The zombie's heart functions as the dynamic switch sustaining its existence; its destruction signifies the creature's demise.

In Zhou Huan's hand was the freshly extracted zombie heart, resembling a piece of charred charcoal, its brittle fragments cascading onto the ground below the deep night.

Everyone stared, for when does a normal person ever witness such a spectacle? Furthermore, how many people in history, let alone recently, have ever seen a true zombie? As Zhou Huan crushed the charcoal in his hand into dust, the subordinate of Mr. Lao Wang immediately collapsed, thick plumes of black essence slowly rising from him.

Zhou Shun felt an unsettling churn in his stomach, threatening to bring up his dinner at any moment. He tried to pull away from Mr. Lao Wang's subordinate, but the bodyguards Mr. Lao Wang had brought this time were all stubbornly resolute; the two men holding him refused to let go. By the time Zhou Shun could no longer hold back, the spicy hot pot he had for dinner erupted from him.

Seeing Zhou Shun vomit, the two bodyguards immediately flew into a rage. "Who told you to throw up? Hold it in!"

"Can't... hold it! Oh!" Zhou Shun, a rather timid policeman, instantly wilted under the bodyguards' harshness. Fortunately, he was almost done.

But the two bodyguards found the sight before them utterly repulsive and casually remarked, "You are truly disgusting. We'll deal with you after this is over."

"Forget the dealing, I know your methods. Isn't it enough if I clean this mess up?" With that, Zhou Shun gathered the contents of his vomit with his hand and swallowed back what he deemed edible.

This action caused everyone else to vomit as well.

"Alright, stop vomiting. Look at the time. There’s still a corpse on the ground that needs dealing with—get the fire going and burn it!" Zhou Huan immediately directed the setup of a pyre for the body.

"Master Zhou, why burn them? Shouldn't you keep them for investigation?" Mr. Lao Wang, familiar with Zhou Huan’s methods, presumed the bodies would be examined before burial. The immediate need to burn them was quite unexpected for him.

"Don't ask so many questions; be quick. If these things catch the sunlight when dawn breaks, things will get complicated!"

Mr. Lao Wang's subordinates quickly gathered firewood. In the countryside, firewood is remarkably easy to find; even in the suburbs close to the city, it’s readily available.

Zhou Shun pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth and walked over to Zhou Huan. "Brother Huan, you’re burning the bodies before the forensic team has even examined them. I won't be able to explain myself back at the station!"

Zhou Huan glanced at him dismissively. "You still carry the surname Zhou, truly a disgrace to the Zhou family. You don't need to explain back there; your task today is to take over that casino. I will handle the explanations!"

"Master Zhou, you aren't a police officer either; on what grounds can you offer an explanation!" Just as Zhou Shun spoke, he saw Zhou Huan pull an identification card from his inner coat pocket. It read 'Paranormal Specialist,' signed by the Provincial Public Security Department. His rank was equivalent to an official above the division chief level, though he held no formal post—a position defined as a carefree wanderer within the police ranks.

At this sight, Zhou Shun’s jaw dropped. He hadn't expected someone who handles the dead to be so influential. Was this a special privilege deliberately granted by the provincial department? As he pondered this, a large hand grabbed his collar.

"Listen here, kid. Nobody knows about this identification. If you dare breathe a word of it, be careful when you sleep tonight; I might send a dozen lonely, wild ghosts to have some 'fun' with you!" After speaking, Zhou Huan gave a gentle push, sending Zhou Shun stumbling aside.

Zhou Huan dragged the fallen zombie and, with his other hand, picked up the severed limb of the creature, tossing both into the newly lit fire. The corpse of Xiao Wuzi and the body Zhou Huan had thrown in earlier were instantly reduced to ash. Subsequently, Zhou Huan wrote two blessing talismans and burned those too.

