Chapter 92: He’ll go mad.
Cai Yi stood up and placed the materials he had prepared on the conference table one by one.
The conference room temporarily fell silent. A few people who knew nothing about Warehouse No. 0 were looking down and seriously reading through the documents.
Led by the number one leader of the Special Management Committee, four or five people kept their eyes on Cai Yi, trying to find any hint of smugness on his face.
But Cai Yi’s expression was stern. Holding the documents in his hand, he began to explain the contents item by item. After noticing those displeased gazes, he only nodded slightly and did not respond.
A long ten-plus minutes passed. The people in the conference room looked at each other. Some looked at Cai Yi, others at the number one leader.
The information Cai Yi provided was extremely detailed. It analyzed the history of Warehouse No. 0, continuously updated data, the prisoners held within, the administrative staff living inside, recent cases, and even the geological structure of Luquan and the underground cavern.
This was a set of materials that could only have been formed after a long period of investigation.
“Everyone’s time is precious, so I’ll be brief,” Cai Yi began. “The issue of Warehouse No. 0’s continued existence has been discussed several times in the past, but a consensus was never reached, so we could only handle it according to the existing methods. I believe it is necessary for us to once again discuss whether Warehouse No. 0 should continue to exist and continue to use the Special Management Committee’s funds to maintain its operation.”
Someone snorted coldly. “According to your thinking, Warehouse No. 0 should not exist, right?”
“I believe that Warehouse No. 0 should be immediately closed and its use permanently stopped,” Cai Yi said succinctly.
The person who spoke immediately retorted, “Cai Yi, it’s impossible for you alone to have completed this set of materials. Take the Luquan incident from back then, for example. You simply don’t have the qualification to access the top-secret files of the Luquan incident!”
The number one leader remained silent, his gaze sweeping over the few people beside him.
His several deputies were all young and strong, at a time when they were making great strides in their careers, and their official paths were closely related to himself and the Special Management Committee.
There must be other people behind Cai Yi. There were not many people who could access the top-secret files, and his several deputies naturally had this authority.
“I have accessed files I shouldn’t have in violation of regulations, and I am willing to accept punishment. However, the contents of the files are shocking, and they happen to prove that Warehouse No. 0 has no necessity to exist at all.” Cai Yi looked at that person. “You can doubt me, but you have no reason to question the reliability of this information.”
Someone lowered their head again, flipping through the papers in their hands.
At this time, the Secretary-General spoke up.
Cai Yi knew that the Secretary-General was the number one leader’s student, and their power relationship was extremely close.
“Regarding the issue of Warehouse No. 0 and the disposal of the prisoners within, I would like to remind everyone to think about how the Special Management Committee has always handled items of uncertain value and uncertain harm,” the Secretary-General said in a steady tone. “Let me give an example. The Chen Clan Instrument that was once stored at the Cultural Relics Management Committee, a dangerous tool that could be used for time travel. After determining the value and danger of the Chen Clan Instrument, it was safely transferred by us to Warehouse 3 and guarded by specially assigned personnel. This is the most appropriate way to handle it. We cannot arbitrarily decide its existence or disposal; we can only first place it in a sufficiently safe place to minimize its harm and preserve its value.”
The Secretary-General paused, looked at Cai Yi with a pleasant expression, “Warehouse No. 0 and the prisoners inside are the same. The Luquan incident was an extremely accidental event; it cannot be used to negate the role of Warehouse No. 0.”
Cai Yi: “Secretary-General, do you think the prisoners in Warehouse No. 0 are the same as the Chen Clan Instrument? Do you think people and objects are the same?”
The Secretary-General’s face changed, and he was at a loss for words.
“We are discussing people here. Human lives, human rights, and the dignity of being human. None of these can be guaranteed in Warehouse No. 0. Whether ordinary humans or special humans, whether infants or adults, their most fundamental characteristic is that they are human. Do not treat life with the attitude of treating objects. I believe this is a principle that all administrators and service providers for special humans must always remember. If a criminal has broken the law, then let the law punish them. What kind of place is a prison like Warehouse No. 0 in reality?” Cai Yi paused for a moment. “It is a concentration camp.”
This accusation angered both the Secretary-General and the number one leader. The Secretary-General slammed the table fiercely. “Cai Yi! Don’t be so sanctimonious! You are just using the Luquan incident and Warehouse No. 0 to achieve your own political goals!”
