Chapter 51: Suddenly
"First, find something to replace me quickly, to avoid triggering the alarm," the head under the white cloth instructed. "Then, above my head, in the third slot from right to left, there’s a pot. Retrieve it in the same manner..."
"Wait!" Jiang Hong immediately interrupted, "I haven’t agreed to rescue you yet!"
"I will reward you," the head repeated.
Jiang Hong exclaimed, "You want me to steal you out of the treasury?! If An Jie catches me, I'll be hunted to the ends of the earth!"
The head assured, "Just do as I say, and there will be no danger."
Jiang Hong, not a naive child, firmly said, "I have limited abilities. It’s better to find someone more capable to fulfill this wish. That’s it then, goodbye..."
"Wait!" the head urgently said, "If you take me out, when the time comes, I can answer one question for you, any question, as long as I know the answer. Do you know who I am?"
"Oh? Ah! You're the all-knowing entity, Suddenly!" Jiang Hong suddenly remembered. This being had a name, "Suddenly," rumored to answer any question in the world.
"Suddenly, huh?" The head fell silent for a moment before responding, "That’s the name your human race gave me? Well, it doesn't matter. Now, do as I say. You don’t have much time."
Jiang Hong wondered if being "all-knowing," as the head claimed, meant that even today's meeting was part of its plan. Could it actually be successful? But even if carrying this head out didn’t bring trouble upon himself, wouldn't it cause significant issues for the Committee?
Suddenly said again, "My omniscience comes from understanding time. Time flies swiftly, so in that sense, the name suits me well."
Jiang Hong asked doubtfully, "So, do you know what will happen next?"
"To some extent," Suddenly replied.
Jiang Hong questioned, "Then can you guess whether I will rescue you?"
Suddenly responded, "You will definitely take me out of here. It's a puzzle you must unravel."
Jiang Hong laughed, "Haha, you guessed wrong! I'm leaving now, goodbye!"
Suddenly said, "This is about the survival or destruction of your world. Everything hinges on your decision. The final outcome is drawing ever closer."
Just as Jiang Hong was about to turn away, the last words of Suddenly moved him, and he turned back. The treasury was silent except for the head covered with a white cloth, quietly facing him.
For some reason, Jiang Hong made a bold decision. Everything seemed so surreal – the Committee, the treasury, a talking head... Like a dream. If that was the case, why not be a bit more daring and crazy? It seemed reasonable... He looked around the treasury; apart from the shelves, the rest of the place was empty.
"Three questions," Jiang Hong began to negotiate.
Suddenly: "Two."
Jiang Hong: "Three, or forget about the deal."
Suddenly: "Deal."
Jiang Hong took out breakfast from his backpack, cradling Suddenly's head in one arm, while tremblingly placing the breakfast on top with his other hand.
"Act quickly," Suddenly urged.
Jiang Hong swiftly replaced the head with the white cloth, placing the breakfast on the spot where the head originally was.
Jiang Hong, heart still racing, took a deep breath.
"Now, in the same way, retrieve the pot from the third slot on the second shelf," Suddenly instructed.
"Second shelf, third slot?" Jiang Hong asked, "Where’s the third slot?"
Suddenly: "Count down from the prayer wheel at the top, the second shelf."
Jiang Hong: "Alright, the second shelf..."
Suddenly: "Count from the left, one, two, three, the third slot."
Jiang Hong: "One, two, four. There’s no third slot like you mentioned."
Suddenly: "..."
Suddenly fell silent. Jiang Hong said, "You must think I’m messing with you, right? I feel like I'm playing games too... But look, one, two, four... I really am..."
Suddenly interrupted, "No, because it refracts all consciousness. Wait, let me think of a solution."
Suddenly: "Got it, next, take out the supreme... magical artifact from your backpack."
Jiang Hong: "???"
"What supreme magical artifact?" Jiang Hong asked, perplexed.
Suddenly: "Take out the magical artifact, there's no 'supreme'."
Jiang Hong: "I don’t have any magical artifacts, except for Lu Xiu's scales."
Suddenly: "The black long ruler."
Jiang Hong took out the black long object that An Jie had returned to him, asking, "What is this?"
Suddenly: "I can't tell you yet. Not until the right time. Channel your energy into it."
Jiang Hong again: "But I don't have any energy."
Suddenly: "You do, hurry."
Remembering that Cao Bin had infused energy into his heart wheel, Jiang Hong tried to activate the magical artifact for the first time. As he channeled the true fire energy into the black iron ruler, it buzzed to life, lighting up with strange symbols.
Suddenly, the surroundings underwent bizarre changes, as if entering another dimension. Holding the black ruler, Jiang Hong saw countless magical artifacts emitting light, with particles of different colors bursting forth. The treasury seemed to turn into a game space, and wherever his gaze focused, a crosshair appeared!
"This..." As Jiang Hong turned his head, all the shelves, the floor, the magical artifacts, even the light sources, were overlaid with grid lines like in a 3D modeling software!
"Is this an electronic product?" Jiang Hong said in disbelief. "I feel like I've hacked into the virtual backend of the real world?!"
"Quickly," urged Suddenly, "I don't know what you're seeing, but you're running out of time."
