I frantically pounded on the black watery mass surrounding me, making a dull thudding sound. I couldn't get out. The current situation left me deeply conflicted. Although that guy said Rachel Lan and the others were still useful, his goal was clear: to slowly dismantle the Ghost Burial Squad from within.
"Qingyuan, keep a close eye on them. Rachel, you too. Use the Vermilion Altar in your hands. I'll leave things here to you. I plan to have Lan Yin take me outside to check on the situation out there."
The fake me nodded, and then Hugh Thompson turned his head. Suddenly, he turned back again.
"By the way, Qingyuan, be careful with your strength. Otherwise, these guys could be in real danger."
With that, Hugh Thompson and Lan Yin both left. I grew anxious—neither of them noticed anything at all.
With a bang, the cell door slammed shut. The three who had been joking around—Rachel Lan, Dalton Fang, and Mason Yu—all fell silent, their faces turning ashen. They stood in the corner like walking corpses.
The fake me crouched down, looking at those poisoned by corpse venom, and sighed.
"Looks like I'll have to start with these people—create some chaos, then take Hugh Thompson away right under Lan Yin's nose."
The impostor made up his mind. He stretched out a hand, and with a crackling sound, his hand turned black. One by one, long black fingernails, sharp as steel needles, grew out, aimed at the slumbering Ghost Burial Squad members.
"Looks like I'll have to increase the dosage. If the corpse venom drags on too long, even I won't be able to hold out."
Just then, with a loud bang, the cell door was pushed open. Vivian Ouyang entered, smiling as she ran in.
"Ruoxi, let Ethan Zhang guard here alone. Come with me."
With that, Vivian Ouyang grabbed Lan Ruoxi and headed outside. The fake me flashed a fierce look, but in an instant, he returned to normal and gave an awkward smile.
The fake Lan Ruoxi laughed and followed Vivian Ouyang out. I saw Lan Yin standing at the doorway, along with Hugh Thompson.
"Oh, right, Ethan, I almost forgot—take a rest while you can. I'll need you to go out for something later."
The fake me nodded, and then the door closed again.
"Don't waste your energy, Ethan Zhang. Do you know why that guy is called The Traitor? He’s always been a wanderer, hired by different powers, always stirring up chaos, creating false appearances to deceive enemies and even his own people. No one really knows his motives, but he is a traitor—whether to the Nether Syndicate or us, he could turn on anyone at any time."
I stared blankly at Huang Mingfa as he burst into laughter, then stood up and walked toward me.
At that moment, the fake me seemed to be deep in thought, not attacking the Ghost Burial Squad members who’d been poisoned by corpse venom, as if pondering something.
I looked at Huang Mingfa and spoke.