Cai Yi remained calm. “I talk to you about people, you want to bring up objects. I talk to you about the handling of Warehouse No. 0, but you bring up my political goals. Who here doesn’t have political goals? When we came to the Special Management Committee, we wanted to manage special humans, to serve special humans. Who here hasn’t sworn an oath to the protection law? I still remember the oath from that day. To let special humans and ordinary humans stand on an equal footing to communicate and coexist, to integrate special humans into society, eliminate discrimination, and promote development. If I have a political goal, then this is my political goal.”
His words were sonorous and forceful. For a moment, the entire conference room was silent.
With such big words thrown out, no one refuted anymore. The Secretary-General just sneered and said with his hands in his sleeves, “Don’t forget what your mother did.”
Cai Yi was neither servile nor overbearing. “I will never forget. That is why I am here today, proposing this agenda. Respecting life is our principle; it should not be our bottom line.”
The Secretary-General looked left and right and found that no one was chiming in. He glanced at the number one leader who was sitting steadily and decided to play the bad cop to the end. “Cai Yi, you are still young, and you do things too idealistically. This world is not so easily changed.”
“The world is difficult to change because there are too many people like you,” Cai Yi replied.
The Secretary-General’s face turned red and then pale, his fists clenched tightly. Just as he was about to explode, the number one leader knocked on the table, stopping the argument between the two.
“What are you arguing about? We are all comrades. Discuss the matter at hand; no personal attacks.” He spoke slowly, his tone steady and calm. “According to our meeting regulations, as long as an agenda item is proposed with sufficient discussion materials, we must express our own opinions on it. Since Cai Yi has proposed it, then let’s discuss it. Come, come, Xiao Cai, you sit down. Let’s go one by one. Section Chief Zhang, you first.”
The gunpowder-filled atmosphere gradually subsided. Cai Yi returned to his seat. His mission was complete. Next would be the struggle between the number one leader and the people trying to pull him down from that position.
Cai Yi did not regret participating in this power struggle. The continued existence of Warehouse No. 0 was not a battle that could be won with just a burst of courage. Even if this one Warehouse No. 0 was destroyed, many more would be built later.
To completely destroy Warehouse No. 0, one could only use the power that created it in the first place.
That afternoon, Qin Ge received a call from Gao Tianyue.
Gao Tianyue told him a piece of good news.
Thanks to Cai Yi’s efforts, the Luquan incident investigation was reopened, and the Crisis Office was able to intervene. The forces of the Special Management Committee and the Crisis Office had always cooperated while also being wary of each other. Qin Ge and his team were on standby. Gao Tianyue decided to have the criminal investigation section dispatch a field team to meet up with them and conduct the first joint investigation of Warehouse No. 0.
“The head of the criminal investigation section has selected a group of people to send over, with Lei Chi leading the team,” Gao Tianyue said. “Qin Yeshi has already agreed to cooperate with you, right?”
A wave of excitement rose in Qin Ge’s heart. “Yes. Lei Chi is coming too, that’s great.”
Bai Xiaoyuan, who was studying the building structure of Warehouse No. 0 on the imager, subconsciously looked up.
“Qin Yeshi is very experienced. You and Lei Chi must listen to him, understand?” Gao Tianyue said. “The Special Management Committee will send more people over later, but Lei Chi’s team will set off tonight and should be able to meet you tomorrow.”
Before hanging up the phone, Gao Tianyue hesitated for a moment.
Qin Ge understood and shouted out the window, “Gao Shu!”
They were in an empty room on the first floor of the Western Office. Gao Shu was in the courtyard showing his spirit body to Qin Yeshi.
“I had a colleague before whose spirit body was a bush viper, which could also grow bigger and smaller. But no matter how small a bush viper gets, it’s still as long as an arm. This shark of yours is quite remarkable.” Qin Yeshi couldn’t move away when he saw an interesting spirit body. The sword-nosed shark, shrouded in a water-based protective shield, was circling in his palm. “How big can it get when it’s huge?”
Just as Gao Shu was about to answer, Qin Ge called for him. He returned to Qin Ge’s side, and Qin Ge handed him the phone.
“Dad?”
Gao Tianyue coughed lightly. “You, how are you doing?”
“Not so great,” Gao Shu answered perfunctorily. “Everything is going smoothly so far.”
“…What about your fish? Can it really be of use?”
