BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 31 An Accident

The people of Investigation Room Two were all accustomed to scenes like this. Some listened attentively, while others took notes. Only Che Qianzi’s face turned a little green. He had seen plenty of evil spirits before, but he had rarely seen dead bodies—especially corpses chopped into dozens of pieces like these.

While Ximen Lian was speaking, Che Qianzi suppressed his nausea and whispered to the grinning Sun Desheng beside him:

“What exactly does this so-called Mín Diao Bureau do? Aren’t you supposed to be like us Taoists, getting rid of evil spirits? Look at those bodies—they’ve been chopped into dozens of pieces… Shouldn’t you just call the police?”

Before this, Che Qianzi had encountered vicious monsters that drove people into murderous frenzies. When victims started running around with kitchen knives, Kong Dalong never let his disciple take risks. He would simply refund the client’s deposit and tell them to call the police.

Sun Fatty chuckled.

“Brother, you probably won’t believe this, but from a certain point of view, our Mín Diao Bureau is the police. We answer to multiple authorities. To make investigations easier, our agents are authorized to wear police uniforms and the uniforms of other government departments.”

“Yeah right, sounds real convincing.”

Che Qianzi snorted dismissively and was about to make another sarcastic remark when Sun Desheng glanced at him and casually scratched his back, “accidentally” exposing the pistol tucked into his waistband.

After all, Che Qianzi was still an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old kid. He was naturally fascinated by guns. He had seen plenty of peachwood swords, but this was his first time seeing a real firearm.

Unable to resist, he reached out and touched the pistol.

“So that’s why airport security pulled you into a separate room. You were actually carrying a weapon. Damn, it’s hard and cold… Wait a second, on TV cops use Type-54s or Type-64s. Why are you carrying a revolver? This isn’t fake, is it? Carrying a fake gun just to make yourself feel safer?”

Seeing the boy’s interest, Sun Fatty grinned strangely.

Making sure everyone else was focused on Ximen Lian, he quietly drew the revolver and handed it over.

“Check for yourself. Play with it. Just don’t distract me while I’m listening to Director Ximen.”

The weight alone convinced Che Qianzi that it was real.

Immediately losing interest in the meeting, he hunched over like a movie cowboy, opened the cylinder, and ejected six shiny brass cartridges.

Only then was he certain: real gun, real bullets.

The rounds looked unusual, though. Each bullet was painted with mystical symbols. The tips were coated in red paint, and they seemed to contain some special substance.

“A real gun…”

After reloading the cartridges, Che Qianzi pointed the revolver around experimentally. Even though it was his first time handling a firearm, he knew enough not to point it at people. Instead, he aimed at the projected photographs of the corpses on the wall.

Just as he finished playing with it and was about to return the gun, Sun Fatty suddenly slapped him hard on the shoulder without warning.

Startled, Che Qianzi reflexively twitched his finger.

Bang!

The revolver fired.

The bullet shot straight toward Yang Shuji.

By sheer coincidence, it struck the teacup in Yang Shuji’s hand. The cup exploded, splashing hot water all over his pants.

The sudden gunshot stunned everyone—including Che Qianzi himself.

Recovering first, Yang Shuji jumped out of his chair and shouted:

“Sun Desheng! Have you lost your mind?! In broad daylight, in front of everyone, you actually tried to shoot—”

“Take a good look, Yang Shuji. Who’s holding the gun?”

Sun Fatty raised both hands high above his head and smiled innocently.

“At worst, I’m guilty of improper firearm supervision. Maybe I’ll have to write a self-criticism report. Brother, you were just playing around—how’d you end up firing it? And your aim’s not great either. If you’d lifted it another inch to the left…”

“You’re completely lawless! Sun Desheng, just you wait! I’m going to change my pants first!”

Shaking with anger, Yang Shuji stormed out of the conference room.

Those with sharp eyes noticed something odd.

The liquid dripping from his pants wasn’t just water. The teacup hadn’t contained much to begin with… and the stains were suspiciously yellow.

Che Qianzi himself was still stunned.

He clearly hadn’t disengaged the safety. How had the gun fired?

At that moment, Sun Desheng casually took the revolver back, replaced one of the bullets, and slipped it into his holster.

Watching Yang Shuji leave, Ximen Lian sighed helplessly.

“Dasheng, you’re not even Bureau Chief anymore. Why provoke him? If that shot had actually killed someone, neither of you would get away with it.”

“What are you talking about?”

Sun Fatty grinned.

“My brother here would only be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Three to seven years. Good behavior and he’d be out in two and a half.”

Then he turned to the still-dazed Che Qianzi.

“Brother, do you really think I’d let you go to prison? We’ve got people at the top. If something actually happened to Yang Shuji, we’d just rule it a suicide.”

Despite the interruption, nobody had died.

After scolding Sun Desheng a few times, the three directors resumed the briefing, and Old Mo continued:

“The incident occurred in the uninhabited region of the Altyn-Tagh Nature Reserve. It’s an area where multiple ethnic groups and religions intersect. Twenty kilometers west lies the ancient tomb of King Ze’erduo of Shanshan. Tungsten deposits were discovered there in 1999, and jade deposits in 2011. This expedition was conducting follow-up exploration. Nobody expected something like this to happen.”

Sun Fatty nodded.

“Let me ask something. Have similar incidents ever occurred near the site? Or has anything unusual happened in the area?”

Xiong Wanyi answered in Old Mo’s place:

“Didn’t Old Mo just say it’s in an uninhabited zone? There’s nobody there. How could there be similar incidents? Since when did you start caring about field investigations, Sun Fatty? The only reason you’re here is because Yang Shuji wanted everyone informed about your removal. Nobody expected you to actually help solve the case.”

“That won’t do.”

Sun Fatty smiled.

“I just offended Yang Shuji. Nearly shot him, remember? Once he calms down, he’ll definitely make life miserable for me.”

Looking around at the hundred-plus investigators present, he continued:

“My brother and I should lie low for a while. Wait until Yang Shuji cools off before we come back. Besides, I’ve spent too many years in leadership positions. Can’t let my field skills get rusty, comrades.”

His reasoning actually made sense.

Yang Shuji was probably already filing complaints against him with higher authorities. Getting out of town for a while might indeed be wise.

Nobody expected the normally carefree Sun Fatty to be the type who would actually flee trouble.

The three directors quickly assessed the case’s danger level and began selecting personnel for the mission to the Altyn-Tagh Nature Reserve.

The team would include:

Sun Desheng

Che Qianzi

Xiong Wanyi

Ximen Lian

More than twenty additional investigators

After assignments were finalized, everyone was given half an hour to prepare before gathering at the front gate and heading for the airport.

By then, Che Qianzi had figured things out.

When nobody else was around, he stopped Sun Desheng and said:

“Tell me the truth. That stunt was deliberate, wasn’t it? If you wanted to kill Yang, you could’ve just said so. We could’ve ambushed him at night. Instead, you had me pull the trigger!”

“Do I look like that kind of person?”

Sun Fatty chuckled.

“Remember this: other than not sharing the same parents, we’re basically brothers. For your sake, there’s almost nothing I wouldn’t do—except die. Come on. I’ll take you to Room Five to pick up your equipment. Back when I joined the Bureau, I had to train for months before I was allowed into the field. Yet you’ve only been here three days, and you’re already getting deployed.”