GRMFBS CH40

Nie Yu was about to confront Luo Wang for an explanation when Deputy Director Ning Xi came down.

The deputy director was always around, practically living at the bureau. There were rumors behind the scenes that his white hair was from countless sleepless nights and overwork.

Ning Xi came down and looked over the documents. The data provided by “Approaching Science” was very useful. The reason the timeline of actions wasn’t fully mapped out was due to incomplete data from their side. But with this partial timeline, they could already trace the abnormal code’s previous whereabouts by connecting the blanks. After piecing together the full trace, they could analyze the abnormal code’s next possible moves — likely to intercept it.

Moreover, this data had been compiled by “Approaching Science” alone in under two hours, without any contamination interference! Perhaps he had some special trait or secret technique. Figuring that out would immensely benefit all information-type psychics!

“Approaching Science’s value is even greater than previously assessed!”

Ning Xi said, “Keep him well-treated! It’s best if we can recruit him into the bureau, but at minimum, maintain a good cooperative relationship.”

Cooperating with information-type supernaturals was especially important. If relations weren’t good, they might conceal critical intel, which could mean the difference of lives in real operations.

Unfortunately, during the first contact, before recruitment even began, “Approaching Science” slipped away. He fled so fast that persuading him to join would be very difficult…

Nie Yu stammered, “Uh…”

Ning Xi looked at her, “Is there a problem?”

Nie Yu explained the issue with the points system and finally bowed her head, “It’s my fault.”

Ning Xi pinched the bridge of her nose, troubled, “It’s not your fault. You arranged everything well.”

Prepaying points and offering a 30% bonus reward, especially for a high-paying mission, was already generous. Anyone would be pleased. Who would have thought the Wan Yao Alliance would go crazy?

“They probably also realized ‘Approaching Science’s’ value and want to recruit him,” Ning Xi murmured. “When did they find out?”

At first, “Approaching Science” only contacted Lingyu, with little interaction with Luo Wang on the forum. Judging from his impressive forum posts alone, though bright, they had plenty of other information-type psychics capable of the same feats. It didn’t warrant Wan Yao Alliance offering double pay to recruit him.

Nie Yu raised her hand, “Well, Luo Wang probably noticed him because ‘Approaching Science’ is a fan of Chongming Demon King.”

She found the posts where “Approaching Science” spoke up for Chongming Demon King.

Ning Xi: …there’s no way around that.

But she was still reluctant to accept it!

Chongming Demon King’s demon form was very handsome, but the bureau also had strong and good-looking people!

Wasn’t their Tianshi handsome? Standing firm between wind and thunder, wearing the heavenly master robe, head adorned with a thunder pattern mask, commanding the thunderbolt — very impressive!

If someone didn’t like that style, there were others — a traveler, free and romantic; black wolf, fierce and agile…

Ning Xi stared at the posts, then suddenly realized something. “Wait, if ‘Approaching Science’ is a fan of Chongming Demon King, why hasn’t Wan Yao Alliance already recruited him?”

And if they had to use double points to lure him, maybe the fan wasn’t truly devoted!

They still might be able to recruit him!

“Could it be that Chongming Demon King is proud and refuses to acknowledge his fans?” Nie Yu asked.

“No. Chongming Divine Bird naturally likes to protect all living beings and care for juniors. ‘Approaching Science’ has no bad records. If Chongming Demon King knew a promising junior admired him, he would cherish and protect him,” Ning Xi’s mind worked fast.

Judging from the forum posts, “Approaching Science” was a true fan of the Chongming Demon King. That style — dazzling, majestic, brightly colored.

The bureau had people like that too!

“What about Dawu Le? Isn’t he quite free recently?”

After important missions were assigned, Nie Yu aggressively went to confront Luo Wang.

Points were a currency jointly created by their three factions, and maintaining the points’ stable value was a shared responsibility. If the system collapsed, it would hurt everyone. Luo Wang was clearly in the wrong.

Besides questioning why Luo Wang had raised prices arbitrarily, she wanted to probe the current situation between Wan Yao Alliance and “Approaching Science.”

Nie Yu stormed over and got a reply from Luo Wang:

“I didn’t raise prices arbitrarily. Wan Yao Alliance’s mission rewards for him have always been in accordance with regulations; the extra payment was personally subsidized by Chongming Demon King.”

