The Real Records Room

Li Banfeng purchased the lenses according to the model his wife specified. In less than an hour, his wife had them installed. After leaving the laboratory, the two headed to the newland adjacent to Qiqiu City. This was Wan Nianlao's territory. According to Shui Yongquan, Wan Nianlao and Qiu Luoye had been getting along quite well recently and visited each other often. Li Banfeng had also been hoping to find an opportunity to get some glue from Wan Nianlao. However, he hadn't come here today for glue; he was here to test the torch his wife had newly crafted. Finding an open clearing, Li Banfeng handed the key to his wife, then used the Close the Doors and Bar the Gates technique to release the Boundary. Holding the key, his wife didn't understand what Li Banfeng meant by this. Li Banfeng had a specific reason for doing so. The reason he handed the key to his wife was that the Boundary moved with the house; if Li Banfeng wanted to cross the Boundary, he had to anchor it in place first. His wife ignited the oil, and the torch flared to life. The firelight shone through the lenses onto the Boundary, completely masking its halo of light. Li Banfeng laughed aloud. "Madam, one look and you know this works! Saying it's a sure thing wouldn't be an exaggeration! Let me give it a try first!" The gramophone said, "Husband, it is better to be careful." "Whatever my wife makes, I have total faith in," Li Banfeng said, releasing Banfeng Two. "Go on!" Banfeng Two looked back at Li Banfeng. "What good does it do you to send me to die? You could at least whip up a melon person to make the first run—that'd still be better than throwing me straight in!" Li Banfeng adopted a stern expression. "Soldiers are maintained for a thousand days to be used in a single hour. Fearing death like this—wouldn't that make you a laughingstock? You go first!" Banfeng Two said resentfully, "You're using public duty to settle a private grudge!" The gramophone said, "Husband, listen to me—" "Let him go! This Boundary can't kill anyone!" Li Banfeng shoved Banfeng Two forward. Banfeng Two crossed the Boundary along the beam of firelight. Banfeng Two was fine—completely unharmed! With his current level of cultivation, Li Banfeng's Boundary truly couldn't harm him, but to suffer no injury whatsoever was somewhat unexpected. Banfeng Two said with delight, "Old One, it doesn't hurt at all! This thing works!" Li Banfeng beamed. "Really? Let me try too!" The gramophone urged, "Husband, don't rush! Wait a moment—" Li Banfeng leaped past the Boundary along the firelight, and indeed, he wasn't hurt! "It really worked!" "Let me try again!" Banfeng Two jumped back in. "Still nothing!" Li Banfeng jumped inside, Banfeng Two jumped outside, and the two hopped back and forth several times. "Madam!" Li Banfeng said joyfully. "This really works!" Seeing how ecstatic Li Banfeng was, the gramophone didn't want to be too blunt and tactfully gathered her words. "Husband, you created this Boundary using a dwelling cultivator technique. It was never going to affect you in the first place." Li Banfeng blinked. "A Boundary I made myself has no effect on me?" The gramophone replied, "Of course it doesn't." Li Banfeng genuinely had no idea about this. His Boundary had always followed him wherever he went; he had never stepped across his own Boundary before. Li Banfeng looked at Banfeng Two. "It doesn't affect him either?" The gramophone said, "Husband, isn't he just you?" Neither Li Banfeng nor Banfeng Two was smiling anymore. The two moved away from the firelight and hopped back and forth across other sections several times. Still, they remained completely unscathed. Banfeng Two snorted. "Humiliating, isn't it? Made a fool of yourself, didn't you? I told you to test it with a melon person, but did you listen?" Li Banfeng also snorted. "I've been wanting to replace you anyway. You useless thing!" Dispelling Banfeng Two, Li Banfeng retrieved a cabbage seed from the house, planted it in the soil, and had the blood-bearing clock pendulum spit out some blood to create a cabbage person. The cabbage person attempted to cross the Boundary along the firelight. Halfway through, the cabbage leaves flaked away layer by layer. Before it could even cross the Boundary completely, it had already disintegrated into a scattered pile of debris. The torch didn't work. Li Banfeng withdrew the Boundary and offered a few words of comfort to his wife. "Darling Madam, it's fine. We'll take our time and study it further." The