All thirty-eight members of the Chi family’s sixth branch, who had been imprisoned, died suddenly overnight.
Their tongues were all ripped out, their eyeballs bulged like dead fish, the whites of their eyes laced with red veins, and flies swarmed over them. It was as if they had seen something terrifying—their faces all twisted in horror as they died. No one knew how they died, and no surveillance captured anything. The authorities hastily classified the case as a metaphysical incident and decided to accelerate the takeover of the metaphysical community.
When the state first began intervening in the metaphysical world, the remaining four great families immediately fell into chaos.
To everyone’s surprise, the witch doctor family, the Lian family, and the Buddhist Dazhao Temple accepted government regulation without resistance.
Zhuo Zhengyu flew into a rage upon learning that Zhuo Zhongqiu had joined the Research Bureau to help outsiders against him. He cursed Zhuo Zhongqiu as an unfilial child and even beat hee with a broom. He had always disapproved. Now, upon hearing that the Lian family and Dazhao Temple had complied, he was completely stunned.
Zhuo Zhongqiu seized the moment to persuade him: “Dad, look at them. Aren’t Dazhao Temple and the Lian family both more powerful than ours? If even they agreed to be regulated, what are you still resisting for?”
Zhuo Zhengyu instinctively shouted, “Shut up! You’re just trying to anger me to death!”
“I’m being reasonable,” Zhuo Zhongqiu rolled her eyes. “We’ve recruited too few talents. In this situation, we don’t stand a chance. I’ll tell you some inside info—the students from the twelve universities are about to graduate, right? Out of over a hundred people, more than half are interested in our department and are excited to join the Research Bureau as civil servants. No matter how good our family’s benefits are, can they beat the state’s? No matter how famous the six great families are, can they be more renowned than the country? Besides, joining the Research Bureau is much easier for them than for ordinary people.”
Zhuo Zhongqiu sincerely tried to persuade him: “Who can refuse such an offer? Dad, if the government gave you a banner or an honorary title, could you say no?”
Zhuo Zhengyu: “…I couldn’t.”
Though Zhuo Zhengyu was used to the metaphysical world operating independently, it wasn’t that he didn’t love his country.
It was just that patriotism aside, how could the metaphysical world be handed over to a newly established little Research Bureau?
“Who’s your team leader?” Zhuo Zhengyu asked, annoyed.
“Jiang Luo. You don’t know?”
Zhuo Zhongqiu was thoroughly exasperated. “You don’t even know something so basic, and you still want to lead? I suggest you follow the example of Dazhao Temple and the Lian family and go register with the Research Bureau. I really don’t get what you’re hesitating about. Of the original six families, only four are left. Those who surrender early get the best treatment. Dad, what are you worried about?”
Counting on his fingers, he added, “The government won’t strictly control everything. Our family will still operate as before, just with some formalities like getting licenses. It’s like businesses getting permits. The big events—like competitions and the twelve universities’ exams—won’t concern us anymore. That’s about it. The government won’t stop your development, just won’t let it go beyond a certain limit.”
Zhuo Zhengyu frowned. “Licenses? How is that ‘not much’?”
“It’s for better management. Talented individuals get certified, so common folks won’t get duped, and you can still take private cases. On the other hand, it helps with investigation and control. If something deadly happens again—like the blood eels incident—it’s easier to trace the culprit. Less chance of corruption,” Zhuo Zhongqiu sneered. “In the past half-month, you don’t know how much filth we’ve uncovered. The corruption at the root of the metaphysical world—it’s all vengeful spirits and skeletons.”
You don’t know until you investigate—once you do, it’s terrifying. The more Zhuo Zhongqiu saw, the angrier she got, to the point her hands trembled.
No wonder in Chi You’s dream, once the metaphysical practitioners were gone, so many ghosts appeared. Most likely, it was the metaphysical world’s own doing. Of course, the metaphysical community had had its glory days—like during wartime, when it never stood aside. But the current metaphysical world was no longer what it used to be, and Zhuo Zhongqiu firmly supported turning it over to the state.
She played her final card: “I’m already in the Research Bureau. Look at the other four families—besides ours, who else has someone inside?”
Zhuo Zhengyu jolted. That’s right—Zhongqiu was in the Bureau. If their family complied, wouldn’t that give Zhongqiu a good reputation with the leadership?
Zhuo Zhengyu thought about it all night, then went to Dazhao Temple early the next morning to speak with the abbot. No one knew what they discussed, but that afternoon, he officially pledged allegiance to the Research Bureau.
With that, apart from the barely surviving Xuanling Committee, the entire metaphysical community was left with only one dominant force—the majestic Heavenly Master Residence.
***
The Research Bureau was taking on more and more metaphysical cases, and manpower was falling short. Just in time, graduation season approached at the twelve universities, so Jiang Luo decided to publicly recruit graduates and industry professionals.
The recruitment event began at 3 PM, and the Bureau specially prepared an interview room. Each interviewee came in one by one to have their abilities and moral values assessed. For each session, Jiang Luo planned to accept only twenty people.
He believed in quality over quantity. The Bureau was newly established—every step had to be careful. With too many people, even one malicious recruit could disrupt everything.
Jiang Luo served as the interviewer. On his right sat Wenren Lian and Qi Ye—one assessed character, the other tested theoretical knowledge.
On his left was a senior official. This was the Bureau’s first open recruitment in the metaphysical world—someone had to witness it.
The official was an ordinary person. He didn’t interfere with Jiang Luo’s decisions and just sat there cheerfully watching. After a few interviews, more than half the water in his thermos was gone.
