Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Lin Yi drove a black car, quickly drove out of the gate of the sanatorium, and sped towards the city center of Zul City.

The night was like a huge black curtain, completely covering the city of Zul.

There were few pedestrians on the street, with only sporadic street lights casting mottled light and shadows. Occasionally, a few vehicles hurried past, their taillights drawing brief red tracks in the darkness.

A few minutes later, the vehicle stopped in front of a luxurious building.

The outline of the building is particularly eye-catching in the night, and the glass curtain wall on the exterior reflects the surrounding lights, like a dazzling crystal palace.

There were several security guards in black suits standing at the door of the building, and it was obvious that the security measures here were extremely strict.

Lin Yi parked the car at the corner and glanced at the building.

Winnie opened the car door, and Lin Yi raised his hand to adjust the collar of his coat, and the two walked side by side towards the entrance of the club.

The security guard at the door immediately stepped forward and stood like a wall, blocking the two of them.

His eyes swept over Lin Yi and Wei Ni, and there was a hint of caution in his tone: "Sir, this is a private club, please show your membership card."

Lin Yi didn't say much, he just took out a black card from his pocket, flicked his fingertips lightly, and the card fell into the hands of the security guard.

The security guard took the card and checked it carefully, his eyes lingering for a moment on the dark patterns and codes on the card.

After confirming that everything was correct, his expression relaxed a little, he nodded slightly, and moved aside to make way.

"Please come in, sir." The security guard's tone became respectful, and his eyes stayed on Winnie for a moment, but quickly moved away.

His professional ethics told him that there were some things he shouldn't ask too much about, let alone look at too much.

Although most of the VIPs who come here are seeking pleasure, there are also some who bring their own female guests.

He is just a small security guard, and it is best for him not to interfere in matters beyond his job responsibilities, otherwise, he will suffer the same fate as his predecessor who suddenly disappeared.

The interior decoration of the club is extremely luxurious, with crystal chandeliers and marble floors, all of which demonstrate the aristocratic atmosphere here.

In the middle of the hall, a young man in a high-end suit was sitting leisurely on a leather sofa.

He held a glass of red wine in his hand, the wine swaying gently in the glass, emitting a deep red luster.

The moment Lin Yi stepped into the hall, the young man's eyes narrowed slightly, and then he stood up, raised his glass, and gestured to Lin Yi: "Dean Lin, I wonder what brings you here so late at night? What brings you here?"

Lin Yi's eyes briefly met with Edmund von Klein's. "Mr. Klein, I'm sorry to bother you so late at night. But there are some things that can only be discussed here, right?"

Edmund chuckled and gracefully motioned Lin Yi to sit down, then he sat down again: "Dean Lin, please speak frankly."

"Some people hiding in the shadows may think they are acting in secret. Unfortunately, their tracks have already been clearly captured."

Edmund chuckled, picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and looked calm. "The people in the shadows? Maybe they are just some small-time characters who can't cause any trouble. Dean Lin, why bother with these insignificant people?"

"A small character? Mr. Klein, you are too modest." Lin Yi sneered, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Some people appear to be glamorous businessmen, nobles, or even philanthropists, but their ambitions are not limited to these empty names."

There was a barely perceptible fluctuation in Edmund's eyes, but he quickly covered it up with a smile.

He put down his wine glass and folded his hands on his knees, his expression still calm.

"Dean Lin's imagination is admirable. However, this kind of unfounded speculation will only cause more trouble, won't it?"

“Some roads, if you take the wrong path, you can turn back, but some roads, once you go too far, you can never turn back.”

Edmund was silent for a moment, then chuckled, his tone nonchalant: "Dean Lin, what you said is quite philosophical. However, I have always only walked the path I have chosen. The boundaries in this world are inherently vague, aren't they?"

Edmund stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night sky in the distance: "It's late, you should go back. I wish you a safe journey."

Lin Yi knew that Edmund had understood his hint. He didn't say anything more and turned to leave the box.

At the moment of verbal exchange with Edmund just now, Lin Yi could feel the gaze coming from the darkness, locking onto him like a poisonous snake.

As soon as he made the slightest movement, the guards hiding in the shadows would take action.

As one of the great noble families of the Zul Empire, it would be strange if the Klein family did not have any trump cards in hand.

The smile on Edmund von Klein's face disappeared the moment Lin Yi left, replaced by a gloomy and solemn look.

He walked back to the sofa and placed the red wine glass in his hand heavily on the table with a dull thud.

A few drops of liquid in the cup splashed out, scarlet as blood, spreading across the table, as if foreshadowing some ominous sign.

"Sanatorium..." He whispered the name, with a hint of suppressed anger and fear in his tone.

He sat back on the sofa, crossed his hands in front of his forehead, and Lin Yi's words were like a thorn, piercing deep into his heart.

"How much does he know?" Edmund whispered to himself, with a hint of uneasiness in his voice, like a beast cornered, trying to find a way out in the darkness.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on the armrest of the sofa, the rhythm was messy, revealing his inner anxiety.

