With a huala sound, three people came out of the water. Chi Xiaoduo threw himself on the edge of the pond and coughed. Xiang Cheng helped him press his abdomen, and Chen Zhen looked around and took out his cellphone. The screen flickered; water had gotten into it.
They were surrounded by picturesque scenery, and the three of them were in a big park. There were voices coming from the distance, and Chen Zhen said, “Let’s go, quickly.”
Dripping wet, Chi Xiaoduo ran with them to the back of the tree. Xiang Cheng then noticed a sign.
Chengde, outside the Mountain Resort.
The three were an unholy mess: Chen Zhen's white T-shirt was wet and stuck to him, Chi Xiaoduo was blown by the wind and sneezed, and Xiang Cheng was still shirtless and wearing slippers. Si Gui was so drenched that it looked like a drowned chicken and was noticeably sagging, and the mink beside Chen Zhen couldn't help shaking its head and to get rid of the water on itself.
The bus going to and from Beijing arrived, and Chi Xiaoduo leaned against Xiang Cheng in the last row and dozed off.
"You can take him as an apprentice." Chen Zhen glanced at Xiang Cheng and said casually.
Xiang Cheng replied, "I won't consider it."
"This way, the organization won’t have to deal with him afterwards," Chen Zhen said. "Why not consider it?"
Xiang Cheng didn't answer and looked at the scenery that was speeding by outside the window.
Chen Zhen coughed a few times, covered his mouth with his hand, and there was a little blood on his fingers.
Xiang Cheng glanced at Chen Zhen. Chen Zhen waved his hand, got out a paper towel in his bag, and wiped his nosebleed.
Xiang Cheng: “Heart Lamp?”
Chen Zhen nodded and didn’t say anything.
“We’re here." Xiang Cheng moved Chi Xiaoduo. Chi Xiaoduo got off the bus with a look of complete confusion, still dozing off. Chen Zhen's car was parked at the station, and a young man rolled down the window and greeted them. Xiang Cheng stuffed Chi Xiaoduo into the car, and the two of them sat in the back seat. Chen Zhen was obviously very tired and dozed off in the front passenger seat.
"We’re here," Xiang Cheng said. "Are you going to sleep in the car?"
Chen Zhen said, "He has to leave, otherwise I won’t be able to explain it."
Chi Xiaoduo: "What?"
Chi Xiaoduo had slept until his mind was a complete mess. He got out of the car with Xiang Cheng and Chen Zhen, and Chen Zhen took them to the back door of a building in Lingjing Hutong, inside of which was a fast-food restaurant. Chi Xiaoduo was completely clueless and thought they were going to have breakfast. However, Chen Zhen turned left then right with him, greeting the waiter who had arrived early. He took out a key to unlock the door of the office and pushed open the bookcase after entering. This made a secret door appear, and they walked down the stairs beyond the secret door, arriving in a basement.
Chi Xiaoduo had already fully awake by now. A light was on in the basement, and there was a piano beside the wall.
Chen Zhen went over to sit in front of the piano while Xiang Cheng and Chi Xiaoduo stood in the middle of the basement.
Chen Zhen opened the dusty piano cover and pressed the first key with a dang. The sound of the piano was clear and melodious, followed immediately after by a series of notes. The music grew faster and faster, and with the music like floating clouds and flowing water, the surrounding walls began to transform. They rapidly disassembled, dispersed, stepped back, and reorganized all the way until Chen Zhen’s music came to a rest. The surrounding area had transformed into another strange office!
The windows were bright and clean, there was a dark red carpet, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows was a panoramic view of Beijing.
Chen Zhen got up and opened the door. There was an empty office building hall outside.
Chi Xiaoduo walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and the scenery outside was a noisy and bustling street. Ginkgo trees were growing luxuriantly under the sun, exuding its vigorous vitality. Bicycles rang on both sides of the street, and pedestrians shuttled back and forth.
He was on the twelfth floor, and buildings rose from the ground, glittering under the light. In the distance, there was a street view of Beijing; however, there was a hazy light over the street view.
Chen Zhen led them out of the piano room.
"Fill out this form." Chen Zhen rubbed his face with both hands and said wearily, "After filling it out, hand in the form at the lobby office on the first floor."
Chen Zhen gave three forms to Xiang Cheng and asked, "Do you have your ID with you?"
"No," Xiang Cheng said.
"I have it with me." Chi Xiaoduo had taken his ID when he called the police yesterday.
Chen Zhen said, "I’m going to get my phone repaired. After you turn in the form, come to the seventh floor to find me."
Chi Xiaoduo's world outlook could no longer support what had happened in just the past twelve hours. Xiang Cheng carefully filled out the forms, while Chi Xiaoduo watched on from the side. The title of the form was "Exorcist Personal Registration Form", and had boxes for name, gender, birth place, and parents.
Xiang Cheng hesitated for a moment and filled in "Xiang Jianhua" in the space for “Father” and drew a horizontal line in the space for “Mother.” For political views, he filled in “the masses”.
For the “social contacts” box, Xiang Cheng thought for a bit, then filled in Chi Xiaoduo's name and left his telephone number. Under "family faction," he filled in “Acalantha.”
Chi Xiaoduo: ".....”
In Chi Xiaoduo's eyes, Xiang Cheng suddenly became high and noble; his curiosity was already about to explode, but he didn't dare ask. Xiang Cheng glanced at him with a smile in his eyes. Knowing that he wanted to ask about this, he said, "Acalanatha is my father’s faction of kungfu and magic."
"Does every exorcist have their own faction?" Chi Xiaoduo asked.
Xiang Cheng shook his head and said, "Only a few. That lamp of Chen Zhen’s, did you see it?"
Chi Xiaoduo nodded.
"That lamp is a treasure left by Dipankara." Xiang Cheng explained, "It's his family’s inherited magical weapon. It specializes in breaking through heart devils and illusions. It’s called the Heart Lamp, it's like my Demon Subduing Staff."
"So awesome." Chi Xiaoduo looked at Xiang Cheng admiringly.
Xiang Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Exorcists have many old and well-known families, and hereditary factions are very powerful."
In his personal details, Xiang Cheng carefully filled in the names of several yaoguai, including "Xiangliu," "Fox Immortal," and "Qiongqi." Finally, he thought about it and added "Chiwen" at the bottom, along with what had happened with the yaoguai elimination in Guangzhou. He didn't explain this to Chi Xiaoduo and took him out of the office building to find the elevator.
