TYMIMA Chapter 120

【Erdiff case suspect Deng Zhi executed on the spot, revealed Mad Clown before death!】

 

【Black Lantern Society members arrested, the true face of the illegal organization revealed!】

 

【Black Lantern Society officer Mad Clown has an impressive background!】

 

【Mad Clown, real name Lucas Howard—why did a nobleman choose this path?】

 

【High Tower Guild faces a rare crisis—did Lan Wendao know?】

 

【Unveiling Mad Clown: his father was once the Federation Speaker, his mother from a prestigious family, his brother is a Ghost Eye Guild executive!】

 

【Howard family members ordered to report to the restricted zone for investigation! The Black Lantern Society’s official website remains silent—are other members barely protecting themselves?】

 

……

 

The Federation released the announcement at dawn, and within just a few hours, the news was everywhere.

 

This time, Blue Pivot District Two moved with lightning speed, completing arrests, interrogations, and sentencing in just a few days, and quickly making Black Lantern Society member information public, giving related parties no time to react.

 

Key figure in the Erdiff case, Deng Zhi, was executed on the spot recently for allegedly killing the War God Guild president’s son.

 

One of the Black Lantern Society’s officers, Mad Clown, killed Federation hero Erdiff and repeatedly challenged Federation authority—his crimes were heinous and unforgivable. He was sent to AGW Special Dangerous Death Row Prison, to serve five years before execution.

 

All Howard family members, including Adrian who had been expelled from the family, were suspected of poor supervision or deliberate guidance and ordered to report to the restricted zone for investigation within five days.

 

High Tower Guild president Lan Wendao was accused of poor supervision and harboring a wolf, and must report to the restricted zone within five days to explain and clear suspicion…

 

The Blue Pivot Inspection Team characterized this operation as a severe blow to the Black Lantern Society. District Two Chief Si Hongche gained fame again, consolidating his power.

 

Qian Yun, twenty-third floor.

 

Footage from Blue Pivot District Two’s action recorder was playing before the three elders.

 

In the footage, the sky was overcast, yellow earth filled the air, and dilapidated houses stood one after another, with clutter piled outside the doors.

 

Si Hongche pushed open the car door and stepped down from the SUV. Inspection team members professionally cleared a passage and stood at attention in formation.

 

“Chief Si!”

 

“Hello, Chief Si!”

 

The deputy jogged over, following Si Hongche with hands at his sides: “Chief, everything went smoothly.”

 

Si Hongche’s expression was cold; he didn’t reply. As he strode toward the simple courtyard house, he took leather gloves from his waist and put them on.

 

He entered the courtyard and saw Deng Zhi, stained red with blood, lying on the ground barely breathing, her eyes gradually losing focus.

 

Si Hongche said flatly, “Unlock.”

 

The deputy reminded, “Chief, be careful. This woman is an insect-type S-class awakened one, able to control insect mist and instantly erode bones and marrow.”

 

“No matter.” Si Hongche didn’t care.

 

Inspection team members quickly removed the rare lead ore shackles from Deng Zhi. Without the rare lead ore suppression, 【Limb Regeneration】activated. Her pierced wounds rapidly healed, and life gradually returned to her eyes.

 

Deng Zhi’s eyes suddenly turned cold, her fingers clenched tight. The air trembled, the earth shook, and a terrifying insect tide surged from the valley like a giant wave, so dense it almost blocked out the moon and stars!

 

The inspection team members panicked for a moment, but Si Hongche just casually moved his finger, and Deng Zhi suddenly lost connection with the insect tide.

 

The insects without command scattered like sand, disappearing into the horizon before they could reach the small courtyard.

 

Deng Zhi was shocked, her pupils trembling violently, her wind-blown black hair hanging disheveled by her face.

 

Si Hongche stepped forward, his leather-gloved right hand suddenly gripping Deng Zhi’s jaw with such force he nearly crushed her jawbone.

 

“How did you survive?”

 

Deng Zhi’s features twisted in pain, but she forced out a cold smile, glaring viciously at Si Hongche: “None of your damn business!”

 

Si Hongche wasn’t angered by her attitude. Having presided over District Two for years, he had seen too many such criminals.

 

They always thought they could resist interrogation, putting on such ridiculous poses.

 

Si Hongche withdrew his fingers, retracted 【Envelope】, and immediately activated his third-tier ability 【Command Obedience】, saying to Deng Zhi: “Tell me your abilities.”

 

Though 【Command Obedience】 was useful, it had limitations. The user couldn’t ask questions, only give definitive commands.

 

Deng Zhi was about to tell him to dream on, but what came out of her mouth was—

 

“My first-tier ability, 【Bone Erosion and Marrow Absorption】, can summon insect tides and control poisonous insects. My second-tier ability, 【Limb Regeneration】, gives me powerful regenerative abilities…”

 

Deng Zhi’s face grew paler and paler. No matter how painfully she struggled, her voice continued emerging from her throat, telling Si Hongche all her gland’s secrets.

