Forgotten Photo Studio

Chapter 161 No need to worry about money anymore

Dr. Li, who had collapsed to the ground, began to tremble violently. It was not a muscle spasm, but an uncontrollable shudder that originated from the very source of his soul.

His unfocused gaze struggled futilely in the void, as if he were fighting for control of his consciousness with some invisible entity within him.

His lips trembled, and he opened them several times but could only make a hoarse sound.

Finally, as if using all his remaining strength, he squeezed out a few broken but clear syllables from between his teeth:

“Notes… in the third isolation block… the key is… ‘Prometheus’s Fire’…”

Before he could finish speaking, his body jerked violently, as if all support had been removed, and he collapsed completely unconscious, as if his last words had extinguished the last flame of his life.

The laboratory was deathly silent, with only the low hum of instruments running in the distance.

"'Prometheus's Fire'..."

Xu Yan repeated the phrase in a low voice, his eyes instantly becoming incredibly sharp.

He immediately turned to Chen Zhiwei, speaking quickly and clearly:
"Record: The target anomaly has been preliminarily identified as a 'symbiotic ghost,' possessing high intelligence, camouflage capabilities, and mind manipulation abilities. Its danger level is tentatively set at 'E+', and it has the characteristic of deeply parasitizing its host through technological means."

Chen Zhiwei immediately understood, and while recording with his portable terminal, he added:

"Its energy characteristics are cold and viscous, with a strong tendency to 'cognitive pollution,' which can distort the host's will and may... draw upon the host's wisdom and knowledge in reverse."

Xu Yan nodded, his gaze returning to the unconscious Dr. Li, his tone heavy:

"He wanted to be like Prometheus, stealing fire, believing that capturing 'celestial fire' from a higher dimension would benefit humanity, unaware that he was attracting a destructive force capable of incinerating himself. He was probably not encountering a benevolent higher-dimensional being..."

Just then, a series of hurried but orderly footsteps came from outside, accompanied by short and forceful commands.

Han Wenshan strode in, surrounded by a group of capable staff.

He was no longer the composed business tycoon in the tea room; now he resembled a commander on the front lines, with sharp eyes, a brisk pace, and an undeniable air of decisiveness.

His team was extremely efficient. Almost the instant they stepped into the laboratory, someone began setting up portable communication and data analysis equipment. The dark blue holographic screen quickly lit up, connecting the laboratory to the temporary command center outside.

Another group of people wearing special protective suits and carrying psionic detectors have begun deploying energy barrier generators flashing with runes in the outer corridor; they are clearly a professional anomaly handling team.

Han Wenshan strode into the temporary command center with a brisk pace, his gaze sharp as he locked onto Xu Yan, without any unnecessary pleasantries:

"Mr. Xu, how is Dr. Li? What is the threat level of that thing?"

“His vital signs are temporarily stable, but his consciousness has sunk to a deep state. He has been diagnosed with deep parasitism as an ‘E+ level consciousness symbiotic ghost.’” Xu Yan spoke calmly, then dropped a crucial piece of information: “Before falling into a coma, he mentioned the key to his research notes—'Prometheus’s Fire.’”

"'Prometheus's Fire'..."

Han Wenshan's eyes suddenly narrowed; this word clearly touched upon some deep information he possessed.

He did not respond immediately, but remained silent for a moment, a silence that conveyed weighing and caution.

Xu Yan keenly noticed his hesitation and immediately pressed him for an answer, her tone calm and direct:
"Mr. Han, to accurately assess the risks and find solutions, I need to know the core information. What exactly are the specific objectives of Dr. Li's research?"

Han Wenshan and Xu Yan stared at each other for a moment, as if an invisible bargaining chip was being exchanged in the air.

He was clearly assessing the risks and necessity of disclosing the information.

Ultimately, the willingness to cooperate and his assessment of the current crisis prevailed, and he chose limited candor, lowering his voice in the process:

"The specific technical path is a top secret of the group, and I cannot go into details here. But its theoretical direction... can be understood as aiming to guide or even 'catalyze' the evolution of life in a specific direction."

He was extremely careful with his words, each one seemingly having been carefully crafted.

"Looking back now, the key 'Prometheus's Fire' was itself a dangerous signal. Dr. Li's ambitions probably went much further than planned when the project was first launched."

