"

Zhang Guang roared and slammed his fist on the table!
"boom!"

His ghost realm erupted like a volcano!
A surge of heat suddenly engulfed Xu Zhe!

It was as if Xu Zhe was lifted up by an invisible hand and slammed against the office wall!
"Cough! Cough-cough-cough!"

The powerful blow caused Xu Zhe to cough up a mouthful of blood!

The clothes on my body, which were soaked with sweat, were not damaged in the slightest.

But the skin beneath the clothes looked as if it had been scorched by flames, with some areas even carbonized!

"Crash..."

After coughing up several mouthfuls of blood, Xu Zhe forced himself to stand up despite the intense pain from his severe burns.

Behind him, shattered wall pieces crashed down, leaving behind cracks.

"Xu Zhe, I really wish I could kill you right now."

The intense heat in the ghost realm caused Xu Zhe's already burned skin to sizzle.

The thawed skin and flesh stuck to the clothes!
The excruciating pain contorted Xu Zhe's expression.

But I finally came to my senses.

"minister……"

He gritted his teeth, trying not to let his voice become distorted.

Because Zhang Guang's eyes and demeanor indicated that he was not joking.

Zhang Guang really had the urge to kill him!
"Minister, I have evidence."

Xu Zhe took a deep breath.

“After Lin Xing’an went to the South City, I had Mirror Ghost monitor him 24 hours a day, and I discovered…”

"What?!" Zhang Guang's eyes widened again!
"Xu Zhe, Lin Xing'an went to Nancheng, and you're still monitoring him?!"

"What the hell are you thinking?!"

Zhang Guang grabbed Xu Zhe by the neck and lifted him up!
"Xu Zhe, you really are..."

Seeing Xu Zhe's expression, she shoved him onto the table again!
The hard corner of the table slammed into Xu Zhe's lower back!

The intense pain caused Xu Zhe to arch his back, gasping for breath and writhing on the ground.

Zhang Guang's anger wasn't about Xu Zhe spying on Lin Xing'an again!
What angered him was that he had told Xu Zhe five times to stop targeting Lin Xing'an.

After the bugging incident came to light, he even explicitly forbade Xu Zhe from telling him again.

Even though he repeatedly emphasized this, Xu Zhe still ignored it!
"Xu Zhe, I'm your boss at work!"

"Outside of work, I'm your older brother!"

"I considered you a brother, and you fucking treat my words like they're nothing?!"

"How many times have I told you this? How many times?!"

Looking at Xu Zhe, whose face was pale from the pain, Zhang Guang was filled with anger and disappointment!

"Furthermore, Xu Zhe, did you tell the Mirror Ghost Xu Ye that her cough was because she contracted the [Plague]?"

"That's your fucking daughter! Your own daughter, a gift from your mother!"

“You heard everything clearly through eavesdropping about being humiliated like that by Qian Qiongzhi, and you could still endure it.”

"You can still tolerate this?! All for Lin Xing'an?!"

He shouted in uncontrollable rage.

But Xu Zhe coughed up blood.

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes!

"Things have come to this! I must keep an eye on Lin Xing'an! I have no way out!"

Xu Zhe spat out a mouthful of blood and stood up, panting.

"The Mirror Ghost saw Lin Xing'an and used its ability to control water."

"Minister, did you know Lin Xing'an had this ability? Did you know he was hiding it so well? Cough cough cough!"

The intense discomfort in his throat made Xu Zhe keep swallowing the bloody saliva in his mouth.

The smell of blood made Xu Zhe's eyes turn bloodshot!
“I told you this last time, when Zhang Hang attacked Lin Xing’an.”

"With Lin Xing'an's mere [Tide] ability, he would surely die under Zhang Hang's attack!"

"So Lin Xing'an is hiding his true identity more deeply than you, me, and everyone else can imagine!"

Xu Zhe closed his eyes and kept adjusting his breathing.

As long as his ears are not damaged and he can hear, he will not be in any danger.

The burns on his body only caused him pain.

"What do you want to say?"

Zhang Guang squinted and asked in a cold voice.

“Minister, a human being may awaken two abilities, or even three abilities.”

"But these abilities cannot be completely unrelated; they must be connected."

