Chapter 548

Magic City, Quiet Lake Manor.

2:17 a. m.

The manor's outer wall was lit white by searchlights, the three-layer security network was completely powered down, and black combat vehicles blocked the four exits.

Qin Zhixia stood before the main gate, her mechanical prosthetic arm clasping the coat cuff, metal knuckles moving twice.

On the comms channel, L reported the numbers.

"Target confirmed."

"There are seventy-four armed private soldiers inside the manor."

"Nineteen civilian hostages."

"The target is an A Ji Weird-Domain practitioner, Lu Qichang."

"The charge list has been synchronized."

It paused for half a second.

L added a sentence.

"Note: the list is very long. Suggest not reading it, it wastes power."

Liang Wen sat in the passenger seat, still wrapped in bandages, yet he forced the black windcoat onto his shoulders.

He raised his hand to hold the car door, striking a pose.

"Everyone, tonight we will step onto the decaying aristocrats' banquet table and take that moldy steak to the trash can."

A nearby Special Forces member glanced at him.

"Liang Team, your wound isn't healed yet."

Liang Wen lifted his chin.

"The Dark-Blooded King needs no perfection."

Qin Zhixia walked past him.

"Then don't shout in pain later."

Liang Wen remained silent for two seconds.

"This king permits medical personnel to show moderate care after the battle."

Qin Zhixia did not reply to him.

She stared at the manor's main building.

Lights were blazing there.

Behind the glass, someone held a gun, someone pushed a hostage to the window.

A middle-aged man in a robe stood on the hall steps, clutching a black bone ring in his hand.

Lu Qichang.

The Lu family's branch in Magic City.

A Ji Weird-Domain practitioner.

His combat record is so impressive it could be used for a promotional video.

After the Purge Abyss operation launched, the Investigation Bureau audited his accounts, uncovering seventeen lives lost, five illegal labs, and three batches of ordinary people forcibly sent into the Weird Domain for trial-and-error.

After Qin Zhixia finished reading the materials, she asked only one question.

"Is the evidence enough to arrest?"

The Investigation Bureau replied to her.

"Enough to convict three times over."

So she came.

The hall's loudspeaker broadcast Lu Qichang's shout.

"Qin Zhixia!"

"You, a one-armed woman, bring a few wounded soldiers to catch me?"

"Has Lord Wei gone mad, and are you following him mad?"

"How much material has my Lu family donated to the Federation—have you even calculated it?"

Liang Wen pushed open the car door, stepping out while dragging his black-flame longsword.

The blade's tip scraped the ground, leaving a black flame mark.

He raised his hand toward the main building.

"Friend, your lines are too old."

Lu Qichang angrily cursed through the glass.

"Liang Wen, stop pretending!"

"You dare move against me—I have people above!"

Liang Wen nodded.

"How coincidental."

"We're here today specifically to investigate those above."

He turned his head to ask Qin Zhixia.

"Qin Team, does this count as a pre-surrender statement?"

Qin Zhixia said: "That's nonsense."

She raised her hand.

The Special Forces simultaneously raised their shields.

She recalled the list in the meeting room.

Thinking of those bereavement compensations that had been withheld.

Thinking of the young people in the file photos who were still signing nondisclosure agreements before being sent to the laboratory.

Qin Zhixia said: "Liang Wen, clear the way."

Liang Wen gripped the sword with both hands, his long hair messed up by the night wind, and his expression finally lost its joking tone.

Over.

The Black Flame Longsword slashed horizontally.

The manor's main gate split down the middle, and the metal door panels toppled to both sides.

The private soldiers opened fire.

Bullets struck the special forces shield, sending sparks flying.

Liang Wen walked forward under the gunfire, still talking.

Everyone.

If you surrender now, you can still keep your year-end bonus.

One private soldier shouted: "Kill him!"

Liang Wen raised his sword, and black flame surged up along the blade.

Then there's no year-end bonus.

He charged into the courtyard.

The Black Flame Longsword didn't aim for vital points; it only cut weapons, cut strange devices, and cut the weird stuff on those private soldiers.

One private soldier had just summoned half a rotting human face when the back of Liang Wen's blade struck his chest.

