第112章 第112章

**Chapter 112: The Web of Deceit Unravels**

White Xiaopu's gaze was like a lead weight, piercing through the stranger's façade. "You're telling me that Ling'er is alive, and you're the one who knows where she is?" he asked, his voice low and even.

The stranger's expression faltered, and for a moment, his mask slipped. White Xiaopu saw a glimmer of truth in his eyes, a hint of desperation and fear. The stranger's voice dropped to a whisper. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I was forced to take her. She's in a place where you can't follow."

White Xiaopu's fist clenched, his mind racing with the implications. Ling'er was alive? But why would the stranger admit it? And what did he mean by "a place where you can't follow"? Alarm bells rang in his mind as he realized the stranger was buying time, stalling for something.

"I won't be stalled," White Xiaopu growled, his eyes flashing with anger. "Tells me where Ling'er is, and I won't kill you."

The stranger's eyes locked onto White Xiaopu's, a mix of fear and calculation. "You're not thinking clearly, boy. You're not even thinking at all. You're so caught up in your emotions you can't see the bigger picture."

White Xiaopu's face burned with rage. "The bigger picture? You're the one who's been lying to me, deceiving me at every turn! You're the one who took Ling'er!"

The stranger's smile was cold, calculating. "Ah, but I didn't take her for myself. I took her for someone else. Someone who wants to use her, just like I want to use you."

White Xiaopu's eyes widened in shock. "Who? Who is behind this?"

The stranger's laughter was a cold, mirthless sound. "You'll find out soon enough. But for now, let's just say that someone wants to use you to get to the Elders. And I'm only the middleman."

White Xiaopu's mind reeled as the stranger's words dropped like a bombshell. The Elders? What did they have to do with anything? And what did the stranger mean by "middleman"? Suddenly, the web of deceit unraveled, revealing a complex tapestry of plot and counter-plot.

As the stranger turned to leave, White Xiaopu's eyes blazed with determination. "I'll find Ling'er, and I'll find out what's going on. And when I do, you'll pay for what you've done."

The stranger's smile was a cold, calculating thing. "I'm looking forward to it, boy. You see, I have a little surprise waiting for you... something that will change the course of your life forever."

And with that, he vanished into the night, leaving White Xiaopu with more questions than answers, and a growing sense of unease that something was very, very wrong.