Jiang Luo took a sip of bottled water and rubbed his brow. “No one outstanding yet.”
Wenren Lian placed the next candidate’s file in front of him and smiled. “At your level, we’re all kids in your eyes now.”
Especially after that battle with the Fated One half a month ago.
It was the first time Wenren Lian and the others realized that in a clash of that scale, no matter how fearless they were, their lack of strength only made them liabilities.
After that fight, everyone seemed shaken. Especially Ge Zhu, who locked himself in the training room day and night, striving to improve.
Jiang Luo said, “That’s different.”
He didn’t complain anymore. Picking up the file Wenren Lian gave him, he quickly read it.
“Lu Wu, 23, top graduate of Liyu University… a genius,” Jiang Luo’s interest was piqued. He nodded. “Bring him in.”
A minute later, a handsome young man entered.
Wenren Lian murmured, “Good-looking.”
Jiang Luo glanced at Lu Wu with a picky gaze. “Just okay.”
Their exchange was so quiet and fast, not even the official beside Jiang Luo caught it. Lu Wu seemed to notice and glanced precisely at both of them. When their eyes met, he gave a gentlemanly, graceful smile.
He was dressed casually and comfortably, even for such an event—jacket open, revealing a crisp white shirt beneath. His smiling demeanor was like spring rain—gentle and refined.
Jiang Luo’s eyelid twitched.
He glanced again at the file. On the right, Qi Ye began the technical questioning.
Qi Ye asked, Lu Wu answered—flawlessly through the first few basic questions.
Nothing too unusual yet. The first five questions were just theory. What stood out was Lu Wu’s posture—calm, confident, conversational, quoting classics with ease. On necromancy, he referenced In Search of the Supernatural and Strange Stories. On spellwork, artifacts, talismans, and prayers—he spoke smoothly and logically. Qi Ye was impressed. Lu Wu never dropped his polite smile; his demeanor was magnetic.
Jiang Luo looked at Lu Wu with increasing suspicion.
He stared fixedly—Lu Wu showed no cracks, not even glancing Jiang Luo’s way. Seemingly flawless… yet Jiang Luo felt everything about him screamed suspicious.
He looked like Chi You wearing a disguise.
After Wenren Lian finished, Jiang Luo leaned back, arms crossed. “How’s your combat technique?”
Lu Wu responded with a hum, “Fairly decent.”
From his expression, that “decent” was clearly modest.
Without a word, Jiang Luo suddenly knocked over his water bottle.
It rolled off the table. From three steps away, Lu Wu reacted instantly—stepped forward, bent down, and caught it mid-air. Smiling, he placed it back on Jiang Luo’s desk. “Almost missed your water.”
Wenren Lian and the others showed approval. Only Jiang Luo twitched, his expression darkening.
With the official still present, Jiang Luo couldn’t expose him directly. Instead, he needed a reasonable excuse to eliminate this ill-mannered malicious ghost pretending to be an applicant.
His eyes darted. “Can you read palms?”
Lu Wu nodded politely. “A little.”
Jiang Luo smiled, offering his left hand. “Don’t be modest—give it a try.”
Wenren Lian broke into a sweat, suddenly remembering that jealous, possessive, dangerously unpredictable malicious ghost at Jiang Luo’s home. He quickly pulled out gloves and handed them over. “Wear these.”
He was terrified the ghost would learn someone touched Jiang Luo’s hand and kill the poor applicant.
Lu Wu said, “Pardon me,” and slowly put on the gloves, taking Jiang Luo’s hand and gently pushing his sleeve to the elbow, revealing a fair, slender arm.
His movements were smooth, voice rhythmic like poetry: “In physiognomy, the limbs represent the four seasons; the head makes five elements. Soft, smooth hands like white jade—such as yours—are signs of nobility.”
His fingers traced from wrist to fingertips, gloved touch snake-like, subtly ticklish.
“Long, thin fingers mean intelligence and elegance. Soft hands, refined nature.”
He bent down and lightly sniffed Jiang Luo’s hand—just a brush. “Your hand is warm and fragrant—a classic noble’s sign. May I see your palm lines?”
He seemed upright, detached, like any regular palm reader. But his words and actions were vaguely flirtatious.
Jiang Luo’s expression didn’t change. He smiled faintly, eyes narrowing with subtle mischief. “I’ll let you see—but can you read it? We have a palmistry expert on our team, and even he can’t decipher mine.”
Lu Wu didn’t flinch. “Try and see.”
Wenren Lian and Qi Ye exchanged looks.
He hadn’t seemed that arrogant before… but now? A little.
Lu Wu flipped Jiang Luo’s hand and examined his palm. “You have a golden flower mark—your palm lines form a golden blossom. It symbolizes lifelong wealth. For a man, it means a successful career and official rank.”
The official exclaimed, “Good sign! Excellent omen!”
If Jiang Luo prospers, so does the Bureau!
Lu Wu traced the line, then smiled. “If a woman had it, it’d mean marrying into wealth.”
Jiang Luo said, “Is that so.”
He withdrew his hand, face suddenly cold. “Enough. Wait for our notice.”
Lu Wu nodded and left. As soon as he was gone, Wenren Lian said, “I think he’s a great pick. What do you think?”
“Unacceptable,” Jiang Luo said flatly.
Even the official looked confused. “Why?”
Jiang Luo snatched a tissue and furiously wiped his hand, face turning furious. He startled the official. Righteously, he slandered the malicious ghost: “He has no morals! He scratched my palm while reading it—harassed the interviewer! Disqualified!”
