Suddenly, Xu Hongsheng thought he had figured something out.
The key might not have been Xue Xiang at all. It might have been Xu Yi.
The more desperate he became, the clearer his mind seemed to grow. He suddenly recalled that when Saintess Ning had seen the image recorded in the Ruyi Pearl, she had been briefly dazed.
Could it be—could it be that Saintess Ning and Xu Yi were connected too?
That was it! Xu Yi was known as Empty Guest, and Saintess Ning was a master painter. The two of them might have crossed paths long ago.
Damn it! Damn it! How had he not thought of this sooner?
Well, it wasn't too late. It wasn't too late! He would go straight to the central authorities and file a report. The evidence was right... "Aah!"
Xu Hongsheng screamed. A strange, rasping sound rattled in his throat.
Only then did he remember that Saintess Ning had taken the evidence recording Xu Yi's appearance on Kongming Island.
Without this crucial piece of evidence, who would believe anything he said as a condemned prisoner? They would only think he was making a false accusation.
At that thought, his already shattered mind broke apart completely. He howled, eyes wild, and no one could make out what he was screaming.
Cao Hong had collapsed long ago, too. He had sided with Xu Hongsheng for the sake of advancing his career.
Fang Zhongping's death had shown him a chance to climb higher, so he had rushed to join Xu Hongsheng.
He had offered Xu Hongsheng plenty of ideas and done a great many things for him.
Every time he had glimpsed hope, he had fallen straight back into despair. And now, to make matters worse, the Criminal Division had arrested him.
Looking at Xu