He flew out, knocked over the stone railing beside the fountain, and lay on the ground unable to get up.

Liang Wen flicked his wrist.

Next.

I'm rushing for a follow-up.

The manor was in utter chaos.

Lu Qichang's mind was also in turmoil.

He had thought the Investigation Bureau wouldn't dare launch a full assault.

There were still members of the Lu family at headquarters.

But he hadn't expected this.

The other side didn't give him a stage to perform at all.

Inside the hall, several private soldiers pulled the triggers.

The guns made no sound.

The safeties jammed automatically.

They froze for a beat.

Qin Zhixia had already entered the hall.

The casing of her mechanical prosthetic arm popped open three red locks.

Overload limit released.

Her steps were steady.

Lu Qichang stepped back, and the fierce ghost in his bone ring began to surface.

A layer of gray-white barrier blocked his front.

Dozens of closed human faces floated on the surface of the barrier.

Those faces were all low-rank Guigu practitioners.

Having had their essence drained by him, they were made into life-saving shells.

Qin Zhixia stopped before the barrier.

Lu Qichang panted, laughing grimly.

See that?

This is an A-rank defense rule.

Qin Zhixia, no matter how hard your hand is, you can't break through.

You lot charging up front will never know how to properly use real resources.

Qin Zhixia raised her mechanical prosthetic arm.

Red warnings rolled across the arm plating.

Overload rate at 120 percent.

140 percent.

160 percent.

The rear team members panicked.

Qin Team, the prosthetic arm will be scrapped!

Qin Zhixia did not stop.

She just wanted to finish quickly.

Lu Qichang was still speaking.

You dare move me?

Behind me is the Lu family, the old unit of the Special Advisory Team, and three-tenths of the northern defense line's supply.

Let's see if you dare to destroy the whole line for a few lowly commoners.

Qin Zhixia threw a punch.

It had no named technique.

No announcement.

The mechanical fist struck the gray-white barrier.

The first layer of faces shattered.

The second layer of faces shattered.

The third layer of faces opened their eyes, emitted an invisible shock, but was burned through by the flames of ignorance inside the prosthetic arm.

Lu Qichang widened his eyes.

"Impossible!"

Qin Zhixia's second punch fell.

The barrier shattered on the spot.

The bone ring cracked.

Lu Qichang turned to run, but she grabbed him by the neck and pressed him onto the marble floor.

The floor cracked with several lines.

Lu Qichang half his face pressed to the ground, still shouting.

"I have merit!"

"I have bled for the Federation!"

Qin Zhixia threw the investigation warrant in front of him.

The electronic screen scrolled.

First article.

Illegal conscription of ordinary people for experiments.

Second article.

Withholding compensation funds for victims' families.

Third article.

Implanting unregistered fierce ghosts into private soldiers.

Fourth article.

Killing the families of whistleblowers.

One after another.

Lu Qichang stopped shouting.

Qin Zhixia seized his wrist, twisted it behind his back, and cuffed him with rule cuffs.

"Merit is merit."

"Sin is sin."

"You can't block sin with merit."

Liang Wen dragged in two private soldiers from outside, kicking the gun on the floor aside with his foot.

"Qin Team, this guy's mouth is tough."

Qin Zhixia dragged Lu Qichang outward.

Lu Qichang's sleeping robe scraped the floor, his whole person disheveled, having lost all dignity.

"Whether tough or not, the interrogation room will test it."

Liang Wen laughed.

"Professional."

Outside the manor.

The riot-control prisoner vans had already lined up in a long line.

This is not the only capture point in Magic City.

At the same time, Federation Headquarters, Bu Lie Dian branch, southern defense line, North America observation station, and thirty-seven action teams simultaneously launched a sweep.

What's even harsher is.

The full-network livestream was turned on.

Not that kind of vengeful vigilante livestream.

It is the Investigation Bureau's official law enforcement channel.

The screen split into nine.

Each window had an operation code, arrest location, evidence summary, and examiner ID.

No editing.

No background music.

Only the prisoner van doors opening and closing.

The big shots who used to sit on the high platform, one after another, were sent in.

Someone cursed.

Someone cried.

Someone shouted injustice.

Also some people slumped in the van, staring at the rolling evidence, unable to utter a word.

