Chapter Sixteen: Lin Xiaoxiao

Three hours later, we boarded the special plane bound for the Folklore Affairs Council.

After another two hours, we arrived at the Folklore Affairs Council headquarters.

By then, dawn had broken, and we had reached the Council’s headquarters. This place was much larger than the Paranormal Bureau, resembling the Grand Joy Mall in the imperial capital. After we got off the vehicle, those few people were taken away, and I wandered inside alone. Just as I entered the main gate, a security guard stopped me. One of them politely said, “Hello, please show your identification.”

I pulled out my Paranormal Bureau ID and handed it to him. “May I enter now?”

He replied, “Yes, of course. Please, go ahead,” making a welcoming gesture.

Whistling as I went, I strode confidently inside. As far as I could recall, I had only been here once before, a year after I joined—when I was seventeen. As I reminisced, I suddenly heard someone shouting, “Ungrateful little brat!” “Who do you think you are?” “This is illegal detention! I’m going to sue you!” The tone was hostile, and sensing trouble, I followed the voice down to the basement level.

Although my eyesight was poor, my hearing was excellent, allowing me to catch the commotion clearly.

The basement was a temporary holding area for suspects accused of crimes involving dark arts. Due to a protective spell cast by a master, all forms of magic—whether talismans, Taoist rites, Buddhist incantations, or shamanistic practices—were nullified here. Everyone was treated like ordinary people. I presented my ID and passed through without issue. Just outside one of the rooms, I saw a woman storming out, visibly furious.

She stopped in front of me, surprised, and exclaimed, “Shu Cheng!”

I recognized her immediately: about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, long hair cascading over her shoulders, around 1.6 meters tall, slightly shorter than me, clutching a folder under her arm.

I was equally surprised and called out, “Sister Xiaoxiao!”

This stunning woman was Lin Xiaoxiao, my mentor. She had taught me interrogation techniques and foreign languages. She served as an instructor here, helping new members acclimate. Having mastered the six official working languages of the United Nations, she also acted as translator and liaison for foreign affairs.

“It’s been so long. Come, let’s catch up!” she said, and we walked toward the reception room, chatting along the way.

It was the first day of the lunar new year, just past ten in the morning.

Lin Xiaoxiao said, “How long have you been back? Not even a call?”

I replied, “Three years. I’ve been busy. By the way, who was that just now? What kind of person could make our beautiful Lin so angry?”

Lin Xiaoxiao sighed, “Don’t flatter me. I’m in deep trouble. I don’t know where she came from, only that she was assigned from above. Her name’s something like… An Mingshan.”

I was taken aback. “An An?”

Lin Xiaoxiao was surprised as well. “You know her?”

“More than that—we’re extremely familiar,” I said. “What you saw just now was…”

Lin Xiaoxiao explained, “We have a strict order from above to persuade her to join the Council, but she refuses to yield. I’m at my wit’s end.”

“Why don’t you let me try?” I offered.

“Just you?” Lin Xiaoxiao laughed. “I’m the one who trained you, and even I failed. What chance do you have?”

“It’s said that the student surpasses the master,” I said confidently. “I refuse to believe I can’t handle one stubborn girl. Rest assured, I’ll make her comply willingly and wholeheartedly.”

She smiled. “Still the same sharp edge you had back then.”

“So you mean…” I began.

Lin Xiaoxiao sighed with relief, “No problem. Absolutely no problem. I’ll take you to her.”

Outside An Mingshan’s room on the basement level.

As I approached, I heard her crying and cursing inside.

I looked at Lin Xiaoxiao and said, “Here’s what we’ll do: have someone clear out a room, prepare a feast, and I’ll get her to accept your command from the heart.”

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled knowingly. “Oh, your wings have grown strong—you’re ordering me around now?”

“Of course. In a few years, you won’t even be my match.”

She paused, then said, “What?”

Realizing my slip, I quickly grinned apologetically. “No, no—I meant, ‘In a few years, I still won’t be your match.’”

She shook her head. “You might lack other skills, but your talent for flattery is unmatched. I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll help you. But first, a warning: you must get her to cooperate. No letting up.”

Finally, Lin Xiaoxiao agreed to my plan, and I began considering how to make An Mingshan willingly join the organization.

Reader Q&A

Q: Author, do you only write novels?

A: For now, yes. I believe expressing my thoughts through writing is the most direct, quickest, and most convenient way. More importantly, it allows many people to see them.