"What he wants to steal is... what he perceives as 'divine fire'?"

Han Wenshan was almost talking to himself, and this deduction made a look of horror flash deep in his eyes.

"Judging from the behavior patterns of the parasites, this hypothesis is highly probable."

Xu Yan replied in a deep voice, clearly connecting the clues.

"The most urgent task is to immediately retrieve all the data in the third isolated block corresponding to the key, especially the experimental logs and energy model."

At the same time, this place must be placed under the highest level of physical and psionic isolation, not only to prevent energy diffusion, but also to cut off any external commands or energy replenishment it might receive!

"understand!"

Han Wenshan no longer hesitated; Xu Yan's professionalism and accurate judgment convinced him to make up his mind.

He turned to the technical director and stated firmly:

"Grant Mr. Xu temporary highest data access privileges and synchronize all data in the third isolation block! Engineering team, execute the dual isolation protocol according to the psionic spectrum parameters provided by Mr. Xu! I want this place to become a 'black box' of information and energy within five minutes!"

The command was executed swiftly.

Data flowed into the terminal in front of Xu Yan like a floodgate being opened, while an even denser and more complex energy barrier was rapidly taking shape on the outside, completely sealing off the core area of ​​"Jingxinzhai".

The eye of the storm, seemingly following the key known as the "Prometheus Fire," is slowly turning in an even more terrifying direction.

The "spark" that Dr. Li attempted to steal likely originated from sources far beyond anyone's imagination.

Chen Zhiwei gently placed her fingertips on Dr. Li's wrist pulse, and a trace of extremely gentle spiritual energy probed in, carefully sensing the subtle changes in his life aura and energy field.

Her other hand remained pressed on the Soul-Suppressing Bell, her spiritual senses like an open spider web, closely monitoring any unusual energy movement around her, like a spirit cat guarding its territory.

Xu Yan was immersed in the massive amount of data, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

Dr. Li's core research—"psychic resonance biocatalysis"—is theoretically ingenious, aiming to leverage specific psychic frequencies to drive the evolution of life.

However, the turning point in everything points to that so-called "high-dimensional energy source".

The notes indicate that the research had been driven to the brink of collapse due to the inability to obtain a stable, pure specific psionic energy.

Until six months ago, an "accidental" psionic harvesting captured an unknown signal described as "stable, efficient, and intelligent."

In the subsequent notes, the handwriting gradually became tinged with fervor:
"It understands my needs! It can even optimize the resonance model! Look at this beautiful energy curve! This is... the true realm of the gods!"

Xu Yan's heart sank.

This is not passive erosion; it is an active act of inviting trouble.

Dr. Li thought he had found an omnipotent "wish-granting machine," but little did he know that he had become a sacrifice and a coordinate for the devil to descend into reality.

This evil spirit is extremely cunning. It appears as a "collaborator," offering incentives and gradually infiltrating every aspect of the research system with its "roots," forming a deep parasitic relationship with Dr. Li's thinking, equipment, and even life energy.

“We must find its ‘anchor point’.” Xu Yan raised his head and met Chen Zhiwei’s gaze. No words were needed; they understood each other perfectly.

His voice was low as he said, "It is the foundation upon which our stable existence is maintained in reality."

The term "resonance core generator" appears repeatedly and frequently in the data stream.

This is the energy center, and also the most likely "anchor point".

"Go to the core laboratory."

Xu Yan stood up and spoke to Han Wenshan, who had just confirmed the progress of his quarantine.

Han Wenshan looked at the two people in front of him who worked together seamlessly and acted decisively, and couldn't help but feel surprised.

He has met many contractors who are rated "silver," and they inevitably need time to adapt or rely on equipment when dealing with crises.

But these two young people in front of me, one with precise perception and effortless handling, and the other with sharp analysis that gets straight to the heart of the matter, demonstrate a professionalism and composure far beyond their age.

His previously tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he began to sincerely try to befriend and win her over.

He nodded solemnly, his tone unconsciously carrying a hint of respect:
"Understood. This way please."

Guided by their assistant, they passed through several heavily guarded corridors and finally stopped in front of a massive alloy door that required multiple biometric authentication methods and dynamic passwords.