With a thought from Jiang Hong, a line of text suddenly appeared in the upper right of his vision: Time remaining until Wang An Jie discovers: 00:12:47. The numbers were counting down.
Good heavens! What on earth is this? Jiang Hong was completely baffled.
Suddenly reminded, "Consciousness. Right now, you can do as you wish. Don't waste this opportunity. Now, look at the second shelf. Can you see the third slot?"
"Eh?!" Using the black ruler, Jiang Hong finally saw it. Between the second and fourth slots, there really was a third slot. Logically, after two should come three. Why had he jumped to four?
Jiang Hong was a bit confused.
Suddenly: "Is it a pot?"
Jiang Hong: "Yes."
Suddenly: "Replace it as it was."
Jiang Hong took out the breakfast he had bought for Lu Xiu and replaced the pot.
Suddenly: "Based on your understanding of the world, holding it will change the environment around you. Use this magical artifact in the way you're most comfortable with, and transform the substitute into my likeness."
Jiang Hong tried extending his right hand towards the head in his embrace, while holding the black ruler in his left, and made a gesture, thinking "Copy external contour."
Then, the outline of Suddenly was dragged towards the shelf where the magical artifacts were displayed. Jiang Hong muttered to himself, "Paste."
The breakfast box on the magical artifact shelf transformed into the shape of Suddenly's head covered with cloth.
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
"Just like that?" Jiang Hong was in disbelief. To think that in such a heavily guarded treasury, one could steal something using just a lunch box? The security seemed too lax!
Suddenly: "Don't forget to imbue it with spiritual energy."
Jiang Hong: "Light effect rendering."
In the void in front of Jiang Hong, a light and shadow effect rendering button appeared. He tapped "Confirm" with the black ruler, and the fake head emitted light. Then, Jiang Hong performed the same operation on the pot.
Suddenly: "Don't let go of the pot. Next, make a scratch on it with your hand."
"Can I use my teeth?" Jiang Hong asked, "My nails are quite short."
"Yes, quickly!" Suddenly urged.
So Jiang Hong bit the edge of the aluminum pot, leaving a teeth mark due to the softness of the metal.
Jiang Hong thought: This scene is so absurd. Here I am, a college student, in the Committee's treasure vault, holding a head and biting an aluminum pot.
"That's enough," Suddenly said. "This way you won't forget it. Put me in the pot, then hide the pot in your backpack and go."
Jiang Hong knew it wasn't the time for questions. He stuffed the head and pot into his bag and turned to open the door of the treasury. Suddenly, countless beams of light shot from all directions, intertwining and scanning all the magical artifacts.
So the defense mechanism was here at the end... Jiang Hong didn't trigger the alarm, withdrew his magical power, and left the treasury smoothly.
With his bag bulging, Jiang Hong used his body to block the guard's view. Lu Xiu was still waiting outside the treasury. They exchanged a glance and entered the elevator without speaking.
Lu Xiu: "What did you do?"
Jiang Hong slightly opened his bag, revealing a crack for Lu Xiu to peek at Suddenly's head.
Shock filled Lu Xiu’s eyes.
"Now," Suddenly spoke again from inside the bag, "put the pot on your head."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Lu Xiu: "!!!"
Jiang Hong: "This..."
Lu Xiu: "Do as she says."
Reluctantly, Jiang Hong took out the aluminum pot and placed it on his head, looking utterly ridiculous.
Lu Xiu flicked the pot with his finger, remarking, "This must be some kind of invisibility magical artifact."
Suddenly, in an unflustered voice, said, "Correct. From now on, no one can see you."
Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu, "Can you see me?"
Lu Xiu: "I can see you..."
"Level Six, Defense Center."
"We must send someone immediately..." Chen Zhen's voice said.
"Already on it," An Jie's voice replied, "Di Shumin's team..."
The elevator stopped at the sixth floor, and Chen Zhen, An Jie, along with several exorcists, entered. Jiang Hong suddenly remembered the countdown!
Lu Xiu stood in the corner of the elevator, using his body to shield Jiang Hong. Jiang Hong realized that the people around him truly couldn't see him!
Chen Zhen and An Jie both noticed Lu Xiu. Chen Zhen glanced back at him, while An Jie's mouth still bore that arrogant and haughty half-smile.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong and Chen Zhen's eyes met. He wasn’t sure if he was truly invisible, but he felt as if Chen Zhen could see him.
However, An Jie’s gaze just casually swept over and then moved away from Lu Xiu.
"Send someone to Guangzhou," An Jie said again, "but they won’t find much."
Chen Zhen fell silent for a moment, then suddenly turned and tapped his Google Glasses, making Jiang Hong's heart race.
Chen Zhen turned back to An Jie, "We should still go. I suspect there will be another wave."
The elevator reached An Jie's floor, and he left with his group of exorcists. Jiang Hong hesitated for a moment, deciding not to follow An Jie. After all, he couldn’t remove the pot and end his invisibility in front of many people.
Only Chen Zhen and Lu Xiu remained in the elevator.
"Where have you been?" Chen Zhen asked casually.
Lu Xiu: "Just got back from breakfast."
