56: Chapter 56 So What If the Empress Is a Reincarnation?

As the first light of dawn appeared in the sky, the nauseatingly cold aura in the Western Suburbs of Yanjing completely dissipated.

A dozen high-power ultraviolet lamps were still working, and the air was thick with the scent of ozone.

In the dilapidated courtyard of the mental hospital, Bureau of Anomalous Affairs staff in hazmat suits were moving back and forth.

They carried sprayers, dousing every corner with a specially formulated purification agent.

The remaining green ghost fires sizzled under the agent, turning into puffs of white smoke and vanishing.

Gu Changan stood beneath the bell tower, holding a newly printed temporary seizure order.

He looked at the "wandering souls" who had been rescued from the basement.

Hit by infrasound waves, these ghosts had become weak and transparent, like smoke that could dissipate at any moment.

"Chen Xiaobei, register all these spiritual entities."

Gu Changan pointed to a group of ghostly figures huddled in a corner.

"Those whose identities are verified should be sent to the Department of Spiritual Affairs for the transcendence process—that is, administrative deregistration."

"Those of unknown origin or with violent tendencies should first be locked in Soul-Suppressing Jars to await further investigation."

Chen Xiaobei was scanning the ghosts one by one with a tablet.

"Team Leader, these ghosts are in a relatively stable emotional state. Hearing that Ye Yan was caught, they've been quite cooperative."

"There's a ghost from the Ming Dynasty who even asked if we could issue it a modern ID card."

Gu Changan expressionlessly brushed the dust off his cuffs.

"Tell it that Yin and Yang are separate; an ID card is impossible, but we can issue a Reincarnation certificate."

He walked to a pit that had just been excavated.

A dozen sets of remains were piled haphazardly in the pit, some with clothes that hadn't fully rotted yet, clearly buried not long ago.

Gu Changan frowned, a look of disgust in his eyes.

"According to Article 302 of the Criminal Law, Ye Yan is not only suspected of subversion but also of the crimes of stealing and insulting corpses."

"Many of these remains were stolen from nearby cemeteries so he could Cultivate the so-called Ghost Dao."

"Notify the Forensic Department to come for DNA matching."

"Contact the relevant families to reclaim them; the Bureau will fund the compensation for reburial."

He turned to look at the bell tower, now reduced to ruins, his tone cold.

"To become an emperor, he wouldn't even let the dead rest. A life sentence is too good for someone like him."

As he spoke, a mechanical electronic voice sounded in Gu Changan's mind.

[Ding!]

[Host has successfully destroyed an illegal Underworld base, crushed the target's puppet regime, and effectively maintained the Yin and Yang order of the real world.]

[Detected that the Host strictly followed legal procedures during law enforcement and did not cause large-scale social panic. Rating: Excellent.]

[Rewards being issued...]

[Reward 1 Obtained: Yin-Yang Eyes (Advanced Version).]

[Description: Besides seeing through the realms of Yin and Yang, it can also see the loopholes in all Karma-based weapons. This includes but is not limited to: copies of the Book of Life and Death, phantom Judge's Pens, etc. Within the legal field, you can directly view a target's 'Lifespan Credit Report' and 'Karmic Debt'.]

[Reward 2 Obtained: Soul-Suppressing Bell (National Treasure Grade).]

[Description: Cast from ancient bronze, it contains the national will. When rung, it exerts absolute suppression over illegal spiritual entities within range, forcing them into 'Hearing Mode,' unable to resist.]

Gu Changan felt waves of coolness coming from his eyes.

He looked at a Special Police officer nearby and saw a faint progress bar appearing above the man's head.

That was his lifespan.

This feeling of seeing through life and death didn't give him a sense of superiority; instead, it made him feel the necessity of the law even more.

If life and death were decided by a madman, what order would be left in this world?

Three days later.

Yanjing Intermediate People's Court.

The trial, known as the 'most bizarre case of picking quarrels and provoking trouble since the founding of the country,' was held in secret.

Ye Yan sat in the defendant's seat, his head shaved, his Dragon robe replaced by a striking orange detention center vest.

He had a dazed expression, constantly muttering to himself.

"I have a System... I am the Yama... You cannot judge me..."

The judge struck the gavel.

"Defendant Ye Yan, please remain calm."

"Regarding your claim of possessing 'Underworld Jurisdiction,' this court has commissioned a professional institution to conduct a forensic psychiatric evaluation."

"The results show that you have full criminal responsibility, were conscious during the crimes, and had clear objectives."