"Dongzi, come out. The people inside the room are fine now. Take out all that spirit money and burn it!" At Zhou Huan's summons, the three people from the gambling room ran out and quickly tossed the spirit money—nearly three million brought by the two individuals—into the fire. Dongzi, following standard procedure, assisted Zhou Huan in presiding over the spirit sending.

Zhou Huan, however, returned to the car alone. Mr. Lao Wang followed him inside. Zhou Huan retrieved glutinous rice wine, uncooked glutinous rice, cinnabar powder, and gold dust from his vehicle. After mixing the ingredients, he stripped off his upper garment, remaining bare-chested.

Mr. Lao Wang was instantly shocked upon seeing Zhou Huan's bare torso. "Master Zhou, what is wrong with you?"

"It’s nothing serious, just a bit rough; it takes too much energy. You absolutely must not touch me. I need to sleep after I finish this. Remember to wake me up exactly at nine tomorrow morning. Until then, no one should approach me. Watch over things, send the rest of the men back, and tell Dongzi to return to Fushoutang and clock in for his regular shift!" After speaking, Zhou Huan downed an entire large bottle of the glutinous rice wine. He then vigorously rubbed the uncooked glutinous rice all over his body. Mixing the cinnabar with gold dust, he used the rice wine as a medium to seal his Yintang acupoint. With a final exhalation, Zhou Huan tilted his head back and fell into a deep, loud sleep.

The remaining scene was extraordinarily silent. Even after the bodies were fully burned, the men methodically cleaned the site without making a sound; everything proceeded in quiet order.

But Zhou Huan’s sleep was profoundly deep. Mr. Lao Wang assigned nearly ten men to guard the perimeter of Zhou Huan’s car. Only at precisely nine the next morning did Mr. Lao Wang attempt to rouse him. However, when Zhou Huan awoke, everyone noticed something was amiss. A faint black energy clung to his forehead, but it seemed unable to break through, trapped by the barrier of the cinnabar paste.

"Master Zhou, your forehead?" Though Mr. Lao Wang didn't fully understand, having witnessed Zhou Huan handle so many supernatural incidents, he had some grasp of these matters.

Zhou Huan rubbed his head with his hand. "It’s nothing; it will pass in a couple of days. Has the site been completely cleared?"

"It's all done. Dongzi returned as you instructed. The police have sealed off the casino here. Now, it's just us and the woman sitting nearby!" Mr. Lao Wang said, pointing toward a woman sitting cross-legged on the ground. Zhou Huan recognized her instantly from his professional wear.

"Are you Dongzi's manager?" Zhou Huan confirmed, then asked, "How did you end up here?"

The manager slowly rose, a slight curl playing on her lips. "Master Zhou, I came specifically for you."

"Specifically for me?" Zhou Huan looked utterly confused. What was this manager’s role, that she would involve herself in his affairs? Logically, it made no sense; he had no personal ties to her, and moreover, she was a primary suspect in the entire incident. Why seek him out voluntarily, and why claim it was specifically for him? Was she challenging him, knowing his current weakened state?

Zhou Huan's hesitation and caution were clearly written on his face, yet, miraculously, the manager seemed to perceive it all.

"Master Zhou, don't overthink it. I came to tell you that my left eyelid has been twitching all morning. But rest assured, I'm telling you this not because I need your help; I will handle my own matters. I came here only to inform you that your body is too depleted. You shouldn't get involved in this matter for the time being; wait until you have recovered before stepping in!"

The manager's words only deepened Zhou Huan's confusion. He began to doubt his initial assumptions. What exactly was this manager’s background? He then asked, "May I ask what I should call you, Manager?"

"My name is Lingzi!"

"Lingzi?" What a peculiar name. Zhou Huan inquired further, "Are you Japanese?"

"No, I am a proud, genuine Chinese person. Enough talk for now; I have a meeting back at the company. I hope you take care of yourself and put this matter aside for now. It won't be too late for you to handle it when you feel you've recuperated." Having said this, the manager named Lingzi turned and walked away, stepping onto the road to hail a taxi and depart.