"Everyone! Hands on your head, squat against the wall!! Now!!"
Lucas Reeve easily located this villa using the causal threads. After that, he handed it over to the person most familiar with this routine, Lin Qingyan.
Lin Qingyan put strength into her right foot, which even crackled with thunder. With a *boom*, the tightly shut villa door was violently kicked open. Immediately, a large group of people rushed in. When they saw the experimental table in the center of the main hall and the restrained host body on the table, everyone knew they had found the right place.
These 'white coats' on the first floor conducting experiments never expected anyone to come in. They were just researchers, not combat personnel, so for a moment, they didn't know what to do.
As for the second floor.
The marquis, who had been leaning on the wooden railing with both hands, an arrogant look on his face as if everything was under his control, looked like he was performing a "face-changing" opera. One second he was incomparably arrogant, a bonafide master of the world, and the next second he froze completely. The wine glass he had raised to his lips also stopped. He stared wide-eyed at the scene below, utterly and completely dumbfounded.
"????"
"Are you deaf?! Get your hands on your head and squat!!"
Lin Qingyan truly lived up to her name as an official from the Dali Temple. Her aura was more than sufficient. Especially the sight of her kicking open the door and yelling at the top of her lungs, it reminded Lucas Reeve of the time back in Shangshu. Back then, Lin Qingyan's "Awoo!" had indeed given Lucas Reeve a small fright.
Behind her, as proper Lungmen police officers, Officer Ch'en and Swire looked at each other, somewhat at a loss.
This kind of work....
Shouldn't *they* be the ones doing it?
Wait, who are the hosts here??
Forget it....
They're all big shots. Can't afford to offend them, can't afford to offend them.
Lin Qingyan's voice was just too powerful. For a moment, it was as if a real Kylin was roaring. Accompanied by the faint sparks of lightning at her side and the lightning on her Kylin horns, her entire presence was maxed out.
The research personnel on the first floor were completely intimidated by Lin Qingyan's aura and didn't know what to do. Someone reflexively squatted down, hands clasped behind their head, obediently leaning against the wall. When the others saw this, they all followed suit, squatting against the wall with their hands on their heads, one after another.
This scene.
Reminded Lucas Reeve of an anti-vice raid.
As expected of the Dali Temple. When it comes to being professional, the Dali Temple is the most professional.
"You upstairs!! Get down here!! Hands on your head, squat properly!!"
Lin Qingyan's fierce gaze shot towards the dumbfounded marquis and the young viscount beside him on the second floor.
The marquis on the second floor immediately looked at his companion, at a loss. He first glanced at the viscount beside him, then looked down at his wine glass, and then angrily smashed the glass on the floor, wasting food.
"Who do you think you are!!"
The marquis had just roared using his status, but then, Zuo Le, who had been following behind everyone like an apprentice, moved like a phantom. Dressed in practical attire, his lightness skill was like a dragonfly skimming water, incredibly agile. In an instant, he had already scaled the wall to the second floor, grabbed them with one hand, and, as if grabbing little chicks, seized the marquis and the viscount, dragged them down, and threw them in front of Taihe and Lin Qingyan.
Zuo Le wasn't a Celestial Master, but he was a martial artist. He wasn't skilled in any Originium Arts, but his martial arts skills were extremely exquisite. Even if he wasn't as good as Taihe, he was still truly strong.
"You..."
This marquis was furious. He was a Marquis of Ursus!!
What did Marquis mean!!
In Ursus, second only to a Grand Duke, truly capable of blotting out the sky with one hand. Theoretically, a great personage like him should be sitting in a grand villa in Ursus, enjoying dances and sipping red wine. This experimental work could be left to his subordinates. But the experiment being conducted now was quite important, which is why this marquis had come to personally supervise. Although his own strength was mediocre, his status was so transcendent that he was like a pillar.
Therefore, even if Wei Yenwu knew, he couldn't do anything to him here. It involved too many complications, and it would be disadvantageous for Lungmen. This was also why this marquis was so audacious.
However.
A noble marquis, who should be looking down on everyone, was actually forcibly dragged down by a common martial artist and violently thrown to the ground. This kind of humiliation was a grave disrespect to a marquis!!
The marquis was just about to question them.
However, Lin Qingyan gave him no chance to speak, uncompromisingly pulling out her own shock-and-awe.
