Although the Illusion Demon Zoo was an internet-famous attraction, it was also a city zoo, so its actual footprint wasn't particularly large—roughly the size of a shopping mall. Moreover, the elaborately decorated forest slope was, in reality, just a six-story building.

When the Police Commissioner sealed off all entrances and exits of the Illusion Demon Zoo, the assembled live streamers who had come to "check in" were ecstatic. They were originally there at their fans' request, planning to showcase just how magical the animals at Modu City's internet-famous Illusion Demon Zoo were. But they hadn't expected to witness an even more incredible scene.

"Are they surrounding the Magic Zoo? What did the Magic Zoo do? Traffic in wildlife?"

"Don't be silly, man. The only protected species in this world is humans."

"With a showing like this, are they planning to shut down the Illusion Demon Zoo for good?"

As passersby speculated, the Illusion Demon Zoo staff also took notice. Witnessing the clear show of force aimed at their zoo, the staff were bewildered.

What's wrong with our zoo? What law have we broken? Sure, we might be a bit strict during animal training, but we don't abuse them, do we? Besides, isn't animal training all about a mix of threats and incentives? You don't seriously talk to animals about their dreams, do you?

An animal's dream is just to eat and sleep, then eat and sleep some more, right? Our mission is to create the most unique zoo on the planet! We're not some trashy establishment that just shows off animals eating, drinking, and relieving themselves for the audience. Not every animal is a giant panda; why should everyone pay to watch them eat and poop?

The zoo staff were instantly in an uproar.

The zoo was encircled. Wang Lan led more than a hundred guards as they slowly approached. The zoo's operations manager waited at the entrance with a group of employees, surrounded by a large crowd of onlookers and the zoo's security staff.

"Officer, what... what's all this? Our Illusion Demon Zoo has operated in Modu City for many years with a sterling reputation. We absolutely haven't done anything illegal or improper. This large-scale operation..."

Suddenly, his speech halted as he recognized Wang Lan at the head of the group. Wasn't he the Star Martial Warrior who had acted heroically ten days ago? No wonder the manager didn't recognize Wang Lan at first; dressed in military attire, Wang Lan's aura was worlds apart from before.

In casual clothes, Wang Lan looked like a student. But in uniform, he was a warrior, a blade unsheathed.

"It's you? Aren't you the one from ten days ago... We didn't get a chance to properly thank you for your help last time. How about tonight..."

Wang Lan raised his hand, cutting him off. "Evacuate the visitors."

A hundred police officers immediately rushed into the Illusion Demon Zoo to evacuate visitors. Soon, a dense crowd poured out from the zoo's entrance. Although the visitors were reluctant, many even muttering curses, they quieted down and became docile upon seeing the heavily armed police outside.

"Officer, even if our Illusion Demon Zoo has done something wrong, you at least have to tell us what law we've broken, right?"

"Manager Zhao, don't be nervous," Wang Lan said, half-joking. "Didn't we mention some safety hazards at your zoo last time? Ten days have passed. How are the rectifications coming along? I've brought the team today to do an inspection."

I don't believe you for a second!

The manager fumed internally, but a sudden thought struck him. Could Wang Lan be some untouchable rich heir? Last time he helped, perhaps my attempt to express gratitude wasn't obvious enough, making him think we were ungrateful, so now he's here for revenge? This is a classic shakedown, isn't it? Inspecting safety hazards? Today it's safety hazards, tomorrow it might be hygiene, and the day after, fire safety! Are they going to keep finding fault until he's sufficiently 'compensated' before letting us operate properly? If that's really the case, it's disgusting! A flash of disgust crossed the manager's eyes. They say it's easier to deal with Yama himself than with his underlings. Faced with someone like this, what can you do but pay up to avoid further trouble?

During this time, the police evacuation of the crowd was nearing its end.

"Reporting to Colonel Wang, the evacuation of the Magic Animal Park is complete. Please give your instructions."

"Let's go," Wang Lan said. "We'll go inside and take a look."

This time, with the usual crowds gone, Wang Lan could tour the entire zoo at his leisure. Even without visitors, the animals inside still performed energetically.

The zoo truly had a special allure. Even Xu Ting and other Star Martial Warriors following Wang Lan were curiously looking at the animals on both sides. They found it hard to imagine how the animals were trained to be so talented.

Wang Lan walked straight to where the Silverback Gorilla had wrestled previously. The shattered tempered glass wall had been replaced with a new one, but the material was identical to the old one. This wasn't just true for this glass wall; it applied to the enclosures of other dangerous animals as well.

"Officer Wang Lan, we've already replaced the glass wall... The previous incident was purely an accident. We still haven't had a chance to properly thank you for your assistance. This time, we guarantee your satisfaction. I'd like to invite Colonel Wang to dinner tonight; I hope you'll honor us with your presence."

I've made myself so clear; surely he won't misunderstand again, right?

"Is the glass wall still the same type? If the Silverback Gorilla goes berserk again, won't it shatter it with a single punch?"

"No, no. I inspected the previous glass wall; it was substandard, a defective product from the start. I assure you, the replacement wall is unbreakable."

