"You are loyal?" the woman's head asked.
"None more loyal than me," Ye Huan replied. "Back in my hometown, anyone making a name for themselves in the world had to do one thing: it was called 'staking a claim.'"
"What does that mean?" the woman's head asked.
"The cake belongs to everyone. If you jump out of nowhere and declare you want a bite, who's going to pay you any mind? Staking a claim means doing something that lets everyone know you're qualified to share in that cake. Right now, I'm staking a claim for Luosha and myself," Ye Huan said.
"So many of my cultists have died..." the woman's head murmured.
Ye Huan gave it a cold glance.
*Stop putting on an act.*
*The cult slaughtered "lambs" every single day.*
*As if you actually cared about your cultists.*
Ye Huan sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he offered an earnest explanation: "When they die, their souls belong to you; Luosha and I can use the vacated positions to recruit followers and win over hearts; and I can take this opportunity to display my capabilities, proving I am far more dependable and loyal than An Qi."
Three birds with one stone.
Ye Huan added another point: "After this, if An Qi wants to compete with me, she will have to make an even greater contribution to prove she is worthy of the Cardinal's seat."
Four birds... with one stone?
The woman's head suddenly said, "Why haven't you gone and killed ordinary citizens?"
"I work at the Bureau of Investigation. Naturally, the more cultists I kill, the faster I get promoted," Ye Huan said.
Now they were getting to the heart of the matter.
This was crucial; they had to be completely on the same page, or things would go sideways.
"Please imagine: if one day I become the Bureau Director while remaining your servant, what in this city could stand against your will? But if I am exposed—"
Ye Huan let the sentence trail off.
The answer was glaringly obvious.
This point needed constant reinforcement. Leaders had a lot on their plates and forgot easily; you had to remind them of how difficult your position was.
"Will you continue killing our own people in the future?" the woman's head asked.
"Just this once, for Luosha, and for your divine dignity," Ye Huan replied with righteous indignation.
"My cult must regularly use blood to purge traitors and lukewarm believers. When necessary, you must step forward once more," the woman's head said.
"Yes," Ye Huan said, slightly taken aback before nodding immediately.
Only now did he realize what was really going on.
This entity had not come here to hold him accountable.
It...
wanted to devour souls.
It actually craved souls desperately!
Cultists, Cardinals, Holy Maidens—none of that meant a damn thing to it. Unless they could yield greater benefits, it wanted to devour every last one!
That was why it had been displeased when he said "just this once"!
This was a banquet.
Even while dining on this course, it was already salivating for the next.
So it had never been here to condemn him.
It simply needed him to provide a formal, respectable, plausible justification!
And he had already provided it!
Was this deduction correct?
Ye Huan pondered for a moment, then fished the slip of paper from his pocket.
The slip written by Luosha.
He unfolded it and held it before the woman's head.
"An Qi has always wanted to kill me. Even though I carry the Ritual Fire bestowed by you, she turns a blind eye to it. The reason Luosha and I are more attentive and loyal than An Qi is that before killing our own people, we ask for your opinion first. On this slip are several stronghold addresses left behind by Luosha. If there is anyone you do not wish to be killed, I guarantee I will not touch them. Please take a look."
The woman's head glanced at it and sighed. "You have mistaken one thing."
"Please enlighten me," Ye Huan said.
"I made a pact with you: every three hours, as long as you deliver souls, I will not harm you," the woman's head said.
"Yes," Ye Huan said.
"I too am bound by that pact. Thus, the only condition under which I can strike at you is if you fail to offer souls within those three hours. Aside from that, I cannot touch you," the woman's head explained.
"Understood." Ye Huan put away the slip of paper, appearing relieved, yet with a hint of eager anticipation.
His deduction had been spot on.
It could hardly contain its hunger for more souls.
It desperately craved this grand feast.
*It wants to devour the very people who kill for it!*
Everyone listed on that slip—it wanted them all devoured!