If the Demon King personally wanted to pay extra, who could stop him?

Nie Yu then understood just how much “Chongming Divine Bird’s natural inclination to protect and care for juniors” truly meant — it was real money!

She immediately reported back to Ning Xi. Good news! Chongming Demon King was personally spending money, yet “Approaching Science” had still not joined Wan Yao Alliance. He might really be a genuine fan!

Luo Wang then informed Zhan Yunkai. Opportunity knocking! The bureau just gave a stingy impression — quick, spread bad rumors!

Zhan Yunkai was energized.

What was so good about the bureau? That controlling and obsessive style, wanting to investigate people’s ancestors back eighteen generations, where was the freedom?

Even if someone liked the Heavenly Master, being a distant fan was fine. That guy always wore a mask and was mysterious; if he took it off, who knew what he’d look like? Maybe a seventy or eighty-year-old with a wrinkled face.

Suddenly, Zhan Yan received private messages from both management sides.

Luo Wang: “Crazy diss on the bureau — control freaks, stingy, bad work environment.”

Lingyu: “I’m not saying Wan Yao Alliance is bad. But look, these two recent code abnormalities both happened near Qixia Mountain. Chongming Demon King has fenced the area, but his protection… is also not very safe, you know.”

Zhan Yan: …you two really have deep grudges.

He planned to casually browse the forum. He had spent a lot of energy checking info on code anomaly #2 and was now hungry and sleepy. Going downstairs to scoop some ice cream of various flavors, casually browsing the forum to relax.

Speaking of which, among the three factions, he still hadn’t contacted the administrator of Chaofu Mountain. The Chaofu Mountain admin was very mysterious on the forum, with a unique naming style. Zhan Yan still remembered one of the forum’s top ten unsolved mysteries: the admin’s name was “Would rather die than raise a cat.”

He intended to search for the Chaofu Mountain admin partly because of a recent hot thread titled “Does anyone know what’s going on with Chaofu Mountain recently?”

The original poster lived near Chaofu Mountain in Youdu and was disturbed by the mountain’s noises at night, unable to sleep, so they posted to ask what was going on.

Speaking of this gossip, Zhan Yan hadn’t finished reading it yet. He’d stopped halfway to check the forum’s top ten unsolved mysteries.

He resumed that thread to continue the gossip.

Recently, the thread had been bumped again because he had uncovered the Chaofu Mountain admin’s account, and many kept tagging the admin “Would rather die than raise a cat,” but the admin never replied.

People in the thread also guessed who the Chaofu Mountain admin might be. Chaofu Mountain had four great ghost kings; many guessed Wanyan Ghost King because he was involved in building the forum. But others opposed that theory because the Wan Yao Alliance’s forum builder was Jin Gang Ming Wang, while the admin Luo Wang was a dream demon.

Zhan Yan actually knew that “Never Raise a Cat” was Linyuan Ghost King, but he didn’t plan to say it. It wasn’t really important. This wasn’t some juicy gossip worth obsessing over.

He kept scrolling through the posts until he reached over a hundred replies, where finally an insider appeared.

103L:
The disturbances at Chaofu Mountain are caused by Wanyan Ghost King.

104L:
Wanyan Ghost King seems to be looking for something, but hasn’t found it yet. He got anxious and started digging through Chaofu Mountain. Some ghosts didn’t want Wanyan Ghost King to rummage around, so a fight broke out.

OP (LZ):
So hopeless, when will Wanyan Ghost King finish fighting?

106L:
No one knows. Either wait until Wanyan Ghost King finds it, or maybe after he has flipped through every corner of Chaofu Mountain, things will settle down.

107L:
Help! What did Wanyan Ghost King lose to cause such a fuss?

109L:
Not clear.

122L:
Isn’t there any other Ghost King who can stop him?!

123L:
There are only four Ghost Kings at Chaofu Mountain: Tielao Ghost King is out visiting friends, Minghe Ghost King is fighting with Wanyan Ghost King, Linyuan Ghost King is a homebody, very peaceful and calm. Wanyan Ghost King has turned his territory upside down but he hasn’t reacted. I guess he’s probably not home.

125L:
Can Minghe Ghost King beat Wanyan Ghost King?

