Chapter 54: Sneak Attack
"First, I must complain about our canteen. They've scrapped it without providing meal subsidies. We have a colleague who constantly takes toilet paper home, leaving us with none in the restroom. Also, when we go out for tasks, we're not allowed to take taxis, only buses and subways. You know how urgent an exorcist's job can be. By the time we get there by bus, the demons have all fled. Hey, secretary, aren't you taking notes? Can you really remember all this just by listening?"
Finally, it was their turn to be called. They got a private room. Jiang Hong, seeing everything, wanted to eat it all. He ordered salted egg yolk with bitter gourd in a clay pot, clay pot rice, a must-try during a rare visit to Guangzhou, along with pigeon, braised local chicken, braised snow beef, clay pot shrimp paste with Chinese broccoli... What's this? Braised papaya?? That's a new way to eat it? Looks delicious. Let's add ribs and turbot fish! If we can't finish, Lu Xiu can have it... And finally, ginger fried ice cream for a perfect end!
"Secretary?" Lu Didi said.
"Yes, I've got it all," Jiang Hong replied contently, ticking off the list and handing it to the waiter.
Lu Xiu really wanted to blast this guy with a dragon flame and send him flying, but this jester had already broken through the bottom of his expectations. Instead, he found it absurdly amusing. Jiang Hong kept signaling with his eyes for Lu Xiu not to get angry. Right then, the phone rang.
An Jie said on the phone, "Have you had dinner?"
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong, knowing it must be An Jie, and signaled him to tell the truth.
"I've just picked up my bowl! What can I do for you?" Jiang Hong replied excitedly.
An Jie: "I'm asking you out for dinner, where are you?"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu again, who gestured for him to invite An Jie over.
Jiang Hong then told him the location, and An Jie said he'd be there in a minute. In less than three minutes, he pushed open the door of the private room.
Wow, that was fast. Jiang Hong initially wanted to ask An Jie if he was lurking downstairs, waiting for them to get their number to crash their meal. But then he remembered that An Jie, being an S-class exorcist, probably had some unique, powerful spell for instant teleportation, so he didn't ask further, invited him to sit, and washed a cup and bowl for him, imitating the Cantonese.
An Jie came in and oddly glanced at Lu Didi, who also looked back at An Jie. Before An Jie could speak, Lu Didi asked, "Who's this guy?"
An Jie: "............"
An Jie was about to burst into laughter from anger and was just about to tell him to leave when Jiang Hong quickly signaled with his eyes, explaining, "He's from the Guangzhou Driving Committee."
An Jie then sat down, and Lu Didi continued his grandiose speech.
"…And then," Lu Didi added, "they all discriminate against me, you know? Just because I'm a child born of a demon and a human. My father is from the demon clan. They always mock me behind my back. As soon as I pass by, they stop laughing. They even gave me a nickname, 'Demon Man'."
"That's really not acceptable," Jiang Hong sympathized, suggesting, "Have you considered changing your job?"
Lu Didi said, "If my mom hadn't pulled some strings to get me into the Committee, I wouldn't have come here! I'd rather go to the Demon Association; the demons treat me much better."
"Oh?" Jiang Hong's curiosity piqued while waiting for the food, "Where is the Demon Association in Guangzhou?"
"At the Guangzhou Tower," Lu Didi replied. "They are all very wealthy. Are you human or demon? You must be human, right?"
Jiang Hong hummed in response, and Lu Xiu, unable to listen anymore, said, "Let's focus on the matter at hand, you two..."
"Right, right, right! Back to business!" Lu Didi continued, "Then I also want to report Yang Song, the head of HR. He often goes out for tea during work hours and is blocking my position... Did you get the staffing chart? Can you add my name at the end? I'll treat you to this meal, okay?"
Jiang Hong: "…"
Lu Xiu: "Let me interrupt for a second."
Lu Didi: "There's one more thing I have to mention…"
Lu Xiu: "Do you know Zhao Yan?"
"Ah?" Lu Didi was stunned for a second.
An Jie showed a puzzled expression, clearly recognizing the name.
Lu Didi began to ponder, looking very lost. Lu Xiu asked, "What happened to Zhao Yan?"
"I don't know her," Lu Didi answered. "You're talking about the head of the Archives Department, right?"
"Yes," Lu Xiu replied.
Lu Didi said, "Didn't she go to Baiyun for treatment two years ago?"
"What's Baiyun?" Jiang Hong asked.
Lu Xiu gestured for Jiang Hong not to interrupt. Lu Didi added, "It's a mental hospital in Guangzhou. When I arrived, she had already left. I only heard about it; I don't know what happened to her."
"Okay, I got it," Lu Xiu responded.
Lu Didi continued, "I have more to report…"
"Do this, write a complaint letter," Lu Xiu suggested, "Give it to me when I come by tomorrow afternoon."
Lu Xiu indeed sounded like a leader, authoritative in his speech. Lu Didi stopped insisting and nodded in agreement.
Lu Xiu: "I promise to hand it directly to Chen Zhen, that's it."
"Who is Chen Zhen?" Lu Didi asked, looking confused again.
An Jie: "……"
"Baiyun Mental Hospital," Jiang Hong noted down, asking, "Does everyone in Guangzhou know about this place?"
Lu Didi replied, "Not necessarily, but I do because my mom is also in this mental hospital."
Jiang Hong uttered an "oh," looking at Lu Didi with a 'life is tough' expression. But Lu Xiu didn't give him time to befriend this young exorcist, leaving the discussion for later. Lu Didi then said, "You guys go ahead with your meal, sorry for the disturbance."
The man was quite considerate. Jiang Hong followed him out, saying, "Let me pack you some dinner!"
"Thank you," Lu Didi replied.
Since An Jie had arrived and they could expense the meal, Jiang Hong was happy to treat.
