I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

As the black van drove onto the elevated road, the lights of Qingcheng were already left behind.

Lin Ye sat in the back row, clutching the temporary ID that the Seventh Bureau had given him.

Under the same night sky, another convoy was driving in the opposite direction.

Qingcheng Outer Ring Road.

The seven escort convoys have just left the temporary lockdown point.

The convoy consisted of six vehicles.

There were two escort vehicles at the front and back, and two escort vehicles in the middle.

A car carrying Su Tinglan, Chen Jin, and Bai Yuan.

Another vehicle was used to escort Xing Shanhe and two tomb raiders.

The route was changed three times.

The license plate has been changed.

Independent encryption for communication.

There are also restraint devices inside the vehicle.

The escort commander sat in the lead vehicle, watching the route on the screen.

The first half of the route can be changed at any time.

However, before finally entering the high-level detention point, there is an unavoidable section of the merging road on the east side of the outer ring road.

That's the only necessary route tonight.

In the second escort vehicle, Su Tinglan sat by the window.

Her hands were restrained in front of her, the clasps on her wrists gleaming with a cold, white metallic sheen.

Chen Jin sat opposite her, his face gloomy.

Bai Yuan lowered her head and didn't say a word.

The carriage was very quiet.

Chen Jin lowered his voice: "Where are they taking us?"

Su Tinglan looked out the window.

"have no idea."

Will Master Lai come to our rescue?

Su Tinglan then looked up at him.

Chen Jin shut his mouth.

He himself knew that this question was meaningless.

On the back slope of Qingshan Mountain, Lai Changqing left with Xuan Gui.

He didn't turn around.

They weren't brought along either.

The carriage fell silent again.

Inside the escort vehicle ahead, the voices of the Seventh Division operatives came through their earpieces.

"The car in front is fine."

"Escort vehicle number two is normal."

"Escort vehicle number three is operating normally."

"The car behind is normal."

"Enter the outer ring road (east section) and merge into the backup route in three minutes."

The escort commander glanced at the screen.

Navigation is working properly.

Communication is normal.

There are few vehicles in the surrounding area.

Everything is normal.

That's almost too normal.

Three minutes later, the convoy entered the auxiliary road on the east side of the outer ring road.

Reflective roadside signs receded one after another.

The driver of the second escort vehicle suddenly frowned.

He saw that the taillights of the car in front were still on.

But those two red lights seemed to be separated by a layer of fog.

The co-pilot, the seventh operations officer, looked down at his instruments.

"Distance anomaly".

"The car in front has pulled back to 120 meters."

A response came quickly through the headset from the car in front.

"The distance to the vehicle in front has not changed."

The passenger's face darkened.

"Repeated, vehicle number two shows an abnormal distance."

As soon as he finished speaking, the taillights in the rearview mirror slowly disappeared into the distance.

It's not that the car drove too far.

It was more like their car, which had been gently moved out of the convoy by something.

The driver immediately slowed down.

"An anomaly has been detected in escort vehicle number two."

"Suspected signal interference."

"Requesting route confirmation."

Suddenly, a faint static noise came through the headset.

The next second, the car headlights illuminated a narrow, broken road.

That road isn't on the map.

The road surface was dilapidated, and weeds grew wildly on both sides, as if it had been abandoned for many years.

But the wheel had already run over it.

The passenger in the front seat immediately pressed the alarm.

"Block the vehicles!"

The red lights inside the carriage came on.

Su Tinglan raised her head.

Chen Jin's expression changed: "What's going on?"

No one answered.

The escort vehicle came to a sudden stop.

The escorts raised their guns almost simultaneously.

But what we saw outside the car window was no longer the outer ring road.

They stopped on an abandoned mountain road.

In the distance, there were no streetlights, no city lights, only a row of leaning concrete posts.

The passenger opened the car door, lowered the muzzle of the gun, and kept a steady sound.

"Everyone stay in the car."

"The person being escorted must not be moved."

After he finished speaking, the static in his earpiece suddenly stopped for a moment.

Someone gently knocked on the car window.

a bit.

Two times.

Take your time, at a leisurely pace.

A man in a gray coat was standing outside the car window.

He was in his thirties, with a very pale face, and was holding a thin, long copper nail in his hand.

He looked at the people in the car as if he were looking at a road that had already been folded.

"Seven reactions are still fast."

The man spoke, his voice muffled as it came through the bulletproof glass.

