Chapter Eleven: Joining the Paranormal Bureau

Liu Shan looked surprised, while the director calmly turned to An Mingshan and said, “An An, tell me about this Master Li Shucheng I found for you. How is he? And how does he teach you?”

An Mingshan continued speaking softly, “He… is pretty good. He teaches me hands-on, not like some teachers who just lecture. Even when I don’t understand, he patiently explains. One time, I wanted to tease him a bit; while he was explaining, I kept saying I didn’t get it, so he kept coming up with different ways to explain for over an hour. Can you do that, you fatso?”

I pointed at her and said, “You! You…”

An Mingshan said, “Well, sorry, I didn’t mean it…” Then she gave a cute little look, and I was speechless.

The director stood up and said seriously, “Good. On behalf of the Paranormal Bureau, I officially approve Comrade Li Shucheng’s application and agree to let An Mingshan join the Bureau of Paranormal Incident Investigation and Research. Comrade An Mingshan, on behalf of everyone here, welcome!” He then saluted her out of courtesy. An Mingshan hurriedly stood to return the salute, but her form was anything but standard.

Then she said, “Comrade? Director, you…”

I knew the director was serious about this.

But what he said next almost made my jaw drop.

He continued, “You and Shucheng will share an office! I’ll make sure to expand your office space.”

I was about to say something when I saw Liu Shan giving me a mischievous look and whispering, “Oh, I know what you’re up to, hehehe…”

I said, “No, Director, this… this won’t work, you’re saying I…”

The director cut me off, “It’s settled then. Later, you’ll go with her to get the official equipment—follow the rules, no special treatment. This girl’s got potential; you need to mentor her well.”

Alright, I got it. The director was using a clever ploy—tying An Mingshan to me while testing my resolve to see if I’d be distracted by her charm, killing two birds with one stone. Truly a seasoned strategist.

Only then did I take a closer look at An Mingshan. She wasn’t exactly a great beauty, but she had a certain charm, at least presentable enough. Especially those innocent, wide eyes—any man would find it hard to stand firm.

What could I say? Would anything I said help? I had no choice but to agree.

I took An Mingshan to my director’s office. Upon entering, she said, “Is this really an office? It doesn’t look like one at all.”

I glanced around: the room was covered in dust, papers scattered everywhere, with my cup, desk lamp, mouse, keyboard, and other items cluttering the desk, leaving barely any space. The computer cables were tangled and trampled underfoot, the power strip was empty, and An Mingshan was standing on my glasses case…

Embarrassed, I scratched my head and said, “You know about my undercover work, right? I just got back and haven’t had time to tidy up. Besides, it’s a little messy, but…”

An Mingshan interrupted, “You call this ‘a little messy’? Forget it, you go ahead and get busy!” Then she shut the door, leaving me outside. I had no choice but to return to the director’s office.

“What's the matter?” the director asked.

“Tossed out,” I replied.

“By the way, I have something for you. Your office expansion was approved, but the bureau will only reimburse ten thousand yuan, the rest is on you. That’s already a favor, considering my connections and your ‘master.’ Here’s this ID for her. Also, tell her her monthly salary is one-third of yours, ten thousand yuan. Her household registration has been processed in Suiyiju, same as yours. Take her to the police station when you have time to get her ID and complete the verification.”

Though I opposed his practice of settling matters after the fact, considering An Mingshan’s situation, I said nothing.

I took the ID—it was quite detailed. To my surprise, her position was “Assistant to the Director”—officially placed in the Special Investigation Department’s staff! I nearly fainted again.

“Director, what exactly do you mean? The Special Investigation Department doesn’t even have such a position! Besides, she hasn’t undergone any specialized training, and I haven’t approved this. She’s not qualified. You just said no special treatment, yet here you are… I’m speechless.”

The director mimicked Liu Shan’s tone, “Isn’t this what you wanted? Now it’s just how you like it. Besides, appointing someone to the Special Investigation Department is just a matter of your stamp—no big deal. Take good care of her; don’t let her down. She’s a promising talent.”

I said, “I am director, but I’m not the only one in charge here. Staffing must strictly follow regulations; I can’t just stamp approvals arbitrarily.”

