BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 20 The Bait

“Crow what? Fatty Sun, lower your voice! You’ll attract every ghost officer and underworld messenger around here.”

The man called Crow nervously covered Sun Desheng’s mouth.

After glancing at Che Qianzi, he continued:

“And sworn brothers? Even if you really had a brother, he would’ve been cursed to death in your mother’s womb by you.”

Seeing how cautious Crow was, Sun laughed.

“My brother’s story is something I’ll explain to you later. Not to brag, but just treat him the same way you treat me.”

“Two Sun Deshengs? Who could survive that?” Crow laughed dryly.

Then he lowered his voice and asked:

“Wasn’t he supposed to come too?

Sun Desheng, where is that person?

You didn’t use his name to trick me into coming out here, did you?”

“Of course not.”

Sun picked up the teapot and poured him a cup of tea.

“Director Hao had something come up tonight and couldn’t make it. He asked me to represent him.

He’s doing fine. We were actually talking about you today.

He even said that you used to be bad at talking and would probably get bullied down there. Who would’ve thought you’d become a completely different person? Once you start talking now, you can’t stop.

Not to brag, but last time in the Endless—”

“Don’t say those four words!”

The moment Sun mentioned the word Endless, Crow immediately became tense.

Forgetting all about the man named Hao, he interrupted Sun directly.

Taking a deep breath, he continued:

“After you people left that place, I was exiled there.

There was no concept of time or space.

Just a vast white world with nobody else around.

I walked for who knows how many years without seeing another soul.

I was afraid I’d go insane, so I started talking to myself.

Later I even performed comic dialogues by myself—one person playing both roles.”

It was obvious that Crow and Sun Desheng had shared some extraordinary experience together, though it clearly hadn’t been a pleasant one for Crow.

After listening, Sun sighed.

“You’ve had it rough.

If I’d known it was that bad, I would’ve asked Director Wu to go down and pull you out.

But speaking of that, how did you get out of… that place?”

Crow replied:

“Something seemed to happen down below.

A large number of underworld officials were transferred upward.

Eventually they ran short of manpower, so they recalled exiled officers like me.”

At that moment, the waiter arrived with dishes.

Crow immediately stopped talking.

Only after the food and drinks had been served did he continue:

“Unfortunately, I’m not exactly popular now. No one tells me any classified information.”

“Let’s drop that topic. Have a drink first.”

Sun raised his glass.

“Try this Old Beijing Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. The pickled cabbage and frozen tofu inside aren’t authentic, but they taste great.”

As he served food to Crow, he casually asked: “So, while you were down there, did you hear anything about Jiuhe?”

“Jiuhe? The Jiuhe Ghost Market?”

Crow immediately reacted.

After taking a deep breath, he said: “I overheard bits and pieces. But whenever those underworld officials noticed I was nearby, they stopped talking. It felt like they were deliberately hiding something from me. Great Sage Sun, for that person’s sake, don’t get involved in the Jiuhe affair.”

“I won’t, I won’t.”

Sun nodded with a smile and personally poured Crow a cup of Moutai.

“Then tell me about the Guangyuan Nether Mirror. How did it disappear back then?”

“The Guangyuan Nether Mirror?”

Crow frowned.

“What is that? A newly discovered treasure? And it’s missing?”

He drained his cup before continuing:

“Sun Desheng, this isn’t one of your tricks, is it? If your scheme fails, don’t drag that person into it.”

“Relax. Even if I really mess this up, I’ll bear the consequences myself.”

Sun seemed to have realized something.

After casually reassuring Crow, he quietly pulled out his phone beneath the table and sent a text message.

After another bite of food and another drink, Crow stood up to leave.

“Alright. Thank you for the meal. When your good day finally comes, Sun Desheng, I’ll treat you down below.”

He paused before adding:

“I can’t stay up here too long. Tell that person I’m doing fine. He doesn’t need to worry about me.”

With that, he wrapped his coat tightly around himself and lowered his head as he left the private room.

