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 into silence. A few people who knew nothing about Warehouse No. 0 were seriously perusing the materials.
Led by the head of the Special Management Committee, four or five people kept staring at Cai Yi, trying to find some smug expression on his face.
But Cai Yi’s expression was stern. Holding the materials in his hand, he began to explain the contents one by one. After realizing those displeased gazes, he merely nodded slightly and did not respond.
More than ten long minutes passed, and the people in the conference room looked at each other, some looking at Cai Yi, others looking at the head.
The information provided by Cai Yi was very detailed: the history of Warehouse No. 0, continuously updated data, the prisoners held in the warehouse, the management personnel living in the warehouse, recent cases, and even the geological structure of Luquan and the underground caverns were all analyzed.
This was information that could only have been compiled after a long period of investigation.
“Everyone’s time is valuable, so I’ll keep it short,” Cai Yi began. “The issue of Warehouse No. 0’s existence has been discussed several times in the past, but no consensus was reached, and it has been dealt with in the existing manner. 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 shouldn’t exist, right?”
“I believe it should be immediately closed and permanently decommissioned,” Cai Yi said succinctly.
The person who had spoken immediately responded, “Cai Yi, this material is impossible for you to have compiled alone. Take the Luquan incident back then as an example. You didn’t even have the clearance to access the top-secret files of the Luquan incident!”
The head remained silent, his gaze sweeping over the few people beside him.
All his deputies were young and vigorous, at the prime of their careers, and their career paths were closely tied to him and the Special Management Committee.
Cai Yi must have had the support of others, and there were not many people who could access top-secret files. His deputies naturally had this authority.
“I violated protocol to access files I shouldn’t have, and I am willing to accept punishment. But the content of those files is shocking, and it precisely proves that Warehouse No. 0 has no necessity for existence,” Cai Yi looked at the person, “You can doubt me, but you have no reason to question the reliability of this information.”
Someone again bowed their head, flipping through the papers in their hand.
At this moment, the secretary-general spoke.
Cai Yi knew that the secretary-general was the head’s student, and their power relationship was extremely close.
“Regarding the issue of Warehouse No. 0 and the disposition of the prisoners within, I remind everyone to consider how the Special Management Committee has always handled items of uncertain value and uncertain hazards,” the secretary-general said calmly. “I’ll give an example: the Chen’s Instrument stored by the Cultural Management Committee, a dangerous tool that could be used for time warping. After determining its value and danger, Chen’s Instrument was safely transferred to Warehouse No. 3, and special personnel were assigned to guard it. This was the most appropriate handling. We cannot arbitrarily decide its existence or disposal; we can only place it in a sufficiently secure location to minimize its hazards while preserving its value.”
The secretary-general paused and looked at Cai Yi with a gentle expression, “The prisoners in Warehouse No. 0 are the same. The Luquan incident was an extremely rare event, and it cannot be used to deny the function of Warehouse No. 0.”
Cai Yi said, “Secretary-General, do you think the prisoners in Warehouse No. 0 are the same as Chen’s Instrument? Do you think humans and objects are the same?”
The secretary-general’s face changed, speechless.
“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 being human. Do not treat lives with the attitude of dealing with objects. I believe this is a principle that all managers and servants of special humans must always remember. If prisoners have broken the law, let the law punish them. What exactly is Warehouse No. 0 in reality?” Cai Yi paused, “It’s a concentration camp.”
This accusation made both the secretary-general and the head angry. The secretary-general slammed the table and said, “Cai Yi! Don’t make it sound so noble! You’re just using the Luquan incident and Warehouse No. 0 to achieve your own political goals!”
Cai Yi remained calm, “I’m talking to you about people, and you bring up objects. I’m discussing the handling of Warehouse No. 0, and you mention my political motives. Who here doesn’t have political motives? When we joined the Special Management Committee, we vowed to manage and serve special humans. Who here hasn’t sworn an oath to the Protection Act? I still remember the oath. To let special humans and ordinary humans stand on equal ground, to eliminate discrimination, and to promote development. If I have a political motive, then this is my political motive.”
