"That case back then was led by you. With your personality, it's no surprise you learned those skills," Xiao Heshang said slowly, but with unwavering firmness. "But you shouldn't have used them to kill. You... there's no turning back now."
He turned to me and Sun Fatty and said, "Be careful. Xiao Sanda is no longer human—he's now your Bureau's responsibility."
Xiao Sanda didn't object. He just kept giggling eerily.
I had already guessed what Xiao Heshang was about to say, but I still asked, "So what do we do now?"
Without a shred of hesitation, Xiao Heshang said firmly, "Kill him. Remember, there's only one way to do it—cut off his head!"
"Geh-heh..." Xiao Sanda let out another burst of creepy laughter. He didn't speak, just stared at the three of us and kept laughing.
I gave Sun Fatty a signal. We flanked Xiao Sanda, left and right, while Xiao Heshang stood behind. We formed a triangle to block his way.
Xiao Heshang waited for a moment. Seeing that neither of us made a move, he yelled, "Lazi, are you just posing over there? Get on with it!"
I curled my lips and said, "Old Xiao, haven't you heard the saying 'If the enemy doesn't move, I don't move'? Besides, no one's stopping you. Go ahead—Great Sage, strike!" As I said the word "strike," I had already aimed my pistol at Xiao Sanda's head. Sun Fatty, beside me, did the same, like we had rehearsed this countless times.
Bang bang bang bang!
Both pistols fired at once. At such close range, even Sun Fatty's aim should have been spot-on.
But just as we opened fire, Xiao Sanda's body twisted unnaturally. By the time we stopped firing, he was back to normal—standing perfectly fine where he was.
I wasn't sure anymore. Had we hit him or not? Since the day I fired my first shot in the military, I had never doubted my aim like this.
"It's useless. Bullets don't work on him!" Xiao Heshang finally realized what was happening and shouted from behind, "Those bullets were based on his designs—he knows how to dodge them!"
You couldn't have said that earlier?!
Furious, I tossed my pistol aside and drew my collapsible baton, striking straight for Xiao Sanda's head.
Our sneak attack instantly turned into a brawl. Sun Fatty also dropped his pistol, pulled out his baton, and charged forward—shouting as he did, "You damn priest! You waited till the ammo ran out to warn us? Whose side are you even on?!"
Xiao Heshang also pulled a black baton from his back. It looked similar in material to ours. He hesitated but didn't join in. He just yelled from behind, "His head is the weak spot! Aim for his head!"
Easier said than done!
I was already seething. It felt like Xiao Sanda's body emitted a magnetic field that repelled our batons—every strike that seemed about to land was somehow deflected.
Sun Fatty fared no better. His attacks were just as ineffective.
Xiao Sanda made no effort to retaliate. He simply watched us with that bizarre smile, like we were a pair of circus monkeys performing tricks.
I lost patience. I feinted with my right hand and baton, then swung my left fist hard into his nose.
Crimson blood flowed instantly from both nostrils. Yet Xiao Sanda didn't flinch, as if he hadn't been hit at all.
I was about to throw a second punch when I noticed the blank indifference on his face. I hesitated—and just then, he finally spoke.
Wiping the blood from his nose with the back of his hand, he looked at me and said, "Too weak. The Special Case Handling Office really has declined... Oh wait, now it's called the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation?"
He had just finished speaking when his palm suddenly lashed out toward my head.
I reflexively raised my arm to block, but even so, the blow lifted me off the ground and flung me into a pile of gold ingots nearby.
Even as I flew, I shouted, "Great Sage, fall back!"
Lying on the ground, I saw Sun Fatty already retreating toward Xiao Heshang. Clearly, the two of them were preparing to flee.
That's when it hit me—they could run, but I was the formation anchor. What the hell was I supposed to do?
Xiao Sanda looked down at me, then turned to Xiao Heshang at the cave mouth with a strange look on his face. "Monk, doesn't this feel like Daling Mountain, 1970? I was knocked down by a Bloodshade Fiend then—you and Gao Fatty were about to run. If Da-ge and the others hadn't shown up, I'd be dead."
He paused, then continued, "This is exactly the same. You're still you. There's still a fatty. And a brat who doesn't know his place, lying on the ground.
Only difference is, now I'm the Bloodshade Fiend."
He giggled again. "How funny. Geh-heh... how funny."
"Xiao Sanda," Xiao Heshang took a step forward, "Come back. We can... we can find Gao Liang. He's led the Bureau all these years—he'll know how to change you back..."