"Unfortunately, this section of road is no longer under your jurisdiction."

Without a word, the co-pilot fired.

Gunshots rang out.

The bullets struck outside the car window but missed the man.

It's not off-center.

In that instant, the man's position seemed to be folded at an angle.

The bullet passed by his shoulder and hit the weeds behind him.

The man looked down at the bullet hole.

"Don't waste bullets."

He raised his hand and drove the copper nail into the road surface.

The entire abandoned mountain road trembled slightly.

The electronic locks on the car doors were turned off simultaneously.

Several men in black rushed out of the weeds, moving quickly and with a clear objective.

The seven escort personnel also reacted quickly.

The passenger in the front seat raised his gun to press down on the car door, the butt of the gun hit one person's shoulder, and then kicked another person over.

But the man in gray, standing by the roadside, only said one sentence:

Thirty seconds.

The men in black immediately split into two groups.

A group of people held off the escorting personnel.

Another group got on the vehicle and used gray-white jade pieces to attach the restraint buckles.

The cold light on the restraint buckle flashed briefly, then slowly dimmed.

Chen Jin was the first to be untied.

Bai Yuan got out of the car, her face pale, but she didn't say a word.

When it was Su Tinglan's turn, she did not struggle.

She stood on the abandoned mountain path and glanced at the man in gray.

"Cen Wudu".

The man in gray smiled.

"You still remember me, which means the Seventh Division didn't torture you senseless."

Su Tinglan did not respond to that sentence.

She asked, "Where is Master Lai?"

Cen Wudu looked at her.

"Back to the island."

Su Tinglan's gaze paused slightly.

There was only one meal.

She quickly lowered her eyes.

Chen Jin's face was grim: "He left on his own?"

Cen Wudu retorted, "Otherwise what? Stay and go to jail with you?"

Chen Jin gritted his teeth.

Su Tinglan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Where is Lin Ye?"

Cen Wudu glanced at her.

"Seven places were taken to the capital."

Su Tinglan tightened her grip slightly, but didn't ask any more questions.

Not far away, another escort vehicle rushed out of the darkness, as if it had been forced in from another section of the road.

The car door was smashed open.

Xing Shanhe was released from the car.

His face was injured, but his eyes were cold.

Two tomb raiders followed behind him, looking quite disheveled.

Xing Shanhe glanced around and saw Su Tinglan and Chen Jin, and immediately understood.

"You're only arriving now?"

Cen Wudu looked at him.

"It's already a miracle that we were able to get you out of there."

Xing Shanhe sneered, "Where is Master Lai?"

"Back to the island."

Xing Shanhe's sneer deepened.

"He's fast."

Cen Wudu offered no explanation.

"You can choose to stay."

Xing Shanhe glanced into the distance.

In the darkness, the lights of seven support vehicles were approaching again.

The section of road that was forked won't last long.

He turned and got into the black SUV next to him.

"Walk."

Cen Wudu pulled out the copper nail.

The abandoned mountain path, like a piece of loosened paper, was gently flicked.

In the distance, seven support vehicles finally broke through the darkness.

All they saw were two empty transport vehicles and the lingering smell of rust on the ground.

A few minutes later.

maritime.

An unmarked cargo ship cut through the fog, moving slowly forward.

There was no electronic navigation on the ship.

In the center of the cockpit, there was only a black compass.

The compass casing resembled old wood or some kind of black bone, with fine lines engraved around its edge. The needle didn't point north, but rather drifted slightly deeper into the dense fog.

Master Lai sat in the cabin.

His left shoulder was wrapped in thick gauze, the wound on his calf had been re-treated, and his face was even paler than when he escaped from Qingshan.

The black cylinder rested on his lap.

He pressed down on the cylinder with one hand, his knuckles turning blue from the force.

There was a knock on the door outside.

"Master Lai, we're almost there."

Master Lai opened his eyes.

The ship paused slightly.

The fog billowed past the window, making it look like a whole white wall.

My phone has no signal.

There was no radar echo.

On a regular map, this place appears as just an empty sea.

After another ten minutes or so, the fog suddenly dissipated.

An island appeared at the horizon.

The island is not large; from a distance, it looks like a black rock sunk in the sea.

There were no lighthouses or dock signs on the shore; only a few cold lights were hidden behind the rocks.

The cargo ship docked.

There were already people waiting at the dock.

