I followed closely behind Gao Liang. When he mentioned Xiao Sanda, I couldn't help but recall that scene underground in my hometown of Qinghe. If it weren't for Yang Xiao and Wu Rendi showing up in time, I'd have been finished there. Judging by Gao's tone, it seemed that Xiao Siyang, the younger brother of Xiao Sanda, was even more troublesome than his elder brother. I asked, "Director Gao, are you saying Xiao Siyang is tougher than his brother Xiao Sanda?"
Gao's expression turned somewhat awkward when he heard me say that. He stopped walking, glanced at me, and said, "After Xiao Sanda got into trouble, Xiao Heshang, Po Jun's uncle, and I went to settle the score with Xiao Siyang. The result… Xiao Heshang and I ended up in the hospital for a month, and Po Jun's uncle had a longstanding grudge with Xiao Siyang. Xiao Siyang hit him so hard it took him a full year to get out of bed."
Gao's words made me shiver. With Xiao Sanda included, these four men were now the equivalent of Qiu Bulao and Hao Wenming in terms of stature. Even combined, they were beaten so badly by Xiao Siyang—who exactly was this Xiao Siyang? I asked, "What about Xiao Siyang himself? What happened to him?"
"He was bedridden for more than half a month," Gao replied as he resumed walking ahead. "After he recovered, he left without telling anyone. Xiao Sanda searched for him several times but couldn't find him. Eventually, Xiao Sanda himself disappeared."
By this time, Gao had led me to the emergency elevator. The people who should have been here were nowhere to be seen. Gao must have sent them down to the basement level three.
Once inside the elevator, I asked, "Director Gao, what's our plan now? Think it through carefully—once we retreat to the basement, there's nowhere else to fall back to."
A subtle, inscrutable expression appeared on Gao's face. Ignoring my question, he pulled out the access card and pressed the button for basement level three. As the elevator began descending, he muttered to himself, "What's coming, you can't dodge it no matter what…"
I didn't know if "what's coming" meant Xiao Siyang or Lin Feng. Just as I was about to ask, the elevator reached basement three. When the doors slid open, several dark gun barrels were pointed directly at us. The shooters were Wang Lu and a few female clerks. Seeing it was me and Gao Liang, the women visibly relaxed and lowered their weapons.
Wang Lu looked at Director Gao and said, "I'm about to destroy this elevator."
Unexpectedly, Gao waved her off, glanced at the elevator ceiling, and said, "Destroying the elevator doesn't help. The passageway's still there. They can still come down through the elevator shaft." Then Gao chuckled, pressed the button to return to the sixth floor, and said, "I'm betting Lin Feng doesn't have the guts to enter."
That feint was too obvious—it looked like a clumsy bluff. I couldn't help but say to Gao, "Lin Feng doesn't have to come down himself. He might send some cannon fodder to scout the way."
Gao gave me a knowing look and said, "If Sun Desheng were here, he wouldn't ask that." After a pause, he explained, "Lin Feng came with everything this time. The small fry have already been wiped out. The rest, he probably can't control. The longer this drags out, the worse it is for him. All he can do now is concentrate his firepower for a surprise attack. But the elevator environment… how can he concentrate his firepower?"
After leaving the elevator, we were hit by a pungent smell. Walking a few steps, I spotted its source. Not far from the elevator, there was a huge pool. Investigators from Section Five were pouring bucket after bucket of thick black liquid into it. A few clerks were mixing pink powder—the same kind that burned the Soul Husks earlier—into the black liquid. Yang Shuji, who had come down earlier, sat dazed on nearby steps, while a scruffy clerk kept watch nearby.
When Gao and I arrived, they were nearly finished. A Section Five investigator nicknamed "Six" was in charge. After pouring the last bucket of black liquid, he stopped and approached Gao Liang.
"Director Gao, this is the largest formalin pool we have in Section Five. There really isn't a bigger one."
Gao Liang sized up the pool and said, "This is probably the best we've got. Did you seal the door I told you about?"Six gave me a glance, hesitated a moment, then whispered, "I poured the liquid lead into the keyhole. I left only after it solidified." Although he didn't say it outright, I understood he sealed the lock to the door leading down to basement level four for me.
Gao nodded, glanced at his watch, and ordered his secretary to gather everyone together. His eyes swept over each person's face as he said, "Today's emergency is the most severe in the history of the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation. But rest assured, I will do my utmost to ensure everyone's safety. Wang Lu will take you to an absolutely safe place to lay low for now. This incident won't last long; once the crisis is over, you'll be allowed out."
Gao paused, then turned to his secretary and said, "The keys are with Shen La. After Sun Desheng and the others return, they'll open the door from outside. Unless the oxygen runs out, don't open the door lightly."Wang Lu blinked in surprise. "Boss, what do you mean? Aren't you coming with us?"
