Chapter 6

The door was tightly sealed, and it was unclear what had happened inside. The person in charge of external affairs quickly parted the crowd and stepped forward to knock on the door: "Director Xuan, I am ... ... "

Xiao Zheng is the chief dispatcher for external operations at the Anomaly Control Bureau. There was no time to seek approval from superiors, so he directly called the person in charge of the Chiyuan Branch to withdraw all external operations from the "front line" and urgently relocate everyone in the hospital. He then hurriedly barged into the Ancient Book Restoration Department.

The archives of the Ancient Book Restoration Department are maintained at a constant temperature and humidity, and are kept in darkness. Inside, there are rows of crystal cabinets, each containing original ancient texts. On the cabinet doors, there is a small screen that allows access to the annotations made by researchers. In one corner, Xiao Zheng found the specialized cabinet for "ritual texts".

Note: Breaking a basin - a folk funeral custom, during the coffin's departure, the filial sons and virtuous grandsons are required to smash a clay basin

The person in charge of external affairs was quite shrewd. He paused for a moment and patiently explained, "Leader, relocating residents is not a trivial matter. There are issues such as transportation, supplies, and economic losses, not to mention the panic it could cause among the people. It's not just me; even our bureau chief wouldn't be able to make a decision on this. Moreover, most of our personnel are currently in the Grand Canyon, and the area with the mutated trees has not been cleared properly. We truly cannot spare any hands for this."

"There is something," Xuanji clenched her trembling jaw tightly, "Why is there no centralized heating in the southern region for me!"

This is an ancient sacrificial text that has been lost for a long time. It is said to be a malicious sorcery that can summon demons through the sacrifice of living beings. The living sacrifice must die an unnatural death, filled with resentment before death. Ordinary animal offerings are difficult to meet this requirement, so it is preferable to use humans. However, the definitions of 'unnatural death' and 'resentment' are hard to clearly define. We have not found any successful precedents, and currently, we cannot verify its authenticity, only some folk legends that have been passed down...

The tiny droplets of water on the wall slide down, leaving behind damp traces, connecting with one another to form rows of characters that stand out from the wall

Contact the public security department to investigate the cases of unnatural deaths in the past month, "Xiao Zheng instructed the person next to him, "Are you alright?"

From the day the Anomaly Control Bureau was established, the field agents have been superior.

Gloomy Festival! Have you heard of it!

Xuanji: "I fear that you might bite."

As soon as Xiao Zheng connected to the video, he happened to see this scene, and his pupils suddenly constricted. He turned around and rushed into the elevator: "Ancient Book Restoration Department—Old Luo, have him hold on for a moment!"

Functional departments have historically considered themselves superior, and since the number of "special talents" is limited, only the field departments consist entirely of "special talents". Other logistical support departments mainly comprise ordinary personnel, with a few "special talents" relegated to working alongside ordinary staff in logistics, most of whom are also rather useless oddities

Ah? What?

Sheng Lingyuan felt that what he said was not pleasant, but he was not angry. He simply asked in a tone reminiscent of inquiring about a missing child: "The enmity between the demon race and the human race has persisted through the ages. Even after the demon race fell, they distanced themselves from the world and retreated into the mountains and forests. What is the matter with you, little demon? Have you suffered some grievance and betrayed your clan? Or have you been exiled by your kin for some wrongdoing?"

As soon as his voice fell, the iron chains binding him began to rattle, and the totem on his robe started to seep blood, while the water stains on the wall suddenly deepened by one shade.

Xiao Zheng was shocked and said: "What did you say?"

At this moment, Xuanji felt that the cold sweat on his back was about to freeze, and goosebumps had risen on his bare neck. However, the bluish lips did not hinder his verbal barrage: "My dear sir, we are now one family with fifty-six ethnic groups. Which generation's old almanac are you reciting? You were just exiled for treason; do you not know that slander is a crime? Old Luo, is your phone out of credit? Did you manage to get through?"

It is common for business trips to be seen as a hassle for the hosts, so there is no need to bring up such trivial matters.

Dr. Wang, who holds a doctorate in ancient book restoration, wears small glasses, hunches his back, and his neck seems to extend forward for about two miles. It is said that he was born in the late Ming Dynasty. His only special ability is that he does not seem to age. Thus, he was specially appointed to the Bureau of Anomalous Control, where he specializes in antique research. His only flaw is that, due to his age, his reactions are somewhat slow

The fieldwork supervisor is either a person with high emotional intelligence or is infuriated by the irrational commands and baseless complaints of a neurotic, feeling a tightness in the chest, and quickly draws upon all their composure to refrain from cursing.

"A thousand people sacrificed alive, the demon summoned said it himself, I don't know if it's true or if this kid is just talking nonsense..." A chill seeped through his mouth and nose into his lungs, even breathing began to hurt. Xuanji's breath paused unnaturally for a moment, "I feel... um... it doesn't seem like nonsense."

Before the old Luo at the door could connect the video call, Sheng Lingyuan, who was bound by chains, suddenly said ambiguously: "Little demon, if you don't let me go soon, be careful of getting hurt"

Xuanji's hair tips and the corners of her clothes were suddenly covered with ice shards, and the character "止" on the door instantly crumbled. Those terrifying water stains seeped through the walls of the family lounge, directly penetrating to the other side, as a mournful cold wind swept out, shattering the windows and the lights in the corridor completely. The wind whistled sharply as it squeezed through the doors and windows, seemingly carrying with it a dying scream.