There weren’t many people in the elevator going down. Inside stood a girl, decked out head to toe in brand name clothing and holding an Hermes bag in her hand. She took out a makeup mirror and looked at herself in it. Xiang Cheng and Chi Xiaoduo pressed the button for the first floor, and Chi Xiaoduo yawned. Xiang Cheng asked, "Sleepy?"
"Hungry," Chi Xiaoduo said.
"I’ll finish this up as soon as possible and take you to eat something." Xiang Cheng replied.
The girl looked at them in the mirror and sized up the muddy water on them. The mud had already dried, and Xiang Cheng's naked skin was covered in silt from the bottom of Ruyi Lake.
There was a ding when they reached the seventh floor. The girl left, and the elevator continued to go down.
The hall on the ground floor was an office with three layers. There were migrant workers from the countryside, white-collar workers with briefcases, the Northeast dialect, Henan dialect, Guizhou dialect, and Beijing dialect, all noisily babbling away like a pot of boiling water.
Xiang Cheng took the form with him to go get a number and asked where to hand in the form, while Chi Xiaoduo looked out curiously. There was a fountain outside, and there were even several luxury cars parked around the fountain.
"Almost done!" Xiang Cheng said.
Chi Xiaoduo turned his head and said, "Don't worry!"
The clerk stamped Xiang Cheng’s form, glanced at him, copied his ID card, and said, "Sign here. You need to pay a fine first for major negligence at the Guangzhou Keyun Road subway station, a fine of 3000 yuan and ten ancient coins."
Xiang Cheng: “.....”
"You guys even have records of that," Xiang Cheng said sadly.
"The whole country has been connected through the Internet for a long time now,” the clerk replied.
Xiang Cheng had to take the ticket to pay the fine, and Chi Xiaoduo helped swipe his credit card for him.
When he came back, Xiang Cheng signed several forms, and the clerk said, "Pay by card at Window Six, and take photos at Window Seventeen."
Chi Xiaoduo went to help Xiang Cheng swipe again, and the receipt had "processing fee for handling certificate." Xiang Cheng walked back and forth in front of the window, took the photo, and brought back the receipt. The clerk looked at it again and said, "The computer shows that your qualification certificate has been revoked, so I can't process this for you."
Xiang Cheng replied, "Director Chen Zhen asked me to fill in the form and handle the certificate. I don't know anything else."
"That’s still not okay," said the clerk, "This can't be processed."
Xiang Cheng: "Is the money refundable?"
Clerk: "The receipt has already been issued, and the money can't be refunded. Come back after you get the certificate ba."
Xiang Cheng: "......”
Chi Xiaoduo asked, "Why don't you call Chen Zhen?"
At this time, the clerk's phone rang. The person answered it, glanced at Xiang Cheng, and said, "Wait at the side for a minute, next."
The two of them got out of the way and let the person behind them go first. It was an old man, leaning on a shabby cane, wearing a dark green shirt and shorts, coming in to get his subsidy.
There was the clacking of high heels, and the girl that they just saw in the elevator clacked over, bringing over a certificate with an official seal on it, and said, "Where is Xiang Cheng?"
Chi Xiaoduo waved at her, and the girl threw the certificate over. The clerk took it, clipped the certificate with a paper clip to Xiang Cheng's form and receipt, clicked print, and printed out a certification. Xiang Cheng was relieved and said, "Thank you."
Temporary Beijing Area (Hebei District) Exorcist Qualification Certificate.
On it was the printed photo of Xiang Cheng. Xiang Cheng carefully folded his qualification certificate, put it away, and entered the elevator with Chi Xiaoduo.
The ascending elevator was full of people. Without saying a word, everyone automatically gave Xiang Cheng a little space to avoid rubbing against his clothes. Everyone was looking at them.
Chi Xiaoduo asked, "Does everyone who comes to Beijing have to apply for this certificate?"
Xiang Cheng nodded and replied, "It's more convenient to do things with it."
Chi Xiaoduo turned to look at the people around them; there were men and women, all staring at Xiang Cheng.
Xiang Cheng seemed to be in a bad mood, and Chi Xiaoduo took his hand and swung it back and forth.
The elevator reached the seventh floor, and Xiang Cheng knocked on Chen Zhen's office. Chen Zhen was talking to the pale, pretty, and rich girl who had previously given them the certificate. A McDonald's breakfast had been placed on the coffee table in the office.
"Eat some breakfast first," Chen Zhen said to them.
Xiang Cheng didn’t try to be polite and sat down with Chi Xiaoduo, wolfing down the food. Chi Xiaoduo was half dead from hunger and ate two hamburgers. Xiang Cheng ate three Big Macs and a box of chicken nuggets. With french fries in their hands, they listened to the girl.
The girl said unhappily, "...anyway, I won't agree. We’re already in the fourth quarter, and with this many schools, I can’t finish just by running around by myself all the time. Now you’ve arranged dead weight for me, Director Chen, didn't I say..."
Chen Zhen said patiently, "Keda-xiong won't hold you back, Wanyuan. The organization is afraid that you are in danger on your own."
The girl named Wanyuan said, "First, I'm too busy. Second, I don’t need the organization to arrange me a marriage."
"There is no arranged marriage," Chen Zhen said. "The leaders don’t mean that, what are you thinking ne? Then tell me, if you don’t need an assistant, can this case be completed in a few months?"
"It can’t be completed." Wanyuan took a long breath, raised her wrist, and flipped her hand around over and over, examining her nails.
Chen Zhen was silent for a moment, took a stack of documents, and looked at Chi Xiaoduo and Xiang Cheng.
Chi Xiaoduo burped.
"Xiaoduo, fill out this form." Chen Zhen said, "Prepare a copy."
Wanyuan glanced at them and said nothing.
Chi Xiaoduo went to get the form. This one was different from Xiang Cheng's, and it was nothing more than explaining what he was doing in Beijing and what his job was. Wanyuan and Chen Zhen didn't say a word through the whole process. Wanyuan studied her nails, and Chen Zhen flipped through papers.
"That’s that ba," Chen Zhen said, "I still have something else to do. You should seriously consider it and come back tomorrow."
"Director Chen," Wanyuan said, "you should also consider my difficulties. A group of people heard that I’m not married, and they are all terribly enthusiastic. All sorts of relatives came at me, absolutely dead-set on to introducing me to someone until it’s all set. They shoved all kinds of people at me, those divorced with children, those guarding the library in their forties..."
Chi Xiaoduo was very sympathetic and said, "That’s really not okay."
"Right," Wanyuan said, "Little brother, you understand."
"I also don’t want any nuisances," Chen Zhen said. "How is it any of my business whether you have a boyfriend or not? Right, it’s not like I can be your boyfriend. The key is that the leaders are too enthusiastic. Although I don't know why the leaders are so enthusiastic, at least the assistants they sent you have some experience in this field, and at the very least, they won't make trouble for you."
