1:30 a.m.
“This is it, Senior Liu. They went into this building and haven’t co out.”
In front of a high-rise in the city center, Bu Bugao and Wang Hu t up with Liu Minghao and Wei Zidào.
Detailed information had already been conveyed over the phone, so the two didn’t ask more questions and simply surveyed the building, seemingly thinking.
“You did well this ti,” Liu Minghao suddenly said to Bu Bugao.
Bu Bugao imdiately perked up, his mind forming a quick equation: praise from a superior = rapid promotion.
“Senior, should we storm in now or wait for them to co out?” he asked.
“Storm in?” Liu Minghao shook his head, a bit helpless. “Do you know who owns this building?”
Curious, Bu Bugao asked, “Who?”
Liu Minghao paused briefly, then slowly said, “The owner is a descendant of the Zhong Family in the capital… a bit of a problem for us.”
“The Zhong Family in the capital?” Bu Bugao was taken aback. Having trained at the Managent Bureau headquarters, he had heard of so of the elite families in the capital.
But whether the Zhong Family or the other elite families, they shouldn’t have anything to do with the supernatural… thinking this, Bu Bugao grew confused. “Senior, don’t we have priority law enforcent rights? Even if the building’s owner is a powerful figure in the capital, shouldn’t we still be fine?”
Not only Bu Bugao, even Wei Zidào looked puzzled. Liu Minghao sighed.
“You haven’t encountered these matters yet… but eventually, you will,” Liu Minghao said as he found a place for everyone to sit. “We do have priority law enforcent rights. Senior agents can even et one level above… The ‘problem’ I ntioned isn’t about fearing the powerful, but that the Zhong Family is special.”
“How so?” Bu Bugao, impatient, asked aloud.
“One of the Four Great Families of the capital,” Liu Minghao paused, organizing his words. “After the founding of New Nation, the creation of the Managent Bureau was, in part, thanks to the Four Great Families. Each of them contributed to its establishnt.”
Wei Zidào and Bu Bugao, hearing this for the first ti, were shocked… the Four Great Families actually funded the Managent Bureau’s creation?
“History shows that at that ti, the country was in ruins, the treasury was empty, and maintaining the people’s livelihood was extrely difficult. Yet the Managent Bureau’s creation required imnse resources,” Liu Minghao explained seriously. “A significant portion ca from the Four Great Families.”
“There aren’t any mbers of the Four Great Families inside the Bureau,” Wei Zidào remarked unexpectedly.
Liu Minghao nodded. “Correct. The Bureau was created for the people, not as a weapon for any family. If the families had installed their mbers inside, taking power over ti, could we still say the organization remained pure? Inside the Bureau, humans and Demons coexist; it looks harmonious but is factionalized. You can’t comprehend the complexity. Adding the Four Families would only complicate things further.”
Wei Zidào asked, “Wouldn’t the families mind?”
“They’re not like people today. The elders of the Four Families lived through the Red Era, fought with blood and fire, sacrificed much for the nation. They didn’t even know exactly where their vast contributions went and never asked.”
“That noble…” Bu Bugao was startled.
Liu Minghao gave a faint chuckle; Bu Bugao shrank back, silent.
He continued, “For them, nothing surpasses the country’s strength. We juniors cannot comprehend how they survived near-impossible warti hardships to victory. For them, the nation and its people are their faith… If the country needs it, why not give it? They gave their pri years without caring for worldly wealth.”
Wei Zidào felt reverent; Bu Bugao felt ashad; Wang Hu remained indifferent.
“Though the Four Families contributed much, they asked nothing in return. Yet in the Bureau’s secret regulations, we are required to protect their descendants—a form of compensation to these elders.”
“Such things exist…” Wei Zidào muttered.
“You two are still low-level. As you rise, you’ll learn more. This isn’t a secret that can’t be spoken; seniors occasionally hint at it during missions. Nothing is public, but it’s known among us,” Liu Minghao explained.
Both nodded quickly.
“Over the decades, the Four Families grew powerful. So dark forces targeted them to destabilize the human world. Yet very few died unnaturally. You can now see why.”
Wei Zidào, more experienced, asked, “Brother Hao, do we have soone secretly protecting the Four Families’ descendants?”
“Yes, but not every descendant—only the true heirs. Protecting all would waste imnse resources,” Liu Minghao confird.
“I see…” Wei Zidào nodded, glancing at the building. “No wonder you’re cautious. This 24, being a wanted criminal, interacting with a Zhong Family descendant is tricky.”
Liu Minghao mused, “We must separate mundane society and the supernatural. Too much contact is forbidden, especially with powerful families controlling economic lifelines… Last year, the patriarch of the Zhong Family, who was supposedly near death, suddenly recovered. Strange. We suspect so Daoist intervention.”
“This…” Wei Zidào frowned.