The phone rang, and his hands were already wrapped in ice shards, rendering them almost immobile. He glanced down, and the phone automatically flew out of his pocket, floating to his ear to connect the call

The person in charge of the external duties at the entrance had not finished half a sentence when he was abruptly confronted with a string of orders, leaving him momentarily bewildered, thinking to himself: "Who are you, my friend? You barely touched your lips together, and yet you are assigning us work?"

Xiao Zheng's speech accelerated rapidly: "The ancient texts restoration department has recorded that the gloomy ritual must be completed within one lunar month. The first living sacrifice is to be offered at the intersection of the new moon and the hour of the rat, and the last one at the next intersection of the new moon and the hour of the rat. I flipped through the calendar, and today is indeed the new moon!"

The Ancient Text Restoration Department is a place dedicated to the study of lost ancient texts and fragments. Most of the staff are often engaged in archaeological work outside, and the office area is very quiet. Without knocking, Xiao Zheng barged into the office of the person in charge: "Doctor Wang, do you know what 'Yinchen Ritual' is?"

Xuan Ji: "Living beings must die an unnatural death; within one month, one thousand people die unnaturally, it is impossible for it to go unnoticed..."

Field Operations Manager : `` ... ... ''

Old Luo was unable to manage both sides, as this particularly troublesome "temporary worker" boss lost two strands of hair on the spot due to worry, suffering a serious work-related injury

Let me tell you, his sacrificial text is nearly complete, only lacking a 'living sacrifice.' This is a sacrifice involving a thousand lives. Sheng Lingyuan lightly brushed the bloodstains on his robe with his fingertips, slowly tasting it. "Little demon, since you can recognize the sacrificial text, you should understand that once the ritual is completed, not even these three chains of yours can hold me down, let alone Mount Tai. Why are you entangling with me instead of seeking out the instigator?"

Your great-aunt

"Let's postpone the self-introduction session," Xuanji interrupted the words of the person outside, staring at the man bound by chains. He quickly said, "Evacuate everyone within a ten-kilometer radius of this hospital immediately! Bring all the personnel you can mobilize to report to the headquarters!"

Sheng Lingyuan seemed to have developed a great interest in the mobile phone, staring at it intently.

I heard it, "Xuanji squeezed out a sentence from between her teeth, 'If you don't hurry up, you'll make him wait to 'smash the basin' for his biological father!"

Even if the so-called "aftercare department" is dispatched by the headquarters, the local field personnel only show superficial respect towards them, while in their hearts, they look down upon them—similar to the attitude of ancient generals towards eunuchs overseeing military affairs.

The so-called "ritual text" is essentially a type of universal contract. Xiao Zheng skipped the common overview of ritual texts and directly turned to the chapter on "evil sacrifices," scanning through it rapidly and finding a few scattered words about the "gloomy sacrifice" in a corner.

"Oh, the gloomy ritual?" Dr. Wang, resembling an old actor, began to speak, making Xiao Zheng anxious to press fast forward. The old man trembled as he opened his laptop, poking at the keyboard with a single finger, "I know, I know, it's just a kind of ritual text... Recently, we just completed a special project, and the files are saved in... Oh..."

The head of the bureau's field operations snorted coldly, turned around, and left. The others exchanged glances and also followed their respective leaders in retreat

Xuanji did not engage in any argument, directly ignoring him, and shouted loudly: "Old Luo, call Xiao Zheng and tell him that the mutated tree is an addition, this is 'Yinchen Sacrifice'!"

This small family lounge measures only about 10 square meters, with a dozen blazing iron chains hanging in the center. Normally, it would take no more than three to five minutes to heat this room to the temperature of an oven, yet the cold and damp atmosphere spreads in from all directions, overpowering the warmth of the flames. The walls gradually begin to exude droplets of water, reminiscent of a "returning to the south" weather pattern.

Sheng Lingyuan listened to their words with great interest by the blazing fire, like a porcelain figure with an exceptionally high ignition point, engulfed by flames, yet not a single strand of hair moved; he even felt quite warm, as the firelight cast a rosy hue on his pale face: "It seems you can recognize the sacrificial text? How rare."

Xuanji coldly laughed and said: "I can still battle with the Eight-Nation Alliance."

Is he bored again, causing trouble for no reason?" Xiao Zheng frowned and asked— that guy with the surname Xuan is definitely capable of such a thing, "You turn on the video, I will talk to him directly

That is not a universal language of any kind in the world, and as Xuanji caught a glimpse, a chill ran up her spine

Old Luo: "Director Xuan, Xuan Xuan Xuan, Xiao, Xiao Xiao said ... ... "

Xiao Zheng grabbed his computer and rushed towards the archive room, dragging a bouncing power cable behind him

At this moment, the external affairs officer of the Chiyuan Branch also heard the news and hurried to the entrance

At this moment, Luo Cuicui ran over and said: "Director Xuan, all non-field personnel have been urgently relocated. Director Xiao said to let them follow your arrangements. What should we do next?"

Little did they know, Xuanji was also afraid that others would not be angered to death, adding a remark: "I don't know what 'Yinchen Sacrifice' means, let him search for it online himself"

After receiving a call from Lao Luo, Xiao Zheng was indeed taken aback and said, "Please hold on." He connected his phone to the internal network database of the Anomaly Control Bureau and searched for the so-called "Gloomy Ritual." However, only a few news links regarding the crackdown on folk superstitious fraud groups appeared, with nothing of value.

The field workers, who had not had time to walk far, collectively erupted in frustration, involuntarily revealing their non-human traits— even Lao Luo had a sprout of green philodendron peeking out from his collar

The iron chains of Xuanji bind the mysterious long-haired man, while she herself is suffocated by this chilling aura, leaving her momentarily unsure of who is truly imprisoning whom