BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 53 Old Acquaintances

After hanging up the phone, Che Qianzi leaned over and asked, “How come the equipment is divided into Class A, B, C, and D? Isn’t there just one set? And who exactly is this Huang Ran? Look how happy you are. Is this guy some big banker?”

Sun Desheng smiled and said:

“He’s far richer than any banker. In fact, the relationship between several of us goes way back. After the Bureau of Paranormal Investigations collapsed back then, your Second Brother La Zi, Old Huang, Miss Meng, Stutterer Zhang, and I all teamed up and did business together for a while. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. Once the Bureau was rebuilt, the three of them withdrew. We still got together from time to time for meals, but our relationship gradually became more distant.”

Yang Xiao interrupted:

“Dasheng, you’ve spent the last couple of years in America dealing with Dark Night. While you were gone, Huang Ran has been recruiting talent. He has more than just Meng Qiqi and Zhang Zhiyan under him now. To tell you the truth, he even approached Yang Jun and me, hoping to poach us. I don’t know how Yang Jun responded, but I turned him down immediately.”

Sun Desheng grinned at him.

“Why reject him so quickly? If the price is right, Old Yang, you should consider it. I can’t stand in the way of your fortune, can I?”

Yang Xiao smiled shyly.

“We’ve known each other for ten years. Don’t you know me by now? As long as nobody bothers my wife, I’m pretty easygoing. But since we’ve been friends for so many years, there’s something else I should tell you. There are more people in the Bureau than just Yang Jun and me. Just because we won’t join Huang Ran doesn’t mean others won’t.”

Sun Desheng understood immediately.

“I won’t block anyone’s path to wealth. But leaving the Bureau isn’t that easy. Back then, everyone signed ninety-nine-year contracts…”

Halfway through speaking, he noticed the strange look on Yang Xiao’s face.

Old Yang sighed.

“Dasheng, while you were in America, Yang Shuji revised the contracts for everyone below department-director level. He kept it hidden from the directors. He said the old contracts violated labor laws, so all those ninety-nine-year terms were voided and changed to one-year contracts.”

Even someone as shrewd as Sun Desheng had moments when things escaped his calculations.

The smile on his face stiffened.

“Impossible. Even if I’m no longer in the Bureau, nothing that happens there should be hidden from me…”

“You know you’ve planted informants around Yang Shuji,” Yang Xiao said. “But think about it. Who wants to sign a ninety-nine-year contract? Even your informants didn’t want that.”

As he spoke, he glanced at the night outside.

“Dasheng, don’t underestimate Yang Shuji. He’s more capable than you think.”

Sun Desheng finally lost his usual smile.

“If everyone below the directors has had their contracts changed, then Yang Shuji isn’t planning to stay in the Bureau for much longer.”

Taking a deep breath, he continued:

“Forget about it for now. We’ll deal with it after the resort matter is over. When we get back, I’ll ask Yang Shuji exactly what he’s up to.”

After that, Sun Desheng closed his eyes and rested.

Seeing his tired appearance, Che Qianzi didn’t disturb him and instead chatted idly with Yang Xiao.

About two and a half hours later, at a little after ten o’clock at night, the plane finally landed at Guangzhou Airport.

Ma Xiaolin had sent a Mercedes directly to the private terminal to pick them up and take them to the troubled resort.

Once inside the car, Sun Desheng made another call.

“Your brother has arrived in Guangzhou. We’re heading to the resort now. No need. I’ll treat you after this is over. By the way, has Huang Ran arrived?… Still not there?… Mm-hmm… Meng Qiqi and Zhang Zhiyan aren’t at the resort anymore?”

He frowned.

“Where could they have gone at a time like this? Can you confirm it?”

After hanging up, he turned to Che Qianzi and Yang Xiao.

“About half an hour ago, Miss Meng and Stutterer Zhang left the resort. They took a rideshare to the Judicial Bureau.”

“Driver, we’re not going to the resort anymore. Do you know where the Judicial Bureau is? Take us there.”

Che Qianzi didn’t understand.

“I don’t get it. Why would that adulterous couple go to the Judicial Bureau? Turning themselves in? Even then, that’s not where they should go.”

Sun Desheng laughed bitterly.

“Brother, you should really watch your mouth. If Miss Meng heard you call them that, she’d fight you on the spot.”

He continued:

“The Judicial Bureau has a Forensic Technology Division under it. Records from the police, prosecutors, and various forensic organizations are all archived there. Those two are heading straight for the Forensic Technology Division.”

“It’s already this late, and they’re still making a move. Are they really that pressed for time?”

At that moment, Yang Xiao suddenly thought of something.

“Dasheng, check whether anyone else has died around the resort recently besides the reported accidents. I don’t care if they died naturally or unnaturally—I want detailed information.”

Sun Desheng immediately made another call.

Before the call connected, he said:

“Old Yang, if you’ve thought of something, say it quickly. I can still pull people from the Bureau…”

“Hello? I need another favor. Still about the resort. Help me check whether anyone has died naturally in the past few days besides the accidental deaths. Illnesses, dying in their sleep—everything counts…”

“I know it’s late, that’s why I’m asking you. After this is over, I’ll repay you generously.”

While waiting for the results, Yang Xiao took the initiative to explain.

“I just remembered something. Back in the Hehuan Sect, there was a formation called Nine Sons Worship the Three Pure Ones. It was used to guard tombs.”

“Every ninety-nine years, nine newly deceased souls had to be added to the tomb to suppress the spirit inside.”

“Among those nine, six had to die violently, and three had to die naturally. Illness and old age both count.”

“The difficult part was that the deceased had to come from influential families. The cycle repeats every ninety-nine years, over and over, for centuries…”

“I only remembered it just now. Don’t look at me like that, Dasheng…”

Before Sun Desheng could answer, his phone rang again.

“Brother, you’re amazing…”

“Mm-hmm…”

“In the last two months, two people died of terminal illnesses.”

“And an eighty-six-year-old guest at the resort went to sleep and never woke up?”

“What else?”

“The employees recently had physical examinations?”

“And there are three people with late-stage cancer?”

After ending the call, Sun Desheng turned toward Yang Xiao.

“That should be enough heads.”

“Old Yang, let me ask you something.”

“Are you saying someone has been guarding Lu Ruji’s tomb all these years, renewing it with nine lives every ninety-nine years?”

Just then, he looked outside.

“Why have we stopped already? We’re here?”

Surprisingly, the local Judicial Bureau was very close.

Sun Desheng had just prepared to get out when another rideshare car arrived and stopped beside them.

The doors opened.

A man and a woman in their twenties or thirties stepped out.

The moment Sun Desheng saw them, he immediately pulled Yang Xiao down and hid.

Peeking outside, he muttered softly:

“What a coincidence. Who would’ve thought we’d run into them here?”

“Brother, what are you doing? Get back here…”

Before he could finish speaking, Che Qianzi had already opened the car door and stepped out.

He casually walked toward Meng Qiqi and Zhang Zhiyan.

Although it was already late at night, Guangdong’s nightlife had only just begun. The streets were still bustling with people.

As a result, neither Meng Qiqi nor Zhang Zhiyan paid any attention to the half-grown youth approaching them.