Wanyuan said, "We can’t just talk about my job, I also have to consider my future life."
Chen Zhen added, "In short, consider this first ba; people can't just look at the surface. The project you registered yourself for has changed now, no one else wants to do it, the case has been listed as a priority now."
Wanyuan said, "I still have to study for the exam, okay? I don't have that much time."
Chen Zhen ignored her, waved to Chi Xiaoduo and Xiang Cheng, and said, "Come with me. Xiang Cheng, put on my coat first." As he said that, he took out a sports coat out from the cabinet so that Xiang Cheng would not be shirtless.
Chen Zhen opened the door of another office, and inside was a long table. There sat a middle-aged man in a suit and an old woman who was about sixty, wearing a dark blue suit, a short skirt, and high heels. She was well made-up, and wearing a golden pearl necklace.
"This is Xiang Cheng," Chen Zhen said, "Chi Xiaoduo is his friend. Let's explain the matter briefly ba, these two are Minister Wang and Director Lin."
Xiang Cheng nodded. Chi Xiaoduo didn't dare to speak, so he just stood beside him, feeling like he was on trial.
"At ten o'clock p.m the day before yesterday, I was outside Huilongguan, tracking an unknown yaoguai and looking for some things."
"Was it a yao or a devil?" the old woman looked at Xiang Cheng and asked, "What were you looking for?"
Although it was a question, the old woman did not show the slightest sense of interrogating them, but was very kind.
Chi Xiaoduo noticed her eyes. The pupil in her left eye was silvery and the pupil in her right eye was golden; she was like a cat with Yin Yang eyes, and he felt a bit afraid.
Chen Zhen said, "Director Lin, look at the form, it has his resume and information"
"I know," the female director surnamed Lin said, "He is a descendant of the Xiang family from Fengdu and Xiang Jianhua’s son."
At this time, the door opened again, and a tall man in a black suit came in. Chen Zhen nodded at him and said, "Keda-xiong."
"I came late," the tall man said gruffly as he nodded towards the people, and sat down.
"This is the deputy director of the field-work department, Gegentorura Keda," Chen Zhen said to Xiang Cheng and Chi Xiaoduo.
Keda didn't speak after he came in and sat quietly, looking through the two people’s information.
"A family heirloom," Xiang Cheng replied.
"What?" the middle-aged minister asked, "You didn’t put that on record."
"It’s a magical weapon," Xiang Cheng said, "My father's."
"Chi Xiaoduo," Director Lin said, "you and Chen Zhen found Xiang Cheng's whereabouts together. Why did you take him with you?"
Director Lin turned her head slightly and asked Chen Zhen.
"I was afraid that he was involved in this incident," Chen Zhen said. "We met a night-wandering god at Caishikou’s entrance, and he told Chi Xiaoduo where Xiang Cheng was."
"Why did the night-wandering god talk to him alone?" the middle-aged minister asked.
Chi Xiaoduo remembered that Xiang Cheng and Chen Zhen had both told him not to mention his abilities to see strange things to others, so he didn’t say a word.
"That's a devil," Xiang Cheng said. "No, two devils."
Chen Zhen said, "The night-wandering god at Caishikou controlled an approximately 10 meter tall phantom in a similar way to Tuina to absorb the aura between heaven and earth."
"It's not a phantom," Xiang Cheng corrected. "It's a Hundun."
The people around shifted slightly. Gegentorura Keda cracked his knuckles, letting out a clear sound, and looked at Chi Xiaoduo. Xiang Cheng added, "Two devils in the forms of two old people live in Beijing’s main urban area. One of them calls the other 'Mr. Die.' I don't know their purpose."
"What's the magic weapon you're looking for?" the middle-aged minister's tone was obviously not very polite, and he said, "Without applying for a temporary qualification, you chased after a devil alone in Beijing, causing enough of a ruckus to make all hell break loose. You even made Director Chen come out to save you, and involved irrelevant mortals. This deserves punishment."
Xiang Cheng didn't speak, while Chen Zhen motioned him not to blame Xiang Cheng.
"Go on." Keda seemed to be very interested in this event.
"I tracked another devil from Huilongguan to the drum tower." Xiang Cheng said, "I found one of his ritual areas, but didn’t know its purpose. It was a trap, using the earth veins and drum resonance to form an illusion overlapping in reality."
Chen Zhen added, "It used an illusion of a pavilion opened up with spiritual power, and it is located at the bottom of the lake drainage outlet at Chengde Summer Palace."
"A pavilion illusion." Keda laughed and said, "Interesting. Yao can also create illusions of pavillions?"
“Not a yao," Xiang Cheng said, "It’s a devil that has cultivated for many years."
"But according to the reports we have received," Director Lin said, "there are no devils in the main urban area. The only one is hiding underneath the Little Potala Palace grounds."
"Maybe it's just the one under Little Potala?" Keda asked.
"No," said Director Lin, "Special personnel are watching it."
"I've already told Chen Zhen the location," Xiang Cheng said unhappily. "I didn't deceive anyone."
"You still haven't told us yet," Director Lin said with a smile, "what exactly you were looking for?"
The middle-aged minister said carelessly, "That whatever that their family has ba, no need to ask."
Xiang Cheng was silent. Chi Xiaoduo could feel that Xiang Cheng was angry, but he didn't say anything. Director Lin said, "Then let’s leave it like that ba: what are we going to do with your friend?"
"He can go through the process ba," Chen Zhen said. "Keda-xiong?"
"En." Gegentorura Keda looked through the materials carefully and nodded solemnly.
Xiang Cheng took a deep breath, and Chi Xiaoduo looked at them nervously, with a kind of premonition that he was about to be silenced by being killed.
"Let's leave it like that ba," Director Lin said after sorting through the materials. "Hundun are unlikely to appear in urban areas, especially in Beijing."
Obviously, no one really believed Xiang Cheng, and Xiang Cheng also didn't argue with them. After everyone got up, Xiang Cheng suddenly said, "This devil is very powerful. I was the one who underestimated the enemy, and I don't want the organization to also underestimate the enemy, otherwise it will definitely lead to disaster."
Chen Zhen winked, motioning for Xiang Cheng not to go on. Xiang Cheng ignored Chen Zhen's gesture and said, "Maybe there’s one or two, but they can predict what will happen in the future."
