Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Ye Anran broke into violent coughs. She had choked.

Xie Qingling hurriedly handed her tissues. After several flustered moments, Ye Anran finally caught her breath.

Her eyes still brimmed with shock as she stared wide-eyed at Xie Qingling, only to find Xie Qingling looking utterly bewildered and innocent – even more at a loss than she was.

In the end, Ye Anran merely let out a long sigh. “All right. I take back what I just said.”

“Starting now, of the people I know who have received an ancestral deity’s blessing, there are no more than six.” Ye Anran made the hand sign for six.

She had actually received an ancestral deity’s blessing. As expected of the newcomer the Director had made an exception to recruit. His eye for talent really was remarkable.

Understanding instantly dawned on Xie Qingling, but she still asked, “Houtu… is she very powerful?”

Ye Anran probably knew more about Houtu than she did.

And Xie Qingling lacked precisely that information. Through the sources available to her, she couldn’t find anything at all.

Ye Anran: “…”

If Xie Qingling weren’t a newcomer, Ye Anran would have been certain she was doing this deliberately.

Then again, ordinary people had pitifully little access to information about such matters. Xie Qingling had only just entered this field, so her ignorance was understandable.

Mindful of her duty as a Senior, Ye Anran explained, “Put it this way: Empress Houtu has an extremely exalted divine rank. How exalted? You’ve heard the phrase ‘Sovereign Heaven and Empress Earth,’ right? The deity who blessed you is that very Empress Earth. But I won’t tell you any more for now. An ancestral deity like her can’t be explained in a few words.”

Xie Qingling froze.

It seemed she had latched on to an astonishingly powerful patron.

Ye Anran immediately asked, “What is your ability?”

After a moment’s thought, Xie Qingling answered honestly. “Soul Recall. It’s a divine ability that lets me control things inhabited by departed spirits.”

Ye Anran had spilled every detail about her own ability and private life at their very first meeting. In this department, there seemed little reason to hide one’s ability. Even if Xie Qingling kept quiet now, everyone would learn it eventually.

“Sounds like a control-type ability…” Ye Anran’s excitement cooled. She patted her head in frustration. “Damn. I thought we were finally getting an offensive fighter.”

Xie Qingling listened without speaking, tacitly accepting the judgment.

She had never tested it in actual combat. Truthfully, even she didn’t know exactly what her ability would look like in use.

“Forget it. We’ll talk about that later. Come with me. I’ll show you around our usual workplace first.” Ye Anran beckoned to her.

“This building has three floors, all managed by our department. First, the ground floor.” Ye Anran walked to one wall of the hall and stopped before cabinets packed with files and books. “The ground floor is where the person on duty works. Files, archives, and collected texts are all kept here.”

Ye Anran rummaged through a cabinet and pulled out a book half a finger thick.

Its pages were yellowed and looked like ancient, weathered parchment.

On the title page, Xie Qingling saw the words: Book of Observation.

“This is the book you’ll be recording with.” Ye Anran handed it to her.

Xie Qingling opened it and discovered that only about a third of the pages contained text or illustrations. All the pages behind them were blank.

“The parchment was made from cowhide soaked in cow tears for seven times seven – forty-nine – days. Combined with incantations, it became a mysterious object capable of observing strange and mythical creatures that haven’t yet been recorded in its pages. Anything you see or touch will be recorded automatically.”

Xie Qingling asked, “How do I use it?”

“You don’t. Just carry it while you work. If you encounter a supernatural creature, it will record it automatically. It has its own ‘eyes.’ Otherwise, how could it observe?” Ye Anran smiled. “A Recorder’s work generally isn’t dangerous. Interns all start here. We would never let a newcomer face something that truly kills – ”

Ye Anran’s voice abruptly stopped.

She suddenly remembered that Xie Qingling had been exempted from the assessment and recruited because she had killed a Rakshasa single-handedly.

Considering that Xie Qingling had also received Houtu’s blessing right at the start, she hardly looked like an ordinary newcomer. Ye Anran decided not to belabor the point.

“In short, observing and recording undiscovered supernatural creatures, leaving behind experience for those who come later, is also part of our work.”

Xie Qingling nodded, understanding her duties.

“All right. Next is the second floor,” Ye Anran said.

“The second floor is a little more complicated. I’ll show you the lounges first… Room 206. This one belongs to you.” Ye Anran checked the room number, then turned to Xie Qingling. “Dai Xingyu is on duty tomorrow. Remember to give him your bracelet so he can set your clearance. Then you’ll be able to use the rooms here.”

Ling Fang had given Xie Qingling the bracelet at the very beginning. Some restriction had probably been placed on the chip inside, leaving her able to use it only as a direct communicator. Apparently, it did more than that.

“Dai Xingyu is…?”

“Oh, he’s another one of your Seniors. A very cute, handsome young man.”

Xie Qingling nodded again and committed everything Ye Anran said to memory.

“The ground floor has a kitchen and a pantry. When work keeps us up all night, we usually stay here. Most of the time, though, everyone goes home. If the Director gives an order, we simply act – oh, right. I forgot to tell you. Strictly speaking, we don’t have an off-duty period.”

“No matter the time or what you’re doing, once the Director gives an order, you must immediately drop everything, answer his summons, and act according to his instructions.”
Ye Anran’s expression gradually turned serious.

