Chapter 33 - Yao Bell

Post Training Notice: National First-Class Registered Exorcist

"There's no need to investigate this case any more."

Translator(s): moon
Editor(s): Jane, jelly, juurensha

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Chi Xiaoduo leaned against Xiang Cheng, panting heavily.

“You saw it?” Xiang Cheng asked.

Chi Xiaoduo nodded, still feeling a bit of lingering fear. Xiang Cheng gestured for him to take his time and instead sit down and tell him slowly, before he then poured him a cup of water.

After Chi Xiaoduo drank the entire cup of water, he calmed down a little. In his mind, the entire event formed a clear picture, and countless broken pieces were strung together, one after the other.

Xiang Cheng waited patiently for Chi Xiaoduo to speak. After thinking over it, Chi Xiaoduo thought, “I know who those two old men are. Heavens… no wonder, it’s Mr. Die.”

“What?” Xiang Cheng asked, not understanding what that meant.

“Let me tell you about it from the beginning.” Chi Xiaoduo understood it all in a flash. The devil that could predict the future, the deaths of the four students, all of it had an answer.

“That night, they were drawing blood,” Chi Xiaoduo said, looking into Xiang Cheng’s eyes. “To invite the diexian.”

“Diexian?” Xiang Cheng startled, before he too understood.

“One was the diexian,” Chi Xiaoduo said. “Who was the other? The bixian?”

Xiang Cheng replied, “I understand. The twin demons are the jixian .”

“Wh-what?” Chi Xiaoduo asked. “The ji xian?”

Xiang Cheng: “...”

“Fuji,” Xiang Cheng gestured with his hands.

“Raising up a chicken?” Chi Xiaoduo didn’t understand what he meant.

Xiang Cheng had no idea how to explain it to Chi Xiaoduo, so he grabbed a piece of paper and wrote it out for him. It was only then that Chi Xiaoduo understood; he also had thought of something else just now.

With that, Chi Xiaoduo’s flashcards could be updated again -- chicken (crossed out) jixian.

The diexian could predict the future. It was very powerful and also very horrifying.

Xiang Cheng was silent as he sat there, thinking.

“How is it?” Zhou Wanyuan came down the stairs. “Do you have an answer?”

“Diexian,” Chi Xiaoduo replied.

“No, it’s a die devil,” Xiang Cheng said. “They were drawing blood to perform fuji spirit summoning.”

“I actually didn’t think of it,” Zhou Wanyue said, sucking in a cold breath. “The students committing suicide, that was because they were drawing blood to summon the fuji spirit? We must notify the committee immediately …”

“Wait!” Xiang Cheng said coldly.

Zhou Wanyuan stopped in her steps, and Xiang Cheng said, “If the die devil can predict the future, then do you think it wouldn’t know of you going back to report to the committee?”

Zhou Wanyuan: “...”

Chi Xiaoduo’s face was set in a confused expression as he said, “So that’s to say, what we’re saying right here, right now, they… the bixian and the diexian, they know as well?”

Xiang Cheng nodded and replied, “It’s very possible.”

Zhou Wanyuan protested, “Not necessarily. If they knew, then would they let us keep talking here like this?”

“Go back and report in,” Xiang Cheng said. “On your own head be it.”

Zhou Wanyuan didn’t dare to take that risk, so she could only sit back down. Chi Xiaoduo said, “This really goes against the heavens too much. Or, it could also be said, perhaps it has predicted matters of the future that even we don’t know about.”

“Not necessarily.” After Xiang Cheng said those two words, he sank back into silence.

Chi Xiaoduo opened his notebook, looking down over the questions that he had written down earlier, at a loss for what to do next. After he thought for a bit, he used Keda’s account to log into the database. Most of the records in there were on legends of ghosts and gods, which referred vaguely to “fuji” and “fulian”. Chi Xiaoduo’s eyes glazed over and his head spun.

“According to the records,” Chi Xiaoduo said, pulling them up, “the jixian used to be called the goddess Zigu in ancient times.”