Chen Zhen didn’t speak further, lost in thought. The elevator reached the central department floor, and the three of them returned to their offices one after another.
"Phew," Jiang Hong sighed in relief, removing the pot and saying, "They really didn't notice me!"
"Put me in the pot and carry the bag with you," Suddenly instructed. "An Jie is about to look for you. Hurry back to your office."
Lu Xiu gestured for him to leave quickly. Jiang Hong did as told, his palms still sweaty.
When he returned to the office, surprisingly, An Jie hadn't come back yet! His keys were thrown on one side of the desk. This time, without waiting for Suddenly's reminder, Jiang Hong quickly swapped the access cards again, unnoticed.
"What did you bring back?" Old Sun suddenly spoke, startling Jiang Hong.
"Shh!" Jiang Hong quickly gestured for Old Sun to be quiet.
Suddenly: "Who's talking?"
Jiang Hong: "Ventriloquism."
Old Sun: "Who?"
Jiang Hong: "It's all ventriloquism! I'm just talking to myself!"
Just after Jiang Hong hid his bag under the desk, An Jie entered the office. Their eyes met, and Jiang Hong tried to appear calm.
"Would you like some coffee, Minister?"
"Make tea," An Jie ordered emotionlessly. "Print out the documents I sent you; we have a meeting later."
Jiang Hong got up to make tea for An Jie, feeling his temples throbbing. So much had happened in just half an hour: stealing the Committee's big boss's access card, sneaking into the treasury to take a mysterious head, and suddenly discovering the function of a magical artifact... The twists and turns were so complex and mind-boggling that Jiang Hong didn't even know where to begin feeling confused and overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, on the central department floor, Lu Xiu was lost in thought, pondering the events of the past half hour, when someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." Lu Xiu quickly regained his composure and looked up.
Chen Zhen entered, carrying a cup of coffee, and the office door closed automatically behind him.
Realizing Chen Zhen had something important to say, Lu Xiu met his gaze and asked, "What is it?"
Chen Zhen walked to the window, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Do you think it's possible that An Jie is with the Deceivers?"
Lu Xiu responded, "I'm not familiar with the internal affairs of your Committee, including personnel and conflicts of opinion, so I can't judge."
"Intuition." Chen Zhen tossed an envelope to Lu Xiu. Puzzled, Lu Xiu opened it and found a whistleblower letter inside. The letterhead had a symbol Lu Xiu recognized from Mai Qing's house - the emblem of the Deceivers, a flame surrounded by strange, ethereal flames.
[The Guangzhou Committee has been infiltrated by the Deceivers. There are Deceivers in the high ranks of the Beijing Committee. Act now, or it’s over for you all!]
Lu Xiu read the letter calmly, then folded it neatly and put it back into the envelope.
Chen Zhen raised his eyebrows, still inquiring.
"Dragon's intuition?" Lu Xiu asked, "If I say 'yes,' will you arrest An Jie?"
Chen Zhen didn’t respond, sipping his coffee.
"What did Cao Bin tell you before you left?" Chen Zhen asked again.
Lu Xiu said, "He instructed me to assist you to the best of my ability in rooting out the traitors within the Committee. Do you now see traitors everywhere?"
"Not to that extent," Chen Zhen replied. "But right now, the only person I can truly trust is you. You're the only one who's absolutely reliable at the moment."
Lu Xiu reminded, "And there’s Jiang Hong."
Chen Zhen nodded, "Right, we can't forget him. Taking action against An Jie is exceptionally challenging. We need to be well-prepared in advance. Each top-level exorcist is formidable. When the enemy is from within our ranks, there are even more factors to consider."
Lu Xiu suggested, "If the bosses are going to clash, why not call back Gergen Tuo from Rukorda, along with the Vice-Chancellor? Three against one, like how you all once fought me, should resolve him."
Chen Zhen furrowed his brows, replying, "It’s not just about capturing or killing someone. I need to understand how the Deceivers can seduce and turn a top-level exorcist. I’ve tried many times within the Committee but found no trace of demonic energy."
"Moreover, Cangqiong University is currently stable. Cao Bin and Lao Xuan absolutely cannot leave. Keda must oversee the sacred land of the demon race. I don’t want Cangqiong University to be infiltrated too," Chen Zhen added.
Lu Xiu didn’t reply. Chen Zhen thought for a moment, then said, "Go to Guangzhou for me. I need you to find the person who wrote this letter and capture at least one Deceivers’ emissary. I want to know their methods of infiltration."
Lu Xiu asked, "Are you sure? You don’t have many people you trust right now. If I leave, you’ll be short-handed."
Chen Zhen nodded and said with raised eyebrows, "Fighting alone is not difficult; the challenge is finding allies."
Lu Xiu looked skeptically at Chen Zhen for a while before finally asking the question.
"What exactly is An Jie’s background?"
Chen Zhen crossed his fingers, choosing a comfortable position in his swivel chair, and after a moment, calmly answered the question.
"He’s a time-traveler."
In An Jie’s office, Jiang Hong’s heart was still racing. He occasionally nudged the bag under the desk with his foot, wondering when he could get rid of this troublesome head and whether it would be detected during the security check when leaving the Committee.