Looking deeper—
Devouring other humans could easily be interrupted.
The city was home to powerful humans across various tiers; once discovered, the sacrifice would be broken.
Devouring its own people carried no such concerns.
It had already developed an addiction!
"A capable contingent of my subordinates is currently outside the city on business, so your progress here will proceed very smoothly. Therefore, I have only one request."
"Please speak, Lord," Ye Huan said.
"Make the cultists' deaths less painful," the woman's head said.
Ye Huan bowed. "You are truly merciful."
The woman's head said nothing more. It simply merged into the flames and gradually vanished.
It was gone.
Standing before the mirror, Ye Huan lowered his head, turned on the faucet, and washed his hands once more.
He walked out of the bathroom and surveyed the wreckage strewn across the floor.
No.
The red across the room had vanished completely.
On the floor lay a shattered television, a smashed sofa, a table broken into pieces, and a splintered refrigerator.
Ye Huan cast a glance toward the refrigerator.
No "Corpse" labels popped up from inside anymore.
Eaten.
All devoured.
Suddenly, a message surfaced in Ye Huan's mind:
*Bargaining with the tiger, you performed remarkably well.*
*Not only did you avoid provoking its killing intent, you even obtained its tacit consent.*
*However, the more you kill, the higher the probability that you will end up taking the fall in the end. Have you considered that?*
*Rating +1.*
*Total Rating: +2.*
Finally, another rating point gained.
Killing the cultists had yielded zero rating points, proving the process had not been dangerous in the least.
Yet after that entity descended, spoke with him, and departed, he had been awarded a point.
Which meant he truly had faced the possibility of death just now.
Furthermore, he needed to produce results for the Bureau of Investigation.
Otherwise, how could he justify rescuing an informant and coming back with nothing?
It wouldn't hold water.
*Better look around thoroughly.*
Ye Huan began searching the room.
Nothing.
Wait a second—
He gathered up all of their mobile phones.
Leaving the wastewater treatment plant, he walked down the street for a bit before hailing a cab and heading back to the Bureau of Investigation.
...
The Bureau of Investigation.
Song Fushan walked out of his office and arrived at the General Affairs Section.
"Section Chief Xia, I'd like to apply for a team of special ops martial artists for an assignment."
"An assignment? What assignment?" Xia Li asked, surprised.
"Ye Huan acquired some intel," Song Fushan said with a grin, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "He recovered some mobile phones left behind at a Black Tide Cult stronghold. Once decrypted, we obtained the Black Tide Cult's operational plans for the mining area. Perhaps we can finally uncover what really happened there that night."
Xia Li smiled and said with feeling, "New recruits really are brimming with drive."
Song Fushan gave a wry smile. "Young folks certainly have energy to spare—there are even handprints on the office wall. He must have been practicing his martial arts last night."
The printer whirred to life.
"The paperwork is printed. Take the documents and get the Bureau Director to sign off," Xia Li said.
"Thanks."
Song Fushan picked up the documents from the printer and stepped out.
Before long, he came strolling back.
"The Director is in today. Didn't you find him?" Xia Li asked, puzzled.
"No—I pushed the assignment to Xu Ping," Song Fushan said.
"Why hand it off to the Special Affairs Section?" Xia Li asked inquisitively.
"I just received a commendation, and Ye Huan just earned a Third-Class Merit. No need to stand out too much—I personally prefer an easygoing, leisurely life." Song Fushan lit a cigarette as he spoke.
"Xu Ping is a capable hand, so that works. Anything else?" Xia Li said, her expression souring as she watched the smoke puffing from his nostrils.
Song Fushan hesitated, then lowered his voice. "About... Ye Huan's informant. Who is that person, exactly? Are they reliable?"
"So that's what this is about. Don't worry about it. Just rest easy; I personally made a trip over earlier," Xia Li said.
"You went yourself? That certainly puts my mind at ease," Song Fushan sighed in relief.
