Chapter 65 - 63: Liu Wei’s Funeral

Chapter 65: Chapter 63: Liu Wei’s Funeral

Evening. In the Imperial Capital, the Old Mang Mountain range stretched for a hundred miles.

A helicopter flew toward a sheer cliff face.

The cliff face slowly split open, revealing a perfectly formed gap. A massive, matte alloy gate was embedded deep within the bedrock.

It was like a black heart embedded in Old Mang Mountain.

The helicopter flew through the giant gate into a wide, open space inside.

The surrounding metal walls were smooth. Immediately, a dense pattern of scarlet scanning lights covered the helicopter.

Scan cleared!

A man in a uniform and headset, holding signal wands, gestured to the helicopter.

The helicopter landed on the helipad.

This was the headquarters of the Anomaly Administration Bureau.

Far from the mundane world and difficult to detect, it received massive government funding each year.

The helicopter door opened.

The Investigators of the Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team stepped out.

They wore Investigator combat uniforms, even Yang Shayan, who rarely participated in battle.

With solemn expressions, the Investigators worked together to carry a coffin from the helicopter.

Li Mingyue walked in front, clutching a funeral portrait of Liu Wei. Beside her was Zhang Jiawei, the deputy leader of the Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team.

Zhang Jiawei marched with formal steps to a designated spot. Saluting the darkness ahead, his face flushed red as he bellowed with all his might:

"Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team, Leader Liu Wei, returning to base! Awaiting the Director’s orders!"

The bellow echoed through the pitch-black space.

KLICK! KLACK!

Row after row of lights switched on ahead.

The intense lights drove back the darkness before the Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team.

Lines of Investigators in uniform stood solemnly at attention.

At the very front stood a man with slicked-back hair, dressed in a black suit.

The Anomaly Investigation Bureau’s Deputy Director, Cao Ye.

Cao Ye saluted, his expression calm as he spoke:

"Welcome home."

His voice was flat.

But that flat voice stirred an endless wave of warmth and sorrow in the hearts of the Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team members.

Someone was sobbing. It was Yang Shayan.

A woman’s sobs can be contagious. One by one, the eyes of the battle-hardened men reddened.

Li Mingyue gripped Liu Wei’s portrait, biting her lip so hard she thought it might bleed. She was afraid her tears would sully her team leader’s path to the afterlife.

Becoming an Investigator meant cutting all ties with one’s family.

Even family members were not allowed to attend the funerals.

The Anomaly Investigation Bureau held too many secrets, enough to require a lifetime of silence.

Because if you said even a single word, it might contain a clue to one of those secrets.

In the end, the Anomaly Investigation Bureau would place the fallen’s uniform in a small box and return it to their family.

The families would never know the Investigator’s true identity, even in death.

’Liu Wei’s fate is already tragic enough,’ Li Mingyue thought. ’I won’t be so immature as to cry at his funeral.’

’Team Leader Liu Wei was a real man. He deserves to go with dignity.’

Cao Ye gestured toward the Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team.

Several staff members in white hazmat suits walked toward the team to take the coffin containing Liu Wei’s body.

Li Mingyue’s pupils contracted sharply.

She knew at a glance. ’These people in the white suits are going to do something terrible to Team Leader Liu Wei’s body.’

Li Mingyue glared at them furiously.

"What are you doing?!"

Li Mingyue saw it clearly now. The name tags on their suits read: Anomaly Research Institute.

Cao Ye said indifferently:

"Liu Wei’s body is of great research value. According to regulations, his remains will be handed over to the Anomaly Research Institute.

When you and I die, we’ll receive the same treatment."

Cao Ye met Li Mingyue’s eyes and said, word by word:

"This. Is. The. Highest. Honor."

Li Mingyue couldn’t meet his gaze, which burned like the scorching sun, and lowered her head.

Cao Ye continued:

"What Liu Wei can do now, and what we, the living, can do, is to prevent more of our colleagues from having their funerals in this godforsaken place."

With that, Cao Ye patted Li Mingyue’s shoulder and walked toward the main hall.

「...」

At the funeral, all their colleagues stood solemnly before the portrait, laying down wreaths one by one.

Li Mingyue couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears streamed down her face.

’Team Leader Liu Wei was really good to me.’

