"Demon… You mean the Sacrificial Ghost? How do you know about it?"
Sarah instinctively stepped forward, her eyes locked onto Zane as she questioned him in a low voice.
The moment this seemingly insignificant man uttered the words "Sacrificial Ghost," he became a threat in her eyes.
He called himself the Masked Fool, knew about the Sacrificial Ghost, and chose this moment to confront her directly. He clearly understood her status and identity.
What truly unsettled Sarah, however, was that she had no memory of this man whatsoever. Not even the faintest sense of familiarity.
"That's... a secret."
Black, red, and white traced mesmerizing, eerie patterns across his mask. Zane raised a finger to the front of it and spoke with a soft, amused tone.
"A secret, huh?"
Sarah let out a cold laugh as a flash of cold light slowly emerged in her hand.
"Oh come on, give me a smile. With a face like that, you look awful when you're scowling."
Still full of mockery.
Smoke and dust filled the air, and the blare of sirens and shouting echoed everywhere. Vision Industry's armed personnel were completely overpowered by the security forces—they had no means of resisting.
While the higher-ups might still try to struggle through various means, the rank-and-file had no such luxury. With charges of private armed forces already confirmed, what awaited them now was judgment.
"Pretentious bastard."
"Take your secret to the grave!"
The distance between Sarah and Zane was already short. She flipped a sharp dagger into her hand and in a flash was right in front of him.
Without a moment's hesitation, the dagger slashed downward at an angle, aiming directly for Zane's heart.
Sarah was fast. Though her every move carried the grace and poise of someone of high standing, her combat ability was formidable.
The angle of her strike was cunning—difficult to predict, harder to defend.
But Zane merely twitched his fingers, and the Ether dust in the air instantly coalesced into a small, black-green shield before him.
Clang—
The shield was thin, yet the dagger's sharp edge couldn't pierce it at all.
Sarah's expression shifted.
This so-called Masked Fool had not only predicted her attack in a split second, but had also defended against it in such an unusual way.
How did he do it?
The ability to materialize Ether Crystals out of thin air—she could barely recall anyone capable of such a feat.
Her failed attack changed everything. Zane was no longer just dangerous in her eyes—he was mysterious.
Noticing the confusion on Sarah's face, Zane chuckled lightly.
"I told you, I'm a magician."
"These little tricks? Just parlor tricks, really."
Sarah didn't press the attack again. She knew—killing him wasn't possible.
Her breathing slowed as her expression gradually steadied.
"The Masked Fool... I'll remember you."
She repeated the words, though her tone had shifted entirely from before.
Perhaps this "trickster" truly did wield powers beyond the ordinary.
"You uttered the name 'Sacrificial Ghost' in front of me, yet refuse to say more. What is it you really want?"
"You do realize we're running out of time to talk."
Sarah flashed her trademark smile, as if everything Zane had done moments ago had been entirely forgotten.
The noise around them was closing in.
Their time for conversation really was running out.
"Honestly, when you came at me with the intent to kill, I was ready to put you to sleep for good."
"But then I thought again..."
"Letting you die now just seemed too boring."
Zane's voice remained calm, though a faint hint of playfulness laced it.
He didn't spare Sarah out of amusement. If she died, the only lead he had would vanish.
In other words, he was letting the big fish swim.
Zane had never forgotten the eyes that sought to pry into his secrets.
Everything he did was for that purpose.
The entity known as the Sacrificial Ghost was a special kind of Ethereal—and it might just be connected to him.
Zane had a vague sense he'd already been caught in someone else's net.
But thanks to his erratic movements, the net couldn't quite hold him.
Pawns, the board, the one moving the pieces...
None of it was set in stone.
"Hey, I've been incredibly lenient. You should be grateful to still be alive, don't you think?"
Zane took two steps back and addressed Sarah with mock exasperation.
When she didn't respond, he quickly lost interest. He removed his top hat and gave her a slight bow.
"Miss Sarah, I look forward to our next meeting."
For now, he couldn't act rashly. Qingyi and Zhu Yuan were still around, and he needed to follow this lead further.
As for interrogations—he clearly didn't have time for that.
Whoosh—
A thick cloud of dust swept through the area.
"Cough, cough—"
Sarah frowned, squinting and waving a hand to clear the haze. By the time the Ether smoke had cleared, the Masked Fool was already gone.
"Zhu Yuan, Special Criminal Investigation Division, Public Security Bureau. You're Sarah, correct? Please come with us."
A crisp voice sounded from behind her. Sarah turned to see Zhu Yuan standing there, holding up an official security badge.
Behind her, two officers were watching over Perlman, who had just regained consciousness. He looked visibly annoyed as a TV reporter filmed him from inches away.
Along with a barrage of furious questions, spit flew at his face like rain. Perlman tried desperately to dodge, but with his limbs restrained, he was helpless.
"Fine."
Sarah shot Perlman a disgusted look, then nodded at Zhu Yuan. She didn't have much choice.
Sarah was taken away, residents were registered and relocated, and order at the command center was gradually restored.
"Disciple, you've cooperated, had your fun... so how about calling me 'Master' again?"
In the corner of the scene, Qingyi watched as the personnel evacuated in an orderly fashion. She finally relaxed, turning with a smile to Zane, who had taken off his mask.
Now that things had settled, there was no need for her to intervene further. She stayed behind to manage the scene.
After all, residents of Canvas Lane were still present.
But seeing how frightened they were by Vision Industry and how cooperative they'd become, it was clear she wasn't needed.
"Senior, once you take them back, what are you planning to do with them?"
Zane seemed not to hear Qingyi's earlier joke. Watching the departing police cars, he asked curiously.
"Interrogation, sentencing, execution... There's a full protocol for dealing with criminals like these."
Qingyi responded instinctively—then quickly realized what she'd just said.