SoulLand:Ascending to Godhood through Science

The enforcement officer's voice was low and grave. "Our investigation of the crime scenes shows no trace of spirit power usage. This leaves us with two possibilities. One, the perpetrator's control over their spirit power is so precise that they managed to erase all traces, even during such a brief act. Two... the murderer relied purely on physical strength to kill both professors."

The conference room fell silent.

If it were the former, the perpetrator might still be within their grasp. But if it were the latter... someone capable of killing two Spirit Kings with raw physical power could very well be a Spirit Saint—or stronger.

Capturing a Spirit Saint would require the involvement of a Red-Clad Cardinal or equivalent combat strength.

Without such a powerhouse, any attempt at capture would likely result in severe casualties.

Even if the enforcement officers managed to locate the culprit, they'd hesitate to act. Worse, they might even feign ignorance to avoid being silenced.

"This is beyond the scope of what we can handle," one officer finally said, breaking the silence. "We need to escalate this."

"Have you forgotten?" another officer interjected. "Cardinal Salamander explicitly ordered us to locate the perpetrator as soon as possible. Reporting this could backfire on us."

The officer shook his head. "Currently, the only individual in Spirit City capable of handling this situation, aside from the elders, is the Cardinal himself. But he's staying hidden and pressuring us to deliver results. Can't you see why?"

"Enough, Leon. Speaking ill of a Cardinal is a punishable offense!"

The lead officer glared around the table. "Keep your thoughts to yourselves and stay focused. Let's discuss the intruder. Did they infiltrate Spirit City recently, or were they already among us, avoiding suspicion at the gates? This is a key point to consider."

Despite the warning, Leon's remarks lingered in the room.

"Is the Cardinal using us as scapegoats to shield himself?"

"He enjoys high status and generous pay, yet shirks responsibility when trouble arises? And he dares criticize us?"

These thoughts swirled in the minds of many officers.

Each enforcement officer held a rank equivalent to a Black-Clad Cardinal, with at least Spirit Emperor-level strength. Some were even Spirit Saints.

In numbers, they represented a formidable force.

Leon's suspicions, however, were spot on.

Cardinal Salamander, a Spirit Douluo powerhouse stationed in Spirit City, ranked among the strongest of his peers.

When Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong dispatched many elites on secret missions, Salamander became the highest authority in Spirit City.

The assassin's revealed strength suggested at least Spirit Saint-level capabilities, though specifics were unclear.

Yet, most couldn't fathom the possibility of someone far stronger. After all, high-ranking Spirit Masters rarely stooped to such "dirty work" as assassination.

This cultural disdain meant that Douluo Continent lacked large-scale assassin organizations. At best, rogue Spirit Masters operated independently.

Still, rumors from the Star Luo Empire spoke of an emerging organization called "Heaven's Net." Allegedly, they had successfully assassinated a Spirit King for a noble client using a "Silver-ranked Assassin."

The organization supposedly boasted Gold-ranked assassins capable of killing Spirit Emperors, Earth-ranked assassins for Spirit Saints, and even Heaven-ranked assassins—though no one had confirmed their existence.

In truth, Heaven's Net was merely the public-facing identity of You Chen's Soul Beast organization. The façade of an underground network provided both valuable intelligence and practical training opportunities for its members.

While initially a marketing gimmick, the titles of Gold and Earth-ranked assassins were now earned roles.

Given the nature of assassins, Salamander underestimated the possibility of facing a Spirit Douluo. Still, the chance of being killed before he could react kept him in hiding.

After issuing strict orders to the enforcement team, he claimed his need for secrecy to justify his disappearance, leaving them to deal with the fallout.

Meanwhile, as internal conflicts brewed within the Spirit Hall, You Chen had already completed his objectives and quietly left.

He hadn't anticipated Salamander's reluctance to report the situation to avoid responsibility. Had a Spirit Hall elder intervened, You Chen might have been forced to flee.

His concern wasn't about escaping—he was confident in his abilities—but rather avoiding exposure of his methods or identity.

Even against an ordinary Spirit Douluo, You Chen believed he could hold his ground.

---

In theory, You Chen could have extended his stay in Spirit City, exploiting its temporary manpower shortage to complete more missions.

However, the practicality of maintaining his spirit avatars for multiple days became an issue.

While he could sustain them for long durations, it required constant mental effort. Unlike regular control over clones, his remote "signal station" approach demanded continuous focus.

He couldn't relax his mind, as withdrawing consciousness would sever the connection entirely. Re-establishing such a link from afar was impossible.

This meant as long as the avatars existed, his mental stamina would be drained.

Even if his spirit power endured, his mind wouldn't.

Could he have dissolved his avatars in Nuoding City to concentrate fully on the hunt in Spirit City?

Perhaps. But safeguarding his identity and ensu

ring his safety took precedence.

After all, caution was the hallmark of a survivor.

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