A single divination predicts life and death; the entire internet begs me to start a live stream.

Lin Wanqing did not refute.

But she still wanted to investigate.

She is a police officer.

The more hopeless a place seems, the more important it is to use evidence to confirm it.

Half an hour later, the first batch of monitoring data was transmitted back.

The detective walked into the ancestral hall with a grim expression.

"Team Leader Lin, something's wrong."

Lin Wanqing looked up.

"explain."

"Within a three-kilometer radius of the ancestral home, all the surveillance cameras on the village roads, at intersections, in front of convenience stores, and in the village parking lot are malfunctioning."

"The malfunctions occurred between 9:40 PM and 10:20 PM tonight."

Lin Wanqing said:

"At the same time?"

"Yes."

The detective continued:

"Some screens are black."

"Some of them are snowflakes."

"Sometimes the screen freezes."

"Several surveillance cameras showed normal operation, but when we reviewed them, the footage was stuck on the same frame."

Lin Wanqing asked:

"Technical malfunction?"

The detective shook his head.

"It doesn't look like it."

"It seems more like human interference."

Chen Bufan, who was resting to the side, opened his eyes upon hearing this.

"The area is three kilometers."

Lin Wanqing turned to look at him.

"Can magic do that?"

Chen Bufan said:

"Ordinary spells can't do that."

"But there will always be someone who sets up a cover-up."

Lin Wanqing frowned.

"The Shadow Bureau?"

Chen Bufan explained:

"Surveillance cameras should record people walking on the road."

"The Shadow-Covering Bureau doesn't cover people, it covers shadows."

"To the average person, it looks like the security camera is broken."

"Actually, the Yin-Yang image was obscured during this period."

The detective felt a chill run down his spine.

Lin Wanqing's face darkened.

"Keep searching."

"Pull up the surveillance footage from three kilometers away as well."

"Especially old roads, wastelands, riverbanks, and trails."

"Since he took Chen Laojiu with him, he has to go out eventually."

The detective immediately said:

"Yes."

Another ten minutes or so passed.

The second batch of monitoring data was transmitted back.

The result is not ideal.

There were indeed a few vehicles passing by three kilometers away.

However, the image was either glaringly white by the lights or obscured by rain and fog.

The few watchable dashcam clips only captured blurry shadows on the roadside.

There is no license plate.

No front view.

Even whether it was a human figure could not be completely confirmed.

Even after repeatedly zooming in, the technician could only offer one sentence:

"Someone appears to have passed by."

Lin Wanqing stared at the screen, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"Suspected?"

The detective whispered:

"This is the best we can do right now."

"The surveillance interference range is too large, and the timing is very precise."

"The other side clearly made arrangements in advance."

Lin Wanqing did not speak.

She reviewed the surveillance footage again.

black screen.

snowflake.

Frame freeze.

Rain and fog.

Reflective.

Each segment felt like we were just one step away from finding a clue.

But each segment is slightly off by a little bit.

This is no coincidence.

This is a blank space left intentionally by the other party.

An anomaly was detected.

No evidence could be found.

You can see someone taking action.

But I couldn't hold onto that hand.

Lin Wanqing put down the tablet, her voice cold:

"They are very skilled."

Chen Bufan said:

"Of course I'm proficient."

Lin Wanqing looked at him.

Chen Bufan said calmly:

"Someone who can hide in the Xuanmen for so long wouldn't be doing this for the first time."

Lin Wanqing remained silent for a moment.

She knew Chen Bufan was right.

From the police's perspective, they have indeed discovered something unusual.

The surveillance system also malfunctioned.

There were no signs of forced entry at the scene.

Chen Laojiu has gone missing.

The words left in blood.

The Record of Destiny indicates three days.

None of them are normal.

However, there wasn't a single piece of direct evidence that could be used to determine who was responsible.

No clear picture.

There is no license plate.

No fingerprints were found.

There were no eyewitnesses.

Even whether Chen Laojiu was kidnapped or left voluntarily is still uncertain.

That's the trickiest part.

Lin Wanqing looked at the blood-written characters on the offering table and said in a deep voice:

"I ordered the area to be expanded further."

"Check all vehicles leaving the village."

"Check highway entrances."