"Yan Dali Temple! Lin Qingyan!!"
"Vice Inspector-General of the Suzheng Yuan of Yan! Taihe!"
"Candle-Bearer of the Sui Regulator Commission of Yan! Zuo Le!"
"Lungmen L.G.D. Senior Superintendents, Ch'en Hui-chieh, Swire!"
The round of 'big shots' behind her began to announce their identities one by one. When it came time for Lucas Reeve and the others, it was inexplicably awkward. But Nian suddenly thought of something, smiled mischievously, and yelled at the top of her lungs.
"Terra-famous movie director and screenwriter, Nian, and this is my partner, Terra-famous actor and director, Lucas Reeve."
Marquis: "????"
Everyone, even the researchers squatting in the corner, looked at Nian in confusion.
Ah, this...
Why did the tone suddenly change?
Everyone else is some kind of official, how come it's 'director' when it gets to you? That's a completely different industry!
"Ahem!"
Lin Qingyan coughed. "I am now arresting you in my capacity as an official of the Yan Dali Temple on the charge of conducting illegal human experiments!"
Zuo Le pulled a pair of silver bracelets from his pocket and skillfully cuffed the two of them.
The marquis stared at the 'free room and board' silver bracelets on his wrists, his mind completely blank.
He was a high-and-mighty marquis!!
Immediately, a strong sense of humiliation washed over the marquis's heart.
"Insolent peasant!! Do you know who I am!! I am a Marquis!! I am a Marquis of Ursus! How dare you arrest me!! You!!"
"And you!!"
The marquis then looked at Officer Ch'en. "A lowly Lungmen officer like you dares to arrest me!! You can go ask, ask your superior! Ask if your Lungmen's Wei Yenwu would dare to arrest me like this? I have a Grand Duke of Ursus above me!! Can you, Lungmen, bear the anger of a Grand Duke!!"
"......"
*Smack!*
Lin Qingyan walked over and delivered a fierce slap right across the marquis's face.
"I am acting on the orders of Yan's current Grand Tutor! I am here in Lungmen to handle a case. This place is Lungmen! And Lungmen is territory of my Yan! Since you are on my Yan's soil, you will obediently abide by the laws of my Yan. Your title as a foreign marquis has no authority on my Yan's soil!"
"I am now! Arresting you as the mastermind on the charges of intentional homicide and dangerous human experimentation! If you have any objections, you can naturally have your superior, the Grand Duke, go argue with Lord Grand Tutor!! Guards! Take them away!!!"
Lin Qingyan shouted habitually, but no one came over.
Only then did Lin Qingyan realize she might have gotten too into her role. There was no one here of lower rank than her. The two from Lungmen weren't under her command, Taihe outranked her, and Zuo Le, strictly speaking, was of similar rank.
Seeing everyone looking at her.
Lin Qingyan's fair face couldn't help but flush red with embarrassment.
Officer Ch'en immediately notified the Lungmen L.G.D. to come over, surround the villa, and arrest everyone inside.
After these people were taken away, Lucas Reeve and the others finally approached the experimental table in the center.
Indeed.
Just as Officer Ch'en had said, the host body's current state was already somewhat beyond human. Half his body was covered in Originium thorns, the other half in scales representing the Seaborn. Although he was hooked up to many tubes, he was still alive. However, he had likely been injected with a large amount of tranquilizers, leaving him motionless.
"Is there any hope for him?"
Officer Ch'en looked at Lucas Reeve. After Lucas Reeve had created a miracle before, Officer Ch'en now placed all her hope in him.
Lucas Reeve just glanced at him and shook his head. "It's too late. He's beyond saving."
"If it were within 48 hours of him becoming the host, I might have had a chance. If it were within three days, someone I know might have a way. But many days have passed now. The 'human' part inside him has completely vanished. He's actually been dead for a long time. The only reason he's still moving is because this special energy inside him is continuously supplying his vital functions."
"Let him go. Releasing him is the best choice now."
Surtr nodded. She poked him with a finger, and all-consuming flames enveloped the host body. The chaos on his surface was purged by this fire that could burn everything. Lucas Reeve also used his Rules to extract the excess Originium energy from his body. The Originium thorns on half his body shrank down. For an instant, the monster from before seemed to have returned to being an ordinary person, but everyone knew this person was already dead. All the organs inside his body had been completely devoured. Now that these powers were expelled, only an empty shell remained inside.