Back in the private room, as the dishes arrived, An Jie wondered, "Where did you find this character?"
Jiang Hong began to feast. Lu Xiu said, "Your leader is asking you a question."
"Oh, we met him by chance," Jiang Hong answered. "Leader, won't you try some? This snow beef is really delicious."
The clay pot dishes were steaming, sizzling, the beef perfectly seared on the outside and tender inside, exuding the aroma of black pepper and fermented bean sauce. The pigeon meat easily separated from the bone, tender and fatty – truly delectable! Eating in Guangzhou never disappoints!
Lu Xiu, not engaging in conversation with An Jie, started to enjoy the feast with Jiang Hong.
Clearly famished, An Jie, though not fond of Lu Xiu, couldn't resist the food. He sent a voice message on his phone: "Send me a report on Zhao Yan's life," and then started eating too.
With only eating and no talking, the atmosphere was a bit awkward.
Jiang Hong began to liven up the mood again.
"Where have you been, leader?"
"To the Earth's veins," An Jie replied. "And you? Where did you go?"
"Where did we go again?" Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu, unsure how much Lu Xiu was willing to disclose to An Jie and opting for this approach.
Lu Xiu: "The Guangzhou Driving Committee."
Jiang Hong relayed to An Jie: "The Guangzhou Driving Committee."
An Jie: "What task did Chen Zhen assign you? Investigating Zhao Yan?"
Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu, "What task did Chen Zhen assign you?"
Lu Xiu replied to Jiang Hong, "Just investigate freely, no specific guidelines."
Jiang Hong then relayed to An Jie, "Just investigate freely, no specific guidelines."
An Jie: "……"
Lu Xiu: "Ask your leader if there are any conclusions about the earth vein anomalies."
Jiang Hong: "Leader, are there any conclusions about the earth vein anomalies?"
An Jie: "The planet Mars is extracting energy from the earth veins."
Lu Xiu signaled Jiang Hong again, "Ask about the direction and purpose."
An Jie: "A magic formation…"
Jiang Hong signaled An Jie to wait, then repeated, "The direction and purpose?"
Lu Xiu: "……………………"
An Jie: "……"
Lu Xiu: "Do you often act as a mouthpiece for your parents?"
Jiang Hong to An Jie: "Do you often act as a mouthpiece for your parents?"
Lu Xiu: "I'm asking you! Not him!"
Jiang Hong: "Yes, here comes the food. I'll start with the Chinese broccoli. How did you know? That's how they talk when my parents argue."
An Jie, at a loss for words, thought for a while before answering, "We found destroyed remnants at the scene, like a magic formation, but its specific form can't be reconstructed. It's estimated to be at least on the scale of six thousand shen."
Lu Xiu paused in his actions, gazing into An Jie's eyes. An Jie nodded slightly, and then the two stopped conversing.
"Six thousand shen!" Jiang Hong knew that shen was a unit of magical energy, equivalent to nearly six thousand tons of TNT.
As Chen Zhen's representative, Lu Xiu, a grand exorcist envoy, was not taken lightly by An Jie, at least in terms of work.
"What's such a massive amount of magical energy used for?" Jiang Hong asked again.
Neither An Jie nor Lu Xiu answered. Jiang Hong pondered and asked, "But isn't there no formation capable of withstanding such immense energy?"
"It's extracted and utilized simultaneously," Lu Xiu explained, "It's feasible as long as the energy infused into the formation at any given time doesn’t exceed twenty shen."
An Jie listened intently to Lu Xiu's explanation. Jiang Hong guessed that An Jie wasn't technically inclined, especially not as knowledgeable as Lu Xiu in formations. After all, even with extensive study, an exorcist's primary goal remains demon capture. As an exorcist and a leader, An Jie had numerous daily tasks and no time for deep research in any field, relying on others for detailed information.
"What purpose does such a formation serve?" An Jie asked.
This time, Lu Xiu didn't wait for Jiang Hong to relay and answered, "Many purposes, like nurturing life, reconstructing matter, or powering magical artifacts."
"But even magical artifacts can't handle such immense magical energy," Jiang Hong commented.
"Yes," Lu Xiu nodded, "Only a few heavenly-grade artifacts can. It's likely being used to incubate a major demon beast."
An Jie responded, "That matches my guess."
Everyone fell silent for a while. Jiang Hong then went to pay the bill and get a receipt, calling a car to return to the hotel together.
An Jie said to Jiang Hong, "I'll send you the photos from the site. Write up a preliminary report."
Assigned his task, Jiang Hong went to write the report. An Jie added, "I'm visiting the Guangzhou Driving Committee tomorrow. Since you've already been seen, you don't need to go."
Lu Xiu said to Jiang Hong, "Join me tomorrow to investigate the mental hospital. Can you ask your leader to get Zhao Yan's file for a look?"
Jiang Hong looked at An Jie, who nodded in agreement.
With his tasks clearly laid out, Jiang Hong returned to the hotel, a bit worried, asking Lu Xiu, "Will there be another major demon in Guangzhou?"
He still vividly remembered the previous battle with Wu Zhi Qi and the Peacock Demon. With so many people in Guangzhou, a major demon appearance was no joke.
"Not necessarily," Lu Xiu, fresh from a shower and sitting on the bed, browsing through Zhao Yan's file sent by Jiang Hong on his computer, replied, "If that's always the case, Mars would be too foolish."
"Why?" Jiang Hong asked curiously.
Lu Xiu: "If every now and then an under-evolved major demon beast is released, and the exorcists eliminate it, followed by a period of silence before repeating the process, wouldn’t that just expose their existence?"
That made sense to Jiang Hong. But more than causing trouble, he felt the previous incidents seemed more like accidents – unintended consequences during some kind of test.
Perhaps Chen Zhen thought so too. Mars' true intentions were complex, and both the Driving Committee and the enemy were racing against time, drawing ever closer to a critical moment.