"Check the communication base stations from the last three hours."

"As long as they take Chen Laojiu away, they will definitely leave traces."

Chen Bufan shook his head.

"There's no need to waste too much energy on this."

Lin Wanqing frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Chen Bufan picked up his phone, and the screen lit up.

"They won't let you find out the way."

"But they've already opened the door for me."

Lin Wanqing looked at his phone.

On the screen was a text message from an unknown number.

The content is very short.

Mr. Chen, I have long admired the Chen family's reputation as fortune tellers.

Three days later, the Xuanmen (Taoist) sect will hold a discussion on Taoism, and Mr. Chen is invited to attend.

At that time, you can inquire about old debts.

[The Xuanmen Association cordially invites you.]

Below the text message was also an electronic invitation.

The invitation's background features a black and white yin-yang symbol.

In the center is a compass pattern.

There are three thin lines outside the compass.

Lin Wanqing finished reading it.

"You guys are into metaphysics."

"Do you really enjoy causing trouble in the middle of the night?"

Chen Bufan placed his phone on the offering table.

"Isn't this just like being sleepy and someone handing you a pillow?"

His tone was indifferent.

But Lin Wanqing could tell that there was sarcasm hidden in that seemingly casual remark.

Chen Laojiu has just gone missing.

The Record of Mandate of Heaven had just revealed that "the old servant's life hung by a thread for three days, and the traitor hid in the Xuanmen."

The surveillance footage just now didn't yield any valid evidence.

The invitation from the Xuanmen Association arrived.

Three days later.

The Xuanmen (Taoist) school discusses the Tao.

You can ask about old debts.

The timing is so precise it doesn't seem like an invitation.

It's more like a notification.

Or rather, provocation.

Lin Wanqing picked up her phone and took a picture of the text message for future reference.

"What a coincidence."

She whispered:

"Old Chen's life hangs by a thread."

"Lu Changsheng's trial will also take place in three days."

"Now the Xuanmen Association has scheduled the discussion for three days from now."

"Everything is piling up on the same day."

She looked up at Chen Bufan.

"This is no coincidence."

Chen Bufan nodded.

"Of course not."

Lin Wanqing continued:

"They took Chen Laojiu away not to hide."

"It's to force you to go."

"The surveillance system malfunctioned not because they were afraid we would investigate."

"It's telling us that we can't catch up using ordinary methods."

"Then they'll send you an invitation."

"It means—"

"People are in their own game."

"The debt is also part of their scheme."

Chen Bufan did not refute.

He picked up the blood-stained, broken coin again.

The copper coin was cold.

The bloodstains were half-dry.

Chen Laojiu's blood.

The blood-written words at the Chen family ancestral home.

The hints from the "Records of Destiny".

An invitation from the Xuanmen Association.

These things were laid out in front of him one by one.

It's as if someone paved a road in advance.

Wait for him to go up.

Lin Wanqing said in a deep voice:

"This is a setup."

"Of course it's a setup."

"Then why are you still going?"

Chen Bufan looked at the character "betray" on the offering table.

"Chen Laojiu is in their hands."

"The traitor from the Chen family is also there."

"It's easier for them if I don't go."

Lin Wanqing said:

"I'll go with you."

Chen Bufan glanced at her.

"The discussions on Taoism in the Xuanmen school are not ordinary meetings."

Lin Wanqing said:

"Then we should definitely go."

Chen Bufan said:

"They may not let the police in."

Lin Wanqing said:

"They kidnapped people, left messages in blood, and sent invitations—this is provocation."

"It's not a matter of whether they let me in or not."

"It's up to me whether I let them out or not."

Chen Bufan looked at her and, for the first time, did not refute her.

He turned to look at the ancestral tablets.

Light incense, offer incense, kneel and worship.

The ceremony is complete.

The blood-written characters on the offering table are still there.

The blood-written words on the "Record of Destiny" are still there.

The old servant's life hangs in the balance.

The traitors hid within the Xuanmen (mysterious gate).

Chen Bufan stood up. He took back the "Destiny Record" and put the blood-stained, broken life coin into the tattered bag.

"Three days later."

"I will attend the meeting."

"The Xuanmen owes the Chen family."

"It's time to clean it up."