To prevent tomb raiders from discovering the site centuries later, the Taoist mystic had enlisted the help of a well-known local shaman. Together, they placed specialized necromantic protections—rituals unique to the nomadic tribes—inside the mausoleum to thwart any grave robbers.
It wasn't until more than a millennium later that a group of reckless fools like us accidentally stumbled into the burial chamber, chasing after a wild yellow goat.
Gao Liang narrated the story animatedly, gesturing as he spoke. By the time he finished, we had already reached the end of the corridor. Seeing no further path ahead, Sun Fatty and I exchanged a glance. Before either of us could ask a question, Wu Rendi approached the wall at the corridor's end. Just as I was waiting to see what he would do, the entire wall silently lifted, revealing a staircase descending further down.
"There's another level below? Director Gao, is there anything else I, as deputy director, don't know about?" Sun Fatty asked.
Gao Liang smiled casually, not even glancing at him. Instead, he focused on Wu Rendi and replied, "You've only been deputy director for a few days. There's a lot you don't know."
As Gao Liang spoke, he walked over to Wu Rendi and handed him the Heavenly Principle Diagram. Wu Rendi crumpled the diagram in his hand and, without looking at any of us, leisurely descended the stairs.
Sun Fatty and I tried to follow, but Gao Liang stopped us abruptly.
"This is not a place for us to enter," he said firmly.
"'Us'?" Sun Fatty blinked in confusion. "Director Gao, do you mean even you can't go down there?"
Gao Liang shot him a sly grin and replied, "The lower level is sealed with a powerful restriction. Only Director Wu is permitted entry."
As soon as Gao Liang finished speaking, Sun Fatty seemed to realize something. "So that's… the fifth basement level?"
Sun Fatty's guess was probably wrong. The elevator panel included a button labeled for the fifth basement level, complete with an access control system. Clearly, that was the official entrance to the fifth level—or so it seemed.
What surprised me was Gao Liang's almost amused glance at Sun Fatty. He said nothing but nodded slightly.
I followed up, "Director Gao, if the elevator's fifth basement button isn't real, then where does it lead?"
Gao Liang answered, "It's fake. Just decoration. The only way into the real fifth basement is via these stairs—and only Wu Rendi can enter."
Before Wu Rendi returned, Sun Fatty pulled out a cigarette and offered it to Gao Liang, who slapped it away, missing only the deputy's leg.
Gao Liang glared and scolded, "Are you trying to set this place on fire? Like when you almost burned down the archives? No smoking here!"
Sun Fatty sheepishly put the cigarette away but kept talking, "Director Gao, seriously, you gave Director Wu an entire basement floor just for himself? What does he even need all that for?"
Apparently, since Gao Liang let me come down here, he didn't consider me an outsider. Leaning against the wall, he looked at Sun Fatty and said, "All the stuff downstairs is Wu Rendi's private collection. When we recruited him to the Bureau, one of his conditions was having a secure space large enough to store his personal items."
"His conditions…" Sun Fatty squinted suspiciously at Gao Liang. "Come on, Director Gao, what else did Wu Rendi ask for?"
"You'll have to ask him yourself," Gao Liang replied with a smirk. Having years more experience, he was far craftier than Sun Fatty.
Still not satisfied, Sun Fatty glanced at the stairway leading to the fifth basement and asked again, "So how big is that level? Surely it can't be smaller than the fourth basement, right?"
Gao Liang said, "The fifth basement level is the same size as the fourth. Just a heads-up: to go down there, you'd need a constitution like Director Wu's." He let his gaze casually sweep over my face, but his tone never changed. Then he continued, addressing Sun Fatty, "Anyway, I've never been down there myself. If you're interested, you can go check it out. That way, I'd know what kind of fate awaits any poor soul who ventures into the fifth basement."
Sun Fatty grinned and replied, "No thanks. Curiosity is definitely not one of my virtues." While he was talking nonsense, he glanced at me knowingly, making me suspicious—did both Fatty and Wu Rendi already know about the pills Wu gave me?
Fortunately, Sun Fatty soon focused back on Gao Liang. "Director Gao, isn't the Heavenly Principle Diagram also part of Director Wu's private collection?"
Gao Liang smiled faintly, but his expression turned somewhat serious. "I'd be glad if he kept the Heavenly Principle Diagram. Sun Desheng, remember this: if one day I'm gone, and Wu Rendi wants the Heavenly Principle Diagram, you absolutely must not hesitate."
Just after Gao Liang finished speaking, voices came from below the stairs. Wu Rendi's voice floated up: "Too late. I want everything, but not the Heavenly Principle Diagram." By the time he said that, his white hair was visible at the stairwell.
Gao Liang and Sun Fatty both laughed heartily, their expressions identical. Gao Liang said, "It was hard to get. If you want it, I won't give it to you. You're just holding it for me. When things here settle, you have to bring it back. Don't hesitate about that."
