Chapter 51: Be Good 2 (2/2)
”Okay.” Zhen Daoyuan made no further remarks concerning Li Zong's private life in the knowledge that Li Zong was not as affable as he seemed.
Han Zhuo was the first one to speak after the meeting commenced. ” He Jin has already been escorted to the Ministry of Supervision. We have also informed the patriarch of He family. He'll come here and give us an explanation.”
”Good.” Zhen Daoyuan tapped his fingers on the table as his eyes swept across the faces of members of the first action group, who were few in number. “There haven't been any signs of demon activities ever since Director General Zong Xian and some others sealed the Demon King in enchantment with their concerted efforts twenty years ago. But lately, somebody has been making trouble by using demonic Qi, which is why I believe the magic seal has loosened.”
Li Zong inclined his head. ”Old Master Zhu has started decrypting the fortune-telling result left by Zhu Ning.”
Zhang Jingqiu, leader of the second action group, observed, ”I keep having this feeling that the oracle given by the God of Divination is about something bad.”
Zhen Ni was thrown into panic. ”That magic seal was forged by Director General Zong and several top exorcists at the cost of considerable attenuation in their strength, yet it loosened after less than twenty years?”
Zhen Daoyuan kneaded his forehead, looking somewhat tired. ”A few days ago, Director Lu paid a visit to the Kunlun Mountains, where the Zu Dragon Vein (In Chinese geomancy, a dragon vein is a mountain range or similar terrain that is extremely auspicious and brings people living nearby good fortune) starts. Director Lu said that she and members of the Kunlun Mountains Special Operation Team did some scouting and found that some grave robbers accidentally fell into the magic seal and died. Their blood nurtured the demonic Qi, which took a heavy toll on the magic seal. Though they restored the seal in time, a puff of demonic Qi still managed to escape from it.”
”No wonder. I believe this puff of demonic Qi was responsible for the incidents of both the Chinese scholar tree Yōkai and the Dream Eaters.”
”Um. I'm sure that puff of demonic Qi is extremely weak. Though it can manage to maintain human form, I don't think it can walk on the street like a normal human being. It must have made contact with some Demon's Attendants, which is why there have been so many homicide cases. If things keep going this way...” Zhen Daoyuan didn't finish his sentence. There were a lot of secrets in SMB that were not suitable to be shared with many.
Zhen Daoyuan tapped at the table again. ”I now give Li Zong a free hand with the matter of He Changchun.”
After a brief pause, he added, ”Go and start making preparations. In a couple of days, leaders of the first and the second action groups are to take you to the northwest and the Hang City respectively.”
Currently, the first priority of the second action group was to deal with the disputes between Yōkai in human form living outside Shanhaiguan Pass and Yōkai living inside Shanhaiguan Pass, which was also a task of great importance. Given the circumstances, Zhen Daoyuan would never have instructed Zhang Jingqiu to put aside the work on hand and went to SMB of the Hang City if this matter was not of extreme urgency.
Something must have happened.
But Zhen Daoyuan kept his lips buttoned.
”All right. The meeting is over.”
At the same time.
A pitch-black shadow stealthily slid up the wall of the Rosefinch Lane, but it had not moved far when a faint white light was seen on the wall and forced it a couple of paces backwards.
The shadow fell and landed onto the ground, shifting constantly. A figure in human shape gradually emerged from the shadow. After a while, the shadow had turned into a man in neat suit and shiny leather shoes. He looked handsome and charming, but there was no shadow beside his feet.
The man stretched his fingers. The headquarter of SMB was heavily guarded. The whole place was shrouded in a gigantic invisible magic barrier. It was almost impossible for a demon to get inside.
The man walked to a hidden corner and sat down on the ground cross-legged.
'It seems that I have to figure out another way,' he thought.
He Jin abruptly came around from coma and opened his eyes. A groan escaped his lips due to the pains all over him, and with that it instantly struck him where he was. Memories came flooding back into his mind. He felt fear, in a distinct way, and he could also foresee what kind of miserable end he was going to come to after being disgraced.
Suddenly, a faint inner voice was heard. He Jin, who failed notice that the voice was not coming from outside, abruptly twisted his head around in panic. ”Who is it?!”
The one staking out the cell of He Jin was instantly on the alert.
”This guy woke up. Everybody stay sharp.”
It was not until this moment that He Jin came to realize that the voice was emanating from his mind. ”Wh--Who are you?!”
His voice was trembling.
In an apathetic tone of voice tinged with sinisterness, the man answered him with but a sneer.
He Jin's eyes widened with horror, but the next second, he suddenly fell to the ground and passed out.
Outside the Rosefinch Lane, the man sitting cross-legged opened his eyes and a weird smile appeared on his pale face.
'These people shall pay their price for getting Master's way.'