His words were resounding, and for a moment, the entire conference room was silent.
After such bold statements, no one refuted him. The secretary-general merely sneered and said coldly, “Don’t forget what your mother did.”
Cai Yi, neither humble nor arrogant, responded, “I will never forget. That’s why I’m here today, raising this issue. Respecting life is our principle and should not be our baseline.”
The secretary-general looked around, finding no one to support him. He glanced at the head sitting steadily, determined to continue playing the bad cop, “Cai Yi, you’re still young and too idealistic in your actions. The world isn’t so easily changed.”
“The world is hard to change because there are too many people like you,” Cai Yi replied.
The secretary-general’s face turned red and then white, his fists clenched tightly. Just as he was about to explode, the head tapped the table, interrupting the dispute.
“What’s the fuss? We’re all comrades; discuss the matter without personal attacks,” he said slowly, his tone calm and steady. “According to our meeting rules, any topic raised with sufficient discussion materials should be debated. Since Cai Yi has brought it up, let’s discuss it. Come on, Xiao Cai, sit down. Let’s hear from everyone, Section Chief Zhang, you go first.”
The tense atmosphere gradually subsided. Cai Yi returned to his seat. His task was complete. Next, it was a battle between the head and those trying to remove him from his position.
Cai Yi did not regret getting involved in this power struggle. The existence of Warehouse No. 0 couldn’t be resolved with mere courage; even if one were destroyed, more would follow.
To completely destroy Warehouse No. 0, the power that created it must be used.
That afternoon, Qin Ge received a call from Gao Tianyue.
Gao Tianyue told him good news.
Thanks to Cai Yi’s efforts, the Luquan incident investigation was reopened, allowing the Crisis Management Office to get involved. The powers of the Special Management Committee and the Crisis Management Office had always cooperated and been wary of each other. Qin Ge and others were already on standby, and Gao Tianyue decided to send the Field Team from the Criminal Investigation Department to join them for the first joint investigation of Warehouse No. 0.
“The head of the Criminal Investigation Department has picked a team, led by Lei Chi,” Gao Tianyue said. “Qin Yeshi has agreed to cooperate with you, right?”
Qin Ge felt a surge of excitement, “Yes. Lei Chi is coming too, that’s great.”
Bai Xiaoyuan, who was studying the structure of Warehouse No. 0 with an imaging device, instinctively looked up.
“Qin Yeshi has a lot of experience. Both you and Lei Chi should listen to him, understand?” Gao Tianyue said. “More people from the Special Management Committee will be sent later, but Lei Chi’s team will leave tonight and meet you tomorrow.”
Before hanging up, Gao Tianyue hesitated for a moment.
Qin Ge understood and called out the window, “Gao Shu!”
They were in an empty room on the first floor of the Western Office. Gao Shu was in the yard showing Qin Yeshi his spirit animal.
“I had a colleague whose spirit animal was a tree viper. It could also grow and shrink. But even the smallest tree viper was the length of an arm. Your shark is impressive,” Qin Yeshi said, unable to take his eyes off the interesting spirit animal. The swordfish shark was surrounded by a water protection shield, circling in his palm. “How big does it get when it enlarges?”
Gao Shu was about to answer when Qin Ge called him. He returned to Qin Ge, who handed him the phone.
“Dad?”
Gao Tianyue cleared his throat, “How are you?”
“Not great,” Gao Shu replied perfunctorily. “So far, everything’s going smoothly.”
“…Your fish, can it really be useful?”
Gao Shu felt annoyed, about to retort, when he saw Tang Cuo passing by the window. He swallowed his words and replied nicely, “Definitely.”
Gao Tianyue was silent for a moment, “Son.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re not part of the Crisis Management Office or the Special Management Committee. If things go wrong, remember to run.”