The moment the door slid open, an energy field several times denser than the outside surged in like a viscous swamp, and the sweet, cloying scent mixed with the smell of ozone in the air was almost nauseating.

Inside the core laboratory, various precision instruments operated silently, while in the center, a complex device about the height of a person, made of transparent crystals and strange metals, called the "Resonance Core Generator," emitted a deep hum, like the beating of a heart.

Inside the device, a dazzling aurora-like flow of energy surges continuously.

But in Xu Yan's spiritual vision, beneath that dazzling display, countless filthy, gray-black energy threads, like living parasites, were entwined within, throbbing and expanding greedily with the flow of energy.

This is the nest!
Almost the instant Xu Yan stepped inside, the entire laboratory seemed to come alive, no longer a cold technological creation, but transformed into a living organ, an extension of an evil spirit, full of malice.

The generator's steady hum suddenly turned sharp and high-pitched, like a warning from a wild beast whose territory had been invaded.

The laboratory lights flickered wildly, and foul energy patterns flowed across the walls like ripples of water. The screens of several auxiliary instruments were instantly swallowed by distorted and chaotic symbols and bloody images.

"It noticed!"

Chen Zhiwei gave a sharp shout, stepped forward, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Xu Yan, shaking the Soul-Suppressing Bell in his hand without hesitation.

The clear, melodious bell sound transformed into circles of soft silver light that spread outwards, striving to resist and soothe the restless energy field.

Xu Yan's eyes narrowed, no longer relying on conventional spiritual perception.

He took a deep breath, focused his mind, and a clear, silvery light rippled out from the depths of his spiritual sea.

That was his unique "spiritual vision," a quality he possessed as a silver-level contractor, being fully activated.

The next second, a faint, almost tangible, silvery-white light flickered deep within his eyes.

The material world in sight fades and blurs instantly, replaced by countless flowing and intertwined energy veins and force fields.

In his eyes, the resonant core generator was no longer a complex combination of machinery and crystals, but a dangerous, constantly pulsating core composed of extremely active and contaminated psionic energy.

Several incredibly condensed silver-white perception beams, existing only within the spiritual vision's perspective, extended from his mental focus like living, intelligent tentacles, cautiously and precisely probing into the depths of the energy core's structure. They began to analyze its complex internal energy pathways layer by layer, searching with all their might for the true core hidden by the evil spirit.

However, the evil spirit's cunning and power were beyond expectation.

Instead of directly confronting Xu Yan's investigation, it went with the flow, disguising a carefully woven torrent of information—mixed with Dr. Li's fragmented memories, paranoia, and despair—as harmless data feedback, and forcefully pumped it back into Xu Yan's mind along the psychic threads.

But this mental pollution is not just targeting him alone.

Almost simultaneously, Han Wenshan, his assistant, and the psionic engineering team members who were standing guard at the rear all trembled violently and let out terrified gasps or groans.

The assistant's eyes rolled back, and he clutched his throat as if he couldn't breathe.
Han Wenshan's face turned deathly pale, and his forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat. The hallucination he saw was that countless writhing shadows were seeping out from the wall and rushing towards him.

Outside the door came the roars of the engineering team members and the sound of instruments falling to the ground. They were clearly trapped in a hallucination created by their own inner fears, and instantly lost their ability to fight and cooperate.

This is the true power of the lair—indiscriminate spiritual erosion.

In an instant, illusions began to appear before Xu Yan's eyes.

Dr. Li's manic speeches, the bizarre mutations of the experimental subjects, the frantic handwriting in his notebooks...

Finally, all the illusions coalesced into a pair of cold, greedy eyes, filled with endless malice and mockery, hidden deep within the torrent of energy.

This evil spirit is interfering with everyone at the same time, trying to create chaos and undermine their resistance.

"Uh!"

Xu Yan grunted, veins bulging on his forehead, but his will was as strong as iron, and he forcefully cut off the onslaught of information.

Although his mind was in turmoil, his eyes became increasingly sharp, making him one of the few people present who could still remain clear-headed and capable of action.

In that brief and perilous encounter, he keenly sensed a discordant fluctuation.

The source of all the foul energy faintly points to a seemingly inconspicuous dark purple crystal inside the generator, which serves as the focal point of resonance.