As everyone stood, Xiang Cheng got up, took Chi Xiaoduo's shoulder, snapped his fingers, and said, "What I want to do, what moves I will use, and what magic weapons I will put into play, the old devil can all detect. Even when he locked me in the pavilion dreamland, he said, 'Wait for someone to save you ba, have a lesson'."
Chi Xiaoduo: “.....”
Xiang Cheng looked around and said, "Precognition is a terrifying ability."
The middle-aged minister laughed, looked at everyone, and said, “This is all just speculation.”
Director Li didn’t say anything. Chen Zhen coughed awkwardly and said, "Then, let’s leave it like this for now ba. Xiang Cheng, Chi Xiaoduo, come with me."
After everyone left, Xiang Cheng's expression was very ugly. Keda waved to them and said, "Come to my office."
"Handing him over to you," Chen Zhen said, and motioned for Xiang Cheng to come with him.
Keda nodded and went with Chi Xiaoduo into another office. He stretched and said, "Sit down."
Chi Xiaoduo yawned; he had hardly closed his eyes since the night before. Keda said, "Let me see your form...Chi Xiao...duo, right, from Zhuhai, Guangdong Province."
Chi Xiaoduo noticed that there was also a snuff bottle on his desk. Keda said, "No need to fear, I won’t make you smell Lihun pollen. What's your relationship with Xiang Cheng? Shifu and apprentice?"
"We’re friends," Chi Xiaoduo said, "Will it cause any trouble for him?"
"It’ll be alright." Keda's hair was shaved very short, he had a strong build, and he looked to be about 1.9 meters in height. He got up and made him a cup of instant coffee. Chi Xiaoduo held the cup and stirred it, and Keda said, "Have you found what happened recently very surprising?"
Chi Xiaoduo: "It’s...it’s okay. A lot of times, I don’t even have time to be surprised."
Keda said, “When you think about it some more, you’ll still be surprised. These kinds of matters, unless you’ve been immersed in them since childhood, will definitely take some time to completely accept. I was like that when I was a kid too."
"Are you from the North?" Chi Xiaoduo asked.
"From Inner Mongolia," Keda said, "Our family used to be part of the Brotherhood of the Eight Banners. When I first found out that my dad captured demons, I was very frightened, and even wet my pants."
Keda laughed in an unrestrained fashion, and Chi Xiaoduo didn’t know if he should cry or laugh.
"Tell me about you ba." Keda asked, "What are your plans for the future, are you going to join us in this profession?"
Chi Xiaoduo said, “I...I have to ask Xiang Cheng.”
"Chen Zhen specially came to me and said that there are some things that we’ll need your help with, although I don't know how you will help… These days, you count as support staff even if you’re just carrying an exorcist’s bag. How’s this ba, I'll sign a deferment for you first." Keda said understandingly, "For the next six months, the organization will not send someone to erase any of your memories, but you need to sign a guarantee. If you violate it, it may not be so simple any more."
Chi Xiaoduo immediately said, "Okay."
Keda gave him a guarantee to look at and finished off his coffee.
Chi Xiaoduo flipped through the guarantee and confirmed its contents. Most of it was confidentiality agreements and terms of punishment. Once state secrets were leaked, he would face a set prison term of less than 10 years. After serving his sentence, all his memories would be erased.
"Exorcism," Chi Xiaoduo said, "is to protect all of society. Why don't you let everyone know?"
"’Confucius didn’t talk about messy things like gods and ghosts.’" Keda explained, "In old Chinese traditions, exorcism symbolizes the use and interpretation of the 'spirit', which also means that existing societal rules have to be broken to a certain extent. Humans will try their best to study it, but right now, our technology has not reached the level of being able to ask ghosts and gods questions.
"Besides, once a person has the opportunity to obtain power that is free from legal sanctions, naturally there will be unscrupulous people that pursue this power. Murderers aren’t that terrifying, but murderers with supernatural powers are extremely terrifying."
Chi Xiaoduo thought, that’s true, if someone was discovered to be able to use magic, the news would definitely spread everywhere. All scientific findings would be redefined, and some people would go completely mad and rush in recklessly to obtain magical powers.
"For Xiang Cheng's sake," Chi Xiaoduo said, "I'll also keep it a secret." Saying that, he signed the guarantee.
"What are you going to do next?" Keda asked.
Chi Xiaoduo thought for a moment and asked, "Chen Zhen said that there is a post for...support equipment?"
"Ah," Keda, "Yao subduing equipment and unknown phenomenon identification qualification certificate; we refer to it as the yao-subduing equipment division for short."
"Yes, yes!" Chi Xiaoduo said, "Can I test for that?"
"Wait a minute." Keda got up, went to the next office, and when he came back, he gave Chi Xiaoduo a form.
"This was passed this year," Keda said. "It was one of the reform projects, and is basically logistical support. Our department is temporarily managing this one. You need at least a bachelor's degree, and there are not many applicants."
"Great." Chi Xiaoduo said, "Can I register for it right now with you?"
Keda asked, "You want to register right now? You'd better go back and discuss it with your partner ba."
"En..." Chi Xiaoduo looked at the form and the regulations after it.
Keda said, "This technology doesn’t require you to know magic; as long as you have the ability to comprehensively analyze the situation and submit reports for the organization, it’s fine. A little subsidy will be given every month, but it’s a more dangerous job than being an exorcist. Exorcists at least know magic."
"In fact, it's mainly to report on the yaoguai's appearance, name, and characteristics," Chi Xiaoduo said. "It's basically getting data to add to your guys’ illustrated handbook, right?"
Keda nodded, and Chi Xiaoduo said, "This is very good. My favorite thing is taking tests."
Keda said, "There is too much to study, and it’s not an easy test, but there are not many people signing up nationwide this year. Because it’s a trial position, there is no registration fee. Are you sure?"
"Of course." Chi Xiaoduo thought that Xiang Cheng probably wouldn't let him register. He’d register first, and if he passed, he'd tell him and give him a surprise.
"Hey." Keda started laughing and said, "Interesting."
Chi Xiaoduo directly registered with Keda. Keda said, "Fill in your address in detail. When it comes time, the study materials will be sent to your mailbox, but the study materials provided by the organization are not enough. You’ll have to find some books on your own when it comes time to look through. The recommended bibliography will also be given to you."
"Great." Chi Xiaoduo said, "Will you be punished if you fail in the exam?"
"Of course not," Keda replied.
Chi Xiaoduo hesitated for a while at the "reasons for applying for the examination" box. Originally, he wanted to write ‘to help his friend exorcise things.’ Finally, he crossed it out and changed it to ‘for world peace.’ Keda started laughing loudly with a “haha.”
"For world peace." Keda picked up his glass and toasted him symbolically.