The leader was an elderly man with gray hair, wearing a black Zhongshan suit and leaning on an ebony cane.

He looked to be around sixty years old, with a slight smile on his face, but his eyes lacked warmth.

Master Lai carried the cylinder off the boat.

The old man glanced at his injury.

"Mr. Lai, you are seriously injured."

Master Lai bowed his head slightly.

"Old Shen."

Shen Henian didn't take the cylinder, but only asked, "Where's the stuff?"

Master Lai patted the black cylinder in his arms.

"exist."

Shen Henian asked again, "Where are they?"

Master Lai remained silent for a moment.

The sea breeze blew in from the dock, carrying a slightly cold, fishy smell.

Shen Henian did not ask any further questions, but simply stepped aside to let him pass.

"The president is waiting."

There are no cars on the island.

They walked along a black stone path.

There were low buildings on both sides, no signs, no human voices, and occasionally a shadow would flash by behind the window before quickly disappearing into the darkness.

This island doesn't resemble a base.

It's more like a small town that the world has forgotten for a long time.

Shen Henian led Master Lai into an ordinary gray-walled building.

The building is not tall, only two stories.

An old lamp hung by the door, its dim light illuminating several half-dead orchid plants in front of it.

If the island itself weren't off the map, this building would even look a bit like a seaside retirement home for retired cadres.

Master Lai, however, dared not relax for even a moment.

He went inside.

The interior furnishings were very simple.

A wooden table, a few old chairs, and a yellowed nautical chart hanging on the wall.

A white porcelain teapot sat on the table, the tea still steaming.

There was no one inside.

Shen Henian stood by the door and did not go any further inside.

Master Lai was holding the black cylinder and was about to speak when a voice suddenly came from behind the screen.

"Little Lai".

The voice was not loud.

It sounded as if it were right next to my ear.

Master Lai's back tensed up instantly.

The next second, his vision blurred.

Even though there were still a few steps behind the screen, a man in a gray-white long robe was already standing in front of him.

There were no footsteps.

There was no sound of wind.

Even the steam from the hot tea on the table didn't rise.

The man looked to be in his forties or fifties, with jet-black hair and only a few gray hairs at his temples.

His face had few wrinkles, and his eyes were not sharp; in fact, they could be described as peaceful.

But when he stood in front of Master Lai, it was as if an invisible hand was pressing down on Master Lai's chest, and even his breathing slowed down.

Master Lai immediately lowered his head.

"President."

Shen Henian also lowered his eyes by the door.

Very few people in the Candle Shadow Society know the president's real age.

Master Lai is one of them.

He first met the president more than forty years ago.

That's what the president looked like back then.

More than forty years have passed, but he still looks like he's in his forties or fifties.

But those who know the old story understand that this person actually lived for nearly two hundred years.

The president didn't look at his injury.

His gaze fell on the black cylinder.

"Did you retrieve Aoyama Genke?"

Master Lai lifted the cylinder with both hands.

"We got it back."

Shen Henian stepped forward, took the cylinder, and opened it himself.

The grayish-black fragments lay inside, their surface resembling cracked stone skin, lacking any of the warmth and smoothness that jade should possess.

But the moment the cylinder was opened, the white porcelain teapot in the room trembled slightly.

The tea on the table rippled slightly.

The corners of the old nautical chart on the wall moved erratically even without wind, as if something had gently supported it from below.

The president extended his hand.

The fragment of Xuan Gui fell into his palm.

He looked at it for a moment.

"More comprehensive than I thought."

Master Lai relaxed his shoulders slightly.

The president said, "Xuan Gui's return is a merit."

Master Lai was about to bow his head in gratitude.

The chairman added, "Lin Ye hasn't returned; it's a leak."

Master Lai stopped abruptly.

Shen Henian also glanced at him.

Master Lai said in a low voice, "The Seventh Division arrived too quickly. If we force them to come, Xuan Gui might not be able to be brought out."

The president did not get angry.

He simply looked at the Xuan Gui in his palm.

"It's not good to keep this kind of person in the Seventh Division."

Master Lai bowed his head even lower.

"Understood."

The chairman put Xuan Gui back into the cylinder.

Shen Henian resealed the cylinder, held it in both hands, and stood aside.

The president sat back down at the table.

He appeared instantly in front of Master Lai, but when he sat back down, it was as if he had been sitting there the whole time and had never left.

