Chapter Five, The Cycle of Time Four

Zhao Yunlan turned his back to him and then said: "You can probably imagine that most of the cases we handle cannot go through the normal prosecution procedures. Therefore, in some situations, we have the authority to execute criminals on the spot. This authority... can sometimes be a dangerous matter, which is why we have a set of rules that must be followed. Do you know what the first rule is?"

The smile on the man's face had vanished, and under the firelight, his face bore an unhealthy pallor, appearing somewhat fatigued, yet his gaze was intensely focused, as if it were deeper than the surrounding darkness. A foul odor emanated from the depths of the darkness, prompting Guo Changcheng to instinctively cover his nose

Guo Changcheng : `` ... ... ''

"It's all your fault." Daqing circled around the fainted Guo Changcheng twice with its tail held high. This unfortunate little intern was getting further and further down the path of "fainting daily." The black cat flicked its tail in dissatisfaction, "What good does it do you to scare him into fainting?"

The black cat unceremoniously swatted him with a paw, leaped out of his arms, and walked ahead of the two with an imposing demeanor: "I just feel that Professor Shen is somewhat off, I can't quite pinpoint what it is, but being close to him makes me feel very comfortable"

The gunshot echoed in the darkness, and Guo Changcheng heard a heart-wrenching scream behind him—if he had fur, it would have stood on end higher than when Fat Cat Daqing was touched on the backside. The violent pounding of his heart left him with a hollow feeling in his chest, and Guo Changcheng almost suspected that he had been scared into a heart attack.

What is that?" Guo Changcheng asked in a shrill voice that was unfamiliar to him.

Suddenly, a hand emerged from that shadow, its five fingers spread wide, fiercely reaching for Shen Wei's foot, while Shen Wei's gaze fell before him, completely unaware.

Fortunately, before he could speak, Guo Changcheng had already fled in terror, completely panicked.

What kind of shadow is this?

With the old cat observing coldly, if it were not for Zhao Yunlan's unfortunate inheritance of the Town Soul Order, perhaps he could have relied on this innate, unparalleled mixed skill to become a significant figure.

He is an ordinary person, and I have just verified this. These matters, as you are new, it is understandable that you do not know much about them; we will gradually teach you in the future. Zhao Yunlan's voice lowered, "Domestically, our rights are basically the same as those of our colleagues in other departments. In the absence of evidence, we can inquire, request citizens to cooperate, express doubts, and even detain individuals according to the law for questioning. However, there is one rule: we absolutely cannot arbitrarily detain ordinary people at any dangerous scene. If something goes wrong, no one can bear that responsibility."

His tone was not severe; on the contrary, it was gentle. However, perhaps due to the chill in the corridor, Guo Changcheng couldn't help but shiver.

Guo Changcheng fell silent, sliding down the wall he was leaning against like a strand of noodle

He heard Zhao Yunlan softly say in a chilling voice: "You know, sometimes a person can have more than one shadow"

This way, I can offset his bonus with adult diapers. Zhao Yunlan bent down to lift Guo Changcheng, tossing him over his shoulder as if he were carrying a sack of potatoes, swaying with each step. His movements were light, but his tone was extremely indifferent. "Tell me, whose relative is this kid? He’s a nuisance right under my nose."

His tone was as if he were merely holding a plate of hot dumplings, casually asking people to step aside and not touch them

Guo Changcheng's nerves were stretched to the limit with his words, at that moment, he sharply heard a "crack" in the darkness. In the blink of an eye, Guo Changcheng involuntarily associated it with the sound of a bullet being chambered he had heard on television. Before he could even ask, he felt something gently blowing on the back of his neck. Guo Changcheng jumped up suddenly, and then he heard Zhao Yunlan say in a tone that was neither heavy nor light: "Get out of the way"

"Losing one's integrity is a minor issue, but starving to death is a major one." Zhao Yunlan extinguished his cigarette and gently patted the cat on the forehead. "I also ask you comrades, who spend your days pretending to be morally superior, to reflect on your own conscience. The positions you hold, the salaries and bonuses that are deposited into your accounts every month, the various benefits you receive during holidays, and the rights you have to carry out your duties without interference from other departments—are they all just gifts from the wind? What is integrity, anyway? Can it be eaten? Is it tasty?" What is integrity, anyway? Can it be eaten? Is it tasty?

Zhao Yunlan suddenly reached out his hand, grabbing Shen Wei's arm and pulling him back half a step

He saw that Shen Wei had not left; the man with glasses stood in place, took off his glasses, held them in his hand, and absentmindedly wiped them with the corner of his clothing. The eyes that had been evasive were now fixed intently on Zhao Yunlan's back, their gaze deep and distant, dark and heavy. His expression resembled nostalgia, restraint, and contained a longing that seemed ready to burst forth... It also seemed to encompass a profound pain. The eyes that had been evasive were now fixed intently on Zhao Yunlan's back, their gaze deep and distant, dark and heavy. His expression resembled nostalgia, restraint, and contained a longing that seemed ready to burst forth... It also seemed to encompass a profound pain.

Then, Shen Wei smiled and said: "That's true, I really can't be of much help here, and I might even cause some trouble. The offices to the south are all from the Mathematics Department; you can just go in and ask. I will go speak with the principal."

"Regardless of whether you are facing a person or a ghost, as long as there is no conclusive evidence, one must assume innocence." Zhao Yunlan patted the black cat's rear, "And you, you dead fatso, what were you trying to do just now? Your flattery was simply like that of a foolish dog."