’We didn’t work together for long, but he was a leader worthy of respect.’

Yang Shayan took Li Mingyue’s arm, wiped her own tears, and comforted her:

"Everyone meets their end someday.

What matters is whether you have any regrets when that day comes.

Liu Wei had no regrets. Really.

He was a soldier trained by Cao Ye himself. He was no coward."

Zhang Jiawei said in a stifled voice:

"None of our Investigators are cowards! Every one of us is willing to die gloriously for the Xia Kingdom!

Mingyue, you need to get used to this. And you need to remember, given the rate at which the Taboo Items are reawakening, some of your colleagues are bound to die.

Today it was Liu Wei. Tomorrow it could be me. The day after, it could be Sister Yan.

Or maybe, the one who dies will be a colleague you haven’t even met yet.

I’ve been with the Anomaly Administration Bureau for eight years. Including Liu Wei, a total of seven of my colleagues have died in the line of duty."

Li Mingyue’s lips moved for a long time, but no words came out.

Yang Shayan looked at Zhang Jiawei.

"Instead of lecturing Mingyue, you should be more concerned about yourself."

Li Mingyue raised her head, her eyes filled with confusion.

Yang Shayan sighed.

"Losing the Five Emperors Poison Coin... some people in the Bureau won’t let that go."

Li Mingyue said in disbelief:

"What? Do they have no shame?!"

Yang Shayan said grimly:

"There are a lot of shameless people in the Bureau. Cao Ye is the only normal one. You’ll get used to it."

「...」

The funeral ended.

The members of the Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team and several high-ranking officials from the Anomaly Administration Bureau began a meeting in the conference room.

After finishing his report, Zhang Jiawei glanced cautiously at the middle-aged man in a white uniform seated at the head of the table and said guiltily:

"I’m sorry, Director. I’m sorry, everyone.

During the Yin Yang Master incident, our Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team lost the Five Emperors Poison Coin."

The Director, Zhao Pengcheng, was expressionless, his face as still as the water in an old well, betraying nothing of his thoughts.

"Hmph!"

A white-haired old man snorted coldly.

"Lost? What do you think the Five Emperors Poison Coin is?

The Bureau has a total of five Taboo Items, and you just say you ’lost’ one?"

He was the head of the Anomaly Administration Bureau’s archives department.

All items and materials related to anomalies, including the Taboo Items, were under his care.

Zhang Jiawei lowered his head.

"I’m sorry. It was a dereliction of my duty."

An old woman in a uniform scrutinized Zhang Jiawei with sharp, triangular eyes.

"Every Investigator should protect the Bureau’s Taboo Items with their life!

This isn’t just a mistake, it’s a major dereliction of duty!

Your entire Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team should be disciplined!

And as for you?

As the deputy team leader, your crime is even greater!"

She was the head of the Anomaly Administration Bureau’s personnel department.

Zhang Jiawei said in a heavy voice:

"I will accept any punishment, but my team members are all brave Warriors.

They performed exceptionally during this incident and should not be punished."

The old woman sneered.

"You weren’t the ones who dealt with the Yin Yang Master. It was that mysterious person who took care of him.

What was the codename the archives department gave him?

Oh, that’s right. Dusk.

You failed to secure the Yin Yang Master’s body, and you lost the Five Emperors Poison Coin. I really don’t know how you people conduct your missions!"

Zhang Jiawei clenched his fists and said in that same stifled voice:

"The enemy was too powerful. Our team’s Investigators truly gave it everything they had."

The old woman said angrily:

"What? What do you mean by that? Are you trying to ask for credit?"

Zhang Jiawei’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

"That’s not what I meant. I’m not asking for credit, I..."

He was clumsy with his words. How could he possibly win an argument against this old woman who spent all day playing word games at the Bureau?

A voice, punctuated by a yawn, cut in:

"They deserve credit. Why wouldn’t they?"

Everyone turned to look. It was Cao Ye, sitting in the deputy director’s seat, one leg crossed over the other, cleaning his ear.

Cao Ye glanced at Zhang Jiawei.

"The Gavel Team will be awarded a collective First-Class Merit."

The old woman said furiously:

"Director Cao, what is the meaning of this?

They made a mistake, and you want to reward them for it?!"