INHA Chapter 7

Xu Dongyou’s cold, fever, and cough were not contagious. Just as Captain Tian Ze had said, it was entirely due to excessive exertion or the aftereffects of using his abilities.

To avoid worrying Hou Mingjun and his parents, he sent them a message from the car, saying that he was temporarily unable to visit. He also mentioned that he had already resolved the matter of thanking Zhang Wu and Zhao Liu.

He did not specify how he resolved it.

Hou Mingjun did not ask for details, simply saying that he would treat Xu Dongyou to a meal next time.

The two of them had grown up together and no longer needed to differentiate things too clearly.

Xu Dongyou put away his phone and checked into a motel. He didn’t want to go home and worry his parents. Besides, this place was close to the bureau, making it convenient for him to go there at any time.

Lying on the bed to rest for a while, Xu Dongyou couldn’t resist his curiosity about the spiritual energy watch. He sat up and opened the box, revealing a watch identical to Zhao Liu’s.

Both were quite ordinary.

At the bottom of the box, there was a manual for the watch, which stated that the initial activation required pressing the button on the side of the watch three times, after which he could set up his preferred gestures.

Before that, he needed to fill in his real information after activating the watch. The bureau would then verify the authenticity of the information.

It took Xu Dongyou about ten minutes to complete the form. He then began setting up the gestures: double-tapping the screen to activate the watch and a long press to exit the main interface, similar to a phone.

As for the serial number, Xu Dongyou saw six numbers displayed on the right side. The first line showed an unfamiliar name, noted as “4th Division Chief” in parentheses.

The second one was Tian Ze, marked as “4th Division, 8th Squad Leader.”

The others included Zhao Liu, Zhang Wu, and two other unfamiliar names, who were likely the other two members of the squad that Tian Ze had mentioned.

Xu Dongyou hesitated for a moment before giving up on the idea of proactively greeting the team members, deciding to wait until the next meeting instead.

Besides the contact list, the watch had functions for exchange, tasks, anomaly information, and personal information.

Xu Dongyou first clicked on personal information and found the details he had just filled in. It showed his nickname as “Li Dong,” with “8th Squad” in parentheses beside it.

Additionally, it displayed his spiritual ability level and his points, which were currently zero.

After reviewing this, Xu Dongyou turned to the exchange function, which interested him the most.

He sat up and clicked on it, seeing several categories.

There were weapon, item, and medicine categories, as well as a currency exchange function.

Xu Dongyou was surprised by the variety of the bureau’s exchange functions. With a sense of awe, he tried to open the weapons category but was informed that he didn’t have enough points to access it.

The same applied to the other categories.

Feeling dejected, Xu Dongyou sniffled. Whether it was a trick of the mind or not, his headache seemed to worsen, making him decide to stop exploring the watch and instead lie down to take a nap.

Around ten in the evening, Xu Dongyou heard the beeping sound from his watch. He groggily opened his eyes, his fever and cold making his brain sluggish. It took him a few seconds to recall everything that had happened today.

Xu Dongyou muttered an “ugh” as he sat up and checked the watch, seeing a message from Zhao Liu.

【Zhao Liu (8th Squad)】: We earned 6 points for this mission. Each of us gets a third. Your points have been transferred. Quickly exchange for an aftereffect alleviator in the medicine section.

Xu Dongyou felt touched and used voice input to reply to the message.

【Li Dong (8th Squad)】: Thank you. How do I get the medicine after I exchange for it?

【Zhao Liu (8th Squad)】: You have to pick it up yourself or I can bring it to you.

Xu Dongyou hesitated repeatedly, certain that his illness would worsen by tomorrow and unsure if he would even be able to stand up.

Feeling troubled, Xu Dongyou bit his lip and sent his location at the motel, asking Zhao Liu to bring the medicine over.

Zhao Liu quickly responded, saying it was no problem and to let him know once the exchange was complete so he could pick up the medicine.

Xu Dongyou switched back to the exchange function, opened the medicine category, and quickly found something called “Aftereffect Alleviator” in the first column, priced at 1 point.

He scrolled down and found more medicines, all priced below 3 points.

Due to his severe fever and cold, Xu Dongyou lacked the energy to examine them closely. He quickly completed the exchange and sent the code to Zhao Liu.

About twenty minutes later, there was a knock on Xu Dongyou’s door. He quickly got out of bed and wobbled over to open it.

Seeing Xu Dongyou’s flushed face from the fever, Zhao Liu said, “Take the medicine as soon as possible.”

Xu Dongyou coughed twice and took the medicine, his voice even raspier than during the day. “Do I just drink it straight?”

Zhao Liu, as calm as ever, replied, “Yes.”

Xu Dongyou opened the vial and drank the medicine in one go. It tasted a bit like peach.

After watching Xu Dongyou drink the medicine, Zhao Liu stood up to leave. Before going, he said, “Rest well. You should feel much better by tomorrow. The captain said to rest for two more days.”

Xu Dongyou didn’t try to keep him. After closing the door, he quickly went back to sleep.

