Chapter 260

As a recent internet-famous check-in spot in Wanghai City, the Museum of Emotions was something Zhao Yan, despite his dislike of art, knew existed.

Zhao Yan said with a grave expression: "You mean the owner is suspicious? It's dangerous for you to go alone—why not just call the bureau and have them take him in for questioning?"

Given the current critical period, even without concrete evidence, merely suspicion grants the Bureau the authority to take someone away directly.

Wu Chang pondered for a moment and asked: "Who's currently in the bureau?"

Zhao Yan said: "The Director and Lei Huo are both there, and Xiang Jianxing too—if we need more, we can wait a bit longer."

Wu Chang asked curiously: "Will Sister Meng come back if we wait longer?"

Wanghai City is only a second-tier city, not a first-tier metropolis, provincial capital, or direct-controlled municipality, so high-end combat power is scarce.

Aside from Director Gao and Lei Huo, the only other notable force left is Meng Yawen.

Meng Yawen likely learned from Fang Hui that Pinghe, who appeared in the underground shelter, was brought in by Wu Chang using personal favors.

She feared Pinghe might trace back through Wu Chang to uncover her real-world identity; since leaving the underground shelter, she has claimed illness and applied for a long leave, disappearing with Fang Hui.

If she dares return now, doesn't she fear Pinghe investigating her?

To be honest, Wu Chang was genuinely curious about her identity—could she be from the Light Society, or is there another secret organization behind her?

Zhao Yan shook his head and said: "Only Big Sister has the habit of taking winter and summer vacations every year even after leaving campus—she's on a long leave, won't be back for at least one or two months."

Wu Chang looked slightly disappointed—he had already prepared to ambush Meng Yawen at midnight with the line: "Young Lady, you wouldn't want your boyfriend to know you have another face, would you?"

He asked: "If not Sister Meng, then who's coming?"

Zhao Yan said: "A big shot from Abyss Layer Two."

Hm?

Wu Chang frowned slightly—during his four-day seclusion, several more pillars of the Present World had collapsed; the passage between Abyss Layers One and Two was now strained, and anyone returning to the Present World at this time must be carrying a mission.

What would a player from Abyss Layer Two, carrying a mission, be doing in Wanghai City?

"Without me watching over you, what big trouble did you get into again?"

Zhao Yan snapped: "Is that even human speech? It's not us causing trouble—no, it's not Wanghai City that's the problem—it's that reality itself has become chaotic lately, and cultists of evil gods are exploiting the chaos to manipulate people everywhere. The higher-ups can't stand it, so they've sent people down for routine inspections."

"The evil gods' hands can't yet reach the real world—they don't have pillars of the Present World. Every time they encounter inspectors, they hide like rats, and we get a little breathing room."

"Director Gao said that today, by afternoon at the latest, the inspectors will arrive in Wanghai City."

Wu Chang's face was filled with anticipation, though inwardly he was already muttering in excitement.

Perhaps because none of the Abyss Layer Two players he'd encountered so far were decent people, he instinctively recoiled at the mention of Abyss Layer Two.

He said: "We probably won't need that big shot to act—I've interacted with the Museum of Emotions' owner and sensed no energy signature from him; he's likely an ordinary person."

"I suspect him because the last time I saw Yu Siyi, she showed obvious obsession toward the museum owner. From Yu Siyi's behavior, I suspect her awakened ability—driven by an extreme craving to love and be loved—has caused love to spiral out of control."

"She herself is likely affected by her ability: just as those drawn to her willingly let her slaughter them, she, because of love, has transformed from a girl who never harmed anyone into today's killer."

"I suspect the mastermind is indirectly manipulating Yu Siyi through the museum owner. My urgency to meet him isn't because I believe he's guilty—it's because I fear he'll be silenced if we wait too long."

Zhao Yan paced a few steps—he found Wu Chang's speculation reasonable, but acting rashly was still risky.

"Your intuition is sharp and rarely wrong—I trust your judgment. But as you said, you might run into the mastermind coming to silence him."

"Here's the plan: you go to the museum, pick up the owner, and bring him to the bureau. I'll report your theory, then re-interrogate Yu Siyi. If the results confirm your guess and you haven't returned with him by then, I'll send reinforcements."

Wu Chang gave an OK gesture: "Fine, I'll follow your plan—I'm a survival-type player; even if I run into the mastermind, I'll find a way to escape."

Zhao Yan had no doubt about this—he had personally experienced Wu Chang's stealth ability during an invasion dungeon, a power so potent that even when Wu Chang stood right behind him, he couldn't sense a thing.

"Then let's split up."

As they parted, he added: "Proceed with caution, don't act recklessly—even if the owner is already silenced, it doesn't matter. The big shot arriving tonight specializes in tracking; if the culprit dares show his face, he won't escape."

Wu Chang was in a greater hurry, so the car they arrived in was given to Wu Chang; Zhao Yan took a taxi back to the bureau.

Wu Chang drove to the Museum of Emotions; with his Master-level mechanical driving skill, he reached the business street at top speed—the gallery at the corner was the Museum of Emotions.