Master Lai broke out in a cold sweat.

The president poured a cup of tea.

"What happened to the people detained by the Seventh Division?"

Shen Henian replied, "Cen Wudu has already left."

As soon as he finished speaking, a black jade piece in his sleeve trembled slightly.

Shen Henian took out the jade tablet, examined it, and said, "The person has been brought back."

"Su Tinglan, Chen Jin, Bai Yuan."

"Xing Shanhe is also here."

The president nodded.

"Xingshan River cannot be left to the Seventh Division."

"His tomb raiding thread will still be useful later."

Shen Henian replied, "Understood."

The president then asked, "Where is Su Tinglan?"

Shen Henian paused for a moment.

"She asked Lai Changqing, and she also asked Lin Ye."

Master Lai raised his eyes.

The president didn't look at him, but said calmly, "Your mind isn't settled yet."

Shen Henian asked, "Should we handle this?"

"No rush."

The president put down his teacup.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing that people's hearts are unsettled."

"It's better to have something to care about."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Master Lai understood what he meant, but didn't dare to respond.

The chairman raised his hand, and Shen Henian immediately pushed several documents from the table over.

The top one has three words written on the cover:

Black Locust Ridge.

There are a few more lines of smaller text below.

Abandoned forest farm.

The site of the old mountain sacrifice.

Animal abnormality.

It is suspected to be a spirit-gathering artifact.

Spiritual energy recirculation speed: Abnormally fast.

The president opened the documents and read a few pages.

"The magical artifacts here are even stronger than those in Green Mountain."

Shen Henian stood to the side.

"Wenren Heng sent a message."

"The Seventh Division has also set its sights on Black Locust Ridge."

"They're short-handed lately, with their main force tied up in various locations, while a new superpowered squad is being formed in the capital."

The president looked up.

"Is Lin Ye inside?"

Shen Henian said, "The Seventh Division took him to the capital, and the specific organizational structure is still being investigated. Wenren Heng's side is also investigating his placement."

The president closed the document.

Where is Jiang Zhaoye?

Shen Henian said, "I just returned to the southern front last night."

"Send him to Black Locust Ridge."

Shen Henian lowered his head.

"Yes."

The chairman looked at Master Lai.

"Xiao Lai, you've done well this time, but you've also made mistakes."

Master Lai bowed his head: "Your subordinate accepts the punishment."

"We'll discuss the punishment later."

The president pushed the tea in his hand aside.

"After the Xuan Gui was put into storage, the Gui Ling Yuan was opened."

Master Lai suddenly raised his eyes for a moment, then immediately lowered them again.

The president said, "You have been in the abyss for three months."

A hint of barely suppressed excitement finally appeared in Master Lai's eyes.

Three months after returning to the Spirit Abyss.

This is not as simple as healing.

For people like them, this is a real resource for cultivation.

It's an opportunity that you might not even get by risking your life.

Master Lai said in a low voice, "Thank you, Chairman."

The president didn't look at him again.

"Shen Henian".

Shen Henian responded, "Yes."

"Take him there."

"Xuan Gui, hold your ground for now and don't rush into the formation."

"The air in Qingshan is too mixed; wash it clean before using it."

Shen Henian replied, "Understood."

Master Lai picked up the resealed black cylinder and followed Shen Henian out of the small building.

He glanced back as the door closed.

The room was dimly lit.

The chairman sat behind the ordinary wooden table, looking down as he flipped through the information about Black Locust Ridge.

He doesn't look like an old monster who has controlled the Candlelight Society for nearly two hundred years.

It's like an ordinary person looking at an old file at night.

Master Lai knew very well.

In that instant, if the chairman had wanted to kill him, he wouldn't have even had a chance to resist.

Outside the small building, the night wind was even colder.

Shen Henian, leaning on his ebony cane, walked along the black stone path deeper into the island's interior.

In the distance, a stone door slowly opens inside the mountain.

White mist seeped through the crack in the door.

The fog lingered, settling on the ground like a quiet tide.

Master Lai only glanced at it, and the wound began to feel hot.

Shen Henian stopped in front of the stone gate.

"Mr. Lai, please."

"The Abyss of Returning Spirits has opened."

Master Lai took a deep breath and stepped into the fog.

Outside the island, the sea fog has closed again.

The island is still not on the map.

When a satellite scans this area, it will only see a patch of ordinary fog.