The next morning, around ten o’clock, Xu Dongyou woke up. He lay there for a few seconds before sitting up.

After taking the medicine and sleeping again, Xu Dongyou indeed felt much better, just as Zhao Liu had said. He would likely be fully recovered in three days.

Xu Dongyou yawned, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. His disheveled hair made him look even younger.

He ordered takeout and, while waiting, washed his face and brushed his teeth. In the meantime, he eagerly opened his spiritual energy watch to check the functions he hadn’t explored the day before.

The first function Xu Dongyou checked was the task function, which was divided into several categories such as Fierce Ghosts, Resentful Spirits, and Others.

Each category had tasks with difficulty levels assessed by the bureau. There were also tasks seemingly posted by other team members but without difficulty ratings.

Xu Dongyou stared at the Fierce Ghosts and Spiritual Spirits categories for a long time before clicking into each to review the task information.

After reading several entries, Xu Dongyou roughly understood the difference between Fierce Ghosts and Spiritual Spirits.

In general, ghosts lingered due to unfulfilled desires or resentments from their lives or moments of death. Those with strong resentments could harm people.

Resentful Spirits, on the other hand, seemed to have no such desires but possessed a terrifying nature. Dealing with them required finding their source and understanding their killing rules to help victims escape, followed by sealing them with special tools.

As for what happened to Resentful Spirits after being sealed, a newcomer like Xu Dongyou had no way of knowing. He would have to ask Zhao Liu and the others next time.

In addition to tasks, there was also something called anomaly information. Xu Dongyou used this to summarize the differences between ghosts and Resentful Spirits.

After two or three minutes, the takeout arrived. Xu Dongyou ate while continuing to read the task information.

One of the ghost-related tasks was on the commercial street across from the motel.

Xu Dongyou carefully reviewed the details, which mentioned a toy store owner who had repeatedly called the police, claiming to see a toy bear moving and hearing it giggling.

But none of the other staff heard anything, which made her increasingly terrified until she finally closed the shop temporarily and went home to rest.

The task indicated that the owner seemed emotionally stable after returning home. It appeared to be the work of a Resentful Spirit. But there were some inconsistencies.

As a result, the task points were not very high.

Xu Dongyou recalled how Hou Mingjun had reported multiple incidents to the police. This information had likely been collected by the bureau and included in the tasks, which Zhang Wu and Zhao Liu had taken on.

It was through this series of coincidences that he had ended up joining the bureau.

Xu Dongyou stayed at the motel for two days to rest. On the third day, he returned to school and resumed his classes. During lunch, Hou Mingjun arranged to meet with him.

As soon as Xu Dongyou arrived and before he could sit down, Hou Mingjun asked, “Dongyou, when you took them home yesterday, did you find out what they do for a living?”

Xu Dongyou wasn’t sure if the bureau allowed ordinary people to know about these things, so he evasively avoided the question.

Hou Mingjun didn’t press further and switched to chatting about various other topics. After about an hour, they both returned to school.

As he walked, Xu Dongyou pondered his future plans. If he hadn’t joined the bureau yesterday, he might have continued on his previous path, planning to participate in talent shows after solidifying his knowledge in various fields.

He didn’t want to follow his advisor’s suggestion of joining a public institution’s arts troupe right after graduation.

He wanted to be on stage.

But…

Now things were different.

Xu Dongyou felt uncertain about his future and the path he should take.

The next morning at seven.

After washing up, Xu Dongyou contacted Tian Ze with a respectful tone.

【Li Dong (8th Squad)】: Captain, I’ll be at the bureau by eight, but I’m not sure where to go next.

Tian Ze quickly replied.

【Tian Ze (4th Division, 8th Squad Leader)】: Zhang Wu and I will be waiting for you in the first-floor lobby. The bureau has something for you today.

Xu Dongyou felt a bit apprehensive but didn’t dare ask what it was. He hurriedly put on his coat and headed out.

Fengnian Street Bureau.

The lobby seemed busier than yesterday. People were whispering, their expressions a mix of surprise and envy, which eventually turned into ones of curiosity.

As Xu Dongyou walked in, the chatter noticeably quieted.

He sensed many discreet glances coming his way—curious, surprised, or something else.

Having long grown accustomed to enduring such gazes, Xu Dongyou scanned the room and quickly spotted Tian Ze and Zhang Wu waving at him from a distance.

Xu Dongyou hurried over, greeted the three of them, and instinctively looked around.

“Don’t bother looking. The other two have matters to attend to and won’t be here until noon. Let’s get down to business first,” Tian Ze said briskly, cutting straight to the point. “Do you know why there are so many people here today?”

Xu Dongyou shook his head obediently, feeling even more anxious.

It couldn’t possibly be because of him, right?

Unable to contain himself, Zhang Wu blurted out, “Hmph, they’re definitely here to see our 8th Squad make a fool of ourselves.”

Xu Dongyou felt even more confused.

Tian Ze glared at Zhang Wu, then quickly shifted his expression to a kinder one as he looked at Xu Dongyou. “This matter will be explained by the Chief and Elder Chen when they arrive. Make sure to be respectful, okay?”