“The records differ too much from the truth,” Zhou Wanyuan said mildly. “What time period are these antiques even from? If the records could be used, then no one would need to bang their heads over this. The ghosts and gods change with new generations, and now, who knows what they’ve evolved into.”

Chi Xiaoduo said, “Then, let’s assume that these twin devils are the descendants of the goddess Zigu, or perhaps her disciples. Is there any use in asking the goddess Zigu for help?”

Zhou Wanyuan was torn between laughing and crying. “There’s nothing of the sort. What goddess Zigu, all of that is made up nonsense.”

“Then for a devil to be able to predict the future, what principle does that follow?” Chi Xiaoduo asked intently.

Chi Xiaoduo looked at Zhou Wanyuan, then at Xiang Cheng. Xiang Cheng shook his head and replied, “I don’t understand it.”

“If you’re courageous, then venture a guess; if you’re careful, then seek evidence,” Chi Xiaoduo wiggled a little and continued. “There must be some principle, and this power must be within a certain degree, otherwise it would know everything, and no one would need to play along with it.”

“Yes.”

This time, Xiang Cheng nodded and raised an eyebrow at Chi Xiaoduo, saying, “I was also thinking about this.”

Zhou Wanyuan replied, “Great Immortal Xiang, can you call upon your internal connections and ask about the situation?”

Xiang Cheng coldly replied, “I cannot.”

Zhou Wanyuan: “Don’t be so two-faced okay, talking to your family’s little fwend with such a pleased expression, yet facing me down with such a wooden expression. Is laoniang so deserving of your irritation?”

Xiang Cheng: “I’m not.”

Chi Xiaoduo was wholly absorbed in looking over his notebook. Zhou Wanyuan rose, flipped through the fridge, and grabbed a box of juice. She poured out three cups, and Xiang Cheng took one.

“Suppose these two guys have one power,” Chi Xiaoduo said, “which is to know the future. Then that means this power must have conditions and limitations. Otherwise, that night, you guys wouldn’t have made it out safely.”

Xiang Cheng pressed his fingers against the cup, leaning back in his chair. He was deep in thought, and he nodded.

Zhou Wanyuan said, “I once took care of a clam devil, which gave me a similar feeling. Every devil needs to take in resentment to strengthen its own abilities.”

“En,” Xiang Cheng said, nodding. “That makes sense.”

Chi Xiaoduo looked at Zhou Wanyuan as he asked, “Just like a phone? When it’s fully charged, you can use it for a whole day?”

Zhou Wanyuan replied, “That also depends on whether or not it uses its abilities. I imagine that perhaps, the further into the future that the diexian predicts, the more energy it will have to expend to do so.”

Chi Xiaoduo said, delighted, “And if it doesn’t predict the future, then that’s basically like putting it on standby, and it can be used for a long time.”

“The strength of the signal will also affect it,” Zhou Wanyuan said. “It also will depend on the specific surroundings they’re in, and the type of devil, just like how Xiaomi and Huawei phones aren’t the same once they’re on standby for a long time.”

“A Nokia is pretty good,” Chi Xiaoduo said.

Zhou Wanyuan responded, “Apple is the king of sucking away power.”

Chi Xiaoduo said, “The 6+ won’t anymore, now it can run for a long time on a full charge.”

Zhou Wanyuan asked, surprised, “Is that right? I was thinking about signing a contract, will it look too big?”

With that, Chi Xiaoduo and Zhou Wanyuan began to discuss the different standby times of different kinds of phones. Zhou Wanyuan recommended that Chi Xiaoduo use Redmi, and the topic of conversation was instantly changed to something eighteen thousand li away. Xiang Cheng was still thinking, so the meeting turned into two people discussing cellphones, while one person was thinking about how to solve this case.

Messy black lines appeared over Xiang Cheng’s head, and before long, he said to Chi Xiaoduo, “Xiaoduo, let me take a look at your notebook.”

It was only with that that Chi Xiaoduo remembered the matter at hand, and he asked Zhou Wanyuan, “Where did we get to just now…”

“Charging.” The corners of Zhou Wanyuan’s mouth twitched.

