Lord of the Red Dust Among the Flowers
Chen Ling was very familiar with The Scroll on the table. It was what he had fished out from the Beidou Consortium when he disguised himself as the Golden Society's Special Envoy. On the back of the scroll, there was also a mark of [Eight of Clubs].
So this thing was smuggled out of the Red Dust Base by [Eight of Clubs]?
"This painting has been tampered with by [Eight of Clubs]. The true content is hidden beneath the original scroll... Open it and take a look."
Chen Ling unrolled The Scroll on the table. After his gaze swept over its surface, his pupils slightly contracted.
Chen Ling clearly remembered that he had also opened this painting in the Beidou Consortium. However, the painting at that time was a portrait of a beautiful lady. But now, what was presented before him was a beautiful silhouette wearing a scientific White Coat Wearer, sleeping deeply among petals embellished with fresh blood.
"[Eight of Clubs] infiltrated Floating Life Painting and lost contact for so long, yet only sent out this one thing... Unfortunately, we still have no way to decipher the content of this painting." 10 of Diamonds let out a long sigh.
"I also don't know who exactly this woman in the painting is..."
"Lord of the Red Dust."
As soon as these four words came out, the others present were all stunned, looking at Chen Ling blankly. "What did you say?"
"The person in the painting is Lord of the Red Dust." Chen Ling repeated with certainty.
"...How did you recognize her?" Jian Changsheng retorted, not quite believing it.
"I saw her in the Timeline Save File."
This answer instantly convinced the other several Dusk Society members. After all, Chen Ling held the Lingbao in his hands. It was indeed possible for him to return to the era before the Great Cataclysm and meet the Lord of the Red Dust from back then. Moreover, Chen Ling had no need to lie to them.
Jack of Clubs frowned slightly and said:
"What is [Eight of Clubs] trying to convey... by sending this painting out?"
"To let us recognize Lord of the Red Dust's appearance? Or are there clues hidden inside about Lord of the Red Dust's location?" Jian Changsheng picked up The Scroll and carefully began to discern it,
"These blood-like petals around Lord of the Red Dust are indeed very rare... We might really be able to use this as a clue to find the location of the Red Dust Base. Lord of the Red Dust is right there!"
"I've stayed in the Red Dust Domain for so long, but I've never seen these kinds of petals. 10 of Diamonds, have you seen them?"
"I haven't either."
Just as everyone was studying the surrounding petals, Chen Ling, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke:
"Have you guys realized a problem?"
"What problem?"
"Lord of the Red Dust is not staying in a life cabin to extend her lifespan."
Everyone froze in place.
Only at this moment did they notice the most important part of this painting... which was Lord of the Red Dust herself.
Previously, whether it was Lord of Ruoshui or Lord of the Aurora, all of them were immersed in life cabins. Since over three hundred years ago, every means had been exhausted to extend their lives: Fusion experiments, drug formulations, and even attempts to replicate their "theories" themselves...
Only Lord of the Red Dust was not only not immersed in a life cabin, but there wasn't even a single piece of scientific equipment visible around her. She just naturally lay there, as if sleeping deeply among the red petals.
"How is this possible... Without a life cabin, she should have died of old age hundreds of years ago."
"What are the people in the Red Dust Base doing? To actually let her lie in the flowers like that?"
"Speaking of which, don't you guys find it strange? Up until now, the Red Dust Domain has shown no signs of collapse, nor has a Gray Realm Convergence occurred... This means that Lord of the Red Dust's Domain is still in a very stable state."
These words awakened everyone once again. Previously, when the Aurora Domain was on the verge of destruction, the frequency of Gray Realm Convergence was also gradually increasing. Not only could it not cover the Seven Great Districts, but even after retreating to Aurora City, there were Calamity convergences. Even the Calamities of the Forbidden Sea could feel Lord of the Aurora's weakness and surrounded them in advance.
But the current Red Dust Domain didn't show the slightest sign of collapsing!
"Could it be that there's still a long time before Lord of the Red Dust's lifespan reaches its end?"
"But the Red King's prophecy has never been wrong. If he said the Red Dust Domain is going to perish, then it's really going to perish... Where exactly is the problem..."
Everyone gathered around this painting by [Eight of Clubs] and fell into deep thought.
"Perhaps the crux of the problem doesn't lie with Lord of the Red Dust..." Chen Ling remembered those spies from the Wuji Domain, his eyes narrowing slightly. "During this time, I also had some harvests..."
As Chen Ling truthfully recounted everything that happened after he returned to the Red Dust Domain, the surprise in the eyes of the others grew increasingly thick. They were not only shocked by the Wuji Domain's speed of action, but even more impressed by Chen Ling's methods of playing the two major forces.
Floating Life Painting and the Wuji Domain were like two spinning tops, being played in circles under Chen Ling's whipping...
"Could it be that the crisis of the Red Dust Domain comes from the Wuji Domain?"
"Regardless, let's think of a way to find the Red Dust Base first." Chen Ling took the initiative to speak. "As long as we can rescue [Eight of Clubs], all the suspicious points might be easily resolved."
"That's right... But these past few months, actually [Six of Spades] and I have searched almost all possible places in the Main City, and there is still no shadow of the Red Dust Base."
"Could it be like the Aurora Base, buried underground?"
"Hard to say... This place isn't like the Aurora Domain, where Enforcers just walk on the streets, and someone will eventually enter the Aurora Base. As long as you pay a little attention, you can find the base entrance. The Red Dust Base is too mysterious. Whether it's ordinary residents or those Police Officers responsible for managing order, no one has ever heard of the existence of this place."
Chen Ling pondered for a long time, quickly listing something on a notepad:
"Right now, we roughly have several plans... First, based on the petal clues on The Scroll, cast a wide net, use my connections and influence, and see if we can find this place;
Second, find someone who might know the location of the Red Dust Base, and think of a way to get the information from his mouth;
Third, directly think of a way to lure out a member of Floating Life Painting, then secretly follow behind him, follow the vine to get the melon, and find the Red Dust Base...
Comparatively speaking, the third method is too risky. We finally have an absolutely safe habitat. Luring Floating Life Painting is still too adventurous."
"I agree. We haven't reached the step where we must take risks yet. We can try the first and second plans first..."
"The first plan is easy to say. With [Six of Hearts]'s current popularity, he can absolutely use the name of commercial performances to approach major consortiums and political groups. The problem is this second plan...
In this Red Dust Main City, who is most likely to understand the inside story of Floating Life Painting and know the location of the Red Dust Base?"
The few of them pondered for a moment, as if thinking of something, and simultaneously turned to look at Chen Ling at the side. Their expressions were somewhat subtle...
The corners of Chen Ling's mouth twitched slightly. At this time, a name also surged in his heart.
"I'm sorry, Bureau Chief Wang..."