As he neared the gallery, he saw a small wooden sign hanging at the entrance: "In Creation"—the museum's unique closed sign.

The museum wasn't open today.

Wu Chang felt a bad premonition—he pushed the door hard and found it unlocked.

Entering the gallery, he walked inside, silently hoping Lu Langfeng hadn't already become a corpse.

Just as he approached the studio, the door opened, and a boy, seemingly early twenties with a youthful face, stepped out—he held a paintbrush stained with pigment and clearly froze upon seeing Wu Chang outside.

The boy bent his wrist, using the clean inner curve to adjust his glasses, then said to Wu Chang:

"Sir, the museum is closed today—please come back tomorrow."

Wu Chang looked at the boy and asked: "Are you an employee here?"

The boy said: "I'm studying painting under Teacher Lu and helping out by watching the shop."

Wu Chang glanced around and asked: "Is Master Lu here? I'm a friend—I need to speak with him."

"Wait a moment." The boy hurried to the lounge, peered inside, then turned back and said:

"Teacher Lu told me to practice on my own—he had some matters to attend to and isn't in the gallery. Why don't you sit and wait? He should return soon."

Wu Chang asked: "Did Master Lu say where he went?"

"No." The boy shook his head, bewildered.

Wu Chang sighed and said: "Mind if I take a look inside the studio?"

The boy said: "Of course not."

The boy was practicing outside the studio; Lu Langfeng had assigned him a theme and direction.

The deeper studio was Lu Langfeng's private room, where he created his works.

Most of Lu Langfeng's pieces were completed in the exhibition area or outdoors—this public creation and display style drew in plenty of traffic, but some private works still required a secluded environment.

Not because he feared distraction, but because he feared being photographed and failing censorship.

Like nude portraits.

Though such things are art, Lu Langfeng's paintings radiate intense emotion—he paints art, but what viewers see… that's another matter.

Wu Chang followed his intuition and found a painting covered in black cloth in Lu Langfeng's private studio.

He pulled back the black cloth, revealing a nude portrait—the model was Yu Siyi.

The girl in the painting made no attempt to cover her body; her stiff limbs awkwardly displayed everything.

There was no shyness on her face, only suffocating love; her gaze was tangible, and even through the paper, one could feel the intensity of her emotion.

She was offering herself entirely, and the object of her offering was Lu Langfeng, the painter at that moment.

Lu Langfeng definitely had problems.

Wu Chang put the painting back, stepped out of the studio, and said to the male guard: "I'll wait for him right here."

Meanwhile, in the deepest cell on the fifth underground level of the Administration Bureau.

Yu Siyi leaned against the corner, nervously picking at the holes on her body.

Fearing she might hide dangerous items, Bureau members had confiscated her earrings, tongue piercings, nose piercings, and lip piercings before locking her up.

She touched the empty holes on her face; without those ornaments, she felt unfamiliar, as if she had become someone else, no longer the person she knew. It left her feeling hollow and unsafe.

Fortunately, she still had him.

She wished time would move faster.

She couldn't wait any longer.

She couldn't wait for the blood's scent in the cell to manipulate the room's cameras.

Since being locked in this cell, she had begun releasing faint, almost imperceptible blood mist—so thin that without perception-based skills, the naked eye could not see it.

It spread in all directions, enveloping the cameras in every corner of the room.

As the mist seeped into the cameras, the two guards watching the screens suddenly flashed red in their eyes, instinctively looking away, no longer observing the footage.

Finally!

Yu Siyi grew excited; she rolled up her sleeve, and as her inner energy flowed, a large blood-red door appeared on her left forearm.

The door's outline was crimson, as if painted with blood; the tattoo artist's skill was Gao Chao, making the frame seem formed from flowing blood—shake the forearm slightly, and the blood would seem to spill out.

!

Not just seemed—Yu Siyi bit her finger and poked it into the seam of the blood door; the tightly shut door opened, and a flood of blood poured from it into reality.

The blood of fifteen victims had been stored within her tattoo.

The blood landed on the cell floor and slowly solidified into a vivid red door.

When all the blood stored in Yu Siyi's tattoo—including the blood used to create the tattoo itself—had flowed out, a magnified blood door appeared before her.

The door opened, and Lu Langfeng stepped out.

The moment she saw Lu Langfeng, Yu Siyi threw herself at him.

"You came earlier than I expected."

Lu Langfeng smiled and said: "A little brat traced my information—I couldn't delay any longer."

Yu Siyi grew slightly downcast and asked softly: "Is it because of me?"

Lu Langfeng rubbed Yu Siyi's head and said gently: "Of course not—it was intentional on my part."

He grabbed her left arm; the tattoo had vanished, but many needle punctures remained from the initial shaping.

"Does it hurt?"

Yu Siyi looked at Lu Langfeng and said: "I don't feel it."

"You're truly strong," Lu Langfeng praised.

Yu Siyi said firmly: "If I can help, I'll do anything."

Lu Langfeng leaned close to Yu Siyi's ear and asked: "You really will do anything?"