Wu Rendi glanced at Gao Liang silently, then passed by us, leisurely heading toward the secret door. When he passed Sun Fatty, the deputy suddenly called out, "Director Wu, not to be rude, but now that you've accepted the Heavenly Principle Diagram, isn't it time to explain what it actually is?"
Wu Rendi paused for a moment. He sighed, glanced at me and Sun Fatty, then kept walking. As he moved forward, he said, "Just this once. Next time there's any of these crazy things, go straight to Yang Xiao."
Before Wu Rendi could elaborate, Sun Fatty interrupted, "Wait, what does Yang Xiao have to do with this?"
Wu Rendi ignored him and continued walking, explaining the nature of the Heavenly Principle Diagram as he went.
Turns out, the Heavenly Principle Diagram has nothing to do with cultivation or immortality. Simply put, it's a technique that can invert yin and yang. In some sense, it is an unconventional path to longevity.
The diagram's power lies in controlling life and death—both one's own and others'. This control isn't just about killing; it can resurrect the dead. More astonishingly, practitioners manifest characteristics of both the living and the dead simultaneously, theoretically freeing themselves from the cycle of reincarnation.
Wu Rendi spoke casually, but I was shaken. After working at the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation for over half a year, I knew death-related techniques were common enough, but successful resurrection was practically unheard of. The idea that a living person could possess dead characteristics, crossing the boundary between life and death—was that even human anymore?
After Wu Rendi finished, Sun Fatty still wasn't satisfied. "Director Wu, you didn't finish. What's this about Yang Xiao?"
Wu Rendi ignored him and kept walking. Sun Fatty was about to ask again but was stopped by Gao Liang, who explained, "Yang Xiao deals with ghosts and spirits. For anything even Ouyang Pianzuo can't explain, going to Yang Xiao is your best bet."
Just as we were about to leave through the secret door, Wu Rendi suddenly quickened his pace and put some distance between himself and us. After we finally followed him out into the empty outer space, Wu Rendi vanished as if into thin air—no shadow left behind.
Sun Fatty searched around and then turned to Gao Liang. "Director Gao, he just left like that? No farewell? Not even for me, forget it, but you…"
Before he could finish, Gao Liang shot him a sharp glance. "Just let it go."
After leaving the fourth basement, Gao Liang didn't let me leave immediately. He took Sun Fatty and me back to his office. At the door, we ran into Wang Ziheng, who was carrying documents to get signed by Gao Liang.
Gao Liang just glanced at Wang and said, "Wait outside, we have something to discuss." With that, he left Wang standing awkwardly at the door, who gave me a weird look.
Inside the office, Gao Liang pulled out a form and handed it to me. "Fill this out. From now on, you're officially the deputy director of the Sixth Division."
His words shocked me so much I blanked and forgot to take the form. Sun Fatty took it and, after a quick glance, smiled and handed it to me. "Deputy Director Shen, congratulations. If anything comes up, I'm counting on you to cover for me with Director Wu."
I was too overwhelmed to respond properly and mechanically accepted the form without looking at it. My eyes caught Gao Liang's face, and I asked, "Why me?"
Gao Liang smiled slightly. "Wu Rendi picked everyone for the Sixth Division. If you have questions, ask him." He squinted at me again, paused, then continued, "The things Director Wu gave you—handle them carefully. They have great benefits and great risks. I can't advise you, but don't be rash in making decisions."
Gao Liang finished speaking, and Sun Fatty gave me a strange look, then winked and said, "Hey, what did you get from Director Wu? Remember, we split things fifty-fifty when we meet."
"Shut your mouth!" Gao Liang grabbed a sticky note from the desk, balled it up, and tossed it at Sun Fatty's head. "I have arsenic here. Want half? I can brew it into tea for you!"
"No thanks, can't handle that," Sun Fatty dodged the "weapon" with a smirk. Gao Liang shot him a glare and turned back to me. "Deputy Shen, your appointment officially starts next month. But in the meantime, you'll help out the First Division."
"Understood." I hadn't fully processed the enormous news and responded mechanically. My mind was still swirling with thoughts about the Sixth Division. Suddenly, two names popped into my head: "Director Gao, what about Yang Xiao and Yang Jun? What will happen to them?"
"They'll do what they have to do," Gao Liang said with a grin. "You're the deputy director; they're investigators. You manage them. If they screw up, you discipline them. No need to ask for my permission."
Gao Liang's words nearly choked me. Besides Director Wu, who else could stand up to those two troublemakers? Old Qiu had wanted to reprimand Yang Xiao for a long time but dared not. Officially, it was "out of respect for Director Wu" that no one confronted Yang Xiao.
There are four people in the Sixth Division including me. The other three are all veterans. Though I'm deputy director, I don't dare boss anyone around. And since the Sixth Division only handles major cases, I had planned to refuse the position. But when I glanced at the benefits on the form, I swallowed the refusal back down.
The form stated that the deputy director position is equivalent to a deputy section chief level, officially registered in the police department system. That means when I return to my hometown Qinghe, I'll truly be a section chief-level official—no more pretending.