An Jie lay back in his chair, resting with his eyes closed, the only sound in the office being the printer's whirring.
"In what situation would a prisoner absolutely not reveal any information about their organization?"
In the silence, An Jie spoke, while Jiang Hong sat next to the printer, feeling anxious and unsure to whom An Jie was talking.
"Let me test you, Jiang Hong," An Jie said, opening his eyes and glancing at Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong replied, "They must have strong beliefs, right? There have been many underground intelligence agents who have endured tiger stools, chili water, electric shocks..."
An Jie, unable to bear listening any further, asked, "Do you think the person Mai Qing was close to could be such a person?"
Jiang Hong began to understand An Jie's point and thought for a moment before saying, "Well... then, maybe they don't have any memory about this part? Some organizations brainwash their undercover agents before sending them out."
Jiang Hong’s dad liked to watch spy movies, and Jiang Hong would sometimes watch them together and discuss the plots.
"I've thought about this too," An Jie said indifferently. "The most likely scenario is that the spy doesn't know they are a spy. They act according to their nature, and what the Deceivers do is plant the seeds of desire in their hearts."
Jiang Hong didn’t respond, focusing on the printed documents, which were appointment lists and background checks of the Committee's Guangzhou office personnel.
An Jie continued, "But no matter what, there are always clues. Do you think Yang Feiyao, while on a mission in Xi'an, wouldn’t know what she was doing? Absurd! That line of thought leads nowhere."
Jiang Hong suggested, "Maybe she’s an exception?"
Recalling that incident, Jiang Hong remembered it was he who had exposed Yang Feiyao's identity.
An Jie held up a finger and shook it, saying, "No exceptions. If that’s the case, then our hypothesis is wrong. Think again."
"Uh..." Poor Jiang Hong’s brain cells were not cut out for this kind of work.
Seeing Jiang Hong still deep in thought, An Jie asked, "Do you think Chen Zhen could be a Deceiver's undercover agent?"
Jiang Hong was startled, instinctively wanting to say, "Surely not!" But this question struck a chord with a suspicion he’d always had, a doubt that, although temporarily dispelled by Cao Bin, had never been directly addressed by anyone.
Because, on that day outside Mai Qing's house, he truly believed he saw the so-called "Deceiver boss," who was indeed Chen Zhen!
At that moment, Jiang Hong's expression was very complex.
Suddenly, An Jie’s expression also became complex, his eyes clearly conveying a message of, "What else do you know?"
But An Jie restrained himself from asking further, just casually raising an eyebrow.
Jiang Hong replied nervously, "No... surely not."
An Jie let out a cold laugh and didn’t press the matter.
"Do you know why I asked you that question?" An Jie said.
"I don’t know, Minister," Jiang Hong honestly replied, organizing the documents and placing them in front of An Jie.
An Jie looked directly into Jiang Hong's eyes, saying, "Look around, enemies are everywhere. There aren’t many people whose identities we can be sure of, but I think you're one of the 'trustworthy' ones, since you were sent by Cao Bin. Cao Bin should not have fallen yet, and Cangqiong University seems to be safe for now."
Jiang Hong thought: The head under the table must not be discovered… or we're all doomed.
After a moment, An Jie sighed leisurely.
Jiang Hong added, "Minister, there’s another possibility."
"Hmm," An Jie was quite composed.
Jiang Hong said, "If the person on an undercover mission knows deep down that revealing anything means certain death, with no chance of forgiveness, they’ll never speak."
Jiang Hong had learned this from TV shows, but An Jie made no comment, just sat lost in thought.
"What kind of secrets," An Jie murmured, "would make them think speaking up would seal their fate?"
"Book two tickets for tomorrow morning at eight," An Jie instructed, "Do you know a comfortable place to stay in Guangzhou? The Committee is in Yulan Alley."
Returning to his seat, Jiang Hong caught a flying ID card and used it to book the flight to Guangzhou. An Jie's ID showed he was only twenty, just seven months older than Jiang Hong. Jiang Hong was an Aries, while An Jie was a Leo.
"Minister, who is the second ticket for?" Jiang Hong asked tentatively, hoping it wasn’t a foolish question.
"For yourself," An Jie said coldly, "This time I don’t plan to alert many people. We'll go incognito."
Jiang Hong thought: No way, I just started working here, and now I’m going on a business trip? Incognito, what are you, an emperor?
Jiang Hong had visited Guangzhou with his father. Although it was a brief trip, he generally knew which places were suitable for tourism. But he had no desire to go on a business trip with An Jie! Leaving aside the unresolved issue of the head and the pot, how was he going to explain this to Lu Xiu? However, since An Jie had given the order, could he refuse?
"How many days will we be there?" Jiang Hong asked.
"We'll stay until the matter is resolved," An Jie replied.
Jiang Hong felt like screaming in frustration, 'No way, no way, no way!'
But then he received a sudden message from Lu Xiu: [Chen Zhen wants me to go to Guangzhou for him. I'm thinking about how to refuse.]
Jiang Hong: "..."
