280: Chapter 280 Psychic Communication

Beizhou City Branch.

The time was already very late, but the lights inside the branch were still brightly lit.

Quite a few staff members were busy, either holding small notebooks to record things or staring at the prisoners with torch-like gazes, creating an urgent and heavy atmosphere.

A Black-Clothed Enforcer respectfully saluted and said, "My Lord, we discovered a secret passage in the corner of the Wang Family manor. After investigating, we found that there is a prison cell inside the secret passage, illegally detaining many people ranging from 12 to 22 years old."

Shen Xingchen seemed to realize something and asked, "Do the detained people share any special characteristics?"

The Black-Clothed Enforcer replied, "The 18 people detained are all holders of the spatial-type Talent Divine Ability. According to them, the Wang Family sends them to the red-robed priests in batches, and this is already the fourth batch."

Shen Xingchen frowned slightly.

Now it could be confirmed that the Wang Family was involved with the Crimson Church, but the development of events was becoming increasingly bizarre.

Why did the Crimson Church need so many spatial-type Talent Divine Abilities?

The Black-Clothed Enforcer continued, "According to one of the girls, she once heard a red-robed priest say that the reason for capturing them was to sacrifice them to ACP—005."

"ACP—005, it sounds like the codename of a Forbidden Item," said Duan Tianhai.

Shen Xingchen's frown deepened further: "Weren't Forbidden Items said to be forged through the blood sacrifice of a single individual? How powerful would a Forbidden Item forged from a blood sacrifice of so many people together be?"

The spatial type was already slightly overpowered to begin with, and there was even a folk saying: "When time does not appear, space is king."

If they were really allowed to sacrifice so many lives to refine an S-class or even SS-class Forbidden Item... how terrifyingly powerful would that be!?

Everyone fell silent.

At that moment, a woman wearing black leather clothing walked over.

The woman's objective was very clear. With her big wavy hair draped loosely, she headed towards Director Duan: "Director Duan."

"This is the psychic of our branch."

Duan Tianhai first introduced her to Shen Xingchen, and then said to the woman, "Song Wan, this lord comes from Snowfield Dragon City and is the newly appointed Young Marshal of the Xue Family Army, codename 'Silver Fox'. From now on, his orders are my orders. First listen to his teachings, and then enter the prison cell to perform psychometry on the prisoners."

"Understood, Director Duan."

Song Wan was somewhat surprised. At first, she had thought this young man was Director Duan's junior, which allowed them to chat so pleasantly; she never expected to be wildly mistaken.

This silver-robed young man actually came from Snowfield Dragon City, and his position was not low either; even Director Duan treated him with great courtesy.

Shen Xingchen nodded at the woman and said, "Ms. Song, hello. There are only two key questions this time. First, figure out the situation regarding a Forbidden Item named ACP—005 within the Crimson Church recently, and ideally find out where the Forbidden Item is. Second, gather more information about the Crimson Church's stronghold."

"Understood! Young Marshal." Song Wan nodded, then clicked her small black leather shoes and swayed her waist as she walked towards the direction of the prison cell.

Shen Xingchen glanced at Duan Tianhai. In truth, he was still very curious about the methods of spirit communication.

Duan Tianhai understood tacitly and asked, "Young Marshal, should we also go take a look at the psychic methods?"

Shen Xingchen nodded with considerable gratification: "Alright."

This was the method of a veteran in officialdom; just by catching a glance, he could figure out his superior's intentions.

The two followed behind Song Wan and walked towards the prison cells.

Because most of the prisoners were martial artists, the prison walls were made of specially crafted synthetic steel, and welding was also done using special methods. At a single glance, the underground prison cells formed a cohesive whole.

At this hour, the prisoners were all sleeping. Suddenly hearing a commotion, they cautiously crept over to the windows and looked through the glass at the scene in the corridor.

Upon seeing this, a Black-Clothed Enforcer began to scold them: "What are you doing? Go to sleep early! You still have to operate the sewing machines tomorrow—can you even get up in time?"

The prisoners felt crestfallen, but they did not dare to complain and could only silently return to their beds.

Shen Xingchen arrived outside the innermost prison cell.

This prison cell had the highest specifications. Even a full-strength strike from an Eighth-Order martial artist would not be able to damage the cell walls in the slightest.

Inside the prison cell was that member of the Crimson Church wearing a red robe.

Upon seeing Shen Xingchen's arrival, he shrunk his neck and looked at Shen Xingchen with some fear.

Shen Xingchen smiled: "Did you see those two corpses at the entrance of the corridor? If you don't cooperate, your fate later will be just like theirs."

Following the direction of Shen Xingchen's finger, there were two corpses wrapped in white cloth on stretchers.

Standing beside the corpses was a woman with big wavy hair; it was Song Wan, who had arrived here a step ahead.

That sole surviving red-robed priest looked towards the corridor entrance with some confusion.

If the silver-robed big shot wanted to use corpses to scare him, he was looking down on him far too much; such intimidation was not even as good as the cyan sword light from earlier.

However, the red-robed priest soon changed his perspective.

Right at the corridor.

Song Wan's hand gently brushed across the top of the corpses, and an illusory shadow appeared at the edge of the bodies.

The shadow was wrapped in black Qi all over its body, looking just like a fierce ghost from the netherworld.

Shen Xingchen watched this scene with great interest. Without that wisp of black Qi, that illusory shadow would be eight points similar to Qiyuan's spirit body... This should be the materialized embodiment of the human soul.

The only difference was that Qiyuan's spirit body was more sacred and more solid.

Song Wan's hands quickly formed seals. As the mark on her palm appeared, the illusory shadow originally hidden within the body began to twitch and wriggle.

It was as if a soul that had rested in peace for a long time was disturbed, stirring up a boundless grievance.

However, Song Wan was evidently well-prepared for this scene. She simply changed her hand seals slightly to suppress the black shadow's grievance, and then began to question: "Speak, what is ACP—005?"

The black shadow's lips began to move: "I..."

Watching such a bizarre scene, the sole surviving red-robed priest felt his hair stand on end.

Even though he was accustomed to blood and death, seeing with his own eyes that his colleagues' souls could not even rest in peace still filled his heart with a wave of desolation and fear.

He couldn't help but think of his own impending fate... It was almost certain that it would be exactly the same as those two corpses—being dragged out of hell by someone to be interrogated.

"This..." The red-robed priest's throat moved.

At that moment.

Shen Xingchen bared his snow-white teeth and smiled: "Be good, it's nothing!"

Although these were comforting words, they made the red-robed priest feel an even chillier sensation down his spine.

Time passed bit by bit.

The staff member responsible for recording quickly filled up a full notebook, and the residual soul of the corpses gradually wore away.

Song Wan wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled as she said to Shen and Duan: "I have successfully fulfilled the mission."

Shen Xingchen first nodded in appreciation, then looked at the red-robed priest: "If you have anything you can say now, say it quickly. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee whether you'll be lying on another stretcher having your soul hooked."