flstandardbreds Chapter 141 Sparse Evidence
Chapter 141 Sparse Evidence
"Jiang Ye, do you still remember that little lackey who was sneaking around Elder Wang before?" Ye Shuli frowned slightly, a skinny figure with shifty eyes appearing in her mind.
“I remember, what’s wrong?” Jiang Ye scratched his head. “Li’er, you don’t suspect that guy is involved in this, do you? That kid looks shifty and doesn’t look like a good guy.”
“My intuition tells me there’s something wrong with him,” Ye Shuli said with certainty. “Based on the clues we have so far, all the evidence points to Elder Wang, but I have a feeling that things aren’t that simple. There must be someone else behind Elder Wang, and this little minion is very likely the key.”
“Li’er, what do you mean…” Jiang Ye seemed to understand Ye Shuli’s thoughts.
“That’s right, I suspect this little punk is a member of the Blackbeard Thieves!” Ye Shuli said decisively. “The Blackbeard Thieves are notorious and ruthless; they’re capable of anything. They might have orchestrated this whole thing!”
"Then what are we waiting for? Li'er, let's hurry up and find that little minion. As long as we catch him, we can follow the clues and find the mastermind behind it all!" Jiang Ye rubbed his hands together, eager to try.
Based on some clues they had gathered earlier, the two deduced where the Blackbeard thief might be, and rushed there without stopping.
The surrounding area was a gloomy forest, with dense foliage blocking out the sun. Only a few faint rays of light pierced through the gaps, making everything appear shadowy and creating an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.
"Li'er, this place is so eerie, isn't there any danger?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but shiver; the atmosphere made him feel uneasy.
Ye Shuli raised an eyebrow and a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips: "Danger? Hmph, I'd like to see what kind of monsters and demons dare to show their faces!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a rustling sound came from ahead, and then a dark figure darted out from the depths of the woods.
"Who?!" Jiang Ye immediately became alert, his spiritual energy surging in his hands, ready to strike at any moment.
The shadowy figure gradually came into focus; it was the black-bearded thief they were looking for!
"Who are you? What do you want?" The black-bearded thief asked warily, his voice tinged with panic.
He had already heard about Ye Shuli and knew that this woman was not to be trifled with, so he naturally did not want to get involved in this conflict easily.
"Blackbeard, we're here to ask you something." Ye Shuli's tone was icy, her gaze sharp as she stared at him.
Blackbeard's eyes darted around, his gaze shifting uncertainly. "I don't know what you're talking about. I have something to do, I'm leaving now!"
After saying that, he turned around and tried to slip away.
"Want to leave? Not so easy!" Jiang Ye rushed forward, blocking his path. "If you don't explain yourself clearly today, don't even think about leaving here!"
Seeing that escape was hopeless, the black-bearded thief's face immediately turned grim: "You... what do you want? I'm warning you, I'm not someone to be trifled with!"
"What a coincidence, we're not to be trifled with either!" Jiang Ye sneered. "If you know what's good for you, you'd better hand it over quickly, otherwise..."
He paused deliberately, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.
"Otherwise what?" the black-bearded thief asked, his tone blustering but his heart pounding.
“Otherwise…” Jiang Ye’s lips curled into a wicked smile, “you will regret it…”
Ye Shuli chuckled lightly, her gaze fixed on the Blackbeard thief as if she saw through everything: "You think I don't know what you're thinking? You're just trying to buy time and wait for your accomplices to come and rescue you. Unfortunately for you, your little tricks are nothing compared to mine."
Blackbeard's expression changed slightly, his eyes flickering, clearly indicating that Ye Shuli had guessed his thoughts.
Ye Shuli continued, "I know you're greedy and afraid of death. I can give you the gold and silver treasures you want, and even help you improve your cultivation so you can have a higher position in the Blackbeard Thieves, but on the condition that you tell me everything you know."
Blackbeard the thief stared wide-eyed, as if he couldn't believe his ears.
He never expected Ye Shuli to make such a condition; it was like a windfall!
"You...you're telling the truth?" Blackbeard's voice trembled slightly, his eyes gleaming with greed.
"Of course it's true," Ye Shuli smiled slightly. "I, Ye Shuli, keep my word. As long as you cooperate with me, I guarantee you will enjoy endless wealth and honor in the future."
Jiang Ye watched Ye Shuli's performance from the side, his eyes filled with admiration.
He gently held Ye Shuli's hand, as if giving her strength.
Ye Shuli felt the warmth of Jiang Ye's hand, and a sweet feeling welled up in her heart.
The surrounding air seemed to become ambiguous, filled with pink bubbles.
Blackbeard hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I promise you! I'll tell you everything I know!"
He was about to speak when suddenly...
