Lie Huo Jiao Chou Volume 1 Chapter 11

From this chapter onwards, Cece (pettybutshy on Twitter!) will be joining us as a translator!

Also, there seems to be a problem with loading wattpad stories through the website. We'll be posting chapter updates on a separate blog as well, link is in the inline comment of this paragraph. We might eventually move there for good after some time ^^

Additional note, Red Lake will now be referred to as Chiyuan(赤渊).
-Shy

This chapter is translated from https://wikidich.com/truyen/liet-hotuoi-sau-XDi6JFS4CDP9zXkP. Thank you DuFengYu for allowing us to use this translation.
-Cece

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"Were you the one who woke me up? Well, why did you become like this, who gave you such grievance?"

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　　"Are you kidding me?" Xiao Zheng gritted out. "Catch who? Repeat that one more time — I'll catch that temporary staff first! Tell me, a support staff who could retire with honor in a few years committed a crime of killing a thousand people? Based on what?"

　　"I didn't say it." Old Luo was so distressed that all of his leaves withered, covering himself like a who-knows-what little carpet, "I don't know anything, this is our boss making me tell you this. Director Xiao, I don't want to lie to you, but I feel really lost right now. I have worked so many years dealing with reparations and have never seen anything like this... Ah, may I ask if the department can place me in a more laid-back position? In last year's health inspection, my heartbeat was inconsistent, I..."

　　"If your heartbeat is inconsistent, then put more fertilizer on yourself!" Xiao Zheng furiously threw his phone.

　　By this time it was already past midnight, the Deviant Control Office headquarters was a mess. Xiao Zheng suspected that the surname Xuan truly was a human-shaped jinx. Anywhere he was at was chaotic, so they had ordered him out to the field to get some peace, but who would have known "peace" came so fast it blew up the office? This kind of talent shouldn't be support, they should just camp out at the enemy's hideout and mess everything up!

　　Xiao Zheng changed his tone and grimly ordered: "Give me the file of Bi Chun Sheng from the Reparations Department."

　　"Bi Chun Sheng, born in 1963 at Yong An, graduated from nursing school, worked at Beicheng Second Hospital as a nurse, married in 1985 and had a son in 1987. During this time, she did not have any special abilities."

　　"In 1988, our office were neglectful in guarding, two mutated pythons which were confined escaped. They ran into a train which carried two thousand people, danger was imminent. Luckily the conductor that year... which was our Director, reacted on time, got control over the situation and narrowly rescued a train full of people."

　　"At the time we told the press that 'the train went off the rail'. Bi Chun Sheng's parents, husband and son were all on that train, so when she heard it while being at work, Bi Chun Sheng's emotions became so overwhelming that her special ability was triggered, and the emission was caught by the Head Office's monitoring network."

　　"After training and pa.s.sing the inspection of her qualifications, she was recruited to our Ministry of Security. Because she is always grateful that the Deviant Control Office saved her entire family, Bi Chun Sheng never stopped trying to improve through all these years, and her performance is also outstanding — after three years, she got the 'Field Work Excellence" award for seven consecutive years. Last year, because she's getting older, she asked to move to Support Department."

　　Xiao Zheng: "... Just like that? Nothing else?"

　　"Yes, sir, that's all there is on her file."

　　The more he listened, the more Xiao Zheng believed this Xuan was saying nonsense. Bi Chun Sheng's story could definitely go into promotion books of the Head Office — her family was saved by heroes, she felt grat.i.tude, and from grat.i.tude, she walked on the heroic path and became a heroine herself.

　　From small acts to big acts, from "for the family" to "for the people," who could compare to such righteousness?

　　"Di-Director Xiao, about ... the thing our colleague from the Chiyuan Branch asked, how should we cooperate?"

　　Xiao Zheng snapped: "Cooperate, what cooperate? Do you all even suit those guys?"

　　"Ah..."

　　Was that a yes or a no?

　　"Get an emergency investigation team to go to Bi Chun Sheng's house, I will apply for a search warrant." Xiao Sheng breathed in deeply, "If he's wrong, I will cut this temporary worker up and serve him on a plate!"

　　"Director Xiao!" Just then, an investigator approached and spoke into his ear, "We have tracked down the lost b.u.t.terfly egg vault..."

　　"Speak."

　　"The b.u.t.terfly egg vault was lost in 1988, it's been thirty years." The investigator took him to the side, "When it was lost, there was a report on it, but the report was erased afterward."

　　Xiao Zheng paused — wait, the timing... was a little earlier than expected?

　　Thirty years ago the vault was lost, but not until now did they hear about it, then what was the suspected thief doing with it? Keeping for decoration?

