Jiang Hong, gazing at Lu Xiu's chest, suddenly fell silent for two seconds, then said, "He just messaged me, asking us to wait for him for dinner."
Saying this, Jiang Hong reached for the dragon scale Lu Xiu had given him, placed by the bedside.
"You're really smart." As the words fell, Lu Xiu's figure flashed instantly to the bedside!
"Lu—" Before Jiang Hong could speak, his throat was firmly grasped by "Lu Xiu." In the last moment, he only managed to grab the red string tied to the scale but couldn't touch the scale itself.
A sinister smile appeared on the imposter "Lu Xiu's" lips.
"How did you find out?" "Lu Xiu" narrowed his eyes and whispered softly, "How did you realize so quickly?"
Jiang Hong stopped struggling and resisting, realizing whoever was impersonating Lu Xiu was not someone he could defeat. He wisely raised his hands in surrender, quickly thinking not to glance at his phone on the bed.
Jiang Hong's face turned red as "Lu Xiu" held him by the throat with one hand, lifting him off the ground from the bed and holding him in the air. "Lu Xiu" then pressed his Bluetooth earpiece and said, "Target is captured."
After speaking, "Lu Xiu" slightly relaxed his grip, keeping Jiang Hong in a state where he could barely breathe but couldn't escape.
The next moment, the doorbell rang.
It wasn't Lu Xiu; Lu Xiu had a key card. The room had already been cleaned, so the only possibility was Anjie.
Chapter 55: Replication
But for some reason, he felt as if someone was watching him from the other side of the mirror.
Indeed, on the other side of the floor-length mirror, a pair of eyes was observing Lu Xiu intently.
[I’ve finished my task.] Leaving the Exorcism Committee, Lu Xiu sent a message to Jiang Hong, 【Where are you?】
Jiang Hong quickly replied on WeChat: [I’m with Xiting. He's already in Guangzhou, and we're planning to grab a meal first.]
Lu Xiu was somewhat surprised at how quickly Zhang Xiting arrived. He then asked, [Where will you eat?]
[I want to try solving it by myself, is that okay?] Jiang Hong replied, 【I also want to accomplish something on my own.】
Lu Xiu didn't hesitate, replying: [Then I’ll wait for you at the hotel, contact me if anything comes up.]
At a concession-style three-story building on Shamian Island in Guangzhou, inside a second-floor parlor.
The “Lu Xiu” in a black shirt sat on the sofa, lightly scrolling through the WeChat conversation between Jiang Hong and the real Lu Xiu, and responding to the real Lu Xiu.
Another man stood in front of the floor-length dressing mirror, gazing into it.
Jiang Hong, unconscious, lay on the carpet. The sunlight outside was brilliant, and his consciousness was gradually returning, but his first action upon waking was not to open his eyes, but to quietly listen to the conversation between the two men.
"We don’t have much time left," the black-shirted “Lu Xiu” said. "He has already reached the Exorcism Committee's archives."
"It doesn’t matter," the man standing in front of the mirror said in a deep voice. "They are completely unprepared for this. Even if Chen Zhen learns the truth, he wouldn’t dare act rashly."
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
Hearing that man's voice, Jiang Hong momentarily felt disoriented—as if he had returned to the Beijing Exorcism Committee! That voice was too familiar; it was Chen Zhen!
In an instant, all the unresolved mysteries became clear! The "Chen Zhen" Jiang Hong accidentally saw at Mai Qing's house had made him wonder for a long time whether Chen Zhen had defected. Now he finally understood, but the truth sent shivers down his spine... Were there two Chen Zhens?
Two Chen Zhens!
One led all the exorcists in the Exorcism Committee, carrying on the title of "Great Exorcist."
The other was his replica, no, calling it a replica wasn't quite accurate... At this moment, Jiang Hong slightly opened his eyes and saw the other "Chen Zhen" turning around and walking towards him.
The replica "Chen Zhen," like the abductor "Lu Xiu," exuded a subtle and elusive "evil aura." Jiang Hong couldn't determine whether this perception stemmed from his instincts as an exorcist or simply as a human, similar to encountering unsettling strangers in daily life.
He was almost certain that these were Yinghuo's people.
His mind was constantly racing, this being the second time he had been kidnapped. Yet, Jiang Hong remained calm until now.