Do you think there's any connection between Lin Xing'an's "Tides" and his ability to control water?

"His ability, and even those many more hidden abilities, definitely didn't come from awakening!"

As Xu Zhe spoke, he bent down and picked up two broken arrows that he had prepared beforehand.

These are the two arrows that Lin Xing'an broke on the day Zhang Hang attacked Lin Xing'an.

"Minister, these are Class B weapons for humans and animals. How could Lin Xing'an, a mere Class D weapon, possibly break two of them with his bare hands?"

"He said it was a mutation in the [Tide] ability, what utter nonsense!"

Xu Zhe handed the arrow to Zhang Guang.

But Zhang Guang simply shook off Xu Zhe's hand.

"Minister, Lin Xing'an's ability was obtained by absorbing the gloom of a dead gluttonous ghost, a gamble on probability!"

Seeing this, Xu Zhe grunted and said directly!

"The probability is less than one percent!"

"Therefore, Lin Xing'an must have absorbed a lot of yin energy to be able to gamble on this probability!"

"Humans and animals have been collecting yin energy all along, leaving it for Lin Xing'an to absorb!"

"And I've found their secret hiding place!"

At this point, Xu Zhe coughed and let out a series of cold laughs.

Under the scorching heat, he didn't notice at all that Zhang Guang's face was growing increasingly gloomy!

"take me."

Zhang Guang's ghost realm slowly disappeared.

It was as if all the anger in his body had been digested internally.

But the light in his eyes seemed even more deadly than when he was filled with rage just moments before…

“Minister, the gloom preserved in this place spans more than twenty years.”

"So the plan to send Lin Xing'an in by humans and animals has been in the works for at least twenty years!"

"Besides humans and animals, who else in the entire North City would have the ability and the courage to collect so much of the gluttonous ghosts' gloom?"

"This is irrefutable proof that Lin Xing'an is a beast!"

Having not slept for several days, coupled with the pain in his body, Xu Zhe no longer had the energy to read people's expressions.

He led Zhang Guang directly towards Huayu Residential Area.

Zhang Guang remained silent throughout the journey.

Xu Zhe, on the other hand, kept talking.

“Minister, the place is filled with gloomy things, some of which are even Class B or Class A gluttonous ghosts. These gluttonous ghost corpses were clearly placed in the cemetery.”

"Xu Zhe, how did you find this place?"

Zhang Guang followed Xu Zhe to Huayu Residential Area, and they arrived at the unfinished, bare-bones apartment.

A flash of murderous intent crossed his eyes.

This place is the Sword of Damocles hanging over his and Jiang Rong's heads.

Once exposed, it would be enough to kill him and Jiang Rong...

Xu Zhe had disobeyed his orders far too many times.

"Through...monitoring Lin Xing'an!"

Xu Zhe pushed open the door to the secret room, his eyes filled with bloodlust!

Although he learned about this place through an undercover agent among the humans and animals.

But if he says that, it's not enough to just sit idly by and look at Lin Xing'an's "crimes"!
That's not enough to put Lin Xing'an to death!

He had to insist that he learned the information from Lin Xing'an in order to kill Lin Xing'an!
No matter what, no matter what, Lin Xing'an must be killed today!

Xu Zhe looked at the rows of gloomy buildings in front of him, his breathing becoming extremely rapid!

The committee explicitly forbids the absorption of negative influences!

With this room full of evidence, Lin Xing'an is connected to humans and animals; he is dead!

Lin Xing'an is neither human nor animal; he will die too!
Therefore, we must insist that this place is related to Lin Xing'an!
"...by monitoring Lin Xing'an..."

Zhang Guang, standing behind Xu Zhe, narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, it's to monitor Lin Xing'an! Lin Xing'an was careless; he didn't expect me to be watching him even as the epidemic was spreading!"
“Any one of these jars could be a death sentence!”

"This room has caused far more damage to our committee than the pandemic has!"

"Minister, even if you don't care about this place, I will definitely tell everyone! I did nothing wrong!"

Xu Zhe's voice trembled with excitement!

He was completely unaware that Zhang Guang's ghostly domain had slowly spread out, encompassing the entire basement.

(End of this chapter)