Chapter 108: Lan Qiqi

Hu Xiong produced his identification and handed it over. The soldier took it, examined it carefully, and finally nodded, “Please step out of the vehicle.”

Hu Xiong, familiar with the procedure, got out easily. “Follow me.”

Once the two of them stepped out, another federal soldier took their car and drove it away, while they themselves entered the vast “military base” through a small side gate.

Inside, after passing through the gate, it was still empty—no buildings in sight. Not far away, a vehicle resembling a tour bus was parked.

“Come with me,” the soldier said, leading them to the vehicle. Just then, four more people, guided by other soldiers, were approaching from outside the main gate. They must have just arrived as well.

“Hey, Old Hu, long time no see!” The leader among them, sporting a thick beard and appearing about the same age as Hu Xiong, called out.

“Why is it this guy,” Hu Xiong murmured with a slight frown.

Li Changqing asked quietly, “Who is he?”

“My childhood friend,” Hu Xiong replied.

“He’s Sima Xi,” Hu Xiong added, with a hint of disdain. “An annoying fellow—he was just promoted to deputy director of the Seventh Bureau and can’t stop showing off.”

Hu Xiong had grown up in the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations, alongside many others who had been trained together since childhood.

Sima Xi was among those who had grown up with him. Their relationship wasn’t exactly bad, given their shared history, but Hu Xiong simply couldn’t stand the man’s relentless bragging and posturing—especially since he couldn’t outdo him at it.

Behind Sima Xi were three others: two young men and a young woman, none of them older than eighteen or nineteen.

Once the four joined them on the vehicle, the soldier checked to see if anyone else was coming. Confirming there were no more newcomers, he started the vehicle and drove forward.

“Old Hu, why so quiet? It’s been nearly two years since we last met, hasn’t it?” Sima Xi said warmly. “You missed the Class 67 reunion last time, always keeping yourself so busy?”

“Not nearly as busy as you, Deputy Director,” Hu Xiong shot back with a roll of his eyes.

Sima Xi sighed theatrically. “Deputy Director or not, I’m just doing my small part in the fight against monsters and demons.”

“You’re the only one from the Thirty-sixth Bureau this time?” Sima Xi’s gaze fell on Li Changqing. “Judging by his age, was he specially recruited?”

“Yes,” Hu Xiong nodded without elaborating.

“Special recruits are always talented,” Sima Xi nodded, then gestured toward the short-haired girl beside him, around eighteen. “She’s one of our recent special recruits in the Seventh Bureau, Lan Qiqi—a witch.”

“A witch?”

Hu Xiong was taken aback, and Li Changqing turned curiously to look at the short-haired girl.

Lan Qiqi wore a sharp, short haircut, her face round and youthful, dressed in a red sweatshirt and black pants.

“Hello,” Lan Qiqi nodded at Li Changqing.

Beaming, Sima Xi introduced the two young men, “These two are also geniuses from our Seventh Bureau. Their spiritual power has already reached fifteen hundred.”

“Fifteen hundred?” Hu Xiong was surprised.

Spiritual power was measured by instruments designed to gauge the amount of spiritual energy within a person. For example, Hu Xiong had previously tested Li Changqing and found his spiritual energy to be around five hundred.

To reach fifteen hundred at eighteen years old was indeed impressive, though perhaps a bit exaggerated to call them geniuses.

“Oh, did you hear? The Twenty-second Bureau really hit the jackpot this time—they actually recruited a top ace, just like when your bureau got Bai Chuan back in the day. I’m so jealous.”

“What did they get?” Hu Xiong asked, intrigued by Sima Xi’s apparent insider knowledge. “Someone like Bai Chuan?”

Sima Xi, always one for dramatic flair, waved his hand dismissively. “Not quite as good as Bai Chuan, but I hear they picked up a dark sorcerer from the Lamella Empire. Who knows how the Twenty-second Bureau managed that.”

“Is it really possible to specially recruit a dark sorcerer into the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations?” Li Changqing asked. Given that witches weren’t exactly paragons of virtue, yet Lan Qiqi had been recruited, he wondered if his own identity as a zombie might also be overlooked.

Sima Xi replied offhandedly, “If someone wants to turn over a new leaf, you have to give them a chance, right?”

“It’s not like they’re an evil spirit, a zombie, or an eldritch god—now those are truly irredeemable monsters…”

The first half of the sentence sounded promising, but the second half dashed Li Changqing’s hopes.

The journey continued with Sima Xi and Hu Xiong chatting along the way.

Soon, a small European-style town appeared ahead. The town was quiet, perhaps because it was already late. The settlement wasn’t large, enough to house twenty or thirty thousand people.

“This big?” Li Changqing was surprised at the size of the town. “Does the Bureau headquarters have that many people?”

“Most of them are administrative staff,” Sima Xi explained with a smile. “Not that many combat personnel.”

The work of these administrative staff was important too—collecting and summarizing intelligence on monsters and demons, or handling the aftermath once the combat teams eliminated threats.

The vehicle slowly came to a stop in front of a hotel, a modest five-story building.

The soldier led them inside. The hotel’s decor was a bit dated, but everything was spotlessly clean and well-kept. The receptionist was a beautiful young woman of about twenty, wearing a professional smile.

Hu Xiong tossed away his cigarette and stepped up with a cheerful grin to check them in.

“Most of those here for the assessment are staying in this hotel.”

Once he had the room cards, Hu Xiong ignored Sima Xi and led Li Changqing upstairs.

Their rooms were adjacent. Li Changqing opened his door with the card and found that, though the furniture was old, the room itself was clean.

He flopped onto the bed, savoring the comfort. After a day spent sleeping in the car, his back was sore and his body ached.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Hu Xiong entered and said, “Tomorrow morning, you and the other special recruits will go through the demon detection screening.”

“I’ll take you when the time comes. Honestly, it’s just a formality, nothing important.”

Li Changqing frowned slightly but said nothing.

“Get some rest. Tomorrow afternoon, the examiners will explain the rules for the assessment.”

With that, Hu Xiong turned and left.

Lying on the bed, Li Changqing contemplated the demon detection. If they discovered he was a zombie...

If they found out, he’d be finished. Here at Bureau headquarters, there’d be no escape.

Damn it.

Never mind, he thought, sleep first—worrying won’t help.

He closed his eyes, ready to drift off, when suddenly another crisp knock sounded at the door.

Li Changqing frowned, sat up, and went to the door.

“Old Hu, are you—”

Lan Qiqi stood there expressionless.

“Miss Lan, it’s you. Is something the matter?” Li Changqing wondered to himself—late at night, and they barely knew each other. What could she possibly want with him?