Though the enemy was using his phone to reply to messages, Jiang Hong knew that by tonight, when Lu Xiu and Anjie realized he hadn't returned, they would suspect something was wrong…
Suddenly, another thought struck Jiang Hong—if these two replicas… no, he preferred to call them "Dark Chen Zhen" and "Dark Lu Xiu"… if they let him know the truth, it meant they wouldn't let him leave alive! Revealing this information to other exorcists would completely expose the organization known as "Yinghuo."
But this led to another question… Jiang Hong remembered Mai Qing's prediction of his death, supposedly around the age of twenty, and he had just turned nineteen. This meant he wasn’t supposed to die at this moment.
The so-called "death date," which he never believed in, ironically became his lifeline in this situation, an absurd thought.
But how will they deal with me? Jiang Hong's mind was in turmoil, and then he thought of something even more terrifying. If they could replicate Chen Zhen, could they also replicate him?
Create another me, kill the current me, and let "Dark Jiang Hong" return to Lu Xiu and Anjie… Suddenly, Jiang Hong recalled the fleeting prophecy—he had seen the future! But the figure she saw was Dark Lu Xiu!
"We need to act fast and eliminate them," Dark Lu Xiu said.
His tone was exactly like Lu Xiu's, as if discussing an inconsequential matter.
"No rush," Dark Chen Zhen sat calmly on another sofa. "We have plenty of time. How do you plan to deal with him?"
Dark Lu Xiu pondered, "I'm just curious, why did he recognize me so quickly?"
"He has been awake for a little while now," Dark Chen Zhen said indifferently. "You can ask him now."
After sending messages on Jiang Hong's phone for a while, Dark Lu Xiu glanced at him. Jiang Hong immediately closed his eyes, pretending to be dead, but this was futile as Dark Lu Xiu kicked him.
Dark Lu Xiu and Dark Chen Zhen exchanged looks.
Jiang Hong guessed that this question was very important to them. They wouldn't rest until they understood it, as it involved the key to identifying an undercover agent.
So, Jiang Hong opened his eyes and propped himself up to sit, observing Dark Lu Xiu in front of him.
For some reason, he felt no fear, perhaps because the exact resemblance to Lu Xiu gave him a false sense of security, creating a conditioned response. If anything, Jiang Hong was more wary of Dark Chen Zhen, who could very well be Yinghuo's mastermind.
"Don't make me repeat myself," Dark Lu Xiu said coldly. "How did you recognize me?"
Jiang Hong had a subtle inkling that “Lu Xiu” was replaced. The first clue was a small thought at the back of his mind, and the second came from the scale: the real Lu Xiu had given him a scale from his heart, but Dark Lu Xiu lacked this, so there was no obvious scar on his chest where a scale had been removed.
"Intuition," Jiang Hong knew there was no point in refusing to answer but didn’t reveal the reason, simply stating, "Intuition from spending a lot of time together."
Dark Lu Xiu just stared motionlessly at Jiang Hong, as if trying to discern whether he was lying.
Dark Chen Zhen casually commented, "He has a past life connection with your original self. Don't be surprised. You could try someone else, like Cao Bin, for instance."
Dark Lu Xiu clearly disliked the term "original self" and sneered at it.
"What exactly do you want to do?" Jiang Hong asked. "What do you plan to do with me? If you know what's good for you, let me go, or Lu Xiu won't let you off the hook!"
Dark Lu Xiu scoffed, "What can a dragon whose true power is sealed do?"
Dark Chen Zhen seemed very interested in Jiang Hong, scrutinizing him. Jiang Hong suddenly thought of another question—who created these replicas? Since Lu Xiu was replicated, did it mean that this Dark Lu Xiu in front of him wasn't restricted to only five minutes of retaining his original form? If Chen Zhen was replicated, would his Heart Lamp abilities be replicated too?
Dark Chen Zhen signaled to Dark Lu Xiu that it was time to deal with Jiang Hong and said, "Prepare for the next step. You need to be more cautious during this time."
Dark Chen Zhen stood up, gestured towards the coffee table, and Jiang Hong saw the Book of All Things rise from the table, flying towards Dark Chen Zhen. It spun twice in his hand, and with a gesture from Dark Chen Zhen, it flew towards the sword stand in the room and was placed on it.
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
"Get up," Dark Lu Xiu, seemingly reluctant to touch him, ordered, "Go outside."
Jiang Hong thought: Struggling is useless, but if I don’t struggle, will he kill me? The door to the parlor opened automatically, and Jiang Hong walked out with Dark Lu Xiu following behind.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong made a move, rushing towards a window on the side of the corridor and slamming into it.
