A jade turtle of this size could easily fetch a price of half a million in the black market, even with an unknown origin and date.

On the other hand, a job in the body recovery team carried immense risk to personal safety, with a salary not much better than an ordinary job.

It was very hard to resist the temptation of such a windfall.

Humans are a species full of contradictions. Occasionally they fear God and the mortal consequences of violating the moral code. But facing the temptation of great fortune, they would ignore any possible risks, and put their lives in jeopardy to protect their ill-gotten gains.

Without Jiang Lan’s relentless questioning, Zhang Zi might still harbor the illusion that he might still be able to claim Zheng Yu’s jade turtles if he somehow evaded those turtles.

He was not fearless, but his greed had prevailed over his senses.

Jiang Lan had no interest in punishing him and he knew he didn’t have to. If he didn’t repent, and allowed his greed to get the better of him, his death would be much more miserable than that of Zheng Yu.

Jiang Lan stood up and ignored him. He walked over to Ying Qiao and waited for Guan Shui’s news.

Master Guan stood by the door, chain-smoking.

Those turtles still maintained their vigilant watch over Zhang Zi, in case he wanted to escape again.

After an hour, Guan Shui returned with Wang Qing. From the backseat, Guan Shui took out a jade turtle and placed it carefully before the turtles.

Those silent turtles began to make sounds and the two leading turtles were watching Guan Shui, as if trying to remember what he looked like. Terrified, Guan Shui took a step back. But those giant turtles did nothing except watch. They dragged the jade turtles away soon afterwards.

After they left, an even bigger turtle emerged from the ditch. They had never seen this turtle before. It was stronger than the rest of the turtles. With a pair of eyes that look more human, it walked towards Zhang Zi.

Following its lead, the other turtles surrounded Zhang Zi.

Zhang Zi tried to walk away, but his retreat was already blocked by the turtles.

The giant turtle fixed his eyes on Zhang Zi, as if waiting for something.

Zhang Zi tried to seek help from other people.” I have returned the thing. Why don’t they leave me alone? Please help me…..”

Jiang Lan said.” How about an apology?”

Pausing for a second, Zhang Zi bowed down and kept repeating.” I am so sorry, I made a mistake, please forgive me….”

The turtles just kept watching him. After he began to slap himself, the leading turtle uttered a sound and turned to leave. Following his lead, the other turtles began to leave orderly.

Looking at this scene, Zhang Zi was overjoyed to tears. With his swollen legs, He crawled through the rice paddy with a twisted face.” Did they just let me go? I am free to got? I wouldn’t die?”

He looked at Master Guan and Guan Shui for confirmation. But they looked away. Then he turned to look at Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan said in a cold tone.” From now on, you are responsible for yourself.”

Then he turned to leave.

After witnessing another supernatural event, Wang Qing caught up with him and asked him.” They just let him go?”

As a police officer, he preferred to punish crime through the law. But occasionally, confronted with the situation where the law is powerless to intervene, he always hoped the retribution would be swift and merciless.

When Guan Shui came to seek his help, he had already told him the whole story. Knowing Zhang Zi would get off easily, he thought it wasn’t fair.

Jiang Lan explained to him.” I didn’t let him go, but those turtles released him.”

Wang Qing was surprised.

Jiang Lan smiled.” Do you know wild animals are very sensitive to the scent of death? Many animals, especially scavengers, could assess their target based on their scents. They could always tell if their target would die soon. Then they would follow the target and wait for their death.”

“Oh, these turtles let him go because they thought Zhang Zi doesn’t have long to live?”

Wang Qing opened his mouth in shock.” But you said these turtles hadn’t acquired human intelligence? Ordinary turtles could be this smart?”

“Animals could be much cleverer and more perceptive than humans.” Jiang Lan winked at him.” About acquiring human intelligence. It’s a natural state that cultivating animals would enter after a certain amount of time. Those turtles haven’t begun cultivation yet. But after a few hundred years, they might start on the path to immortality and assume another form.”