With a huala sound, three people came out of the water. Chi Xiaoduo threw himself on the edge of the pond and coughed. Xiang Cheng helped him press his abdomen, and Chen Zhen looked around and took out his cellphone. The screen flickered; water had gotten into it.
They were surrounded by picturesque scenery, and the three of them were in a big park. There were voices coming from the distance, and Chen Zhen said, “Let’s go, quickly.”
Dripping wet, Chi Xiaoduo ran with them to the back of the tree. Xiang Cheng then noticed a sign.
Chengde, outside the Mountain Resort.
The three were an unholy mess: Chen Zhen's white T-shirt was wet and stuck to him, Chi Xiaoduo was blown by the wind and sneezed, and Xiang Cheng was still shirtless and wearing slippers. Si Gui was so drenched that it looked like a drowned chicken and was noticeably sagging, and the mink beside Chen Zhen couldn't help shaking its head and to get rid of the water on itself.
The bus going to and from Beijing arrived, and Chi Xiaoduo leaned against Xiang Cheng in the last row and dozed off.
"You can take him as an apprentice." Chen Zhen glanced at Xiang Cheng and said casually.
Xiang Cheng replied, "I won't consider it."
"This way, the organization won’t have to deal with him afterwards," Chen Zhen said. "Why not consider it?"
Xiang Cheng didn't answer and looked at the scenery that was speeding by outside the window.
Chen Zhen coughed a few times, covered his mouth with his hand, and there was a little blood on his fingers.
Xiang Cheng glanced at Chen Zhen. Chen Zhen waved his hand, got out a paper towel in his bag, and wiped his nosebleed.
Xiang Cheng: “Heart Lamp?”
Chen Zhen nodded and didn’t say anything.
“We’re here." Xiang Cheng moved Chi Xiaoduo. Chi Xiaoduo got off the bus with a look of complete confusion, still dozing off. Chen Zhen's car was parked at the station, and a young man rolled down the window and greeted them. Xiang Cheng stuffed Chi Xiaoduo into the car, and the two of them sat in the back seat. Chen Zhen was obviously very tired and dozed off in the front passenger seat.
"We’re here," Xiang Cheng said. "Are you going to sleep in the car?"
Chen Zhen said, "He has to leave, otherwise I won’t be able to explain it."
Chi Xiaoduo: "What?"
Chi Xiaoduo had slept until his mind was a complete mess. He got out of the car with Xiang Cheng and Chen Zhen, and Chen Zhen took them to the back door of a building in Lingjing Hutong, inside of which was a fast-food restaurant. Chi Xiaoduo was completely clueless and thought they were going to have breakfast. However, Chen Zhen turned left then right with him, greeting the waiter who had arrived early. He took out a key to unlock the door of the office and pushed open the bookcase after entering. This made a secret door appear, and they walked down the stairs beyond the secret door, arriving in a basement.
Chi Xiaoduo had already fully awake by now. A light was on in the basement, and there was a piano beside the wall.
Chen Zhen went over to sit in front of the piano while Xiang Cheng and Chi Xiaoduo stood in the middle of the basement.
Chen Zhen opened the dusty piano cover and pressed the first key with a dang. The sound of the piano was clear and melodious, followed immediately after by a series of notes. The music grew faster and faster, and with the music like floating clouds and flowing water, the surrounding walls began to transform. They rapidly disassembled, dispersed, stepped back, and reorganized all the way until Chen Zhen’s music came to a rest. The surrounding area had transformed into another strange office!
The windows were bright and clean, there was a dark red carpet, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows was a panoramic view of Beijing.
Chen Zhen got up and opened the door. There was an empty office building hall outside.
Chi Xiaoduo walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and the scenery outside was a noisy and bustling street. Ginkgo trees were growing luxuriantly under the sun, exuding its vigorous vitality. Bicycles rang on both sides of the street, and pedestrians shuttled back and forth.
He was on the twelfth floor, and buildings rose from the ground, glittering under the light. In the distance, there was a street view of Beijing; however, there was a hazy light over the street view.
Chen Zhen led them out of the piano room.
"Fill out this form." Chen Zhen rubbed his face with both hands and said wearily, "After filling it out, hand in the form at the lobby office on the first floor."
Chen Zhen gave three forms to Xiang Cheng and asked, "Do you have your ID with you?"
"No," Xiang Cheng said.
"I have it with me." Chi Xiaoduo had taken his ID when he called the police yesterday.
Chen Zhen said, "I’m going to get my phone repaired. After you turn in the form, come to the seventh floor to find me."
Chi Xiaoduo's world outlook could no longer support what had happened in just the past twelve hours. Xiang Cheng carefully filled out the forms, while Chi Xiaoduo watched on from the side. The title of the form was "Exorcist Personal Registration Form", and had boxes for name, gender, birth place, and parents.
Xiang Cheng hesitated for a moment and filled in "Xiang Jianhua" in the space for “Father” and drew a horizontal line in the space for “Mother.” For political views, he filled in “the masses”.
For the “social contacts” box, Xiang Cheng thought for a bit, then filled in Chi Xiaoduo's name and left his telephone number. Under "family faction," he filled in “Acalantha.”
Chi Xiaoduo: ".....”
In Chi Xiaoduo's eyes, Xiang Cheng suddenly became high and noble; his curiosity was already about to explode, but he didn't dare ask. Xiang Cheng glanced at him with a smile in his eyes. Knowing that he wanted to ask about this, he said, "Acalanatha is my father’s faction of kungfu and magic."
"Does every exorcist have their own faction?" Chi Xiaoduo asked.
Xiang Cheng shook his head and said, "Only a few. That lamp of Chen Zhen’s, did you see it?"
Chi Xiaoduo nodded.
"That lamp is a treasure left by Dipankara." Xiang Cheng explained, "It's his family’s inherited magical weapon. It specializes in breaking through heart devils and illusions. It’s called the Heart Lamp, it's like my Demon Subduing Staff."
"So awesome." Chi Xiaoduo looked at Xiang Cheng admiringly.
Xiang Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Exorcists have many old and well-known families, and hereditary factions are very powerful."
In his personal details, Xiang Cheng carefully filled in the names of several yaoguai, including "Xiangliu," "Fox Immortal," and "Qiongqi." Finally, he thought about it and added "Chiwen" at the bottom, along with what had happened with the yaoguai elimination in Guangzhou. He didn't explain this to Chi Xiaoduo and took him out of the office building to find the elevator.