The next day, at Baiyun Mental Hospital.
Jiang Hong knew that not all mental patients were like those portrayed on TV. Who would choose to have a mental illness? Despite being mentally prepared, he still felt a chill upon arriving at the hospital.
Lu Xiu: "Don't hold on so tightly. Are you even afraid of hospitals?"
Jiang Hong clung tightly to Lu Xiu's hand. Lu Xiu's fingers were pale, slender, and warm, alleviating his nervousness. However, Lu Xiu was almost at his wits' end with him – scared of the dead, the living, demons, the dark, and often startling himself. How could he be an exorcist?
"This isn't just any hospital," Jiang Hong said, looking around.
The mental hospital was heavily guarded, likely to prevent patients from escaping. But Lu Xiu smoothly gained entry by showing a fax of an introduction letter from some unknown source, under the guise of representing a Beijing care organization to visit a particular patient.
"Let me see... Zhao Yan, right?" The attending physician pulled up the medical record from the computer, while Jiang Hong continued to look around nervously.
Once inside, it wasn't as bad as he had imagined – no long corridors, no flickering fluorescent lights, no sinister doctors in white coats... The mental hospital was bright, with doctors and nurses bustling about, and the patients seemed normal.
"Do you want to stay here for a few days?" Lu Xiu joked.
Jiang Hong: "……"
The attending physician, a man in his thirties, chuckled at their words and asked, "What is your relationship with her?"
"She was a former senior leader in Beijing," Lu Xiu explained, "We were asked to come and visit her. How is her condition? Is she ready for discharge?"
The doctor replied, "She has a severe case of hysteria. Initially, her workplace sent her here. According to our current assessment, her condition has improved considerably, but she still needs further observation. Come, I'll take you to see her."
The doctor led them through an open-air corridor. The April breeze in Guangzhou was warm like late spring, early summer, with the sun shining warmly and the air carrying a mix of floral and grassy scents. As they opened the door to another building, Jiang Hong could hear the tinkling sound of a piano.
Inside was a spacious activity room where patients were engaged in various activities, some watching TV, others playing chess for therapy, and a male and a female nurse chatting behind a desk.
Someone in the corner of the room was playing the piano. The doctor signed the visitor's card, asked Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong to wait a moment, and then led them to the piano.
"This is Zhao Yan," the doctor introduced. "Zhao Yan, these are the people from Beijing who came to see you."
A middle-aged woman with short hair, dressed in patient attire, continued playing without acknowledging them. Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong exchanged glances and patiently waited. Only after she finished playing did Zhao Yan stop and appear lost in thought, not even glancing at them.
"You've finally come," Zhao Yan said.
Lu Xiu gestured that he would handle it. The doctor said, "There's a visitor's room over there. Call our nurses if you need anything."
Zhao Yan brushed her hair lightly and stood up slowly, walking towards the side of the activity hall. Jiang Hong, who had been feeling better, began to feel nervous again upon encountering Zhao Yan.
"Come here," Zhao Yan finally turned to look at them and said softly, "What are you waiting for?"
"This, this, this..." Jiang Hong tightened his grip on Lu Xiu's fingers.
Zhao Yan led them through the corridor to the visitor's area, which was empty. She sat down opposite them and said, "Beijing finally sent someone to investigate? It's already too late."
Lu Xiu observed Zhao Yan silently, trying to discern whether her mental state was genuinely disturbed or if she was placed here by the Driving Committee under the guise of a mental patient to isolate her from the outside world after discovering something.
"Are you exorcists?" Zhao Yan asked.
Jiang Hong initially wanted to ask how she knew, but then he remembered Zhao Yan used to be the head of the Archives Department at the Driving Committee, so it wasn't surprising.
"Yes," Lu Xiu replied, "I'm an investigator sent by the headquarters. Is this letter written by you?"
As he spoke, Lu Xiu took out a letter from the inner pocket of his coat, the very complaint letter given to him by Chen Zhen.
"Ah," Zhao Yan glanced at it and said, "It reached you, huh? All the trouble I took wasn't in vain."
Saying this, Zhao Yan chuckled softly.
Lu Xiu asked, "What do you want to report? What did you discover in the Guangzhou Driving Committee?"
Leaning forward slightly, Zhao Yan spoke with a tone full of mystery, "The Driving Committee is done for, completely ruined. Who is Mars? Everyone is Mars. Perhaps, you two are Mars!"
Jiang Hong sat up straight as Zhao Yan continued, "You just don't know it. Who can tell if they are an exorcist or Mars? Is it the shadow or the real entity? The shadow devours the heart of the real entity and follows it like a shadow. Everything in the mirror is real."
Jiang Hong: "……"
Unperturbed, Lu Xiu pressed on, "Why do you say that? What exactly did you discover?"
Zhao Yan made a "shush" gesture, formed a shape with her hands, and whispered, "Go look for it, it's everywhere."
Jiang Hong suddenly remembered! In Qilian Mountains, at the Shandan Horse Farm, he saw this symbol on those two messengers!
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong, who also seemed to have made a connection.
"Where did you discover this?" Lu Xiu asked for the third time.
But Zhao Yan just made a mysterious expression and said, "Go back and tell your leader. But be very careful, many leaders might already have become shadows."
Lu Xiu fell silent for a moment, then finally asked, "Is there anything else we can do for you?"
Zhao Yan shook her head. Lu Xiu asked, "Do you want help leaving here?"
"I am doing very well here, very well indeed," Zhao Yan answered.
After waiting a bit longer, Lu Xiu signaled Jiang Hong that they could leave. Jiang Hong, eager to go, quickly followed Lu Xiu.
"Shadows?" Jiang Hong whispered, "Are they some kind of dark force?"
Based on Zhao Yan's disjointed narrative, Jiang Hong visualized a scenario: How had Mars infiltrated the Driving Committee? Through a mirror? By looking into a mirror, a dark force appeared and slowly devoured a person.
