"Why did so many people run away all of a sudden?"

"I heard there were bad guys who snuck in."

"What do they want?"

"I don't know. They're searching for people everywhere. We don't even know how many have escaped. They caught three, and they're in big trouble..."

The sound of footsteps stopped not far from them.

They walked back and forth, whispering to each other.

Ling Shu held his breath and couldn't help but want to laugh.

What do they mean by bad guys sneaking in?

Do these people actually think they're the good guys?

But their words also revealed some useful information.

First, there were many people who escaped during the chaos, not just the two of them as they had thought. This was one of the reasons why Ling Shu and Yang Chunhe had been able to hide here for so long without being discovered.

Secondly, among the people who escaped during the chaos, there were probably some who, like Yang Chunhe, pretended to be controlled but actually remained conscious. This means that when Miss Feng's flesh was cut off earlier, who knows how many people were looking at the piece of meat in their own bowl with disgust, only Yang Chunhe couldn't help but reveal her true thoughts.

Thirdly, three people have already been caught by the other side. Shen Renjie and Yue Dingtang may be among them. These three people may suffer torture and cruel punishment, but Ling Shu himself is not safe. Not to mention rescuing people, as soon as he leaves this small corner, he will immediately become the fourth person.

The footsteps came and went in a hurry, and after a brief pause, they quickly left.

Ling Shu and Yang Chunhe were safe once again. But both of them felt that this place was not suitable for staying for long.

"Those people just now, are they the guards of this place?"

"Yes, I've seen their attire. All black, covering their faces and heads tightly. It seems that some of them have facial disabilities. I suspect that this so-called messenger of the gods consciously divides the destitute families he gathers into several groups. Some are disabled and cannot be seen in public, so he trains them to become guards. They are already discriminated against outside, but here they have food and shelter, so they will undoubtedly be loyal to the messenger of the gods.

"There are also some who have value to be exploited. They call them 'fattened lambs', which includes people like us. They first control our minds and keep us here for ten days or half a month, until our willpower is depleted. Then they release us, either like the Fifth Young Master Wu who submits to their demands, or like me, who may be taken away..."

In the darkness, Yang Chunhe and seemed to bite her lip and didn't say anything more.

Ling Shu knew what she meant.

For young girls like her, the best outcome was being sold and wandering from place to place, maybe even ending up in a brothel. But at least they could still see the sun. That was not a bad ending.

If it was worse, they might be trained as sex slaves and used by the so-called gods to entertain guests until they were completely used up and discarded.

As he thought about the possible future of the young lady, Ling Shu couldn't help but feel relieved that he had come in.

At the very least, with the combined efforts of a few people and a desperate gamble, there was still a chance to escape.

Otherwise, Yang Chunhe would be left alone here and might sink into eternal despair. Outside, no one knew that she had come in to save someone, and her parents would be devastated if they found out.

"I have an idea," Ling Shu suddenly said.

Yang Chunhe couldn't see his face clearly, but instinctively felt that he was a reliable companion. The serialized crime stories in those tabloids had really captured people's hearts. After the Yuan Manor case, the author saw the positive market response and continued to write about cases like Miss Li's disappearance and the unsent telegram.

Although they were all made up and had nothing to do with Ling Shu, the stories still featured him as the main character, with tight and suspenseful plots that deeply resonated with readers.

Naturally, Ling Shu became a household name, and Yang Chunhe, his temporary partner, also gained unlimited confidence as a reader.

"What do you think?"

She heard Ling Shu ask, "Do you know where these black-clothed people rest?"

Even though these black-clothed people had a low status in the manor, they still needed to rest.

However, they usually appeared in groups, making it difficult to find any individuals who were alone.

Luckily, this place was underground and always dimly lit.

While it caused psychological oppression for the prisoners, it also provided convenience for Ling Shu and his group, especially since many people had just escaped.

The black-clothed men were patrolling everywhere, but Ling Shu had an advantage with Yang Chunhe, who was familiar with the roads.

"I haven't been there, but I followed them halfway last time. The other half had three forks, and I didn't dare wander around for fear of getting lost," Yang Chunhe said.

Ling Shu followed behind Yang Chunhe, with his hand resting on her shoulder to avoid getting separated in the darkness.

The underground of the mansion was just as vast as the surface, and Ling Shu suspected that the area here was no smaller than that of the mansion above. It was like countless small warehouses connected by dense and intricate passages, comparable to a maze.

