Chapter 17 A Multi-Pronged Approach

Ye Yang's words left the other man speechless for a good while.

Yu Wusheng could only manage a sheepish smile before closing his mouth.

Ye Yang then said, "I've been studying the mechanisms in this secret chamber."

"Didn't you watch an end-of-the-world movie a while ago? The Iron Pagoda's secret chamber is structured almost like a secret laboratory from that movie."

I understood what Ye Yang meant.

Laboratories frequently appearing in end-of-the-world movies are often places that can only be entered but not exited. When necessary, they can be sealed off to trap both researchers and zombies inside.

Earlier, when the people from the Reincarnation Division rushed in, Ye Yang closing the door from the inside was akin to activating the emergency lockdown device from those movies.

But in such situations, shouldn't the door only be opened from the outside?

Ye Yang said, "After I locked the door from the inside, the external mechanism will be rendered useless. Under normal circumstances, one would need a spare key to open another hidden door to re-enter the secret chamber."

"If we want to get out, we need to find the central mechanism and reverse the operation of the mechanism's gate."

As he spoke, Ye Yang tapped the ground with his foot: "The central mechanism should be below us! Separated from the Demon Suppression Ground by only a thin line."

I looked at Ye Yang and said, "In that case, Shi Haoguang must have concealed an important message from Wusheng. Back then, the dynasty gave them a chance for amnesty!"

Yu Wusheng exclaimed, "Brother, how can you say that… how could the dynasty possibly grant amnesty to rebellious death row inmates?"

I said in a deep voice, "The appearance of such a device in the Iron Pagoda dungeon is proof that the dynasty and the Underworld didn't completely wipe out Shi Haoguang and his group."

"This Demon Suppression Pagoda should have existed for many years before the dynasty captured Shi Haoguang and them. The dynasty sending them down here was to give them a chance to redeem themselves."

"If they succeeded in slaying demons beneath the dungeon, they could open the mechanism from the Demon Suppression Ground and walk back up."

"However, Shi Haoguang not only failed to slay demons in the dungeon but instead became a demon himself."

Yu Wusheng's eyes widened, "Are you saying… that the person who's been sucking our blood is Shi Haoguang?"

I turned my head, "Besides that, is there any other explanation?"

"If you still don't believe it, try to recall how many living people were in the dungeon when you met Shi Haoguang?"

Yu Wusheng said in a low voice, "Those… those Yang Jian Jie Ming Ren were all alive!"

Bu Shecai spoke up at this moment, "Boss, you've forgotten! At that time, those Yang Jian Jie Ming Ren were indeed alive, but Shi Haoguang was the only one who spoke to us."

"In the end, when they gave us their lifespans, they were all conveyed to us through Shi Haoguang."

"From beginning to end, weren't we talking to Shi Haoguang alone?"

"Right, right…" Yu Wusheng muttered to himself, "That's indeed how it was, that's indeed how it was…"

"So, Shi Haoguang didn't give us all of his lifespan, he kept a large portion for himself!"

"More than that!" I said, "Why has the Reincarnation Division at the top of the dungeon been able to extract lifespans from you all along? That's also because of Shi Haoguang."

"He discovered the Reincarnation Division's mole hidden among you. He also learned from him that the Reincarnation Division had occupied the top floor of the dungeon. In order to stabilize the Reincarnation Division, he has been secretly passing lifespans to the people of the Reincarnation Division."

"Some of you should have died not long after coming down here, right?"

Yu Wusheng nodded through gritted teeth, "We lost three brothers not long after entering the secret chamber."

I responded, "The Reincarnation Division's mole you mentioned might have been one of them. Shi Haoguang also learned about the Reincarnation Division's plan from him."

I paused here and said, "It takes a certain amount of time for Shi Haoguang to become a demon."

"Shi Haoguang was afraid that the people from the Reincarnation Division would come down and ruin his plans."

"The Reincarnation Division was also afraid that Wusheng would obtain the lifespans of the previous generation of Yang Jian Jie Ming Ren, posing a threat to them."

"Wusheng was thus caught in the middle by both sides, becoming nourishment for Shi Haoguang to become a demon, and also a tool for the Reincarnation Division to extract lifespans. Truly getting maximum use out of one person."

Yu Wusheng's face was covered in a layer of dust, I couldn't see if his face was flushed red, but I could see the shame and indignation in his eyes.

Yu Wusheng gritted his teeth and said, "Friend, what else can we do for you? As long as I can do it, even if I have to vanish into thin air immediately, I will seek revenge on Shi Haoguang."

"Wait for me for a while!" While I was talking to Yu Wusheng, I was paying attention to the movements under my feet.

Until now, there was still no movement at the very bottom of the dungeon. I could roughly judge that Shi Haoguang should be in a state similar to slumber, and he would only awaken at specific times.

Just as Yu Wusheng was about to speak again, I said, "I don't need you to help me do anything."

"I'm waiting for someone who can help me to come over!"

"Su Su, open the soundproof barrier! I estimate that the person who can help me is coming soon."