Chapter 181: The New Team

Chapter 181: The New Team

Just as Siyuan was about to launch a full investigation, Headquarters suddenly issued an urgent notice. All members of the Special Cases Division at the team leader level or above had to assemble at Headquarters within five hours.

This came out of nowhere, and Siyuan was completely unprepared. When he received the message, he was already on his way to question the female celebrity. But after getting this information, he had Sister Ning send a message to her sister, directing the Ghost Mother lurking near the female celebrity to keep a close watch. Then he immediately changed course and headed straight for Headquarters.

Although the members of the Special Cases Division were scattered across the country, each had their own communication channel and a dedicated green passage. Even someone in the heart of the Taklamakan Desert could receive the information instantly and reach Headquarters in the shortest possible time. These five hours likely included the stipulated time for overseas members accounting for time differences.

“Let’s take the Hong Kong green passage,” Ning Qingyuan said, also surprised. “This emergency mobilization order isn’t usually issued. Something big must have happened.”

“Big or not…” Siyuan shrugged. “They can’t fire us, right?”

“Hard to say.” Ning Qingyuan pouted. “Let’s talk about it when we get there.”

The so-called green passage was actually a solidified Formation Array. This array was solidified by the former Eldest Master, and its energy source shifted from arcane energy to regular electricity. Once Headquarters activated it, anyone could easily teleport to Headquarters’ location.

“Honestly, last time I only went to the Headquarters office building. This time, we’re going to the secret base. It makes me a bit nervous.”

“It’s my first time too…” Ning Qingyuan walked to the Formation Array’s location. At the entrance, she couldn’t help but take a few deep breaths. “Many people have never been to Headquarters.”

“But… this green passage is way too shabby!”

Siyuan’s remark made Sister Ning notice the issue. This green passage Formation Array was actually located on a bustling commercial street, built inside a restaurant’s storage room. The entrance was just an unlocked sliding door that anyone could easily enter. It didn’t look like a high-end teleportation array at all.

“Let’s go in and see,” Siyuan said, scratching his head. “I hope it hasn’t deactivated?”

Whether it was deactivated or not, Siyuan didn’t know. But he knew the environment here was really terrible. It seemed like an abandoned storage room, with garbage and rat droppings all over the floor. Large cockroaches scurried about, making one’s scalp crawl.

However, when they stepped inside, the walls around them suddenly lit up. A voice came from somewhere unknown: “Headquarters requests identity verification.”

Siyuan and Ning Qingyuan instinctively took out their identification badges. As soon as the badges were produced, they emitted a faint glow in the dark warehouse. The covers trembled slightly, like ripples on water stirred by a gentle breeze.

“Identity confirmed. Welcome, Team Leader Qi, to Headquarters.”

Siyuan nodded with a smile. “Start the teleportation now?”

“It’s already finished. You are now in the Imperial Capital. Please exit.”

“What?”

This completely shocked Siyuan. He hadn’t felt any energy fluctuation from start to finish, not even the slight dizziness he usually felt when casting spells himself. And now they were telling him he was in the Imperial Capital? Was this some kind of joke?

Holding a mix of belief and doubt, he stepped out the door. What greeted his eyes was no longer the bustling commercial street but a small, lush grove of trees. The building was no longer a storage room but a red brick-tiled house. In the distance, a high wall stood tall.

“We’re here already?”

While still puzzled, several people with badges hanging on their chests came jogging from a distance. They stopped in front of Siyuan, nodded, and said, “Team Leader Qi? Please follow us. You are the last group.”

How were they the last group… How fast were these guys? Siyuan was filled with questions, both about this emergency notice and this bizarre teleportation array.

Following them to a small courtyard secured by an iron gate, Siyuan stared blankly at this courtyard of less than 150 square meters and the shabby two-story red brick building. A gilded bronze plaque hung on the wall: National Special Affairs Processing Center. But it just didn’t seem to match the surroundings…

“Please follow us.”

The staff members led Siyuan as they pushed open the iron gate and entered. Along the way, they saw no one, let alone any security systems…

“How is Headquarters’ security ensured?”

“Team Leader Qi, you must be joking. Who in the world would dare attack the Special Cases Division Headquarters? Unless someone launches another Knights Templar crusade with over a hundred thousand people, anyone else would be sending themselves to their doom.”

“Why is that?” Siyuan seemed quite surprised upon hearing this. “It really doesn’t look like it.”

“You might not come here often. This place has a Formation Array set up by the Eldest Master. It looks calm here because you two passed identity verification. But if someone with ill intentions comes, the Five Elements Array here will activate. Its power combines earthquake, typhoon, tsunami, volcanic eruption, and the force of all living things. Aside from the Great Sage and those few known powerhouses, anyone else would be utterly defeated.”

“I see… Sounds impressive.”

“Unfortunately… the Eldest Master left too early. If you had met him in person a couple of years ago, you’d have found him much more amazing than you imagined.”

