507: Chapter 507 Bai Shanshan is Missing!

The next morning, sunlight spilled into the suite through the floor-to-ceiling windows, dyeing the entire bedroom in a warm gold.

Bing Lan was still asleep, her long hair scattered across the pillow. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a faint smile lingered at the corner of her mouth, as if she were having a good dream.

Ye Chen lay on his side next to her, watching her for a long while with his head propped up. He couldn't resist reaching out to gently flick the tip of her nose.

Bing Lan wrinkled her nose, rolled over, mumbled something, and fell back into a deep sleep.

Bing Lan had exerted herself quite a bit last night.

Furthermore, Ye Chen's strength was more than just a little bit greater than Bing Lan's; it could be said that he had really worn her out.

Ye Chen let out a soft laugh and got out of bed quietly. He walked to the window and pulled open the curtains.

Early morning in Guang City was beautiful. He stretched and pulled out his phone to take a look.

Yan Qingwu had sent several messages last night, the last one being at three in the morning.

[The Dragon Group people have already reached the Soul Hall headquarters. I didn't let them move those dozen or so Soul Emissaries of yours.]

Ye Chen's finger swiped as he replied with a "Received."

He scrolled through a few more messages, most of which were from Ma Tianlai—nothing more than thanks, invitations, and various pleasantries...

Ye Chen gave them a quick glance and exited the chat box.

Just then, a rustling sound came from behind him.

Bing Lan was awake.

She sat up, her long hair draped messily over her shoulders. Looking at Ye Chen by the window with sleepy eyes, she asked in a voice laced with morning lethargy, "What time is it?"

"It's past eight." Ye Chen turned around, walked back to the bed, and kissed her on the forehead. "Want to sleep a bit longer? You must have been exhausted last night."

Bing Lan's small face instantly flushed red, and she glared at him irritably. "You have the nerve to say that?"

Ye Chen chuckled and didn't argue.

Bing Lan got up to wash, changed her clothes, and after the two had breakfast in the hotel restaurant, they checked out, preparing to return to Xiamen City.

The driver arranged by Ma Tianlai was already waiting at the hotel entrance.

Two attendants in sharp suits stood by the car. Seeing Ye Chen and Bing Lan come out, they hurriedly pulled open the car door.

"Instructor Ye, the Old Master said we are to take you wherever you wish to go."

Ye Chen waved his hand. "No need, we can head back on our own."

The attendant looked troubled. "Instructor Ye, the Old Master gave strict orders. If you don't take the car, we won't be able to explain ourselves when we go back..."

Ye Chen thought about it and didn't insist further, leading Bing Lan into the car.

Soon.

The two arrived at the airport, checked in, passed through security, and found a seat in the departure lounge.

With half an hour left until boarding, Ye Chen was about to close his eyes and rest for a bit when his phone suddenly rang.

He pulled it out and saw a name displayed on the screen—

Bai Wanqing.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow slightly and answered the call. "Madam Bai, what brings you to call me?"

From the other end of the line came Bai Wanqing's urgent voice.

"A-Chen, I usually wouldn't bother you if it wasn't important, but this time you must help me."

That voice was almost pleading, completely unlike the decisive head of the Tianyao Group.

Ye Chen was stunned for a moment, the smile on his face fading slightly.

Who was Bai Wanqing?

The female CEO of Tianyao Group, and a fierce person who could settle the group's leaderless situation within a few months.

For such a person to actually be asking for help?

The only thing that could mean...

Was that something had happened.

And it wasn't something small.

Ye Chen sat up straight, his voice becoming steady. "Go on."

Bai Wanqing took a deep breath.

"My sister is missing, and... it's related to the buddha head."

Ye Chen's expression changed slightly. "Both Bai Shanshan and the buddha head are gone?"

"Yes."

Bai Wanqing's voice carried a hint of self-reproach.

"Early this morning, I called my sister, but she didn't answer."

"I thought she was busy, so I didn't think much of it."

"Later, I sent her a few more messages, but there was still no reply, so I felt something was wrong."

"Because no matter how busy my sister is, she would at least give me a heads-up beforehand."

"So I called her police station to ask if she had been assigned an emergency mission. It turns out they said she hadn't even gone to the station today!"

"I went to her place to look for her, but she wasn't there. The house was a mess, like there were signs of a struggle."

"And the buddha head?" Ye Chen asked.

"Gone too."

Bai Wanqing's voice dropped.

"I had originally asked my sister to help me keep that buddha head. It was safest with her; no one would have suspected it."

"But now..."

"The buddha head is gone, and my sister is missing too."

Ye Chen's brows furrowed tightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

The bronze key was hidden inside the buddha head. It was one of the keys to opening the bronze gate of the Kunlun Ruins and was of vital importance.

Furthermore, Bai Wanqing's sister, Bai Shanshan, was practically his apprentice.

Even with her fiery temper, she wouldn't just go missing for no reason.