Chi Xiaoduo: “That’s right! If the bixian and diexian are also subject to this law, how would they charge?”

Zhou Wanyuan replied, “That would be according to the power they possess.”

Chi Xiaoduo had recorded what had happened when Zhou Wanyuan was catching that yao earlier, and he said, “Then its power to predict the future can grow stronger through eating people…”

Chi Xiaoduo: “... can it?”

“Wait ,” Xiang Cheng said. “I’ve got it, let’s go.”

“Wait, come back and explain it first!” Zhou Wanyuan said, her metaphorical fur standing on end. “Even Conan needs to analyze the situation in a case!”

Xiang Cheng grabbed his bag, and the three of them went out the door. He asked Zhou Wanyuan, “Where’s your car?”

“I don’t have one!” Zhou Wanyuan replied unhappily. “I don’t even have the money to make a down payment, why would I buy a car?”

Xiang Cheng glanced at Zhou Wanyuan’s appearance.

Zhou Wanyuan: “...”

The three of them squeezed in the subway for a while, before Xiang Cheng asked, “How do you get into Lingjing Alley?”

“There was a Shazhou Street Snacks at that entrance just now,” Zhou Wanyuan replied emotionlessly. “Now there’s too many entrances and exits, and you can even get in from the Jingkelong warehouse.”

Xiang Cheng: “...”

They got off, and Lingjing Alley was filled with rays of sunlight. When they got there, Chi Xiaoduo immediately had a feeling that they had “found the association”. Everyone was an exorcist, and even the door guards could fight monsters. The supernatural, spine-chilling atmosphere of the world outside was stopped solidly just like that.

Chen Zhen’s work was keeping him busy, and every time Chi Xiaoduo saw him, he always felt as if Chen Zhen was a little sleepy, but even so, he managed to find time for them. He listened to their report in the conference room, and even Keda had come. He opened an Apple laptop, wiping his hands back and forth across it.

Aside from Chen Zhen and Keda, there was also a tall, skinny, middle-aged man sitting in the conference room. He was wearing glasses, and from the beginning to the end, he remained silent.

“This individual is Yan Fei, the director of the enforcement division.”

Zhou Wanyuan nodded in his direction.

“I was just thinking about finding you all,” Yan Fei said, smiling slightly. “There’s no need to investigate this case any more, go archive it ba.”

“What?!” the three of them were all very shocked.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Zhou Wanyuan asked. “I spent three months of time, but now I’m supposed to stop investigating just because you’re telling me to stop doing so? ”

Chen Zhen immediately shot a glance at Zhou Wanyuan, warning her not to say more, but Yan Fei began to chuckle, and he shook his head.

“This is the wish of the department heads,” Yan Fei said, smiling. “I also don’t have a choice.”

“For what reason?” Chi Xiaoduo asked.

Chen Zhen glanced at Chi Xiaoduo, before saying, “They didn’t say. You guys should spend some more time studying instead, it’s almost time for the test.”

But Xiang Cheng replied, “That won’t work.”

Chen Zhen said, “Xiang Cheng, I looked up your electronic record. Not once have you observed the appropriate procedures. This isn’t Guangdong or Chongqing, can you be a little more law-abiding in Beijing?”

Yan Fei raised his hand, saying, “Stop arguing, stop arguing. Director Chen, how about you…”

Xiang Cheng sucked in a breath, and Keda immediately stepped in, saying, “Why don’t you report on the process ba, and prepare a record.”

“Are human lives more important, or is discipline more important?” Xiang Cheng asked in disbelief.

“Of course it’s discipline,” Chen Zhen said. “How can one life compare with the safety of all of society?”

“Is one life not the safety of society?” Xiang Cheng asked.

Chen Zhen: “These are the considerations of the superiors who issue us commands, would they have thought it over less thoroughly than you?”

“They’re all a bunch of trash!” Xiang Cheng raged. “When have they ever managed to accomplish anything?!”