gramophone gave a dry laugh. "This humble servant overestimated herself. Thinking about it now, it really is laughable. If one could build a device to cross the Boundary relying solely on Kongfang's copper coins, the peddler would surely have built one long ago." Li Banfeng said, "Those copper coins were cast with Kongfang's blood. They wouldn't have been easy for the peddler to get either." The gramophone sighed. "Husband, there is no need to comfort this humble servant. I fought Kongfang and know what he's made of. If the peddler truly wanted to deal with him, let alone taking his blood, taking his life wouldn't require much effort at all. "This humble servant will rest for the night, then head back to the laboratory tomorrow." Li Banfeng said, "Darling Madam, rest for a few more days. There's no rush on this." "This servant wishes to go!" "Madam, I'm worried you'll overwork yourself!" "This servant insists on going!" When his wife set her mind on doing something, she would see it through no matter what. Li Banfeng couldn't dissuade her. The next morning, he transported the gramophone along with Zhao Xiaowan's puppet to the laboratory. This time, he also had to bring along a Luo Yuni puppet. The gramophone had discovered that the pendulum Luo Yuni was good at tightening screws, while the humanoid Luo Yuni was good at doing odd chores, each having its own purpose. Having settled his wife in, Li Banfeng returned to the companion dwelling, only to see the Red Lotus open its petals and speak in a soft, gentle murmur: "Qi, come quickly!" Hong Ying grabbed her sword and said, "Taking advantage of Xiaowan not being home to come scrounging for food!" Miss Ninth sighed at Hong Ying. "The two of you really are a pair. Your mouth is full of vulgarities, but when it comes down to it, you don't know a thing. Meanwhile, she looks dignified on the surface, but she's wanton right to her bones!" Hong Ying snapped furiously, "Who are you saying doesn't know anything?" Miss Ninth gave a bitter smile. "I'm praising you. Can't you really tell?" The Red Lotus had no mood to bicker with them. "Qi, the two hands of Smiling Thousand Hands are fully refined. One is for the earring, and one is for the glove, just as agreed. Which of them goes first?" Li Banfeng asked, "What did they turn into?" From the center of the Red Lotus, two lotus seeds popped out, both emerald green. The seeds burst open, revealing two meatballs that pulsed slowly upon Li Banfeng's palm. "What does this do?" The Red Lotus said, "On their own, they do nothing. But once refined together with the glove or the earring, they will be very useful. As for just how useful, I cannot say for certain; it will depend on their fortune." The glove and the earring had both been refined by the Red Lotus before, so having prior experience, they were naturally unruffled. The two hopped together into the lotus center. Li Banfeng asked, "When will the refinement finish?" The Red Lotus answered, "Three days at the earliest, half a month at the latest. Going slower does no harm; a better refinement saves the trouble of wearing them in later." Li Banfeng had originally intended to pay a visit to Mister Kongfang's home, but with the glove away, going empty-handed to someone's house wasn't quite appropriate. On second thought, he figured he might as well use this chance to pay a visit to Wan Nianlao. The glue at home was nearly depleted, to the point that his wife hardly dared use her Body Masonry technique. Just as he prepared to set out for the newland, the projector brought over the telephone. It was a call from Luo Zhengnan. "Seventh Master, Liao Zihui was just here. He said something happened at the Dark Star Bureau." "What happened?" "He didn't make the specifics clear, but it seems to involve He Haisheng." Was He Haisheng rescued by He Jiaqing? Given that He Jiaqing managed to rescue Big Head back then, it was very likely he had broken into the Dark Star Bureau again. However, when Big Head was locked up, Shen Jingye hadn't paid much attention and even fell for He Jiaqing's plan to lure the tiger from the mountain that day. He Haisheng was under tight surveillance. If the Dark Star Bureau still failed to keep watch over someone under such conditions, Li Banfeng wouldn't even know what to say. Traveling along the newlands to Tiemen Fort, Li Banfeng made his way to Huahu Park and hurried back to the Dark Star Bureau. Chen Changrui was pacing in frantic circles; upon seeing Li Qi, he was so nervous he could barely speak. Li