Chapter 13: Bureau of Paranormal Investigation

In front of a nine-story building in the suburbs of the capital, I stood staring at the bronze plaque bearing nine characters—Bureau of Paranormal Investigation. If it weren't for the address on my employment application, I don't think I could've found this so-called bureau.

What kind of place was this? This was the capital, after all—even outside the Fifth Ring Road, land was still extremely valuable. Yet here was a vast empty lot with just this one solitary building on it. I stopped a middle-aged lady downstairs to ask for directions, and she looked directly at the sign before telling me, "Bureau of what? Never heard of it."

To go in or not to go in—that was the question. As I stood there tangled in hesitation, a familiar-sounding voice rang out behind me:"Hey bro, do you know where the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation is?"

I turned around and saw a round, chubby face grinning at me.

"Holy crap, it's you!" The fat guy looked slightly surprised to see me.

I rolled my eyes. "Can you clean up your language a bit? What's with the 'holy crap'? Can you drop the filler words when you speak?" I pointed to the plaque in front of the building.

He chuckled sheepishly. "Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. So, what a coincidence—you're reporting in too?"

I blinked. "What do you mean I'm also reporting in? You have something to do with this place too? I thought you were still with the Narcotics Division."

His face twisted in frustration. "Don't bring it up. Damn it, I got reassigned here."

As it turns out, just like me, Fatty had been promoted after we returned to the Narcotics Division—he got a department head title. But before he even had time to warm up the seat, on practically the same day I was discharged, he received his transfer order: report to the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation.

It wasn't quite a case of meeting an old friend in a foreign land, but at least he was a somewhat familiar face. Still, there was one issue bothering me—I asked Fatty if he knew anything about the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation, but sadly, he was just as clueless as I was.

"We've already come this far, so what's there to be afraid of?" Fatty said nonchalantly. "We made it out of Dead Man's Pool together. You think I'm worried about some random bureau?"

With that, he grabbed my arm and dragged me through the front doors.

The inside looked just like any regular government office building. The odd thing was, even though it was just past ten in the morning, the place was nearly empty. Fatty and I wandered around the first floor, then headed up to the second. It wasn't until we got to the elevator that we finally ran into someone.

The man was tall and thin, looked to be in his mid-to-late thirties. When he heard we were here to report in, he gave us a once-over, top to bottom, with a vague smile playing on his lips—hard to read."Here to report? Go to the sixth floor. Director Gao's office."

We were being told to report directly to the bureau director instead of HR? I thought I hadn't explained myself clearly and repeated it. The tall man's expression turned impatient."I mean, seriously, how many times do I have to say it? Sixth floor. Director's office!"

And with that, he turned and walked into the elevator without looking back.

"Would it kill him to be a little more polite?" Fatty muttered at the closed elevator doors.

I patted his shoulder. "Let it go. No point arguing with an elevator."

As soon as we got off on the sixth floor, we saw the door to the Director's office. The tall guy from earlier was standing right outside.He couldn't be Director Gao, could he? I had my doubts. Fatty, being the outspoken one, strode forward and extended his hand.

"You must be Director Gao? I'm—"

The man smirked. "Do I look like I weigh over two hundred pounds? Go on in. Director Gao is expecting you."

Before Fatty could retort, a voice came from inside the office."Are they here? Hao Wenming, bring them in."（Note: The surname in the name Hao Wenming sounds the same as "Good" in Chinese, while "Wenming" means polite. Combined, this name is easily misunderstood as "very polite" in Chinese.）

The tall guy answered, then gestured for us to enter."Go on in. The Director's waiting."

This was the first time in my life I'd ever been inside a bureau director's office. Honestly, though, it wasn't anything to write home about—just a bit larger, more nicely decorated, higher-end furniture, and brighter lighting.

This office consisted of an outer and inner room. The outer part was a lounge, while the inner part was the actual office of the Bureau Chief. Fatty and I followed the tall skinny man into the inner room. Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man who was even fatter than Fatty, smiling warmly at us.

I had seen this man before! A little over a month ago, he was the one who arrived with a sheet of paper and took over the Dead Man's Pool from the squad leader. That same smile—he only said a few words, and the squad leader handed over the site without resistance.

Wait a minute! It suddenly clicked. I saw him just a month ago, and then I was "discharged" from the army. At the discharge office, there just so happened to be a civil servant position waiting for me at the capital's Bureau. On my very first day reporting in, I ran into the two chubby guys from Dead Man's Pool. What are the odds? Can anyone really believe this wasn't all arranged?