 

The deputy was shocked: “No wonder she survived—she has this kind of ability!”

 

Si Hongche’s expression was inscrutable, showing no emotion.

 

“Name the Black Lantern Society members.”

 

“Ah! Ah!” Deng Zhi screamed in pain. She had used all her will to resist Si Hongche’s command, but it was useless. Si Hongche was far too powerful. She heard her own trembling voice: “White Pharaoh… Mad Clown…”

 

These were the names they had used when she contacted them.

 

Human nature was fickle—the Black Lantern Society naturally wouldn’t be unguarded against those seeking help.

 

Getting this answer disappointed everyone present, because these were just code names that the Black Lantern Society had already made public.

 

The deputy said, “It seems this organization’s members are careful enough.”

 

Si Hongche was silent for a while, then commanded: “Immediately contact the Black Lantern Society members. Say you’re desperate and want to join them.”

 

All the blood in Deng Zhi’s body instantly froze.

 

Because she did indeed know a phone number.

 

No… no no no!

 

She didn’t want to bring them harm, didn’t want to implicate innocent people!

 

Deng Zhi completely panicked. She desperately knelt before Si Hongche, humbly begging him to retract the command.

 

So when people were truly desperate, they would do such absurd things—like begging mercy from their enemies.

 

But Si Hongche just expressionlessly threw her phone to her.

 

Deng Zhi watched herself pick up the phone, press that familiar number, and after a long wait, heard Mad Clown’s voice on the other end.

 

“Hello, I am Deng Zhi. I am currently struggling and want to join the Black Lantern Society…”

 

Her tears fell as she spoke, soaking the strands of hair blown across her face. After a moment’s thought, the person on the other end asked her for an address.

 

She had harmed them. She was useless, stupid, hateful, a wretch who shouldn’t have been born or survived. She brought pain and disaster to everyone, and she could never make amends or repay it.

 

“You killed me! Kill me! Kill me!” Deng Zhi screamed, nearly hysterical.

 

The rare lead ore handcuffs were put back on, and 【Command Obedience】 immediately failed. Si Hongche said coldly to Deng Zhi, “Once the Black Lantern Society members are caught, you can die.”

 

With that, Si Hongche turned and left, not sparing a glance at the exhausted Deng Zhi.

 

The next scene was the capture of Mad Clown.

 

With Deng Zhi’s cooperation, the operation went very smoothly. Si Hongche’s 【Envelope】restricted Mad Clown’s teleportation ability, keeping him successfully at the scene.

 

Mad Clown sensed trouble, quickly drew a dagger, and tried to fight desperately. But no matter how good the dagger was, it couldn’t compare to rare lead ore bullets. His abdomen was soon shot, and he lost the ability to resist.

 

The inspection team poured a basin of cold water over his face, washing away his eerie clown makeup and revealing a fair, handsome face.

 

Mad Clown was drenched, blood seeping from his abdomen, white beads of water clinging to his eyelashes, looking utterly miserable. Yet he grinned arrogantly at Si Hongche: “Ah, Si Hongche, what can you do to me? I know your abilities perfectly well. You don’t dare remove 【Envelope】, because I’ll vanish before your eyes. But if you don’t remove 【Envelope】, you can’t use 【Command Obedience】. Hahaha, you’re so funny. What other Awakened have mutually countering abilities?”

 

Within 【Envelope】, all abilities are nullified, including Si Hongche’s own.

 

Mad Clown knew this thanks to his cheap father, once Speaker of the Federation.

 

Howard only saw those outstanding, promising, and powerful Federation elites. He used their excellence to spur and suppress Mad Clown, leaving Mad Clown deeply impressed by these “other people’s children.”

 

The deputy officer shouted angrily, “Handcuff him! Don’t let him escape! I don’t believe he won’t confess under torture!”

 

With rare lead ore shackles on, Mad Clown temporarily lost his powers, but he was still unruly, immediately mocking Si Hongche:

 

“Torture, tsk tsk, truly your specialty. If interrogation fails, just beat them. If you can’t find the truth, just vent. You must have enjoyed using your whip all these years.”

 

“What nonsense are you talking about!” The deputy kicked Mad Clown to the ground.

 

Si Hongche’s fists clenched, and a trace of suppressed trembling finally appeared in his eyes.

 

Mad Clown, clutching his abdomen and panting, saw Si Hongche’s expression and felt a rush of satisfaction.

 

He knew exactly what Si Hongche was thinking. He wanted to make Si Hongche suffer. That arrow that pierced his heart eighteen years ago could so easily reopen all his wounds.

 

But after a moment, Si Hongche hid his emotions and returned to his usual calm.

 

“Every special ability has a fatal flaw. I have one, and so do you.”

 

He dusted off his gloves. The wind and sand in Qiong Valley Village were always fierce. “Extract his pheromones and help me find the flaw in his ability.”

 

Mad Clown finally stopped laughing.

 

Although the extracted pheromones only lasted ten minutes, repeated extractions were enough to test his powers.

