488: Chapter 488 is related to the Soul Palace?

Upon hearing this, the Ma brothers' expressions grew tense.

Ma Tianlai was filled with suspicion and doubt.

Could this legendary Ye Chen be even more impressive than the rumors suggested—a super hacker?

Ma Zhonghe's heart leaped into his throat, and his entire body stiffened.

How could he not be tense?

He was worried that Ye Chen really could do it.

But he believed even more...

That everything Ye Chen said was fake.

That's right!

It was all fake!

He hoped it was all fake!!!

But soon...

"March 2020, Southeast Asia, human smuggling, thirty-two people."

As Ye Chen read out a record, Ma Zhonghe's legs began to go weak.

Because...

That was indeed something he had done.

Could that guy really have found clues by relying on the internet?

How was that possible!

Those records had been strictly encrypted by him...

"August 2020, Guang City, child trafficking, two children."

Ye Chen continued scrolling down, his voice remaining calm and unhurried.

"January 2021, Southwest Province, child trafficking, eight children."

"June 2021, Guang City, trafficking of women under the pretext of going abroad, twenty-three women."

"2022..."

He read them out one by one.

With every record read, Ma Zhonghe's face turned a shade paler.

With every record read, Ma Tianlai's fists tightened further.

A deathly silence filled the main hall, with only Ye Chen's voice echoing like a funeral dirge.

"2026, outskirts of Guang City, the matter came to light; framed a police officer and smuggled one hundred and fifty-three people out, their whereabouts currently unknown."

After reading the last entry, Ye Chen looked up and gazed at Ma Zhonghe.

"Second Master, in five or six years, have you ever counted how many children, men, and women passed through your hands?"

Ma Zhonghe's legs had completely given out.

He slumped on the floor, the fat on his face trembling violently, and cold sweat poured down his forehead like beads from a broken string.

Where was the arrogance that had been on that round face just moments ago?

Only fear remained.

A deep, bone-chilling fear.

"How could you possibly..."

"...get into my database?"

Ye Chen closed the laptop, stood up, and looked down at him from above.

"I told you, I am the Chief Instructor of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion of the Dragon Group."

"Did you think the Dragon Group only knows how to fight?"

He paused and spoke indifferently.

"In the eyes of the Dragon Group, your firewall is no different from wet paper."

"If I wanted to investigate, I could even crack the White House database in the USA."

Ma Zhonghe's last shred of hope completely shattered.

He had thought...

As long as he stubbornly refused to confess and his elder brother helped mediate, there might still be room for maneuver.

But this move by Ye Chen had completely blocked his path of retreat.

Those records in the database, those encrypted files he thought were seamless, and the protection he had paid a fortune for...

Before this young man, they hadn't even lasted a minute.

Ma Zhonghe slumped on the ground like a venomous snake whose vital point had been stepped on, unable to struggle any longer.

He then looked up at Ma Tianlai, his eyes full of pleading: "Big Brother, save me..."

Ma Tianlai stood there, his face ashen, without saying a word.

He looked at his biological younger brother, his heart in turmoil.

This was his own brother from the same mother.

When they were young, they played soccer in the yard together, stole pastries from the kitchen together, and were punished by their father to stand together.

But now?

This person had actually committed so many heinous acts.

Child trafficking.

Human smuggling.

In three years, how many children had passed through his hands?

He didn't dare to count, nor did he have the heart to.

Ma Tianlai closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Zhonghe..."

"You're on your own now."

"If you did all of this, I won't help you one bit."

After saying this, he seemed to be drained of all his strength, stumbling back two steps and only managing to steady himself by holding onto the back of a chair.

Ma Zhonghe's face suddenly contorted: "You won't help me? Big Brother, I'm your own brother!"

"It's precisely because you are my brother that I cannot help you even more."

Ma Tianlai turned his head away, not daring to look at him.

"The things you've done..."

"Are devoid of conscience and intolerable by heaven. If I help you, I'll be an accomplice!"

"When the time comes for me to pass on, I would be ashamed to face our father, grandfather, and ancestors!"

Ma Zhonghe's pupils suddenly contracted, and the fat on his face twitched violently.

The next second.

Tears burst from his eyes, and he cried like a child.

"Ma Tianlai! You old geezer!"

"I took beatings for you when I was little! When Dad made us kneel, I was the one who knelt with you all night!"

"Now you're turning your back on me? Do you have any conscience left!"

Ma Tianlai clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, and remained silent.

After crying for a while, Ma Zhonghe suddenly looked up, a hideous smile appearing on his tear-stained face.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!"

"Ma Tianlai, since you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust!"

"If I'm having a hard time today, don't think you'll have it any better!"

Before his voice could fade...