Gao Shu was a little displeased and was about to retort when he saw Tang Cuo pass by the window out of the corner of his eye. The words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back. He answered in a pleasant tone, “Of course it can.”
Gao Tianyue was silent for a moment. “Son.”
Gao Shu: “Mm?”
Gao Tianyue: “You are not a member of the Crisis Office, nor of the Special Management Committee. If the situation is not right, you remember to run.”
Gao Shu: “…”
Gao Tianyue: “I’m not telling you to desert. I’m not teaching you to be a coward. But a person must assess the situation. As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. What the situation is like under Warehouse No. 0, what those two administrators and the prisoners are like—it’s very complicated. I… I am definitely not asking you to be a coward, but you, you have to think about it, right? You… you still have a shop! So many employees in the shop, right?”
Gao Shu didn’t say anything, holding the phone, listening to Gao Tianyue ramble on for nearly ten minutes.
He felt that he probably wouldn’t hear Gao Tianyue say so much in a whole year.
“Dad, I know,” Gao Shu finally interrupted Gao Tianyue’s nagging. “I know, don’t worry.”
This sentence had already exhausted Gao Shu’s limited tenderness. But in Gao Tianyue’s silence, he suddenly felt a stronger desire to confide.
“Dad, the Luquan incident has been on your mind for so long. This time, we will definitely restore the truth,” he said seriously. “Trust me.”
Tang Cuo walked past the window again, holding a large map. He saw Gao Shu standing by the window in a daze, holding his phone, so he went over. “Did Director Gao scold you again?”
“…No,” Gao Shu said. “He was quite gentle.”
Tang Cuo smiled at him, seemingly relieved.
Gao Shu took the map from his hand and took his hand as well. “My parents don’t know I’m in a relationship yet,” Gao Shu said. “After we get back, you… you come to our house for a meal.”
Tang Cuo was a little touched. “Huh? Oh, okay.”
He rubbed his warming face. “But Director Gao already knows I’m your boyfriend.”
Gao Shu: “?!”
Tang Cuo: “Bai Xiaoyuan and I were chatting in the parking lot. I let it slip, and he overheard.”
Gao Shu: “…”
Bai Xiaoyuan was asking Qin Ge on the side, “Lei Chi is coming too? What’s he coming for?”
Xie Zijing: “To see you.”
Bai Xiaoyuan turned and walked away.
At dinner time, one of Qin Yeshi’s subordinates brought some good news.
With the help of a spy from the Western Office, they had tracked down the whereabouts of Zhou You and Lu Qinglai in a small village near Migang.
One young man, one middle-aged man, Han Chinese, stayed for a short time, and their physical characteristics completely matched those of Zhou You and Lu Qinglai. More importantly, the person living next door to them heard their argument and clearly heard the name “Zhou You” during the dispute.
But the two only stayed at the guesthouse for one night and then checked out. There were no surveillance devices on the village roads, and it was late at night, so no one knew where the two went.
“Zhou You coming back here can’t be for tourism or fun,” Qin Ge said. “The only thing that could interest him here is Luquan and Warehouse No. 0.”
“What on earth did this person come back for?” Qin Yeshi was completely baffled. “An escapee, running back to wander around the prison? I don’t understand.”
“I have an idea,” Qin Ge said. “A very important reason why Zhou You and Lu Qinglai had to flee here is because in the incident in the Capital District, Bian Han’s confession exposed Zhou You. After Xie Zijing’s ‘Sea Area’ recovered, we got more information about Warehouse No. 0 and Zhou You.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Zhou You harbors great resentment towards Warehouse No. 0 and the people inside, including Xie Liang and Jiang Yong who sent him to Warehouse No. 0,” Qin Ge said. “His return here is to completely destroy Warehouse No. 0.”
Qin Yeshi pondered for a moment and understood Qin Ge’s words. “You mean, not only did Elephant and Rat lie about the Luquan incident, but these two may have already had their ‘Sea Areas’ destroyed by Zhou You and could be controlled by him at any time? Zhou You might have teamed up with them?”
This suspicion was reasonable. Zhou You was a Guide, and the cells in Warehouse No. 0 were separate. It would be difficult for him to communicate with others, except for Elephant and Rat. And without the assistance of others, a Guide, even if his spirit body was a huge gorilla, could not possibly kill so many people overnight—the prisoners underground, and the Falcon Squad camped on the surface. Everyone in Falcon was a well-trained and experienced field member. They must have been ambushed without any warning.