"Zhiwei! Its core is in that purple crystal!" Xu Yan shouted, his words rapid yet clear, piercing through the chaotic sounds of those trapped in the illusion. "Disrupt it! Create an opportunity for me!"

"understand!"

Chen Zhiwei did not hesitate. A faint light emanated from her body, clearly indicating that she was also resisting the mental erosion, but her movements remained steady.

The frequency of the Soul-Suppressing Bell suddenly changed, from a soothing, gentle sound to a rapid, high-pitched sound that could ward off evil.

The sound waves condensed into beams, no longer spreading ripples, but like invisible drills, precisely aimed at several key energy nodes outside the generator, attempting to disrupt its stable operation and force the evil spirits to be distracted in their defense.

Xu Yan's eyes flashed with silver light. Without hesitation, he shot forward like an arrow, heading straight for the "resonance core generator"! His target was clear—the dark purple crystal.

The moment he set off, the evil spirit went into a frenzy.

The brilliant light flowing inside the generator was instantly swallowed up by the thick, inky darkness.

The temperature in the laboratory plummeted, and a bone-chilling cold permeated the air. Cold frost, carrying a foul odor, condensed at a visible speed on the walls, floors, and even the surfaces of the instruments.

A far greater and purer malice than before, mixed with the desperate screams of countless souls being torn apart and twisted, transformed into a destructive energy surge, crashing down on Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei, who were still able to move, like a tsunami.

The final battle erupted in this nest that had become a living nightmare.

A devastating surge of energy swept over us, carrying a chill that froze our souls and a shrill scream that tore our consciousness apart.

Chen Zhiwei was the first to be hit. She let out a clear shout and activated the Soul-Suppressing Bell to its maximum. The sound of the bell transformed into a solid silver light shield, which forcefully blocked the two of them.

"Om-!"

The surge of energy collided violently with the sonic shield, producing a dull, thunderous roar.

The silver shield trembled violently, and Chen Zhiwei's face turned pale. She was forced to slide back half a step by the impact, but she gritted her teeth and held on to the fiercest first wave of attacks.

Xu Yan, taking advantage of the fleeting opportunity gained by Chen Zhiwei, moved without hesitation, approaching the "resonance core generator" like a ghost.

His eyes locked onto the dark purple crystal with a silvery light. His right hand, fingers clenched like a sword, gathered highly compressed spiritual energy at his fingertips, ready to strike the core of the evil spirit directly.

However, the evil spirit reacted with astonishing speed.

Just as Xu Yan's fingertips were about to touch the generator, the complex metallic patterns on the generator's outer shell suddenly lit up with a dark light, and a pitch-black shield made of pure negative energy and covered with spikes instantly popped out, blocking the purple crystal.

At the same time, several energy beams, resembling black tentacles, shot out from the generator base, carrying a corrosive stench, and wrapped around Xu Yan's legs.

"careful!"

Seeing this, Chen Zhiwei maintained the Soul-Suppressing Bell's light shield with his left hand, while his right hand swiftly reached into his personal pouch.

Her fingertips touched a talisman with a special texture and fine cloud patterns on its edges. It was a "golden needle talisman for exorcising evil" left by her grandfather. There were very few of them, and they were specially designed to break all kinds of evil energy entities. It was one of her most treasured life-saving items.

Without hesitation, she pulled it out, activated her spiritual energy at her fingertips, and the talisman spontaneously combusted, transforming into several fine yet incredibly sharp golden needles, each carrying the pure yang power to ward off evil. These needles, though thin, struck first, precisely at the energy tentacles.

"Chichichichi——!"

The golden light needle collided with the black tentacle, producing a violent reaction sound like cold water being poured into hot oil. The malicious energy tentacle was instantly burned and melted by the golden light, clearing the obstacle for Xu Yan in time.

Xu Yan seized this precious moment to catch his breath, his gaze sweeping over the burning afterimage of the talisman, and he instantly understood its origin.

A thought flashed through my mind involuntarily:

“Master, oh Master, you left the photography studio and this ‘responsibility’ to me, but all these truly valuable things were given to Zhiwei…”

But this feeling was fleeting, quickly replaced by a deeper sense of agreement.