There weren’t many people in the elevator going down. Inside stood a girl, decked out head to toe in brand name clothing and holding an Hermes bag in her hand. She took out a makeup mirror and looked at herself in it. Xiang Cheng and Chi Xiaoduo pressed the button for the first floor, and Chi Xiaoduo yawned. Xiang Cheng asked, "Sleepy?"
"Hungry," Chi Xiaoduo said.
"I’ll finish this up as soon as possible and take you to eat something." Xiang Cheng replied.
The girl looked at them in the mirror and sized up the muddy water on them. The mud had already dried, and Xiang Cheng's naked skin was covered in silt from the bottom of Ruyi Lake.
There was a ding when they reached the seventh floor. The girl left, and the elevator continued to go down.
The hall on the ground floor was an office with three layers. There were migrant workers from the countryside, white-collar workers with briefcases, the Northeast dialect, Henan dialect, Guizhou dialect, and Beijing dialect, all noisily babbling away like a pot of boiling water.
Xiang Cheng took the form with him to go get a number and asked where to hand in the form, while Chi Xiaoduo looked out curiously. There was a fountain outside, and there were even several luxury cars parked around the fountain.
"Almost done!" Xiang Cheng said.
Chi Xiaoduo turned his head and said, "Don't worry!"
The clerk stamped Xiang Cheng’s form, glanced at him, copied his ID card, and said, "Sign here. You need to pay a fine first for major negligence at the Guangzhou Keyun Road subway station, a fine of 3000 yuan and ten ancient coins."
Xiang Cheng: “.....”
"You guys even have records of that," Xiang Cheng said sadly.
"The whole country has been connected through the Internet for a long time now,” the clerk replied.
Xiang Cheng had to take the ticket to pay the fine, and Chi Xiaoduo helped swipe his credit card for him.
When he came back, Xiang Cheng signed several forms, and the clerk said, "Pay by card at Window Six, and take photos at Window Seventeen."
Chi Xiaoduo went to help Xiang Cheng swipe again, and the receipt had "processing fee for handling certificate." Xiang Cheng walked back and forth in front of the window, took the photo, and brought back the receipt. The clerk looked at it again and said, "The computer shows that your qualification certificate has been revoked, so I can't process this for you."
Xiang Cheng replied, "Director Chen Zhen asked me to fill in the form and handle the certificate. I don't know anything else."
"That’s still not okay," said the clerk, "This can't be processed."
Xiang Cheng: "Is the money refundable?"
Clerk: "The receipt has already been issued, and the money can't be refunded. Come back after you get the certificate ba."
Xiang Cheng: "......”
Chi Xiaoduo asked, "Why don't you call Chen Zhen?"
At this time, the clerk's phone rang. The person answered it, glanced at Xiang Cheng, and said, "Wait at the side for a minute, next."
The two of them got out of the way and let the person behind them go first. It was an old man, leaning on a shabby cane, wearing a dark green shirt and shorts, coming in to get his subsidy.
There was the clacking of high heels, and the girl that they just saw in the elevator clacked over, bringing over a certificate with an official seal on it, and said, "Where is Xiang Cheng?"
Chi Xiaoduo waved at her, and the girl threw the certificate over. The clerk took it, clipped the certificate with a paper clip to Xiang Cheng's form and receipt, clicked print, and printed out a certification. Xiang Cheng was relieved and said, "Thank you."
Temporary Beijing Area (Hebei District) Exorcist Qualification Certificate.
On it was the printed photo of Xiang Cheng. Xiang Cheng carefully folded his qualification certificate, put it away, and entered the elevator with Chi Xiaoduo.
The ascending elevator was full of people. Without saying a word, everyone automatically gave Xiang Cheng a little space to avoid rubbing against his clothes. Everyone was looking at them.
Chi Xiaoduo asked, "Does everyone who comes to Beijing have to apply for this certificate?"
Xiang Cheng nodded and replied, "It's more convenient to do things with it."
Chi Xiaoduo turned to look at the people around them; there were men and women, all staring at Xiang Cheng.
Xiang Cheng seemed to be in a bad mood, and Chi Xiaoduo took his hand and swung it back and forth.
The elevator reached the seventh floor, and Xiang Cheng knocked on Chen Zhen's office. Chen Zhen was talking to the pale, pretty, and rich girl who had previously given them the certificate. A McDonald's breakfast had been placed on the coffee table in the office.
"Eat some breakfast first," Chen Zhen said to them.
Xiang Cheng didn’t try to be polite and sat down with Chi Xiaoduo, wolfing down the food. Chi Xiaoduo was half dead from hunger and ate two hamburgers. Xiang Cheng ate three Big Macs and a box of chicken nuggets. With french fries in their hands, they listened to the girl.
The girl said unhappily, "...anyway, I won't agree. We’re already in the fourth quarter, and with this many schools, I can’t finish just by running around by myself all the time. Now you’ve arranged dead weight for me, Director Chen, didn't I say..."
Chen Zhen said patiently, "Keda-xiong won't hold you back, Wanyuan. The organization is afraid that you are in danger on your own."
The girl named Wanyuan said, "First, I'm too busy. Second, I don’t need the organization to arrange me a marriage."
"There is no arranged marriage," Chen Zhen said. "The leaders don’t mean that, what are you thinking ne? Then tell me, if you don’t need an assistant, can this case be completed in a few months?"
"It can’t be completed." Wanyuan took a long breath, raised her wrist, and flipped her hand around over and over, examining her nails.
Chen Zhen was silent for a moment, took a stack of documents, and looked at Chi Xiaoduo and Xiang Cheng.
Chi Xiaoduo burped.
"Xiaoduo, fill out this form." Chen Zhen said, "Prepare a copy."
Wanyuan glanced at them and said nothing.
Chi Xiaoduo went to get the form. This one was different from Xiang Cheng's, and it was nothing more than explaining what he was doing in Beijing and what his job was. Wanyuan and Chen Zhen didn't say a word through the whole process. Wanyuan studied her nails, and Chen Zhen flipped through papers.
"That’s that ba," Chen Zhen said, "I still have something else to do. You should seriously consider it and come back tomorrow."
"Director Chen," Wanyuan said, "you should also consider my difficulties. A group of people heard that I’m not married, and they are all terribly enthusiastic. All sorts of relatives came at me, absolutely dead-set on to introducing me to someone until it’s all set. They shoved all kinds of people at me, those divorced with children, those guarding the library in their forties..."
Chi Xiaoduo was very sympathetic and said, "That’s really not okay."
"Right," Wanyuan said, "Little brother, you understand."
"I also don’t want any nuisances," Chen Zhen said. "How is it any of my business whether you have a boyfriend or not? Right, it’s not like I can be your boyfriend. The key is that the leaders are too enthusiastic. Although I don't know why the leaders are so enthusiastic, at least the assistants they sent you have some experience in this field, and at the very least, they won't make trouble for you."
