Special Task Force Established!

After leaving Listening Rain Pavilion, Lu Chen did not return directly to his residence. Instead, he altered his appearance and aura, then made a circuit around several sites in the Capital City where soul-related incidents had occurred.

With his divine sense fully unleashed and the system's subtle perception of energy fluctuations assisting him, he investigated meticulously.

In an alley where an incident had taken place, he did indeed catch a trace of residue that had almost completely dissipated. It shared the same origin as the undead Killing Intent of the Western Wasteland, yet was purer and more concealed.

This residue was not fixed in one place. Instead, like gossamer threads, it drifted through the air, as though it had "floated" here from some more distant source.

"The source isn't here—this is merely a trace left by an extension of its power..." Lu Chen mused. "Could it be some large-scale, continuous soul-detection technique? Or... some formation covering the entire city, operating in silence?"

The thought made his heart sink.

If such a formation really was operating in secret, extracting or spying upon information from the souls of living beings in the Capital City, then the means and intentions of whoever had set it up were truly terrifying.

It would require an enormous amount of resources, exceptional mastery of formations, and a profound understanding of the Capital City's defensive grand formation. There might even be an insider.

"I have to get to the bottom of this." Lu Chen made up his mind. This was not only about helping Xiao Jingyan and the imperial court—it also concerned his own safety. He had no desire for his secrets and memories to be spied upon for no reason.

After returning to his residence, he told Yun Qingyue what he had discovered.

Yun Qingyue also realized