Gao waved his hand indifferently and replied, "This time, it's aimed at me. As long as I'm here, no one cares where you're hiding. Don't worry, I've been through worse storms; this light rain won't take me down. But I still need one of you to help me out."
That was clearly directed at me. Without hesitation, I stepped forward to volunteer. Before I could speak, Gao suddenly turned and said, "Clerk, come help out."
Why not call me? Not even want me to die with you? I was stuck, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
The clerk looked even more conflicted than I felt. After a long pause, he said, "Can I not go? I'm different from you all—if you die, you become ghosts at worst. If I die again, I might lose my soul entirely, unable even to become a spirit."
Gao said, "When this's over, I'll send you for reincarnation—as the only son of a Shanxi coal boss. How about that?"The clerk panicked instantly, "No way! Last time you promised me a rich family for reincarnation. How come after helping you this time, you lower the stakes?"
Gao smiled at him. "Once the job's done, you can pick whichever family you want to be born into. As long as it's not too outrageous, I'll make it happen."
After hesitating, the clerk reluctantly agreed. Seeing Gao had no intention of keeping more people behind, I pulled the key to the secret chamber out and tossed it to Wang Lu. Then I turned to Gao. "Director Gao, of all of us, I'm probably the only one who can get what Lin Feng wants. He can't see me, but I doubt he'd give up easily. You might as well take me with you to see how things really are."
Gao glanced at me. Before he could reply, I added, "You know what kind of person Lin Feng is. This time he's going all in. If he can't find that thing, he won't stop easily. Don't let me drag everyone down."Hearing this, Gao sighed and said, "Fine, you count as one."
Some wanted to stay with Gao outside, but he refused. In the end, he forced everyone into the secret chamber.
After the door was locked from inside, Gao whispered something to the clerk. The clerk hesitated, then nodded. He rolled his eyes and collapsed onto the ground. The spirit that didn't originally belong to him drifted out, swaying before sinking into the wall.
After the clerk vanished, Gao said to me, "Let's go. We'll wait somewhere else." He didn't explain what he had sent the clerk to do, and I didn't ask.
We reached near the pool again. Gao stopped, seemingly unhurried, and leaned against the wall to light a cigarette.
I stood awkwardly, holding my assault rifle, unsure whether to stand or sit. Finally, I couldn't help but ask, "Director Gao, when do you think Lin Feng and his people will come down?"
Gao blew out a smoke ring, glanced at his watch, and said, "That depends on when Lin Feng gets upstairs. I showed myself just now to let them know I'm upstairs. Without finding me, they won't dare come down here looking for the Heavenly Principle Diagram." He smiled slightly, looked up at the ceiling again, and added, "You think it's that easy to get upstairs? Once they get up there, then they'll have to worry about how to get down here."
Though Gao said that, facing such a formidable enemy, I still wasn't entirely reassured. I tried to probe for his plan, but he simply said, "Just follow me. Do whatever I tell you."
Minutes ticked by. After about twenty, I heard a "ding-dong" from the elevator nearby. The elevator doors slowly opened—empty, with nothing inside. At that moment, a sinister smile appeared on Gao's face. He didn't look at the elevator but glanced upward toward the pool filled with black liquid.
Suddenly, a loud "boom" echoed as a more-than-two-meter-wide hole exploded open in the ceiling right above the pool.
Then armored Soul Husks began dropping down like dumplings falling from a steamer.
"Welcome to hell," Gao said as he flicked a lighter and tossed the flame toward the pool.
In an instant, the pool burst into roaring flames. Over twenty Soul Husks inside didn't even get a chance to jump out. Within the time it takes to light a cigarette, one by one, they were burned beyond recognition. Their armor cracked, exposing skin that flared instantly, howling before collapsing in the pool, burned to charcoal.
I had been expecting a desperate battle but didn't expect such a smooth start. Without firing a single shot, nearly half of Lin Feng's Soul Husks were dealt with. Watching Gao's inscrutable expression, I couldn't help but ask, "Director Gao, how did you know Lin Feng would blast a hole here?"
Gao's eyes fixed on the hole in the ceiling. He said, "Over ten years ago, Lin Feng borrowed the Bureau's structure plans down to basement three from Ouyang Pianzuo. He thought returning them that day would keep me in the dark. Trying to play tricks—how long does it take to photograph a blueprint?"
Pointing at the blasted hole, Gao said again, "He blew open the weakest spot on the entire basement level two floor. Not a bad idea. Too bad Lin Feng forgot whose turf this is."
Just as Gao finished, a thin layer of dust fell from the hole. Strangely, the roaring fire, upon contact with the dust, began to shrink and slowly died down.
Gao snorted at the falling dust, muttering, "He really brought all his toys…" Then he glanced at me and said, "We can't hold here anymore. Let's switch locations and start guerrilla warfare." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and ran deeper into basement level three.