Chapter 27

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Chapter 27: The Mastermind Revealed

“Wish Power?” Dunn’s heart tightened as he asked, “What is that?”

“Uh… he said it’s something akin to spiritual energy. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what he meant either, but if I can afford it, I’ll definitely use it to find you.” Zhu Di lowered her head. “Regardless, Mr. Chao at least hasn’t broken his promise.”

“Foolhardy!” Upon hearing this, Dunn’s expression soured as a bitter gourd. “The less you understand, the more cautious you should be before agreeing! Think about it—would any normal person ask for your spiritual energy? That man likely isn’t a genuine detective but rather…”

“What is he then?”

“A heretic,” Dunn said, his voice barely above a whisper as he held his breath.

Zhu Di shook her head vigorously, immediately dismissing his concern. “Impossible… I’ve interacted with him several times. Although he seemed somewhat mysterious, his behavior and words were quite ordinary, nothing like the hysterical fanaticism one hears about. Moreover, I’ve never heard of any cult requiring Wish Power…”

“Which heretic openly reveals what they truly seek? My fear is that he doesn’t want Wish Power at all, but perhaps your soul—”

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted Dunn mid-sentence.

“Miss Zhu Di, there’s some trouble,” Zhou Zhi’s voice came from outside the door. “That woman is nearly at her end.”

“I’ll be right there!” Zhu Di patted Dunn on the shoulder, signaling him to rest first, and then walked toward the room where the other victim lay.

Just seconds after entering, before she could even examine the woman’s condition, she heard a soft sound of the door locking behind her.

Turning around, Zhu Di once again encountered the long-absent Detective Chao.

“You—” she exclaimed, startled. “When did you arrive? Where were you earlier?”

“I had some matters to arrange, which caused a delay.” Chaoyang explained as he removed his felt hat and slowly took a seat by the bed. “However, I knew those two would definitely protect Mr. Dunn and escape from the theater, regardless of my presence or absence; it wouldn’t affect the outcome.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a rolled-up paper from his coat pocket and unfolded it, revealing the contract they had signed earlier. “Now that your wish has been fulfilled, this contract ends here. It’s time for you to honor your part of the agreement.”

Zhu Di involuntarily swallowed.

So, the victim’s deteriorating condition was just a ruse? Did he deliberately separate her from Dunn, creating an opportunity for a private conversation ?

The phrase “what he wants is your soul” unexpectedly surfaced in her mind.

Yes, perhaps Wish Power was just a facade…

But if she had known this beforehand, would she still have accepted his help?

With that thought, Zhu Di stood up and deeply bowed towards Chaoyang.

“What is this…” he momentarily hesitated.

“I should have thanked you earlier for everything you’ve done, but I hope it’s not too late now… Thank you for saving Dunn’s life!”

Indeed, the answer was clear all along. In a desperate situation, even grasping at straws floating on water seemed worthwhile to her.

“You don’t need to thank me; it was part of the contract…”

“The contract only stated finding Dunn, and truthfully… my expectations from you were limited to that,” Zhu Di mustered her courage and spoke in one breath. “You weren’t obliged to carry out the rescue or openly confront the police station, yet you still reached out and brought Dunn back from peril. For this, I truly cannot repay you enough. So… please take what you desire without hesitation! Because even if given another chance, I would make the same choice!”

“Is that so… I understand.” Chaoyang handed her a pen and pointed to the bottom of the scroll, “Please sign your name in this section. Yes, right in this blank space. Remember to use your true name.”

“My true name is Zhu Di,” she took a deep breath and signed it.

As soon as she completed the final stroke, Zhu Di felt an overwhelming wave of exhaustion hit her, causing her body to sway involuntarily. However, the fatigue came swiftly and dissipated just as quickly; within a blink, she returned to normal, albeit feeling slightly emptier inside.

“With that, the contract is complete.” Chaoyang rolled up the paper scroll.

“That’s… all it takes?” She blinked, surprised.

“Yes, indeed.” After a momentary pause, he added, “Ah… one more thing— you might initially feel somewhat uncomfortable due to losing some spiritual energy. But it will recover with rest over time.”

“So… you don’t actually want my soul?” Zhu Di cautiously probed.

Chaoyang’s lips curved upwards. “I never demand anything beyond what’s stipulated in the contract. Things should be as agreed upon, and you can trust me on that point.”

Zhu Di suddenly choked up, “You… truly are a good person!”

“Hey, no need for such sentiments.”

“You don’t know… how anxious I was during that time. I tried every method imaginable and sought help from everyone possible, but it was all futile!” Zhu Di wiped away tears, her voice trembling. “I was on the brink of despair until you approached me…”

After a moment, she composed herself slightly. “Sorry, I couldn’t control my emotions just now.”

“I understand,” Chaoyang nodded.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Zhu Di quickly shifted the conversation to the motionless woman lying on the bed. “By the way, how is she doing? Is it similar to Dunn’s case, just exhaustion leading to unconsciousness?”