Qin Yeshi paced back and forth in the dormitory, stroking his chin in thought.
Compared to Zhou You’s purpose, the problem of Warehouse No. 0 was clearly more serious.
If Zhou You returned to Warehouse No. 0, and if Elephant and Rat were really controlled by him, then these few people teaming up would be nothing short of a fatal disaster for the prisoners still being held in Warehouse No. 0.
Zhou You and Lu Qinglai had disappeared, but colleagues patrolling around Luquan kept sending back messages; they had not yet found any trace of the two.
“Let’s head to Warehouse No. 0,” Qin Yeshi said decisively. “We’ll get ready first. When Lei Chi arrives tomorrow, we’ll go to Luquan immediately. Before Zhou You and Lu Qinglai make a move, we’ll go into Warehouse No. 0 and take a look first.”
In a small house made of stone, a fire was burning warmly.
Zhou You looked out the window. Two horses stood in the pitch-black night, sleeping.
The house was small. It was a temporary resting spot, with simple bedding and food. Lu Qinglai stirred the fire. The unconscious owner of the house had been tied up by them and thrown in a corner.
“What are you keeping him for?” Zhou You didn’t understand.
“Don’t kill anymore,” Lu Qinglai frowned. “There’s no need.”
Zhou You was surprised by his insubordination and, after a moment’s pause, laughed. His laughter was hoarse, and against his pale face, he looked even more like a ghost.
The closer he got to Luquan, the stronger his headaches became, as if someone was fiercely smashing his brain with an invisible sledgehammer. He was powerless to resist and could only grit his teeth and endure.
The “Sea Area” that had been cut by Xie Liang was fragmented. He could never get a peaceful sleep.
“…Qin Ge and Xie Zijing should have arrived at Luquan, right?” Zhou You suddenly stood up. The firelight stretched his shadow, which clung crookedly to the walls and floor, baring its fangs and claws. “They should have already reached Warehouse No. 0, right?”
Lu Qinglai looked up at him. “I don’t understand why you hate Xie Liang so much.”
In Zhou You’s life, there should be too many people for him to hate. But only Xie Liang was the most special. There was no prior history between them, yet Xie Liang had given Zhou You the longest-lasting pain. And what Zhou You found most unbearable was that he couldn’t punish Xie Liang. Xie Liang was not Zhou Xuefeng, not Zhou Yiqing or the real Zhou You. He couldn’t get close to Xie Liang, nor could he make Xie Liang feel the torment he was enduring.
So when he escaped from Warehouse No. 0, he was both surprised and delighted: Xie Liang was right in front of him. But not only Xie Liang, but also Xie Liang’s wife, and Xie Liang’s son.
“…Elephant and Rat really locked Xie Liang in B0064?” Lu Qinglai couldn’t believe it. “You can actually order around the administrators of Warehouse No. 0…”
Zhou You saw a strange fanaticism in his eyes.
“Not just Xie Liang.” Zhou You thought for a moment and slowly smiled. His laughter was extremely crazed, as if he had thought of something that made him ecstatic. The loud laughter even startled the horses in the yard. The horses stamped their hooves in panic.
“Qin Ge restored Xie Zijing’s ‘Sea Area,’ right?” Zhou You’s laughter suddenly stopped. He paced back and forth in the room, his shadow dancing wildly with his steps. “Once they find Xie Liang and know his ‘Sea Area’ was destroyed by me, they will definitely want to restore Xie Liang’s ‘Sea Area’ too, right?”
“So what if it’s restored?”
Zhou You stood still, the firelight reflecting in his blazing eyes, like dancing phosphorus fire. “He will definitely go mad.”
The next afternoon, the dust-covered Lei Chi and his party finally arrived. He brought his capable assistant Xiao Liu, and several field team members that the Crisis Office could currently mobilize.
“Everyone coming to Luquan has to be vetted by the Special Management Committee several times,” Lei Chi said. “But fortunately, the Special Management Committee doesn’t know that the entire Spiritual Harmonization Department has disappeared and come here.”
“After all, we are a small department, and the Special Management Committee looks down on us,” Qin Ge said as he introduced him to Qin Yeshi.
Qin Yeshi had a good impression of this young werewolf and began inviting Lei Chi to come and play at his house when he had time.
Xie Zijing: “…Your uncle is strange.”
Qin Ge: “Because Teacher Yuan… my uncle’s partner, he really likes furry, small animals.”
