Chapter 210

Page Sixty-Six Interrogation

“Alright, Senior, hurry up and muster your courage and step through.”

Through the portal, one couldn’t see the scene on the other side; inside the ring was only a swirling black vortex.

Knowing time was tight, Senior raised her leg and stepped into the black vortex. After confirming her leg was still there, she boldly went through, completely disappearing behind the door.

“Is this really a portal? Will it hurt when I step in…”

Even Xiaolu felt a bit scared facing the incomprehensible.

“It might tickle a little?”

But she was pushed in by Lin Lihua from behind.

Finally, it was my turn and Xiao Lei’s.

Of course, to maintain my dignity, I no longer let her hug me for warmth after entering.

“You’re wasting your energy. This branch hall has been sealed off. You can’t get out.”

As soon as we entered, Ling Shaojie was saying something, while Lin Yuhuang at the door was futilely twisting the handle, trying to leave the enclosed reception room. Lin Shifu and Ling Xiaoye were sitting on the sofa, acting casually.

Lin Shifu asked, “Shaojie, what do you want?”

“I just want to know the truth… Auntie.”

I glanced out the window; it seemed we were on the second floor of the branch hall.

Lin Yuhuang turned around.

“Whatever you want to know, you shouldn’t take such drastic actions, involving Ziyè. I will make you take responsibility for this… Miss Lingmeng, I didn’t expect you to be involved either.”

Cherry Sauce narrowed her eyes and asked in a deep voice, “Threatening? How do I feel that Uncle Lin already knew this would happen?”

Hmm?

Though my mouth was moving, I couldn’t understand what she was saying.

Lin Yuhuang frowned, and Cherry Sauce retrieved the material consumed by the portal to form a warm shawl again. She continued, “You want to gather us together, then drag us until after the coming-of-age ceremony to deal with us all at once, but unfortunately, our capabilities may exceed your expectations. Whose idea was this? Yours, or…”

She looked at Ling Xiaoye and asked sarcastically, “Do you think doing this will make your father spill the truth? Or are you just not concerned about the truth, wanting only the position of heir to your Lin family?”

Cherry Sauce went into drama mode; I’d better stay quiet and watch the show.

The maid sitting on the sofa swayed, unaffected by Cherry Sauce.

She even smiled and said, “Of course, I’m here to know the truth. Whether you succeed or I succeed, it’s ultimately the same result. I think this is double insurance.”

Ling Xiaoye’s words darkened Lin Yuhuang’s face. It seemed this man couldn’t understand his child’s… daughter’s thoughts.

Ling Shaojie naturally realized her betrayal and asked, “Then what’s your plan? What did you do all day?”

“Not much time, so I’ll be brief.”

Ling Xiaoye stood up from the sofa, her feet tapping a circle as she came behind Ling Shaojie. She placed her hands on her sister’s shoulders and whispered.

“In fact, before you came to find me, Old Dad had already suspected you might cause trouble. He knows your nature and wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. So, that night, I informed him about your intention to cause chaos, but I didn’t reveal any details!”

To guard against Ling Shaojie’s interference, Lin Yuhuang arranged for a check and personally stood at the entrance to greet guests?

“Can I interpret this as you betraying me?”

“Just telling him what Old Dad already knows! Does that count as betrayal?”

Ling Xiaoye poked her dimple, pretending to be cute.

“And you told me, as long as I could get the truth, anything goes. Is it too much to blame me now?”

Her teasing attitude resembled Ling Shaojie caught in the act.

“Don’t get too close.”

Ling Shaojie pulled away with a stern face and asked, “Then how do you plan to uncover the truth? Do you think he’ll tell everything?”

Before Lin Yuhuang, Ling Shaojie couldn’t call him father.

“Of course!”

Ling Xiaoye proudly puffed out her chest, pointing at her clothes.

“This maid outfit was left by the maid I met when I was young. Father must know something. He didn’t tell me when I was young, but if wearing this maid outfit turns me into a girl, even if I change back before the coming-of-age ceremony, he should tell me something, right?”

That counts as another form of coercion.

“You kept me in the dark too! Better hold your tongue!”

Xiaolu grabbed Ling Xiaoye by the collar and threw her onto the sofa.

I glanced at the clock: 6:18.

“So, Uncle Lin, are you planning to wait until the coming-of-age ceremony officially starts?”

The silent middle-aged man stared at his phone. The approaching time and lack of signal both troubled him.

Cherry Sauce’s barrier cut off the cell signal.

Ling Shaojie glared at Lin Yuhuang and said, “If you won’t talk, does that mean the secret is more important than the coming-of-age ceremony… No, rather, the consequences of revealing it are worse than failing the ceremony?”

“Shaojie, stop fooling around.”

“…Mother’s accident wasn’t just a coincidence, was it?”