Siyuan had heard about this Eldest Master. It was said that he and the Second Master possessed abilities no one had fully witnessed. The Second Master could calculate celestial movements and alter fate, while the Eldest Master seemed to hold a position where one man could block ten thousand. Essentially, one handled strategy, the other combat—both exceptionally formidable. Even the Fox knew of their existence and said they were long qualified to become Celestial Wardens. But Celestial Wardens had to be appointed by the Great Sage. Since the Great Sage hadn’t awakened, the Celestial Wardens remained unchanged. Thus, they weren’t even Guardians. As for why they were so powerful, the Fox didn’t say a word.

When Siyuan stepped through the iron gate, the scenery instantly changed again. A horseshoe-shaped building lay quietly before him. The portico alone was over ten meters high. The dragon pillars outside were exquisitely carved. At the brilliantly lit main entrance stood two colossal statues, each eight or nine meters tall. Seeing these statues, Siyuan was stunned. “Huh? Aren’t those the Qilin and Chaofeng?”

“Yes, that’s right,” the guide said with a smile. “You two can go inside. Our group isn’t qualified to enter.”

Siyuan was taken aback. “You need qualifications to enter?”

“Of course. If you’re not qualified, you’ll just end up back at the big iron gate.” The guide smiled. “Oh, I forgot to mention. This place is inside the Ethereal Realm, so it’s completely invisible from the outside. There’s no sign. Even the highest authority could only find the few large tiled houses outside.”

Hearing this explanation, Siyuan suddenly felt the Special Cases Division was high-class and impressive. He never expected the headquarters of this group, which gathered so many ordinary folks, to be so… so luxurious.

“I know what you’re thinking. This place…” the guide chuckled. “…is the legendary Southern Heavenly Gate. But you see, legends are just legends. The Ethereal Realm… when you get down to it, it’s just another dimension.”

Seeing his dismissive expression, Siyuan really felt like drowning him in spit… Although the Ethereal Realm wasn’t like the Mount Qi Illusion or the Kunlun Illusion, it was still a former settlement for monsters. And now it just became the Special Cases Division headquarters?

“Oh, I know what you’re thinking. This is just a small part of the Ethereal Realm. The entire illusion is vast, but no one can enter. This area was specially allocated to us. Foreigners have their own similar enclaves. We just don’t interfere with each other.”

Listening to his explanation, this was likely a legacy left over from the time when countless gods and buddhas fought proxy wars. But Siyuan wasn’t concerned about that. He was genuinely curious about what was inside.

When he entered, he was completely stunned…

“Am I in the future?”

Inside, the setup made his scalp tingle. Upon entering the hall, there was a massive wall, at least four hundred square meters in size, densely covered with screens. The screens flickered back and forth, showing either bustling streets or tranquil forests. Each image stayed for no more than thirty seconds before switching to the next.

“Stop looking. Hurry upstairs. The meeting is waiting for you two.”

Just as Siyuan was gaping at the spectacle, a familiar voice came from behind. He turned to see the silver-haired Little Dragon Maiden, holding a stack of documents as she came in from outside, her expression very serious.

“Sister Xue, long time no see.”

“Long time no see.” Little Dragon Maiden’s mood didn’t seem good. “There’s trouble. Let’s talk upstairs.”

“Wait… first tell me, are those all LCD screens on the wall?”

“Yes, they are. Isn’t that normal?”

“But…” Siyuan paused for a moment. “Even foreign countries haven’t widely adopted LCD screens yet, right?”

Sister Xue shrugged. “One hundred and eighty-two years ago, this place already had LCD screens. It was a byproduct of a failed time travel attempt. This material is supposed to appear about three years from now. Luckily, the Special Cases Division at the time stopped the temporal disruption in time. Otherwise, who knows what the world you see now would be like?”

Siyuan couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement. The Special Cases Division was indeed a place full of wonders. If this technology existed one hundred and eighty-two years ago, humanity would probably be fighting interstellar wars by now. Such things affect everything; the Butterfly Effect is no joke.

On the way to the meeting room, Siyuan saw a mobile phone that accidentally traveled to three hundred years ago, a sniper rifle from the Han Dynasty era, a laptop that ended up in the Song Dynasty, and many other things that either don’t exist today or are only conceptual products. Though these items seemed ordinary, thinking deeper was terrifying… Perhaps if they hadn’t been controlled, humans might not be the dominant species now. It could be cockroaches, because various weapons might have appeared prematurely, and wars could have destroyed the world—it’s not impossible.

Of course, history has no ‘what ifs’. Since things are the way they are now, it’s best to act as if none of it ever happened or existed.

Arriving at the conference hall on the third floor, a wave of heat hit them as soon as the door opened. The huge meeting room was packed full, with at least two hundred people. There were familiar faces and those he hadn’t seen before. Even Chen Ming was sitting in the audience.

“Over here, come on.”