After all, Chen Zhiwei is his junior sister and the lover he is determined to protect. His master's allocation of resources to protect her may be another form of profound consideration and entrustment from the old man.

This was no time to concern himself with such things. His eyes remained sharp as ever, and he did not continue his relentless assault on the seemingly impenetrable dark shield simply because the obstacle had been removed.

He keenly noticed that when the dark shield materialized and appeared, the energy flow in other areas inside the generator showed a very subtle but undeniable stagnation.

It is concentrating its efforts on defending the core!

This means that other areas become relatively vulnerable.

In the blink of an eye, Xu Yan changed his fingers into a palm, and the spiritual energy that was originally concentrated at one point suddenly spread out, turning his palm into a blade with a sharp silver light. It did not slash at the shield, but instead fiercely slashed at a main energy conduit connected to the dark purple crystal.

"Crack!"

A crisp cracking sound.

The energy conduit, crafted from a special crystal, snapped in response to Xu Yan's powerful strike.

“Ouch——!!!”

A howl, far more shrill and furious than before, seemed to explode directly from the soul.

The dark shield fluctuated violently, and the inky black energy flow inside the generator instantly became chaotic. The entire laboratory trembled more violently, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.

Although this attack did not directly hit the core, it was like severing a vital artery, causing substantial damage to the opponent.

"efficient!"

Chen Zhiwei's spirits lifted, and the Soul-Suppressing Bell changed its tone again, from defense to restraint. Waves of silver sound, like flexible chains, wrapped around the unstable dark shield and the generator itself, restricting its movement.

The evil spirit went completely mad.

It realized that Xu Yan was a threat far greater than it had imagined, and it no longer held back.

The dark purple crystal suddenly erupted with a blinding, eerie light. A more concentrated and chilling surge of consciousness, like countless ice needles, ignored physical obstacles and did not attack Xu Yan, but instead directly struck Chen Zhiwei, who was exerting all her strength to maintain the Soul-Suppressing Bell and whose spiritual energy was being greatly depleted.

It aims to disrupt the support, leaving Xu Yan isolated and helpless.

This sudden turn of events was extremely insidious and vicious.

Chen Zhiwei felt a chilling malice instantly invade her mind, her vision went black, the Soul-Suppressing Bell stopped abruptly, and the silver sonic chains binding the generator snapped inch by inch.

She groaned, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, her body swaying precariously.

"Knowing the subtle!"

Xu Yan's heart tightened, but he knew he absolutely could not turn back to defend at this moment, otherwise all his previous efforts would be in vain.

At the critical moment, Xu Yan's mind raced.

Based on past memories, although this camera is extraordinary, its direct sealing power is not very effective against E+ level evil spirits, especially those that have formed a stable "anchor point".

If the photograph fails to seal the seal in one strike, it will inevitably trigger the most frenzied counterattack. At that time, he, who has exhausted his spiritual energy, and the injured Zhiwei will have no way to survive.

We can't take any risks! We must ensure absolute safety!
In a flash, he made his decision.

With lightning speed, his left hand pulled a silver-gray external flash unit from the side pocket of his tactical waist pack, the movement so fluid it seemed as if he had practiced it a thousand times.

A faint light flashed at his fingertips, and using the special frequency that Chen Zhiwei had previously taught him, he instantly completed the spiritual connection between the flash and the camera body.

A distinct feeling of detachment came from my body, a sign that the exertion was far beyond what I was used to, and the cost of using it would certainly be considerable.

But at this moment, Xu Yan's eyes did not waver in the slightest—so what if the price is a little higher?

Only this method can secure victory.

Without hesitation, he poured his surging psionic energy into the connected device.

The dark silver camera was steadily raised, and when the lens was pointed at the purple crystal behind the dark shield, a chilling, oppressive aura spread out, as if time and space themselves had become viscous at that moment.

When the rampaging evil spirit sensed the completely different sense of danger emanating from the camera and flash, its shriek carried for the first time an undisguised, instinctive fear.

It relentlessly drained all the energy from the generator, instantly multiplying the thickness of the dark shield, its eerie light becoming as dense as ink that could not be dissolved.

But Xu Yan's index finger was already firmly and steadily hovering over the shutter button.

"Click."