Banfeng saw quite a few visitors had arrived at the Dark Star Bureau. Gao Yina was among them, and it seemed she wasn't even considered an important figure. Many people he didn't recognize had also come, and Gao Yina treated them with utmost deference. These people were likely the real superiors. Li Banfeng didn't greet these superiors. Utilizing his innate talents as a dwelling cultivator, he returned soundlessly to his office. With so many dignitaries alerted, the matter was clearly no small affair. Surely He Haisheng wouldn't warrant this much attention, would he? Li Banfeng called Chen Changrui over. "Did He Haisheng escape?" Chen Changrui shook his head. "He Haisheng didn't escape. The records room was sabotaged." Hearing this, Li Banfeng smiled. So it had been a false alarm. There were no genuine materials in that records room; it was all bait for angling. If it was wrecked, so be it. What was there to worry about? "Over such a trivial thing, you couldn't even explain it to Liao Zihui, making me make a trip for nothing!" Li Banfeng reconsidered, however. "A trifle like this shouldn't alarm so many people. Did you catch a big fish?" Chen Changrui shook his head. "Director Li, it's not the bait records room. This time, it's the real records room." "There's a real records room?" Li Banfeng paused, startled. "What's kept inside the real records room?" Chen Changrui shook his head. "I don't know what's in there either. None of us have clearance to view this real records room." Li Banfeng asked, "The Dark Star Bureau's records room, and we don't have clearance? Who does?" "Previously, only Director Shen had clearance to enter and leave the real records room. Aside from him, no one knows where the real records room is located, and hardly anyone even knew the real records room existed." Li Banfeng's eyes darted. Back then, he had asked Shen Jingye whether there was a high-level archives room, and Shen Jingye claimed that any high-level archives room wouldn't be in the Dark Star Bureau. That old rascal lied to me again! "Old Chen, did you know the real records room existed?" "I knew such a records room existed, but I've never been there, nor do I know where it is." Li Banfeng felt this didn't make sense. "Then how do you know the real records room was sabotaged?" Chen Changrui recounted the sequence of events: "Last night, the Dark Star Bureau was breached. We can confirm this was He Jiaqing's doing, and Big Head was very likely involved as well. I could recognize some of their distinguishing traits from the surveillance footage. "Their target was presumably He Haisheng, but they didn't know where He Haisheng was being held. Judging from the surveillance footage, they spent most of their time searching around. For a brief period, they entered a surveillance blind spot, and shortly afterward, they reappeared on camera." Li Banfeng asked, "How short was that brief period?" Chen Changrui thought back. "No more than a minute." Seeing that his speech was a bit vague, Li Banfeng suspected he couldn't clearly remember some of the details anymore. Moreover, the surveillance blind spot he mentioned was certainly not a blind spot in the literal sense; it was merely that there was certain surveillance footage he lacked the clearance to view. "Can I still see last night's recordings?" Chen Changrui shook his head. "No. In truth, I didn't see all of it either. The surveillance footage has already been confiscated by the superiors." "They even seized the footage?" Chen Changrui said, "Director Gao Yina said this involves top-secret matters. She also claimed there were severe deficiencies in our work and that disciplinary action would be taken against the Dark Star Bureau." Li Banfeng didn't quite understand. "What did you do wrong? Where did the problem lie?" Chen Changrui didn't know what he had done wrong either. "The suspects entered the surveillance blind spot at two forty-six in the morning. Right at that moment, I received a message—an automated dispatch from the bureau's communication system." He handed his mobile phone to Li Banfeng. The text contained only six words: "Records room sabotaged." Li Banfeng asked, "Just from this single message, you knew the real records room was sabotaged?" Chen Changrui shook his head. "I assumed it was the original records room that had been sabotaged. Director Shen probably mentioned to you as well that most of the materials in the ordinary records room are fake." Li Banfeng smiled wryly to himself. Shen Jingye hadn't volunteered