Lin Yuhuang’s voice lacked confidence. The existence of divine techniques completely surprised him. His plan to control us failed, and he ended up being confined and interrogated by his children.

“If you’re counting on someone coming to rescue you, your plan might fail.”

Cherry Sauce seemed to see through Lin Yuhuang’s thoughts. She lifted her chin and said, “If someone comes, I can open another portal to a quieter place to continue questioning. Of course, there won’t be a main character for the coming-of-age ceremony.”

Lin Yuhuang didn’t notice the difference between me and Cherry Sauce. He warned, “Miss Lingmeng, this is internal Lin family business. You’re meddling too much.”

Hearing this, Cherry Sauce laughed even more brightly.

“Oh, so you still consider Senior as part of the Lin family? Didn’t you never see her as a daughter?”

In terms of being sharp-tongued, I couldn’t match her level, perhaps this was the gap in acting skills…

Lin Lihua knocked on the long table in the reception room.

“Reminder: There are only ten minutes left until the scheduled time for the coming-of-age ceremony. Considering the time needed for travel and changing clothes, it might be even shorter.”

“If you’re willing to reveal the truth, I can offer one-click outfit change and teleportation functions, ensuring you make it to the ceremony… I think this is a fair deal. What do you think?”

Cherry Sauce was running some kind of promotion.

Xiao Lei also said, “Uncle, some secrets can’t be hidden forever. Holding them in for so many years must be exhausting. I think it would be easier if you just spoke up.”

Despite repeated pressure, Lin Yuhuang remained unmoved.

He even said, “Shaojie, you’re not really my daughter.”

Given the current situation, this statement was like pouring oil on fire.

Ling Shaojie seemed ready to say something crude, but she held back and asked sternly, “…Junior Lingmeng, can we now use Plan B?”

Plan B meant turning Lin Yuhuang into a beautiful girl and keeping him locked up somewhere to interrogate him slowly. It was inhumane and had serious consequences, but the effect was guaranteed.

I repeatedly reminded them.

“Senior, doing that leaves no way back.”

She glared at Lin Yuhuang and said, “We’ve given him chances.”

I glanced at Lin Lihua, hoping to hear some rationality from her.

But this little devil was practically sprouting horns, with a grin stretching from ear to ear, clearly enjoying the escalation… Ah, this chaotic believer.

“I understand, then let’s go with Plan B.”

Lin Yuhuang didn’t know about Plan B; uncertainty brought tension. He asked, “What are you going to do now?”

Cherry Sauce conjured a familiar white page, and I picked up a pencil.

“Unfortunately, today’s coming-of-age ceremony ends here, and maybe even you will end here… This isn’t a threat.”

I wrote down Lin Yuhuang’s name.

……

…… But the expected white light didn’t appear, leaving an awkward atmosphere.

“Huh? Why?” I was stunned.

Xiao Lei leaned over and looked at the name on the paper.

“Did you write the name wrong? Chairman, your ability doesn’t work on him?”

Even if the name was wrong, it should still work.

“No, he probably has someone else’s technique on him.”

—”He is already someone’s believer.”—

Is he a believer of the Master?

—”I don’t know… Ask him yourself.”—

Though the atmosphere was tense, I still asked, “Uncle… um… you mentioned seeing a female Daoist exactly like me twenty years ago. What happened then? Your reaction when you saw Xiaoye wasn’t as surprising as I imagined… If I guessed correctly, you have transformed into a woman before? There are traces of techniques within you, so I can’t use techniques on you.”

Lin Ziyè exclaimed, “Eh? Old Dad can transform into a woman?”

“No, not like you think.”

Lin Yuhuang checked his watch and denied with a frown.

It was 6:25, leaving only five minutes until Lin Xiaoye’s coming-of-age ceremony. At this point, staff and the host should be looking for people in the hall.

I continued, “Originally, I was just helping Senior, but this matter got entangled with the person I wanted to investigate… If you don’t clarify, even if I take you away, I will still ask questions… This is a threat.”

The shawl turned into black matter, starting to create a new portal.

“That’s enough, Yuhuang. There’s no need to hide anymore.”

Lin Shifu, who had been sitting quietly, spoke up.

“Little girl, let them return to the coming-of-age ceremony. Ask me whatever you want; I know everything.”

“Dàn Hán, you can’t say that!”

Lin Yuhuang’s rage didn’t interrupt Lin Shifu. She looked at Ling Shaojie and said slowly.

“Shaojie, Ling Xīmí is indeed your mother. She died for this pathetic man.”

“…”

A disheartened Ling Shaojie sat down on the sofa. Lin Shifu took out a cigarette from her pack.

She put it in her mouth, lit it, and took a deep drag.

“Whoosh—”

She exhaled swirling smoke and the truth.

“But, he is indeed not your father.”