It is said that a high-ranking leader who has just been parachuted into the department is this kid's uncle

Throughout history, the "Zhenhun Lingzhu" have managed the affairs of the underworld in the mortal realm. Even if they do not show it outwardly, they often regard themselves as outliers among the living. Rarely has there been someone as engaged with the world as Zhao Yunlan

"I hate these circular corridors," Zhao Yunlan said softly, "I hate everything round, the cycle of life and death, endlessly repeating."

As for the indulgences of eating, drinking, and gambling, as well as engaging in frivolous activities, he has mastered them to perfection and possesses all five vices.

"I didn't do it on purpose." Zhao Yunlan lightly kicked Guo Changcheng with his foot, and the intern slid down his calf without any reaction. "Who knew this guy was still sensitive to sound? Just two sentences and he's out cold? I would have thought... he might just wet his pants or something."

Zhao Yunlan pointed out with a chill, "You feel quite comfortable when you are near the wandering souls, especially enjoying burying dried fish in the hidden burial pits."

Zhao Yunlan held a cigarette in one hand and had the other hand tucked into his pocket. Amidst the swirling smoke, he turned his head to glance at him, causing Guo Changcheng to involuntarily fall silent

The black cat flicked its tail and disdainfully said, "You know what I mean, foolish human"

Shen Wei's shadow was elongated and dragged behind him in the dimly lit corridor, appearing both lonely and despondent

Daqing meowed loudly: "If you have the ability, don't come at me. Throw the order in my face directly, call people fools behind their backs, and in front of me, you call me leader, more affectionately than a godfather. I, the old cat, have lived for thousands of years and have never seen such a shameless 'master' as you."

At this moment, Shen Wei finally glanced at him, and Zhao Yunlan then noticed that the corner of Shen Wei's eye gradually narrowed into a line from the tail of his eye, long and slender, like a stroke of thick ink that sweeps out at the end, appearing through the transparent lens at an angle, almost captivating one's heart.

In the dimly lit corridor, that gaze suddenly reminded one of the images of scholars depicted in strange tales, where the female demon, after being struck by love, brings them to life on paper—though the person in the painting is clearly as bright as the moon and as gentle as jade, it inevitably bears a hint of the unique allure of the one who wields the brush

Zhao Yunlan paused for a moment, suddenly turning his head slightly to the side, and smiled strangely. For a brief instant, Guo Changcheng even felt as if his soul was captured by the other party's terrifyingly dark eyes

However, after taking two steps, Guo Changcheng inexplicably turned back to take a glance.

He sat on the ground, awkwardly glancing back. By the faint light of Zhao Yunlan's hand, Guo Changcheng saw a shadow on the wall, about the size of a five or six-year-old child. At first glance, it looked as if someone had smeared a layer of ink on the wall. At the center of "it," there was a "bullet mark," from which a patch of blood red was spreading outward, as if it too could bleed

"It is merely a 'shadow'—do not get overly excited." Zhao Yunlan reached out and brushed against the dark shadow on the wall, and blood-red liquid began to drip down from his fingertips, falling like old, damp wall paint.

Shen Wei had been watching Zhao Yunlan turn the corner when he finally noticed Guo Changcheng looking back.

Zhao Yunlan: "... ..."

"Did you not notice that this is not the so-called 'Mathematics Department' office?" Zhao Yunlan interrupted him, reaching out to brush some dust off the windowsill, then casually pinching the dust between his fingers, and said expressionlessly, "We have been led into a trap. Do you think this is a coincidence, or was that Professor Shen doing it on purpose?"

The young professor displayed a courteous smile, put on his glasses again, as if he were donning a mask of indifference. He nodded in acknowledgment to Guo Changcheng, then picked up his teaching materials and turned to disappear into the elevator, as if everything that had just transpired was merely an illusion of a timid intern.

Guo Changcheng had a strange feeling, as if he had been standing there for thousands of years

Guo Changcheng shook his head hesitantly, only to realize that the other person had their back to him and could not see this action, causing his face to suddenly flush bright red

Zhao, that person just now...

Zhao Yunlan asked expressionlessly: "Does that fool not know that the Special Investigation Department is not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security? Or does he want to arrange for his nephew to have a 'duty-related death'?"

Daqing, who has been consuming imported cat food, has silently closed its mouth, leading to an increasingly internationalized physique

The corridor grew increasingly dim, as if they had stepped into an endless dark passage. Zhao Yunlan took out a lighter from his pocket, and with a "click," ignited it. The small flame flickered restlessly in the darkness, quietly tearing a small opening in the boundless blackness.

Perhaps it is because Zhao Yunlan appears relatively young, or perhaps it is due to his consistently easygoing and friendly demeanor, that Guo Changcheng's courage gradually increased a little. He asked: "Then why let him go? What I mean is, if he intentionally led us in, why..."

Thank you. Zhao Yunlan extended the hand that had been resting in his pocket, smiling as he shook hands with Shen Wei, casually bidding farewell. He then waved to Guo Changcheng, turned around, and confidently led the intern towards the office area on the other side.

Daqing

Moreover, he is not only adept at navigating the world, but he does so with remarkable finesse, as if he were a fish in water. He is a person who can mingle in the underworld and also participate in banquets, skillfully toasting and encouraging others to drink, all the while expressing brotherly affection with his words while harboring contempt in his heart.

Ah, by the way, I just remembered," Zhao Yunlan said, casually flicking the ash into the shadow. The black hand in the shadow seemed to be scalded and quickly retracted. He spoke urgently, "Look at my memory; this case has turned so hurriedly. What kind of cooperation does the school need? I need to discuss this with your principal or secretary. Could you please help me get in touch with them?