that information; Li Banfeng had probed it out on his own and nearly stepped into the trap of the magneto-acoustic cannon. Chen Changrui continued, "Even if the files are fake, it's still a major incident for the Dark Star Bureau. The records room being sabotaged proves the Dark Star Bureau was breached, and many of those files could lure in some very important figures. "I returned to the Dark Star Bureau immediately, only to find the records room completely intact. When I found the duty officer, he didn't even know anyone had entered the Dark Star Bureau. "Only then did I begin to suspect that the real records room had been sabotaged. I pulled up the surveillance footage and saw clips of He Jiaqing and his accomplice. Before I could even see how the suspects left the Dark Star Bureau—I wasn't even certain if they had truly departed—Director Gao Yina arrived." Li Banfeng said, "You didn't ask her to come?" Chen Changrui hurriedly explained, "I hadn't even reported this to you yet back then, so how could I let Gao Yina know? After Gao Yina arrived, she merely told me to secure the scene. She doesn't know much about the state of the real records room either." Li Banfeng asked, "Then who actually understands the situation with the real records room?" Chen Changrui couldn't answer. "This morning, quite a few people ranked higher than Director Gao arrived. Their rank should be comparable to yours, or even above yours. They should know about the real records room." Li Banfeng asked again, "I am the head of the Dark Star Bureau now. Do I have clearance to inspect the files in the real records room?" "You should... be able to." Chen Changrui couldn't give a definitive answer. Li Qi had an unavoidable identity: he was a native of Puluo Province. "Director Li, there is another matter I should mention to you—" Chen Changrui had intended to disclose some important information, but mid-sentence, he suddenly glanced toward the door. Chen Changrui's sensory perception was superior to Li Banfeng's. Only after waiting a brief moment did Li Banfeng sense someone approaching. Knock, knock, knock! The person knocked on the door. Li Banfeng called out, "Come in!" Gao Yina pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Dean Li, you are finally back. We are holding a critical meeting right now, and you must attend." Li Banfeng invited Gao Yina to take a seat. "State the meeting's agenda first." Gao Yina shook her head. "The agenda is strictly confidential. Even now, I haven't received the meeting materials." Li Banfeng also shook his head. "If I don't know the agenda, I'm not attending." Gao Yina said, "I am not deceiving you. This meeting is indeed critically important. It will decide the ultimate fate of the Dark Star Bureau." Li Banfeng said, "Then you had best tell me that fate right now." Gao Yina emphasized the importance of the conference: "We must make a policy decision through this meeting. Your views and recommendations will play a pivotal role in the outcome." Li Banfeng remained expressionless. "I will repeat myself once more: if I do not know the agenda, I will not attend any meeting." Gao Yina grew a bit anxious, a faint edge of intimidation creeping into her tone. "The trend and direction of certain matters are not within your control. If you do not attend this meeting, the future of the Dark Star Bureau will be bleak indeed!" Li Banfeng looked at Gao Yina and replied, "Please inform those who can control trends and directions that while I cannot control the future of the Dark Star Bureau, I can control my own. I refuse to attend this meeting." Gao Yina stared dumbfounded. Li Banfeng's attitude was so unyielding that she couldn't think of any way to counter it. At this moment, Li Banfeng was completely clearheaded. He had to be firm; one should never underestimate a meticulously prepared conference. The intention behind this meeting was blatantly obvious: they didn't want to preserve the Dark Star Bureau, yet they still wanted to keep utilizing the function of the balancer. If Li Banfeng attended while completely kept in the dark, he would very likely be placed in an exceptionally disadvantageous position. There was fundamentally no difference between this and his negotiations with Qiao Yi in the Inner States; that brush with death remained vivid in his mind. Gao Yina left the office, but not long after departing, she returned. "Dean Li, I consulted with my superiors. The details I am about to disclose to you are for your ears only. I hope you will maintain