"What about the Silverback Gorilla from last time?"

"Ah?"

"Where's the Silverback Gorilla that smashed the wall? Bring it out. I want to see it."

"This... Alright." The manager picked up his walkie-talkie. "Bring out Silverback Number Seventeen."

Before long, a Silverback Gorilla was brought out. Its bewildered eyes scanned its surroundings as it performed a series of stiff movements under the trainer's commands. Wang Lan frowned. This was indeed the same gorilla from ten days ago, but it had completely lost its former liveliness.

The Silverback Gorilla seemed like a soulless, walking corpse.

"Something's not right!" Wang Lan said gravely. "There's something strange about this gorilla."

"What?" Wang Lan's voice was soft, so the manager hadn't heard him clearly and quickly asked.

"Here's the situation: we need to conduct further checks on the safety issues at the Illusion Demon Zoo. Please come with us to the station and await further information."

As Wang Lan finished speaking, the manager's face turned pale. The staff members around him erupted in protest. "On what grounds? Are you just arresting people indiscriminately?"

"That's a nice way of putting it, but it's an arrest! What right do you have to arrest us? Do you have any evidence of our crimes?"

"Assisting with an investigation and being arrested are two different things," Wang Lan stated. "It seems I need to educate you. Assisting the police with their inquiries is the civic duty of every citizen. And what is a duty? It's something that must be done, without any excuse. Failure to comply is against the law. Take them aside for questioning."

At Wang Lan's command, a group of guards surged forward. "If you please."

"Colonel Wang, isn't this a bit reckless?" Gaoyu Duch approached Wang Lan after the Illusion Demon Zoo staff were escorted away. "We've made such a big scene without any solid evidence. Now the whole world is watching us. The Modu City Police Department's reputation could be ruined if we don't provide an explanation."

"Inspector Gaoyu, look at this Silverback Gorilla. It's the one that smashed the glass before. But seeing it now, it lacks the vibrancy it had previously. I doubt it could perform that Barabara dance now. Also, did you notice that patch of discolored fur on its back?"

"I do. What's so strange about it?"

"It didn't seem strange at first, but I noticed something odd about the way the Silverback Gorilla was walking. Its movements seemed constrained, as if something were holding it back. Based on my experience, I'd say the gorilla has an injury on its back, which is why it's avoiding large movements. And that injured spot is precisely where the fur is discolored."

"Also, don't you find this zoo a bit strange? We might marvel at how they've trained the animals to be so multi-talented. But it's one thing if one or two animals can be trained to this extent; for nearly all the animals here to be trained like this is highly improbable."

BOOM—!

Suddenly, a tremendous explosion ripped through the air from a distance. Almost instantly, towering flames and thick, dark smoke billowed into the sky. With no time for hesitation, Wang Lan slammed his palm onto the ground, activating the Hades Bone Card.

Ever since upgrading the Gate of The Underworld to the platinum level, it had evolved into a new Star Martial Skill: the Hades Bone Card. The Gate of The Underworld was no longer limited to a single gate; it now manifested as an array, much like a series of dominoes or Bone cards. These could be arranged horizontally or vertically, and the Hades Bone Cards could even be linked in a circle to form a defensive wall.

As Wang Lan activated his Star Martial Skill, a series of Gates of the Underworld instantly erupted from the ground within a 500-meter radius, forming three concentric layers that radiated outward from the explosion's epicenter.

The Gate of The Underworld possessed formidable defensive power. However, the upgrade to platinum level hadn't increased its defensive strength per se; rather, it had increased the number of Gates that could be summoned. For Wang Lan, this increase in quantity was preferable to an increase in quality.

The explosion's force was terrifying. The first ring of the Gates of the Underworld disintegrated into ash almost the instant the blast wave hit them. The blast wave surged outward. By the time it reached the second ring of Gates, its power had been diminished by ninety percent. It finally dissipated completely just before reaching the third ring.

The explosion was utterly unexpected; no one had seen it coming. Just moments before, the live streamers observing the scene were still deep in discussion with their fans, and the surrounding crowd was still pointing fingers at the Illusion Demon Zoo staff. Deep down, the ordinary citizens believed the police wouldn't act without concrete evidence.

The police in Jade Country generally had a very positive public image, and citizen trust in them was high.

The blast left everyone stunned. But what bewildered them even more was the sudden appearance of numerous large, eerie gates that had erupted from the ground, resembling the legendary Ghost Gate.

These gates were adorned with terrifying, grotesque faces and had completely encircled the Illusion Demon Zoo.

BOOM—!

As the sound of another massive explosion echoed, a colossal plume of smoke billowed upwards. Peering through the haze, the onlookers saw a scene transformed beyond recognition.

A massive, gaping crater now occupied the former site of the Illusion Demon Zoo. Had it not been for the Hades Bone Cards absorbing the brunt of the blast, buildings within a two-kilometer radius would have been affected. The area within a one-kilometer radius would likely have been reduced to ruins, to say nothing of the bystanders, visitors, and guards situated merely three to four-hundred-meters away.

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