　　The most important thing was, the suspected Bi Chun Sheng wasn't even in the Deviant Control Office back then yet.

　　"So you said, this was written in the report." Xiao Zheng unexpectedly slowed and quieted his voice, "But because we couldn't find the b.u.t.terfly egg, this report went up in smoke?"

　　"Yes."

　　"Hang on, let me think..." Xiao Zheng stopped a moment and resumed, "Contact Xuan Ji from Reparations Department—"

　　He suddenly stopped half-way through. The personnel waited for almost a minute, then curiosity won him over and he peeked up at Xiao Zheng. All he saw was Xiao Zheng's jaw tense then relax for several times, then patted his shoulder and walked towards the elevator without saying anything more.

　　"Jeez, Director, you didn't even say why we need to contact the Reparations Department for?"

　　"What must be done and what must not be," Xiao Zheng said without turning back, "he will know for himself."

　　Deviant Control Office was a gigantic organization, it was like a big tail that was difficult to wave.

　　It was almost as if they had to ask for authorization to fart, Xuan Ji felt these people couldn't get anything done. He had already thrown the "temporary support staff" t.i.tle behind his back, sending a group of field workers out on the streets, chasing after the direction of the guiding coins like a madman.

　　He was born with elemental fire that could control evil spirits, the more evil energy there was, the more intense the fire. Just in a blink, the little coin ahead became a fireball, furiously rolling against the ground until the destination was reached, then exploded like fireworks  — Xuan Ji followed the fireworks flying up to the sky and found Bi Chun Sheng on the rooftop.

　　The melancholic and tired woman had sacrificial writings all over her face, making her look like the demon that crawled out of h.e.l.l.

　　"I heard they transferred an expert to Gong Cheng Gong's office. Back when I was in the Ministry of Security, I have already heard your name, so I was worried and I tried to finish this before you came, but no matter how much I tried to plan and how much thoughts I put into it... I'm still late by a day." Bi Chun Sheng pulled back a lock of hair. "Maybe it's all fate."

　　Xuan Ji leaned on the heavy sword and looked at her: "This fate talk should only come from the losing side, shouldn't it? Big sister Bi, aren't you taking my line?"

　　Bi Chun Sheng's muddled hair flowed in the night wind, her light pink fur coat contrasted sharply with the pure black background, bright yet somewhat horrible.

　　She still looked like usual, with her hair tied up in a bun trending for middle-aged women, her odd clothing, her skin yellowed out along with her too heavy makeup... She made people think of square dancing, colorful scarves, mothers that urge their kids to get married...and an inappropriate loud voice.

　　But the peculiar thing was, as she was currently draped in sacrificial writing, coldly yet unwaveringly standing in the night wind, her appearance was in sharp contrast with all those mediocre descriptions. She was like a supporting role with no soul attached, maybe only when she tore herself up that people finally stopped and realized, that person there also shared the same kin, and was also full of joys and sorrows.

　　At this time, in the corner of his eyes, Xuan Ji saw his field work support followed him here and were devising a plan to approach Bi Chun Sheng — climbing up in a hidden side, intending to attack her from the back.

　　Xuan Ji shook his head.

　　After all, Bi Chun Sheng was a senior working in the field for thirty years, how could she not know this old as time kind of attack plan?

　　The field workers went up to the roof and all pulled out their weapons aiming at Bi Chun Sheng.

　　"Do not move!"

　　"Hands where can see them! Do not speak!"

　　Xuan Ji shouted: "Do not approach!"

　　Unfortunately, they didn't hear it — Bi Chun Sheng's special ability was her voice, so people had put in earplugs to avoid being lured in by her.

　　Xuan Ji: "...."

　　Which genius kindergartener thought of this solution, this was great!

　　Right away, they all froze in their steps, the sacrificial writing sprouted from the ground and slithered up from their ankles to wrap around their bodies. The surrounding temperature went down ten degrees and moved closer to freezing point in a blink of an eye.

　　Then, with Bi Chun Sheng at the eye, a devilish fog thickened up and spread through the surroundings. Xuan Ji's heart sank, smelling the familiar odor. A man walked out leisurely from the center of the fog and peered at everything with curious eyes. He seemed not used to seeing so many dense buildings and constructions: "Wide streets and luxurious buildings, is this the capital? How come there are so many people in the Qing Ping Division of the capital?"

　　Bi Chun Sheng heard it, turned around, an excited and bewildered expression plastered on her face: "It's real, truly real!"

　　Shen Lingyuan watched her a moment, then whispered: "Ah... human candle, no wonder."

　　Among the people present, only Xuan Ji understood what he said. "What did you say? What's a human candle?"