But it was all in vain. As soon as Jiang Hong moved, Dark Lu Xiu raised his hand, and Jiang Hong was instantly immobilized, suspended in the air by an invisible force.
"Don't resist," Dark Lu Xiu said coldly. "I don't want to kill you right now."
Dark Lu Xiu pressed the elevator button, using his power to drag Jiang Hong inside. Jiang Hong’s entire body was controlled, only his eyes could move, and he looked at the elevator buttons. Below the sign for the first floor was an unmarked button.
Dark Lu Xiu pressed the unmarked button, and the elevator began to descend. Jiang Hong's heart raced, wondering where he was being taken. Why were only Dark Chen Zhen and Dark Lu Xiu present, with no other replicated exorcists? Had they all been sent out as undercover agents?
Will they replicate me? Jiang Hong began to imagine a laboratory buried deep underground, picturing another version of himself emerging from somewhere, while the original him was killed, leaving no trace.
Would a dark replica be any different from the original? Why would they obey Chen Zhen? And who replicated Chen Zhen? There must be a beginning to all this—was there another boss behind the scenes? Was that boss Yinghuo?!
Countless thoughts ran through Jiang Hong's mind, and he suddenly said, "Why do you obey orders from that fake Chen Zhen..."
But before he could finish, Dark Lu Xiu snapped his fingers, and Jiang Hong was rendered completely speechless.
The elevator traveled for an unknown duration, finally stopping deep underground.
Where am I? Jiang Hong wondered. Am I still in Guangzhou?
The elevator doors opened to a blinding blue light. This was a ley line point.
Dark Lu Xiu, carrying Jiang Hong with one hand, drew a symbol in front of him. With a "hum," they both vanished into the ley line's light.
In the hotel, Lu Xiu lay on the bed without even taking off his shoes, casually blowing air and making several resumes from the archives float in the air, while calling Cao Bin.
Cao Bin answered quickly, asking, "How's the progress?"
Lu Xiu briefly reported their actions, saying, "We've found the person who wrote the complaint letter. Jiang Hong is seeking help from his roommate, planning to use hypnosis to inquire about the details."
Cao Bin remained silent, and Lu Xiu added, "Two years ago, the Guangzhou Exorcism Committee underwent a major turnover. This Chief Zhao Yan was sent to a mental hospital right after the turnover."
Suddenly, Cao Bin asked on the phone, "She must have accidentally discovered something. Who was her predecessor?"
Lu Xiu replied, "The former head of the Guangzhou Exorcism Committee was Fang Yilan, and the head of the archives was Liao Fang."
Cao Bin hummed, and Lu Xiu continued, "That mirror in the office... I think we're close to the truth. I suspect that Zhao Yan stumbled upon Yinghuo infiltrating or turning exorcists. To keep it secret, her memory was altered, and then she was thrown into a mental hospital. But I don't understand why they didn't just kill her to silence her."
Cao Bin casually answered, "Not all secret-keeping involves killing. Most of the time, for people who are still useful, tempting them to turn, and then trying to modify their memory if that fails, is more effective. Assuming Yinghuo judged Zhao Yan to be still useful, they would likely alter her memory and keep her. But directly altering someone's memory is not easy; a small mistake could occur in the process, leading to her being confined."
Lu Xiu asked, "How do you alter someone's memory? With dreams?"
Cao Bin said, "The specific mechanism is very complex because memory is quite stubborn, almost like the soul itself. Currently, only Chen Zhen can do it."
Lu Xiu said, "But Disconnected Soul Pollen can also achieve it."
Cao Bin replied, "Disconnected Soul Pollen only 'seals' memories, not 'alters' them. Its effectiveness decreases linearly with the strength of the target's magical power, and it's reversible."
Lu Xiu asked, "Is direct memory alteration irreversible?"
Cao Bin said, "There's still limited research on this phenomenon. From a humanitarian perspective, we can't just experiment on ordinary people."
Lu Xiu pondered, then said, "I always feel there's deception in this matter. Since Yinghuo's memory modification was not entirely successful, turning Zhao Yan into a mentally disturbed person, why didn't they kill her after the failure? Leaving such an uncertainty only invites more trouble."
Cao Bin countered, "Why not consider it from another angle? Maybe Yinghuo initially thought they had succeeded."
Lu Xiu: "？？？"
After a brief silence, Lu Xiu roughly understood.