Chen Zhen’s expression changed, but Yan Fei merely laughed loudly as he gathered up his materials, and said, “You all keep chatting, I’ll be going first. Xiao Ke, in a while, bring me the case file. Remember, us exorcists must be careful and thorough in our treatment of mortal matters. Our plans must be watertight, and our schemes must be detailed.”

“Aye!” Keda immediately said. “Okay.”

Yan Fei shut the door and left.

“It isn’t an issue if you say those words in front of me,” Chen Zhen said coldly to Xiang Cheng. “But if you say them outside? No one will be able to help you then. I already helped you take care of the matter last time, and your identity along with the Sword of Wisdom were very sensitive to begin with, because the higher-ups still remember the Mt. Wu incident from back in the day. Have you done the math yourself? How many people died? That day, when you left, the department head asked me if you had come to get revenge, or if you had come to settle old debts! What will the others think? Can’t you take care of things a little more smoothly?!”

“That artifact belonged to my family to begin with! Settle what old accounts?!” Xiang Cheng immediately raged. “If it wasn’t for them having guilty consciences, who would even spare a thought for my parents?! Didn’t they say that they all had a clear conscience?! Come! Let them all come here!”

“Go now, they’re just next door in a meeting,” Chen Zhen said, pointing outside. “If you don’t go, you’re a bitch.”

“Stop fighting!” Zhou Wanyuan said angrily.

Xiang Cheng rose, knocking his chair over, and he turned and left. Chi Xiaoduo and Keda immediately rose to chase after him.

Xiang Cheng didn’t go to the conference room next door. What replaced that instead was the bang of the door to the emergency exit. Keda and Chi Xiaoduo stood outside the door, looking at each other. Chi Xiaoduo pushed the door open, while Keda turned and went back into the meeting room.

In the darkness, Xiang Cheng was smoking.

“Are you all right?” Chi Xiaoduo asked carefully.

Xiang Cheng didn’t respond.

Chi Xiaoduo went over, only for Xiang Cheng to suddenly pull him into his embrace and lower his head, hugging him tightly.

Chi Xiaoduo: “...”

Chi Xiaoduo’s heart beat wildly. He didn’t know what had happened, but he reached out in return and hugged Xiang Cheng around the neck, saying into his ear, “Don’t be angry. How about we leave ba.”

Xiang Cheng took a few deep breaths and calmed down, before he let go of Chi Xiaoduo.

“You go back and sit,” Xiang Cheng said in reply. “I’ll go find you in a while.”

Chi Xiaoduo en-ed, stroked the back of Xiang Cheng’s head, and went back into the meeting room. Chen Zhen, Keda, and Zhou Wanyuan were all sitting there, and the atmosphere was very awkward.

“The way I see it, we should all stop performing exorcisms as well,” Zhou Wanyuan said. “It’ll be less trouble for everyone, let’s just disband and go home to tend the fields.”

A laugh burst out of Keda. Chen Zhen took a sip of tea and said, “Before we disband, we still need to take care of the important matter of your marriage.”

Zhou Wanyuan’s face darkened, and Keda immediately lost his smile.

“Director Chen,” Keda said earnestly. “It’s no longer the time period to speak of arranged marriages, this…”

Keda had his hands clasped together as he twiddled his thumbs. Zhou Wanyuan shot him a vengeful glare, and Keda continued, “As a person, I greatly respect and admire Miss Zhou. It’s not that I’m not willing, it’s that it really can’t be done, and as for the department’s good intentions, I’ll take them to heart.”

Finally, Zhou Wanyuan could no longer bear it, and she said to Chen Zhen, “Does the Exorcism Committee want to change fields and become a matchmaking business, or what? Leaving so many homicide cases unattended, only to try to pair us together every day, don’t you find that awkward?”

“It’s not awkward,” Chen Zhen said. “It’s not like they’re trying to matchmake me, so what’s there to feel awkward about?”

Chi Xiaoduo: “...”

Chi Xiaoduo slumped on the table, almost going insane with laughter.

Keda glanced at Chi Xiaoduo, before he said to Chen Zhen, “I really can’t do it.”

“Why can’t you do it?” Chen Zhen asked. “Is it very hard to develop feelings towards each other?”

