Chapter 218 – The Usefulness of Witchcraft Puppetry Techniques

Chapter 218 - The Usefulness of Witchcraft Puppetry Techniques

After the police were alerted, the investigation quickly zeroed in on Xiao Yuan's two brothers, Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng. They had entered the hospital but didn't exit, and they weren't on the hospital's patient list. In the footage of people leaving, three women were seen who hadn't been among those entering. Upon closer inspection of the surveillance video, it was evident that Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng had disguised themselves as women. Two women were supporting a person with an injured leg, whose head was bowed down, as they exited. This person was likely Tang Fei.

Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng—names that signified rectitude, yet their actions proved them to be scoundrels, a waste of their given names.

Upon learning this, Xiao Yuan felt deeply remorseful, believing that her brothers' retaliation against Tang Fei was a result of her actions. Even after her parents were taken into custody for questioning, no leads were found. Suddenly, Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng seemed to have connections far beyond anyone's imagination.

Everyone realized that Tang Fei's incident was premeditated, and that Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng were merely the superficial pawns. There must have been someone behind the scenes with a more intricate plan.

With the culprit identified, the police traced the car's license plate through surveillance cameras. However, they discovered that the plate had been switched in a blind spot, and the vehicle turned out to be stolen, leaving the trail cold.

To Xing Le's surprise, his initial worry turned into a hint of schadenfreude when Zhou Weichuan became a suspect. Watching Zhou Weichuan emerge from the police station with a grim face, Xing Le couldn't resist taunting him, "Zhou Weichuan, you're a suspect now. How does it feel to be under suspicion?"

Zhou Weichuan glared at Xing Le and replied, "Xing Le, I'm not in the mood for games. If it weren't for you, I'd prefer you vanished from my sight. Otherwise, I might lose control and hit you."

Xing Le tilted his head. Zhou Weichuan brushed past him, heading towards his car.

As Zhou Weichuan drove away, dejected, the corners of Xing Le's mouth gradually downturned. The fleeting pleasure he derived from Zhou Weichuan's misfortune dissipated, revealing the tension and anxiety that only surfaced when he was alone.

Xing Le paced in front of the police station, then gradually retraced his steps in the biting cold, never mustering the courage to inquire about the progress of the Tang Fei kidnapping case.

Hesitantly, he called He Baoyi.

"Baoyi, where did the Xiao brothers take her? What will they do?"

"A'Le, I don't interfere with what the Xiao brothers do, and you shouldn't either. This matter has nothing to do with either of us."

"If someone loses their life, it won't be unrelated to the Xiao brothers. They're not tight-lipped. Baoyi, for Tang Fei, are you willing to risk everything you have?"

"A'Le, for Tang Fei, are we willing to ruin the decade-long relationship between us?"

Xing Le's call was fruitless. He couldn't betray He Baoyi for Tang Fei, but he was ignorant of the Xiao brothers' actions. The only thing he could do was inform the police that the Xiao brothers' actions were connected to He Baoyi, which might lead to a breakthrough in the investigation.

Xing Le slammed his fist against the trunk of a tree by the roadside, the cold sapping all warmth from his clenched hand. The problem before him was too daunting, with no clear solution. Whatever he chose, he would regret it.

Meanwhile, the moment Tang Fei was knocked unconscious, the system that had been dormant for half a year suddenly appeared before her eyes without any warning.

"Emergency!"

"Host in peril!"

"Please utilize the Space-Time Palace!"

A flashing red icon appeared before Tang Fei's eyes, instantly jolting her consciousness awake. She had been conscious when Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng had taken her away, but she had lacked control over her body. As they had yet to do anything to her, Tang Fei gradually focused on the system interface, forced to confront the issues presented by the system due to her current situation.

Apparently, Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng were highly confident in their aphrodisiac and hadn't taken any additional measures to restrain Tang Fei. However, Tang Fei didn't rush to enter the Space-Time Palace.

By focusing her thoughts, she could certainly use the system to access the Space-Time Palace and even potentially drag Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng in with her.

Yet, as she entered, those flickers of white light flashed through her mind, leaving her with a lingering sense that she might have lost something. The System must have taken something; it wasn't an illusion.

Just like how one exchanges money for monthly card draws, entering the Palace of Time and Space comes at a cost greater than mere currency.

Despite the system's relentless urging for her to enter the Temporal Palace, Tang Fei still refused, even at the most perilous moment.

Tang Fei opened all the accumulated fortune bags, only to find duplicate cards within. Among them, there was a unique green-robed Peking Opera mask, but it had no bearing on her current situation.

And her monthly card draws had accumulated eight, each one she surveyed was a five-star card, filled with exercises geared towards honing acting skills. There were cards like the 'Three Thousand Times Ligament Stretching Experience', 'Five Hundred Times Sound Effects Mimicry Experience', and 'Six Hundred Times Flower Spear Twirling Experience'. Among makeup cards, there were the 'Pear Blossoms Amidst Rain Card' and the 'Heroine of Women Card'. Additionally, there emerged a series of androgynous makeup cards bearing famous names or codes, such as the 'Zhu Yingtai Card', the 'Hua Mulan Card', and the 'Female Top Scholar Card'.

These cards are immensely helpful for performances, but utterly useless in her current situation.

Tang Fei calmly shielded herself from the system's distractions and gradually sorted out her thoughts. She had a last resort: hiding in the Time Palace or casting Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng into it. As long as she wasn't in immediate danger, there was no need to panic!

All superficial urgency was mere interference—dismissed!

Tang Fei then examined what she currently possessed: memories, learning abilities, energy pills. None of these were of use. But certain skills, which she had deliberately suppressed and matched perfectly with the palace intrigue game, could be employed to deal with her present circumstances.

Wugou Puppet Pills, Puppetry Spell.

"Wugou Puppet Pills"

"Four-star card. One pill can control the weak-willed for six hours. The strong-willed may resist and shorten the effect."

"Usage: Move the card onto the target within your line of sight."

This couldn't be used. She couldn't control her eyelid muscles to open her eyes, so without sight, she couldn't utilize it.

What about the other puppetry spell?

"The Puppetry of Witchcraft"

"A six-star card. The Puppetry of Witchcraft consumes ten Witch Puppet Pills. After silently memorizing the target's name and appearance, one can invoke the spell by chanting it. It allows for continuous control without any time constraints. Requirement: The user's willpower must be stronger than the target's, or else they risk suffering backlash."

The Puppetry of Witchcraft!

This would do.

Although it seemed rather ominous, Tang Fei felt that it was better than hiding in a palace at this moment. She had lost faith in the system's recommendations. Thankfully, the system didn't seem to have a mechanism for punishment or erasure. She once believed it to be a peaceful system, but the abnormal deaths of the consecutive transmigrators made her feel uneasy.

This seemingly gentle and tranquil system appeared to be a disguise that lulled her into a false sense of security, masking its true malevolent nature.

Tang Fei sensed with her consciousness that she was still in the car, not yet having reached their destination. According to her estimation, they hadn't left the capital yet.

Considering Xiao Fang and Xiao Zheng's background and connection to Xiao Yuan, it was unlikely that they had the means to obtain such an intoxicating drug.

After some thought, Tang Fei decided to pretend to remain unconscious. With a means to safeguard herself, the risks involved in exposing the mastermind behind them were significantly reduced. This was the best opportunity to uncover the person pulling the strings.

None could have imagined she possessed supernatural abilities.