"You want to extract all the data from Hongchen Pavilion?"
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, Pan Yichun trembled all over.
Just two days ago, Hongchen Pavilion had completed its data migration. The server contained Hongchen Pavilion's entire layout in China, personnel arrangements, and even the data of Hongchen Pavilion's users in China!
Extracting the data from here was equivalent to removing the last fig leaf of the Chinese branch!
If the higher-ups of Hongchen Pavilion found out about this, let alone them, the entire branch would be wiped out!
"What, do you need me to help you?"
Seeing Pan Yichun hesitate, Ye Ling raised his eyebrows slightly and asked.
In fact, the idea of extracting the database was suggested to Ye Ling by Dark Rose.
Although Dark Rose's hackers had bypassed Hongchen Pavilion's system firewall and identified the location of their branch, the data in the database was encrypted. Without the key, they couldn't obtain much information.
However, Pan Yichun was an insider of Hongchen Pavilion. Although his strength was not high, he was highly valued by Hongchen Pavilion in terms of computers and had immense authority to operate servers.
Logically, someone of Pan Yichun's caliber should be heavily guarded by Hongchen Pavilion. However, most of the powerhouses in Daocheng University had been dispatched by Ye Feng to Dragon Dao Town to capture Zhang Muya. Furthermore, the Heavenly Master Ordination Ceremony had also tied up some of Hongchen Pavilion's combat power, resulting in very few guards in this branch, not even a seventh-grade异士 (Yishi)!
Pan Yichun also knew that there were no powerhouses in Daocheng University who could protect him. If he didn't comply with Ye Ling's wishes, Ye Ling would kill him before Hongchen Pavilion could.
Realizing this, Pan Yichun dared not hesitate. He tremblingly said to Ye Ling, "I, I will help you extract the data now."
Pan Yichun, trembling, walked to the console, entered a series of complex keys, and began to retrieve the internal data of the server.
The other researchers remained kneeling on the ground, all with their heads bowed and muscles tensed.
They were acutely aware of the implications of what Pan Yichun was doing.
If their actions were discovered, they would all die!
Having been pushed to a dead end, some researchers' minds became active, attempting a desperate gamble for a sliver of hope.
Ye Ling also noticed some researchers making small moves, but his entire focus was on the data Pan Yichun was extracting, so he paid no attention to their actions, letting them do as they pleased.
After all, the entire Hongchen Pavilion branch would be taken down in the end, so their actions wouldn't make any difference.
Focusing on the screen, Ye Ling found a lot of information he needed from the data Pan Yichun extracted.
The data of all users in China for Hongchen Pavilion, as well as the specific purpose of the attack on Zhengyi Sect, were all clear!
"This 'Number One' actually impersonated the Great Elder of Zhengyi Sect, and the Deputy Sect Leader is also from Hongchen Pavilion... Zhengyi Sect has been eroded to this extent?"
Ye Ling clicked his tongue repeatedly upon seeing Hongchen Pavilion's plans for Zhengyi Sect.
Not only Zhengyi Sect, but a considerable portion of various forces in China had also been infiltrated by Hongchen Pavilion!
Even within the Dragon Department, two high-ranking officials were members of Hongchen Pavilion!
From this cold data alone, Ye Ling could see Hongchen Pavilion's ambition.
With the strength Hongchen Pavilion currently displayed, they could completely shake the foundation of China, yet they had been enduring... their wolfish ambition was evident!
"Can you extract more data?"
Ye Ling scanned the extracted data. Although he had obtained a lot of useful information, the most crucial pieces were still missing.
There was no description of the matters between Ye Feng and the higher-ups of Hongchen Pavilion.
"Sir... this database was newly migrated, and the data is not yet complete. This is all there is," Pan Yichun wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, his legs shaking, and said tremblingly to Ye Ling.
What he was doing now was enough for Hongchen Pavilion to exterminate his entire clan!
"What a pity..."
Ye Ling sighed, still somewhat unsatisfied.
However, he couldn't force these things, and he quickly organized his thoughts.
According to the information obtained from the server, Hongchen Pavilion's Heavenly Master Ordination Ceremony targeting Zhengyi Sect was aimed at two objectives: first, to completely replace Zhengyi Sect, making Daocheng entirely Hongchen Pavilion's territory, with no one able to infiltrate it.
Second, Ye Feng wanted to obtain a certain secret from Zhang Muya, and if he couldn't, he would kill Zhang Muya at all costs!
From this, it was clear that Zhang Muya was still hiding something.
After all, Ye Feng, as a high-ranking official of Hongchen Pavilion, had experienced all the entanglements between Zhang Muya, Ye Feng, and Su Xue'er back then.
If Zhang Muya didn't have other secrets, Ye Feng wouldn't need to go to such lengths because of her.
Moreover, even if Ye Feng simply wanted to conceal secrets, he had plenty of time over the past century to kill Zhang Muya and wouldn't have waited until now!
This meant that Ye Feng had only recently learned that Zhang Muya possessed certain secrets, which was why he was acting so frantically!
"It seems that this time, I am on the same starting line as Ye Feng, and I even have an advantage over him..."
Ye Ling muttered softly, a faint gleam flashing in his eyes.
Zhang Muya and Xu Shuya were both in his hands, the Heavenly Luo Ghost King had been destroyed, and the Heavenly Mechanism Diagram was also in his pocket...
Half of the participants and important items from what happened back then were in Ye Ling's possession.
As long as Ye Ling put in a little effort, he could obtain the information Ye Feng wanted first!
"Beep—!"
"Beep—!"
At this moment, a piercing alarm sounded in the server room. All the lights went out and were replaced by red lights.
The room became extremely dark!
"Alarm?"
Upon hearing the alarm, Pan Yichun was stunned for a moment, then reacted, looking sharply at the researchers who had retreated to the corner at some unknown time, his eyes about to split!
Activating the alarm could indeed alert other members of Hongchen Pavilion that something had happened here, but he was still by Ye Ling's side!
With the alarm sounding, Ye Ling had no retreat, and he would be the first to be killed!
At this moment, Pan Yichun felt like cursing his mother. He quickly explained to Ye Ling, "Sir, this, this has nothing to do with me! It's all their doing! I didn't intend to betray you!"
As Pan Yichun kept explaining to Ye Ling, the other researchers took advantage of the chaos to flee outwards, trying to escape Ye Ling's clutches in the dim light!
For them, as long as they activated the alarm and then fled, the responsibility for extracting the data could be entirely shifted to Pan Yichun, and they could gain a sliver of hope for survival!
Ye Ling, however, paid no attention to the alarm that had sounded, and didn't even stop the fleeing researchers. He smiled at Pan Yichun and said, "Now your path has been completely cut off by them. It seems you have no way out but death."
Hearing Ye Ling's words, Pan Yichun trembled all over and knelt before Ye Ling again, "Sir, spare my life! I have old parents and young children, and I'm just trying to make a living, not..."
"Enough," Ye Ling interrupted Pan Yichun, "If you want to live, do as I say."
"Thank you, sir, for sparing my life! I can do anything for you!"
Pan Yichun kowtowed repeatedly. He had betrayed Hongchen Pavilion, and now, to survive, he could only cling tightly to Ye Ling.
Pan Yichun said with great fervor, "Sir, just tell me what you want me to do! I can go through fire and water!"
Ye Ling smiled, "I want you to help me destroy this branch."
Pan Yichun was stunned, "Huh?"