Suddenly, the director changed the subject. “What about that matter? When will you give me an answer?”

“After the office is fixed. Okay?”

“Good, it’s a deal.”

I added, “By the way, can you tell me why I’m not allowed to tell Liu Shan? Why?”

“There’s no reason. Just don’t tell Liu Shan. And tell your assistant she should know what to say and what not to say. That’s all. Now, go back.”

“Yes, yes.” I then went to the logistics department to get An Mingshan’s equipment with the ID.

The director called after me, “Shucheng! Take good care of An Mingshan and discipline her well!”

The logistics staff immediately took me seriously once they knew I was collecting items. Everything required was provided, and any unsuitable gear was made fresh and delivered promptly.

I returned to my office, unaware that shortly after I left, the director received a mysterious call. On the other end, a disguised voice said, “Master said we must uncover the truth about that matter! And that An Mingshan must be protected at all costs! She is the only witness from that incident—she must be kept in our hands!”

The director replied, “Alright, I understand. I’ve already registered An Mingshan with the Bureau’s personnel department and arranged for her household registration to be transferred locally with Shucheng’s help. With Shucheng protecting her, that should suffice.”

The other party asked, “What position did you assign her?”

“Temporarily, she’s the director’s assistant.”

“Fine, just give her a regular position to keep her under control. Don’t give her any real power.”

“Will do for now. We’ll reconsider her position based on performance. That’s settled.” They hung up, and the director paced the office.

Meanwhile, in the director’s office…

I walked in and saw the room spotless—no dust, papers organized and shelved, cables neatly arranged and plugged in, the desk cleared and shining, and the floor spotless. An Mingshan sat in the chair, snacking and watching me.

I said, “Not bad, you cleaned up so well in such a short time. Here, this is the Bureau ID I had to use all my charm to get back. Take good care of it and don’t lend it to anyone.” I handed her the ID. “Oh, Director said you’ll get ten thousand yuan a month here. Also, your household registration is now in Suiyiju, so we need to go to the police station right away to process your ID and real-name verification. Otherwise, you’re undocumented and can’t do anything. By the way, the director told me to remind you—you should know what to say and what not to say.”

An Mingshan’s expression suddenly changed. “I understand what he means. But who gave you the right to decide for me? Did I agree? And where did all this information come from?”

I said, “I told you, you know things you shouldn’t. So you have to join us, whether you agree or not. As for the information, it’s easy: they took your blood sample during that injection; I learned your birthday from your father; the number was assigned in advance; your past, I found out from your father and those people’s testimony. Any other questions?”

An Mingshan said, “Don’t mention him. Just thinking about him upsets me.”

I said, “Let it go. It’s all in the past. He’s your father, and as they say, ‘the dead are beyond reproach.’ Can’t you just let it go?”

An Mingshan suddenly stood up, her voice trembling with tears, “That’s easy for you to say! What if it were you? Would you forgive someone who abandoned you for eighteen years?” She then buried her face on the desk, crying bitterly.

I used my silver tongue again, “Think about it. My client pays me to take care of you, so I can’t go against their wishes, right? Customers are like gods, and I can’t defy ‘god,’ right? Besides, your fate shows you’re destined for this line of work. Look at yourself—you can’t govern with intellect or protect with strength. Joining the Bureau is the only stage where you can shine.”

Slowly, An Mingshan lifted her tear-streaked, aggrieved face to look at me.

I said, “I know, I know you’re hurt. But who hasn’t been hurt? You’re doing fine now, aren’t you? Think about it—after all this, won’t you look back on today and laugh at how silly you acted?”

Finally, under the combined pressure of my persistence and persuasion, An Mingshan relented and willingly joined the Paranormal Bureau.

Reader Q&A:

Q: Author, are you very autocratic?

A: Not at all. In real life, I tend to be indecisive and consult others before acting to avoid mistakes, which is good. But it’s also a flaw because I can’t always have someone to consult, and emergencies require quick decisions without asking others, or it’ll be too late. So, there’s a balance—some matters require independent judgment and timely action, not just following others blindly or having a one-man rule. In the future, I’ll strive to improve in this regard.