Wang Chong went into the backyard alone. His gaze swept over the room in the corner, where he could vaguely see a girl buried in her books under the oil lamp.

Without disturbing them, they walked to the bedroom on the other side.

He closed the door, stood quietly for a while and, hearing no sound, sat down.

He picked up the jar of new wine, took out a slip of paper from the bottom, unfolded it, and read it by candlelight.

His pupils dilated suddenly. The Nine Gates... had actually been wiped out!

I examined it carefully twice, then lit it over a candle flame.

He had no appetite at all, and his face was ashen.

Ghost Fang and the Cui family, is that possible?

Lost in thought, Wang Chong had no idea that someone was hiding in the shadows of the eaves pillars in the courtyard.

Those eyes seemed to be able to see through the closed door and watch his every move.

...

The large courtyard near the back gate of Chengyuan was where all the servants were temporarily housed. At this moment, Canglan led everyone into one of the rooms.

Twenty-four people sat on the large communal bed, all in the same position: curled up with their hands around their knees, their eyes dull and lifeless.

Upon seeing this, Qin Zhaoyue's heart skipped a beat; her fears were indeed correct.

Even though they had moved to a different place, these people seemed to be surrounded by an invisible cage, just like when they were imprisoned in a dog cage.

"Sir, these people have been like this ever since they were rescued."

As if in a half-dreaming, half-awake state, their perception of the outside world was incredibly dulled, like... a living dead.

Dou Zhan immediately stepped forward, unleashing his "momentum" to envelop the area, and carefully sensed it for a moment.

He turned to look at the group, his expression somewhat grim, and slowly uttered a single word.