Light Fortress

The pitch-black warehouse was torn apart by a silver flash, split into two.

This strike instantly dissolved the target.

Tonezaka Shozaburo didn’t even last a second...

Gu Shen waved his hand to dispel the poisonous mist, as well as the [Iron Throne] and [Truth].

"Is it over?"

Shen Li was completely dumbfounded.

This was the first time he saw Gu Shen take action... Since returning to the Five Continents, Gu Shen’s demeanor had become much more somber, and this case’s investigation was mainly handled by him and Song Ci.

Shen Li even thought he had retired from the game.

Unexpectedly, it was a complete illusion.

"Tonezaka Shozaburo is already old, and even if he used ’dark arts’ to rejuvenate, his abilities are still just average."

Gu Shen said calmly, "In terms of real strength, he’s on the same level as the Giant Deer Saint of the Storm Church... if not weaker."

In the hierarchy, those like Tonezaka Shozaburo who do not follow the right path and only study bizarre and evil methods, their titles are considered the lowest tier.

"Hmm... it really is just average, but it’s so disgusting."

Song Ci nodded in agreement.

On the other side, Tosasi Takashi was deeply shook.

Because in his perception, Gu Shen was always "a little stronger" than him...

He knew that this evil ghost held the highest power and status.

Yet, Tosasi Takashi had always believed that in terms of strength, the strongest should be Lady’s number one enforcer, Song Ci.

Now his understanding was completely overturned.

The strength of this evil ghost made Tosasi Takashi feel fortunate.

He was glad that during that interrogation, he didn’t play any tricks.

...

...

From beginning to end, the investigation of the "Donglai family" case was in Gu Shen’s grasp.

He was composed and indifferent.

Because of everything that happened in Yinghai District.

He had the ability to suppress and extinguish.

Tosasi Takashi’s final confession revealed the "culprit" behind the Donglai family’s defection.

Not the Five Families.

Nor was it any of the major forces Gu Shen was familiar with in the East Continent.

But rather a powerful entity from the Outer Continent—

"Is this it?"

Gu Shen stood on a small hill on Wu Dai Island, looking at the village clustered below. This was the so-called "place of faith" according to Tosasi Takashi. Tonezaka Shozaburo, after retiring from Changye, had been plotting how to make Yinghai escape from the East Continent’s control.

He was an ambitious man.

But unfortunately, his strength was far beneath his ambitions.

Let alone liberating Yinghai from the East Continent’s control.

Tonezaka Shozaburo couldn’t even free the Donglai family from control.

All these years, he had bowed and scraped, hiding his intentions from the East Continent’s high officials, and to avoid exposing his true conspiracy, he had even been ruthless enough to push his son into the forefront early on.

But his years of persistence finally saw a glimmer of hope.

Someone contacted him.

And offered a tangible and feasible path.

To make Yinghai District independent was a huge ambition. Even Tonezaka Shozaburo knew something he could never accomplish in his lifetime, but through this contact, he found a way to free the "Donglai Family" from control.

That was, to develop faith.

"One thousand and forty-three people..."

Gu Shen’s spiritual power swept over the village. In this enclosed breeding ground, there were no books, no internet, and certainly no knowledge.

What existed were a few simple farming gardens, a well, and a large number of venomous snakes.

This village was completely controlled by Tonezaka Shozaburo. The "villagers" here, though alive, were spiritually dead.

Because they no longer had their own will.

Under years of erosion by the [Poison Nest], they had fully embraced the doctrines created by Tonezaka Shozaburo.

To fabricate a church out of thin air.

This was the method the "backstage manipulator" taught Tonezaka Shozaburo.

"All these years I have been investigating, and I am very certain that the person dealing with Tonezaka Shozaburo is a Temple Elder from the West Continent. I am not sure which one specifically."

Tosasi Takashi took a deep breath and said, "How to cultivate ’faith’, how to breed ’Death Soldier’, these were taught by the temple. On the Jiankou Islands, there are several such ’bases’. The agreement between Tonezaka Shozaburo and that Temple Elder was that once ten thousand believers were cultivated, the West Continent would officially accept the Donglai family’s settlement."

The real mastermind.

Never was it in the East Continent...

Just as Gu Shen suspected, with only the Donglai family’s power, it would be impossible to plot a "rebellion".

And this major power supporting them from behind.

Was Light City.

"So Dong Lai Yue went to the Source Tower?"

"This was also the West Continent’s demand..." Tosasi Takashi murmured, "Light City attempted to let its faith infiltrate the world. The temple’s help in letting Donglai family escape Yinghai came with another stipulation, which was to plant a ’Death Soldier’ in the Source Tower."

If Dong Lai Yue successfully penetrated within the Source Tower.

Then Light City would hold a crucial card.

"Damn it, it’s really disgusting!"

Song Ci sat cross-legged on the hill, spitting fiercely, feeling more and more that the Light Token in his hand was truly cursed.

In the name of light, conducting dark deeds!

Perhaps many years ago, Light City wasn’t like this...

But now, the actions of the temple have already deviated from the teachings of the past, even going so far as to diametrically oppose them.

"No matter what, the betrayal of the East Continent is already a fact. I am willing to serve in [Snow Cage] and respect your decision, allowing the ’Donglai Family’ to henceforth exit the Yinghai stage..."

