In fact, if things were merely that simple, it wouldn't have caused Qin Ying—a woman who had always been remarkably strong—to reveal such an expression in front of Wang Zhan. All of this was because of the protector of Quan State who had been secretly slain underground, and the horrific, shocking things he had experienced!

His bones had been taken and arranged into a pattern...

His body had been gnawed upon, no longer intact...

His blood was spattered all over the ground, leaving viscous stains everywhere...

Even his eyes had been removed by his enemies and hung on the wall of their lair!...

At the mention of this, Qin Ying felt a chill run down her spine, consumed by unparalleled terror. It was simply this: even when compared to the cruelest tortures perpetrated by the Human Race, those acts were infinitely kinder than the deeds of the one who had killed Quan State's protector this time! Therefore, Qin Ying didn't want to see Wang Zhan get involved in such terrifying matters. This wasn't merely about taking a life; it was about dismemberment, resembling the ritual of some malevolent organization! Its level of horror surpassed even that of the original organization.

However, since it had come to this, though Qin Ying had momentarily fallen into an overwhelming fear, she still managed to regain her composure with difficulty and then spoke to Wang Zhan.

"Later, based on our estimation of the time of death, we were able to tentatively conclude that he died just as you left Quan State. In other words, you're a suspect!..."

Wang Zhan's pupils constricted slightly. He sensed that something wasn't quite right! Because the acts described above struck Wang Zhan with a sense of familiarity. Quite naturally, when Qin Ying pointed out this key fact, he instantly came to his senses and immediately focused on one person.

The mad man! That mad man still in prison!

If his memory served him right, when the mad man had tortured and killed those low-level Martial Artists who tried to bring Wang Zhan into the original organization as a bloodline talent sample, he had used precisely these means! However, due to his understanding of the original organization and his contempt for such human depravity, Wang Zhan had simply watched coldly from the sidelines. But he had never expected to witness such a scenario again!

Therefore, is this all a matter of fate, or simply a coincidence? And what secrets are hidden between these two possibilities?

Quietly, Wang Zhan buried this doubt in his heart and contemplated deeply.

Of course, he didn't disclose this matter to Qin Ying. Firstly, it was because Qin Ying's capabilities were limited, and secondly, because even if she knew, the only result would be constant fear and anxiety! After all, for someone like Qin Ying, with her distinguished background, perhaps she would have the confidence to face it, but that confidence was entirely predicated on the intervention of her Family's power. Little did Qin Ying know that, indeed, the moment she described the scene of the Quan State protector's death, Wang Zhan had already quickly narrowed down the possibilities in his mind.

Thus, after conveying her suspicion and her analysis of enemies within the Federation, she continued to speak to Wang Zhan.

"This time, should you dare return to Quan State, or even appear in Quan State, and it's discovered that you were never actually in the Federal Prison but have been outside the Federation's control, then the suspicion against you will solidify into irrefutable evidence! They won't even need to lift a finger to send you to your death!..."

Undoubtedly, this was a terrifying reality.

Therefore, in Qin Ying's words, regarding her initial point about suspicion, she was implying that people had ample reason to suspect Wang Zhan could have done such a thing. Firstly, although he didn't appear to possess sufficient strength, if he had truly defected in secret, it was undoubtedly achievable! Secondly, the suspicion against Wang Zhan was simply too great, and his timing was too precise! So precise, it was as if Wang Zhan had deliberately orchestrated it to create an alibi for himself!

As for the final point—how to interpret the suspicion that might be impossible to clear—that was even simpler! Because if the people of the Federation were to find out that the young Federation hero they had strenuously tried to rescue and support, one they hadn't given up on and were still striving to save—had, in essence, always been an outsider, coldly observing the world's developments without any intention of explaining or proving anything. Then, there was no doubt, Wang Zhan's past actions would then most certainly become a major loophole, one his enemies would latch onto, relentlessly magnify, and never let go of. Though Wang Zhan still didn't know who his enemy was at this point, based on the current situation, he knew that once he was exposed, the entire Federation would become his enemy! It wouldn't matter how many misdeeds Wang Zhan himself had committed. What mattered was that, to some extent, Wang Zhan had deceived the entire Federation!