Liu Minghao shook his head. “It doesn’t seem like the old master extended his life by many years. This elder has risked his life for decades, and the Zhong Family is deeply involved… Their web of interests is far too complex. If the old master were to fall now, the societal impact would be huge. A few extra years of buffer ti isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He’s already begun gradually handling the Zhong Family’s affairs. In a few years, when he truly passes, it shouldn’t cause major chaos. That’s why we’re taking a wait-and-see approach… But private research into longevity is absolutely forbidden. Behind the Mount Tai incident, so high-ranking officials had personal motives, secretly capturing Demons and using the Managent Bureau’s technology to study these forbidden projects…”
Bu Bugao asked, confused, “Senior… wouldn’t it be good if soone could research longevity?”
Liu Minghao smiled wryly. “Longevity isn’t sothing easily discovered. Look at the internal chaos in the Bureau this ti—how many were purged? You haven’t seen those secret labs, or the cruelty within… Seeing the Demon children with their bodies full of holes, I can understand why so Demons on the Heavenly Heart side at Mount Tai went insane… They were truly driven to desperation.”
Shaking his head, Liu Minghao sighed. “Longevity is a forbidden project. Even if researched, it shouldn’t be done privately. It must be studied openly, scientifically, and properly… and only the state can disclose it to the public. So may call this double standards, but the state is a whole. Without rules, there is no order. If individuals hold power greater than the state, who can ensure it’s used correctly? For instance, if the heads of the Four Families achieved longevity, wouldn’t their gradually growing influence eventually consu the nation’s lifeblood? Noble families can exist, but not forever—they naturally split, decline, and disappear from history, only for new families to rise and repeat the cycle. Only the state must remain constant—that is governance.”
He stood. “The Zhong Family descendant interacting with the supernatural has crossed a line… This is beyond our ability to handle. I’ll report this. Bu Bugao, in the coming days you and Wang Hu continue monitoring 24. Wei Zidào and I will observe the Zhong Family descendant… Any further action must await orders from above.”
“Understood!”
---
Inside the building.
Probably on B1 or B2… the elevator was going down.
24 was seated in a private room with glass walls on all sides—one of many such rooms in the massive, maze-like floor, each separated by tempered glass.
Every room’s occupants could be clearly seen, seemingly engaged in research. 24’s eyes were half-closed, still weak, but the four burly n guarding the room outside were extrely tense, constantly glancing at the strange crow perched on 24’s shoulder.
Soon, a young man arrived, hands behind his back, followed by several imposing n… Zhong Luochen approached 24’s room.
“Second Young Master, are you really going in alone? If there’s danger…” Cheng Yun stepped forward, worried. “Should we call Master Chen and the other experts?”
Zhong Luochen peered through the glass at the man inside. “Chen Er only knows so Feng Shui, and at most is skilled in martial arts. The other masters are only more skilled fighters. If the person inside is truly as formidable as you say, do you think a few of us can handle it?”
“This…”
“If he really has the ability, I should show humility and respect.”
“But… it’s still too dangerous.”
Zhong Luochen waved Cheng Yun off and commanded, “Open the door.”
Cheng Yun, resigned, instructed the others quietly—if 24 inside suddenly attacked, they must be ready to rescue him. He also admired the Second Young Master’s courage. Compared to him, the eldest son seed reckless; only the Third Miss was cunning enough. The Second Young Master, however, had little interest in the Zhong Family’s power. But he faced things now far beyond worldly influence… no wonder he dominated the youth of the Four Families.
With a calm smile, Zhong Luochen confidently approached 24 and even had the door closed, turning it into a private room.
“Sir, what do you think of my place?” Zhong Luochen asked politely.
24 briefly assessed him, coughed, and then spoke slowly, “To have a place like this in the city… it seems your ambitions are large. You’re researching supernatural power, right?”
Zhong Luochen’s eyes glead. “Mr. 24 knows about the supernatural!”
24 suddenly said, “Your soul is incomplete, part of it forcibly removed. What have you experienced?”
Zhong Luochen was shocked… only he and his grandfather knew about the mysterious deal his family made. This strange, decadent young man figured it out just from a glance?
Taking a deep breath, Zhong Luochen said, “I once extended the life of my elder, paying a price for it.”
24 yawned, eyes drooping like an exhausted person. “So… that’s when you first encountered the supernatural?”
“Yes,” Zhong Luochen admitted.
24 nodded, then said, “Alright, I understand. From now on, you serve , and I’ll do things for you. Also… can you provide a room where I’m not exposed? I don’t like being watched while sleeping.”
Zhong Luochen froze for a mont—this person agreed so directly, even before he could state conditions… He felt pleased but furrowed his brow, thinking, “What exactly does this Mr. 24 require in return?”
“Just… three als a day,” 24 said with a slight smile.
No longer weak and gloomy, he now looked like a pale, fearso ghost…
Zhong Luochen felt a shiver, realizing how small he truly was compared to these genuine supernaturals.
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