Chapter 106
Chapter 106
The dormitory area was not far from headquarters. They reached it after walking for about five minutes.
It was an apartment building set aside specifically for accommodation.
Inside were various fitness and entertainment facilities as well.
Ling Fang took Xie Qingling and Shen Huaizhou up to the eighteenth floor, chose three adjoining rooms, and gave them ten minutes to get settled before calling the meeting.
Xie Qingling had only enough time to put down her suitcase, change into clean, neat clothes, and wash her face.
When she arrived at Ling Fang’s room, Shen Huaizhou was already waiting there.
He leaned against a dark gray cupboard door with his arms folded.
“Come in and close the door,” Ling Fang called.
Xie Qingling entered, closed the door, and found a place to sit.
Ling Fang got straight to the point. “Since you’ve already reinforced the headquarters members once and taken part in a battle, you should have a rough idea of the situation in the Old Royal City.”
“The Old Royal City has always had frequent supernatural incidents, but never this many in such quick succession. The Eleventh Realm has secretly triggered a large number of additional supernatural incidents, putting headquarters under considerable pressure.”
“Until these supernatural incidents stop coming so thick and fast,” Ling Fang said, “we’ll all have to remain in the Old Royal City, ready to join the fighting at any time.”
Xie Qingling thought for a moment, then asked, “Director, what is the Eleventh Realm plotting this time?”
When supernatural incidents happened frequently in Future City, and the Eleventh Realm was behind them, there was usually a plot accompanying them.
In Future City, they had tried to corrupt Hariti. What was it this time?
Xie Qingling had limited information, and there was only so much she could infer from it.
But Ling Fang shook his head. “There’s no plot. It’s simply venting their anger, simply a counterattack, and… a show of force.”
“A counterattack? A show of force?”
“Mm.” Ling Fang nodded. “About a month ago, headquarters formed a Special Task Force and launched a campaign specifically to wipe out the Eleventh Realm organization.”
“The Special Task Force has ten members. They operate away from here, eliminating the Eleventh Realm’s strongholds. Over the past month, their campaign has produced significant results. They’ve swept through a number of the Eleventh Realm’s bases in human cities and struck at many of its followers, severely disrupting their operations and activities.”
“The Eleventh Realm wants to pressure the Old Royal City into making the Special Task Force stop. Simply put, this is a contest of strategy, and a war. Whichever side gives out first loses.”
“Headquarters prepared for this campaign for many years,” Ling Fang murmured. “If it fails… there’s no knowing when headquarters will be able to launch another offensive against the Eleventh Realm.”
“If we succeed, we can uproot the Eleventh Realm completely. If we fail… if we fail, the cycle will repeat for decades more, fighting to the death.”
“The previous generation passed the baton to ours,” Ling Fang said. “Headquarters doesn’t want to pass it to the next generation again. If we can, let us end all this in our own lifetimes.”
Xie Qingling and Shen Huaizhou both fell silent.
They could feel the determination behind this campaign: a fight with no way back.
The Old Royal City appeared to be fighting on the front line, but in truth, they were the rear.
If this campaign succeeded, perhaps every city would regain its peace. There would be no more casualties, no more partings.
Many emotions mingled in Xie Qingling’s heart. At last, she nodded. “I understand, Director. I’ll defend the Old Royal City. I’ll fight to the death and never give ground!”
Ling Fang gave a laugh, then suddenly asked, “Xie Qingling, do you know what resolve means?”
“What resolve?” Xie Qingling paused, not understanding.
“When department members are assessed, they have to pass a test.” Ling Fang held up three fingers. “You need to prove your ability, your stance, and your resolve to me.”
So that was what he meant.
“You didn’t pass the assessment because you killed the Rakshasa,” Ling Fang said.
“You passed because, from beginning to end, you did everything you could to protect your friend and roommate, Dong Jia.”
“Resolve means that when you face danger, even with blades and axes upon you and your life hanging by a thread, you refuse to yield an inch. Because the people you’re shielding behind you have no power to resist that same danger. They may leave this world without even making a sound. In a sense, when faced with monsters and ghosts, they’re little different from infants.”
Xie Qingling nodded. “I understand.”
Then Ling Fang turned his gaze to Shen Huaizhou.
Shen Huaizhou nodded too. “So do I.”
Ling Fang: “…”
It felt as though Xie Qingling had taken over all Shen Huaizhou’s talking since she joined them. He had always been a man of few words. Now, all he needed was to nod or shake his head, agree or disagree with what Xie Qingling said, to express himself fully.
“In that case, I’ll start assigning your tasks.”
Ling Fang explained the general structure of headquarters. “Headquarters has four main departments: the Operations Department, the Logistics Department, the Medical Department, and the Technology R&D Department.”
“We’ve come to support the Operations Department, so we’ll join it as temporary members.”