 

The inspection team rushed up, plunging thick needles into Mad Clown’s gland core to extract high-concentration pheromones.

 

To extract more, they even treated his wounds and gave him nutrient drips.

 

Even so, Mad Clown was tortured, his glands badly damaged, blood running from the back of his neck down to his waist.

 

After eleven tests, they finally fully understood Mad Clown’s power:

 

As long as there was no light and no shadow, he could not teleport.

 

So, Si Hongche dragged Mad Clown into a completely sealed, pitch-black room. With no light allowed, all cameras were turned off, and the action recorder’s footage abruptly ended.

 

Next came an oral report.

 

“Si Hongche said his first command was to name Erdiff’s killer. The answer: White Pharaoh.”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder slowly closed his eyes and listened.

 

Benbu continued, “The second command: name all Black Lantern Society members’ real names. The answer: Dream Witch, White Pharaoh, Lucas Howard, Abaddon, Fata, Duma, Lily, Oliver. Si Hongche speculated that the members were strictly compartmentalized and only knew each other’s code names, except… Oliver.”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder suddenly opened his eyes again, narrowing them.

 

Benbu: “The third command: give the Black Lantern Society members’ contact info. The answer: via a special encrypted network. Since electronic devices have lights and shadows, they didn’t dare give him one easily.”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder said nothing.

 

Benbu glanced at the elder and continued reading: “The fourth command: draw the Black Lantern Society members’ appearances.”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder finally spoke: “Bring them to me.”

 

“Uh…” Benbu hesitated, looking uncharacteristically awkward, and handed over a stack of printed drawings.

 

Since the drawings were done in total darkness and Mad Clown had no artistic talent, the scribbles didn’t resemble people at all.

 

Clearly, this command also yielded no useful information.

 

The Black-Eyed Elder’s face gradually turned cold.

 

Benbu swallowed and continued, “The fifth command: list all operations the Black Lantern Society participated in…”

 

After reading the entire report, Benbu closed the file and handed it back to the Black-Eyed Elder: “Currently, Deng Zhi has been executed in Taida City, and her remains were burned on Si Hongche’s orders—”

 

“Her abilities were good. Why not keep her alive as a ‘camel’?” The Black-Eyed Elder glanced at Si Hongche’s cold face on the video.

 

Benbu recalled Si Hongche’s words on the phone and replied, “He said it was to give the War God Guild an explanation. Their president’s son was killed by Deng Zhi.”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder neither agreed nor disagreed.

 

Benbu continued, “At the same time, Mad Clown was sent overnight to AGW Special Dangerous Death Row Prison as bait to lure out the Black Lantern Society.”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder asked coldly, “Why not the restricted zone?”

 

Benbu: “Si Hongche explained that after the Oliver incident, the restricted zone became a dragon’s den and tiger’s lair. The Black Lantern Society would likely cut their losses and abandon rescue. But AGW Special Dangerous Death Row Prison could give them false hope. Also, since Oliver was imprisoned there for four years, he likely participated in this operation…”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder’s brow was tightly furrowed at first, but slowly relaxed by the end.

 

Benbu asked, “Do you think Si Hongche is untrustworthy?”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder’s eyes were dark and deep as he slowly said, “If it weren’t for that bit of personal interest at the end, I’d really suspect his motives.”

 

He knew Si Hongche’s obsession with Oliver—being able to put public before private actually made him feel more reassured.

 

“Where is Si Hongche now?”

 

Benbu: “Still in Taida City, attending the memorial service for the War God Guild president’s son. Thanks to the War God Guild’s clues, they were able to capture the Black Lantern Society members.”

 

The Black-Eyed Elder finally closed his eyes again. “Understood. Tell him to come back soon.”

 

Time ticked by, and the five-day deadline drew near.

 

After careful consideration, Lan Wendao finally dialed that long-uncontacted number.

 

After a few rings, the call was picked up.

 

The person who answered didn’t say anything, clearly knowing exactly who was calling.

 

The two of them held their phones in silence for a long time, the air so quiet you could hear a pin drop. In the end, it was the person who answered who lost patience first—

 

“If there’s nothing, I’m hanging up!” Zhan Qinghe said impatiently.

 

“There is!” Lan Wendao jumped up from his chair, pointing into the air at Zhan Qinghe, “You’re always acting like a bandit—who would ever want to discuss anything with you?”

 

Zhan Qinghe rolled his eyes. He believed that with Lan Wendao’s pettiness, he’d definitely sense something was up.

 

“So, are you going to say it or not?”

 

Lan Wendao grimaced, scratching his hair hard, finally taking a deep breath: “Do you fucking eat preserved plums or not?”

 

Zhan Qinghe: “……”

 

“Just give me a straight answer. If you’ve forgotten the mission of the Ghost Eye Group, then just let me—”

 

“I eat.” Zhan Qinghe replied grumpily.

 

##

 

T/N : Uwaaaah!! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ There are NOT ENOUGH WORDS to describe how much I hate Si Hongche!! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

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 (advanced chapters available on kofi)