Cao Bin added, "Zhao Yan is also an exorcist. She likely had ways to protect herself, including some form of disguise or self-hypnosis, to appear non-threatening to the enemy, leading them to believe she was no longer a danger. The fact that she waited two years in the mental hospital before sending out that complaint letter is telling."
After a moment of silence from both Cao Bin and Lu Xiu, Lu Xiu said, "Next, we'll see what Jiang Hong and his roommate uncover."
"The conclusion is almost apparent," Cao Bin replied, "but there are still contradictions with the facts."
Lu Xiu asked, "Is it the same as what I'm thinking?"
Cao Bin replied, "Mirrors, undercover agents. Using replicas is the only possibility, but it's too unreasonable."
Lu Xiu asked, "What's unreasonable about it?"
Cao Bin explained, "For example, if someone entered your room, would you notice?"
Lu Xiu answered, "Yes, I would smell something different, not necessarily a scent..."
"Aura," Cao Bin corrected, "You are a higher being, and your perception of aura is not as sharp as that of lower beings, like humans who can't see bacteria. But you can still sense the presence of beings several orders of magnitude closer to you, even if it's just a brief intersection in space and time."
"Hmm." Lu Xiu picked up a resume, glanced at it, which had Liao Fang's photo.
Cao Bin said, "But for exorcists, their ability to sense changes in aura is relatively stronger. Physical bodies and appearances can be replicated, but abilities cannot. Replicating an exorcist and then having them infiltrate the Exorcism Committee would quickly be noticed by their peers."
Lu Xiu said, "But you agree that the deployment of undercover agents by the Blinding Faction is to create replicas."
Cao Bin succinctly replied, "The appearance of the ancient demon beast Wu Zhiqi in Chongqing before the year's end is a strong proof. It was a replica."
With the truth revealed, Lu Xiu sat up and said, "We must notify the Exorcism Committee immediately, no... how many replicas are there in the committee?"
"Don't worry too much," Cao Bin said over the phone, "I don't think Chen Zhen would be a replica, after all, there is only one Heart Lamp in the world."
Having seen Chen Zhen use the Heart Lamp, Lu Xiu hummed in agreement.
"Any unusual behavior from An Jie?" asked Cao Bin.
"I don't know," Lu Xiu answered, "I have little interaction with him, Jiang Hong does more."
For Lu Xiu, An Jie was already an unusual person.
Cao Bin said, "We still lack direct evidence to support the conclusion, we must wait for Jiang Hong to get clear results and report to Chen Zhen."
Lu Xiu glanced at his phone, noting it was already eight in the evening.
He decided to call Jiang Hong and said to Cao Bin, "I'll hang up now."
Cao Bin said, "Keep me updated with any new findings. I'll have Keda and Xuan Hezhi return for a meeting to review the recent school situations and prepare a response."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Xiu called Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong quickly answered the call.
Lu Xiu asked, "Aren't you coming back?"
Jiang Hong replied softly, "Shh... where are you?"
Lu Xiu answered, "In the hotel."
Jiang Hong said, "We're outside the Baiyun Psychiatric Hospital, planning to sneak in later. Will you join us?"
Lu Xiu paused for a few seconds, then said, "Wait for me."
Outside the Baiyun Psychiatric Hospital, the lights of Guangzhou city were brightly lit.
In the darkness, Chen Zhen stood in an alley, a black 'light sphere' flickering in his hand. Suddenly, the sphere flashed, and all the lights within a three-kilometer radius went out.
Dark Lu Xiu stood aside, while in Dark Chen Zhen's hands, the All-Encompassing Book’s outline emerged in black flames, enveloping Dark Lu Xiu.
Dark Lu Xiu was instantly transformed, taking on the appearance of Jiang Hong.
"This will only allow you to temporarily disguise your appearance and physique as his," Dark Chen Zhen said. "But it's enough for a short while. Keep your distance from the formation later to avoid being affected."
Dark Lu Xiu frowned, "Why can't Jiang Hong be replicated?"
"Unclear," Dark Chen Zhen answered. "There are many mysteries in this world, areas you and I have not yet explored. Maybe because he’s a mortal, or because he’s had a life change, but he doesn't pose much threat, so don’t worry."
"What about that Zhang Xiting?" the 'Jiang Hong' asked.
Dark Chen Zhen instructed, "Just say he went in for reconnaissance early. Lu Xiu won’t suspect; his mind isn’t mature yet, he’s still a child."