　　Shen Lingyuan looked at him with a smile, but did not respond. He then directed his attention back to Bi Chun Sheng and spoke his broken Mandarin, asking in a warm voice: "Were you the one who woke me up? Well, why did you become like this, who gave you such grievance?"

　　He naturally spoke with a gentle voice, and his Mandarin was learned hurriedly from TV and situational circ.u.mstances. Now, there was no deliberate disguise, and when thinking and speaking, there was hesitancy every once in a while between his words, coincidentally setting up an empathetic mood, making people feel like they were cherished by him.

　　In one sentence, he was able to uncover all the pain and suffering in her life, and Bi Chun Sheng's eyes reddened.

　　"No matter," Shen Lingyuan smiled at her, "if you want to talk, I'm here. You can talk as long you want, no one can disturb you."

　　"Bi Chun Sheng," Xuan Ji coldly advised, "If I were you, I would be even more careful. You called this venerable one out doesn't mean he's going to be the angel granting you your wish."

　　"You don't have to worry about that," Bi Chun Sheng said, the vulnerability that was in her eyes was suppressed in an instant. "We have formed a contract, right now I have handed over my part, he hasn't done his. He can't do anything to me if he hasn't done what he was bound to. If he does, then the sacrificial writing will get back him thousand times of torture."

　　Shen Lingyuan's expression was neutral, as if he didn't understand what she was talking about.

　　At this time, Xiao Zheng took off away from the rest and headed to the Director's Office.

　　Director Huang should have been done with work for the day, but because of the situation in Chiyuan, he had come back from home. Compared to the directors who came from the field work department, Director Huang was a normal person, and he primarily managed administrative work. This was why he ordered Xiao Zheng to be by his side, because when an emergency would come up, he could easily pa.s.s down the power for Xiao Zheng to take over.

　　"I was looking for you," Director Huang stood up. "How is everything out there?"

　　"Director Huang, I want to talk to you about an investigation of Bi Chun Sheng's residence. She was a fieldwork investigator who retired to be a support staff."

　　"Bi Chun Sheng? She's our people?" Director Huang took the paperwork and asked with a puzzled look. "What's going on?"

　　Xiao Zheng looked up slowly: "It's related to the incident where we lost the Mirage b.u.t.terfly eggs."

　　Director Huang blanched.

　　"Director," Xiao Zheng said grimly, "I have always thought you didn't know the situation, which was why you let Xuan Ji do as he pleases and brought him to the Reparations Department. However, now it seems like you intentionally did it, didn't you?"

　　Director Huang was quiet for a moment, then signed his name on the house search warrant. "When receiving this position, I was quite overwhelmed. I was planning to deal with this after the heat was over. Who knew this would come back so fast..."

　　Xiao Zheng asked: "Why was Gong Cheng Gong, the previous director of the Reparations Office,  forced to retire?"

　　Director Huang waved his hand asked him to sit down as he lit up his cigarette: "Ah... where do I start? Young Xiao, do you know what is the unbreakable safety rule when the Ministry of Security needs to go out in the field?"

　　"The Ministry of Security's first and foremost principle when out on the field is to maximize public safety." Bi Chun Sheng said at the rooftop, "To prevent Special Ability field personnel from being preoccupied by their mission and disregarding public safety,we have countless safety rules -- 'Special Ability field personnel must not cause harm to normal citizens except the suspects. If more than fifteen ordinary people die in a dispatch, it's considered a major incident. The person in charge of the operation shall be subjected for a review. All of the involved directors and leaders are temporary sanctioned for serious negligence, and they will be investigated for criminal responsibility.'"

　　"This is what is said in the handbook, Director Xuan, you have not had the time read the work handbook yet, have you? I will let you know, when a major problem happens in the field, the Reparations Department should first a.s.sess the magnitude of the incident, then find the one who is responsible."

　　Xuan Ji's brows scrunched together. For a moment, he wasn't sure why she had to cite the Deviant Control Office's policy and procedure for.

　　Bi Chun Sheng smiled: "Thirty years ago, two mutated pythons escaped, at that time the person in charge of the operation at made a mistake as they chased after them, making the pythons run into a train as they escaped. The train was just pa.s.sing by a bridge and was pulled by the pythons down to the river. The mutated pythons took the opportunity to take in the life force of the travelers...o...b..ard to replenish their power and heal their wounds. As a result, on a train of two thousand people, the number of survivors were less than one-tenths."

　　"That's impossible!" A field worker whose ear plug fell off yelled, "Ever since the establishment of the Head Office, there has never seen such a major incident! That's an incident where almost two thousand people were killed, there was no way we could hide it from the media."

　　"That's right," Bi Chun Sheng said softly, "So tell me, where do all those dead people go? Was Director Xiao able to find where the b.u.t.terfly egg vault went?"