Moreover, one should know that once Wang Zhan exposed the existence of his clone, his true strength wouldn't remain hidden for long. This was because the original and the clone were essentially two distinct individuals. Furthermore, when the method of using one's spirit to control a clone seemed less like martial arts and more like the Magic Path, it would immediately send shockwaves of horror. Even more so, once people knew that the Federation's former young hero no longer possessed mere Martial King level strength but was already approaching the Martial Emperor Realm! Then you can imagine: for such a young, talented Martial Emperor, possessing immense strength, to choose to hide within the Federation's undercurrents— Just how suspicious would that be? People would inevitably begin to speculate wildly and overturn all their previous first impressions of him. Afterwards, they would begin to question what sinister plots this young man, seemingly rotten to the core at such a tender age, was hatching!

At that point, even if Wang Zhan stood before everyone, he would likely be utterly unable to defend himself. His reputation, whether for good or ill, would be irrevocably defined. Furthermore, this world never believed in mere words; it believed in evidence and deduction! For Wang Zhan, he was supposed to be a Martial Artist for whom greater strength and ability meant greater responsibility. Although he was currently fulfilling such responsibilities, no one knew. They would only suddenly realize that beneath all appearances, he had transformed into a cunning little fox whose destructive potential and threat were ever-increasing, his mind growing more devious. One could only imagine the immense shock this would send through the entire Federation. By then, even if some in the Federation still wished to believe Wang Zhan and stand by him, they would likely face certain doom, with virtually no chance of survival. Eventually, manipulated by the conspiracies and machinations of various hidden manipulators, the judgment against Wang Zhan would become an unstoppable deluge, surging forward until he was crushed to pieces!

Thus, Wang Zhan finally understood. This was an unsolvable predicament, an inescapable trap! After all, Wang Zhan had never anticipated that after he had left the seemingly insignificant place of Quan State, Quan State would suddenly be the scene of such a momentous event! So momentous that any innocent person could be dragged into a quagmire due to the death of someone who should have been entirely unrelated to them. Even more so, if Wang Zhan were to reveal anything else out of the ordinary, this slander would undoubtedly stick to him, impossible to wash away!

It was for this reason, only now, that Wang Zhan finally, fully understood why Qin Ying appeared so fearful. Because she must be one of those who had already seen the *other* Wang Zhan, the one in the Federal Prison! Therefore, Qin Ying understood far better than Wang Zhan himself the full implications of this matter and its terrifying, unacceptable consequences. If it were truly confirmed, or if someone managed to probe and discover that Wang Zhan could actually create a clone indistinguishable from his true self, then it would absolutely become an accusation Wang Zhan couldn't deny, because there would be too many suspicious points. Simultaneously, it would also be an irrefutable charge because the plan Wang Zhan was executing involved far too many intricate elements!

In other words, not much evidence would be needed. As long as roughly ten percent of any evidence Wang Zhan could offer to prove his innocence was questioned as fabricated, he would absolutely be cornered into a dead end, unable to argue his case! A total loss. He would have no way to explain, no way to clear his name! Unless Wang Zhan dissected his own body, found the location of the System, and announced to everyone: 'Here! This is the intelligent auxiliary device! The reason I, Wang Zhan, am so talented and have advanced rapidly is entirely thanks to this thing!'…

Of course, for those who were truly powerful, they would certainly understand that even if Wang Zhan were to self-destruct on the spot, it would ultimately be a trivial matter. After all, in this world, the only person one could truly rely on was oneself. So, if that day truly came, perhaps Wang Zhan could explain himself clearly, but when facing two entirely different groups of people simultaneously, his only options would be to remain silent or risk inciting the covetousness of others; there would be no other recourse.

For this reason, Wang Zhan finally fell silent. For some reason, his gaze grew even more profound, as if imbued with a perception that could penetrate the very essence of things. He was examining his own heart and the truth of the external world, trying to unravel his thoughts and find some clarity.

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