"Take your smoking outside! Don't stand around in my office!" Xia Li frowned.
"Ah, right away!" Song Fushan scurried out the door.
He walked down the corridor and returned to the Mysterious Affairs Section.
He shut the door, exhaled a luxuriant smoke ring, and greeted, "Well, well, Old Zhao is here too? What brings you by for a visit?"
"Just dropping by to check on the new lad. Ran into him in the hallway yesterday, and he invited me over to sit for a bit," Brother Zhao said.
Holding his teacup, he chatted idly with Song Fushan and Ye Huan for a while before ambling out.
"That fellow attracts drama wherever he goes. Keep your distance from him; he'll ruin the peace and quiet of our section," Song Fushan said.
"He's just..." Ye Huan held up his hands. "He had his heart broken and never really recovered—or so he claims."
"What kind of heartbreak?" Song Fushan asked.
"The woman he loved became someone else's girlfriend, but he still loves her, even now," Ye Huan said.
"That's not wrong. He really does love women who have boyfriends and husbands," Song Fushan remarked coldly.
"Forget it then. I won't bother with him anymore," Ye Huan said. "Chief, what's your take on this matter?"
"You did well," Song Fushan replied absentmindedly, his mind seemingly elsewhere.
"Chief, I'm a bit scared," Ye Huan pressed further.
"Scared of what?" Song Fushan snapped back to reality.
"Scared that the demons might have unknown methods up their sleeves," Ye Huan said.
This sort of thing was safe to report to the Bureau. As an investigator, while one should be diligent and dutiful, wasn't it completely normal to fear the unknown?
"No need to worry," Song Fushan said, gathering his thoughts and speaking earnestly. "Mankind has survived for countless ages, built civilizations, and even forged an empire. We have an entire system and means to combat demons, ghosts, and monsters."
"What if the demons of the Black Tide Cult try to seduce me? What should I do?" Ye Huan asked.
"Just play along and keep up appearances," Song Fushan tossed him a cigarette and continued. "A demon requires a 'pact,' a 'token,' or a 'spiritual body' as an anchoring vessel to enter the city directly. Generally speaking, you won't see a demon's true body inside the city. Of course, if you encounter a demon descended onto a 'vessel,' the Bureau has protective measures. Besides, as long as you don't leave the city, you won't run into any major trouble."
Hearing this, Ye Huan breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
He truly was worthy of the title "Lone Wolf," who had slain hundreds of enemies single-handedly and escaped alive.
This intelligence was invaluable.
If he had to face that woman's head again while completely in the dark, that would never do.
Ye Huan lit his cigarette and asked again, "If demons do attack, is there anywhere safe?"
"The Bureau of Investigation, of course! Our Bureau has all kinds of measures and tight defenses. Demons can't get in—unless the entire city falls," Song Fushan said.
Saying this, he found it somewhat amusing.
This kid had only investigated a few cult strongholds and was already worrying about his personal safety.
A bit timid, perhaps.
Yet it was only natural.
He was only eighteen, still so young. How could he not be frightened?
"Why would I ever leave the city for no reason? I'd have no problem spending my entire life inside the Bureau!" Ye Huan murmured with relief.
This made Song Fushan burst into laughter.
"Want to grab breakfast?"
"Chief, look what time it is. Breakfast?"
"Brunch, then."
"I'm starving too, Chief."
"Let's go!"
The two stood up, stepped out of the office, and locked the door. Instantly, both of their expressions shifted.
"That case must be investigated thoroughly," Song Fushan said.
"Yes, Chief!" Ye Huan responded.
"Those who died must be properly settled."
"Understood, Chief."
"Now we're heading to investigate the next suspicious location. Be prepared for combat."
"I'm ready!"
With solemn faces, heavy and stern tones, and hurried strides, the two marched down the long corridor, leaving the Bureau of Investigation behind to go grab brunch.
Chapter 33