“I… have no feelings towards women,” Keda said, completely seriously. “I’m a bear gong.”

Chi Xiaoduo: “...”

“Have you gone on the 1069 sites yet?” Keda asked. “Director Chen, come, come, let me introduce to you what we call each other in the comrade circle. A 1 is the one on top, while a 0 is…”

Zhou Wanyuan: “...”

“Go explain it to the higher ups,” Chen Zhen said, pointing to the conference room next door. “Chief Wang is currently having a meeting next door. Make a powerpoint while you’re at it, and you might as well explain all kinds of positions as well. I promise that no one will come to bother you all again.”

Keda: “...”

Xiang Cheng came in and sat down on the chair, and everyone stopped talking again.

“Report on the situation,” Chen Zhen said. “I’m very busy in the afternoon. Be a little more concise. Let’s begin ba, who’ll go first?”

Everyone was looking at Chi Xiaoduo, so he could only grit his teeth and open his notebook. After glancing at Xiang Cheng, he said, “The enemy is the jixian.”

“Chicken?” Chen Zhen asked, confused. “What species of chicken could be so hardy?”

“The ji in fuji,” Chi Xiaoduo explained carefully. “It can predict the future to a certain extent. That day, what we saw at the entrance of the Caishikou was the bixian. What caused the four students to commit suicide was the diexian. Our guess is that the diexian takes the lives of humans to strengthen its own cultivation.”

Xiang Cheng continued, “Ghost force that can pierce through the universe. By absorbing souls, they obtain the power to pass through time.”

Chen Zhen was silent, while Keda asked, confused, “What does it mean to pass through the universe?”

Zhou Wanyuan replied impatiently, “The universe, or time. By default, when humans become ghosts, they can see the future. Great immortal Xiang is very smart, so I imagine you’ve also understood it.”

“En.” Chen Zhen nodded.

“Ooh --” Keda nodded.

Everyone understood, only Chi Xiaoduo hadn’t. In his heart, he flipped the table while roaring, can’t you all take care of the needs of the bystanders? This kind of tacit understanding, are you discriminating against me for being an outsider to this field?

“Why?” Chi Xiaoduo asked, confused.

“The power of ghosts passes through time ah,” Keda said. “The souls of immortals pierce through space, while the power of ghosts passes through time.”

Xiang Cheng explained, “Ghost souls can see the future.”

“Why?” Chi Xiaoduo asked.

Zhou Wanyuan replied, “Haven’t your relatives sent you dreams before? Often, right before you’re about to experience danger, your loved ones who have passed will send you dreams, telling you to dodge a trial a few days later. Of course, whether you’re able to avoid it or not depends on your luck.”

Xiang Cheng nodded. “So for ghost souls to see the future, this is a natural outcome.”

“But why can ghost souls see the future?” Chi Xiaoduo asked in response.

“How are we supposed to know that?” Zhou Wanyuan asked. “Why don’t you go ask the stars in the sky why they twinkle?”

“The reason the stars twinkle,” Chi Xiaoduo said, “is because of the expansion and contraction of the atmosphere due to temperature. Cold air is more dense, while hot air is less dense, and when they begin to circulate they cause the light of the stars to reflect multiple times…”

“Enough,” Zhou Wanyuan wailed. “It’s just a metaphor! Can you stop getting hung up over this question?!”

“Souls can see the future,” Chen Zhen said, capping his thermos, “because of their nature. They exist in a 5D world, so they can see what happens in a 4D world. This research topic is very complicated, and the Soul Research Division hasn’t yet come up with an accurate report. Let’s talk about this later, we’ll leave it at that for now…”

“Aye!” Keda called out to Chen Zhen.

Chen Zhen said, “Create a copy of the report and close the case. We’ll call it here, don’t bring me any more trouble during the exam period.”

Chen Zhen left, and the four of them looked at each other, before Xiang Cheng rose and left with Chi Xiaoduo.

It was evening, and Chi Xiaoduo and Xiang Cheng sat in the plaza outside the Exorcism Office. The fountain splashed with glittering golden light, and many pigeons were living in the plaza, so Chi Xiaoduo and Xiang Cheng bought two ears of corn, prying off the kernels to feed the pigeons.

