Chapter 107: Headquarters

Shaved hair can lead one into the Buddhist path? Shen Qingdai was startled and asked, “Is it truly that simple?”

“It is exactly that simple.” Jing Hui clasped his hands together, gazing at her as he inquired, “Benefactor Shen wishes to cut off her hair, enter the Buddhist sect, and leave the past behind? If you are willing, this monk will personally shave you.”

Her appearance ranked among the foremost beauties, and with her luxurious long hair, she was breathtakingly stunning, perhaps rivaling even the most glamorous female celebrities of the era.

People referred to women of youthful allure who could ensnare souls as fox spirits.

And she was precisely a fox spirit.

She could not bear to part with this head of flowing tresses, viewing her entry into the Buddhist order as mere curiosity, nothing more than idle curiosity.

Shen Qingdai naturally shook her head in refusal.

“You see, benefactor Shen cannot even part with a single strand of her exquisite hair, so how could she possibly relinquish this mundane and vulgar world? While it may be easy to say one will let go, in practice it is quite difficult.”

“Even those of us who have studied Buddhism since childhood have felt regret. The vibrant and colorful world of fleeting pleasures, delicacies, fine wines—I will not elaborate. I must first venture out to beg for alms.”

Accustomed to meat dishes, begging for alms felt utterly tasteless to Jing Hui.

Shen Qingdai rose to her feet, clasped her hands, and said, “Jing Hui, my little monk, I will depart tomorrow.”

“Hmm.” Jing Hui turned to glance at her and smiled. “Have you recovered from your injuries?”

“Yes.” Shen Qingdai nodded. A trace of worry lingered in her heart as she continued, “If I linger here too long, I will bring trouble upon Tongxin Temple. The abbot and you are both good people. I do not wish to implicate you. The kindness of my rescue will be etched deeply in my memory.”

“Benefactor, your words are too heavy. The Buddhist sect is a realm for saving others. If gratitude is owed, let it be to the Buddha Ancestor himself.”

Shen Qingdai blinked curiously. A question she had long wished to pose came to her lips: “Little monk, do you truly believe in the Buddha Ancestor?”

This monk, who consumed meat and wine, spoke in a manner that set him apart from other monks, resembling more of a peculiar sort.

“Benefactor Shen, I believe in the Buddha Ancestor more devoutly than anyone else.”

“Although I eat meat and drink wine, I remain a good monk.”

...

Time slipped away like a shuttle.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed, drawing near the day Li Changqing would take part in the Strange Investigation Bureau’s assessment.

Throughout these ten-plus days, Li Changqing and Tang Xiaoyu rarely ventured outside. Even when purchasing groceries, Li Changqing insisted on accompanying her.

Essentially, their time together was spent either sleeping or being inseparable.

Following Tang Xiaoyu’s abduction, Li Changqing dared not allow her to wander alone.

A sleek black sedan slowly pulled up before the Baozi Shop at Listening Rain Pavilion.

Li Changqing guided Tang Xiaoyu into the shop, which was in its midday lull after the peak rush.

“You’re a detective, still heading out on a business trip?” Li Lin asked with some surprise. A few days earlier, Li Changqing had phoned her to announce his departure for an extended period. Worried about leaving Tang Xiaoyu alone at home, he had arranged for her to stay with her instead.

Li Lin had no objections; in fact, she was delighted and had meticulously cleaned both the shop and her residence.

“Investigating a case in a distant location.” Li Changqing smiled and added, “I’ll be troubling you for a few days.”

Li Lin shot him a glare. This cheeky boy, making such a remark right in front of Xiaoyu—he wasn’t an outsider.

“Xiaoyu arriving just in time can assist me, making things easier. I should be the one thanking her.”

Tang Xiaoyu watched Li Changqing with concern. This marked his first journey far away; she wondered if danger awaited.

Well...

There probably wouldn’t be any major peril.

Perhaps encountering an exceptionally beautiful woman and eloping?

Or...

Countless questions swirled in Tang Xiaoyu’s mind.

“All right, I’ll be gone for just a few days. If anything arises, call me at once.” Li Changqing tapped her forehead lightly.

Stepping out of the shop, he boarded Hu Xiong’s vehicle.

Hu Xiong sat inside, cigarette in hand, puffing away.

Although Tang Xiaoyu had been in the car earlier—a ghost who was, after all, a lady—Hu Xiong had restrained himself from smoking excessively.

Moreover, since Bai Chuan was not joining this time, he could finally enjoy a proper smoke.

“Haha!” Hu Xiong’s spirits were high as he declared, “Let’s depart. Incidentally, this is your first time reaching headquarters. When I first went, I was shaken for quite some time.”

“Shaken?”

“You’ll understand once you arrive.”

“Depart!”

“Headquarters of the Strange Investigation Bureau!”

...

The Vermilion Bird Federation spanned a vast territory, divided into nine states, each home to multiple cities.

Nanlin City fell under Taihu State.

After merging onto the highway, the vehicle sped toward Tainan State, situated in the federation’s central region.

“Cough cough.”

The window slid open, releasing a plume of smoke into the night.

Li Changqing inhaled several deep breaths of crisp air.

This scoundrel Hu Xiong smoked with deliberate vengeance. Without Bai Chuan, he transformed into an unrestrained wild stallion, exhaling as if from a chimney.

“I finally grasp why Bai Chuan detests the scent of smoke.”

Hu Xiong held his cigarette, grinning as he gestured toward the box beside him. “Why not try one? Once you master the habit, the smell will no longer bother you.”

Li Changqing rolled his eyes. The fresh air helped, but he pressed on with a question. “How much longer until we reach our destination?”

“Probably not until dawn.” Hu Xiong steered the car onward. “Upon arrival at headquarters, they’ll perform routine monster screenings first. In my view, that procedure should have been abolished long ago. After years of testing, not a single monster has ever been uncovered.”

“Nor do any demons dare brazenly infiltrate us, do they?”

Originally, headquarters planned to dispatch inspectors, and the initial notice mirrored that arrangement. But since Li Changqing was already en route for the assessment, the protocol shifted to detection upon arrival.

Anticipating the remaining journey, Li Changqing reclined the seat and drifted into sleep.

Night fully enveloped the road. Li Changqing stirred awake near midnight. The surroundings were pitch black, yet dense forests lined both sides of a broad, six-lane highway stretching ahead.

“What is this place?” Li Changqing inquired, surveying the area.

“We’re nearly at headquarters.” Hu Xiong chuckled. “On maps, it’s designated as untouched wilderness. The federal government enforces strict forest preservation policies, barring hunters and similar intruders.”

Gradually, a colossal wall loomed into view, resembling an ancient fortress.

The barrier rose six meters high, crowned with iron netting and illuminated by powerful floodlights that swept the perimeter endlessly.

Every so often, silhouettes of federal soldiers patrolling could be spotted.

The scene evoked a military installation far more than a mere bureau.

“Is this the headquarters of the Strange Investigation Bureau?” Li Changqing whispered.

“Yes.”

The car approached the massive gate, constructed of reinforced steel and four meters tall, flanked by a secondary entrance.

A federal soldier, rifle in hand and eyes sharp with vigilance, advanced slowly. “Please present your identification.”