A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

"Investigator Ji, what's going on here...?"

Yunniang's pupils contracted slightly, and her voice was filled with confusion.

"Shhh."

Ji Zuodao raised a finger and put it to his lips, making a shushing gesture.

Then, facing Yunniang who was so close, he slowly and deliberately exhaled a thick, strange-smelling blue smoke ring.

The smoke rings landed squarely on Yunniang's face.

Caught off guard, Yunniang choked, her brows furrowing and anger surging in her eyes, but she managed to hold it in.

Immediately afterwards, Ji Zuodao casually wiped his fingers, which were covered in medicinal powder, on the front of Yunniang's expensive dark green velvet cheongsam, leaving a glaring stain.

Then, he picked up the second pill—the Dragon Gallbladder.

"Smack."

crumb.

Exhaling smoke.

Wipe your hands.

The third one is the Albizia Pill.

"Smack."

crumb.

Exhaling smoke.

Wipe your hands.

……

He just kept taking one pill after another.

Unhurried and unperturbed, oblivious to those around him.

The crisp cracking sound, in the deathly silent hall, was like a death knell tolling in the hearts of everyone in the Hehuan Sect.

With each "smack," their hearts sank a little lower, the color drained from their faces, and the terror and murderous intent in their eyes intensified.

Yunniang stood there, her cheongsam stained with dirt, and her carefully styled hair disheveled by the smoke.

The expression on her face had gradually changed from initial anger and restraint to an extreme coldness and... a hint of barely perceptible surprise.

Finally, the last pill in the tray turned to dust between Ji Zuodao's fingers and he casually smeared it on Yunniang's shoulder.

Ji Zuodao clapped his hands, brushed away non-existent dust, and then picked up the jade pipe again, taking a deep, satisfied drag.

He even had the leisure to grab a handful of what looked like the most expensive pastries from the fruit bowl on the low table next to him.

He first handed it to Qiqi, who had been quietly watching, saying, "Qiqi, try this. Is it sweet?"

He tossed a few more pieces to Dogman at his feet: "Dogman, these are for you."

Qiqi took a small bite of the pastry and noticed a round, plump thing in the pastry her brother was feeding her. She blinked.

Dog Master chewed his cigarette with a crunching sound, glanced at the jade pipe in Ji Zuodao's hand, and grinned.

Ji Zuodao leaned back against the soft back of the chaise lounge, crossed his legs, and glanced at the pale, tense faces below the stage, some angry and some fearful. Finally, his gaze settled on Yunniang, who was trembling slightly but still trying to hold on.

"Yunniang..."

"This isn't right."

"This is not the elixir I want."

Yunniang's throat bobbed, her voice dry, yet still carrying a final tentative probe and pretense:

"Investigator Ji, you jest. These are all the aphrodisiac pills we have here. Which one do you prefer?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Zuodao tilted his head, seemingly deep in thought.

He flicked his cigarette ash, and wisps of smoke rose, blurring his young and sharp features.

"What's wrong?"

He seemed to be asking himself a question, or perhaps asking Yunniang a question.

Then, he suddenly grinned, revealing a sinister smile that, in Yunniang's eyes, resembled that of a demon.

"This elixir contains..."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to every corner where you could hear a pin drop.

"Why aren't there any bugs?"

"boom--!!!"

Like a silent thunderclap, it exploded in the minds of all the disciples of the Hehuan Sect!

Azi's hand, which had been massaging her shoulders, suddenly froze, then recoiled as if electrocuted. She collapsed to the ground, her face ashen, as if all her strength had been drained away.

The last trace of color drained from the faces of the people in the audience.

Yunniang's body swayed almost imperceptibly.

All the pretense, all the maneuvering, all the wishful thinking...

At this moment, I was torn to shreds by that one careless remark.

he knows.

He knows everything.

He knew about the elixir of bliss.

He knew there were Gu worms inside.

He knew what the Hehuan Sect was doing.

He's not here today to "investigate" or "find fault."

He came to...

Flipping the table, disrupting the event, and taking lives!

Seeing their reactions, Ji Zuodao chuckled softly, a smile that stood out starkly against the deathly silence of the room.

"Okay, as long as I didn't get the wrong one."