He closed his eyes, and every word, every look, and even every subtle change in Lin Yi's expression emerged in his mind.

He tried to find the flaw, but found that Lin Yi was like a pool of deep water, so calm that it made people's heart palpitate.

Lin Yi's words were like an invisible knife hanging over his head, forcing him to face the problem he had been avoiding.

Edmund took a deep breath, and the cold air filled his lungs, but it couldn't calm the turmoil in his heart.

"Sir, are you okay?" A deep voice came from the shadow of the box, and a man in black appeared quietly.

"I'm fine, how's the old man?"

Edmund raised his head and looked at the man in black. The gloom in his eyes subsided a little, but his tone still contained a hint of fatigue and anxiety.

The man in black bowed slightly, speaking in a low and respectful voice: "Everything is fine with the old man, but he has been a little weak recently, and the doctor recommends that he rest more. However, the old man still insists on handling family affairs every day and refuses to let go completely."

Edmund frowned, and a complicated look flashed in his eyes.

The patriarch of the Klein family, that is, his grandfather, is old, but the old man's majesty and means are still as strong as before. He firmly controls the power of the family, like an old but still ferocious lion.

Edmund knew very well that every step he took was under the old man's watch.

"The old man is still so stubborn."

"The old man asked me to tell you that the situation in Zul City has been unstable recently, so you must be careful."

After hearing the words of the man in black, Edmund fell silent.

The old man sent someone to warn him, obviously he had noticed his movements and might even have known about his involvement with the Shadow Council.

"Harold..." Edmund whispered the name with a hint of fear in his tone.

Harold was a meticulous person, and had already been secretly planning to weaken the power of the nobles.

Although the Klein family is deeply rooted, in Harold's eyes, they are just a pawn.

The reason why Edmund's grandfather was reluctant to give up power was because he was afraid of Harold.

The old man knew very well that if there was any mistake within the Klein family, even the slightest negligence, Harold would tear the entire family into pieces like a cheetah smelling blood.

He understood that the old man's warning was not only a concern for him, but also a worry for the entire family.

"Sir, the old man also asked me to tell you that the future of the family is in your hands. He hopes that you can consider it carefully and not destroy the foundation of the Klein family for generations because of momentary ambition."

Hearing this, Edmund raised a bitter arc at the corner of his mouth, and his laughter was full of self-mockery: "The future of the family? Haha... Does the current Klein family still have a future? Harold has been eyeing us for a long time. No matter what we do, he will not let us go."

The man in black was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Sir, what the old man means is... as long as we don't take the initiative to provoke Harold, he won't attack us for the time being. The Klein family still has a certain foundation, and he won't tear his face off easily."

"Why not provoke him?" Edmund sneered, the coldness in his eyes becoming stronger and stronger. "Harold's ambition has long been obvious. He will attack us sooner or later. Instead of waiting to die, it is better to take the initiative to look for opportunities. Maybe... there is still a glimmer of hope."

After saying that, Edmund turned and walked to the wine cabinet, and casually took out a bottle of liquor. The bottle glowed coldly under the light.

He poured a glass, and the amber liquid swayed in the glass, giving off a pungent smell of alcohol. "Boiling a frog in warm water..." He repeated the phrase in a low voice, with a hint of bitterness in his tone, "Harold's strategy is indeed brilliant. He never rushes into anything, but uses slow and continuous means to weaken us bit by bit. By the time we reacted, we were already powerless to resist."

"Tell the old man that I will not let the Klein family be destroyed in my hands. But if there is bound to be a storm, I would rather stand in the center of the storm than hide in the corner and linger."

The man in black stood aside, silent. He knew that what Edmund said was true.

The Klein family was once one of the most prominent nobles in the Zul Empire, controlling vast industries and military forces.

Their names symbolize power and glory and are an important part of the history of the empire.

But over the years, Harold's methods caused the Klein family to gradually lose control of core resources.

The family's business gradually shrank, the once prosperous trade routes were cut off, and the mines and factories were encroached upon by other forces.

In parliament, the influence of the Klein family was gradually weakened. Former allies defected one after another, leaving only a few people still holding on.

Even Harold's close associates in the army were transferred from important positions under various pretexts and replaced by his minions.

The Klein family is just a pawn on the chessboard, being gradually forced into a desperate situation.

"Grandpa... actually saw through all of this a long time ago." Edmund put down his wine glass, his eyes showing a hint of complicated emotions, "But he did not choose to resist, but chose to compromise. He thought that as long as the Klein family kept a low profile, Harold would let us go. But the facts proved that he was wrong."

"Maybe the old man just doesn't want to put the family in a bigger crisis. After all, Harold is too strong. If we confront him head-on, we have almost no chance of winning."

Edmund sneered, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone: "No chance of winning? Are we just going to sit there and wait for death, watching the Klein family go to extinction step by step? No, I will never allow this to happen."

Didn't Edmund know the danger of the Shadow Council? No, he knew it all too well.

That organization is a group of lunatics hiding in the darkness. Their ambitions and methods are far more crazy and uncontrollable than Harold's.