He suddenly reached into his robes and pulled out a handgun!

The dark muzzle was pointed straight at Ma Tianlai's chest. "Go to hell!"

"Bang!!!"

The gunshot exploded in the main hall. The juniors screamed in terror, and some even dove under the chairs!

Ma Tianlai's pupils shrank, and he reflexively closed his eyes.

However...

The expected sharp pain did not come.

He opened his eyes and saw a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life...

Ye Chen had stood before him at some point, his right hand raised, with a deformed bullet caught between his index and middle fingers.

The bullet was still slightly smoking.

Ye Chen released his fingers, and the bullet fell to the floor with a 'ding,' bounced twice, and rolled to Ma Zhonghe's feet.

"Add two more crimes."

Ye Chen spoke indifferently.

"Illegal possession of a firearm and attempted murder."

Ma Zhonghe was completely stunned: "You... you..."

No way...

He actually caught a bullet with his bare hands?

Is this something a human can do?

He had been in this business for many years and had seen ruthless people, arrogant people, and people who didn't value their lives, but he had never seen anyone catch a bullet with their bare hands!

Was the world of martial artists really as terrifying as he had imagined???

Ma Zhonghe's hand began to shake, and the handgun fell to the floor.

Ye Chen didn't bother with any more nonsense; he took out his phone and dialed the Dragon Group directly.

The call was answered after just one ring.

A steady voice came from the other end: "Instructor Ye!"

Ye Chen was the Chief Instructor of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion, so the Dragon Group naturally had his phone records.

This was also something Old Master Xuanyuan had ordered to be recorded, to prevent this troublemaker from causing something irreparable again...

"Guang City Ma Family, Ma Zhonghe, suspected of child trafficking, human smuggling, illegal possession of a firearm, and attempted murder. The evidence is conclusive."

Ye Chen spoke calmly, "Send people from the Guang City branch to take him away, and extract the evidence from the database while you're at it."

"Yes! Someone will be there within fifteen minutes!" The voice on the other end responded and then hung up.

Ye Chen put away his phone and turned to look at Ma Tianlai.

"Old Master Ma, the Dragon Group will be here shortly. You'll need to cooperate with the investigation then."

Ma Tianlai's face was pale as he nodded: "It's only right... It's a family misfortune; we've caused trouble for the country."

Ye Chen shook his head: "It's already rare that you're willing to cooperate and not shield him."

Ma Tianlai gave a bitter smile and didn't respond.

He had lived for over half a century and seen all kinds of storms, but with his own brother doing such a thing, he had lost all face.

The few juniors huddled in the corner, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Ma Zhonghe's eyes were vacant; he had completely given up struggling.

After all...

What was the use of struggling further?

The things he had done could not be erased, let alone now that Ye Chen had obtained the evidence...

Even if that evidence was just clues.

Even if some of that evidence was meant to control certain protective umbrellas.

But...

No matter the outcome, it couldn't change the fact that he was about to go to prison.

It might even be the death penalty!

Suddenly...

He seemed to remember something and abruptly looked up at Ye Chen.

"Instructor Ye! I... if I name others, can my sentence be reduced?"

Ye Chen looked down at him, his brow arching slightly: "A reduction is certainly possible; it depends on how important the information or people you provide are."

Upon hearing this, Bing Lan understood clearly.

The line that Second Master Ma was running was likely just one link in a larger trading network!

Taking down Second Master Ma didn't mean the whole thing was uprooted.

Therefore...

If Second Master Ma spoke up, it would indeed be a good thing.

Ma Zhonghe swallowed hard, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

But soon, that bit of hesitation was swallowed by the desire to survive.

"In the Guang City underworld, there's a man named Wang the Tiger. He's my partner, specifically responsible for handling the 'goods'!"

"And..."

He paused, lowering his voice even further, "Rumor has it he's connected to an organization."

Ye Chen's eyes narrowed slightly: "What organization?"

Ma Zhonghe's words were shocking: "The Soul Hall."

"Soul Hall?"

Ye Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.

Since he killed the two Dharma Kings of the Soul Hall a few days ago, he hadn't had any further contact with this group.

He had originally wanted to ask White Charm about the situation, but he simply hadn't had the time.

Now...

He had actually crossed paths with the Soul Hall again!

This organization was incredibly evil.

When Ye Chen first encountered them, this organization specialized in consuming souls to forge mental strength!

They even sold human flesh; they were a purely anti-human force.

"Yes! The Soul Hall!"

"I don't know much, but the person standing behind Wang the Tiger is from the Soul Hall!"

"I'm not sure exactly what kind of organization they are, but their power is immense, truly immense!"

"The reason Wang the Tiger can walk tall in the Guang City underworld is because he has the Soul Hall backing him up!"