Ye Longlin's eyes emanated a peculiar glow.
Ye Xiaoqin was dead, killed by the Life Devouring Palm, a victim of her hatred for the Ye family. Though she was gone, her impact extended far beyond her demise. Having spent years within the Dark Hall, she possessed intimate knowledge of its operations.
She had divulged all of it to Ye Longlin, allowing him to clearly understand the true nature of the Dark Hall.
"I used to believe the Dark Hall was merely a shadowy organization, akin to a syndicate of assassins or mercenaries. But now I truly grasp why they can stand toe-to-toe with the Glory Hall."
His gaze was complex, an unidentifiable mix of emotions. He wasn't sure how he should feel.
He had clashed with the Dark Hall more than once, yet they had never deployed their full strength. That was the most terrifying aspect.
"Indeed. I never expected there to be two individuals from the Dark Hall within the Star City Administration Building. It's utterly unbelievable how deeply they are infiltrating Great Xia; the threat is escalating."
Xuan Niao frowned, looking at Ye Xiaoqin's corpse with a chilling sensation.
If left unchecked, wouldn't half of Great Xia's population be their members in the future?
"Immediately order Yuan Gang to apprehend them! We cannot let them escape!"
Ye Longlin's eyes turned cold as he issued the swift command.
Xuan Niao departed to relay the message to Yuan Gang.
Then, he turned his attention to Wang Xiulan and Mu Ye. "Are you alright?"
Wang Xiulan had been about to voice a complaint, but upon seeing the wound on his shoulder, she swallowed her words. After all, he had been injured because of her. To say anything more would be truly excessive.
"It is our honor to serve Mr. Ye."
The martial energy released during his confrontation with Ye Xiaoqin had rendered everyone unconscious, so no one had overheard their conversation.
"Alright, let's leave this place."
...
Zhang Luowen, Captain of the Star City Defense Post, Third Team.
Today was supposed to be handled by the Second Team, but he had swapped duties with the Second Team Captain, citing his grandfather's memorial day the following day as the reason he needed to return home.
In reality, he was a member of the Dark Hall.
Their ability to easily smuggle firearms was largely due to Zhang Luowen's assistance. He dared not defy the Dark Hall; they held leverage over him, and if it were exposed, he would not only lose his position but also face imprisonment.
"I hope they succeed smoothly. If they do, I'll only be temporarily suspended."
Zhang Luowen could only pray for their success, otherwise, he was finished.
However, given the existence of the Dark Hall, he reasoned, there shouldn't be any issues.
"Da da da—"
At that moment, the sound of footsteps suddenly approached.
Zhang Luowen instinctively looked towards the door. "Didn't I tell you to patrol? Why are you..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he saw a group of soldiers, armed to the teeth, storm in, guns pointed directly at him.
Seeing this, Zhang Luowen immediately plastered a smile on his face. "Gentlemen, are you mistaken? We are in the same system. We are comrades! Are you conducting some sort of drill? I'll cooperate, I'll definitely cooperate."
He couldn't believe the Dark Hall had failed; it seemed utterly unrealistic, so he never considered his own exposure.
"Zhang Luowen, during a joint overseas mission, your poor command resulted in the deaths of many soldiers. The deputy captain was returning to expose you, and to prevent that, you orchestrated a plan to eliminate everyone, leaving only yourself.
It was precisely for this reason that you became a member of the Dark Hall. This time, your clandestine assistance facilitated the entry of firearms into Star City. However, it ends here. Come with us."
Xuan Niao spoke slowly, his gaze cold and devoid of emotion as he looked at Zhang Luowen, his eyes filled with indifference.
Upon hearing Xuan Niao's words, Zhang Luowen knew he was exposed. He grabbed a hand grenade, quickly pulled the pin, and hurled it forward.
Xuan Niao roared, "You're seeking death!"
In less than a blink of an eye, he was in front of Zhang Luowen, kicking the grenade away. It landed in a wasteland outside the defense post and detonated.
After deflecting the grenade, Xuan Niao swung his hand and delivered a powerful slap to Zhang Luowen's face.
"You dare resist? You're simply asking for death!"
Xuan Niao grew increasingly enraged, delivering another kick that sent Zhang Luowen crashing into a filing cabinet. He then grabbed him by the hair, forcing his face into intimate contact with the desk.
The individuals inside exchanged glances, shaking their heads helplessly. "General Xuan, if you continue, he will die."
Xuan Niao let out a cold snort, then unceremoniously tossed Zhang Luowen onto the ground.
A mere civilian daring to confront a martial artist was suicidal.
Meanwhile, Yuan Gang led his team to an old dormitory complex.
"Who would have thought an alligator would deign to inhabit a swamp."
This old dormitory complex was built in the last century, over thirty years ago.
Who could have imagined that members of the Dark Hall would reside in such a place?
"Let's go."
He stretched his shoulders. The surrounding soldiers wore solemn expressions as they rushed in.
"Bang!"
The door was kicked open, and Dragon Pavilion soldiers flooded in. In the dimly lit room, lights flickered on.
"Ah—"
A woman emerging from the toilet let out an involuntary scream upon witnessing the scene. A heavily built man, clad only in underwear, walked out from within the room.
"Qian Wansen, you are under arrest. You will accompany us."
This night was far from peaceful in Star City.
The arrests of Qian Wansen and Zhang Luowen sent shockwaves through various factions, causing widespread unease. Many associated individuals were subjected to internal investigations, and a purge began.
Not only Star City but the capital city also experienced unrest.
Ye Xingchen, who had just arrived at the Council of Review, was immediately apprehended by the council. The entire Ye family was placed under the control of the Glory Hall, causing significant upheaval in the capital.
The specific reasons remained unclear, but the intervention of the Glory Hall signified the gravity of the situation.
In this confrontation, the Ye family suffered a complete defeat.
Upon hearing this news, Murong Yuze and Wang Yuan met. Both could clearly see the shock in each other's eyes.
"He can control the Arbitration Court?"
Wang Yuan asked in a voice laced with astonishment after a long silence, for how else could the intervention of the Glory Hall be explained?
Murong Yuze denied it. "Impossible. No matter how powerful he is, he cannot control the Glory Hall. If it were that easy to control, the Glory Hall would not be a pure institution."
"I heard this matter involves the Dark Hall, and that many people were also arrested in Star City."
The two exchanged glances again, unable to comprehend why this incident had drawn in the Dark Hall.
"It seems the Ye family is in deep trouble now, and very deep trouble indeed."