Wanyuan said, "We can’t just talk about my job, I also have to consider my future life."
Chen Zhen added, "In short, consider this first ba; people can't just look at the surface. The project you registered yourself for has changed now, no one else wants to do it, the case has been listed as a priority now."
Wanyuan said, "I still have to study for the exam, okay? I don't have that much time."
Chen Zhen ignored her, waved to Chi Xiaoduo and Xiang Cheng, and said, "Come with me. Xiang Cheng, put on my coat first." As he said that, he took out a sports coat out from the cabinet so that Xiang Cheng would not be shirtless.
Chen Zhen opened the door of another office, and inside was a long table. There sat a middle-aged man in a suit and an old woman who was about sixty, wearing a dark blue suit, a short skirt, and high heels. She was well made-up, and wearing a golden pearl necklace.
"This is Xiang Cheng," Chen Zhen said, "Chi Xiaoduo is his friend. Let's explain the matter briefly ba, these two are Minister Wang and Director Lin."
Xiang Cheng nodded. Chi Xiaoduo didn't dare to speak, so he just stood beside him, feeling like he was on trial.
"At ten o'clock p.m the day before yesterday, I was outside Huilongguan, tracking an unknown yaoguai and looking for some things."
"Was it a yao or a devil?" the old woman looked at Xiang Cheng and asked, "What were you looking for?"
Although it was a question, the old woman did not show the slightest sense of interrogating them, but was very kind.
Chi Xiaoduo noticed her eyes. The pupil in her left eye was silvery and the pupil in her right eye was golden; she was like a cat with Yin Yang eyes, and he felt a bit afraid.
Chen Zhen said, "Director Lin, look at the form, it has his resume and information"
"I know," the female director surnamed Lin said, "He is a descendant of the Xiang family from Fengdu and Xiang Jianhua’s son."
At this time, the door opened again, and a tall man in a black suit came in. Chen Zhen nodded at him and said, "Keda-xiong."
"I came late," the tall man said gruffly as he nodded towards the people, and sat down.
"This is the deputy director of the field-work department, Gegentorura Keda," Chen Zhen said to Xiang Cheng and Chi Xiaoduo.
Keda didn't speak after he came in and sat quietly, looking through the two people’s information.
"A family heirloom," Xiang Cheng replied.
"What?" the middle-aged minister asked, "You didn’t put that on record."
"It’s a magical weapon," Xiang Cheng said, "My father's."
"Chi Xiaoduo," Director Lin said, "you and Chen Zhen found Xiang Cheng's whereabouts together. Why did you take him with you?"
Director Lin turned her head slightly and asked Chen Zhen.
"I was afraid that he was involved in this incident," Chen Zhen said. "We met a night-wandering god at Caishikou’s entrance, and he told Chi Xiaoduo where Xiang Cheng was."
"Why did the night-wandering god talk to him alone?" the middle-aged minister asked.
Chi Xiaoduo remembered that Xiang Cheng and Chen Zhen had both told him not to mention his abilities to see strange things to others, so he didn’t say a word.
"That's a devil," Xiang Cheng said. "No, two devils."
Chen Zhen said, "The night-wandering god at Caishikou controlled an approximately 10 meter tall phantom in a similar way to Tuina to absorb the aura between heaven and earth."
"It's not a phantom," Xiang Cheng corrected. "It's a Hundun."
The people around shifted slightly. Gegentorura Keda cracked his knuckles, letting out a clear sound, and looked at Chi Xiaoduo. Xiang Cheng added, "Two devils in the forms of two old people live in Beijing’s main urban area. One of them calls the other 'Mr. Die.' I don't know their purpose."
"What's the magic weapon you're looking for?" the middle-aged minister's tone was obviously not very polite, and he said, "Without applying for a temporary qualification, you chased after a devil alone in Beijing, causing enough of a ruckus to make all hell break loose. You even made Director Chen come out to save you, and involved irrelevant mortals. This deserves punishment."
Xiang Cheng didn't speak, while Chen Zhen motioned him not to blame Xiang Cheng.
"Go on." Keda seemed to be very interested in this event.
"I tracked another devil from Huilongguan to the drum tower." Xiang Cheng said, "I found one of his ritual areas, but didn’t know its purpose. It was a trap, using the earth veins and drum resonance to form an illusion overlapping in reality."
Chen Zhen added, "It used an illusion of a pavilion opened up with spiritual power, and it is located at the bottom of the lake drainage outlet at Chengde Summer Palace."
"A pavilion illusion." Keda laughed and said, "Interesting. Yao can also create illusions of pavillions?"
“Not a yao," Xiang Cheng said, "It’s a devil that has cultivated for many years."
"But according to the reports we have received," Director Lin said, "there are no devils in the main urban area. The only one is hiding underneath the Little Potala Palace grounds."
"Maybe it's just the one under Little Potala?" Keda asked.
"No," said Director Lin, "Special personnel are watching it."
"I've already told Chen Zhen the location," Xiang Cheng said unhappily. "I didn't deceive anyone."
"You still haven't told us yet," Director Lin said with a smile, "what exactly you were looking for?"
The middle-aged minister said carelessly, "That whatever that their family has ba, no need to ask."
Xiang Cheng was silent. Chi Xiaoduo could feel that Xiang Cheng was angry, but he didn't say anything. Director Lin said, "Then let’s leave it like that ba: what are we going to do with your friend?"
"He can go through the process ba," Chen Zhen said. "Keda-xiong?"
"En." Gegentorura Keda looked through the materials carefully and nodded solemnly.
Xiang Cheng took a deep breath, and Chi Xiaoduo looked at them nervously, with a kind of premonition that he was about to be silenced by being killed.
"Let's leave it like that ba," Director Lin said after sorting through the materials. "Hundun are unlikely to appear in urban areas, especially in Beijing."
Obviously, no one really believed Xiang Cheng, and Xiang Cheng also didn't argue with them. After everyone got up, Xiang Cheng suddenly said, "This devil is very powerful. I was the one who underestimated the enemy, and I don't want the organization to also underestimate the enemy, otherwise it will definitely lead to disaster."
Chen Zhen winked, motioning for Xiang Cheng not to go on. Xiang Cheng ignored Chen Zhen's gesture and said, "Maybe there’s one or two, but they can predict what will happen in the future."
