The Mysterious Card Maker: Starting with Zhang Jiao's Deification

Lin Fan pushed his wheelchair back into the study.

He opened the file folder on his lap and found that it contained information about "He Jin" that Zhao Zhong had found over the years.

Each copy of the material is marked with the date and address of its discovery.

He looked down and saw a photograph of the inscriptions on the stone wall: "On the night of the darkest moon, a hundred ghosts roam the night," and "There is a road to the underworld, but no bridge to Naihe."

There is also a photo of a tattered map with several red circles drawn on it, labeled "Suspected convergence point of yin energy".

These items seem more related to the underworld and have little to do with He Jin.

He read it several times to confirm that at least two-thirds of the information had absolutely nothing to do with He Jin.

He couldn't help but lament that even the direction of the investigation had gone astray. If he hadn't known what kind of person He Jin was, he would have been misled by this news.

Just as Lin Fan was about to put these things back into the file folder, he realized that there were still things in the file folder.

Lin Fan took out the object and examined it. It was a mountainous terrain map marked with the name "Puling, North Suburb of Dongliu City" and dated ten years ago.

In the very center of the map, there is a spot circled in red with the words "Suspected Site of He Jin's Former Residence" written on it.

Looking at this line of small print, a question arose in Lin Fan's mind:

"Suspected? Why is it only suspected?"

He was talking to himself, and his voice was particularly clear in the quiet study.

Zhao Zhong has collected nearly ten years' worth of information and devoted so much effort to it. How could he only use the word "suspected" in such a crucial position?

It's impossible that they didn't conduct an on-site investigation. After all, with Zhao Zhong's wealth and perseverance, he should have already sent people to thoroughly search Puling. Why would he use such an uncertain word as "suspected"?

Unless they went there but found nothing, or found something but couldn't confirm it, and the thing that puzzled them must be among these materials.

Lin Fan listed out all the information he found in Puling, examining it repeatedly, line by line and word by word. Finally, he discovered the reason in the text and photographs.

"Alas, you have entered the road of no return; do not ask those on the Bridge of Helplessness." Zhao Zhong is using the Bridge of Helplessness in the underworld as a clue for He Jin.

"He Jin! What a He Jin!"

Lin Fan looked at the information about the underworld in the documents, and it made sense. Zhao Zhong mistakenly thought that these things were related to He Jin because of these two words.

Lin Fan's lips twitched slightly, unsure whether to feel relieved or amused.

Fortunately, Zhao Zhong's discovery gave him an opportunity to improve the [Underworld].

Ironically, this powerful foundation chairman in Jiang City was fooled by a single sentence for nearly ten years.

Over the years that Zhao Zhong has been collecting data, he must have invited many card makers to try making "He Jin". Needless to say, the result was predictable.

After all, the Naihe Bridge in the underworld and He Jin are two completely different systems. If there is any connection, it is only that He Jin passes by it when he goes to the underworld.

Lin Fan could imagine the card makers who had previously linked He Jin with the Bridge of Helplessness, and how helpless they were when they failed to create the card and were faced with the data.

That's why Zhao Zhong came to Lin Fan's door immediately after hearing that Lin Fan had made Zhang Fei. He didn't admire Lin Fan; he was desperate and decided to give it a try.

However, Zhao Zhong's persistence also made Lin Fan more wary. Ten years have passed since the card-making failure, and he is still trying.

Why did he care so much about He Jin? Why did he have to create a figure who could rival the Ten Attendants?

These questions swirled in Lin Fan's mind, like an unfinished jigsaw puzzle.

Lin Fan rubbed his temples, temporarily suppressing those thoughts.

Thinking about these things now is useless; he needs to use these three weeks to do a few things:

First, make a report and deliver the report.

Secondly, since Zhao Zhong has stumbled upon information about the underworld, he should go and see if he can improve his [Netherworld Underworld].

Third, he wanted to use Zhao Zhong's wealth to enhance his own strength as much as possible. The Demon King's Mark was like a sword hanging over his head, and he didn't know when it would fall.

"Knock knock knock"

As Lin Fan was staring at the photo in thought, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Mr. Lin, your dinner is ready." Xiaoyun's voice came from outside the door. She was no longer as reserved as before. When there was no response, she knocked on the door again.

"Come in." Lin Fan placed the topographical map of Puling at the bottom and began tidying up the documents on his desk.

The door was pushed open, and Xiaoyun pushed in a small food cart, taking out the items from the cart one by one.

Four dishes and a soup, plus a bowl of rice; the dishes are exquisite and the presentation is elegant.

She placed the food cart at the doorway of the room, then returned to the table and stood there with her hands at her sides, as if waiting for Lin Fan to finish eating before taking it away.

"Mr. Lin, you can eat now!"

"You can leave it here for now, I'll eat it in a bit." Lin Fan tidied up the documents in his hand and put them back into the file folder.

"Okay," Xiaoyun replied, her eyes secretly glancing at the scattered photos and notes on the table, as if she were curious about something.

Lin Fan noticed her gaze but didn't ask too many questions. After all, everyone has curiosity, and besides, these weren't anything shameful.

"Xiaoyun, I have a question for you." Lin Fan looked up at Xiaoyun, who was peeking in.

"Mr. Lin, I've only been here for less than a month, so I don't know much about what happened before," Xiaoyun said directly without waiting for Lin Fan to ask anything.

"I won't ask about your secrets, I just want to know if anyone else lived here before?"

Xiaoyun breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this: "I thought Mr. Lin was going to ask something else, like this!"

She continued, "I heard Brother Zhou mention it before... about the last card maker who lived here, but he looked very unhappy when he left."

"You don't look well?" Lin Fan's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Are you sick?"

"I don't know." Xiaoyun's voice was even lower. "Brother Zhou said that when that person left, he didn't say a word, and he didn't even take his luggage. He was just taken away by Mr. Zhao's men."

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat. A card maker! He was also invited by Zhao Zhong, and he didn't even take his luggage when he left. This didn't sound like a normal resignation.

"Mr. Lin, please eat first, it won't taste good if it gets cold. I... I'll go out first. Just press the call button when you're done eating."

As if afraid of being asked anything more by Lin Fan, Xiao Yun bowed slightly and quickly walked out.

The study fell silent again. Lin Fan picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of food, and put it in his mouth, his mind still preoccupied with what had happened.