"Don't worry, Master, I understand!" With a swift flourish, Li Tianxiong drew a captivating Soul-Summoning Talisman onto the pale yellow paper using brilliant vermilion ink.

Zhou Huan strode ahead, with Tianxiong trailing close behind, writing as he walked, their steps falling into an almost synchronized rhythm. In the deep silence of the night, the sound of their footfalls was remarkably crisp.

Only a few dim pathway lamps illuminated the Sun family villa. These lights were so faint that on a clear, moonlit night, the actual moonlight might easily outshine them. This very austerity made Zhou Huan’s heart flutter nervously: what exactly was going on between Xiang Jiao and Li Guang? With the Sun family’s ancestral wealth and such a vast, luxuriously decorated villa, why were they so reluctant to spend a little electricity?

Li Tianxiong quickly finished inscribing a thick bundle of Soul-Summoning Talismans and tucked them into his satchel. He opened his eyes wide, peering into the villa. Seeing no unusual movement within, he slowed his pace, relying now on his hearing. He strained against the profound quiet, trying to catch any sound that might aid his quick judgment, but again, his efforts proved fruitless.

The crickets chirped wildly in the grass around the villa, their mournful groans—pleas for release—seeming to ebb and flow with the gusts of night wind that reached his ears.

Tianxiong heard it this time, but the sensation wasn't the joy of finding what he sought; rather, he was drawn into deep contemplation by the agonizing sounds.

Zhou Huan’s hands were already on the villa’s courtyard gate. With just the slightest push, the grinding friction of the stone jamb sounded startlingly loud, silencing the crickets instantly. He ignited the guiding light in his heart, his steps growing lighter, his breathing deepening, becoming slower and more measured.

“Master, did you hear that sound just now? That wretched, pitiful moan, it sounded like it was coming from underground.” Li Tianxiong hated breaking the rare silence, but the lament, which instantly drew sympathy, felt like a desperate plea, as if someone were begging them for something. He lowered his voice as he spoke.

Zhou Huan turned vigilant, raising a hand to signal Tianxiong to be quiet. He merely turned his head and mouthed shapes to Tianxiong, his meaning clear: he had heard the moans, but they must press on, intending to search upstairs for something. The late-night cries must belong to a vengeful spirit; he had to find it.

Li Tianxiong followed Zhou Huan forward, their movements delicate—walking on tiptoe, their steps like clouds passing, like dragonflies skimming water—until they reached the villa entrance. They noticed the indoor lighting was no brighter than the exterior lamps, and the silence inside was even deeper. Yet, they could vaguely perceive tiny, intermittent sounds of movement, a rustling chaos. Suddenly, the sound of a wooden door being pulled open crashed out with palpable force.

Zhou Huan and Tianxiong were no novices. In the blink of an eye, they slipped to opposite sides, hiding in the shadow cast by the stone steps leading up to the main door.

The villa’s heavy door opened, and several bodyguards emerged, all appearing visibly drunk, cigarettes dangling from their lips. As they ambled toward the gate, one muttered, “Where are those scoundrels under Little Rabbit? Why aren’t they back yet? Did that Zhou fellow tie them up again?”

“No way. Those are mercenaries hired from France. They’re the best of the best.”

“Forget it. Let’s go check. Otherwise, if the young mistress calls for someone later, there won’t be anyone here.” A group of three to five bodyguards staggered out the main door and headed toward the woods.

Zhou Huan cautiously peeked out. Seeing that the immediate area was clear, he scrambled up onto the stone pedestal beneath the main doorframe and beckoned Tianxiong: “Apprentice, hurry up. We need to get inside and search. Time is short; make it quick.”

The two met, slipped through the gap left by the slightly ajar door, and entered the villa's main hall. The ancestral tablet for Elder Sun had long since been cleared away. Logically, a wealthy family like this should have kept it displayed for at least the full mourning period of forty-nine days. But the entire series of abnormal actions by the Sun family only solidified Zhou Huan’s conviction that Xiang Jiao and Li Guang harbored secrets they dared not reveal.

They tip-toed, daring not to breathe heavily, inching their way to the second floor. Once there, they headed directly for Xiang Jiao’s room.

Outside the door, the room was pitch black; not even a sound of breathing could be detected.

Hmm? A question mark formed in Zhou Huan’s mind. It was so late; where could the two have gone? Had they truly arrived too late? Zhou Huan pondered intensely—it couldn’t be! After being watched for so long, they still dared to go out? Lost in thought, Zhou Huan very gently turned the doorknob. They both bent low, almost parallel to the floor, crawling toward the bedside, only to find the room empty.

Tianxiong slowly stood up and whispered to Zhou Huan in a breathy voice, “Master, no one’s here. Let’s search for things!”