"At least it proves that she wrote the complaint letter," Lu Xiu said quietly, "We have a lead now. The next step is to understand her true intentions, not just guesswork."
"But that's difficult," Jiang Hong had no idea how to converse with a patient with hysteria.
After pondering for a moment, Lu Xiu suggested, "Do you have any friends skilled in hypnosis? Maybe through hypnosis, she might speak more clearly..."
"Ah!" Jiang Hong exclaimed, "Zhang Xiting! I'll message him right away."
Jiang Hong took out his phone. Just then, the attending physician approached them, and they paused their conversation. To their surprise, the physician spoke in a low, mysterious voice, "Leaders, there is something..."
Lu Xiu: "???"
"No, no, no," Jiang Hong quickly interjected, "We're not leaders, please go ahead."
The attending physician said, "I just overheard your conversation. Are you exorcists? Honestly, this patient, Zhao Yan, has been talking about exorcists for a while now. We didn't take it seriously at first..."
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
What now? Jiang Hong was at a loss, looking at Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu hesitated for a moment, his right thumb rubbing his index finger, a faint glow at his fingertips, seemingly ready to flick a 'Forgetfulness Pollen' at him.
"Let's talk over here," the physician said earnestly, "As a kid, I always dreamed of masters who could fly and disappear. Are they all real? I was the one who secretly mailed Zhao Yan's complaint letter! Can you explain what exactly is happening?"
Jiang Hong: "………………"
"Hey!" A nurse hurried over, saying, "Why are you impersonating a doctor again!"
Lu Xiu: "……"
Jiang Hong: "……"
The 'attending physician' was restrained by two nurses, who removed his white coat, revealing patient attire underneath. He protested, "I'm not impersonating! Dr. Deng isn't in his office, I was just filling in for him... Wait, you guys!"
"Sorry, sorry!" The nurse escorted the 'physician' back to his ward, turning back to say, "This patient always likes to wear doctor's clothes. Dr. Deng is still in a meeting, it's almost over. You can wait for him in his office!"
Jiang Hong facepalmed, exiting the hospital with Lu Xiu. Turns out, the 'doctor' they had met was actually a patient in disguise.
"I've got in touch with Zhang Xiting," Jiang Hong said.
"Ask him if he can come here," Lu Xiu instructed, "We also need to visit the Guangzhou Driving Committee again to check for any clues in the Archives Department."
Leaving the hospital, Jiang Hong was about to hail a taxi when he received a message from An Jie, instructing him to rent a car for a trip the next day.
"You go rent the car," Lu Xiu ordered, "We'll talk later. I'm going to infiltrate the Driving Committee."
"Okay." Jiang Hong wanted to remind Lu Xiu to be careful, but given Lu Xiu's skills, there was likely no need for worry. He found a nearby car rental company, rented an SUV, and drove back to the hotel, parking in the underground garage. After a satisfying meal, he decided to head back to his room for a nap.
The warm spring sunshine in the south made one feel lazy and sleepy.
Jiang Hong lay on his bed playing with his phone for a while and messaged Zhang Xiting, who agreed to help them and had already bought a flight ticket for the next morning.
Just then, there was a knock on the door outside the room.
"Who is it?" Jiang Hong suddenly became alert and sat up.
"Room service," Lu Xiu's voice offered. "Would you like a massage?"
Jiang Hong then got up and opened the door.
Lu Xiu had returned.
Jiang Hong asked, "Don’t you have a key card?"
Lu Xiu replied, "I changed my coat today and forgot it."
"That was quick," Jiang Hong said. "Did you find anything?"
Lu Xiu answered, "No useful clues found."
Jiang Hong hummed in response, "Taking a nap?"
As soon as Lu Xiu entered, he took off his hoodie. He seemed to have dressed warmly today. Opening the wardrobe, he took out a shirt to change into and asked, "Has Anjie not returned yet?"
Jiang Hong stared at Lu Xiu's chest, falling silent for a couple of seconds before responding, "He just messaged me, asking us to wait for him for dinner."
While speaking, Jiang Hong reached for the dragon scale that Lu Xiu had given him, placed on the bedside.
"You're really smart." As his voice faded, Lu Xiu's figure flashed and suddenly he was right at the bedside!
"Lu—" Before Jiang Hong could speak, his throat was tightly gripped by "Lu Xiu." In the last moment, he only managed to grab the red string tied around the scale, without touching the scale itself.
A sinister smile appeared on the lips of the "Lu Xiu" imposter.
"How did you find out?" "Lu Xiu" narrowed his eyes and whispered, "How did you realize so quickly?"
Jiang Hong stopped struggling and resisting, knowing whoever this imposter was, he couldn't defeat them. He wisely raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, while rapidly thinking to himself, making sure not to glance at the phone on the bed.
Jiang Hong's face turned red, and "Lu Xiu" held him by the throat with one hand, lifting him off the bed to the ground. Holding him with one hand, he pressed his Bluetooth earpiece and said, "Target captured."
After speaking, "Lu Xiu" slightly loosened his grip, controlling the force to a level where Jiang Hong could barely breathe but couldn't escape.
However, at that moment, the doorbell rang.
It wasn't Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu had a key card, and the room had already been cleaned. The only possibility was that it was Anjie.
Jiang Hong asked, "Don't you have your key card?"
Lu Xiu replied, "I changed jackets today and forgot it."
"How did you return so quickly?" Jiang Hong asked. "Did you find anything?"
Lu Xiu answered, "No useful clues found."
Jiang Hong hummed and suggested, "Shall we take a nap?"
As soon as Lu Xiu entered, he took off his hoodie, apparently overdressed for the day. He opened the wardrobe to change into a shirt and asked, "Has Anjie not returned yet?"