strict confidentiality." Li Banfeng glanced at Chen Changrui, who immediately exited the office. Gao Yina hadn't prepared any written materials. Instead, she produced a device resembling a computer keyboard. Li Banfeng assumed she was about to pull up some document, but after Gao Yina explained, he learned it was specialized equipment designed to jam surveillance and wiretaps. After confirming that all surveillance and listening devices were fully suppressed, Gao Yina said, "Director Li, you may not yet realize the gravity of the incident regarding the records room." Li Banfeng nodded. "I didn't even know such a records room existed, so how could I understand the gravity you speak of?" Gao Yina said, "Allow me to provide a brief explanation first. The Dark Star Bureau has two records rooms. One of them you should be familiar with, so I need not elaborate. What I must focus on is the other records room. "Neither I, nor Du Wenming before me, nor many senior officials know the exact location or the method to open this records room—which speaks to its critical importance. "Inside this records room are kept vital documents. Should they be leaked, our foundation of security would be severely compromised. "The original mission of the Dark Star Bureau upon its founding was to protect the security of these vital documents. All other duties and responsibilities were added later as circumstances evolved. "And now that the records room has been breached, every indication shows that the Dark Star Bureau lacks the capability to fulfill its fundamental responsibility. Another agency must take over this vital mission in its stead. That is the primary reason we intend to dismantle the Dark Star Bureau." Attempting to dismantle the Dark Star Bureau time and again, all for the sake of a single records room? This operation truly baffled Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng said, "Could you explain the reasoning behind this a bit more clearly?" Gao Yina replied, "I have stated it clearly enough. I understand your appreciation for the Dark Star Bureau, and we have consistently recognized its outstanding achievements across various domains of work. "However, you see the current situation. This is not the first time the Dark Star Bureau has been breached. This is purely an issue of operational competence. The current Dark Star Bureau does not possess the capability to safeguard the records room." Li Banfeng said, "That is precisely what puzzles me most. Almost no one in the Dark Star Bureau even knows this records room exists. How do you expect them to protect a records room they know nothing about?" Gao Yina saw no flaw in this logic. "That was a choice made out of necessity. This records room is far too critical. If relevant information were divulged within the Dark Star Bureau, that information could leak out, creating an even greater security threat. Thus, we could not place any defensive measures out in the open." Li Banfeng frowned. "Don't you think your argument is contradictory?" Gao Yina nodded. "It is somewhat contradictory, but this approach offers strong operational viability. By keeping the Dark Star Bureau on high alert to guard its own front doors with all its might, they do not need to know what precious things lie inside. They only need to fulfill their duty of preventing the Dark Star Bureau from being breached. Under current conditions, this was the best solution anyone could conceive." According to the logic of the Outer States, Gao Yina's point was indeed sound, and many tasks were indeed handled that way. Li Banfeng thought for a moment and said, "If you distrust the Dark Star Bureau, then relocate the records room elsewhere. Why must you dismantle the Dark Star Bureau?" Gao Yina shook her head. "The vital documents within the records room cannot be transferred. There are too many issues involved." Li Banfeng countered, "If the materials cannot be moved, then move the Dark Star Bureau. Relocate the Dark Star Bureau somewhere else, and find another organization to protect the records room." Gao Yina shook her head repeatedly. "We proposed that solution, but in the end it was vetoed. If the Dark Star Bureau were to suddenly relocate and another organization took over this building, that move in itself might expose key information, drawing even more eyes toward this building." Li Banfeng said nothing. The level of importance the Outer States placed on this records room exceeded his imagination. Seeing Li Banfeng remain silent for so long, Gao