Kitty nodded, a hint of gratitude in her eyes. "Yes, I'm living with my mother now. Thanks to the tonics and medicines that Sect Master Ning sent, my mother's health has improved a lot. It's just that she's old, and she hasn't fully recovered from this illness yet; she's lying in bed right now."
Since someone is sick, it's perfect. With Bi Ji accompanying us and the Emerald Swan present, is there any worry about treating any serious illness? Gu Tian gestured, and Bi Ji gently went into the inner room. Just a few minutes later, a rich aura of life filled the hall. Under Bi Ji's treatment, the Kitty's mother's complexion miraculously returned to a rosy hue, and she fell into a deep sleep.
However, after the joy of reunion, Kitty looked at Gu Tian and suddenly became hesitant, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.
"Lord Gu Tian, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."
Gu Tian sat up straight. "Go ahead and speak, it's alright."
"Recently, there have been frequent disappearances in the slums." Kitty lowered her voice, her tone tinged with unease. "Although people have died here before from hunger or disease, the number of disappearances in the last few weeks... is just too high. And almost all of them are teenagers or orphans with no connections."
Princess Xue Ke was taken aback and asked somewhat innocently, "Missing? Could it be because it's almost Chinese New Year and they've all gone back to their hometowns for the holiday?"
Kitty shook her head bitterly. "Miss, for the people living here, what hometown do they still have? This is their last place. A few neighbors went together to report this to the officials outside the wall, but the soldiers just took notes and said they would report it to the relevant departments for follow-up. But every time we go to ask, the answer is always the same, and we haven't even seen a single person sent to investigate."
At this point, Xiao Wu couldn't help but turn to Xue Ke and ask somewhat angrily, " Xue Ke, which department exactly is in charge of this area, sent by the royal family? How can they be so perfunctory?"
Xue Ke blushed deeply, shaking her head awkwardly. Her voice was barely audible, like a mosquito's buzz. " Xiao Wu, I... I just racked my brains. It seems... in the government affairs Father Emperor usually allocates, there isn't a specific department responsible for the security of the slums. This place is actually a power vacuum..."
"What?!" Xiao Wu slammed her hand on the table in anger. "Isn't this treating human life like dirt?"
She grasped Xue Ke's hand with a serious expression and said, word by word, " Xue Ke, this matter is of utmost importance. Since this area is under the jurisdiction of Prince Xue Xing, and he doesn't care, you must report this situation to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe! A large-scale disappearance at the foot of Heaven Dou City —there must be something fishy going on behind this!"
Xue Ke nodded solemnly. She also realized that behind this wall of shame, there seemed to be some kind of chilling darkness lurking.
The warm atmosphere inside the room plummeted to freezing point after Kitty's words. Gu Tian stroked his chin, staring intently at Kitty, and said in a deep voice, " Kitty, besides the missing persons, what else have you discovered? Tell me all the details you know, don't leave anything out."
Kitty twisted her fingers, recalling the images that kept her awake all night, her body trembling slightly. "And... there were some very strange things. Several times late at night, I saw some neighbors who were originally sick or weak, with wisps of thick black mist faintly emanating from their bodies, as if they were being entangled by some kind of evil spirit. After those people developed this symptom, their movements became abnormally stiff, and their eyes became frighteningly empty."
Maomao swallowed hard and continued, "The strangest thing is that every time one of these people emanating black energy appears, within half an hour, soldiers dressed in royal uniforms will arrive quickly and forcibly take them away. No matter how much their families cry and scream, the soldiers remain silent and move extremely fast, as if they are specifically watching these people."
"This is absolutely no coincidence," Zhu Zhuqing said coldly. As a speed-attack type Soul Master, her sense of danger was extremely keen. "Someone is using this place as some kind of petri dish."
Gu Tian fell into deep thought. He quickly reviewed everything in his mind: Prince Xue Xing's territory, the power vacuum, the missing orphan, the eerie black aura, the taxi drivers quickly clearing the scene... all these clues pointed to an extremely dark possibility.
"Could it be some kind of new infectious disease on the Douluo Continent?" Xiao Wu asked innocently.
Gu Tian shook his head. Although he already had a suspicion about Evil Soul Master, he didn't yet have any solid evidence. After all, Evil Soul Master were suppressed to nothing by the Spirit Hall in this era. "Perhaps, but until we find out the truth, this place is no longer safe."
"Brother Gu Tian!"
Na'er, who had been crouching beside him, suddenly looked up, her eyes full of pleading. She gripped Gu Tian's sleeve tightly, "Can we take Sister Kitty and her mother out of here? It's too dangerous for them to stay here. What if they get taken away by those soldiers one day..."
Looking into Na'er's pure purple eyes, and then at the mother and daughter Kitty who depended on each other for survival, Gu Tian nodded solemnly. "That's exactly what I was thinking. Now that we've encountered this situation, I won't just stand by and watch the people I rescued fall into the fire again."
"But... where should we take them?" Ning Rongrong pondered, resting her chin on her hand. "If we go straight back to the villa, there are already enough people there, and it's not convenient to settle ordinary people there."
Gu Tian smiled slightly, his gaze shifting to another direction in Heaven Dou City: "I've thought of a good place— Skywater Academy. Although Shui Bing'er appears cold on the outside but is warm on the inside, she's fair and just. Moreover, Skywater Academy has a tranquil environment and is mostly populated by female students, making it the safest haven for her and her mother. I owe Skywater Academy a favor, Shui Bing'er should be willing to do me a favor for such a small matter."
Taking advantage of the fact that Kitty's mother had regained her senses under Bi Ji's treatment, Gu Tian didn't delay any longer. He gestured for Kitty and her daughter to pack some personal belongings and dry food, and then sent them onto the luxurious carriage.
The carriage started again, its wheels rolling over the muddy streets, the muffled thuds sounding particularly jarring in the silent slums.
Just as the carriage slowly drove towards the heavy iron gate, Aria, sitting by the window, suddenly changed her expression. Her previously calm golden eyes flashed with a golden light of judgment without warning, and even the Sacred Radiance Golden Wings on her back trembled slightly for a moment.
"What's wrong, Aria?" Gu Tian noticed the unusual behavior of the Light Dragon King.
Aria didn't answer immediately; she stared intently at the shadow of an abandoned tower behind the carriage. That nauseating, evil aura returned.
That aura was exactly the same as the power that had taken Zhu Zhuqing away! It was like a venomous snake lurking in the abyss, its cold and vicious eyes fixed on the carriage's tracks.
"That smell again..." Aria murmured, her voice as cold as frost, "They're watching us from not far away. Gu Tian, didn't you wipe out those forces sent by the Star Luo Empire back then?"
Aria was filled with deep doubt. That evil was not simply Soul Power, but some kind of distorted remnant of laws. She hesitated for a moment, looked at Gu Tian who was focused on comforting Maomao, and finally chose to hold back for the time being.
"No, perhaps it's not the Star Luo Empire." Aria thought to herself, on high alert. "This aura is even more concentrated than before. Whoever you are, if you dare to attack us again, I will not let you off."