Unlike me, Fatty tilted his head, eyeing the man behind the desk with suspicion. He looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. No surprise there—when the middle-aged man appeared at Dead Man's Pool, Fatty was lying on the ground, choking on water. Naturally, he didn't remember him as clearly as I did.

The tall skinny man who led us in finally spoke: "Director Gao, they're here to report in. Honestly, it's about time they were assigned to our Division One, right?"

Director Gao glanced at him and replied, "Is that your decision to make? You brought them here and didn't even bother to introduce them?"

The tall man chuckled awkwardly, gestured toward the man behind the desk and said, "This is Director Gao Liang, head of the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation. We don't have deputy directors or party secretaries—Director Gao has the final say in this domain."

Then he waved at Fatty and me. "You two can introduce yourselves."

"Heh, no need." Director Gao smiled and said, "We've met before, a little over a month ago, right?"

"Ohhh," Fatty finally remembered. "That's right—you were at Dead Man's Pool."

Director Gao smiled at both of us. "No need to bring up the past. From now on, we're all one family. Come on, sit down. Want a smoke?" He pulled an unopened pack of cigarettes from the drawer and handed it to me.

What brand was this? Red packaging with no words or logo, just a triangular seal on the lid. I tore it open and pulled one out. Huh? The filter was unusually long—almost as long as the cigarette itself. Finally, I saw the brand: two characters—熊猫 (Panda). The legendary national treasure.

"Split that in half," Fatty leaned in. I handed him the cigarette. "Here, go easy with it." Then I pocketed the rest.

Director Gao chuckled and tossed another pack to Fatty before getting to the point. "Alright, let's skip the small talk. I've reviewed your files. Both of you performed exceptionally well at your previous post, and I believe you'll have even better prospects here at the Bureau. The Bureau has already made a decision—Shen La and Sun Desheng, you're both assigned to Division One." He pointed to the tall man. "This is your Division Chief, Hao Wenming. Now, sign your employment contracts and Chief Hao will take it from here."

Wait—what? That's it? I squinted and glanced at Fatty. He was already looking at me, not subtly at all. No help coming from that side. I'd have to rely on myself.

I cleared my throat, smiled at Director Gao, and said, "Director Gao, since you said we're now a family, maybe you could tell your 'family' what's really going on inside the Water Curtain Cave at Dead Man's Pool?"

Fatty chimed in, "Yeah, we're all one family now—no need to keep secrets, right?"

"Of course," Director Gao said with a smile that somehow made me uneasy. "But I wonder what your definition of 'family' is."

Hao Wenming pulled two wrinkled sheets of paper from his pocket and laid them in front of us. "What Director Gao means is—only after you sign this employment contract are you truly part of the family."

The timing of their lines was perfect—clearly rehearsed. As I stared at those papers, I couldn't help but think, Have these two done pyramid schemes before? How many poor souls have they roped in like this?

Fatty scanned the contract and immediately spotted something wrong. "The hell? You've gotta be kidding me—this thing's valid for ninety-nine years?" He stared at me in disbelief.

Why're you looking at me? I gave him a sharp look and turned back to Gao and Hao, smiling bitterly. "Director Gao, Chief Hao, the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation really is like family—living and working together for ninety-nine years? That's lifelong employment! The only problem is, we're not sure we'll live that long."

"Haha, Shen, you've got a sense of humor. But what's a ninety-nine-year contract? It's a lifetime guarantee—who wouldn't want that these days?" Director Gao said with a grin. "I heard you two saw and heard some strange things at the Tiyan Altar. How are you holding up?"

Before I could answer, Fatty's face turned pale. "How'd you know? At first, I thought I was just seeing and hearing things, but after I came back, weird stuff kept happening. I don't even go out after dark anymore. Last week was the Ghost Festival—I didn't dare open a single window."

"Aren't you exaggerating a bit?" I said, looking at his dramatic expression.

But Director Gao turned his gaze on me. "How could Sun Desheng compare to you? You were born with the Heavenly Eye—you're already used to it. He's only recently started reacting to these things."

I was dumbstruck. How the hell did he know about my Heavenly Eye? I never told anyone!

Director Gao seemed very pleased with our reactions. He smiled and said, "Now that you're part of the Bureau, we are your family. Whether it's something you were born with, or something new and troubling, we'll help you deal with it."

I hesitated, while Fatty, after a brief pause, signed his name. Director Gao nodded, then looked at me. "Shen, do you have any questions?"

I scratched my head and said, "To be honest, Director Gao, please don't laugh. I went straight from school into the army—I don't know much about government agencies. Could you explain the functions of the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation?"