Yu Siyi did not hesitate: "Of course!"

Lu Langfeng pulled away, his tone distant: "Good. Soon, there's a great task only you can complete—I hope you won't disappoint me."

A flicker of panic crossed Yu Siyi's face; she sensed something bad, but she still replied: "Whatever you ask, I will do."

Lu Langfeng took out a paintbrush from his personal space and said:

"Don't worry—it's just a small request, easy for you. Those things come later. Right now, we need to give the Administration Bureau some trouble."

With a sweep of his brush, eight inmates on the fifth underground level—excluding Yu Siyi—suddenly stood up, as if given orders.

Even Xie Wei, who had been unconscious, opened his eyes, rose like a sleepwalker, and stood facing the wall.

Under Lu Langfeng's direction, they painted complex runes on the wall; as the runes appeared, fragments of the paintings that had clung to them during their infiltration into the Bureau's underground began glowing with different colors in various corners of the fifth level.

If Wu Chang were present, he would recognize each color as corresponding to an emotion.

The glow of the paintings extended and intertwined, forming a massive image.

All of this was exposed to the cameras, yet the two guards acted as if they saw nothing, staring blankly at the wall, chatting idly.

At that moment, Zhao Yan arrived at the Bureau via a ride-hailing car; when he rushed into the Director's office, Director Gao was discussing dinner plans with Lei Huo—how to make the big shot enjoy the meal so he'd help them out.

The upcoming Level Two Abyss big shot was a member of the Evolution Faction; factional differences made building connections difficult.

Director Gao was a commoner, relying entirely on Lei Huo's connections to access resources and find out the big shot's preferences.

He once sneered at social graces; now he wanted to study videos frame by frame. Without the Bureau's internal favors and Lei Huo's social leverage, his actual ability wouldn't even get the big shot to step into Wanghai City.

Seeing Zhao Yan rush in, Director Gao asked: "Aren't you supposed to be out with Wu Chang? Why are you back so soon? Any progress on the case?"

Zhao Yan pulled out his phone and placed the prepared materials before Director Gao—images taken in Yu Siyi's home and the victim body list from the Juan Sect files.

As Director Gao reviewed the documents, Zhao Yan explained Wu Chang's suspicions.

Director Gao's expression turned solemn; if he'd seen only these details, he wouldn't have found them strange—but if Wu Chang said there was a problem, there likely was.

Wu Chang's combat ability was weak, but his innate intuition was sharp; since joining the Bureau, he'd resolved many troubles through his sensitivity, rarely making mistakes.

Even if he erred, it only meant extra interrogations—no real harm. But if he was right, this could be the breakthrough in Wanghai City's recent wild transcendental crimes.

Director Gao looked at Lei Huo and said: "Let's go meet the new arrestee—the killer Young Lady."

When they stepped out of the office, they happened to bump into Xiang Jianxing, so Director Gao used Wu Chang's name as a pretext to bring Xiang Jianxing along, and the four of them headed down to the fifth basement level together.

Why did Director Gao need to use Wu Chang's name just to call Xiang Jianxing?

Because Xiang Jianxing had topped the A-rank dungeon breakthrough leaderboard, earning two consecutive promotions and becoming a Level Two Investigator — a rank even higher than Director Gao's — so he had no authority to directly order Xiang Jianxing around.

That was also why, with everyone in the bureau run off their feet, Director Gao hadn't assigned Xiang Jianxing any tasks; he only asked for Xiang Jianxing's help when a particularly thorny situation came up.

But by invoking Wu Chang's name, it became Wu Chang's request — everyone in the bureau knew the two of them were personally close, so Xiang Jianxing probably wouldn't refuse; and even if he did, it would be Wu Chang's face being turned down.

Only Director Gao had overthought it. Xiang Jianxing had a proud bone in him, but no pride in his bearing; after hearing the gist of the matter, he agreed to help on the spot, without the slightest grievance.

The three of them, plus Zhao Yan, rode the elevator down to the fifth basement level. The moment the doors opened, a riot of colored light surged toward them.

Before any of them could react, they were pulled into a special space.

On the fifth basement level, watching the erosion dungeon unfurl and envelop the fifth and sixth basement levels entirely, Lu Langfeng revealed a look of satisfaction.

Yu Siyi saw him smile, and smiled along too — happier than if something good had happened to herself.

Lu Langfeng lowered his head to look at Yu Siyi, and watching her smile, he said, "Do you still remember what you promised me before — that as long as it could help me, you would do anything?"

Yu Siyi nodded vigorously.

Lu Langfeng pointed at the camera that had earlier been controlled by the blood mist and said:

"Every arrangement I made today was laid out fully under the cameras, without the slightest concealment. When they investigate later, it'll be very easy to prove."

"I need you to forget everything that happened before. When they investigate this matter, push everything you and the others did onto me — say I was the one controlling you. I have a way to make sure they don't make things hard for you."

"I've already written a new set of memories for you. As long as you agree, it will become your real memory."

"Now, so as not to bring me trouble, forget me."

(End of chapter)