Even the owner of the mansion might not be able to fully recognize the way, let alone in such a dark environment. The black-clad men could only move within a limited range, and if they left that range, they would also get lost.

This could explain why so many people took advantage of the chaos to escape, but only three were caught.

Occasionally, there would be a small lamp on the way, a kerosene lamp with a faint flicker in a glass cover. Because the air circulation was poor here, the wick was dim and almost extinguished, and the range it could illuminate was very limited.

Yang Chunhe stopped in her tracks. "This is it. The farthest I've been was here last time. I haven't been to the front."

In the dim light, Ling Shu groped his way around and vaguely sensed that there were indeed three forks in the road.

He and Yang Chunhe couldn't separate, and with only two people, if they split up and took two paths, there would still be one left.

"Let's go left," he said.

This time, Ling Shu walked in front, with Yang Chunhe following him.

Just a few steps out, Ling Shu felt a small iron door.

The door was locked, but that didn't stop Ling Shu.

When he entered, he was searched, but Ling Shu had a trick up his sleeve. He always kept a piece of wire hidden in his shoe, which proved to be his saving grace.

Despite its thinness, the wire often had unexpected effects in critical moments.

Like now.

The wire was inserted into the lock and turned a few times, and the door opened with a sound. The two of them quickly rushed in and closed the door behind them.

Yang Chunhe watched as Ling Shu opened the lock with swift and decisive movements, her admiration for him growing even stronger.

She felt that the Ling Shu in the serialized novels couldn't compare to the real one in front of him.

"Don't turn on the lights. The door has a small window, and I'm afraid the light will attract attention," Ling Shu whispered.

Hearing Ling Shu's instructions, Yang Chunhe nodded quietly. The two of them searched the small room separately and soon made a discovery.

"Ling Shu, come here quickly!" Yang Chunhe called out.

Hearing Yang Chunhe's call, Ling Shu immediately went over.

"Are these clothes?" Yang Chunhe asked, holding up several pieces of soft and lightweight fabric.

They seemed to be a hood and a long robe.

"It must be the black-clothed people who wear these," Ling Shu deduced. "This might be their resting room. I just felt a bunk bed, which could fit three or four people. Let's split up and see if we can find any passes or tokens to get through here."

"Okay," Yang Chunhe agreed.

But there was nothing.

The room was surprisingly simple. There were only a few sets of clothes and bedding, a kettle and a few cups, and a candlestick with leftover wicks on the wall. Other than that, it was bare. There were no pillows on the bed, let alone any tokens.

How did these people communicate with each other?

How did they know that the person under the black mask was one of their own and not an imposter?

Ling Shu didn't have time to think too much. He was afraid that someone might come in, so he quickly picked up a set of clothes and stuffed it into Yang Chunhe arms.

"Change into these!"

Yang Chunhe hesitated for a moment, but then she realized that in this pitch-black environment, no one could see anyone else, let alone avoid suspicion. The two of them quickly changed into the clothes provided.

Yang Chunhe's outfit was a bit too loose, but it didn't affect her ability to walk. If they had been wearing long robes, they would have been easily spotted.

However, Azure Dragon Mountain Villa had made all of their clothes into black hooded robes that made them all look like sacks.

No one could recognize them, male or female.

Ling Shu pondered this. Although this way of dressing made it impossible for people to recognize each other, it also helped to lower one's awareness of their own identities.

After being brainwashed for ten days or half a month and constantly being influenced, they would soon accept their reality and become an inseparable part of this darkness.

As luck would have it, just as they stepped out, someone with a lantern was coming towards them.

They were all wearing the same black hooded robes, and they all had the same identity. Ling Shu and Yang Chunhe both felt a jolt in their hearts and stopped in their tracks.

The other person walked up to them and stood still. A pair of eyes flickered uncertainly under the robe, perhaps confirming Ling Shu and Yang Chunhe's identities.

The terrifying silence was unbearable.

Ling Shu felt a drop of sweat slide down his forehead. With his quick wit, he didn't know what to say for a moment.

What if these people never communicated with outsiders?

What if the person in front of them was a small leader and he gave himself away as soon as he spoke?

So it's best not to say anything at all.

But not saying anything doesn't necessarily mean there's no suspicion.

Even Ling Shu couldn't help but feel nervous.

After a moment, the other person said, "The Azure Dragon descends to the river and swallows the sun and moon."

Ling Shu: ???

Without hesitation, he replied, "The White Tiger soars to the sky and connects with the North Star!"