As everyone stood, Xiang Cheng got up, took Chi Xiaoduo's shoulder, snapped his fingers, and said, "What I want to do, what moves I will use, and what magic weapons I will put into play, the old devil can all detect. Even when he locked me in the pavilion dreamland, he said, 'Wait for someone to save you ba, have a lesson'."
Chi Xiaoduo: “.....”
Xiang Cheng looked around and said, "Precognition is a terrifying ability."
The middle-aged minister laughed, looked at everyone, and said, “This is all just speculation.”
Director Li didn’t say anything. Chen Zhen coughed awkwardly and said, "Then, let’s leave it like this for now ba. Xiang Cheng, Chi Xiaoduo, come with me."
After everyone left, Xiang Cheng's expression was very ugly. Keda waved to them and said, "Come to my office."
"Handing him over to you," Chen Zhen said, and motioned for Xiang Cheng to come with him.
Keda nodded and went with Chi Xiaoduo into another office. He stretched and said, "Sit down."
Chi Xiaoduo yawned; he had hardly closed his eyes since the night before. Keda said, "Let me see your form...Chi Xiao...duo, right, from Zhuhai, Guangdong Province."
Chi Xiaoduo noticed that there was also a snuff bottle on his desk. Keda said, "No need to fear, I won’t make you smell Lihun pollen. What's your relationship with Xiang Cheng? Shifu and apprentice?"
"We’re friends," Chi Xiaoduo said, "Will it cause any trouble for him?"
"It’ll be alright." Keda's hair was shaved very short, he had a strong build, and he looked to be about 1.9 meters in height. He got up and made him a cup of instant coffee. Chi Xiaoduo held the cup and stirred it, and Keda said, "Have you found what happened recently very surprising?"
Chi Xiaoduo: "It’s...it’s okay. A lot of times, I don’t even have time to be surprised."
Keda said, “When you think about it some more, you’ll still be surprised. These kinds of matters, unless you’ve been immersed in them since childhood, will definitely take some time to completely accept. I was like that when I was a kid too."
"Are you from the North?" Chi Xiaoduo asked.
"From Inner Mongolia," Keda said, "Our family used to be part of the Brotherhood of the Eight Banners. When I first found out that my dad captured demons, I was very frightened, and even wet my pants."
Keda laughed in an unrestrained fashion, and Chi Xiaoduo didn’t know if he should cry or laugh.
"Tell me about you ba." Keda asked, "What are your plans for the future, are you going to join us in this profession?"
Chi Xiaoduo said, “I...I have to ask Xiang Cheng.”
"Chen Zhen specially came to me and said that there are some things that we’ll need your help with, although I don't know how you will help… These days, you count as support staff even if you’re just carrying an exorcist’s bag. How’s this ba, I'll sign a deferment for you first." Keda said understandingly, "For the next six months, the organization will not send someone to erase any of your memories, but you need to sign a guarantee. If you violate it, it may not be so simple any more."
Chi Xiaoduo immediately said, "Okay."
Keda gave him a guarantee to look at and finished off his coffee.
Chi Xiaoduo flipped through the guarantee and confirmed its contents. Most of it was confidentiality agreements and terms of punishment. Once state secrets were leaked, he would face a set prison term of less than 10 years. After serving his sentence, all his memories would be erased.
"Exorcism," Chi Xiaoduo said, "is to protect all of society. Why don't you let everyone know?"
"’Confucius didn’t talk about messy things like gods and ghosts.’" Keda explained, "In old Chinese traditions, exorcism symbolizes the use and interpretation of the 'spirit', which also means that existing societal rules have to be broken to a certain extent. Humans will try their best to study it, but right now, our technology has not reached the level of being able to ask ghosts and gods questions.
"Besides, once a person has the opportunity to obtain power that is free from legal sanctions, naturally there will be unscrupulous people that pursue this power. Murderers aren’t that terrifying, but murderers with supernatural powers are extremely terrifying."
Chi Xiaoduo thought, that’s true, if someone was discovered to be able to use magic, the news would definitely spread everywhere. All scientific findings would be redefined, and some people would go completely mad and rush in recklessly to obtain magical powers.
"For Xiang Cheng's sake," Chi Xiaoduo said, "I'll also keep it a secret." Saying that, he signed the guarantee.
"What are you going to do next?" Keda asked.
Chi Xiaoduo thought for a moment and asked, "Chen Zhen said that there is a post for...support equipment?"
"Ah," Keda, "Yao subduing equipment and unknown phenomenon identification qualification certificate; we refer to it as the yao-subduing equipment division for short."
"Yes, yes!" Chi Xiaoduo said, "Can I test for that?"
"Wait a minute." Keda got up, went to the next office, and when he came back, he gave Chi Xiaoduo a form.
"This was passed this year," Keda said. "It was one of the reform projects, and is basically logistical support. Our department is temporarily managing this one. You need at least a bachelor's degree, and there are not many applicants."
"Great." Chi Xiaoduo said, "Can I register for it right now with you?"
Keda asked, "You want to register right now? You'd better go back and discuss it with your partner ba."
"En..." Chi Xiaoduo looked at the form and the regulations after it.
Keda said, "This technology doesn’t require you to know magic; as long as you have the ability to comprehensively analyze the situation and submit reports for the organization, it’s fine. A little subsidy will be given every month, but it’s a more dangerous job than being an exorcist. Exorcists at least know magic."
"In fact, it's mainly to report on the yaoguai's appearance, name, and characteristics," Chi Xiaoduo said. "It's basically getting data to add to your guys’ illustrated handbook, right?"
Keda nodded, and Chi Xiaoduo said, "This is very good. My favorite thing is taking tests."
Keda said, "There is too much to study, and it’s not an easy test, but there are not many people signing up nationwide this year. Because it’s a trial position, there is no registration fee. Are you sure?"
"Of course." Chi Xiaoduo thought that Xiang Cheng probably wouldn't let him register. He’d register first, and if he passed, he'd tell him and give him a surprise.
"Hey." Keda started laughing and said, "Interesting."
Chi Xiaoduo directly registered with Keda. Keda said, "Fill in your address in detail. When it comes time, the study materials will be sent to your mailbox, but the study materials provided by the organization are not enough. You’ll have to find some books on your own when it comes time to look through. The recommended bibliography will also be given to you."
"Great." Chi Xiaoduo said, "Will you be punished if you fail in the exam?"
"Of course not," Keda replied.
Chi Xiaoduo hesitated for a while at the "reasons for applying for the examination" box. Originally, he wanted to write ‘to help his friend exorcise things.’ Finally, he crossed it out and changed it to ‘for world peace.’ Keda started laughing loudly with a “haha.”
"For world peace." Keda picked up his glass and toasted him symbolically.