Jiang Hong, gazing at Lu Xiu's chest, suddenly fell silent for two seconds, then said, "He just messaged me, asking us to wait for him for dinner."
Saying this, Jiang Hong reached for the dragon scale Lu Xiu had given him, placed by the bedside.
"You're really smart." As the words fell, Lu Xiu's figure flashed instantly to the bedside!
"Lu—" Before Jiang Hong could speak, his throat was firmly grasped by "Lu Xiu." In the last moment, he only managed to grab the red string tied to the scale but couldn't touch the scale itself.
A sinister smile appeared on the imposter "Lu Xiu's" lips.
"How did you find out?" "Lu Xiu" narrowed his eyes and whispered softly, "How did you realize so quickly?"
Jiang Hong stopped struggling and resisting, realizing whoever was impersonating Lu Xiu was not someone he could defeat. He wisely raised his hands in surrender, quickly thinking not to glance at his phone on the bed.
Jiang Hong's face turned red as "Lu Xiu" held him by the throat with one hand, lifting him off the ground from the bed and holding him in the air. "Lu Xiu" then pressed his Bluetooth earpiece and said, "Target is captured."
After speaking, "Lu Xiu" slightly relaxed his grip, keeping Jiang Hong in a state where he could barely breathe but couldn't escape.
The next moment, the doorbell rang.
It wasn't Lu Xiu; Lu Xiu had a key card. The room had already been cleaned, so the only possibility was Anjie.
Chapter 55: Replication
But for some reason, he felt as if someone was watching him from the other side of the mirror.
Indeed, on the other side of the floor-length mirror, a pair of eyes was observing Lu Xiu intently.
[I’ve finished my task.] Leaving the Exorcism Committee, Lu Xiu sent a message to Jiang Hong, 【Where are you?】
Jiang Hong quickly replied on WeChat: [I’m with Xiting. He's already in Guangzhou, and we're planning to grab a meal first.]
Lu Xiu was somewhat surprised at how quickly Zhang Xiting arrived. He then asked, [Where will you eat?]
[I want to try solving it by myself, is that okay?] Jiang Hong replied, 【I also want to accomplish something on my own.】
Lu Xiu didn't hesitate, replying: [Then I’ll wait for you at the hotel, contact me if anything comes up.]
At a concession-style three-story building on Shamian Island in Guangzhou, inside a second-floor parlor.
The “Lu Xiu” in a black shirt sat on the sofa, lightly scrolling through the WeChat conversation between Jiang Hong and the real Lu Xiu, and responding to the real Lu Xiu.
Another man stood in front of the floor-length dressing mirror, gazing into it.
Jiang Hong, unconscious, lay on the carpet. The sunlight outside was brilliant, and his consciousness was gradually returning, but his first action upon waking was not to open his eyes, but to quietly listen to the conversation between the two men.
"We don’t have much time left," the black-shirted “Lu Xiu” said. "He has already reached the Exorcism Committee's archives."
"It doesn’t matter," the man standing in front of the mirror said in a deep voice. "They are completely unprepared for this. Even if Chen Zhen learns the truth, he wouldn’t dare act rashly."
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
Hearing that man's voice, Jiang Hong momentarily felt disoriented—as if he had returned to the Beijing Exorcism Committee! That voice was too familiar; it was Chen Zhen!
In an instant, all the unresolved mysteries became clear! The "Chen Zhen" Jiang Hong accidentally saw at Mai Qing's house had made him wonder for a long time whether Chen Zhen had defected. Now he finally understood, but the truth sent shivers down his spine... Were there two Chen Zhens?
Two Chen Zhens!
One led all the exorcists in the Exorcism Committee, carrying on the title of "Great Exorcist."
The other was his replica, no, calling it a replica wasn't quite accurate... At this moment, Jiang Hong slightly opened his eyes and saw the other "Chen Zhen" turning around and walking towards him.
The replica "Chen Zhen," like the abductor "Lu Xiu," exuded a subtle and elusive "evil aura." Jiang Hong couldn't determine whether this perception stemmed from his instincts as an exorcist or simply as a human, similar to encountering unsettling strangers in daily life.
He was almost certain that these were Yinghuo's people.
His mind was constantly racing, this being the second time he had been kidnapped. Yet, Jiang Hong remained calm until now.