Whether Chen Zhen was a Deceiver's undercover agent or not, Jiang Hong felt that he and An Jie had a certain rapport, almost like a pair of enemies who loved and loathed each other…
Chapter 51: Suddenly
"First, find something to replace me quickly, to avoid triggering the alarm," the head under the white cloth instructed. "Then, above my head, in the third slot from right to left, there’s a pot. Retrieve it in the same manner..."
"Wait!" Jiang Hong immediately interrupted, "I haven’t agreed to rescue you yet!"
"I will reward you," the head repeated.
Jiang Hong exclaimed, "You want me to steal you out of the treasury?! If An Jie catches me, I'll be hunted to the ends of the earth!"
The head assured, "Just do as I say, and there will be no danger."
Jiang Hong, not a naive child, firmly said, "I have limited abilities. It’s better to find someone more capable to fulfill this wish. That’s it then, goodbye..."
"Wait!" the head urgently said, "If you take me out, when the time comes, I can answer one question for you, any question, as long as I know the answer. Do you know who I am?"
"Oh? Ah! You're the all-knowing entity, Suddenly!" Jiang Hong suddenly remembered. This being had a name, "Suddenly," rumored to answer any question in the world.
"Suddenly, huh?" The head fell silent for a moment before responding, "That’s the name your human race gave me? Well, it doesn't matter. Now, do as I say. You don’t have much time."
Jiang Hong wondered if being "all-knowing," as the head claimed, meant that even today's meeting was part of its plan. Could it actually be successful? But even if carrying this head out didn’t bring trouble upon himself, wouldn't it cause significant issues for the Committee?
Suddenly said again, "My omniscience comes from understanding time. Time flies swiftly, so in that sense, the name suits me well."
Jiang Hong asked doubtfully, "So, do you know what will happen next?"
"To some extent," Suddenly replied.
Jiang Hong questioned, "Then can you guess whether I will rescue you?"
Suddenly responded, "You will definitely take me out of here. It's a puzzle you must unravel."
Jiang Hong laughed, "Haha, you guessed wrong! I'm leaving now, goodbye!"
Suddenly said, "This is about the survival or destruction of your world. Everything hinges on your decision. The final outcome is drawing ever closer."
Just as Jiang Hong was about to turn away, the last words of Suddenly moved him, and he turned back. The treasury was silent except for the head covered with a white cloth, quietly facing him.
For some reason, Jiang Hong made a bold decision. Everything seemed so surreal – the Committee, the treasury, a talking head... Like a dream. If that was the case, why not be a bit more daring and crazy? It seemed reasonable... He looked around the treasury; apart from the shelves, the rest of the place was empty.
"Three questions," Jiang Hong began to negotiate.
Suddenly: "Two."
Jiang Hong: "Three, or forget about the deal."
Suddenly: "Deal."
Jiang Hong took out breakfast from his backpack, cradling Suddenly's head in one arm, while tremblingly placing the breakfast on top with his other hand.
"Act quickly," Suddenly urged.
Jiang Hong swiftly replaced the head with the white cloth, placing the breakfast on the spot where the head originally was.
Jiang Hong, heart still racing, took a deep breath.
"Now, in the same way, retrieve the pot from the third slot on the second shelf," Suddenly instructed.
"Second shelf, third slot?" Jiang Hong asked, "Where’s the third slot?"
Suddenly: "Count down from the prayer wheel at the top, the second shelf."
Jiang Hong: "Alright, the second shelf..."
Suddenly: "Count from the left, one, two, three, the third slot."
Jiang Hong: "One, two, four. There’s no third slot like you mentioned."
Suddenly: "..."
Suddenly fell silent. Jiang Hong said, "You must think I’m messing with you, right? I feel like I'm playing games too... But look, one, two, four... I really am..."
Suddenly interrupted, "No, because it refracts all consciousness. Wait, let me think of a solution."
Suddenly: "Got it, next, take out the supreme... magical artifact from your backpack."
Jiang Hong: "???"
"What supreme magical artifact?" Jiang Hong asked, perplexed.
Suddenly: "Take out the magical artifact, there's no 'supreme'."
Jiang Hong: "I don’t have any magical artifacts, except for Lu Xiu's scales."
Suddenly: "The black long ruler."
Jiang Hong took out the black long object that An Jie had returned to him, asking, "What is this?"
Suddenly: "I can't tell you yet. Not until the right time. Channel your energy into it."
Jiang Hong again: "But I don't have any energy."
Suddenly: "You do, hurry."
Remembering that Cao Bin had infused energy into his heart wheel, Jiang Hong tried to activate the magical artifact for the first time. As he channeled the true fire energy into the black iron ruler, it buzzed to life, lighting up with strange symbols.
Suddenly, the surroundings underwent bizarre changes, as if entering another dimension. Holding the black ruler, Jiang Hong saw countless magical artifacts emitting light, with particles of different colors bursting forth. The treasury seemed to turn into a game space, and wherever his gaze focused, a crosshair appeared!
"This..." As Jiang Hong turned his head, all the shelves, the floor, the magical artifacts, even the light sources, were overlaid with grid lines like in a 3D modeling software!
"Is this an electronic product?" Jiang Hong said in disbelief. "I feel like I've hacked into the virtual backend of the real world?!"
"Quickly," urged Suddenly, "I don't know what you're seeing, but you're running out of time."