Before leaving.
Lin Qingyan and the others swept the villa again, taking all the research equipment. Among it were many semi-finished products and many lifeless Test Subjects. Who knows how many people this marquis had killed for his experiments.
When everyone walked out of The Wastes, the L.G.D. used this opportunity as a justifiable reason to temporarily enter The Wastes. As he was leaving, Lucas Reeve saw that Blackcloak again... Wei Yenwu's man....
For a moment.
Lucas Reeve seemed to have an epiphany.
"Wei Yenwu truly lives up to his name as an excellent politician. He knows what is trivial and what is important."
Lin Qingyan and Officer Ch'en both looked at Lucas Reeve, not understanding why he would say that.
"Actually, Wei Yenwu knew about this experiment long ago. Just as the marquis said, Wei Yenwu knew, but he couldn't do anything about it. So he wanted to use Yan's hand to eliminate this marquis. This way, even if Ursus caused trouble, Yan would be there to handle it."
Lin Qingyan frowned and said, "That's not right, Mr. Reeve."
"'Mr. Wei' never mentioned it to Yan; in fact, he deliberately concealed it. And Yan has never proactively managed Lungmen's affairs. So, why would he think Yan would definitely send people?"
"Very simple." Lucas Reeve smiled faintly. "Because of the Seaborn."
"Officer Ch'en, do you know anything about the Seaborn?"
Officer Ch'en shook her head.
"There you have it. Even a Senior Superintendent like Officer Ch'en doesn't know about the Seaborn. In all of Lungmen, only Wei Yenwu knows. In the directive the Grand Tutor emailed me, he told me he suspected Seaborn were in Lungmen. This Seaborn lead was likely leaked by Wei Yenwu himself. And it's precisely because he knew that a matter like the Seaborn was of grave importance, and if he concealed it, it could lead to disaster, which is why Wei Yenwu took the initiative to leak a detail or two. And if Yan found out it was related to the Seaborn, they would 100% not stand by and watch. They would definitely send people."
"And the people sent over would lock onto this Ursus marquis after investigating, and then arrest him."
The older Taihe nodded. He also agreed with Lucas Reeve's assessment.
"As expected of Wei Yenwu. A man destined for great things. No wonder he's able to govern Lungmen to this state."
In fact.
Taihe knew that it would be very simple for Yan to take complete control of Lungmen. If they just replaced the governor, Yan could control Lungmen in the next second. Yan only maintains this stance because it knows Wei Yenwu's talent is irreplaceable.
"Then... isn't 'Mr. Wei' afraid that Yan will use this as an excuse to directly interfere in Lungmen's affairs?"
Zuo Le asked.
Lucas Reeve said, "This is what I meant when I said he understands priorities. He clearly knows the Seaborn are a grave matter, which is why he resolutely made a choice."
Since the matter was concluded, the group returned to the L.G.D. headquarters.
They hadn't expected it to end so quickly, all wrapped up in less than half a day.
For Lin Qingyan and the other two who had come from Yan to Lungmen, it felt like they had just come on vacation. They didn't need to do anything the entire time, just follow behind the big shot and cheer. As expected of the Grand Tutor, he knows all kinds of incredible people!
However, the main event was still to come.
A marquis isn't some minor official. A viscount might be whatever; after all, Ursus has plenty of viscounts, and losing one isn't a big deal. But there really aren't many marquises.
Therefore, their own marquis being arrested by Lungmen, and even thrown into a jail cell like a common prisoner, was a blatant slap in the face to Ursus. Almost that same day, Ursus immediately sent a call to Lungmen, demanding Lungmen quickly repatriate the two nobles, and stating that, according to Ursus law, only Ursus can try nobles of Ursus. If Lungmen insisted on acting willfully, it would inevitably face sanctions from Ursus.
Faced with such an overt threat.
The one who replied to Ursus was not Lungmen, but Yan.
In an instant, Ursus went silent.
Lungmen was developed, but to put it bluntly, it was just an independent city. Forget a full Army Group, half an Army Group would be enough to conquer it. But... Yan was different. Yan's military power had historically been no weaker than Ursus's; it was a behemoth on par with Ursus.
They had never expected it.
Yan, which had never proactively managed Lungmen and always acted as the old 'transparent' one in the background, had actually entered the fray.