"Shut up! You said it yourself—I can't turn back anymore. Do you remember who first said those words?
'When Demons Appear, They Must Be Slain.'
That was me!"
"What a joke. Now I have to slay myself? How hilarious. And why would I go back? Do you know how much it took to get this far?"
Xiao Sanda grew more agitated, glaring at me where I lay "playing dead."
"Kid, stop faking. I used to do that too—play dead. But the Bloodshade Fiend back then still saw through me.
Someone saved me then.
Who'll save you now?"
He sighed. "Forget it. The sooner you die, the sooner you reincarnate."
With that, he raised his right foot and stomped down toward my head.
At that moment, I rolled to my feet, a gleaming dagger already in my hand. I thrust it upward toward Xiao Sanda's descending foot.
There was no resistance. The blade passed straight through his foot.
I hadn't expected it to be this easy. Seizing the moment, I pushed the dagger forward, slicing through his sole.
It happened in a flash. A second later, a burst of dark red blood erupted from the wound.
Xiao Sanda froze in place, stunned. He hadn't expected me to be holding such a deadly weapon.
His face turned pale.
A few seconds passed. Then his body trembled, and finally—he collapsed to the ground.
In an instant, the situation reversed. I stood up while Xiao Sanda lay on the ground clutching his foot, trembling uncontrollably. But his spirit was tough—despite the injury, he gritted his teeth and stayed silent.
I looked at Xiao Sanda on the ground, still a bit unsettled. Turning to Sun Pangzi, I shouted, "Sun Pangzi, do you have to do this every time? If you want to run, give a signal. You always leave me to cover! Do you think just running past me is enough..." Before I finished scolding, both Sun Pangzi and Xiao Sanda's expressions changed. Sun Pangzi pointed behind me, saying, "Behind you... Xiao Sanda!"
At that moment, I felt something behind me. There wasn't time to turn around, so I slashed the short sword backward. Taking advantage of the moment, I hurriedly glanced back and saw Xiao Sanda, who had been trembling on the ground, now "standing." Not quite standing—his feet were off the ground, hovering in midair behind me.
Blood still dripped from his right foot, but there was no pain on his face. He stared at me with a lifeless gaze. "Well done, kid. Got anything else to say? Heshang!" he shouted at Xiaoseng. "This kid's pretty good. You'd better fulfill his last wish."
"His last wish? He can fulfill that himself," a cold voice said. Then two people entered the cave, one dressed in white and the other in red—both familiar faces.
The one in red was Yang Xiao, who had chased after Xiao Sanda earlier. He had been wearing gray sportswear but now was soaked in blood from head to toe, smelling of iron and fresh blood, almost like he was wearing a red outfit.
The one in white was the speaker, Wu Rendi, Director of Section Six of the Civil Investigation Bureau. From head to toe in white, he radiated an arrogant aura that I dared not meet with my eyes.
Wu Rendi ignored Sun Pangzi and Xiao Seng, only glancing at Xiao Sanda briefly before his gaze fixed on the short sword in my hand. "I didn't expect you'd get lucky," he said coldly. I thought he was joking, but there was a chill in his voice. Could it be he wanted to reclaim it...
Yang Xiao came in panting, his bloodied face looking fierce. He said nothing and simply stared at Xiao Sanda with a cold sneer.
But Xiao Sanda no longer cared about him, his eyes locked on Wu Rendi. Wu frowned and said coldly, "You probably haven't met me before." At this point, Xiao Sanda knew escape was impossible and went all out, "Even if I haven't met you, I've heard about that white hair of yours. Wu Mian, right? Gao Liang sent you to kill me?"
Wu Rendi snorted, "I'm Wu Rendi now. And remember, I hate people who think they know everything. Cut the tricks!" He gave Xiao Sanda a contemptuous look and barked, "If you think you can sneak attack me, try it. Otherwise, stay put."
Sweat beaded on Xiao Sanda's body. With a clang, a black short Vajra staff landed more than ten meters behind him. Wu Rendi sneered, "I'm just here to pass a message. Xiao Sanda, you were the one who proposed 'When Demons Appear, They Must Be Slain.' You know what to do."
Xiao Sanda's face turned ashen. Wu glanced at him again, "Anything else?" Xiao Sanda didn't understand, "What did you say?" Wu lifted his chin, "Nothing else. Leave. No seeing off."