“The Operations Department is divided into the Patrol Unit and the Operations Squads. The Patrol Unit handles routine patrols and deals with supernatural incidents caused by monsters and ghosts. Apart from supporting the Patrol Unit when needed, the Operations Squads’ main job is to confront people from the Eleventh Realm directly. Patrol Unit members work in shifts around the clock. Operations Squad members don’t have to, but of the two groups, the Operations Squads have the highest casualty rate.”
“Since we’ve only just arrived, we’ll start by patrolling the Old Royal City with the Patrol Unit,” Ling Fang said. “That’s the temporary assignment headquarters has given us. Remember, the Old Royal City has no anchors or marked points, because a supernatural incident could potentially happen anywhere.”
“Understood!”
“Understood!”
Ling Fang took out a map and spread it across the table.
He pointed to an area in the northwest corner. “This is a city map of the Old Royal City. Headquarters is here.”
“This is the East District, this is the South District, this is the West District, and this is the North District.” Ling Fang quickly pointed to each location. “Each district has ten to twenty streets. Some neighborhoods are residential, some commercial. Your assignment is to patrol the East District, but you’ll be responsible for different streets.”
“Fieldwork here is no different from Future City. You just need to be more thorough and won’t need to range over a wide area. The Patrol Unit members will recognize your badges. When necessary, you can work with them to handle supernatural incidents.”
“Underst… Director,” Xie Qingling asked, “Shen Huaizhou and I won’t be together?”
Shen Huaizhou looked at him questioningly too.
Ling Fang gave a soft snort. “That was my original plan. I’ve changed my mind.”
“You two play off each other perfectly. Together, you’re more than the sum of your parts. I really don’t dare put you in the same place. But the neighborhoods you’re responsible for are adjoining, so you can look out for one another if anything happens.” Ling Fang tapped his earpiece. “Remember to stay in contact at all times.”
“Understood.” Xie Qingling nodded.
Shen Huaizhou nodded too.
After explaining the assignment, Ling Fang seemed to remember something and added, “If Tang Yuanxiao comes looking for you, ignore him, whatever he says. Treat him as though he isn’t there.”
This was the second time Ling Fang had mentioned Tang Yuanxiao and implied that he might harm them.
If someone merely had a bad temper and was unpopular, Ling Fang probably would not be so wary.
Proud though he was, he had that much generosity of spirit.
It sounded as though there had been some history between them.
“Director, do you have a grudge with Tang Yuanxiao?” Xie Qingling asked. “Who is he, exactly?”
Fortunately, when Tang Yuanxiao asked about their Director, Xie Qingling had been quick enough not to answer.
If she had answered, and Tang Yuanxiao really did have past friction or grievances with Ling Fang, wouldn’t he have seen red at meeting an enemy’s people?
They themselves had no grudge with Tang Yuanxiao, and their Director was broad-minded. But that would not stop Tang Yuanxiao from being petty.
“Just someone to be pitied.” After considering carefully, Ling Fang offered only that.
Clearly unwilling to say more, he merely told Xie Qingling, “You needn’t bother with him.”
Xie Qingling knew when to stop. Hearing this, she dropped the subject and asked no further questions.
By then, the department meeting was more or less over.
With nothing else to add, Ling Fang dismissed them.
But as Xie Qingling stood to leave, Ling Fang stopped her again. “Xie Qingling, stay.”
Hm?
Xie Qingling turned back and sat down again.
Ling Fang looked at her, seeming to consider how to begin.
“Is there something else you need to tell me, Director?” Xie Qingling asked.
“It’s not about work.” Ling Fang pointed at the communicator on her wrist. “Take off your bracelet.”
Xie Qingling removed the bracelet with the two snakes coiling around each other’s tails and handed it to Ling Fang.
Ling Fang pressed the red power button, and a projected screen appeared in the air.
Among the menus, he found “Other” and opened it.
A box appeared, prompting him to enter a password.
Ling Fang entered the password in front of Xie Qingling.
Soon, a dialog box appeared on the screen: Congratulations! You have unlocked the internal rankings.
A rankings icon had now appeared on the communicator’s main page.
This was…
Xie Qingling paused and looked at Ling Fang.
“These are the internal Rookie Ranking and Points Ranking,” Ling Fang said. “I’d planned to unlock them for you a little later. But since we’re already here… you’d find out sooner or later.”
She already knew.
She just had not known where to view them.
She had never expected that what she might search high and low for would fall into her lap without any effort.
The rankings had been in the communicator all along. She simply had not known.
“The points you earn on each mission are recorded by your communicator. All your achievements are in there. After you’ve looked through them, decide for yourself whether you want to stay at headquarters or return to Future City with me.” Having said this, Ling Fang added nothing more.
Xie Qingling nodded, then opened the rankings.
She opened the Rookie Ranking first.
Her eyes immediately found the top spot.
Just as Li Tiantian had said, her name stood at the very top.
Third place had 5,300 points. Second place had 5,500.
Xie Qingling had 13,000.