With a thought from Jiang Hong, a line of text suddenly appeared in the upper right of his vision: Time remaining until Wang An Jie discovers: 00:12:47. The numbers were counting down.
Good heavens! What on earth is this? Jiang Hong was completely baffled.
Suddenly reminded, "Consciousness. Right now, you can do as you wish. Don't waste this opportunity. Now, look at the second shelf. Can you see the third slot?"
"Eh?!" Using the black ruler, Jiang Hong finally saw it. Between the second and fourth slots, there really was a third slot. Logically, after two should come three. Why had he jumped to four?
Jiang Hong was a bit confused.
Suddenly: "Is it a pot?"
Jiang Hong: "Yes."
Suddenly: "Replace it as it was."
Jiang Hong took out the breakfast he had bought for Lu Xiu and replaced the pot.
Suddenly: "Based on your understanding of the world, holding it will change the environment around you. Use this magical artifact in the way you're most comfortable with, and transform the substitute into my likeness."
Jiang Hong tried extending his right hand towards the head in his embrace, while holding the black ruler in his left, and made a gesture, thinking "Copy external contour."
Then, the outline of Suddenly was dragged towards the shelf where the magical artifacts were displayed. Jiang Hong muttered to himself, "Paste."
The breakfast box on the magical artifact shelf transformed into the shape of Suddenly's head covered with cloth.
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
"Just like that?" Jiang Hong was in disbelief. To think that in such a heavily guarded treasury, one could steal something using just a lunch box? The security seemed too lax!
Suddenly: "Don't forget to imbue it with spiritual energy."
Jiang Hong: "Light effect rendering."
In the void in front of Jiang Hong, a light and shadow effect rendering button appeared. He tapped "Confirm" with the black ruler, and the fake head emitted light. Then, Jiang Hong performed the same operation on the pot.
Suddenly: "Don't let go of the pot. Next, make a scratch on it with your hand."
"Can I use my teeth?" Jiang Hong asked, "My nails are quite short."
"Yes, quickly!" Suddenly urged.
So Jiang Hong bit the edge of the aluminum pot, leaving a teeth mark due to the softness of the metal.
Jiang Hong thought: This scene is so absurd. Here I am, a college student, in the Committee's treasure vault, holding a head and biting an aluminum pot.
"That's enough," Suddenly said. "This way you won't forget it. Put me in the pot, then hide the pot in your backpack and go."
Jiang Hong knew it wasn't the time for questions. He stuffed the head and pot into his bag and turned to open the door of the treasury. Suddenly, countless beams of light shot from all directions, intertwining and scanning all the magical artifacts.
So the defense mechanism was here at the end... Jiang Hong didn't trigger the alarm, withdrew his magical power, and left the treasury smoothly.
With his bag bulging, Jiang Hong used his body to block the guard's view. Lu Xiu was still waiting outside the treasury. They exchanged a glance and entered the elevator without speaking.
Lu Xiu: "What did you do?"
Jiang Hong slightly opened his bag, revealing a crack for Lu Xiu to peek at Suddenly's head.
Shock filled Lu Xiu’s eyes.
"Now," Suddenly spoke again from inside the bag, "put the pot on your head."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Lu Xiu: "!!!"
Jiang Hong: "This..."
Lu Xiu: "Do as she says."
Reluctantly, Jiang Hong took out the aluminum pot and placed it on his head, looking utterly ridiculous.
Lu Xiu flicked the pot with his finger, remarking, "This must be some kind of invisibility magical artifact."
Suddenly, in an unflustered voice, said, "Correct. From now on, no one can see you."
Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu, "Can you see me?"
Lu Xiu: "I can see you..."
"Level Six, Defense Center."
"We must send someone immediately..." Chen Zhen's voice said.
"Already on it," An Jie's voice replied, "Di Shumin's team..."
The elevator stopped at the sixth floor, and Chen Zhen, An Jie, along with several exorcists, entered. Jiang Hong suddenly remembered the countdown!
Lu Xiu stood in the corner of the elevator, using his body to shield Jiang Hong. Jiang Hong realized that the people around him truly couldn't see him!
Chen Zhen and An Jie both noticed Lu Xiu. Chen Zhen glanced back at him, while An Jie's mouth still bore that arrogant and haughty half-smile.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong and Chen Zhen's eyes met. He wasn’t sure if he was truly invisible, but he felt as if Chen Zhen could see him.
However, An Jie’s gaze just casually swept over and then moved away from Lu Xiu.
"Send someone to Guangzhou," An Jie said again, "but they won’t find much."
Chen Zhen fell silent for a moment, then suddenly turned and tapped his Google Glasses, making Jiang Hong's heart race.
Chen Zhen turned back to An Jie, "We should still go. I suspect there will be another wave."
The elevator reached An Jie's floor, and he left with his group of exorcists. Jiang Hong hesitated for a moment, deciding not to follow An Jie. After all, he couldn’t remove the pot and end his invisibility in front of many people.
Only Chen Zhen and Lu Xiu remained in the elevator.
"Where have you been?" Chen Zhen asked casually.
Lu Xiu: "Just got back from breakfast."