126L:
Hard to say. In direct combat Minghe Ghost King might be stronger, but Wanyan Ghost King is skilled in curses, which are hard to defend against and have strange effects. Didn’t you guys see what happened last month when someone tried to attack the forum?

127L:
Gave me chills. Honestly, Wanyan Ghost King is definitely one of the most dreaded opponents.

129L:
Same here.

130L:
Agreed. Not afraid of face-to-face fight, but this kind of sneaky and ruthless stuff.

131L:
You really say that?

132L:
It’s just a post, Wanyan Ghost King wouldn’t curse everyone who leaves bad reviews, right?

138L:
So who was bold enough to steal Wanyan Ghost King’s stuff???

This post still occasionally gets bumped to the front page because Chaofu Mountain has been unsettled for over twenty years, with disturbances still spreading to other parts of the underworld. The other three Ghost Kings seem completely unable to stop it.

Now everyone’s curious about what exactly Wanyan Ghost King lost. Searching for over twenty years, fighting here and there, causing so much trouble — it must be something really important!

People’s imaginations run wild: some guess it’s a treasured artifact, some say it’s the Ghost King’s seal, others joke about literary works like “The Underworld Ghost King’s Runaway Wife” and “Ghost King Husband: The Spoiled Princess Runs Away Pregnant”…

Zhan Yan clicked his tongue, thinking these superhumans are way too nosy. Count me in!

He was too tired to keep scrolling through the gossip and needed a break.

Continuing on, some new replies suggested merging this issue into the forum’s “Top Ten Unsolved Mysteries.” Since one mystery was just solved, there’s an open slot.

The original poster has moved, but the gossip crowd still habitually discusses the topic in that thread, often tagging admin “Never Raise a Cat,” asking what Wanyan Ghost King lost.

However, Linyuan Ghost King maintains his mysterious style, never appearing once.

Zhan Yan finished his ice cream and felt he needed to eat something else to gather enough energy for more gossip digging.

He went downstairs to the fridge, saw a bag of pre-sliced bread, took one slice, and bit into it.

…Cough! Cough cough cough!

That was the bread his brother baked yesterday!

Since everyone tasted his brother’s baked goods, the family had a rule forbidding Zhan Jinli from bringing those pastries home. Zhan Yunkai didn’t like making bread or cakes, and the family would buy bread if they craved it. Zhan Yan carelessly forgot that his brother had baked bread at home yesterday to use up some ruined cream.

He must have been mentally exhausted from digging through so much gossip!

No food should go to waste.

Zhan Yan tearfully finished the bread and then started chatting madly online.

Fortunately, his brother baked sliced bread. If it had been a whole loaf and he took a bite and had to eat the rest…

He’d be doomed!

Luckily, his brother used regular sugar at home. If he had used whatever sweeteners from his cake shop… Zhan Yan thought about the famished ghost in the gossip system who had fainted from the sweetness.

After eating the slice of bread, Zhan Yan felt his energy fully restored from the previous exhaustion digging into the “random code anomaly” info. Maybe it was the extra sugar his brother added?

Zhan Yan sipped water while opening the gossip system’s search bar. He was curious about what Wanyan Ghost King had lost!

It definitely wasn’t something he misplaced himself — otherwise, it would have been found by now. Either it was stolen or it somehow “walked” away. Then Zhan Yan’s mind drifted uncontrollably back to those runaway wife and pregnancy stories…

Half-focused, he suddenly stumbled on a gossip post:

[Wanyan Ghost King searched the stripping pavilion today but still couldn’t find Linyuan Ghost King. He was very unhappy and angrily tore all the clothes hanging on the iron tree at the pavilion.]

Zhan Yan: cough cough! Ahem…

He choked a bit, then calmed down and pushed those runaway wife and pregnancy stories out of his mind.

Wanyan Ghost King was looking for Linyuan Ghost King? Could it be that Linyuan Ghost King never appears as a forum admin because he’s missing?

Where had Linyuan Ghost King gone?

Zhan Yan held his water cup and slowly drank, just about to continue digging, when he suddenly heard footsteps on the stairs.

His brother stood at the stairs hesitating, then lowered his head to type: [Yan Yan, that bread was baked by me.]

Zhan Yan raised his cup and typed back: [I already knew.]