The barrage first was a chorus of curses.

"Are they acting?"

What were you doing just now?

You only thought to investigate yourselves after Zhou Ping killed someone?

Stop the whitewash, the Federation is utterly corrupt.

Let the Seven-Eyed King come out to investigate; he's faster than you.

The Public Opinion Department didn't delete comments.

Lord Wei gave only one order.

Submit the evidence upward.

Then the file list began scrolling on the right side of the screen.

Capital flow.

Casualty report.

Experiment record.

Family interviews.

The altered merit file.

Every document has a number, can be downloaded, and can be cross-checked.

L personally created the public verification page.

There is also a note at the bottom of the page.

The cost of forgery is higher than the cost of confession. Done.

The netizens, after cursing, began to stop.

The first Senior Executive arrested had once cried at a public memorial ceremony.

He cried, saying he wanted to take care of the martyrs' families.

In the file, he transferred the medical quotas of three martyrs' children to his relatives.

The second consultant is the author of the teaching materials for Weird Domain Officers.

He wrote about faith and sacrifice in the teaching materials, but privately sent newcomers to the unstable Weird Domain to farm data.

The third regional minister appeared kind on camera, but behind the scenes traded containment objects.

The danmaku changed.

I've seen this person before; he even came to our school to give a lecture.

My father was transferred away by him back then.

The file number is genuine; I looked it up.

Don't delete it, please don't delete it.

Is the Federation serious this time?

Zhou Ping tries one case, the Federation arrests a whole truckload.

This isn't a whitewash, it's more like scraping the bone.

I cursed too early; let's watch first.

Don't stop, keep arresting.

The Federation really dares to scrape the bone to cure the poison.

This sentence started flooding the screen.

One.

Ten.

One hundred.

Later, the screen was full of them.

The Federation really dares to scrape the bone to cure the poison.

Inside the command vehicle, the public opinion index began to retract.

The faith rules that had been surging wildly toward Zhou Ping saw their growth curve suppressed.

The dark red warning line stayed at a high level, not rising further.

L stared at the data.

Public trust in the authorities is recovering.

Su Ming stood to the side, holding a cold coffee.

People don't just want to watch killings.

They want to see someone take responsibility.

Liang Wen sat on the medical chair, being rewrapped by the nurse.

He was in so much pain his forehead sweated, yet he still tried to act tough.

I said earlier, justice needs due process.

The nurse pressed down on his wound without expression.

Liang Wen drew a breath.

The process can be a little gentler.

Qin Zhixia walked out of the manor.

Lu Qichang was escorted into the prison vehicle.

Before the vehicle door closed, he was still shouting.

I want to see Director Wei!

I want to see someone from the Lu family!

Qin Zhixia stood outside the vehicle.

"You will meet the examiner."

She took off the blood‑stained gloves and tossed them into the evidence bag.

After overloading, the mechanical prosthetic arm steamed, and its joints locked two fingers.

She tried to clench her fist, but couldn't.

Liang Wen saw that.

"Qin Team, is your hand okay?"

Qin Zhixia lowered her head and looked.

"I can still fight."

Liang Wen nodded.

"Then it's fine."

The nurse pressed hard on his back from behind.

Liang Wen almost jumped up from the chair.

"Demon woman, you ambushed me!"

Nurse: "Don't move around."

Liang Wen: "I request to switch medical units."

Qin Zhixia looked at him for two seconds.

"Rejected."

In the action channel, a team member laughed softly.

The atmosphere, tense all night, finally loosened a bit.

But Jiang Yuan did not laugh.

He stood on the roof of the command vehicle.

The night wind blew past the combat uniform, and the card bag swayed lightly.

In the distance, prison vehicles drove out of the manor one after another.

The public‑opinion curve on the screen was declining.

The trust value was rising.

This should have counted as a victory.

But Qin Zhixia stared at that dark‑red curve.

Zhou Ping had not been defeated.

The crown also had not remained silent.

They merely held down the knife in Zhou Ping's hand temporarily.

The internal wounds of humanity were laid open, blood flowed out, and pus flowed out as well.

No one dared guarantee whether it would heal.

What's worse, the gods won't wait for them to slowly heal their wounds.