Chapter 207: Confusion?

The old butler stood at the door, looking somewhat anxious. He knocked on the door several times in quick succession. Just as he was about to take out his spare key, the door opened from the inside.

Behind the door, Yan Xishou's expression seemed displeased.

"What is it?" he asked with a frown.

Seeing Yan Xishou unharmed, the old butler finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Young Master, you scared me to death... Another dangerous individual has escaped from the dungeon, and I was worried..."

"Worried something happened to me?" Yan Xishou sneered. "Now you're worried? What were those good-for-nothing guards of the dungeon doing earlier?! Once this is over, I'll fire every single one of them!"

Chen Ling's tone was almost identical to Yan Xishou's earlier complaints, mimicking him to the bone. He didn't know who the old man at the door was, but given Yan Xishou's current 'character'—irritable and angry—it was best to lean into that.

The old butler seemed to recall something. "Young Master, did someone outside say the Puppeteer has arrived? Where is he?"

"He was here to protect me, but I sent him away... Instead of wasting time here with me, it's better to quickly catch the escaped individual. Only then will it truly be safe."

"I see." The old butler nodded. "But during such a critical period, you really should have someone by your side... I'll go fetch that scholar for you. With him here, your safety won't be a concern."

Chen Ling was about to refuse, but considering his current persona, refusing might arouse suspicion. So he nodded coolly:

"Alright."

After saying this, the old butler bowed respectfully and hurried out. Chen Ling unhurriedly closed the door.

The next moment, he rushed to the desk without hesitation, dragged out Yan Xishou, who had just been knocked unconscious, and quickly frisked him. Finding nothing, his brows furrowed deeper, and he began ransacking the room.

Chen Ling knew he didn't have much time. The 'scholar' mentioned by the old butler was likely another outsider. Once he was constantly accompanied, searching for the transaction records would become incredibly difficult, and staying with someone for a long time would eventually expose him, as he didn't even recognize all the people in this guild.

Chen Ling searched the room thoroughly and quickly, finding many confidential documents, but no details about organ trafficking. He glanced at the clock on the wall, and realizing time was running out, he returned to the unconscious Yan Xishou.

Slap—!

He forcefully slapped Yan Xishou's face. The latter jolted awake. Before he could even register the shock of seeing an identical version of himself, a hand clamped firmly over his mouth.

"You only get one chance. Answer incorrectly or refuse to answer, and I'll kill you," Chen Ling said grimly. "About a month ago, a heart from Ice Spring Street in District Two was sent to Aurora City... Where did you send it?"

Yan Xishou's eyes widened. His gaze, fixed on his doppelganger, was filled with terror. His body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Chen Ling loosened his grip on Yan Xishou's mouth slightly. The latter immediately replied in a panic:

"Ice... Ice Spring Street? Let me think..."

Chen Ling's eyes narrowed. His grim murderous intent almost solidified. He clenched one hand into a fist, about to smash it into Yan Xishou's face!

"Wait!! Ice Spring Street! I remember now!" Yan Xishou immediately blurted out, his face deathly pale. "Yes... A month ago, Ice Spring Street... a heart from a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy was delivered... I remember there was also a batch of other organs, missing a heart, which seemed to belong to that boy's older brother... Where was that shipment sent..."

Yan Xishou seemed to be scared witless, trembling as if he'd been electrocuted. Anyone who woke up to find an identical version of themselves strangling them with a murderous expression would likely not remain calm.

Chen Ling's brow immediately furrowed. "No, you're mistaken. It was the elder brother's heart that was delivered, and the other organs were the younger brother's."

"Huh?" Yan Xishou was momentarily stunned. Seeing Chen Ling's raised fist, he replied in renewed terror. "No, I'm not mistaken! Really! I remember it very clearly! They said the elder brother had heart disease, and then the family tricked the younger brother into giving his heart... Then both of them were intercepted by us. I personally inspected it then; the younger brother's heart was very healthy!"

Chen Ling's brows furrowed even deeper. He sneered, "It seems you don't want to live..."

"I'm really not lying!" Yan Xishou's face was as pale as paper. He gritted his teeth and pointed a trembling finger at the floor in the corner of the desk. "The transaction records are right under that floorboard, you can check for yourself... I really didn't lie to you!"

Seeing this, Chen Ling's eyes narrowed slightly. He dragged Yan Xishou by his collar to the desk and tapped the floorboard Yan Xishou had indicated. It was indeed hollow underneath.

So this is where it was hidden... No wonder I couldn't find it after searching for so long.

Chen Ling gripped it firmly with five fingers, and the wooden board lifted immediately. Beneath it were several neatly folded sheets of paper.

Chen Ling picked up the papers and quickly skimmed through them. They clearly documented every secret organ transport conducted by the Constellation Guild, including the specific organs, distribution channels, original owners' information, and health evaluations.

Chen Ling quickly found the corresponding date. Under this date, the Constellation Guild had only one procurement.

This shipment consisted of a heart and a set of other internal organs, excluding the heart. The source was Ice Spring Street in District Two. The lead surgeon was named Bone Blade. In the 'Original Owner' column, there were the names of a pair of brothers: Heart: Chen Yan, Other organs: Chen Ling.

In the health rating column, Chen Ling's rating was very low, with the reason cited as congenital heart disease and weakness since childhood... Meanwhile, Chen Yan's health rating was the highest.

The moment he saw this column, Chen Ling froze.

How could this be... It was normal for Yan Xishou's memory to be muddled, as he oversaw the guild's entire organ trafficking business. But why were even the transaction records reversed? Could it be that the error occurred during registration?

Chen Ling, of course, knew whose heart it was; his chest was now empty. The only possibility was that Ice Spring Street had gotten it confused?

As Chen Ling pondered in confusion, a line of characters floated up from the ground beside him. If he were to look back at that moment, he would see in the ethereal seats, pairs of crimson eyes slightly narrowed, as if in a smile...