Chen Ming had sharp eyes and spotted Siyuan immediately. He quickly waved Siyuan over, pushed the guy nicknamed Rabbit aside, and made room for two seats.

“What’s going on here?”

After sitting down, Siyuan couldn’t contain his curiosity. “What’s the situation?”

“We have big trouble.”

“Huh? Is someone attacking?”

“Not that. It’s a bit more troublesome than that. Someone will explain the situation shortly. You’ll know soon enough.”

Then, the Second Master sitting at the head cleared his throat and stood up. With his usual sly smile, he squinted as he scanned the room. “Alright, alright, everyone’s here. Quiet down, all of you shut up!”

His loud voice instantly silenced the room, leaving only him standing upfront to speak.

“You all know about the recent events, right? I called you back today specifically to discuss this. Well… let me start from the top.”

After he finished speaking, Siyuan roughly understood what was going on. The case of the child corpse was leaked because of a mole inside. Now almost everyone knows about it. There are even leaked crime scene photos circulating, which shocked the world. Due to pressure and dissatisfaction with the Special Cases Division’s efficiency, the government above independently established an organization similar to the Special Cases Division.

The specific name of this organization isn’t clear yet, but when the state apparatus starts moving, its energy can be terrifying. While the Special Cases Division isn’t explicitly suppressed on the surface, it’s clear the state is gradually shifting its focus to that new organization. Today, calling the core members back serves two purposes. First, to stabilize morale. Those who want to jump ship can do so, but they should do it early. Second, everyone must strive to uncover the mole in the shortest time possible. The Special Cases Division’s interior has definitely been significantly corrupted. Although this isn’t some earth-shattering major issue, if these people stab us in the back at a critical moment, it will definitely cause huge problems.

“Second Master, can’t you do the calculations yourself? What do you need us for?”

“Damn it, you little brat, are you mocking me? You know I can only calculate events, not people. Why are you still blabbering nonsense?”

Chen Ming then turned to Siyuan and explained in a low voice, “Second Master’s predictions about events are incredibly accurate, and his calculations about people are spot on too. Don’t listen to his nonsense.”

“Then why…”

“Shadows.” Chen Ming let out a long sigh. “Second Master is a true hero. Back then, because he altered someone’s fate, through a strange twist of fate, his girlfriend ended up standing opposite him. In the end, for the greater good… he ended up without a partner. Who could bear that pain?”

Siyuan touched his chest, realizing that if it were him, he truly couldn’t accept it, especially involving his own girlfriend. “Wait… are you saying something bad happens when he calculates people’s fortunes?”

“Exactly.” Chen Ming nodded. “He calculates and alters anyone’s fate. Unless their destiny is stronger than his, who knows what kind of monster he might create.”

Then, the Second Master started speaking again. This time, the core message was for the team members to keep a low profile from now on, solve the case quickly, and absolutely avoid conflicts with the people from that new organization.

Siyuan stroked his chin, raised his hand, and asked, “Aren’t people from that new organization also on our side?”

“Yes, they are on our side. That’s a good question.” The Second Master’s expression turned somewhat somber. “What about being on the same side? Classmates still fight, and close friends still stab each other in the back. When it comes to being ‘on the same side’… We are different from them. In a way, we exist above the nation. Our jurisdiction is this vast land of China. The meaning is broad, so it’s natural we’re not tolerated. Therefore, when we carry out missions in the future, there will inevitably be overlaps with them. Remember this: none of you are allowed to strike first!”

“What if they hit us?” Chen Ming lazily raised his hand. “Do I offer my butt for them to kick after they slap me?”

His remark caused an uproar of laughter, but he himself got hit on the head by a teacup lid thrown by the Second Master. “Are you an idiot? If they hit you, you hit them back! Have we ever been afraid of anyone in our own turf? Don’t start trouble first! But if they provoke us first, then sorry—go all out. If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you. Oh, and here I’d like to verbally praise the newest team leader from South China. This guy is good. You should learn from him. Stop gossiping and talking nonsense. We all risk our lives. Those of you below have followed me for at least ten years, right? Don’t you know me by now? If I hear anyone gossiping again, I’ll calculate your fortune someday. Want to try?”

Impressed… Even Siyuan was impressed. This old man was really something else, and from the look of it, he was dead serious. You could tell from how the people below didn’t even dare let out a loud fart now.

“That’s all I have to say. I’ll call a few people to stay behind. The rest of you, get back to your duties. My words stand: from now on, keep a damn low profile! Also, regarding that case, investigate it quickly! Hear me? I know it’s difficult, so I’m giving you a one-month extension. If you still haven’t figured it out in a month, I’ll recommend a great spot for collective suicide. Seriously, not lying. Scenic place, tickets dirt cheap. Dying there would make your lives damn complete.”

“Alright, now Yu Xue, Chen Ming, Qi Siyuan, Black Ling, Rabbit, Baoyu, Qiu Yin, stay. The rest, dismissed.”