Chapter 10
Chapter 10
“Qingyan has other matters to attend to and has temporarily left the Anomaly Suppression Bureau. Whatever you need, Team Leader Zhao, I will cooperate fully.”
Inside the office, Xu Changjiang drew a deep breath before answering.
Everyone at the bureau had been bitterly disappointed by what Zhao Xueru had done all those years ago.
But no matter how they felt, she represented the Provincial Anomaly Suppression Department now.
Zhao Xueru refused to let the matter drop. “Oh? She has other matters to attend to? I’m curious what could possibly be more important than investigating an S-class anomaly like Rain.”
“Or does she simply not want to see me?”
Xu Changjiang frowned.
He knew all about the history between Zhao Xueru and Leng Qingyan.
Leng Qingyan had always made the greatest contributions of anyone in the Mingjiang City Anomaly Suppression Bureau, and her anomalous entity possessed a degree of growth potential.
The place at the Provincial Anomaly Suppression Department should originally have gone to Leng Qingyan.
But perhaps Zhao Xueru had been unwilling to accept that, or jealous, or driven by something else. Whatever the reason, she contained the anomalous entity left by the Undying Yin Locust Tree, seized the opportunity, and moved on to a higher platform.
Xu Changjiang hadn’t expected that after so many years-even after Leng Qingyan herself had let go-Zhao Xueru still seemed unable to move on.
“Forget it.”
Zhao Xueru stopped pressing and smiled instead.
“Director Xu, please hand over every recent operation file from the Anomaly Suppression Bureau to my people.”
Xu Changjiang looked puzzled. “Every operation file?”
Under the normal procedure, they only needed to provide every clue related to Rain and prepare a consolidated report.
Someone would ordinarily request all of the bureau’s operation files only if there were reason to suspect internal problems requiring an audit.
“Yes. Don’t overthink it, Director Xu. I don’t mean anything by it. Anomalies are often connected to one another, so clues related to Rain might be hidden in the records of an entirely different operation. I simply want to conduct a thorough investigation.”
Zhao Xueru’s tone was indifferent. “It’s all for the sake of the job. That won’t be a problem, will it?”
Xu Changjiang felt stifled, but could only agree.
“Erhe, retrieve every file.”
The people Zhao Xueru had brought immediately began combing through the records, while she drank coffee in the reception lounge.
Through the lounge’s floor-to-ceiling windows, the view of Mingjiang City unfolded like a beautiful painting. Zhao Xueru smiled faintly.
Not long afterward, a man approached from behind and spoke in a low voice.
“Team Leader, we found something.”
“A few days ago, traces of Rain appeared again. The Damp Drizzle nearly began, but ultimately never descended.”
“The fluctuations from the S-class anomaly stirred the Stray Cat into action. Leng Qingyan led the team sent to deal with it.”
“When the Anomaly Suppression Bureau lost contact with Leng Qingyan and the others, Xu Changjiang personally led reinforcements to the scene.”
“But the subsequent events aren’t documented anywhere in the files.”
Zhao Xueru’s gaze darkened. She set down her coffee.
“How does Xu Changjiang explain it?”
The man said, “Xu Changjiang claims they worked together to kill the Stray Cat. Its corpse is indeed in the storage facility, but it left no anomalous entity behind.”
Zhao Xueru sneered. “An obvious cover-up.”
“They may have been able to destroy the Stray Cat, but could they possibly have defeated the Cat-Faced Crone? He wants to conceal the truth about her destruction. It seems this Anomaly Suppression Bureau really is hiding some dirty secrets.”
“What about Leng Qingyan? Where did she go? Have you found out?”
“Two days ago, she went to Mingjiang No. 7 Special School. It appears she became the school’s dean of discipline.”
“I asked Xu Changjiang about that too. He said Leng Qingyan had grown tired of the work and voluntarily requested a transfer. That isn’t unusual within the Anomaly Suppression Bureau system.”
After dealing with anomalies for long enough, many people developed fear, exhaustion, or both. Every year, some officers under overwhelming psychological pressure requested transfers to quieter government departments where they could see out their careers.
Normally, such requests were approved.
“Something’s wrong!”
Zhao Xueru’s brows snapped together. She knew Leng Qingyan far too well.
Leng Qingyan had never been someone who gave up easily. She had spent her entire life fighting anomalies. How could she suddenly abandon everything?
“Make preparations. I’m visiting Mingjiang No. 7 Special School!”
She gave a mocking smile. “She’s my dear friend and beloved big sister, after all. Now that I’m back, I naturally ought to visit her.”
…
Inside Mingjiang No. 7 Special School…
After hanging up the phone, Principal Zhu Jiayan hurried to Leng Qingyan’s office and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Inside, Leng Qingyan carefully put away the angel doll. When she saw Zhu Jiayan enter, she asked, “What is it, Principal Zhu?”
“Dean Leng, someone from the provincial authorities is coming to inspect our school. They said they want to see you!”
“They’ll arrive in ten minutes, so… I’ll have to trouble you to come welcome them with me.”
Zhu Jiayan’s expression was complicated.
His school had always been completely overlooked. No official had ever cared enough to visit. Yet over the past few days, it was as if he’d kicked a hornet’s nest. First came the Education Administration Bureau, and now the provincial authorities.
Leng Qingyan immediately frowned.
Just then, her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but Xu Changjiang’s voice came through when she answered.
He explained the situation in a few terse sentences, and her frown deepened.
Zhao Xueru…
She had arrived, and she clearly wasn’t coming with friendly intentions.
Xu Changjiang must have feared that his usual phone was being monitored, which was why he’d used a new number to pass the message to Leng Qingyan.
“Dean Leng, should we invite Teacher Li to join us?” Zhu Jiayan asked cautiously.
As far as he was concerned, Li Que was probably the most influential person in the entire school now.
Leng Qingyan’s first instinct was to refuse, but then she reconsidered. The last time Xu Changjiang visited with her, the Education Administration Bureau and Zhu Jiayan had both been present. It would be far too easy for Zhao Xueru to uncover those details.
If she deliberately kept Li Que hidden now, it would only arouse Zhao Xueru’s suspicions.
If it had been anyone else, Leng Qingyan might not have worried so much. But Zhao Xueru…
She remembered how gentle and delicate Zhao Xueru had acted when she first joined the organization. Leng Qingyan had even taken special care of her, and the two had once been very close.
Then came the battle against the Undying Yin Locust Tree. Zhao Xueru had inexplicably contained the anomalous entity, and before their fallen colleagues had even been buried, she’d rushed to accept a promotion and leave.
Her character was not merely disappointing. It was frightening.
If Zhao Xueru learned the truth about Mingjiang No. 7 Special School, Li Que would be completely exposed, and all of Xu Changjiang and Leng Qingyan’s painstaking efforts would be wasted.
That meant she couldn’t keep hiding things. She had to act openly while providing a plausible explanation for her own behavior.
But what possible reason could explain why Leng Qingyan had willingly abandoned the Anomaly Suppression Bureau to work at a school like this?
She racked her brain until an idea suddenly flashed through her mind.
The thought startled her so badly that her face turned scarlet. But no matter how long she considered it, she couldn’t find another solution.
At last, she gritted her teeth and made up her mind.
“Principal Zhu, I’m going to find Teacher Li right now!”
Zhu Jiayan looked as though he’d been pardoned. “All right. I’ll wait for you at the school gate.”
…
A short while later, inside Li Que’s office…
“You want me to… pretend to be your boyfriend?”
Li Que stared at Leng Qingyan in astonishment.
…