Yina sighed. "There is something I must tell you. Our dissatisfaction with the Dark Star Bureau is not directed at its competence or efficiency. Our sole question lies in the Dark Star Bureau's counter-infiltration capability. "In truth, you know in your heart that whether in the Inner States, Puluo Province, or here with us, every place faces the threat of infiltration. "Due to its special circumstances, Puluo Province has far greater resilience against infiltration, because a loose sheet of sand like Puluo Province has no core area for infiltrators to concentrate their attacks against." Li Banfeng glanced at Gao Yina. She explained, "I don't mean to disparage Puluo Province, but the situation of Huan Country is entirely different from Puluo Province. The Dark Star Bureau has been infiltrated more than once, and every infiltration could trigger severe consequences. "Dean Li, the dissolution of the Dark Star Bureau is an irreversible trend. We will provide you with a superior working environment, along with better personnel and material resources. Please understand and support the decision we have made." After a brief silence, Li Banfeng shook his head. "I am very sorry, but I neither understand nor support it. I can only continue fulfilling my duties as a balancer within the Dark Star Bureau." Gao Yina looked at Li Banfeng with utter helplessness. "This truly isn't something you can change—" "Then there is no need for me to attend the meeting," Li Banfeng said, standing up. "Please convey my views to the assembly on my behalf." Just what was stored in that real records room? Returning to the duplex apartment, Li Banfeng sat quietly on the sofa for a while. As he pondered, the projector brought him the telephone. It was the phone provided to Li Banfeng by the Dark Star Bureau. Li Banfeng hadn't wanted to answer at first, but then he noticed the call was coming from an unfamiliar number. "Banfeng, it's me." He Jiaqing! "How do you know this number?" "I've been to the Dark Star Bureau twice. How could I fail to obtain even a phone directory? Don't worry, I used special methods; this call cannot be wiretapped. Banfeng, I want to discuss a business deal with you." "A deal regarding your third uncle, isn't it?" "Spot on. I want to get my third uncle out. Though I didn't succeed, I saw quite a few good things. Do you want to know the secrets inside the Dark Star Bureau building? I imagine you already know a bit, but they will never tell you the whole picture." "Could it be that you know the whole picture?" He Jiaqing had entered the so-called real records room for less than a minute. If he claimed to have seen the full picture, that would prove he was lying. "I didn't see the full picture—I didn't have enough time. But I know how to see it. I can tell you the place where the critical secrets can be seen." "That place is inside the Dark Star Bureau. I will certainly be able to find it." "You definitely won't find it, Banfeng! I guarantee you won't! I am willing to tell you everything I saw, as long as you promise to release my third uncle." "Release your third uncle, and then wait for you to deceive me with false information?" "Such a transaction wouldn't be fair. We'll use Puluo Province's most traditional method: sign a covenant deed first, and then I will share what I know. You can verify it immediately, and once verified, release my third uncle. If you break the covenant, I will use the covenant paper to retaliate against you. Do you find those terms agreeable?" Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "Allow me a few days to consider, and I will give you an answer." "Two days. Two days only. If you don't want to make this deal, I will find someone else. Let me tell you, plenty of people will be interested in the Dark Star Bureau's secrets. The price I'm offering you is definitely not steep." Li Banfeng said, "Isn't it just a records room? Is there any need to make it sound so mystical?" "A records room? Is that what they told you? Banfeng, you've been duped. "I can let you in on a little secret: that place isn't a records room—at least, it didn't look like one to me. The things inside aren't records at all. "In that special place lies the key means to govern Puluo Province. Even if the peddler came, he wouldn't be able to pull himself away if he saw it. "Don't hesitate. If you miss seeing that place, you might regret it for the rest of your life. With a deal offered in such good faith, are you still afraid of getting the short end of the stick?"