Qiqi then remembered her promise and hurriedly ran to the kitchen, "Grandma, is there anything else to eat in the kitchen?"
Madam Huo smiled and shook her head, "It's all prepared, in the insulated box. Xiao Zhang, take Master Xuanzhenzi to the guest room to rest, and bring him some midnight snacks too."
The steward responded and stepped forward, leading Xuanzhenzi away.
After Xuanzhenzi walked away, Huo Yuwei asked Qiqi in a low voice, "Qiqi, is that senior really your senior uncle's friend? I feel like he looks a little different this time compared to last time."
Qiqi blinked, surprised that Brother Huo was so perceptive as to notice Xuanzhenzi's difference.
She leaned close to Huo Yuwei's ear and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Brother Huo, Grandpa Xuanzhenzi really is my master's friend! It's just that he had some things to do this time and couldn't accompany Qiqi, so this is a paper spirit he controlled with a puppet talisman!"
Huo Yuwei's pupils contracted slightly, his face full of disapproval and worry. "You actually dared to go to such a dangerous place with a paper spirit!"
"It's alright," Qiqi said confidently. "Grandpa Xuanzhenzi's puppet talisman is incredibly powerful. With Qiqi's little paper spirit, it can unleash at least half of Grandpa Xuanzhenzi's strength. It's just a little intelligence gathering; there won't be any danger!"
Hearing that the puppet paper spirit had half the strength of Xuanzhenzi, Huo Yuwei finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He had personally witnessed Xuanzhenzi's abilities; he was a very powerful Xuanmen master.
He ruffled Qiqi's hair. "You're such a clever little devil!"
Little did he know that the one he had seen last time was actually Qi Qi disguised as herself using a shapeshifting talisman.
However, his expression immediately turned serious. "But there are still risks involved. I must be involved in the entire operation three days from now. I must protect your safety, otherwise Grandma and Aunt Ji will worry."
"But big brother, you are an ordinary person. Those evil cultivators will use sinister methods..."
“It’s precisely because I’m an ordinary person that I won’t arouse their suspicion,” Huo Yuwei said. “The special department will arrange a plausible identity for me to accompany the ‘investors’ on another visit. This way, I can both protect myself and act according to circumstances.”
Before Qiqi could say anything more, Huo Yuwei had already made his decision: "There's no room for discussion. Either I go, or the operation is canceled."
Seeing the unquestionable look in her older brother's eyes, Qiqi knew that arguing was useless, so she could only obediently nod.
"Alright then! Big brother, you must promise Qiqi that you will stay close to Grandpa Xuanzhenzi and not go out alone!"
"good."
***
The next morning, the special agents arrived at the Huo family manor on time.
Lin Wei was the one who came again. She and Qi Qi had worked together twice before and had a good working relationship, so the special department asked her to come again this time.
Lin Wei was followed by two young people, a man and a woman, both dressed in casual clothes, but their demeanor revealed their well-trained and capable nature.
"Mr. Huo, Fellow Daoist Qiqi, Senior Xuanzhenzi." Lin Wei greeted them politely, her gaze lingering on Xuanzhenzi for a few more seconds.
A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
Qiqi's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Sister Lin Wei had noticed something?
There was no other way; last time, she used the illusion talisman to directly conjure up the image of Xuanzhenzi, making it difficult for her to be exposed.
However, this time she must appear simultaneously with the image of Xuanzhenzi, and can only use paper spirits and puppet talismans, greatly increasing the probability of being discovered.
Fortunately, Lin Wei didn't ask any more questions and got straight to the point, "Based on the information that Fellow Daoist Qi Qi and Senior Xuan Zhenzi brought back last night, we analyzed the background of Tianxiang Pharmaceutical overnight. This company was acquired by an overseas capital three years ago. The legal representative is a puppet, and the real controller is Huo Mingyuan, who is Mr. Huo's second uncle. His true identity is very likely to be an peripheral member of the Netherworld Sect."
"As expected!" Huo Yuwei's expression turned icy as his previous guess was confirmed.
Lin Wei turned on the projector and pulled up an organizational chart. "This is a partial list of our employees that we obtained from internal channels. The people marked with red circles all have a history of contact with evil magic."
Qiqi leaned closer to take a look and pointed to one of the names, "Dr. Wang?"
“Yes, that’s the one who received you yesterday.” Lin Wei nodded. “His real name is Wang Lin. Five years ago, his medical license was revoked for illegally conducting human experiments, and he disappeared afterward. I didn’t expect him to change his name and hide here to continue his ‘research’.”
Huo Yuwei frowned. "What is he researching?"
“Soul transplantation.” Lin Wei’s tone was heavy. “According to some of the information we intercepted, he was trying to separate the living soul from the original body and inject it into a modified container. The goal was to create a ‘soul servant’ that was absolutely obedient and possessed special abilities.”
Qiqi clenched her little fists, "Those kidnapped children..."
“It’s very likely that this is the ‘vessel’ he chose.” Lin Wei took a deep breath. “Children’s souls are pure and highly malleable, making them the best material for such evil experiments.”
Huo Yusen suddenly spoke up, "Then why choose the night of the alignment of the seven stars?"
Lin Wei looked at the five-and-a-half-year-old boy, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. This young master of the Huo family, although young, had a very sharp eye.
Every question I ask hits the most crucial point.
Lin Wei didn't hide anything and answered seriously, "Because when the seven stars align, the magnetic field of heaven and earth will change drastically, and the boundary between yin and yang will be blurred. At that time, the success rate of soul separation and transplantation is the highest. Moreover, it is said that the soul servants created at this time are very likely to be endowed with special powers."
Xuanzhenzi stroked his beard and said, "Is the Netherworld Sect planning to mass-produce an army of soul servants? They have quite the ambition!"
"Therefore, we must rescue those children and destroy this laboratory before the seven stars align." Lin Wei looked at Qi Qi and Xuan Zhenzi, "Do you two have any suggestions?"
Qiqi thought for a moment, then raised her little hand. "Sister Linwei, I think we should first determine the exact location of the secret chamber. Yesterday, I only sensed the aura of the living soul underground, but I don't know which floor it was on or how large it was."
“Leave this to me.” Huo Yusen held up the tablet. “Last night, I made a preliminary model based on the aura data that Qiqi brought back. The area where the living souls are concentrated should be between the second and fourth basement levels, but the exact location needs to be scanned more precisely.”
The young male team member brought by Lin Wei spoke up, "We can use thermal imaging and life detection equipment to conduct an outer scan, but the barrier there might interfere with the results."
“Use this.” Xuanzhenzi took out several talismans that Qiqi had secretly slipped into his sleeve. “These are spirit-detecting talismans. Stick them on the drone and scan from high altitude. They can penetrate ordinary barriers and detect the fluctuations of living souls.”
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