“No, she is near death,” Chaoyang stated bluntly.

“What?”

“She endured severe torture; surviving this long is already remarkable.” He sighed softly, “If you lift the blanket and take a look, you’ll understand immediately.”

Following his advice, Zhu Di cautiously lifted the blanket and gasped sharply upon seeing the extent of the woman’s injuries.

The sight was ghastly! Whip marks and burn scars marred her body everywhere, with layers of new and old wounds overlapping. Many injured areas had become infected, their pus seeping and adhering skin to fabric! Such severe injuries were not inflicted overnight, nor by mere confinement. She had evidently endured prolonged torture.

Zhu Di also observed that the woman’s skin tone was dark brown, marked with faint wave-like patterns near her shoulder blades. This indicated she was not from the predominant ethnic group on the old continent but rather a descendant of the less common Triton race. Zhu Di wasn’t certain about the specific subgroup, but such individuals typically occupied the lowest strata in Glorious Fortress society.

“Detective… what exactly is going on here? Why did the Northern City Police Department arrest her and Dunn, and go to such lengths to eliminate them?” Zhu Di murmured.

“Dunn was merely a fish hooked by bait, thinking he was conducting an investigation when in reality, he became prey trapped in a snare,” Chaoyang candidly replied. “As for this woman, she is a miner for High Heaven Mining Company… Well, ‘miner’ isn’t entirely accurate because she wasn’t employed voluntarily; she was enslaved. There are many others like her within the mining company.”

A hint of surprise crossed Zhu Di’s face. “How do you know all this?”

*It’s because she is currently communicating with me*, Chaoyang thought.

In his perception, the woman was not unconscious at all. She looked earnestly at him, continuously pleading her case. This was a mental exchange, audible only to him.

“The true mastermind isn’t Guster; he’s merely the executor! Many of my brothers and sisters died by his hand, but before that, they were imprisoned in a house on the north side of the city! It belongs to Kui Qi, the Chief of the Northern City Police Department—he’s the one giving orders!“

“Why would he do this?” Chaoyang mentally asked.

“Because High Heaven Mining Company is the primary sponsor of the Northern City Police Department. If workers were to die in the mines, it would affect mining operations. Therefore, for those miners they didn’t want around, they’d entrust the Northern City Police Department to take action. Additionally, the police have their own motives for handling things so intricately.”

“What motives?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I’ve only overheard officers discussing it, mentioning that outsiders beyond the police department are also interested—apparently from the old continent,” the woman replied.

Old continent… This term was yet another new concept for Chaoyang.

“Then why did they interrogate you? These injuries don’t seem to be from the mines, do they?”

“They wanted information about certain individuals from me,” the woman’s voice lowered slightly.

“Can you tell me more about it?”

“I’m sorry, I cannot disclose that information to you right now as it’s highly significant.” Her tone suddenly became urgent, “You’re not an ordinary person, aren’t you? We all knew Guster had set a trap, yet you managed to rescue me from it—something no average individual could achieve! Just moments ago, I heard that you fulfilled the lady’s wish. Could you also grant one for me? Regardless of the cost, I am willing to pay, even if it means offering my soul!”

Chaoyang shook his head, then realized she couldn’t see him and mentally responded, “I’m afraid not. You don’t possess what I need, and I never assist anyone for free.”

His estimation was accurate. After settling with Zhu Di, he received approximately 1,200 Wish Points—indeed, more than last time. However, after deducting expenses, only around 100 points remained, resulting in a lower net gain. Of course, breaking even was still fortunate since Wish Power isn’t like money, which can be easily earned back once spent. If Chaoyang depleted his Wish Power completely, it would mean instant death. The remaining Wish Points, combined with the previous earnings of 200, constituted his survival capital. He urgently needed to find new sources of Wish Power before succumbing to thirst.

As for the woman before him, it seemed highly unlikely.

Her life was like a flickering candle in the wind, ready to extinguish at any moment. This posed a major concern when forming contracts. Once a wisher dies, the contract ends with no return on invested resources. Moreover, the amount of Wish Power depends on the individual. How much could truly be offered by someone already frail and near death?

“What do you need? Anything, I’ll give it all! This is my last wish, please help me!”

“I’ve said it before… I require Wish Power, not souls,” Chaoyang sighed. “For Wish Power to manifest, the wisher must possess a vibrant, living essence, along with genuine sincerity in their wish.” He didn’t want this outcome for her either, but demons aren’t mere wishing machines; there are many things even they cannot accomplish. Despite his words, he activated his Spiritual Eye’s Vision to examine the woman, preparing himself to let go completely and depart.

However, what he saw left him utterly stunned.

He beheld a brilliant, pure white light. Under the dim kerosene lamp, this beam shone intensely, reminiscent of a searchlight in an ever-lit city.