Though the enemy was using his phone to reply to messages, Jiang Hong knew that by tonight, when Lu Xiu and Anjie realized he hadn't returned, they would suspect something was wrong…
Suddenly, another thought struck Jiang Hong—if these two replicas… no, he preferred to call them "Dark Chen Zhen" and "Dark Lu Xiu"… if they let him know the truth, it meant they wouldn't let him leave alive! Revealing this information to other exorcists would completely expose the organization known as "Yinghuo."
But this led to another question… Jiang Hong remembered Mai Qing's prediction of his death, supposedly around the age of twenty, and he had just turned nineteen. This meant he wasn’t supposed to die at this moment.
The so-called "death date," which he never believed in, ironically became his lifeline in this situation, an absurd thought.
But how will they deal with me? Jiang Hong's mind was in turmoil, and then he thought of something even more terrifying. If they could replicate Chen Zhen, could they also replicate him?
Create another me, kill the current me, and let "Dark Jiang Hong" return to Lu Xiu and Anjie… Suddenly, Jiang Hong recalled the fleeting prophecy—he had seen the future! But the figure she saw was Dark Lu Xiu!
"We need to act fast and eliminate them," Dark Lu Xiu said.
His tone was exactly like Lu Xiu's, as if discussing an inconsequential matter.
"No rush," Dark Chen Zhen sat calmly on another sofa. "We have plenty of time. How do you plan to deal with him?"
Dark Lu Xiu pondered, "I'm just curious, why did he recognize me so quickly?"
"He has been awake for a little while now," Dark Chen Zhen said indifferently. "You can ask him now."
After sending messages on Jiang Hong's phone for a while, Dark Lu Xiu glanced at him. Jiang Hong immediately closed his eyes, pretending to be dead, but this was futile as Dark Lu Xiu kicked him.
Dark Lu Xiu and Dark Chen Zhen exchanged looks.
Jiang Hong guessed that this question was very important to them. They wouldn't rest until they understood it, as it involved the key to identifying an undercover agent.
So, Jiang Hong opened his eyes and propped himself up to sit, observing Dark Lu Xiu in front of him.
For some reason, he felt no fear, perhaps because the exact resemblance to Lu Xiu gave him a false sense of security, creating a conditioned response. If anything, Jiang Hong was more wary of Dark Chen Zhen, who could very well be Yinghuo's mastermind.
"Don't make me repeat myself," Dark Lu Xiu said coldly. "How did you recognize me?"
Jiang Hong had a subtle inkling that “Lu Xiu” was replaced. The first clue was a small thought at the back of his mind, and the second came from the scale: the real Lu Xiu had given him a scale from his heart, but Dark Lu Xiu lacked this, so there was no obvious scar on his chest where a scale had been removed.
"Intuition," Jiang Hong knew there was no point in refusing to answer but didn’t reveal the reason, simply stating, "Intuition from spending a lot of time together."
Dark Lu Xiu just stared motionlessly at Jiang Hong, as if trying to discern whether he was lying.
Dark Chen Zhen casually commented, "He has a past life connection with your original self. Don't be surprised. You could try someone else, like Cao Bin, for instance."
Dark Lu Xiu clearly disliked the term "original self" and sneered at it.
"What exactly do you want to do?" Jiang Hong asked. "What do you plan to do with me? If you know what's good for you, let me go, or Lu Xiu won't let you off the hook!"
Dark Lu Xiu scoffed, "What can a dragon whose true power is sealed do?"
Dark Chen Zhen seemed very interested in Jiang Hong, scrutinizing him. Jiang Hong suddenly thought of another question—who created these replicas? Since Lu Xiu was replicated, did it mean that this Dark Lu Xiu in front of him wasn't restricted to only five minutes of retaining his original form? If Chen Zhen was replicated, would his Heart Lamp abilities be replicated too?
Dark Chen Zhen signaled to Dark Lu Xiu that it was time to deal with Jiang Hong and said, "Prepare for the next step. You need to be more cautious during this time."
Dark Chen Zhen stood up, gestured towards the coffee table, and Jiang Hong saw the Book of All Things rise from the table, flying towards Dark Chen Zhen. It spun twice in his hand, and with a gesture from Dark Chen Zhen, it flew towards the sword stand in the room and was placed on it.
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
"Get up," Dark Lu Xiu, seemingly reluctant to touch him, ordered, "Go outside."
Jiang Hong thought: Struggling is useless, but if I don’t struggle, will he kill me? The door to the parlor opened automatically, and Jiang Hong walked out with Dark Lu Xiu following behind.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong made a move, rushing towards a window on the side of the corridor and slamming into it.