…That fifty-thousand base salary for an intern really wasn’t free money.

The working hours were impressively flexible.

Fortunately, a Spirit Wielder’s constitution was far beyond an ordinary person’s. They could handle work of this intensity without trouble.

Xie Qingling’s expression gradually grew solemn, and she nodded.

“Oh, don’t be so nervous. Sometimes special circumstances come up, but Future City generally doesn’t have any major incidents for us to handle. This is ‘Future City,’ after all. There aren’t many ancient things or old powers here. Everyone in the department may be busy, but we still get time to rest. Don’t look as if you’re facing a life without sunlight.” Laughing, Ye Anran patted her hand.

She led Xie Qingling to the very end of the corridor, where a door was embedded flush with the wall.

After Ye Anran scanned her fingerprint, the door slid open with a swish, revealing a dazzling assortment of objects inside.

This room occupied most of the second floor.

One tall shelf held all manner of clay figurines in different shapes. Some had savage faces, while others looked benevolent and kind, making the eye swim.

The other shelves held an array of weapons.

Bows, knives, swords…

There were non-firearm weapons as well as firearms.

They came in a bewildering variety of types and styles.

Xie Qingling couldn’t even name some of them, much less guess what they did.

Ye Anran searched the shelves. A moment later, she pulled out a Bluetooth earpiece and handed it to Xie Qingling. “This is another internal communication device. Make sure it’s on your ear at all times.”

Xie Qingling accepted it.

Then Ye Anran took a clay idol from the shelf packed with figurines.

“This is Ksitigarbha. Take it with you.”

Xie Qingling had seen it before.

It held a monk’s staff in its left hand and a precious orb in its right. Its eyes bulged, its face full of wrath.

When they killed the Rakshasa in the University Student Activity Center, this was the idol Ling Fang had held.

Seeming to understand her confusion, Ye Anran explained without being asked, “This is a mysterious object the Director created with incantations. It can release the Ksitigarbha Killing Field of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, which is essentially a new barrier formed on top of the existing mortal realm. Inside the Ksitigarbha Killing Field, those things can’t escape. We can destroy them there without affecting anyone outside.”

“The incantation for using it is – ”

“With your eyes, see what I see?”

“Oh, very clever.”

Xie Qingling smiled and put away the figurine.

“Remember, if you encounter a ghost or monster, you must activate the Ksitigarbha Killing Field first. You can’t let them escape. Otherwise, the harm and impact they cause to people in the mortal realm will be terrifying and immense!” Whenever Ye Anran discussed official matters, her expression became very grave.

Xie Qingling nodded once more, showing that she had committed it to memory.

Compared with her fumbling confusion during her first encounter with a ghost, the relevant department had clearly developed a complete and efficient set of operating procedures.

“You may choose any one weapon for yourself,” Ye Anran said. “But don’t use it on ordinary people. That violates the rules.”

Xie Qingling nodded, walked to the weapons section, and surveyed it several times. After some thought, she chose a handgun.

Compared with the other weapons, a handgun was simpler to operate, as well as compact and easy to carry.

Even after becoming a Spirit Wielder and receiving Houtu’s blessing, Xie Qingling was still an ordinary university student at heart. She didn’t overestimate her combat instincts. Following what she knew, she chose a weapon that seemed practical and suited to her.

Ye Anran said nothing, merely warning her, “The gun is loaded. Release the safety and it’s ready to fire. But remember, the bullets are specially made, and there are only five. Ordinary bullets can’t hurt those things.”

As she spoke, she demonstrated how to use it with a crisp click.

Her clean, efficient movements made her seem like a different person in an instant.

Xie Qingling silently memorized every detail.

“As for the third floor…” Ye Anran thought. “Have Dai Xingyu take you up there tomorrow. The third floor is used for worship and has many shrines. Whoever is on duty must offer incense and pay respects every day. I’ve already finished that task today.”

That concluded the tour of the office.

For the remaining time, Ye Anran familiarized Xie Qingling with the usual paperwork procedures.

In the blink of an eye, it was after four in the afternoon.

Xie Qingling’s phone began ringing furiously. She took it out and looked at the WeChat messages flooding her screen. After some thought, she said to Ye Anran, “Anran, could I take tomorrow off to deal with something at school?”

Ye Anran froze, only then remembering that Xie Qingling was still a student. She nodded. “All right. I’ll tell the Director.”

Xie Qingling breathed a sigh of relief and left the office early.

Xie Qingling was now a member of the Special Incident Response Department.

When she left, she carried a gun, a clay idol, and a book.

Everything was packed inside her bag. From the outside, she still looked like an ordinary university student.

Hurrying all the way, Xie Qingling finally entered the campus before nightfall, stepping through the sunset’s lingering glow.

But as she passed a flower bed, Xie Qingling suddenly went rigid and stopped walking.

[A Mantis Spirit that has lain dormant for a long time blocks your path.]

[Every spirit and every creature grows upon this land and abides by the seasons of heaven: born in spring, flourishing in summer, harvested in autumn, stored in winter. The Mantis Spirit that can emerge only at Grain in Ear[^grain-in-ear] has starved for a full year. At last, its Grain in Ear has arrived.]

[^grain-in-ear]: Grain in Ear is one of the twenty-four traditional Chinese solar terms, or seasonal divisions. It falls in early summer.