"Haha, Shen, you're an interesting one." Gao Liang chuckled. "Our work is hard to explain to outsiders, but since both of you have the Heavenly Eye, you've already touched the scope of our work." His smile faded slightly, and his expression grew serious. "To put it simply, the Bureau handles things that science can't explain—like what happened at Dead Man's Pool. When we met in Yunnan, you must've had some idea, right, Shen?"

"Honestly, I only figured it out when I saw you here today." I gave a dry laugh. This was a place of ghosts and chaos—not meant for ordinary people. I said, "Director Gao, I don't think I'm really cut out for this line of work. Sorry to waste your time."

Gao Liang's reaction surprised me. He simply smiled and said, "No worries—job hunting is a two-way street. I wish you the best, Shen." Then he stood up and shook my hand.

Just as I was about to walk out, Director Gao casually stopped me. "Shen, wait. There's one more thing I should tell you."

"Hmm?" I was halfway up, bent awkwardly.

"I heard you were born with the Heavenly Eye, and it caused some trouble when you were a kid. Someone suggested you wash your head with black dog blood to seal it—right?"

"Please, go on. Don't hold back." So they'd done a full background check on me? Dug that deep? Gao smiled at my stunned face and continued, "But that advice came from an amateur. The Heavenly Eye is sacred. Black dog blood is used to ward off evil—it's filthy by nature. Using it to cover something spiritual…"

Gao Liang shook his head and sighed. "At most, it might cloud the Heavenly Eye temporarily. But over time, it'll resurface.

"Each time it opens again, it acts like a magnet for wandering spirits. If you're unlucky, you might get possessed by a water ghost or worse. And the power of your Heavenly Eye will only grow stronger. Places like hospitals or cemeteries will be off-limits to you. And on ghost festivals or Qingming, you'd better stay inside, windows shut—don't go peeking outside or you might scare yourself." He paused. "You don't look so good. Never mind—I've said too much. Go home and rest."

He even knew about that time I nearly drowned as a child... Lately, the things I've seen are getting weirder. I had even planned to go to the market after this and buy a black dog...

Director Gao was still smiling, while Hao Wenming stepped forward to retrieve the unsigned contract. I didn't hesitate anymore. I snatched up the pen and signed two bold characters—沈辣 (Shen La).

"Director Gao, I've made up my mind. If not me, then who? Who else should join the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation?" I handed the signed contract to him with both hands.

"Sure you don't want to think about it a bit more? No pressure," he said, amusement in his eyes.

"Heh," I chuckled dryly. "No more thinking. I'm one of you now. Since we're family—can you help us with our little… problems?"

"Solving problems is simple." Gao Liang stubbed out his cigarette. "There's an old saying—'Ghosts fear the wicked.' Most people who see ghosts are elderly, children, or women. Their yang energy is weak and easily corrupted by evil."

"What counts as strong yang energy? Does being a virgin qualify?" Fatty asked, wide-eyed and serious.

"Oh? Didn't expect that. Still pure, are you?" Gao gave him a teasing grin. Even Hao Wenming, normally cold-faced, cracked a smirk.

Fatty blushed. "I was asking for someone else! I'm not—"

"Got it, got it," Director Gao laughed even harder.

"Director Gao, do you have paper and pen? I want to take notes," I asked, changing the subject to save Fatty some face.

"No need to write it down. You'll learn as you go." He continued, "Virginity isn't a sign of strong yang energy. Yang strength depends on your fortune at the time. There's a concept of three lows and six highs in one's fate. When your luck peaks, your yang is at its strongest—nothing can touch you.

"Women are naturally yin, so they're excluded. Children under sixteen can't reach six-high fate. The elderly are already on the decline. As for adult men, not all are strong in yang either—anger, blood loss, cursing, lust, alcohol, even a cold—all can weaken your energy. Some men are naturally weaker than women."

Fatty looked defeated. "So barely anyone qualifies?"

"Will you let me finish?" Gao gave him a look and went on, "That's just innate traits. There are ways to compensate. Taoist and Buddhist practices, for instance, cultivate pure yang. And there are specialized tools and talismans to dispel evil."

Something didn't sound right. "Director Gao, are you saying we have to become monks now? I can't speak for Lao Sun, but I'm the eldest grandson of my family—this is something I'd have to discuss at home."

"You two have one problem—you don't let me finish." Gao Liang sighed. "Forget it. I won't go into detail. Just know this—the Bureau has its own ways of dealing with these things. Hao Wenming, take them from here."