Chapter 54: Sneak Attack
"First, I must complain about our canteen. They've scrapped it without providing meal subsidies. We have a colleague who constantly takes toilet paper home, leaving us with none in the restroom. Also, when we go out for tasks, we're not allowed to take taxis, only buses and subways. You know how urgent an exorcist's job can be. By the time we get there by bus, the demons have all fled. Hey, secretary, aren't you taking notes? Can you really remember all this just by listening?"
Finally, it was their turn to be called. They got a private room. Jiang Hong, seeing everything, wanted to eat it all. He ordered salted egg yolk with bitter gourd in a clay pot, clay pot rice, a must-try during a rare visit to Guangzhou, along with pigeon, braised local chicken, braised snow beef, clay pot shrimp paste with Chinese broccoli... What's this? Braised papaya?? That's a new way to eat it? Looks delicious. Let's add ribs and turbot fish! If we can't finish, Lu Xiu can have it... And finally, ginger fried ice cream for a perfect end!
"Secretary?" Lu Didi said.
"Yes, I've got it all," Jiang Hong replied contently, ticking off the list and handing it to the waiter.
Lu Xiu really wanted to blast this guy with a dragon flame and send him flying, but this jester had already broken through the bottom of his expectations. Instead, he found it absurdly amusing. Jiang Hong kept signaling with his eyes for Lu Xiu not to get angry. Right then, the phone rang.
An Jie said on the phone, "Have you had dinner?"
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong, knowing it must be An Jie, and signaled him to tell the truth.
"I've just picked up my bowl! What can I do for you?" Jiang Hong replied excitedly.
An Jie: "I'm asking you out for dinner, where are you?"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu again, who gestured for him to invite An Jie over.
Jiang Hong then told him the location, and An Jie said he'd be there in a minute. In less than three minutes, he pushed open the door of the private room.
Wow, that was fast. Jiang Hong initially wanted to ask An Jie if he was lurking downstairs, waiting for them to get their number to crash their meal. But then he remembered that An Jie, being an S-class exorcist, probably had some unique, powerful spell for instant teleportation, so he didn't ask further, invited him to sit, and washed a cup and bowl for him, imitating the Cantonese.
An Jie came in and oddly glanced at Lu Didi, who also looked back at An Jie. Before An Jie could speak, Lu Didi asked, "Who's this guy?"
An Jie: "............"
An Jie was about to burst into laughter from anger and was just about to tell him to leave when Jiang Hong quickly signaled with his eyes, explaining, "He's from the Guangzhou Driving Committee."
An Jie then sat down, and Lu Didi continued his grandiose speech.
"…And then," Lu Didi added, "they all discriminate against me, you know? Just because I'm a child born of a demon and a human. My father is from the demon clan. They always mock me behind my back. As soon as I pass by, they stop laughing. They even gave me a nickname, 'Demon Man'."
"That's really not acceptable," Jiang Hong sympathized, suggesting, "Have you considered changing your job?"
Lu Didi said, "If my mom hadn't pulled some strings to get me into the Committee, I wouldn't have come here! I'd rather go to the Demon Association; the demons treat me much better."
"Oh?" Jiang Hong's curiosity piqued while waiting for the food, "Where is the Demon Association in Guangzhou?"
"At the Guangzhou Tower," Lu Didi replied. "They are all very wealthy. Are you human or demon? You must be human, right?"
Jiang Hong hummed in response, and Lu Xiu, unable to listen anymore, said, "Let's focus on the matter at hand, you two..."
"Right, right, right! Back to business!" Lu Didi continued, "Then I also want to report Yang Song, the head of HR. He often goes out for tea during work hours and is blocking my position... Did you get the staffing chart? Can you add my name at the end? I'll treat you to this meal, okay?"
Jiang Hong: "…"
Lu Xiu: "Let me interrupt for a second."
Lu Didi: "There's one more thing I have to mention…"
Lu Xiu: "Do you know Zhao Yan?"
"Ah?" Lu Didi was stunned for a second.
An Jie showed a puzzled expression, clearly recognizing the name.
Lu Didi began to ponder, looking very lost. Lu Xiu asked, "What happened to Zhao Yan?"
"I don't know her," Lu Didi answered. "You're talking about the head of the Archives Department, right?"
"Yes," Lu Xiu replied.
Lu Didi said, "Didn't she go to Baiyun for treatment two years ago?"
"What's Baiyun?" Jiang Hong asked.
Lu Xiu gestured for Jiang Hong not to interrupt. Lu Didi added, "It's a mental hospital in Guangzhou. When I arrived, she had already left. I only heard about it; I don't know what happened to her."
"Okay, I got it," Lu Xiu responded.
Lu Didi continued, "I have more to report…"
"Do this, write a complaint letter," Lu Xiu suggested, "Give it to me when I come by tomorrow afternoon."
Lu Xiu indeed sounded like a leader, authoritative in his speech. Lu Didi stopped insisting and nodded in agreement.
Lu Xiu: "I promise to hand it directly to Chen Zhen, that's it."
"Who is Chen Zhen?" Lu Didi asked, looking confused again.
An Jie: "……"
"Baiyun Mental Hospital," Jiang Hong noted down, asking, "Does everyone in Guangzhou know about this place?"
Lu Didi replied, "Not necessarily, but I do because my mom is also in this mental hospital."
Jiang Hong uttered an "oh," looking at Lu Didi with a 'life is tough' expression. But Lu Xiu didn't give him time to befriend this young exorcist, leaving the discussion for later. Lu Didi then said, "You guys go ahead with your meal, sorry for the disturbance."
The man was quite considerate. Jiang Hong followed him out, saying, "Let me pack you some dinner!"
"Thank you," Lu Didi replied.
Since An Jie had arrived and they could expense the meal, Jiang Hong was happy to treat.
Back in the private room, as the dishes arrived, An Jie wondered, "Where did you find this character?"