The other person paused for a few seconds, showing no signs of anything unusual, and walked away.

As soon as they let out a sigh of relief, they heard a voice behind them.

"Hold on!"

The leader turned back.

Ling Shu's heart almost jumped out of his chest. He was even prepared to attack and take down these three people, although it would definitely make some noise. But he should be able to run away before their reinforcements arrived.

However, this would definitely alert the enemy.

"Did you see anyone suspicious just now?" the other side asked.

"No, we just came from your direction. We stopped to drink some water and were about to continue chasing," Ling Shu replied.

His tone was very calm, giving no hint of suspicion.

Naturally, the other side did not doubt him.

"Okay, you guys go back and keep looking, we'll search this way."

"Alright."

Two groups of people went their separate ways, and in just a few minutes, both Yang Chunhe and Ling Shu were drenched in cold sweat.

Once they were far enough away, Yang Chunhe couldn't help but tremble as she asked in a small voice, "How did you know their secret code?"

Ling Shu replied, "I made it up."

Yang Chunhe asked, "Then why didn't they suspect anything?"

Ling Shu answered, "Good question. Either I answered too confidently and they went along with it, or they themselves couldn't remember the code. There's also a possibility that they're just like us."

It was all a lie.

Yang Chunhe let out a soft sigh, feeling both amused and frustrated. Regardless of the reason, she hoped they wouldn't run into this kind of situation again.

But reality often goes against our wishes.

Just as they had walked a short distance, they ran into another group of black-clad individuals. The leader this time seemed to hold a higher position.

Ling Shu noticed that although the person was also wearing a robe, his face was not covered and he was a middle-aged man with white hair.

He called out to Ling Shu and Yang Chunhe, "Come over here."

As Ling Shu and Yang Chunhe approached, the man with white hair looked them up and down and asked, "How long have you been here? Do you have any tasks?"

How should they answer this question?

Yang Chunhe could only play dumb and leave everything to Ling Shu.

Ling Shu bowed slightly and calmly replied, "About a month. We were just ordered to find a runaway, but we haven't found them yet."

The man with white hair pondered for a moment and said, "A month is a bit short, but it's fine. You seem to understand the rules. You don't need to search for anyone. Instead, serve a guest. You understand the rules of not listening, not asking, and not speaking, right?"

Ling Shu quickly replied, "We understand!"

The man with white hair nodded and said, "Follow me." He waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to go ahead while he led Ling Shu and the other person forward.

A lantern faintly illuminated the path ahead.

Ling Shu followed behind and noticed that this area was more luxurious than the previous one.

The floor was made of smooth blue bricks, and the walls seemed to have been freshly painted. The doors were no longer iron but Western-style wooden doors that opened easily without a lock.

Did this mean that the guests inside had a higher status than Yang Chunhe and even the Fifth Young Master Wu?

The room was brightly lit, completely different from the darkness outside.

Ling Shu and Yang Chunhe, who had grown accustomed to the darkness, couldn't help but squint their eyes for a while.

Then he saw an old acquaintance.

Not just an old acquaintance.

It might as well be his nemesis.

The kind that often shared a bed.

Yue Dingtang, the young master of the Yue family, sat on a Western chair with a coffee cup in his right hand and a book in his left hand.

Apart from the location and time being different, what's the difference between this posture and when he's at home in the Yue family?

Ling Shu thought to himself, "I went through so many hardships to survive down here, fearing that you would fall into the hands of the enemy and suffer torture. And here you are, leisurely drinking coffee and reading a book. Why aren't you hypnotized, controlled, and forced to eat human flesh?"

Yue Dingtang's expression was very indifferent, but obviously very clear.

He didn't react to the sight of the white hair.

Instead, the white-haired person was trying to please him: "Mr. Yue, these two are your servants. Please bear with us for a few days. As soon as the divine envoy confirms what you said, we will immediately take you out."

Yue Dingtang snorted lightly from his nostrils. He stood tall and proud, looking down on everyone with the arrogance of a young master.

But the man with the white hair wasn't impressed by his attitude.

Instead of getting angry, he just smiled and kept his cool.

"Well then, you rest up. I won't disturb you any longer," he said, turning to Ling Shu and his companion. "Take good care of Mr. Yue here. Do whatever he asks of you."

As soon as the man left, Yue Dingtang waved his hand at Ling Shu and his friend.

"You two can wait outside."

Ling Shu cleared his throat and asked, "Sir, do you really not need us to take care of you?"