Xu Dongyou nodded instinctively, feeling increasingly nervous.

About five minutes later, the elevator doors opened, and seven or eight people emerged, surrounding an elderly man in his sixties or seventies, dressed in a Zhongshan suit. Despite his kindly expression, he exuded an imposing presence.

The room instantly fell silent, and everyone instinctively lowered their heads.

One of the middle-aged men, around forty years old, with a gentle smile, waved at Xu Dongyou.

Tian Ze quickly snapped back to attention and nudged Xu Dongyou. “Come with me.”

Usually gruff and loud, Tian Ze became noticeably more restrained in front of the middle-aged man and the elderly man in the Zhongshan suit. “Hello, Elder Chen. Hello, Chief.”

Elder Chen’s eyes remained bright, and he smiled as he spoke to Tian Ze. “Ah, Xiao Tian, is this the promising new recruit on your team?”

Suppressing his excitement, Tian Ze replied, “Elder Chen, you still remember my surname.” Realizing something, he quickly pulled over the obedient-looking Xu Dongyou. “This is our new member, called Li Dong.”

Xu Dongyou, feeling a bit nervous, mimicked Tian Ze. “Hello, Elder Chen. Hello, Chief.”

The people behind Elder Chen had expressions that seemed to say, ‘We are superior, and you are not worthy’. They showed a hint of disdain for Xu Dongyou’s respectful behavior.

Xu Dongyou: ??

Tian Ze gave Xu Dongyou a reassuring pat on the back.

Elder Chen, without turning around, seemed to anticipate the smug expressions of the people behind him. He said to Xu Dongyou, “Don’t mind them. They’re just a bunch of immature folks.”

Despite his stern and dignified appearance, Elder Chen’s words felt perfectly natural.

Xu Dongyou quickly shook his head, indicating he didn’t mind.

“Let’s go inside and continue our discussion,” the middle-aged man, whom Tian Ze referred to as the chief, said as he gestured for Elder Chen and the others to move forward.

Xu Dongyou followed behind, feeling completely bewildered.

He still had no idea what was going to happen next.

They walked to the very end of the first-floor lobby, where the chief stepped forward to input a fingerprint password. The door slowly opened, revealing a deep, seemingly endless staircase inside.

One person beside Elder Chen stepped forward and took the lead.

As soon as someone started descending the dark staircase, the night pearls embedded in the walls gradually lit up, illuminating the path ahead.

Xu Dongyou walked in the middle, glancing around nervously and curiously. The night pearls seemed to stretch endlessly.

Footsteps echoed as they walked.

After about half an hour of descending, the space suddenly opened up into a vast area that seemed to go on forever.

They walked slowly for several kilometers until they stopped in front of a stone bridge, beside which stood a stone tablet with grand, sweeping characters that read: ⌈Entrance to the Great Sealing Town⌋.

Sealing?

What exactly was sealed on the other side of this bridge to warrant such a large-scale arrangement?

Xu Dongyou swallowed hard, feeling an inexplicable sense that he was about to encounter something extraordinary.

One of the people behind Elder Chen stepped forward, conjuring a ball of fire out of thin air and drawing several patterns on the stone tablet.

Once again, Xu Dongyou’s eyes widened in awe.

Tian Ze nudged him quietly, signaling him to maintain his composure.

Although Tian Ze’s expression had been even more exaggerated when he first came here.

Xu Dongyou struggled to suppress his shocked expression.

As the final stroke of the pattern was completed, a semi-transparent and more complex door seemed to appear in the air.

Only then did Elder Chen turn to look at the captain, who then looked at Xu Dongyou. “All newcomers with spiritual energy levels above two must undertake a mission upon joining the bureau. It concerns saving the world.”

Xu Dongyou’s mind echoed with a single phrase.

Saving the world.

He straightened his back and patted his chest resolutely. “If it’s such an important task, of course, I won’t refuse. But my skills are lacking…”

The grand setup and the mysterious yet awe-inspiring Great Sealing Town made Xu Dongyou feel immense pressure.

What if he failed the mission…

Elder Chen patted Xu Dongyou. “You don’t need to go to the battlefield. You only need to try to approach and calm the ancient mysterious entity self-sealed under the seal.”

Xu Dongyou was stunned. “Uh, may I ask, what is this mysterious entity you’re referring to?”

Besides resentful spirits and ghosts, were there other unknown beings in this world?

Elder Chen’s tone was calm. “Oh, the entity sealed inside is the mythical Zhulong¹Torch Dragon in English. A giant red solar dragon and god in Chinese mythology. It supposedly had a human’s face and snake’s body, created day and night by opening and closing its eyes, and created seasonal winds by breathing.. Don’t be afraid.”

Xu Dongyou was instantly dumbfounded. “???”

His mind was filled with shock.

Zhulong?

Does a mythical creature actually exist in reality???

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  Torch Dragon in English. A giant red solar dragon and god in Chinese mythology. It supposedly had a human’s face and snake’s body, created day and night by opening and closing its eyes, and created seasonal winds by breathing.