A soft sound, though clearly audible in the chaotic laboratory, reached the ears of every single person present.

A powerful flash of light, and a soft yet irresistible white light, seemed to transcend time and space, ignoring the seemingly indestructible dark shield, and shone directly onto the dark purple crystal.

Time seems to freeze at this moment.

The surging, eerie light within the crystal froze instantly. The countless twisted, writhing gray-black energy threads, like frozen venomous snakes, remained in a menacing posture, yet could no longer move an inch.

The violent energy surge abruptly ceased, the tremors in the laboratory subsided, and the biting chill receded like the tide.

A slightly warm photographic sheet slowly emerges from the bottom of the camera.

The photograph no longer shows the scene of the room, but a close-up of a dark purple crystal wrapped in countless fine black lines and sealed against a chaotic background. The black lines are still twisting slightly, as if they have been frozen in the moment of struggle forever.

The buzzing sound from the "resonance core generator" completely disappeared, and the internal energy radiance returned to its original, relatively pure, and brilliant color, only much dimmer.

The core consciousness of the evil spirit was successfully sealed.

A strong, familiar sense of detachment suddenly gripped him.

It was as if some invisible eraser deep within my consciousness had precisely and ruthlessly wiped away a small section of my memory.

The subtle sensations of energy flowing when the flash was activated, which were so clear just a moment ago, have now become blurry, leaving only an untraceable blank and a slight dizziness.

He swayed, his face pale, but he was not completely exhausted.

Fortunately, he had a calming device—he subconsciously sensed the cool aura emanating from the jade piece inside the camera card slot, which barely kept his consciousness clear. However, the spiritual light on its surface was noticeably dimmed, and there were even a few fine cracks. Clearly, this time the consumption was huge, and he needed to find time to nurture and repair it as soon as possible.

"Brother!"

Despite the discomfort in her mind, Chen Zhiwei quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm, her voice trembling slightly.

Instead of asking about the result, she stared intently into his eyes, her voice tense and focused, "Look at me! Do you still recognize me? Do you remember why we came here?"

This is the most direct and heartbreaking confirmation of the cost of memory.

Xu Yan met her worried gaze and forced a smile. Although his eyes were somewhat unfocused due to the momentary blankness in his memory, his core consciousness remained clear:

“Chen Zhiwei…we just dealt with that…parasite.” He shook his head, trying to dispel the nagging sense of emptiness. “It’s just that…the details of using the flash are a bit blurry.”

Hearing that he could still accurately call out her name and clearly understand the core of the mission, Chen Zhiwei's heart finally settled down a little, but she did not let go of his hand, and the fear and concern in her eyes did not diminish at all.

"Next time... don't push yourself so hard," she whispered, her voice filled with complex emotions.

"The necessary price."

Xu Yan caught his breath and looked at the generator that had returned to calm, as well as the crystal image sealed on the photographic paper.

Although only its core consciousness was sealed and its scattered energy was not completely purified, the most dangerous part has been removed.

Dr. Li's deep connection with it was also greatly weakened because the core was sealed.

The moment Xu Yan finished speaking, the atmosphere in the laboratory underwent a subtle change.

The lingering, suffocating malice receded like the tide, the temperature began to rise, and the foul energy patterns on the walls quickly faded and disappeared.

Almost simultaneously, the people who were trapped in their respective terrifying illusions gradually woke up.

Han Wenshan gasped for breath, like a drowning man finally surfacing. He looked around, a trace of lingering fear still in his eyes, but his composure, honed over the years, allowed him to quickly regain his calm.

The first thing he saw was Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei, supporting each other and standing beside the central generator. Although their faces were pale, their postures were still upright.

Looking at the generator that had previously roared like a living thing, it was now completely silent, with no longer any of that nauseating gray-black energy flow inside.

He instantly understood something, his gaze meeting Xu Yan's, his expression questioning.

Xu Yan met his gaze, nodded slightly, and gave an affirmative answer.

A tremendous sense of relief, as if he had survived a disaster, instantly dispelled the last trace of gloom in Han Wenshan's heart.

Behind him, the assistant and the other psionic engineering team members gradually regained consciousness. Everyone's face showed lingering fear and confusion, but when they saw Han Wenshan's expression and the two young men in the center who were safe and sound, they guessed the outcome and couldn't help but show excited and joyful expressions.