“Nature is filled with miracles.” Contemplating what Jiang Lan just said, Wang Qing said.” Our knowledge in this regard is too limited.”

If someone filmed what happened today and uploaded it to the internet, 90% of viewers wouldn’t believe it and would claim the video clip was staged and fake. If he hadn’t experienced events like this several times, his first reaction to such supernatural events would be doubt and suspicion.

Ignorance would lead to arrogance. Humans were so used to their dominating position in the world that they sometimes treated other species as inferior.

Actually, there are still many unsolved mysteries in this world and humans are just a chapter in the revolutionary history of this planet.

Jiang Lan said.” At least a tiny minority of humans realized that their arrogances are blinded.”

This thought suddenly reminded him of the Monster Race in ancient times.

At that time, the Monster Race was regarded as Witch God. As the dominating power of that era, they were powerful enough to satisfy their every whim. Humans at that time were a subjugated species, like today’s powerless animals.

The Monster race regarded puny humans as ants, to be eaten, played, and fooled. Humans were anything but an equal partner to the Monsters. Even the magical beasts, the lower echelon in the Monster Race, could eat humans as snacks.

The monsters at that time could not predict the coming catastrophe, which ended their golden days and started their gradual decline. Their power was gone and the paramount Witch God became so weak that they couldn’t fend for themselves.

Today’s humans were following the same route the Monster Race had once walked. But a tiny minority had realized their arrogance and tried to transform the way they conducted their affairs. Cooperating with the Monster Race to set up a Monster Bureau was the first step these humans took to remedy the situation.

No one knew for certain whether any high monsters in ancient times had realized their mistakes and took the initiative to change their ways.

Jiang Lan shook his head slightly, what a futile thought.

No matter whether any high monsters in ancient times had the foresight to try to reverse the decline of the Monster Race, what happened has happened and you deal with it as it is.

Seeing his thoughtful look, Ying Qiao said.” Penny for your thoughts.”

Jiang Lan said.” I just regret that I was born too late, not having the privilege to witness the heyday of the Monster Race.”

This was not exactly lying. His memory of that time period was very hazy because he spent most of the time trying to satisfy his hunger. He had to make an effort to recall any particular event of that time.

Pausing for a second, Ying Qiao said.” There was nothing good about that time.”

Feud was the center theme of the high monsters’ lives, which was very boring.

Jiang Lan agreed wholeheartedly.” Today’s life is much better.”

Delicate cuisines and a variety of entertainments, they had much more interesting lives than before.

The only downside was that they were too distracted to cultivate.

The two of them were so preoccupied with their conversation that Wang Qing found it hard to bring up a matter with Jiang Lan. Finally, when they were about to get in the car, he intercepted Jiang Lan.” Please wait a second, I need your help.”

Jiang Lan paused.” How can I help you?”

Ying Qiao was not very happy with this. He turned to give a cold look to Wang Qing.

Wang Qiao ???

Inexplicably, this look made his hair stand on end.

He proceeded to tell Jiang Lan about a strange incident.

“The day before yesterday I received a call from an elementary school, saying there was someone who did pranks every night at school. In the middle of the night, the light and ceiling fans were turned on, moving the pictures on the corridor walls to different locations, or reordering the students’ desks and chairs…..the security had maintained vigilant watches for several nights, but failed to find the culprits. So they called the police.”

Furrowing his brow, Wang Qing said seriously.” We were worried about the safety of the students and deployed a team there. But we found nothing….”

“What’s more, it didn’t look like pranks to me. It’s more like a supernatural event.” When he mentioned this word, he seemed to feel relieved….

That night, he stayed at the haunted classroom. In the middle of the night, the light and ceiling fans were suddenly turned on. Surprised, he rushed out of the classroom and saw to his amazement that all the famous figures in the corridor pictures were staring at him in unison.

He was spooked but still maintained his composure. Pretending he didn’t see anything, he left the school.

And now he was seeking Jiang Lan’s help.