Jiang Hong began to feast. Lu Xiu said, "Your leader is asking you a question."
"Oh, we met him by chance," Jiang Hong answered. "Leader, won't you try some? This snow beef is really delicious."
The clay pot dishes were steaming, sizzling, the beef perfectly seared on the outside and tender inside, exuding the aroma of black pepper and fermented bean sauce. The pigeon meat easily separated from the bone, tender and fatty – truly delectable! Eating in Guangzhou never disappoints!
Lu Xiu, not engaging in conversation with An Jie, started to enjoy the feast with Jiang Hong.
Clearly famished, An Jie, though not fond of Lu Xiu, couldn't resist the food. He sent a voice message on his phone: "Send me a report on Zhao Yan's life," and then started eating too.
With only eating and no talking, the atmosphere was a bit awkward.
Jiang Hong began to liven up the mood again.
"Where have you been, leader?"
"To the Earth's veins," An Jie replied. "And you? Where did you go?"
"Where did we go again?" Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu, unsure how much Lu Xiu was willing to disclose to An Jie and opting for this approach.
Lu Xiu: "The Guangzhou Driving Committee."
Jiang Hong relayed to An Jie: "The Guangzhou Driving Committee."
An Jie: "What task did Chen Zhen assign you? Investigating Zhao Yan?"
Jiang Hong asked Lu Xiu, "What task did Chen Zhen assign you?"
Lu Xiu replied to Jiang Hong, "Just investigate freely, no specific guidelines."
Jiang Hong then relayed to An Jie, "Just investigate freely, no specific guidelines."
An Jie: "……"
Lu Xiu: "Ask your leader if there are any conclusions about the earth vein anomalies."
Jiang Hong: "Leader, are there any conclusions about the earth vein anomalies?"
An Jie: "The planet Mars is extracting energy from the earth veins."
Lu Xiu signaled Jiang Hong again, "Ask about the direction and purpose."
An Jie: "A magic formation…"
Jiang Hong signaled An Jie to wait, then repeated, "The direction and purpose?"
Lu Xiu: "……………………"
An Jie: "……"
Lu Xiu: "Do you often act as a mouthpiece for your parents?"
Jiang Hong to An Jie: "Do you often act as a mouthpiece for your parents?"
Lu Xiu: "I'm asking you! Not him!"
Jiang Hong: "Yes, here comes the food. I'll start with the Chinese broccoli. How did you know? That's how they talk when my parents argue."
An Jie, at a loss for words, thought for a while before answering, "We found destroyed remnants at the scene, like a magic formation, but its specific form can't be reconstructed. It's estimated to be at least on the scale of six thousand shen."
Lu Xiu paused in his actions, gazing into An Jie's eyes. An Jie nodded slightly, and then the two stopped conversing.
"Six thousand shen!" Jiang Hong knew that shen was a unit of magical energy, equivalent to nearly six thousand tons of TNT.
As Chen Zhen's representative, Lu Xiu, a grand exorcist envoy, was not taken lightly by An Jie, at least in terms of work.
"What's such a massive amount of magical energy used for?" Jiang Hong asked again.
Neither An Jie nor Lu Xiu answered. Jiang Hong pondered and asked, "But isn't there no formation capable of withstanding such immense energy?"
"It's extracted and utilized simultaneously," Lu Xiu explained, "It's feasible as long as the energy infused into the formation at any given time doesn’t exceed twenty shen."
An Jie listened intently to Lu Xiu's explanation. Jiang Hong guessed that An Jie wasn't technically inclined, especially not as knowledgeable as Lu Xiu in formations. After all, even with extensive study, an exorcist's primary goal remains demon capture. As an exorcist and a leader, An Jie had numerous daily tasks and no time for deep research in any field, relying on others for detailed information.
"What purpose does such a formation serve?" An Jie asked.
This time, Lu Xiu didn't wait for Jiang Hong to relay and answered, "Many purposes, like nurturing life, reconstructing matter, or powering magical artifacts."
"But even magical artifacts can't handle such immense magical energy," Jiang Hong commented.
"Yes," Lu Xiu nodded, "Only a few heavenly-grade artifacts can. It's likely being used to incubate a major demon beast."
An Jie responded, "That matches my guess."
Everyone fell silent for a while. Jiang Hong then went to pay the bill and get a receipt, calling a car to return to the hotel together.
An Jie said to Jiang Hong, "I'll send you the photos from the site. Write up a preliminary report."
Assigned his task, Jiang Hong went to write the report. An Jie added, "I'm visiting the Guangzhou Driving Committee tomorrow. Since you've already been seen, you don't need to go."
Lu Xiu said to Jiang Hong, "Join me tomorrow to investigate the mental hospital. Can you ask your leader to get Zhao Yan's file for a look?"
Jiang Hong looked at An Jie, who nodded in agreement.
With his tasks clearly laid out, Jiang Hong returned to the hotel, a bit worried, asking Lu Xiu, "Will there be another major demon in Guangzhou?"
He still vividly remembered the previous battle with Wu Zhi Qi and the Peacock Demon. With so many people in Guangzhou, a major demon appearance was no joke.
"Not necessarily," Lu Xiu, fresh from a shower and sitting on the bed, browsing through Zhao Yan's file sent by Jiang Hong on his computer, replied, "If that's always the case, Mars would be too foolish."
"Why?" Jiang Hong asked curiously.
Lu Xiu: "If every now and then an under-evolved major demon beast is released, and the exorcists eliminate it, followed by a period of silence before repeating the process, wouldn’t that just expose their existence?"
That made sense to Jiang Hong. But more than causing trouble, he felt the previous incidents seemed more like accidents – unintended consequences during some kind of test.
Perhaps Chen Zhen thought so too. Mars' true intentions were complex, and both the Driving Committee and the enemy were racing against time, drawing ever closer to a critical moment.