Chen Zhen didn’t speak further, lost in thought. The elevator reached the central department floor, and the three of them returned to their offices one after another.
"Phew," Jiang Hong sighed in relief, removing the pot and saying, "They really didn't notice me!"
"Put me in the pot and carry the bag with you," Suddenly instructed. "An Jie is about to look for you. Hurry back to your office."
Lu Xiu gestured for him to leave quickly. Jiang Hong did as told, his palms still sweaty.
When he returned to the office, surprisingly, An Jie hadn't come back yet! His keys were thrown on one side of the desk. This time, without waiting for Suddenly's reminder, Jiang Hong quickly swapped the access cards again, unnoticed.
"What did you bring back?" Old Sun suddenly spoke, startling Jiang Hong.
"Shh!" Jiang Hong quickly gestured for Old Sun to be quiet.
Suddenly: "Who's talking?"
Jiang Hong: "Ventriloquism."
Old Sun: "Who?"
Jiang Hong: "It's all ventriloquism! I'm just talking to myself!"
Just after Jiang Hong hid his bag under the desk, An Jie entered the office. Their eyes met, and Jiang Hong tried to appear calm.
"Would you like some coffee, Minister?"
"Make tea," An Jie ordered emotionlessly. "Print out the documents I sent you; we have a meeting later."
Jiang Hong got up to make tea for An Jie, feeling his temples throbbing. So much had happened in just half an hour: stealing the Committee's big boss's access card, sneaking into the treasury to take a mysterious head, and suddenly discovering the function of a magical artifact... The twists and turns were so complex and mind-boggling that Jiang Hong didn't even know where to begin feeling confused and overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, on the central department floor, Lu Xiu was lost in thought, pondering the events of the past half hour, when someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." Lu Xiu quickly regained his composure and looked up.
Chen Zhen entered, carrying a cup of coffee, and the office door closed automatically behind him.
Realizing Chen Zhen had something important to say, Lu Xiu met his gaze and asked, "What is it?"
Chen Zhen walked to the window, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Do you think it's possible that An Jie is with the Deceivers?"
Lu Xiu responded, "I'm not familiar with the internal affairs of your Committee, including personnel and conflicts of opinion, so I can't judge."
"Intuition." Chen Zhen tossed an envelope to Lu Xiu. Puzzled, Lu Xiu opened it and found a whistleblower letter inside. The letterhead had a symbol Lu Xiu recognized from Mai Qing's house - the emblem of the Deceivers, a flame surrounded by strange, ethereal flames.
[The Guangzhou Committee has been infiltrated by the Deceivers. There are Deceivers in the high ranks of the Beijing Committee. Act now, or it’s over for you all!]
Lu Xiu read the letter calmly, then folded it neatly and put it back into the envelope.
Chen Zhen raised his eyebrows, still inquiring.
"Dragon's intuition?" Lu Xiu asked, "If I say 'yes,' will you arrest An Jie?"
Chen Zhen didn’t respond, sipping his coffee.
"What did Cao Bin tell you before you left?" Chen Zhen asked again.
Lu Xiu said, "He instructed me to assist you to the best of my ability in rooting out the traitors within the Committee. Do you now see traitors everywhere?"
"Not to that extent," Chen Zhen replied. "But right now, the only person I can truly trust is you. You're the only one who's absolutely reliable at the moment."
Lu Xiu reminded, "And there’s Jiang Hong."
Chen Zhen nodded, "Right, we can't forget him. Taking action against An Jie is exceptionally challenging. We need to be well-prepared in advance. Each top-level exorcist is formidable. When the enemy is from within our ranks, there are even more factors to consider."
Lu Xiu suggested, "If the bosses are going to clash, why not call back Gergen Tuo from Rukorda, along with the Vice-Chancellor? Three against one, like how you all once fought me, should resolve him."
Chen Zhen furrowed his brows, replying, "It’s not just about capturing or killing someone. I need to understand how the Deceivers can seduce and turn a top-level exorcist. I’ve tried many times within the Committee but found no trace of demonic energy."
"Moreover, Cangqiong University is currently stable. Cao Bin and Lao Xuan absolutely cannot leave. Keda must oversee the sacred land of the demon race. I don’t want Cangqiong University to be infiltrated too," Chen Zhen added.
Lu Xiu didn’t reply. Chen Zhen thought for a moment, then said, "Go to Guangzhou for me. I need you to find the person who wrote this letter and capture at least one Deceivers’ emissary. I want to know their methods of infiltration."
Lu Xiu asked, "Are you sure? You don’t have many people you trust right now. If I leave, you’ll be short-handed."
Chen Zhen nodded and said with raised eyebrows, "Fighting alone is not difficult; the challenge is finding allies."
Lu Xiu looked skeptically at Chen Zhen for a while before finally asking the question.
"What exactly is An Jie’s background?"
Chen Zhen crossed his fingers, choosing a comfortable position in his swivel chair, and after a moment, calmly answered the question.
"He’s a time-traveler."
In An Jie’s office, Jiang Hong’s heart was still racing. He occasionally nudged the bag under the desk with his foot, wondering when he could get rid of this troublesome head and whether it would be detected during the security check when leaving the Committee.