Sun didn’t bother seeing him out.

He and Che Qianzi simply watched Crow disappear.

After Crow had gone, Che Qianzi finally asked:

“This Crow guy has quite a story, huh? Who’s this person he keeps talking about? Don’t tell me it’s Director Hao Wenming?”

“That’s another story for another day.”

Sun waved it off.

“The Jiuhe Ghost Market matter isn’t over yet. We have real business to handle first. Your sister-in-law confiscated all my bank cards, so I need to find someone to pay the bill.”

Without any embarrassment whatsoever, he took out his phone and dialed a number.

As soon as the call connected, he smiled.

“Old Huang! Long time no see. I just got back from America. I was thinking of getting together with some old brothers. Come to Old Beijing Seafood City. My treat. We’ll enjoy some authentic Old Beijing seafood.”

After listening for a moment, he continued:

“What? You’re not even in China? Then where are Zhang Zhiyan and Big Qiqi? They’re with you too?”

Che Qianzi finally realized what Sun was doing.

He was trying to find someone to come pay the bill.

Che Qianzi had fought plenty of battles in his life, but waiting for someone else to arrive and settle the restaurant tab was a completely new experience.

For a moment, he even wondered whether he should just climb out the window and escape.

At that moment, the private room door opened again.

A white-haired Yang Xiao walked in.

The moment he saw Che Qianzi, Yang Xiao hurriedly explained:

“Don’t hit me. What happened at the hospital was a misunderstanding. Besides, if it weren’t for me, you’d still be bedridden for another six months. Great Sage Sun, hold him back. This isn’t that night anymore. If we really fight, you know who’ll be the one at a disadvantage.”

As Yang spoke, Sun had already positioned himself between the two.

“Brother, don’t rush. Do you remember what happened after he injured you? Not to brag, but right now, you’re really not Old Yang’s match. Let him talk first. If he says anything wrong, we’ll jump him together.”

The one who had put Yang Xiao in the ICU wasn’t Che Qianzi himself—it was the mysterious being residing inside his body.

If Yang were only facing Che Qianzi, the outcome would be completely different.

Still, the incident had left too deep an impression on him.

He didn’t dare treat the young Taoist lightly.

Just as Sun had guessed, Che Qianzi couldn’t remember what happened after Yang Xiao had made him suffer at the hospital.

He vaguely felt that something earth-shattering had occurred afterward.

Though he fought recklessly, he wasn’t stupid.

He had personally witnessed Yang Xiao dive into a cloud of blood mist and vanish without a trace.

If they really fought now, he might not win.

Reluctantly, he swallowed his anger.

Seeing Che Qianzi calm down, Yang Xiao finally relaxed.

Standing across the table, he looked at Sun Desheng.

“I heard you’re still investigating the Jiuhe affair. The seller has already disappeared. The Guangyuan Nether Mirror hasn’t surfaced either. Do you have a way to lure it out?”

“Old Yang, you’re thinking too simply.”

Sun smiled and pointed at the dishes covering the table.

“See all this food? The sign outside says Old Beijing Seafood. But which one of these dishes actually has anything to do with Old Beijing? The Jiuhe affair is the same. Several department directors at the Bureau heard rumors that the Guangyuan Nether Mirror had appeared in Jiuhe. But who says the whole thing actually has anything to do with the Guangyuan Nether Mirror?”

Yang Xiao fell silent.

After considering Sun’s words for a moment, he finally said:

“What are you getting at? Just say it.”

As he spoke, he pulled out his wallet and tossed it onto the table in front of Sun.

“I heard you calling Huang Ran. Even if he comes, it’ll take at least a month. I’ll pay the bill for him. Now tell me.”

Sun grinned.

“The truth is, Old Yang, you’re a smart man. You’ve probably already guessed it. There never was any Guangyuan Nether Mirror.”

He paused before finishing:

“It was just bait… A fragrant lure meant to hook a really big fish.”