Chapter 74: Departure
Hearing Yu Sheng’s murmuring, Bai Li Qing’s expression briefly flickered with an odd look. Yet she said nothing, continuing to observe the “man” across from her with mild curiosity.
Answering a few questions or helping with some minor troubles—those were secondary. Today, the most important thing was the “contact” itself.
She had encountered countless Entities in her time—of all kinds. She had slain them, exiled them, spoken to them, even collaborated with the rational ones. She had deceived them, and been deceived in turn. But never before had an Entity—not even those most resembling Humans—conversed with her in this manner, under such circumstances.
The “man” seated before her even appeared genuinely interested in becoming a Spirit Realm Detective or an Investigator.
Setting aside the flood of thoughts in her mind, Bai Li Qing broke the silence. “So, you want to…”
“Can I register a team?” Yu Sheng looked at Bai Li Qing with a hopeful glint. “I’m not working solo. I’ve got two others with me.”
“You mean that Doll named Irene and the ‘Demon Fox Maiden’ you brought out of the Otherworld?” Bai Li Qing frowned slightly. “But they currently have no legal identities in the Borderland.”
“Then let’s get them IDs first?” Yu Sheng considered, then added, “Wait, does one need a job to get an ID? But to get a job you need an ID first, and then it just gets stuck?”
This time, Bai Li Qing was clearly taken aback. “Of course not. Why would you even think that?”
“Oh, that’s good,” Yu Sheng chuckled awkwardly. “I overthought it.”
“I’ll make the arrangements,” Bai Li Qing replied, mentally noting in her report that “Yu Sheng” possessed a certain sense of humor. She glanced at her watch. “Time’s up.”
“Ah, you’re leaving?” Yu Sheng instinctively rose. “So, I—”
“Someone will be sent to you shortly to handle the necessary registrations for you and your two companions,” Bai Li Qing stood. “Just a few forms to fill out. Keep your phone on in the next couple of days.”
Yu Sheng: “Oh… okay.”
Bai Li Qing nodded, then seemed to recall something just as she was about to leave. “One more thing.”
“What is it?”
“About Night Valley—that Otherworld you encountered earlier. Have you returned to check on it since?”
Yu Sheng looked puzzled. “That Valley? I haven’t gone back… Something happened to it?”
“That’s the issue—its current state is unknown,” Bai Li Qing shook her head. “So if your Door still connects there, perhaps give it a look.”
There was nothing in Bai Li Qing’s expression that gave Yu Sheng any useful clue, but he had a nagging feeling… this wasn’t as casual a suggestion as she made it sound.
That she deliberately mentioned this just as she was leaving felt more like an emphasis.
After a moment of thought, Yu Sheng gave a slight nod.
Truthfully, he had no desire to return to that eerie Valley, nor any interest in dealing with “Hunger” again. But Bai Li Qing’s tone suggested something more than the presence of Entity-Hunger. Something else might have gone wrong.
In the blink of an eye, the café stretching infinitely in both directions collapsed silently in Yu Sheng’s vision.
Bai Li Qing’s figure vanished amid the cascading scenery. The café snapped back to normal in a breath. Sounds of the real world returned, as though it had all been a strange dream—the faint lingering scent of perfume the only proof someone had truly been there.
Yu Sheng blinked, looked around. No one else seemed to have noticed anything. Little Red Riding Hood’s thick packet of homework still lay open on the table, waiting for him to continue.
“She really came and went just like that…”
Yu Sheng shook his head and muttered, settling back in to resume the High School Student’s assignments.
But this time, he couldn’t focus.
Everything from his conversation with the Special Affairs Bureau Madam Director swirled like a storm in his mind. New, turbulent knowledge of this world throbbed within him, mingled with expectations and imaginings for the future. It had been years since he last felt such eager anticipation, laced with a subtle anxiety for what tomorrow might bring.
And above all, there lingered the question Bai Li Qing had raised before leaving—Night Valley. What had happened to that place?
Just then, a voice rang out not far off, interrupting Yu Sheng’s thoughts.
“We’re back!” Little Red Riding Hood sounded cheerful. “Yu Sheng, how much have you written?”
Yu Sheng immediately looked up and saw, standing beside Little Red Riding Hood, a black-haired Young Lady.
It was Miss Foxy, dressed in brand new clothes.