An Jie lay back in his chair, resting with his eyes closed, the only sound in the office being the printer's whirring.
"In what situation would a prisoner absolutely not reveal any information about their organization?"
In the silence, An Jie spoke, while Jiang Hong sat next to the printer, feeling anxious and unsure to whom An Jie was talking.
"Let me test you, Jiang Hong," An Jie said, opening his eyes and glancing at Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong replied, "They must have strong beliefs, right? There have been many underground intelligence agents who have endured tiger stools, chili water, electric shocks..."
An Jie, unable to bear listening any further, asked, "Do you think the person Mai Qing was close to could be such a person?"
Jiang Hong began to understand An Jie's point and thought for a moment before saying, "Well... then, maybe they don't have any memory about this part? Some organizations brainwash their undercover agents before sending them out."
Jiang Hong’s dad liked to watch spy movies, and Jiang Hong would sometimes watch them together and discuss the plots.
"I've thought about this too," An Jie said indifferently. "The most likely scenario is that the spy doesn't know they are a spy. They act according to their nature, and what the Deceivers do is plant the seeds of desire in their hearts."
Jiang Hong didn’t respond, focusing on the printed documents, which were appointment lists and background checks of the Committee's Guangzhou office personnel.
An Jie continued, "But no matter what, there are always clues. Do you think Yang Feiyao, while on a mission in Xi'an, wouldn’t know what she was doing? Absurd! That line of thought leads nowhere."
Jiang Hong suggested, "Maybe she’s an exception?"
Recalling that incident, Jiang Hong remembered it was he who had exposed Yang Feiyao's identity.
An Jie held up a finger and shook it, saying, "No exceptions. If that’s the case, then our hypothesis is wrong. Think again."
"Uh..." Poor Jiang Hong’s brain cells were not cut out for this kind of work.
Seeing Jiang Hong still deep in thought, An Jie asked, "Do you think Chen Zhen could be a Deceiver's undercover agent?"
Jiang Hong was startled, instinctively wanting to say, "Surely not!" But this question struck a chord with a suspicion he’d always had, a doubt that, although temporarily dispelled by Cao Bin, had never been directly addressed by anyone.
Because, on that day outside Mai Qing's house, he truly believed he saw the so-called "Deceiver boss," who was indeed Chen Zhen!
At that moment, Jiang Hong's expression was very complex.
Suddenly, An Jie’s expression also became complex, his eyes clearly conveying a message of, "What else do you know?"
But An Jie restrained himself from asking further, just casually raising an eyebrow.
Jiang Hong replied nervously, "No... surely not."
An Jie let out a cold laugh and didn’t press the matter.
"Do you know why I asked you that question?" An Jie said.
"I don’t know, Minister," Jiang Hong honestly replied, organizing the documents and placing them in front of An Jie.
An Jie looked directly into Jiang Hong's eyes, saying, "Look around, enemies are everywhere. There aren’t many people whose identities we can be sure of, but I think you're one of the 'trustworthy' ones, since you were sent by Cao Bin. Cao Bin should not have fallen yet, and Cangqiong University seems to be safe for now."
Jiang Hong thought: The head under the table must not be discovered… or we're all doomed.
After a moment, An Jie sighed leisurely.
Jiang Hong added, "Minister, there’s another possibility."
"Hmm," An Jie was quite composed.
Jiang Hong said, "If the person on an undercover mission knows deep down that revealing anything means certain death, with no chance of forgiveness, they’ll never speak."
Jiang Hong had learned this from TV shows, but An Jie made no comment, just sat lost in thought.
"What kind of secrets," An Jie murmured, "would make them think speaking up would seal their fate?"
"Book two tickets for tomorrow morning at eight," An Jie instructed, "Do you know a comfortable place to stay in Guangzhou? The Committee is in Yulan Alley."
Returning to his seat, Jiang Hong caught a flying ID card and used it to book the flight to Guangzhou. An Jie's ID showed he was only twenty, just seven months older than Jiang Hong. Jiang Hong was an Aries, while An Jie was a Leo.
"Minister, who is the second ticket for?" Jiang Hong asked tentatively, hoping it wasn’t a foolish question.
"For yourself," An Jie said coldly, "This time I don’t plan to alert many people. We'll go incognito."
Jiang Hong thought: No way, I just started working here, and now I’m going on a business trip? Incognito, what are you, an emperor?
Jiang Hong had visited Guangzhou with his father. Although it was a brief trip, he generally knew which places were suitable for tourism. But he had no desire to go on a business trip with An Jie! Leaving aside the unresolved issue of the head and the pot, how was he going to explain this to Lu Xiu? However, since An Jie had given the order, could he refuse?
"How many days will we be there?" Jiang Hong asked.
"We'll stay until the matter is resolved," An Jie replied.
Jiang Hong felt like screaming in frustration, 'No way, no way, no way!'
But then he received a sudden message from Lu Xiu: [Chen Zhen wants me to go to Guangzhou for him. I'm thinking about how to refuse.]
Jiang Hong: "..."
Whether Chen Zhen was a Deceiver's undercover agent or not, Jiang Hong felt that he and An Jie had a certain rapport, almost like a pair of enemies who loved and loathed each other…