Xie Zijing: “Like your rabbit?”
Qin Ge: “Yes.”
Xie Zijing: “But Lei Chi is a werewolf, so tall.”
Qin Ge: “Werewolves are rare.”
Xie Zijing was convinced by this strange logic and shut up.
Lei Chi and his group only rested for a while before immediately setting off for Luquan with Qin Yeshi’s team. Bai Xiaoyuan, Tang Cuo, and the others were in one car. Lei Chi hurriedly passed by her and stuffed a handful of candy into her hand. “Fruit drops from the plane, they taste pretty good,” he said. “I asked the flight attendant for a few extra.”
Bai Xiaoyuan held the candy and said to Lei Chi, “Hey, after this is over, I’ll buy you a drink.”
Lei Chi: “Okay, Qingmeizi is coming to Beijing next month. Should we invite him?”
Bai Xiaoyuan: “No.”
Lei Chi was overjoyed. “Can I see the sand cat?”
Bai Xiaoyuan: “Go ahead.”
She got into the car and waved at Lei Chi. Xie Zijing and Tang Cuo stretched out their hands in front of her. “I want candy.”
Bai Xiaoyuan put the candy into her backpack, zipped it up, and ignored the two hands in front of her. “Go away, go away.”
As night fell, the convoy finally arrived at Jiwu Temple.
Xie Zijing stood on the open road, looking up at the stars in the sky. He remembered the trip that he once couldn’t recall. He and his parents had not yet had enough of the star-filled sky.
“Captain, according to the topographical features provided by Section Chief Qin, we have indeed found a suspected entrance to Warehouse No. 0 at the foot of a mountain near Luquan.” A member of Qin Yeshi’s team unfolded a map. He had already drawn the general location of Warehouse No. 0 on the map. “The structural map of Warehouse No. 0 provided by the Special Management Committee should be accurate. Going south from the entrance is Luquan, and the huge cavern beneath Luquan all belongs to Warehouse No. 0.”
Qin Yeshi: “Is the ground security in place?”
“It’s in place. The Western Office gave us some assistance, although not much…” the team member explained, “but they mobilized Yetis for us.”
Both Qin Yeshi’s and Xie Zijing’s expressions changed. “Yetis?!”
Qin Ge: “What are Yetis?”
Qin Yeshi was full of excitement, pacing a few circles before calming down. “Business first. After we’re done, we’ll go say hello to the Yetis.”
Xie Zijing also nodded repeatedly.
Qin Ge: “Can someone explain Yetis to me?”
“In this region, there are several special creatures born only here,” Xie Zijing told him. “Qingmeizi is of course one type. There’s another peculiar creature that we all call Yetis. They are special humans unique to the Himalayas, covered in very long, long fur, generally about two meters tall, and extremely strong. Yetis were only recognized as special humans about fifty years ago. After that, they began to learn human languages and communicate with humans. Their intelligence is actually quite high, they just aren’t very willing to interact with people. I’ve seen them a few times before, but I’ve never spoken to them.”
Qin Ge was very curious. “They live in the snowy mountains?”
“Yes.” Xie Zijing smiled. “Yetis are the secret weapon of the Western Office. They are not easily called upon.”
As they spoke, the group had already arrived at the foot of the mountain.
This place was no different from the scene in Jiang Yong’s memory; the entrance to Warehouse No. 0 had never changed.
Thick white mist rose from Gao Shu’s body, condensing and churning in the air, finally forming a huge sword-nosed shark.
The water-based protective shield was illuminated by the tactical flashlights in everyone’s hands, and also by the starlight. It heard the humans’ gasps of surprise.
“See!” Tang Cuo pulled Bai Xiaoyuan’s hand. “I told you, it’s very majestic and beautiful!”
After a nimble turn, the sword-nosed shark swam close to Gao Shu, its long snout touching Gao Shu’s palm.
Its body shrank, and it soon became a small fish circling in Gao Shu’s palm.
All of Qin Yeshi’s colleagues were stunned. Xiao Liu tugged on Lei Chi’s sleeve. “Team leader, this person is something. Which department is he from? Let’s poach him for our team.”
Lei Chi: “This person is Director Gao’s son.”
Xiao Liu shut up.
Qin Yeshi nodded at Gao Shu. His colleague had already pried open the fist-sized hole in the stone slab on the ground.
Gao Shu flicked his finger. The small fish responded by swimming out and deftly diving into the hole.