"You're letting me go?" Xiao Sanda was stunned. Not only him, but we all were. I and Sun Pangzi dared not speak up, intimidated by Director Wu's usual authority; Yang Xiao feared Wu like a mouse fears a cat; even Monk Xiao swallowed what he wanted to say.
Suddenly pardoned, Xiao Sanda limped towards the cave entrance. Passing Yang Xiao, Yang rolled his eyes and said, "Next time we meet, we'll settle accounts properly." Xiao Sanda ignored him and limped out.
"You just let him go?" After Xiao Sanda left, Sun Pangzi asked Wu Rendi.
"Not satisfied? Chase him then," Wu glanced at Sun Pangzi and that was that, leaving Sun tongue-tied.
Monk Xiao seemed indifferent to Wu's presence. He barely glanced at Wu Rendi and even turned his head away after Xiao Sanda left, avoiding Wu's direction.
Suddenly, I remembered something. "Wait, the life-and-death path outside is reversed. If Xiao Sanda goes out now, it's a death trap..." My voice grew uncertain. Wu Rendi squinted, a barely noticeable smile playing at his eye's corner.
Monk Xiao snapped his head back and glared at Wu, "If you want him dead, just lift a finger. No need to push him out again to face death!"
Wu Rendi raised an eyelid at him. "I only promised Gao Liang to let Xiao Sanda go once. I won't kill him. His fate is his own." Then he turned away, no longer looking at Monk Xiao.
I understood something: White-haired Wu Rendi knew Monk Xiao before, and though he hadn't met Xiao Sanda, they had heard of each other. I'd heard from Hao Wenming about the Bureau's history—Wu was brought back by Gao Liang from Jiangxi in the '80s. Back then, Monk Xiao and Xiao Sanda had already parted ways with Gao Liang. How did Wu Rendi and Monk Xiao know each other?
Before I could think more, Yang Xiao spoke with self-mockery, "Me? If you let me go, I'd rather walk that death path again." Clearly, he was speaking to Wu Rendi.
"No way," Director Wu gave no room for negotiation. Yang sighed, "Whatever, I've lived a few days more. You wanna do it? Make it quick."
"You think I'd do it just because you say so? Who do you take me for?" Wu's tone stayed harsh but oddly felt sincere. I'd always thought Wu's temper matched his abilities.
"What do you mean then?" Yang's tension returned. He might not fear death, but who knew what Wu Rendi was capable of? Extracting souls from living people and imprisoning them so they can't reincarnate—Yang knew over a hundred such dark arts. That was the real terror.
Cold sweat rolled down Yang's face. Wu laughed coldly, then said, "October 22."
"What?" Not only Yang, but all of us were confused by Wu's cryptic words. "October 22? You want me to say it thrice?" Wu rolled his eyes.
Yang finally seemed to understand, his face turning from white to red as he murmured, "October 22... October 22..." His crazed state made Sun Pangzi pity him, "Old Yang, take it easy. It's not that bad. Twenty years from now it'll be another..."
I stopped him quickly, covering his mouth, "What nonsense? October 22 is Yang Xiao's wife's reincarnation day, Director Wu?"
"Trash talk," Wu Rendi gave no softness. Turning away, he said, "Your wife's soul can reincarnate, but she's frail. Whether she lives to adulthood is uncertain. Every ninety-nine days, her soul must be reforged—until she turns sixteen. And I'm not going to babysit her forever."
Yang Xiao was stunned, almost dumbfounded. He'd done so much in Qilin City mostly to save his wife. Now, if he could swap lives with her, I believe he'd agree without hesitation. Hearing Wu's words about his wife's soul's fragility left Yang helpless, "So what now? Wu Mian... Director Wu, the Bureau has many capable people. You won't just watch my wife's soul fall apart, right?"
Wu Rendi snorted, turning away. Yang was getting desperate, "Director Wu, you can't just stand by and do nothing!" Sun Pangzi couldn't stand it and whispered in Yang's ear, "You're stupid—if others can't do it, why not you?"
Yang snapped awake, looking at Wu Rendi, "You want me to reforge my wife's soul?"
Wu raised an eyelid at him, "Don't want to?"
"I do!" Yang practically shouted. I was beside him, shocked by the intensity of his desire to save his wife.
Wu smirked slightly, "Here's your chance: join the Bureau, and you handle your wife's case yourself. But," his tone grew cold, "from now on, no matter your reasons, no more using dark magic to harm others. Otherwise, you die, and your wife is on her own."