Cooperating with the Shadow Council is like seeking the skin of a tiger. If one is not careful, the Klein family may be completely devoured, leaving nothing behind.

But what Edmund knew more clearly was that the Klein family now had no choice.

Harold's suppression followed him like a shadow, and the family's industry and power were being eroded bit by bit, like a prey entangled by a poisonous snake, gradually suffocating.

If they continue to sit idly by, the Klein family will sooner or later become history and another forgotten name in the Zul Empire.

The Shadow Council may be the only chance to save the family.

Although this opportunity is like dancing on the edge of a knife, you will be cut all over if you are not careful.

Edmund understood that this was a huge gamble. If they won, the Klein family might be able to regain their life and stand at the pinnacle of power again; if they lost, the entire family would be doomed and would completely disappear in the dust of history.

Edmund turned and walked to the sofa, sitting down heavily, his body sinking into the soft leather sofa.

"Is there anything unusual with Harold?"

"No."

Upon hearing the news, Edmund's expression froze slightly, and his originally tired eyes instantly became sharp.

He sat up straight, brows furrowed, as if digesting this information.

"The nursing home didn't tell Harold about this..." He murmured in a low voice, with a hint of disbelief and faint expectation in his tone, "What does this mean? What exactly are they planning?"

Even the Klein family knew little about the institution of the sanatorium.

The director of the sanatorium, Herbert, is a troublesome person. Even a behemoth like the Klein family finds it difficult to place spies into his sphere of influence.

"Prepare the car. I need to go back and discuss this with the old man."

The man in black was stunned for a moment after hearing Edmund's words, obviously not expecting him to make such a decision.

Edmund hasn't been back for a long time since he fell out with his family two years ago.

After chatting with Edmund, Lin Yi took Winnie back to the execution agency. At this time, the execution agency was full of busy personnel running around.

In this chaotic scene, there were not only personnel from the execution agencies, but also many chiefs of staff in neat military uniforms.

This action of the Shadow Council has touched the core interests of the Zul Empire.

Now the power of the parliament has been briefly united, with the goal of solving the trouble in two days.

The two men walked into a conference room that was already filled with senior officials of the execution agency and military staff.

"You're here." Seeing Lin Yi appear at the door, Reinhardt breathed a sigh of relief.

For him, fighting on the battlefield was far more exciting than discussing these tedious details.

If he had to choose, he would rather face a fifteen-eyed ghost than sit here and be tortured by these trivial matters.

"how are things going?"

Lin Yi pulled out a chair and sat on Reinhardt's left, and began to inquire about the progress of the investigation.

"We have some clues. With the help of Nightmare, we have roughly tracked down the Vice Speaker of the Shadow Council, the Eye of the Void."

As he spoke, he pushed a document on the desk in front of Lin Yi.

The document is filled with speculations and analyses about where the Eye of the Void might be hiding.

After layers of screening and elimination, there are only three locations left that have not been completely ruled out.

The first location is a slum located on the southern outskirts of the city.

It was like a huge quagmire, with all kinds of people mixed together and crowds of people surging, as if every inch of the air was filled with chaos and danger.

Gangs, terrorist organizations, ghosts, hybrids... these forces roaming in the gray area are lurking there like poisonous snakes in the shadows.

Because of this, it is very difficult to conduct investigations in slums.

Once the official forces appear, those hidden forces will instantly hide and will not give you any chance at all.

The second location is the workers’ gathering area in the west of the city.

The area is only 1.2 square kilometers, but it is packed with workers.

The living conditions here are not much better than those in the slums. Narrow alleys, dilapidated houses and crowded crowds form a complex and closed social network.

Trying to find traces of the Eye of the Void here is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The third place is a street in the city of Zul. This street is called the Street of Wishes in Zul because the shops on this street only open in the early morning, selling those shady goods.

Behind every store stands a powerful boss, otherwise it would be impossible to gain a foothold in such a place.

According to the information Lin Yi had, even Harold had intervened in the business here, which was enough to prove the chaos and danger of this street.

At the moment, the Eye of the Void is most likely hiding in one of these three locations.

However, official forces are unable to send personnel to investigate because the special nature of these places means that any official action will alert the enemy.

"Everyone listen up!" Lin Yi's voice exploded in the conference room like thunder. "Within 24 hours, you are required to completely surround the slums and factory areas and disperse all the people in them. The safety of the empire is above all else. Anyone who dares to hinder the action will be regarded as a traitor and will be suppressed directly!"

As soon as the words fell, all the military personnel in the conference room stood up in unison.

They have long been displeased with these two ghost places. Now that Lin Yi has spoken, they can finally take action against these two places.

"As for Wish Street... Reinhardt, you lead the elite of the execution agency and come with me."

The forces behind Wish Street are complicated and intertwined, and any single move can have an impact on the entire system.

It is a real dangerous place, and any carelessness will lead to unpredictable consequences.

Therefore, he decided to lead the team himself to ensure that everything went well. (End of this chapter)