But it was all in vain. As soon as Jiang Hong moved, Dark Lu Xiu raised his hand, and Jiang Hong was instantly immobilized, suspended in the air by an invisible force.
"Don't resist," Dark Lu Xiu said coldly. "I don't want to kill you right now."
Dark Lu Xiu pressed the elevator button, using his power to drag Jiang Hong inside. Jiang Hong’s entire body was controlled, only his eyes could move, and he looked at the elevator buttons. Below the sign for the first floor was an unmarked button.
Dark Lu Xiu pressed the unmarked button, and the elevator began to descend. Jiang Hong's heart raced, wondering where he was being taken. Why were only Dark Chen Zhen and Dark Lu Xiu present, with no other replicated exorcists? Had they all been sent out as undercover agents?
Will they replicate me? Jiang Hong began to imagine a laboratory buried deep underground, picturing another version of himself emerging from somewhere, while the original him was killed, leaving no trace.
Would a dark replica be any different from the original? Why would they obey Chen Zhen? And who replicated Chen Zhen? There must be a beginning to all this—was there another boss behind the scenes? Was that boss Yinghuo?!
Countless thoughts ran through Jiang Hong's mind, and he suddenly said, "Why do you obey orders from that fake Chen Zhen..."
But before he could finish, Dark Lu Xiu snapped his fingers, and Jiang Hong was rendered completely speechless.
The elevator traveled for an unknown duration, finally stopping deep underground.
Where am I? Jiang Hong wondered. Am I still in Guangzhou?
The elevator doors opened to a blinding blue light. This was a ley line point.
Dark Lu Xiu, carrying Jiang Hong with one hand, drew a symbol in front of him. With a "hum," they both vanished into the ley line's light.
In the hotel, Lu Xiu lay on the bed without even taking off his shoes, casually blowing air and making several resumes from the archives float in the air, while calling Cao Bin.
Cao Bin answered quickly, asking, "How's the progress?"
Lu Xiu briefly reported their actions, saying, "We've found the person who wrote the complaint letter. Jiang Hong is seeking help from his roommate, planning to use hypnosis to inquire about the details."
Cao Bin remained silent, and Lu Xiu added, "Two years ago, the Guangzhou Exorcism Committee underwent a major turnover. This Chief Zhao Yan was sent to a mental hospital right after the turnover."
Suddenly, Cao Bin asked on the phone, "She must have accidentally discovered something. Who was her predecessor?"
Lu Xiu replied, "The former head of the Guangzhou Exorcism Committee was Fang Yilan, and the head of the archives was Liao Fang."
Cao Bin hummed, and Lu Xiu continued, "That mirror in the office... I think we're close to the truth. I suspect that Zhao Yan stumbled upon Yinghuo infiltrating or turning exorcists. To keep it secret, her memory was altered, and then she was thrown into a mental hospital. But I don't understand why they didn't just kill her to silence her."
Cao Bin casually answered, "Not all secret-keeping involves killing. Most of the time, for people who are still useful, tempting them to turn, and then trying to modify their memory if that fails, is more effective. Assuming Yinghuo judged Zhao Yan to be still useful, they would likely alter her memory and keep her. But directly altering someone's memory is not easy; a small mistake could occur in the process, leading to her being confined."
Lu Xiu asked, "How do you alter someone's memory? With dreams?"
Cao Bin said, "The specific mechanism is very complex because memory is quite stubborn, almost like the soul itself. Currently, only Chen Zhen can do it."
Lu Xiu said, "But Disconnected Soul Pollen can also achieve it."
Cao Bin replied, "Disconnected Soul Pollen only 'seals' memories, not 'alters' them. Its effectiveness decreases linearly with the strength of the target's magical power, and it's reversible."
Lu Xiu asked, "Is direct memory alteration irreversible?"
Cao Bin said, "There's still limited research on this phenomenon. From a humanitarian perspective, we can't just experiment on ordinary people."
Lu Xiu pondered, then said, "I always feel there's deception in this matter. Since Yinghuo's memory modification was not entirely successful, turning Zhao Yan into a mentally disturbed person, why didn't they kill her after the failure? Leaving such an uncertainty only invites more trouble."
Cao Bin countered, "Why not consider it from another angle? Maybe Yinghuo initially thought they had succeeded."
Lu Xiu: "？？？"
After a brief silence, Lu Xiu roughly understood.