"It's solved...it's really solved!" someone murmured, their voice filled with disbelief.

At this moment, in everyone's eyes, Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei, standing in the center of the messy laboratory, seemed to have grown taller.

They were so young, yet they ventured deep into this terrifying lair, turning the tide when everyone was bewitched and out of control. Their strength and sense of responsibility earned the respect and gratitude of every witness present.

Chen Zhiwei helped Xu Yan to rest against a relatively intact laboratory table.

She herself looked unwell, still feeling the chill, but she remained vigilantly watching her surroundings.

"How are you feeling?" she asked in a low voice, her eyes filled with undisguised concern.

Xu Yan shook his head. The mental detachment and physical weakness intertwined, making his voice hoarse: "The price was high, but... it's resolved."

He raised the photograph in his hand; the sealed dark purple crystal image was now a reassurance to everyone.

Han Wenshan immediately stepped forward, took out a delicate metal box from his pocket, and opened it to find several reagents that shimmered with a soft blue light inside.

"This is the highest concentration of 'Spiritual Pivot Nutrient Solution' from the research institute. It can quickly replenish spiritual energy consumption. Please use it first."

His tone was filled with unprecedented respect and gratitude.

Xu Yan did not refuse, took the bottle and drank it. A gentle and pure energy quickly spread in his body, nourishing his parched meridians.

“Mr. Han,” Xu Yan looked at Han Wenshan, his voice weak but carrying an undeniable authority, “the core threat has been sealed. Dr. Li is safe for the time being, but his mental connection with that thing is too deep, and his consciousness is severely damaged. He needs a long and professional recuperation, and it is still unknown whether he can fully recover.”

Han Wenshan nodded solemnly; this result was even better than the best-case scenario he had anticipated.

His gaze fell once more on the photographic paper, tinged with a hint of reverence:
"This is... the true form of that 'evil spirit'?"

“It’s more like a highly intelligent ‘consciousness parasite’,” Xu Yan corrected, his gaze deep. “We’ve probably only just begun to scratch the surface of the secrets of Jingxinzhai.”

“Not bad.” Xu Yan handed over the photographic paper. “Its main consciousness has been sealed here, but the energy pollution that spread before, as well as its entanglement with laboratory equipment and even some experimental results, still need to be carefully cleaned up, otherwise there will be endless troubles. This is why I requested double isolation.”

Han Wenshan received the seemingly ordinary yet incredibly heavy photograph with both hands, almost as if it were a solemn ceremony.

It felt heavy and cold to the touch, as if I were holding a piece of ice from the abyss.

He carefully examined the crystal on the photograph paper, which was bound and sealed by countless intricate black lines. Even through the powerful seal, his keen intuition, honed by years of experience in the business world, could still detect a trace of its locked, soul-chilling, and sinister essence.

“Mr. Xu, Ms. Chen,” Han Wenshan’s voice was even lower than before, filled with undisguised gratitude and a sense of determination, “Great kindness needs no words of thanks, but I must state my position. Today’s matter is no longer a simple employment relationship. You two are my benefactors who turned the tide for ‘Jingxinzhai’.”

He personally placed the photographic paper into the specially made metal box engraved with complex sealing runes, locked it, and then turned to Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei, his eyes sharp and sincere.

“For the subsequent cleanup, I will use the group’s highest-level ‘purification team’ and personally supervise it to ensure that no hidden dangers are left and that we follow your instructions completely.”

He first emphasized it again, and then made a clear gesture to his assistant.

The assistant immediately presented two items: an antique jade box and an encrypted data terminal, which was heavier than the one previously displayed and contained a physical key.

"This is the agreed-upon reward; please accept it." Han Wenshan opened the jade box, inside which were three pieces of "Spirit-Nourishing Jade" of excellent quality, imbued with spiritual light. "These items should be of some help in restoring your health."

Then, he picked up the data terminal and added solemnly:

"In addition to the permanent access to the intelligence network that I previously promised, which has been elevated to the core level of the group, it is also linked to an independent anonymous account. There is an initial fund in the account, and more importantly, it is connected to a non-public channel for material and technical support that I have directly authorized. In the future, if you two need any 'unconventional' equipment or information during the investigation, or encounter any trivial troubles at the official level, you can directly contact my personal security chief through this channel—he will prioritize meeting all your reasonable needs as if he were carrying out my orders."