The weather had turned chilly, and Little Red Riding Hood had bought her a white coat and a cotton skirt with added warmth. The outfit itself was simple, yet surprisingly suited Miss Foxy. The fluffy material lining the collar served both as decoration and wind protection, evoking the image of Miss Foxy’s own silvery-white ears and tail—elegant with a touch of gentle charm.
The Demon Fox Maiden stood somewhat shyly, her expression blank as if she hadn’t yet adjusted to the feeling of well-fitting clothes. Perhaps the long stroll through the bustling Shopping Mall had also left her overwhelmed. It wasn’t until Yu Sheng waved at her that she snapped out of it, blinking rapidly before hurrying over with several large shopping bags in hand.
“Um… Yu Sheng,” she said nervously, standing across the table. She remembered to call him by name in public places. “The new clothes, they suit me well.”
“Yes, they look great,” Yu Sheng replied with a smile. He could sense her joy. But his gaze dropped to her skirt. “It’s gotten colder these days. Isn’t that outfit too thin?”
“She’s wearing thermal pants underneath,” Little Red Riding Hood chimed in as she plopped down next to Yu Sheng and leaned over to glance at his work. “Let me see how much you’ve written… Uh, not much, huh?”
“There was a bit of an unexpected situation earlier. It took up quite a bit of time,” Yu Sheng rubbed his nose awkwardly, then glanced curiously at the two girls. “Wait, where’s Irene?”
“Oh, right here!” Miss Foxy immediately reacted, lifting a large shopping bag from the ground to show him. “We bought so much stuff midway that I couldn’t carry her anymore, so I put her in the bag.”
Yu Sheng leaned over and saw the little doll—Irene—lying atop a pile of clothes in the bag, her eyes lifeless and full of resentment. The entire shopping bag reeked of a Doll’s grudge.
The curse was so thick, the bag itself was on the verge of becoming a cursed object.
[Are you okay?] Yu Sheng asked silently.
The Doll Lady snapped, [Okay?! Take me out right now! I stared at the Shopping Mall ceiling all the way here, and now I’m still staring at ceilings! Half-finished drinks and snacks were tossed into the bag with me! I even slipped to the bottom and neither of them noticed! I protested the whole time! This silly Fox got so dizzy shopping she ignored me completely!]
Yu Sheng quickly pulled the wrathful Doll Lady from the bag and placed her gently on the chair beside him, offering her silent apologies.
Meanwhile, Little Red Riding Hood casually flipped through her homework, curiosity tugging at her: “So, what was the unexpected situation?”
Yu Sheng didn’t hide it, only lowered his voice: “A woman showed up out of nowhere. Said her name was Bai Li Qing, the Madam Director of the Special Affairs Bureau.”
Little Red Riding Hood, mid-flip through her math papers, froze. Two or three seconds passed before she stiffly turned her head. “…Huh?”
Yu Sheng glanced around and whispered, “Is that really unusual?”
“The Director! Bai Li Qing! That big shot!” Little Red Riding Hood’s voice shifted pitch, yet she dared not speak too loudly. “Wait—why did she suddenly come out? And why did she personally seek you out?! She wouldn’t think you’re some kind of Dangerous Entity and came to deal with you herself, right?”
Maybe because they’d spent all day shopping together, she now spoke to Yu Sheng with far more ease than she had when they first met, her tension and wariness gone.
Yu Sheng didn’t seem to notice the shift in her attitude. He just recalled the conversation with Bai Li Qing and shook his head. “Not at all. She just came to learn about the situation. She asked me a few questions, and I asked her a whole bunch back. Honestly, she seemed pretty easy to talk to.”
Little Red Riding Hood stared in disbelief, starting to doubt her hearing.
Bai Li Qing? Easy to talk to?
That combination of words was truly… novel.
…
Inside a certain office at the Special Affairs Bureau Headquarters Building, space twisted and collapsed with a burst of light and shadow. A pale humanoid silhouette suddenly appeared behind the desk. The form quickly solidified, color blossomed, and Bai Li Qing emerged.
She sat silently behind the desk for a long time, unmoving, lost in thought.
After who knew how long, she finally lifted her head and pressed a button on the desk: “Notify Song Cheng of the Second Mobilization Squad and Luo Zheng from the Classified Records Department. I want them in my office immediately.”