“Fine. Shut the door tight. If those guys come back, they’ll be patrolling.” Just as Zhou Huan finished speaking, they heard hurried footsteps running outside, the impact making the floorboards tremble.

Bang! The person threw the door open, the wood slamming against the wall. His hand fumbled along the wall, searching for the light switch.

Zhou Huan and Tianxiong had already hidden beneath the bed; the large bedspread perfectly shielded them from view.

After flicking on the light, the man didn't call out for Xiang Jiao or Li Guang. Instead, he went straight to the window facing the courtyard. With a gentle pull on the windowsill, the floor panel beside it slid open, revealing a long ladder descending into darkness. The man lowered himself down the ladder.

A sudden clarity washed over Zhou Huan and Tianxiong; they had finally found the source. The Sun family villa truly held secrets beneath its surface.

They waited under the bed until the man climbed back up a short time later, sweating profusely. He secured the hidden mechanism, turned off the light, pulled the door shut, and rushed out of the villa. Outside, a sudden burst of commotion shattered the night’s previous serenity.

“You go search along the outer wall. Be meticulous. Report any suspicious marks immediately. The second team, wait at Entrance B to load the cargo!” The voices outside were not shouting, but in that quiet setting, they carried clearly.

Zhou Huan and Tianxiong slowly climbed out from under the bed, holding their breath. “You stay here and watch the room. I’m going down. If I can’t get back out, summon the spirits immediately!”

“Master, let me go instead! It’s too dangerous down there!” Tianxiong argued, vying with Zhou Huan to descend into the secret passage.

Zhou Huan raised a hand to stop him, fixing Tianxiong with a gaze so forceful and imposing that it pinned him in place. Zhou Huan strode to the windowsill, triggered the mechanism, and a dark hatch in the floor slowly opened, revealing a nearly ten-meter ladder leading down to a single light fixture. He descended carefully, rung by rung. As he neared the bottom, he realized the vast open space below was utterly silent.

Zhou Huan felt a flicker of surprise. He stepped off the ladder and moved slowly down the passageway beneath it. After walking about ten meters, he found a heavy door shut tight. Through the glass panels in the door, he could clearly see shadowy figures moving inside, seemingly very busy. He pressed himself against the wall, avoiding the light, and crept to the door. He crouched down and gently pushed the heavy door open with his hand.

“Who is it?” A man dressed like a guard stood just inside, leveling a pistol toward the opening.

Zhou Huan darted behind another doorway. Moments later, the guard rushed through the door, about to turn toward Zhou Huan’s position, when Zhou Huan clamped a hand over the man's mouth and delivered a swift strike; the guard immediately slumped unconscious. Zhou Huan snatched the pistol from his hand and charged inside.

The moment he stepped across the threshold, he froze, completely stunned by the scene before him, unable to process what he was seeing.

Just inside the entrance was a guard post, blocked by a railing. Beyond that was a massive hall, large enough to be a factory floor of over a thousand square meters. It was divided into several zones: one side held a large cache of military hardware, including submachine guns; another displayed sacks, large and small, filled with white powder—everyone knew that was narcotics. Further inside, several people in white lab coats—the ‘scientists’—were busy handling various test tubes, their activities punctuated by the roar of machinery.

When Zhou Huan finally regained his composure, the nearly twenty workers inside had stopped and were staring at him.

“Hey! Who are you? What are you doing coming in here?” A bald man, wearing a white coat and clutching a clipboard, walked toward Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan’s mind raced. He lowered his voice, mimicking a hoarse, gravelly tone. “Are the young mistress and young master in? I have an urgent matter to discuss with them face-to-face.”

“You must be new. They’re in the laboratory. Go find him in there.”

Zhou Huan felt a surge of secret joy; this man was too easy to fool. A single sentence had resolved the issue. He strode forward confidently, carrying the gun openly.

A large hand blocked Zhou Huan’s path. “Buddy, don’t you know the rules here? Why are you bringing a gun inside?” As he spoke, the man lunged forward to grab the weapon.

Zhou Huan paused, then engaged the safety on his pistol, loosened the firing pin slightly, and gently placed the gun on the floor. He did this to guard against a surprise attack from behind, ensuring he had enough time to evade.

“Is that acceptable now?” Zhou Huan asked the bald man.

The bald man nodded slightly, gave Zhou Huan another brief look, and then turned back to his work.

Zhou Huan navigated through the underground facility, his eyes scanning for the laboratory. When he spotted a small door at the far end of the factory floor, clearly marked 'LABORATORY,' he quickened his pace, rushing to the door. He wanted to burst in but checked his impulse, tapping lightly instead. Immediately, he heard the familiar voice from inside, accompanied by the moaning sound he had heard earlier.

“Who is it? Come in!” Li Guang’s voice called from within the laboratory.

Zhou Huan paused, offered no reply, and gently pushed the door open.