The Main Hall of the Anping County Evil Suppression Department.
The hall was now suffocatingly silent.
The air still held the lingering, acrid smell of battle and the faint scent of blood—the aftertaste of Demons and death brought back from the Sanmu River.
Director Zhang Cheng sat enthroned at the head of the hall, his hands braced on the desk before him. He exuded a staggering pressure, as immovable as an iron tower. Beside him, several Clerks tremulously sorted through stacks of case files—dossiers with enough evidence to cause an uproar throughout Anping County.
Chu Bai stood silently to the side, his expression as tranquil and inscrutable as a deep, ancient well.
"Director, in the Sanmu River case, the evidence is irrefutable!"
Pang Song took a step forward, the scrape of his armor harsh against the silence. He slammed a scroll onto the desk—a confession soaked in blood, its edges scorched black. His voice echoed through the cavernous hall, ringing with triumphant relief:
"The Luu Family colluded with a Wild God and erected a profane altar, sacrificing living children for years!
"Their Patriarch, Luu Yuanshan, has confessed to everything. Meanwhile, Lu Sen, Deputy Captain of Team Two, and his men accepted massive bribes to cover their tracks and destroy the records. This is a monstrous crime that defies the Celestial Dao and tramples upon the Great Zhou Laws!"
A cold glint flashed in Zhang Cheng’s eyes. He reached for the file, ready to sign the final death warrant.
"Director Zhang, wait."
Just then, the sound of soft but steady footsteps approached from outside the hall, accompanied by a cough. It was neither loud nor soft, yet it carried an insidious, effeminate quality.
A man in his forties slowly entered, dressed in a dark purple brocade robe. A finely carved White Jade Cicada hung from his waist.
He was fair-complexioned, with a tidy, three-pronged beard. His long, narrow eyes held a profound, aristocratic air that was impossible to ignore.
The Deputy Director of the Anping Evil Suppression Department—Hee Yan.
Hee Yan had not risen through practical merit; he was backed by the Hee Family, another great Noble Race in Anping County. Within the department, he had always been the advocate for the interests of the Noble Races.
Zhang Cheng’s hand froze in mid-air. His brow furrowed, and his tone was icy. "Vice Director Hee, we are in the middle of finalizing a case. What brings you here?"
Hee Yan smiled faintly and offered Zhang Cheng a salute. The gesture was impeccably elegant, but his eyes held little reverence.
"Director Zhang, this case has far-reaching implications. The Luu Family, after all, is a clan with a hundred-year history in Anping County. Their many enterprises affect the livelihoods of thousands.
"If we are to confiscate their assets and annihilate their clan based solely on a few ’confessions’ obtained under high-pressure interrogation, I’m afraid that would be unjust. It would be difficult to convince the public."
As Hee Yan spoke, his gaze drifted leisurely toward Chu Bai, the corner of his mouth twisting into a barely perceptible sneer.
"Besides, while the case may be solved, the methods used were rather extreme. If, in a rush to claim credit, one was biased from the start, even resorting to violence to force a confession... that would not only be a disaster for the Luu Family, but also a stain upon our Evil Suppression Department."
His words were needles hidden in cotton. He was not only trying to save the Luu Family and the remnants of Team Two, but also trying to brand Chu Bai and Pang Song as overzealous careerists who resorted to torture for a confession.
Pang Song’s temper flared at these words. He was about to erupt, but Chu Bai raised a hand, gently stopping him.
Chu Bai’s expression remained placid; his gaze didn’t even flicker. He took a small step forward, meeting Hee Yan’s narrow eyes directly. His voice was as cold as snow.
"Vice Director Hee is absolutely right. An investigation cannot rely on testimony alone. That’s why, in addition to the confessions, I brought something else back."
With that, Chu Bai produced a long, narrow ledger from within his robes. It was pitch-black and enveloped in Spiritual Power.
With a slight pulse of his Magical Power, the ledger slowly unfurled in the center of the hall. Instantly, a wave of Resentment and death so thick it was almost tangible filled the air.
"This is the ’List of Contribution Children,’ which I retrieved from the Luu Family’s secret chamber and an underwater grotto.
"It records the names, birth dates, and the exact times that one hundred and twenty-eight children were thrown into the river over the past three years. Every single entry bears the thumbprint of the Luu Family’s Patriarch, as well as the private seal of Team Two, signifying their approval."
Chu Bai’s voice, clear and distinct in the hall, carried a bone-chilling cold.
"Vice Director Hee, take a look. Tell me, can the years of accumulated Resentment clinging to this ledger be something ’beaten out of a confession’?"
Chu Bai flicked his finger, and a faint glimmer of [Golden Eye Shattering Illusion] flowed from his fingertip, sweeping over the ledger.
"WUUUU—!"
The temperature in the hall seemed to plummet by ten degrees. The shrill wails of countless children erupted out of thin air, and phantom images of pale, bloated toddlers flashed and vanished in the center of the room. The illusory figures stared fixedly at Hee Yan, as if they wanted to devour him whole.
The color drained from Hee Yan’s face. He involuntarily took a half-step back, his body trembling with terror.
He never imagined Chu Bai could find such ironclad proof, evidence tied directly to Cause and Effect. He was even more shocked that this young man would, in front of everyone, rip away this bloody veneer of civility.
"This... even with this ledger, it’s possible the demon was behind it all! Perhaps the Luu Family were victims as well, coerced by the demon..." Hee Yan ground out through clenched teeth, making a final, desperate attempt to salvage the situation.
"Hee Yan!"
From his high seat, Zhang Cheng slammed his hands on the desk and shot to his feet.
"BAM!"
The heavy desk, made of Black Iron Wood, exploded into splinters that flew in all directions. The terrifying pressure of Zhang Cheng’s Foundation Establishment Cultivation was unleashed in its entirety, crashing down upon Hee Yan like a mountain.
"The live sacrifice of children is the number one capital offense under the Great Zhou Laws! The Luu Family was blinded by greed, and Team Two betrayed their duty! The evidence is irrefutable, as solid as a mountain of iron!"
Zhang Cheng’s eyes were wide, his hair and beard practically standing on end. His usual scholarly, bureaucratic air was instantly replaced by an overwhelming Slaughter Qi.
"If you dare utter one more word, I will have you thrown in the cells and interrogated for the crime of harboring evil!"

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