Chapter 113: Reward
The Special Affairs Bureau sending people over was something Yu Sheng had already anticipated. Considering Little Red Riding Hood had reported the presence of Angel Cultists in the Museum, the Bureau would certainly come to confirm the intelligence with him, the “special witness.” Most likely, they would send those with whom he had some rapport: Li Lin and Xu Jiali.
What Yu Sheng hadn’t expected, though, was that they wouldn’t be the only ones. Song Cheng, Captain of the Second Mobilization Squad, had come as well.
In the sitting room of Wutong Road No. 66, Yu Sheng observed this robust, seasoned-looking Captain with some curiosity. Song Cheng was a middle-aged man with short black hair, a slightly tanned complexion, and a faint scar peeking out from beneath his collar. He wore a simple black jacket over a white shirt, and the muscular outlines of his arms were vaguely visible beneath the fabric. Though not as overwhelmingly built as Xu Jiali, it was clear he was a frontline combat operative.
With their superior present, Li Lin and Xu Jiali sat a bit stiffly on the adjacent sofa.
At the same time, Song Cheng also examined the surroundings with keen interest.
It was his first time visiting this hidden Otherworld, Wutong Road No. 66, one of the most mysterious places in the Borderland.
To him, the place looked like an ordinary home. Everything was just as expected—appliances, furnishings, layout—all fitting neatly within the societal norms of the Borderland. Not too modern, not too outdated. This could’ve been the residence of a family of average means.
This contradicted his usual experience.
The Borderland had its share of Otherworlds that resembled residences—the dim Little House, Dormitory 404, or the elusive Apartment No. 6 near the city outskirts. These all appeared mundane at first, lulling newcomers into a false sense of security. But invariably, there would be inconsistencies: an object out of time, something placed unnaturally. A brass oil lamp by an electric fixture, a drip device on a windowsill, or even a window embedded in the floor.
Such details hinted at non-human entities attempting to replicate human dwellings, succeeding in broad strokes but faltering in subtle nuances.
But here, at least from what Song Cheng could see, everything aligned perfectly with human logic.
…That is, if he ignored the two Dolls watching TV on the coffee table and the Fox diligently grooming her own tail.
Yu Sheng’s voice broke the awkward silence in the living room. “So, uh… tea, anyone?”
“Ah, no need to trouble yourself. Water will do just fine,” Song Cheng replied swiftly, retracting his gaze and smiling politely. “Apologies for dropping in unannounced. Since this involves the Dark Angels, certain intel requires my direct authorization before it can be disclosed to third parties.”
Yu Sheng waved his hand. “No trouble at all. Honestly, I was curious to meet the ‘Captain’ Li Lin and Xu Jiali always talk about. A pleasure.”
From the coffee table, the two Irenes glanced over at the polite chatter and muttered in sync, “Human socializing is such a hassle.”
The Dolls spoke in unison, like an eerie audio replay.
Song Cheng couldn’t hold back any longer. He pointed at Irene. “The intel said there was only one… right?”
Li Lin and Xu Jiali also looked over, clearly confused.
When Yu Sheng had opened the Door to let them in, the sight of two Irenes had left them wondering if they were hallucinating.
“There was a small… development. The number increased,” Yu Sheng said, rubbing his hands awkwardly. “Think of it as the result of my research with Irene.”
Li Lin, a bit dazed, blurted out, “So… could more show up later?”
Yu Sheng pondered, then nodded seriously. “Possibly.”
Li Lin, though baffled, refrained from probing further—it was clear Yu Sheng wasn’t eager to explain the underlying principles.
To Song Cheng, this whole conversation felt bizarre. He couldn’t quite understand how such weirdness unfolded so naturally.
Still, he hadn’t forgotten the main purpose of his visit.
“I’m here for two reasons. First, to confirm the situation reported by Little Red Riding Hood—the appearance of Angel Cultists in the Otherworld-Museum. Second, to deliver something.”
He gestured for Xu Jiali to open the briefcase they had brought. Inside was a document folder, which he placed on the coffee table.
“This contains the full legal registration and certification documents for the ‘Hotel’ as an official organization. You can review them. Let me know if you have any questions.”
The registration documents for the Hotel… as a legitimate organization!