Cao Bin added, "Zhao Yan is also an exorcist. She likely had ways to protect herself, including some form of disguise or self-hypnosis, to appear non-threatening to the enemy, leading them to believe she was no longer a danger. The fact that she waited two years in the mental hospital before sending out that complaint letter is telling."
After a moment of silence from both Cao Bin and Lu Xiu, Lu Xiu said, "Next, we'll see what Jiang Hong and his roommate uncover."
"The conclusion is almost apparent," Cao Bin replied, "but there are still contradictions with the facts."
Lu Xiu asked, "Is it the same as what I'm thinking?"
Cao Bin replied, "Mirrors, undercover agents. Using replicas is the only possibility, but it's too unreasonable."
Lu Xiu asked, "What's unreasonable about it?"
Cao Bin explained, "For example, if someone entered your room, would you notice?"
Lu Xiu answered, "Yes, I would smell something different, not necessarily a scent..."
"Aura," Cao Bin corrected, "You are a higher being, and your perception of aura is not as sharp as that of lower beings, like humans who can't see bacteria. But you can still sense the presence of beings several orders of magnitude closer to you, even if it's just a brief intersection in space and time."
"Hmm." Lu Xiu picked up a resume, glanced at it, which had Liao Fang's photo.
Cao Bin said, "But for exorcists, their ability to sense changes in aura is relatively stronger. Physical bodies and appearances can be replicated, but abilities cannot. Replicating an exorcist and then having them infiltrate the Exorcism Committee would quickly be noticed by their peers."
Lu Xiu said, "But you agree that the deployment of undercover agents by the Blinding Faction is to create replicas."
Cao Bin succinctly replied, "The appearance of the ancient demon beast Wu Zhiqi in Chongqing before the year's end is a strong proof. It was a replica."
With the truth revealed, Lu Xiu sat up and said, "We must notify the Exorcism Committee immediately, no... how many replicas are there in the committee?"
"Don't worry too much," Cao Bin said over the phone, "I don't think Chen Zhen would be a replica, after all, there is only one Heart Lamp in the world."
Having seen Chen Zhen use the Heart Lamp, Lu Xiu hummed in agreement.
"Any unusual behavior from An Jie?" asked Cao Bin.
"I don't know," Lu Xiu answered, "I have little interaction with him, Jiang Hong does more."
For Lu Xiu, An Jie was already an unusual person.
Cao Bin said, "We still lack direct evidence to support the conclusion, we must wait for Jiang Hong to get clear results and report to Chen Zhen."
Lu Xiu glanced at his phone, noting it was already eight in the evening.
He decided to call Jiang Hong and said to Cao Bin, "I'll hang up now."
Cao Bin said, "Keep me updated with any new findings. I'll have Keda and Xuan Hezhi return for a meeting to review the recent school situations and prepare a response."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Xiu called Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong quickly answered the call.
Lu Xiu asked, "Aren't you coming back?"
Jiang Hong replied softly, "Shh... where are you?"
Lu Xiu answered, "In the hotel."
Jiang Hong said, "We're outside the Baiyun Psychiatric Hospital, planning to sneak in later. Will you join us?"
Lu Xiu paused for a few seconds, then said, "Wait for me."
Outside the Baiyun Psychiatric Hospital, the lights of Guangzhou city were brightly lit.
In the darkness, Chen Zhen stood in an alley, a black 'light sphere' flickering in his hand. Suddenly, the sphere flashed, and all the lights within a three-kilometer radius went out.
Dark Lu Xiu stood aside, while in Dark Chen Zhen's hands, the All-Encompassing Book’s outline emerged in black flames, enveloping Dark Lu Xiu.
Dark Lu Xiu was instantly transformed, taking on the appearance of Jiang Hong.
"This will only allow you to temporarily disguise your appearance and physique as his," Dark Chen Zhen said. "But it's enough for a short while. Keep your distance from the formation later to avoid being affected."
Dark Lu Xiu frowned, "Why can't Jiang Hong be replicated?"
"Unclear," Dark Chen Zhen answered. "There are many mysteries in this world, areas you and I have not yet explored. Maybe because he’s a mortal, or because he’s had a life change, but he doesn't pose much threat, so don’t worry."
"What about that Zhang Xiting?" the 'Jiang Hong' asked.
Dark Chen Zhen instructed, "Just say he went in for reconnaissance early. Lu Xiu won’t suspect; his mind isn’t mature yet, he’s still a child."