This means that Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei not only received substantial and sustainable financial support, but also gained an efficient, secretive, and loyal support force within the behemoth that is the Han Group.

Xu Yan took the jade box and data terminal. This time, he didn't put them away immediately, but looked at Han Wenshan intently.

"We appreciate Mr. Han's kindness."

He knew that this was not only a way of repaying them, but also a weighty trust and a long-term "insurance." Han Wenshan hoped that they could continue to solve these kinds of problems and live well.

“That’s exactly what I wanted to remind Mr. Han about next.” Xu Yan then steered the conversation to a deeper level. “This thing was definitely not naturally formed. The timing of its ‘capture’ was too coincidental, and the source of the technology for those homemade sensors is even more suspicious. I suspect that this was a carefully planned, targeted attack on Dr. Li and his research. The person behind it has grand ambitions, and if the root cause is not found, Jingxinzhai and even the Han Group may never have peace.”

Han Wenshan's eyes instantly turned cold and sharp, revealing the ruthless decisiveness of a business tycoon.

“What Mr. Xu said is exactly what I was worried about. This is no longer just a supernatural event, but a business conspiracy and an unconventional attack! Rest assured, I will use all available resources to find the mastermind behind this! At that time, we may need the professional expertise of the two of you.”

The follow-up matters were handled efficiently.

As Xu Yan left Jingxinzhai in the car arranged by Han Wenshan, he looked out the window at the rapidly receding scenery, clutching the data terminal that symbolized resources and commitments tightly in his hand.

A sense of peace, which I hadn't felt in a long time, quietly dispelled the tension of the past few days.

He turned his head to look at Chen Zhiwei, who was resting with her eyes closed beside him, and said softly:
"With the Han family's connections and support, our path ahead will be much easier."

Chen Zhiwei opened her eyes, her gaze filled with weariness, yet also with a hint of relief.

She nodded, a faint, genuine smile curving her lips.

"Well, at least... I won't have to worry about money for a while. And I've got access to key intelligence."

This was undoubtedly a godsend for them, who had been bearing the economic burden and lack of information all by themselves.

Returning to the familiar "Forgotten Photo Studio," I closed the door, temporarily isolating myself from the outside world's disturbances.

The two breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, smiled at each other, and their joy at surviving the ordeal and their tacit understanding in overcoming the formidable enemy were unspoken.

Xu Yan gently placed the jade box containing the "Spirit-Nourishing Jade" on the living room table, and the gentle spiritual light dispelled the gloom and fatigue in the room.

He didn't immediately urge them to rest, but instead looked at Chen Zhiwei, his tone carrying a rare hint of relaxation:

"Let's use this to recover our strength first. Tonight, if we're feeling alright, let's go for a stroll at 'Liuquanji'."

"Liuquan Collection?"

Chen Zhiwei's eyes flickered slightly, and she immediately understood his intention.

It was a chaotic underground black market in the city, a place where all sorts of secret information and special items circulated.

"You want to try your luck, get some treasures, or gather information?"

“Hmm.” Xu Yan nodded. “Before, we had no clue and could only wait passively. Now that we have more money and the Han family as a connection, it’s time to take the initiative. Perhaps we can find some clues there.”

"Okay." Chen Zhiwei agreed without any hesitation.

The two said no more. Xu Yan held the warm and smooth Spirit-Nourishing Jade in his hand, guiding its pure and peaceful energy to nourish his parched meridians and damaged spirit, doing his best to repair the damage from this trip.

The sky outside the window gradually brightened, and a new day had begun.

The crisis at Jingxinzhai has temporarily come to an end, but Xu Yan knows that this is only a brief calm before the storm.

The urgency to find the "Soul-Suppressing Iron," the threat from Judge Jiang Yu, the mystery left behind by his father Xu Haoyu... all the clues are intertwined into a huge, dangerous web.

He and Chen Zhiwei must take advantage of this precious respite to recover and become stronger as soon as possible, so that they can clarify everything and seize the opportunity to survive in the approaching storm.

(End of this chapter)