Tosasi Takashi said softly: "It’s just that the senior members of the family are not all ’defectors’; only a few are aware of the true plans of Tonezaka Shozaburo... Many of them have colluded with the Outer Continent for their own selfish desires, committing the crime of betrayal. I have already listed those people, and I have only one wish, hoping that you, sir, will punish according to their crimes without harming the innocent."

Before last night’s interrogation began.

Tosasi Takashi told Gu Shen that he had a letter in his pocket.

This letter had already been written.

Part of the contents of the letter... is the list of defectors.

"The list of defectors will be verified by others. Those not on the list will also be examined one by one."

Gu Shen said calmly, "I promise you, we won’t let a guilty person escape, nor will we wrong an innocent member of the Donglai family." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Hearing this, a flicker of light ignited in Tosasi Takashi’s dull eyes.

He chuckled quietly: "That’s good then."

"But I don’t understand."

Gu Shen suddenly asked: "Since you hate Tonezaka Shozaburo’s actions so much, why didn’t you come forward to report him earlier? With your prestige in Yinghai District, reaching out to Lu Nanzhi or the high ranks of the Five Continents wouldn’t be difficult."

Tosasi Takashi was silent for a moment: "That’s a good question, but why didn’t you contact them, choosing instead to investigate this case alone?"

Before Gu Shen could open his mouth.

Tosasi Takashi said hoarsely: "Clearly, you are worried that there is corruption within the East Continent too. What if the influential figures I find are also colluding with the temple, just like Tonezaka Shozaburo?"

Shen Li spoke coldly: "What do you mean?"

"Don’t get excited."

Tosasi Takashi said self-deprecatingly: "I am not trying to sow discord, nor am I questioning the Five Continents... I am merely stating facts."

Shen Li’s expression was unfriendly, but the next moment he was taken aback.

Tosasi Takashi uncovered the robe he had worn for years, revealing his chest.

On his chest alone, there were hundreds of dense scars, overlapping each other.

Recalling Tonezaka Shozaburo’s earlier grim appearance.

Shen Li suddenly understood something.

"You might not understand the torment I experienced in my childhood."

Tosasi Takashi said calmly: "For someone like me, a ’puppet’, the opportunity for rebellion only comes once... If I failed, it would be eternal doom. I had long stopped caring about my life or death; as long as the final outcome is that Tonezaka Shozaburo pays the price, I could accept any fate. So the current outcome is also good for me."

"Then... what about Tosazai?"

Gu Shen spoke again.

Tosasi Takashi was stunned for a moment.

"Thirty years ago, you were ordered by Tonezaka Shozaburo to marry into the prestigious Ishizuka Family. Your wife was thirty years older than you, and because of this marriage, you became a laughingstock, and even now there are many who ridicule you for losing your dignity, but because of this, the Ishizuka Family recommended you as a ’councilman’."

Gu Shen said: "As is well-known, this was a political marriage. Within a few years, your wife passed away due to illness, and the children born during this marriage all died young... Until a few years ago, your illegitimate child entered the public view. If you wish for ’Tosazai’ to live well, you should not let him be known."

"..."

Tosasi Takashi laughed: "The child has grown up, with his own ideas; I can’t stop him."

"Is that so?"

"Is that really the case?"

Gu Shen’s questioning rendered Tosasi Takashi silent.

"Mr. Longchang, I noticed that the list of defectors you provided lacked one name."

Gu Shen continued: "And that is yourself, Tosasi Takashi. The root reason you didn’t report ’Tonezaka Shozaburo’ is because you also hoped to send someone away from Yinghai... and that person is Tosazai."

The sea breeze blew across the small hills of Wu Dai Island.

A faint salty smell wafted by.

Tosasi Takashi said weakly: "Sir, since you have already seen through everything, why must you cruelly reveal it?"

"Indeed, that is very cruel."

Gu Shen gazed into the distance for a long time before turning to Tosasi Takashi and earnestly asking: "I am merely curious... is the East Continent really that filthy?"

The last bit of his thoughts had been seen through.

All strength seemed to have been drawn from Tosasi Takashi in an instant.

He weakly leaned against the tree as the sea breeze blew by, gazing at his unstained hands that were full of the smell of blood.

From the beginning, Tosasi Takashi had not intended to escape punishment.

It’s just that...

Some things, some truths, he wanted to bury deep in his heart forever.

If Tonezaka Shozaburo’s plan succeeded, he would add Tosazai’s name to the transfer list as the head of the Donglai Family and swiftly send him away.

He didn’t want his son to know anything about what happened here.

Because he had endured endless torment and darkness.

Thus, Tosasi Takashi wanted to be a good father.

He didn’t want a puppet-like painful and shattered life to repeat on Tosazai, and this was his reason for enduring Tonezaka Shozaburo’s demonic conduct...

He wanted to use his last ounce of strength to redeem his child.

Even if his endurance would lead to more people suffering.

Even if those suffering...

Also included fathers, children.

Looking at the believers trapped by the [Poison Nest] below the mountain.

"No..."

Tosasi Takashi closed his eyes, muddy tears flowed down his cheeks as he painfully laughed: "The filth... is only me."

...

...

(PS: The fourth burst is complete~ the Donglai Family small Chapter was crafted with much thought, and I personally feel very satisfied, asking for next month’s votes~)