The next day, at Baiyun Mental Hospital.
Jiang Hong knew that not all mental patients were like those portrayed on TV. Who would choose to have a mental illness? Despite being mentally prepared, he still felt a chill upon arriving at the hospital.
Lu Xiu: "Don't hold on so tightly. Are you even afraid of hospitals?"
Jiang Hong clung tightly to Lu Xiu's hand. Lu Xiu's fingers were pale, slender, and warm, alleviating his nervousness. However, Lu Xiu was almost at his wits' end with him – scared of the dead, the living, demons, the dark, and often startling himself. How could he be an exorcist?
"This isn't just any hospital," Jiang Hong said, looking around.
The mental hospital was heavily guarded, likely to prevent patients from escaping. But Lu Xiu smoothly gained entry by showing a fax of an introduction letter from some unknown source, under the guise of representing a Beijing care organization to visit a particular patient.
"Let me see... Zhao Yan, right?" The attending physician pulled up the medical record from the computer, while Jiang Hong continued to look around nervously.
Once inside, it wasn't as bad as he had imagined – no long corridors, no flickering fluorescent lights, no sinister doctors in white coats... The mental hospital was bright, with doctors and nurses bustling about, and the patients seemed normal.
"Do you want to stay here for a few days?" Lu Xiu joked.
Jiang Hong: "……"
The attending physician, a man in his thirties, chuckled at their words and asked, "What is your relationship with her?"
"She was a former senior leader in Beijing," Lu Xiu explained, "We were asked to come and visit her. How is her condition? Is she ready for discharge?"
The doctor replied, "She has a severe case of hysteria. Initially, her workplace sent her here. According to our current assessment, her condition has improved considerably, but she still needs further observation. Come, I'll take you to see her."
The doctor led them through an open-air corridor. The April breeze in Guangzhou was warm like late spring, early summer, with the sun shining warmly and the air carrying a mix of floral and grassy scents. As they opened the door to another building, Jiang Hong could hear the tinkling sound of a piano.
Inside was a spacious activity room where patients were engaged in various activities, some watching TV, others playing chess for therapy, and a male and a female nurse chatting behind a desk.
Someone in the corner of the room was playing the piano. The doctor signed the visitor's card, asked Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong to wait a moment, and then led them to the piano.
"This is Zhao Yan," the doctor introduced. "Zhao Yan, these are the people from Beijing who came to see you."
A middle-aged woman with short hair, dressed in patient attire, continued playing without acknowledging them. Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong exchanged glances and patiently waited. Only after she finished playing did Zhao Yan stop and appear lost in thought, not even glancing at them.
"You've finally come," Zhao Yan said.
Lu Xiu gestured that he would handle it. The doctor said, "There's a visitor's room over there. Call our nurses if you need anything."
Zhao Yan brushed her hair lightly and stood up slowly, walking towards the side of the activity hall. Jiang Hong, who had been feeling better, began to feel nervous again upon encountering Zhao Yan.
"Come here," Zhao Yan finally turned to look at them and said softly, "What are you waiting for?"
"This, this, this..." Jiang Hong tightened his grip on Lu Xiu's fingers.
Zhao Yan led them through the corridor to the visitor's area, which was empty. She sat down opposite them and said, "Beijing finally sent someone to investigate? It's already too late."
Lu Xiu observed Zhao Yan silently, trying to discern whether her mental state was genuinely disturbed or if she was placed here by the Driving Committee under the guise of a mental patient to isolate her from the outside world after discovering something.
"Are you exorcists?" Zhao Yan asked.
Jiang Hong initially wanted to ask how she knew, but then he remembered Zhao Yan used to be the head of the Archives Department at the Driving Committee, so it wasn't surprising.
"Yes," Lu Xiu replied, "I'm an investigator sent by the headquarters. Is this letter written by you?"
As he spoke, Lu Xiu took out a letter from the inner pocket of his coat, the very complaint letter given to him by Chen Zhen.
"Ah," Zhao Yan glanced at it and said, "It reached you, huh? All the trouble I took wasn't in vain."
Saying this, Zhao Yan chuckled softly.
Lu Xiu asked, "What do you want to report? What did you discover in the Guangzhou Driving Committee?"
Leaning forward slightly, Zhao Yan spoke with a tone full of mystery, "The Driving Committee is done for, completely ruined. Who is Mars? Everyone is Mars. Perhaps, you two are Mars!"
Jiang Hong sat up straight as Zhao Yan continued, "You just don't know it. Who can tell if they are an exorcist or Mars? Is it the shadow or the real entity? The shadow devours the heart of the real entity and follows it like a shadow. Everything in the mirror is real."
Jiang Hong: "……"
Unperturbed, Lu Xiu pressed on, "Why do you say that? What exactly did you discover?"
Zhao Yan made a "shush" gesture, formed a shape with her hands, and whispered, "Go look for it, it's everywhere."
Jiang Hong suddenly remembered! In Qilian Mountains, at the Shandan Horse Farm, he saw this symbol on those two messengers!
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong, who also seemed to have made a connection.
"Where did you discover this?" Lu Xiu asked for the third time.
But Zhao Yan just made a mysterious expression and said, "Go back and tell your leader. But be very careful, many leaders might already have become shadows."
Lu Xiu fell silent for a moment, then finally asked, "Is there anything else we can do for you?"
Zhao Yan shook her head. Lu Xiu asked, "Do you want help leaving here?"
"I am doing very well here, very well indeed," Zhao Yan answered.
After waiting a bit longer, Lu Xiu signaled Jiang Hong that they could leave. Jiang Hong, eager to go, quickly followed Lu Xiu.
"Shadows?" Jiang Hong whispered, "Are they some kind of dark force?"
Based on Zhao Yan's disjointed narrative, Jiang Hong visualized a scenario: How had Mars infiltrated the Driving Committee? Through a mirror? By looking into a mirror, a dark force appeared and slowly devoured a person.