Yu Sheng nearly forgot about the whole matter. His eyes lit up as he remembered, and he hurriedly retrieved the file envelope. Irene, the one currently sitting on the tea table, instantly leaned in with him to open it up—while the other Irene remained focused on watching television.
The first thing they pulled out was a black double-folded registration certificate. The cover was solemnly embossed in deep red with the circular seal of the Borderland High Council and the diamond-shaped insignia of the Special Affairs Bureau. Upon opening it, Yu Sheng found the foundational records of the Hotel: registration location, date, business classification, and formal name. Right in the center, the bold word “Hotel” filled him with a peculiar sense of reassurance.
Next came a duplicate of the certificate, along with two small black devices resembling flash drives.
“These are your digital data drives,” explained Song Cheng from the side, “Each contains a custom version of the Border Communication Platform—you can plug them into any internet-capable terminal, and that terminal will temporarily gain access to the Special Affairs Bureau’s information network. It’ll log in using the public ‘Hotel’ account—unchangeable, non-deletable. The devices are self-securing. No fear of tampering or leaks. The instant they’re removed, all traces vanish. And if they’re ever critically damaged, they’ll auto-alert the Bureau and send the last known coordinates.”
“…That sounds kinda insane,” Yu Sheng blinked at the inconspicuous gadgets. While he wasn’t exactly tech-savvy, Song Cheng’s description gave him a gut feeling—this wasn’t the level of hardware you find at a local electronics stall. If anything, it screamed black-tech.
“Most of the time, Special Affairs Bureau tech is dependable,” Song Cheng added with a tight smile. “In emergencies, these can double as one-shot distress beacons.”
Yu Sheng tilted his head. “So if one of these breaks in my house, it’ll still send its coordinates?”
The smile on Song Cheng’s face faltered—but somehow held on. “I said… most of the time.”
Yu Sheng laughed, storing the items away casually. Then he raised a hand and called over Foxy, who was currently grooming her tail beside the couch. He handed one of the drives to her. “Here, stash this in your tail. Emergency backup.”
“Okay~” Foxy responded, stuffing the device into her bushy tail before wandering off to continue her grooming session.
“Don’t forget to sweep after you’re done,” Yu Sheng called out. “No fur all over the floor again.”
“Got it!”
Song Cheng’s frozen smile twitched. After a long pause, he finally blurted, “…Where did she put that thing!?”
Yu Sheng snorted. “I knew the report you got left out some details. Foxy’s full of weird surprises—you’ll get to know them. But for now, let’s get back to the matter of the Museum.”
“We’ve already begun the manhunt,” Song Cheng quickly straightened up. “We’re using technical surveillance to comb through high-traffic population areas in the South District. All outbound portals from the Borderland are sealed. As long as those two Heretical Abominations are still in Boundary City, it’s only a matter of time. Your leads were invaluable—honestly, in all my years at the Special Affairs Bureau, I’ve rarely seen a case start with suspect profiles this detailed.”
Xu Jiali nodded from the side. “Angel Cultists are elusive—almost never leave witnesses. Catching them is usually a nightmare. The agents handling this say it’s the easiest win they’ve had in eight lifetimes.”
“Well, they didn’t leave witnesses this time either,” Yu Sheng replied casually. “They just didn’t expect the dead to start talking.”
Song Cheng’s expression shifted. He looked at Yu Sheng with growing solemnity. “Exactly. About your Conversation With The Dead ability, and the broader capabilities demonstrated by the Hotel, the Special Affairs Bureau hopes to explore deeper cooperation moving forward.”
As he spoke, he pulled a heavy envelope from his bag and placed it gently on the tea table.
Yu Sheng hesitated, but quickly caught on to what it was.
He opened it, eyes widening slightly. “A bounty? For the tip-off? That’s… a lot.”
“It’s a reward for aiding in the pursuit of the Angel Cultists. We haven’t caught them yet, but your contribution far surpasses what we’d expect from an average informant,” Song Cheng said seriously. “All collaborations with the Special Affairs Bureau are compensated accordingly. Since you’re newly appointed as a Spirit Realm Detective, you might not be familiar with the policies—when Angel Cultists are involved, the Bureau’s budget tends to be… generous.”
Yu Sheng wasn’t really listening to the details anymore. All he could think about was that Irene’s new television was finally secured.
Not to mention Foxy’s chicken drumstick fund.
And that long list of “plans” he’d shelved.
[This gig pays better than writing books…]