Chapter 284
Chapter 284
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 284
>Chapter Title: Intelligence
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"This person is from the Celestial Surveillance Bureau? Did Hong Da find someone?"
Li Huowang's expression grew solemn as he sized up the figure before him. It was a big-headed doll resembling a little girl, with a bright red dot on its forehead that seemed to glow faintly in the dim stable.
Since this person was from the Celestial Surveillance Bureau, Li Huowang didn't dare to let his guard down. The next steps could determine whether he could join them. But first, he needed to rule out the possibility that this one was from the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
Just as Li Huowang was pondering how to test them, the big-headed doll seemed to read his mind.
"No need to panic. The Sitting Oblivion Dao's Great Three Primes just took a heavy blow. They'll be lying low for a while."
After carefully weighing those words, Li Huowang spoke slowly.
"Before this, I helped out quite a bit with Hong Da's matter. I figured, if I can do that kind of work, why let the reward go to someone else?"
The big-headed doll swayed slightly in place upon hearing Li Huowang's words, leaning toward him. A muffled voice emanated from within.
"Joining the Celestial Surveillance Bureau is simple if you make it simple, hard if you make it hard. Some things get easier if you just think about others a bit more. You get what I mean?"
"Hm?"
Li Huowang was momentarily stunned. It took him a moment to realize they were asking for a bribe.
This was good news for Li Huowang—at least they were living people with desires.
After everything he'd been through, his expectations for others were already rock bottom.
He handed over a heavy gold box encrusted with gems, filled with several dog-head-sized gold nuggets.
"Gold?"
The big-headed doll accepted it with a wrinkled hand, weighed it lightly, then let it drop to the ground with a clatter, spilling the gold everywhere.
As the big-headed doll stood motionless, Li Huowang took the gourd from his waist and poured out five Lifespan Pills wrapped in yellow talisman paper.
The moment it saw the Lifespan Pills, the big-headed doll's tone softened noticeably.
"Hm, now that's the right track. Good, good."
In exchange for the five Lifespan Pills, Li Huowang received an iron token about half a palm in size.
The back of the token bore the three large characters "Celestial Surveillance Bureau." The front was engraved with "Ghost Operative" surrounded by interconnected constellations, making it look exquisitely crafted.
"It looks like this was prepared in advance? But isn't this all a bit too smooth?"
Li Huowang examined it before looking back at the big-headed doll.
"May I ask what this 'Ghost Operative'—"
"No need to explain 'Operative.' You don't know 'Ghost'? The ten heavenly stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui. The later ones are lower ranks. Anyway, it doesn't matter if you know now—you'll learn later. There's work."
"Go check it out. Looks like Sitting Oblivion Dao again. Handle it the same way you helped Hong Da last time if it's real."
The big-headed doll held out an envelope with a red sticker in the center and handed it to Li Huowang.
"Sitting Oblivion Dao? Right now?"
Li Huowang couldn't hide his surprise. This was too fast.
"What's wrong? Can't do it now? Forget it then. I'll find another Ghost Operative."
The big-headed doll moved to take the envelope back, but Li Huowang snatched it first.
"Fine, I'll take it. May I ask how much the reward is this time? And how does one get promoted within the Bureau? Also, some... exchange of enemy intel?"
By the end, Li Huowang's heart was pounding faster. This was exactly why he'd joined the Celestial Surveillance Bureau.
There might even be records inside about everything related to the Heart Elemental.
"Do the job first. If you do it well, then you'll get paid. Enemy details are in the envelope."
With that, the big-headed doll turned and headed out of the stable. Though its body had turned, the oversized doll head on top stayed facing Li Huowang, those black brush-painted eyes fixed on him.
Once the big-headed doll vanished into the back courtyard, Li Huowang stared down at the envelope and token in thought.
He knew joining the Celestial Surveillance Bureau wasn't this straightforward. This job was a test.
Pass the test, and he'd be in. Otherwise, this token was just scrap metal.
"Sitting Oblivion Dao again? Coincidence? Or deliberate? Do they suspect I'm one of them, so they're testing me with this?"
"Does that mean the Bureau will send someone to watch me while I work?"
Li Huowang pondered as he opened the envelope and examined its contents.
The information was brief: according to a scout's report, there were signs of Sitting Oblivion Dao activity in a village. The Bureau was to send someone to investigate.
It all seemed standard and routine. But the next sheet detailed an introduction to the Sitting Oblivion Dao.
The classical Chinese was tough for Li Huowang to parse, but after some effort, he grasped the gist.
According to the document, the Sitting Oblivion Dao's origins were unknown—even to the Celestial Surveillance Bureau.
What they did know was that these people acted solely for their own pleasure. To amuse themselves.
If the fun was big enough, they'd gamble their lives without hesitation.
And somehow, the Sitting Oblivion Dao had a special method to deceive other Si Mings and steal their power.
Li Huowang already knew all that, but one term caught his eye.
"Si Ming? So that's what the Bureau calls those things behind Bai Yujing? Why does every group have a different name for them?"
Li Huowang repeated the word in his mind before reading on.
The entire Sitting Oblivion Dao used mahjong suit names for hierarchy. Sticks, Dots, and Characters were the lowest-ranking members.
Commanding them were the Four Joys: East Wind, West Wind, South Wind, North Wind.
Above the Four Joys were the Three Primes: Red Dragon, White Dragon, Green Dragon.
And above the Three Primes, rumor had it, there was a Dice that controlled the entire Sitting Oblivion Dao.
Why rumor? Because no one in the Bureau had ever laid eyes on the Dice.
The Sitting Oblivion Dao wasn't just weird in name and abilities—their recruitment was bizarre too.
Unlike other sects, they recruited through deception.
They deceived Si Mings, deceived others, and even deceived themselves.
Every new member was tricked in by an existing one. Everyone in the Sitting Oblivion Dao was both a deceiver and deceived.
"Heh, I should've guessed. Nothing those lunatics do surprises me anymore."
Li Huowang wanted to read on, but that was it—the abrupt end left him deeply unsatisfied.
A loud rooster crowed, snapping Li Huowang's head up. Dawn had broken; he'd stood there all night without realizing.
(End of chapter)