"At least it proves that she wrote the complaint letter," Lu Xiu said quietly, "We have a lead now. The next step is to understand her true intentions, not just guesswork."
"But that's difficult," Jiang Hong had no idea how to converse with a patient with hysteria.
After pondering for a moment, Lu Xiu suggested, "Do you have any friends skilled in hypnosis? Maybe through hypnosis, she might speak more clearly..."
"Ah!" Jiang Hong exclaimed, "Zhang Xiting! I'll message him right away."
Jiang Hong took out his phone. Just then, the attending physician approached them, and they paused their conversation. To their surprise, the physician spoke in a low, mysterious voice, "Leaders, there is something..."
Lu Xiu: "???"
"No, no, no," Jiang Hong quickly interjected, "We're not leaders, please go ahead."
The attending physician said, "I just overheard your conversation. Are you exorcists? Honestly, this patient, Zhao Yan, has been talking about exorcists for a while now. We didn't take it seriously at first..."
Jiang Hong: "！！！"
What now? Jiang Hong was at a loss, looking at Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu hesitated for a moment, his right thumb rubbing his index finger, a faint glow at his fingertips, seemingly ready to flick a 'Forgetfulness Pollen' at him.
"Let's talk over here," the physician said earnestly, "As a kid, I always dreamed of masters who could fly and disappear. Are they all real? I was the one who secretly mailed Zhao Yan's complaint letter! Can you explain what exactly is happening?"
Jiang Hong: "………………"
"Hey!" A nurse hurried over, saying, "Why are you impersonating a doctor again!"
Lu Xiu: "……"
Jiang Hong: "……"
The 'attending physician' was restrained by two nurses, who removed his white coat, revealing patient attire underneath. He protested, "I'm not impersonating! Dr. Deng isn't in his office, I was just filling in for him... Wait, you guys!"
"Sorry, sorry!" The nurse escorted the 'physician' back to his ward, turning back to say, "This patient always likes to wear doctor's clothes. Dr. Deng is still in a meeting, it's almost over. You can wait for him in his office!"
Jiang Hong facepalmed, exiting the hospital with Lu Xiu. Turns out, the 'doctor' they had met was actually a patient in disguise.
"I've got in touch with Zhang Xiting," Jiang Hong said.
"Ask him if he can come here," Lu Xiu instructed, "We also need to visit the Guangzhou Driving Committee again to check for any clues in the Archives Department."
Leaving the hospital, Jiang Hong was about to hail a taxi when he received a message from An Jie, instructing him to rent a car for a trip the next day.
"You go rent the car," Lu Xiu ordered, "We'll talk later. I'm going to infiltrate the Driving Committee."
"Okay." Jiang Hong wanted to remind Lu Xiu to be careful, but given Lu Xiu's skills, there was likely no need for worry. He found a nearby car rental company, rented an SUV, and drove back to the hotel, parking in the underground garage. After a satisfying meal, he decided to head back to his room for a nap.
The warm spring sunshine in the south made one feel lazy and sleepy.
Jiang Hong lay on his bed playing with his phone for a while and messaged Zhang Xiting, who agreed to help them and had already bought a flight ticket for the next morning.
Just then, there was a knock on the door outside the room.
"Who is it?" Jiang Hong suddenly became alert and sat up.
"Room service," Lu Xiu's voice offered. "Would you like a massage?"
Jiang Hong then got up and opened the door.
Lu Xiu had returned.
Jiang Hong asked, "Don’t you have a key card?"
Lu Xiu replied, "I changed my coat today and forgot it."
"That was quick," Jiang Hong said. "Did you find anything?"
Lu Xiu answered, "No useful clues found."
Jiang Hong hummed in response, "Taking a nap?"
As soon as Lu Xiu entered, he took off his hoodie. He seemed to have dressed warmly today. Opening the wardrobe, he took out a shirt to change into and asked, "Has Anjie not returned yet?"
Jiang Hong stared at Lu Xiu's chest, falling silent for a couple of seconds before responding, "He just messaged me, asking us to wait for him for dinner."
While speaking, Jiang Hong reached for the dragon scale that Lu Xiu had given him, placed on the bedside.
"You're really smart." As his voice faded, Lu Xiu's figure flashed and suddenly he was right at the bedside!
"Lu—" Before Jiang Hong could speak, his throat was tightly gripped by "Lu Xiu." In the last moment, he only managed to grab the red string tied around the scale, without touching the scale itself.
A sinister smile appeared on the lips of the "Lu Xiu" imposter.
"How did you find out?" "Lu Xiu" narrowed his eyes and whispered, "How did you realize so quickly?"
Jiang Hong stopped struggling and resisting, knowing whoever this imposter was, he couldn't defeat them. He wisely raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, while rapidly thinking to himself, making sure not to glance at the phone on the bed.
Jiang Hong's face turned red, and "Lu Xiu" held him by the throat with one hand, lifting him off the bed to the ground. Holding him with one hand, he pressed his Bluetooth earpiece and said, "Target captured."
After speaking, "Lu Xiu" slightly loosened his grip, controlling the force to a level where Jiang Hong could barely breathe but couldn't escape.
However, at that moment, the doorbell rang.
It wasn't Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu had a key card, and the room had already been cleaned. The only possibility was that it was Anjie.
Jiang Hong asked, "Don't you have your key card?"
Lu Xiu replied, "I changed jackets today and forgot it."
"How did you return so quickly?" Jiang Hong asked. "Did you find anything?"
Lu Xiu answered, "No useful clues found."
Jiang Hong hummed and suggested, "Shall we take a nap?"
As soon as Lu Xiu entered, he took off his hoodie, apparently overdressed for the day. He opened the wardrobe to change into a shirt and asked, "Has Anjie not returned yet?"