"In the view of this court, the so-called 'System' and 'Underworld' were tools you used through high-tech means and sorcery to illegally collect wealth and assemble crowds to cause trouble."

The prosecutor stood up and read the dozens of pages of the indictment.

From illegal land occupation to intentional destruction of power facilities, and then to the insult of corpses.

Every charge had a solid chain of evidence.

Ye Yan's last shred of fantasy was completely shattered.

He tried to summon ghost soldiers in court again, but that Tiger Tally had long since been sent to a lab for slicing and research.

"Defendant Ye Yan, for multiple crimes, is sentenced to life imprisonment and deprivation of political rights for life."

As the sentence was pronounced, Ye Yan collapsed into his chair, his arrogance completely gone.

Meanwhile.

Yanjing First Prison, high-security block.

Chen Beixuan was sitting cross-legged on his narrow bunk, practicing the 'Star-Absorbing Great Art' on a cockroach in the corner.

Of course, other than making the cockroach run a bit faster, it was useless.

The cell door opened, and a despairing newcomer in a vest was pushed inside.

Chen Beixuan opened his eyes and sized up his new cellmate.

"Oh, isn't this the Yama King?"

Chen Beixuan smirked and pointed to the newspaper next to him.

"I saw the news. Leading three thousand people in an illegal assembly—you're quite the talent."

Ye Yan crouched in the corner, holding his head, not saying a word.

Chen Beixuan leaned over and patted his shoulder, his tone carrying the weariness of someone who had been through it all.

"Brother, look on the bright side."

"I also thought I was invincible back then, planning to rebuild my immortal sect and rule the world."

"And the result? I didn't even make it out of the university gates before I was pinned down by that living Yama, Gu Changan."

Ye Yan looked up, his eyes bloodshot.

"He... he doesn't play fair. He used ultraviolet lights on me and blasted me with speakers..."

Chen Beixuan nodded in deep sympathy.

"You'll get used to it. Here, whether you're an Immortal Venerable or a Yama, none of it works."

"Our current identities are: Technicians No. 9527 and No. 9528 of Yanjing First Prison."

"See that sewing machine over there? From now on, that's your 'Book of Life and Death'."

"Pedal hard and try to get your sentence reduced."

Looking at the sewing machine gleaming coldly under the light, Ye Yan finally couldn't help but wail loudly.

Meanwhile, Gu Changan had returned to his office at the Bureau of Anomalous Affairs.

He sat behind his desk, not even having time for a sip of water.

The red secure telephone on his desk rang.

It was a direct line to the highest level.

Gu Changan picked up the phone, his expression becoming solemn.

"This is Gu Changan."

From the other end of the line came a steady, aged voice.

"Changan, you handled the Western Suburbs matter very well."

"But now a very tricky situation has arisen in Donghai City, and the local branch can no longer handle it."

Gu Changan rubbed his temples; long hours of overtime had left him a bit weary.

"Which immortal has descended this time? Or which War God has returned to the city?"

The voice on the other end paused, its tone becoming somewhat strange.

"The situation this time is quite complex. It's a live-in son-in-law."

"But he's not the focus; the focus is his wife."

"That woman claims to be the Reincarnation of the First Empress of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, having Awakened some 'Emperor-Dominant Memories'."

"Yesterday, at a five-star restaurant in Donghai City, because the waiter was ten minutes late with a dish, she felt insulted."

"She publicly declared: 'The Emperor Venerable must not be insulted; those who insult shall have nine generations of their kin exterminated'."

"Then she struck out with her palm and cracked the load-bearing walls of the entire building. Now the building is a hazard, and hundreds of people were nearly buried inside."

Gu Changan sneered, his fingers rhythmically tapping the desk.

"Demolishing a building just because the food was slow? Quite a temper."

"What about the local police?"

"They can't get close," the other person sighed. "She has a so-called 'Imperial Might Domain' around her. Ordinary police officers' legs go weak and they kneel as soon as they enter; they can't even speak."

"That live-in son-in-law is still clamoring on the side, saying things like 'this is the consequence of provoking the Empress.' It's simply lawless."

Gu Changan stood up and straightened the collar of his uniform.

"Reincarnation of an Empress?"

Gu Changan walked to the mirror and fastened his collar button, his eyes becoming like a frozen lake.

"Very well. I've never seen an Empress in a cheongsam or a Dragon robe."

"But I'm very curious to know which is greater: her Imperial Might, or my law."