Since they had come out, Xiang Cheng hadn’t spoken. Chi Xiaoduo didn’t ask too much either; all he had to do at this time was keep his silence.

The Exorcism Committee actually kept pigeons? Chi Xiaoduo kept musing over what kind of godly pigeons these were as he watched Xiang Cheng.

Si Gui was mixed amongst the pigeons, pecking at the kernels to eat, but when Chi Xiaoduo waved his hand at it, Si Gui flew over. Chi Xiaoduo had remembered what Chen Zhen had said: Mt. Wu, Xiang Cheng’s parents, many people had died. Were those the old scores from the last generation? He didn’t dare ask, merely sitting there with Xiang Cheng, keeping him company in staring off into space. When he remembered Keda and Zhou Wanyuan’s reactions, he couldn’t resist laughing again.

“What are you laughing for?” Xiang Cheng glanced at Chi Xiaoduo.

Chi Xiaoduo replied, “It’s funny watching Zhou Wanyuan being forced to marry someone day in and day out, hahaha.”

Xiang Cheng also suddenly began to laugh, and Chi Xiaoduo added, “Why is Wanyuan being forcefully pushed towards Keda? Neither of them like each other.”

Xiang Cheng didn’t know either, and he shook his head and sighed.

Chi Xiaoduo put one hand on his shoulder, saying, “Don’t be so down. Once you pass your exam, let’s go together and change a place to catch yao in?”

Xiang Cheng nodded and replied, “Oh well, it’s nothing much. As expected, big cities are hard to survive in.”

But just as Chi Xiaoduo was about to leave, Xiang Cheng added, “Come with me to take a look at the underground level.”

Chi Xiaoduo remembered that there was a shopping street here, so the two of them went down the stairs on the first floor to the negative first floor. The negative first floor was like the Xidan underground market, bustling with people, and everywhere there were shops selling little goods.

There was a dazzling array of goods, most of which were ancient tomes or small articles of decoration. Chi Xiaoduo was tongue-tied, and he asked, “Are these all used for exorcism?”

“Not entirely,” Xiang Cheng said. “Make sure you don’t buy fake goods.”

Xiang Cheng’s mood had improved somewhat, and the two of them browsed through several stores on the way. There were ones selling mirrors, ones selling talisman pouches, and even a specialty store selling “blank talismans”. It felt as if they had walked into a funerary goods store, because white and yellow parchment hung everywhere.

“How are these sold?” Xiang Cheng asked.

“The yellow ones are eighty,” the owner said. “The red talismans are one sixty, the blue talismans are three hundred, and the black talismans are five hundred.”

Xiang Cheng counted out two blue ones and a black one, handed the boss 1.1k, and left short one stack of cash.

“What use do the white ones have?” Chi Xiaoduo asked curiously.

“The white ones are paired with the other colors,” Xiang Cheng explained to Chi Xiaoduo.

The boss looked at Chi Xiaoduo strangely, before counting out three white ones to Xiang Cheng.

“Did I…”

“It’s alright,” Xiang Cheng said. “You can ask anything.”

Chi Xiaoduo was relieved, and he nodded.

They passed by a store that sold windchimes, and the windchimes hung in the store like a screen. All of a suddenly, they all began to chime gently, like the sound of rain falling

So pretty! Chi Xiaoduo thought, but just as he was about to go in and look, he noticed the owners of the several neighboring stores sticking their heads out curiously, watching Xiang Cheng.

“We’ll go to another one,” Xiang Cheng said stiffly.

Chi Xiaoduo: “???”

Xiang Cheng led Chi Xiaoduo away, but all the owners around the windchime store were watching him.

Chi Xiaoduo had sensed it, there was a kind of bias and prejudice in the depths of their gazes. Why would things be like this? The owners didn’t even know them. Was it because it was inappropriate to bring him, an outsider, in?

This chapter is migrated and/or formatted by our fellow chicken enthusiast(s), moon.