With a loud bang, the door swung open. Lan Yin reached out and gripped the Traitor’s Golden Soulstone, pulling the black stone from the Traitor’s chest and holding it in his hand. With a sharp tug, the Traitor crashed into the wall like a pile of rotten sludge, then fell heavily to the ground.
You know very well I could end your life at any moment.
Lan Yin spoke, raising the black Golden Soulstone in his right hand. With a crack, the Soulstone fractured, and the Traitor screamed in agony.
I’m no saint. If you don’t talk, I’ll kill you first, then take my time finding Ethan Zhang.
The Traitor tilted his head, now a shapeless mass, and started laughing. Black slime dripped steadily from his body onto the floor.
So, when exactly did you figure it out?
At that moment, the cell door opened.
Be careful, Ruoxi...
I stared in shock at the doorway. Lan Ruoxi, supported by Ouyang Wei, was covered in blackness—her face and skin were tinged with dark hues. Suddenly, Lan Yin grabbed the fake Dalton Fang, plunging his hand into Dalton’s body and yanking the unconscious man out.
Dalton Fang’s body was the same color as Lan Ruoxi’s—black.
It’s over for you, but you’re no different. Both of them have been infected by my corpse venom. Heh, my corpse venom isn’t like anyone else’s. Each of the Nine Extremes has their own unique poison. So, tell me, where did things go wrong? I’ve already read Ethan Zhang’s memories.
It was perfect, wasn’t it?
Mason Yu spoke, stepping forward and pointing at Lan Ruoxi.
It was the look in Ruoxi’s eyes that tipped me off. Facing her lover, her first reaction was indifference. So I improvised. When Ma Xiaoyu came up and said the corpse venom had flared up and we needed Vermilion Bird’s power to suppress it, that was just a ruse to fool you.
Mason Yu adjusted his glasses and continued.
For centuries, have you ever heard of Vermilion Bird’s power curing corpse venom?
The Traitor laughed and shook his head.
Earlier, I did have Lan Yin try it, but it had no effect at all. You, however, are different. So you’re not Ethan Zhang.
Mason Yu spoke as Lan Yin stormed over, fuming.
Cleanse the corpse venom from their bodies. You can do that, can’t you?
There was still a hint of a smile in the Traitor’s eyes. By now, his entire body looked like a mass of oozing sludge.
"I’ll remember you, Hugh Thompson. Heh, this is the first time—my disguise has ever been seen through."
As he spoke, the Traitor suddenly burst apart with a splash, turning into a pool of black water, then slowly trickled away through the cell’s drain.
"You bastard."
Lan Yin gritted his teeth, and with a sharp crack, crushed the black Golden Soulstone in his hand into powder. He raised his arm, and the black Vermilion Bird perched on the ceiling let out a piercing cry as the powder dissolved into smoky dust.
"Hang in there, kid."
In my last glimpse, I saw Lan Yin rushing toward the unconscious Rachel Lan.
With a gurgle, a mass of black water surged up from the floor, then morphed into a shadowy human shape—it was the Traitor. He hadn’t died, even though his Golden Soulstone had been shattered by Lan Yin.
"What’s the situation?" Henry Huang turned to face the Traitor immediately, asking.
The Traitor lifted his hand, revealing a tiny fragment of black crystal—a Golden Soulstone, barely the size of a glass bead. His body was almost indistinguishable.
"I was nearly finished off—failed."
Henry Huang’s mouth hung open in disbelief as he stared at him.
"So what now? We can’t beat him. If we try to run, Lan Yin could wipe us all out in an instant."
At that moment, the Traitor raised his hand and, with a snap, the black water that had trapped me dispersed. I fell to the ground and immediately scrambled to my feet, gasping for breath.
"How are the people downstairs holding up?"
"Not good. Of the eight Red-Faced Agents besides you, none can be saved—heart failure. Of the three Blue-Faced Agents, two are barely hanging on."
The Traitor pointed at me, flashing a wicked grin. In that instant, Henry Huang understood his intent.
"You must have done something, huh? Heh... Ethan Zhang, come here."
Henry Huang shouted, while I clenched my fists, glaring at them in anger.
"You saw it clearly just now, didn’t you? That woman’s condition, and that monk—both have been poisoned by my Corpse Venom. If you don’t want to watch them die, bring Hugh Thompson here."
Henry Huang immediately added,
"And that black heart you seized, do you understand? Ethan Zhang, your woman is about to die."
I glared at them, grinding my teeth as the fury inside me surged. Flames began to ignite around my body.
I left the Corpse Barrier. The revenants hadn’t vanished yet, but this time, they didn’t attack me—they parted, forming a path.
"Don’t think there’s a way to save that woman. My corpse venom is special—especially for humans. Even if she’s from the Hades Circle, it’s the same."
The Traitor’s words echoed in my ears. I suppressed my rage and flew to the prison gate. As the door opened, I rushed inside, desperate to see Rachel Lan.
As soon as I entered, everyone looked at me with grave expressions.
"Sorry, I..."
"I should be the one apologizing, Ethan. The plan was to lure those people out, but now..."
I rushed to the room behind them. Rachel Lan and Dalton Fang lay on the floor, barely alive, their bodies already turning black—the situation looked dire.
Lan Yin paced anxiously at the doorway.
"Say it, Ethan. Their condition is that you bring me to them, isn’t it?"
I stared at Hugh Thompson in surprise, then nodded. I crouched beside Rachel Lan, lifting her into my arms. Pain tore through me—her breath grew weaker and weaker.
"Let’s go, Ethan. There’s not much time. Don’t hesitate now."
Hugh Thompson spoke. I looked at him in shock, but he just smiled and patted my shoulder.
"If my life alone can save Rachel Lan, Dalton Fang, and everyone else, I think it’s worth it."
"Thompson..."
The Ghost Burial Squad gathered around. Then I remembered—why hadn’t Mason Yu been poisoned? I spoke up, and Mason Yu stepped out from the crowd.
"It was the Spirit Snake. That thing ate all the poison out of my body."
"Right, that guy should be fine. Get him out here, quick."