Suddenly, a glint of greed flashed in the blackbearded thief's eyes. He swiftly drew a dagger and stabbed it at Ye Shuli: "The artifact is mine!" He actually wanted to double-cross her!
"Damn! This kid's playing dirty!" Jiang Ye reacted quickly, pulling Ye Shuli behind him and kicking the black-bearded thief right in the chest.
"Li'er, are you okay?"
Ye Shuli steadied herself and sneered, "A mere trick, yet you dare to show off your skills before an expert!" With a flick of her slender hand, a dazzling light shot out from her fingertips, striking the black-bearded thief directly.
Blackbeard, the thief, dodged awkwardly but was still grazed by the light, letting out a scream.
"That woman is ruthless!" he cursed inwardly, but dared not make any further moves.
The henchmen who had been lying in ambush nearby were terrified when they saw this and scattered like birds and beasts, fearing that they would be killed by the aftershocks of this battle between gods.
"Li'er, I'm here to help you!" Although Jiang Ye was not as strong as the Blackbeard Thief, he was more agile. Like an eel, he kept moving around the Blackbeard Thief, harassing him from time to time to attract his attention.
Ye Shuli seized the opportunity and activated the power of the divine artifact once again.
The powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy caused the surrounding trees to shake violently, as if they were about to collapse at any moment.
Blackbeard was stunned by this powerful force, his face turned pale, and he was covered in cold sweat.
He thought to himself, "This is bad; I'm probably going to be in trouble today."
Just when he thought Ye Shuli would attack him with all her might, Ye Shuli suddenly stopped, and the fluctuations of spiritual energy disappeared.
"Wait!" Ye Shuli said calmly, as if the earth-shattering event just now was just an illusion. "I'll give you another chance."
Blackbeard was stunned; the reversal came too suddenly for him to process.
"You...what do you mean?"
Ye Shuli's lips curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile: "We can cooperate. I can give you more benefits than you can imagine—money, treasures, status, even… power." She paused, her gaze fixed intently on the blackbearded thief, "As long as you tell me who ordered you to frame me."
Blackbeard, the thief, stared wide-eyed, his breathing rapid, his mind in turmoil.
Is this woman toying with him?
Ye Shuli extended her slender hand and gently beckoned with her finger: "So? Have you made up your mind?"
Blackbeard swallowed hard, his mind in turmoil.
Ye Shuli's offer was so tempting that he couldn't refuse.
In the end, greed triumphed over fear. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I'll tell you! The evidence is hidden in..." He leaned close to Ye Shuli's ear and whispered a location.
Upon hearing this, Ye Shuli smiled with delight.
She knew that this black-bearded thief must know something!
“Very good,” she patted the Blackbeard thief on the shoulder, “you made a wise choice.”
Seeing Ye Shuli's smile, Jiang Ye happily hugged her and exclaimed excitedly, "Li'er, you're amazing! I knew you could handle this!" He held Ye Shuli tightly, wishing he could meld her into his arms.
The oppressive atmosphere instantly dissipated, replaced by ease and joy.
"Alright, alright, don't get too excited yet," Ye Shuli gently pushed Jiang Ye away, "We need to find evidence quickly."
Following the clues provided by the Blackbeard thief, the two arrived at a hidden cave.
The entrance to the cave is hidden by dense vines, and it is difficult to discover that there is a hidden world here without careful observation.
“This is it,” Ye Shuli said, looking at the cave in front of her, her voice tinged with excitement. “The evidence should be inside.”
The two cautiously entered the cave, only to find that it was not as simple as they had imagined.
The cave was dimly lit, the path was winding, and every step was fraught with unknown dangers.
"Be careful, there seems to be a trap here," Jiang Ye warned.
As soon as he finished speaking, a "click" sound came from beneath his feet, followed by several arrows shooting out from the wall and heading straight for the two of them.
Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye reacted quickly, dodging the arrow that grazed their bodies and embedded itself in the stone wall behind them.
"Wow, that was so exciting!" Jiang Ye said, still shaken.
The two continued forward, only to find that the traps and mechanisms were becoming increasingly dense and complex.
Sometimes it's sharp arrows, sometimes poison gas, sometimes falling rocks—it's impossible to defend against them.
"There are just too many traps here! It's practically a maze!" Jiang Ye couldn't help but complain.
Ye Shuli frowned as she looked at the numerous mechanisms before her.
These mechanisms are ingeniously designed, with each part interconnected; a slight misstep can trigger a trap.
She realized that finding evidence would not be easy.
They stood before the array of mechanisms, gazing at their intricate structure. Ye Shuli said softly, "It seems we need to study these mechanisms carefully..." Jiang Ye nodded, his eyes resolute: "Li'er, don't be afraid, I'm here!"