Chapter 106: Shave the Hair First

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Li Changqing frowned slightly, pondering Bai Chuan's words.

Seeing his earnest look of contemplation, Bai Chuan patted him on the shoulder. "I'm just joking with you. What are you thinking about? You're not actually planning to kill me to silence me, are you?"

Li Changqing shook his head. That wasn't what he was thinking about at all. Rather, it was the fact that every time he fought, he ended up turning into a zombie.

Even if he did what Bai Chuan suggested and silenced people, it would only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. It fundamentally couldn't solve the problem. What if someone else saw him later? Keep killing? What if he was seen again? Kill again? Could he ever kill them all?

After voicing his thoughts, Li Changqing asked, "Old Bai, do you have a solution?"

Bai Chuan sat down on the sofa in the room and thought for a long while, but ultimately shook his head. "This problem is basically unsolvable..."

"I have an idea."

Tang Xiaoyu, who had been staying in the room, suddenly spoke up. She said to Li Changqing, "Hu Xiong and Li Minghao also know I'm a ghost, and I'm fine. Why not just tell the 36th Bureau your identity first?"

After saying this, Tang Xiaoyu herself realized the idea didn't seem too reliable, and her voice dropped a few notches. "Would that work?"

Following Tang Xiaoyu's line of reasoning, Bai Chuan shook his head. "You're different. You're a ghost, but you fall into the category of a wandering spirit—not much of a threat."

"Li Changqing hasn't harmed anyone either, and he's not a threat," Tang Xiaoyu explained. "The 36th Bureau can't be unreasonable, right?"

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open. Hu Xiong walked in with sweat on his face, grumbling as he sat down on a chair. "You guys are all done here?"

Seeing him come in, the three stopped their conversation. Bai Chuan watched him drenched in sweat, frowned, stood up, and took a few steps back. "What about your side? Did you intercept the truck?"

"Yeah." Hu Xiong picked up a cup, took a big gulp, and said with lingering fear, "You have no idea—the explosives in the truck had already been activated by a countdown device. Luckily, the bomb disposal experts arrived in time."

Even now, thinking about an entire truckload of explosives still made his heart race.

Hu Xiong leaned back against the sofa. "Director Zhang has already stepped in to handle this matter. Those monsters from the Xinnan News Agency—who knows where they've hidden themselves."

"Li Changqing discovered this incident, so that counts as a merit for him." Hu Xiong initially made a move to pull out a cigarette, but after glancing at Bai Chuan, he instead took out a piece of gum and tossed it into his mouth to chew.

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If he really spent a few more days around a guy like Bai Chuan, he'd probably quit smoking altogether.

"The director also said that Li Changqing's formal assessment for joining the Investigation Bureau will be sent by me to the general headquarters. He'll be assessed alongside new recruits from the 7th Bureau, the 16th Bureau, the 22nd Bureau... twelve branch bureaus in total."

Li Changqing was somewhat surprised inwardly. He'd be assessed alongside that many people?

"What does the assessment consist of?" Li Changqing asked.

Hu Xiong shot him a glare. "According to regulations, the rules of the assessment are announced by the examiner when you participate. If I told you now, wouldn't that be leaking the exam questions in advance?"

That said, Hu Xiong still pulled out a notebook and casually tossed it to Li Changqing. "Normally, there are two parts to the assessment."

"The first is a written test, which specifically examines members' knowledge of demons and monsters, as well as some basic theoretical knowledge."

"But you came into this midway, so to speak—you're being specially recruited, so you don't need to take the written test."

"The rules for the second part are more complicated—it tests your combat skills against evil spirits."

"I've written down the assessment rules from the past few years in this notebook."

Li Changqing was delighted, but he also worried whether the leak of past questions would have any consequences for him. "Are you sure it's okay for you to give me this?"

"Have I leaked anything to you? I don't even know what this year's exam will be. I'm just giving you the past years' questions for reference."

Hu Xiong said with a chuckle, "Go back and prepare well these next few days. Get plenty of rest. I'm not asking for first or second place, but your ranking can't be too embarrassing either..."

Most people specially recruited into the Paranormal Investigation Bureau were seasoned and experienced individuals.

For instance, when Bai Chuan was specially recruited back then, his performance had utterly crushed the new recruits, beating them down until they had no temper left.

Of course, that wasn't surprising—the Bureau was well aware of Bai Chuan's former identity and exploits.

Still, most specially recruited individuals were stronger than the new recruits cultivated by the Paranormal Investigation Bureau in certain aspects.

Of course...

Hu Xiong didn't have much confidence in Li Changqing.

The guy had spiritual energy, sure, but so far he hadn't demonstrated particularly strong combat capability.

The main reason Hu Xiong had strongly recommended Li Changqing to Zhang Guichuan was because of his identity as a detective, his extremely sharp reasoning abilities, and also... because he found the guy agreeable.

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"Prepare well. When the assessment officially begins, I'll come pick you up."

...

In the evening, Tongxin Temple echoed with the sounds of wooden fish and monks chanting sutras.

The entire temple was filled with an aura that could completely calm one's mind and spirit.

Inside the temple's scripture pavilion, Shen Qingdai sat upright, holding a Buddhist scripture in her hands, studying it with a focused mind.

Her injuries had basically healed. During her time at Tongxin Temple, Shen Qingdai had experienced an unprecedented sense of tranquility.

It was a peace that came from completely emptying her mind. Every day, she bathed in Buddhist scriptures and studied the Dharma. Though dull, it filled her far more than her previous days of scheming and intrigue.

"Benefactor Shen, the vegetarian meal is ready."

From outside the door, Jinghui walked in carrying a vegetarian meal and set it on the low table before her. "Benefactor Shen, as a demon, how is it that you've recently taken a liking to studying the Buddha's teachings?"

"Before I came to Tongxin Temple, I held monks and nuns in contempt, thinking they were nothing but charlatans peddling tricks." Shen Qingdai smiled and set down the scripture, pressing her palms together. "But I've read so much recently that I never expected it would calm my mind and spirit. Many of my past thoughts of killing have also faded one by one."

"You're overthinking it. It's not that miraculous. I can't get into those tedious, obscure books myself—they're not even as entertaining as pulp novels."

Shen Qingdai was taken aback. "According to the abbot, you've studied the Dharma since childhood and have deep attainments in Buddhism. Yet you say these books aren't as good as pulp novels?"

"So my master and my fellow disciples all got it wrong. Does studying Buddhism require memorizing these books day after day?"

"There are so many of these sutras—over a thousand of them, each with a different author. Is every one of their teachings correct?"

"Their path of Dharma is correct for them, but does that make it correct for me?"

"So, Benefactor Shen, it's just that you were injured before, and while recuperating at the temple with nothing to do, you heard and read so many Buddhist chants and scriptures that you hypnotized yourself into inner peace."

"Of course, that's a good thing, and it's one of the wondrous uses of the Dharma. But you haven't truly entered the gates of Buddhism yet."

Shen Qingdai asked earnestly, "Then how do I enter the gates of Buddhism?"

"Shave your head first."