Add to that the fact that the buddha head was gone...

In all likelihood, these two things were done by the same group of people.

"Don't panic yet."

Ye Chen took a deep breath and said coldly, "I'm returning to Xiamen City immediately. We'll talk once I arrive."

On the other end of the phone, Bai Wanqing clearly breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright, give me your flight information, I'll come pick you up."

Ye Chen hung up and turned to look at Bing Lan.

The expression on Bing Lan's face had also turned cold. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, Madam Bai's sister is missing, and the buddha head is gone too."

Ye Chen put away his phone. "When we get back to Xiamen City, I'll drop you off first."

Bing Lan didn't refuse, nodding. "Alright, but you don't need to drop me off. I'll call Qin'er; she can come pick me up."

Ye Chen thought about it and didn't refuse.

After all.

The matter of saving someone was urgent.

Soon.

They boarded the plane.

An hour later, the two arrived safely in Xiamen City.

Li Qin's white BMW was parked at the airport's arrival level. Leaning against the car door, she saw Bing Lan and Ye Chen walking out side-by-side from a distance.

"Sister Bing Lan! Over here!"

Li Qin waved her hand and hopped a couple of times like a cheerful little rabbit.

Bing Lan walked up to her and spoke plainly, "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, no, I just got here."

Li Qin smilingly took Bing Lan's arm. "Sis, did you guys have fun on your trip?"

Bing Lan looked at her expressionlessly.

Li Qin immediately shut up sensibly, making a zipping motion over her mouth, but her eyes were clearly written with 'I get it, I get it'.

Ye Chen shook his head with a smile and helped Bing Lan open the passenger door.

"Go back and get some good rest. Call me if anything comes up."

Bing Lan sat in the car and looked up at him. "You be careful too."

Ye Chen nodded and closed the car door.

Li Qin started the car, rolled down the window, and winked at Ye Chen. "Younger Male Cousin, I'll take care of Sister Bing Lan. You go ahead and do your thing without worries!"

Ye Chen was speechless.

The way she said it...

Why did it feel like he was going to his death?

He waved his hand and watched the white BMW merge into the traffic, gradually fading into the distance.

Only when the car had disappeared at the end of his vision did he turn around, pull out his phone, and dial Bai Wanqing's number.

"I'm here. Where are you?"

"Parking lot, Zone B, black Mercedes 66666."

Ye Chen hung up and walked quickly toward the parking lot.

Zone B wasn't very large, and he spotted the black Mercedes at a glance.

Bai Wanqing was sitting in the driver's seat.

She was wearing a black shirt today, her long hair tied casually behind her head. She wore no makeup, yet it couldn't hide her mature womanly charm.

Ye Chen pulled open the passenger door and sat inside.

"Let's go to your sister's house."

Bai Wanqing nodded and started the car, driving out of the parking lot.

Before long.

Bai Wanqing parked the car outside Bai Shanshan's villa.

Well...

This was probably the only police officer who could afford a large villa in full without being corrupt.

After all.

Her sister was Bai Wanqing.

The two got out of the car, and with Bai Wanqing opening the door, they walked right in.

The moment the door opened, Ye Chen's brows furrowed.

Two shoes lay haphazardly in the entryway. The shoe cabinet was half-open, and one shoe was even hanging off the edge of a drawer, as if it had been violently knocked askew by something.

The living room was even messier.

Especially...

The sofa cushions were scattered all over the floor. One of them had been sliced open by something, and the white stuffing was spilling out, looking as if it had been cut by a sharp weapon.

It was very clear.

Before Bai Shanshan went missing, she must have had a fight with someone here.

Ye Chen took a deep breath and asked plainly, "Has anyone moved anything?"

Bai Wanqing shook her head.

"I was worried about disturbing the scene, so I didn't let anyone touch anything."

Ye Chen nodded. "Wait a moment, let me see."

Bai Wanqing was stunned and instinctively asked, "See what?"

Ye Chen didn't answer.

He closed his eyes, his breathing gradually becoming steady and long. He stood motionless in the center of the living room like an ancient tree rooted deep in the earth.

Bai Wanqing looked at his profile. Though she was confused, she didn't speak again to disturb him.

She had known Ye Chen for quite some time and knew that he had a reason for everything he did.

Ye Chen's consciousness sank into the darkness.

It was as if he were piercing through layer after layer of barriers, falling from the noisy world into a deep void.

Then—

He opened his eyes.

The world before him had changed.

Everything in the living room was covered in a faint layer of gray, like a faded old photograph.

But atop that gray, there were some faint traces of light, crisscrossing like spiderwebs and slowly flowing through the air.

These were the residual auras left between heaven and earth.

Every person, every event, every moment that occurred would leave traces in the surrounding environment.

Ordinary people couldn't see or perceive them.

But for Ye Chen, who had mastered Earth Vein Tracking, these traces were clearer than black ink on white paper.