He exhaled a smoke ring, his gaze falling on Yunniang's pale face, her eyes filled with shock and anger.

"Yunniang, who gave you this pill...?"

Yunniang kept her lips tightly closed, her eyes flashing with cold light, determined never to speak.

His spiritual energy surged within him, and he was ready to fight to the death.

however--

"It was given to me by the saintess."

A clear, calm female voice, even carrying a touch of Yunniang's unique soft tone, rang out from where she was.

"?!"

The audience below the stage trembled violently and looked up at Yunniang in disbelief.

Yunniang herself stared wide-eyed, her face drained of all color—

That was definitely her voice, but those words... weren't spoken by her at all!

Her lips didn't even move!

"Did she refine the pills?"

"No, there's a Miao man with the Holy Maiden."

"Where are the saintess and that man?"

"Villa No. 32, Yuejunting, Yuehai District".

"Heh, they're living quite comfortably. What's their purpose?"

"We will control a group of Qi cultivators with a solid foundation and resources to serve us, and use them to support the Soul-Eating Gu and cultivate the Gu King."

The question-and-answer session flowed so smoothly it was chilling.

Only then did everyone realize with horror—

Beside Ji Zuodao's feet, the large black dog that had been quietly squatting, seemingly just an ordinary pet, was raising its head, its pair of dark, emotionless eyes staring unblinkingly at Yunniang.

Every time Yunniang's voice rang out, Dog Master's throat would rise and fall in an extremely subtle way.

It's this dog!

It's speaking in Yunniang's voice!

No, it reads what Yunniang is thinking, then imitates her voice and answers for her!

Yunniang finally realized what was happening, and was horrified. She quickly looked away from Gouye, closed her eyes tightly, and tried to shut herself off.

"Never mind, it doesn't matter."

Ji Zuodao's lazy voice broke the eerie scene.

"The evidence is complete, and we have the statements."

The smile on his face became relaxed and satisfied.

"Indeed, the witnesses and physical evidence are all there, and the logical chain is complete. Based on what we've just said, it's enough to sentence you all to death, and while we're at it, send your so-called saintess and that wild man from Miao territory on their way as well."

Ji Zuodao stood up and moved his wrists, the bones making a slight "crackling" sound that was particularly clear in the quiet lobby.

"What are you all standing there for?!"

Yunniang suddenly opened her eyes, the fear in them replaced by a frenzied killing intent and a desperate determination.

She knew that things had come to this point and there was no turning back.

"Kill him! Kill this lackey of Bureau 749! I'll take full responsibility for the consequences! Otherwise, none of us will survive today!"

She screamed, her voice hoarse from extreme excitement, and the powerful pressure of her Spirit Palace Realm erupted without reservation, causing her dark green cheongsam to flutter even without wind.

However, the audience remained deathly silent.

Those usually well-trained disciples of the Hehuan Sect, who held Yunniang in high esteem, looked at each other in bewilderment, their faces pale and their steps hesitant, none of them daring to move.

Even Azi, who was slumped at Ji Zuodao's feet and closest to him, just curled up and trembled, not daring to even look up.

Hands-on?

Killed a full-fledged investigator from Bureau 749?

Or after the other party has already clearly recorded their statement and obtained irrefutable evidence?

This is no longer a simple feud between gangsters.

This is a blatant attack on state law enforcement personnel; the evidence is irrefutable, and it's tantamount to treason!

In ancient times, this would have been a heinous crime, punishable by assassination of an imperial envoy, confiscation of property, and extermination of the entire family!

In today's world, what awaits them and all those connected to them is a relentless and thunderous crackdown by Bureau 749 and even the entire state apparatus!

"I think..."

Ji Zuodao's voice rang out again. He had somehow reached the edge of the platform and was looking down at the group of panicked and disoriented women below.

"You could actually listen to Yunniang's advice."

"because……"

"Today, besides one person I need to keep alive to report to my superiors, the rest..."

"They all have to die."

"boom--!"

The moment the last word fell, a terrifying spiritual power, violent, cold, and filled with endless bloodshed and resentment, erupted like a dormant volcano, sweeping across the entire Drunken Dream Pavilion hall centered on Ji Zuodao!

Everyone seemed to see a viscous, surging, roaring sea of ​​blood!