Gao Shu: “…”
Gao Tianyue: “I’m not asking you to run away in the face of danger. I’m not teaching you to be a coward. But, you need to assess the situation wisely. ‘As long as the green hills last, there’ll be wood to burn.’ The situation under Warehouse No. 0, and with those two administrators and the prisoners, is very complicated. I’m absolutely not asking you to be a coward, but you need to think about it, right? You… you still have your gym! So many employees, right?”
Gao Shu stayed silent, holding the phone, listening to Gao Tianyue ramble on for almost ten minutes, repeating himself.
He felt he might not hear Gao Tianyue talk so much in an entire year.
“Dad, I know.” Gao Shu finally interrupted Gao Tianyue’s nagging. “I understand, don’t worry.”
These words exhausted Gao Shu’s limited tenderness. But in Gao Tianyue’s silence, he suddenly felt a surge of desire to say more.
“Dad, you’ve been worried about the Luquan incident for so long. This time, we’ll definitely uncover the truth.” He said earnestly, “Believe me.”
Tang Cuo passed by the window again, holding a large map. Seeing Gao Shu standing by the window in a daze with his phone, he approached, “Did Director Gao scold you again?”
“…No.” Gao Shu said, “He was quite gentle.”
Tang Cuo smiled at him, seeming relieved.
Gao Shu took the map from Tang Cuo’s hand, naturally holding his hand. “My parents don’t know I’m dating anyone.” Gao Shu said, “After we get back, you… you should come to my house for dinner.”
Tang Cuo was touched, “Huh? Oh, okay.”
He rubbed his flushed face, “But Director Gao already knows I’m your boyfriend.”
Gao Shu: “?!”
Tang Cuo: “I was talking to Bai Xiaoyuan in the parking lot and let it slip. He overheard.”
Gao Shu: “…”
Bai Xiaoyuan was asking Qin Ge nearby, “Lei Chi is coming too? What’s he coming for?”
Xie Zijing: “To see you, of course.”
Bai Xiaoyuan turned and walked away.
During dinner, Qin Yeshi’s subordinates brought good news.
With the help of the informants at the Western Office, they tracked Zhou You and Lu Qinglai to a small village near Migang.
A young man and a middle-aged man, both Chinese, briefly stayed there, matching the descriptions of Zhou You and Lu Qinglai. More importantly, someone who stayed next to them heard their argument and clearly heard the name “Zhou You” during the dispute.
But they only stayed at the guesthouse for one night before checking out. The village had no surveillance, and it was late at night, so no one knew where they went.
“Zhou You returning here can’t just be for sightseeing.” Qin Ge said, “The only thing here that could interest him is Luquan and Warehouse No. 0.”
“What’s this guy doing back here?” Qin Yeshi was puzzled, “An escaped convict wandering around near the prison? I don’t get it.”
“I have a theory.” Qin Ge said, “The reason Zhou You and Lu Qinglai fled here is very significant. In the Wangdu District incident, Bian Han’s testimony exposed Zhou You. After Xie Zijing’s ‘Sea Area’ recovered, we obtained more information about Warehouse No. 0 and Zhou You.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Zhou You harbors deep resentment towards Warehouse No. 0 and those inside, including Xie Liang and Jiang Yong who sent him there.” Qin Ge said, “He came back to destroy Warehouse No. 0 completely.”
Qin Yeshi thought for a moment and understood Qin Ge’s point:
“You mean, not only did Elephant and Rat lie about the Luquan incident, but they might have had their ‘Sea Areas’ destroyed by Zhou You, and could be controlled by him at any time? Zhou You might have allied with them?”
This suspicion was reasonable. Zhou You was a guide, and the cells in Warehouse No. 0 were isolated. It was difficult for him to communicate with anyone else, except for Elephant and Rat. Without assistance, even if his spirit animal was a giant gorilla, it would be impossible for him to kill so many people overnight—the underground prisoners and the Falcon Squad camping on the surface. All members of the Falcon Squad were well-trained and experienced field agents, so they must have been ambushed without warning.
Qin Yeshi paced in the dormitory, rubbing his chin in thought.
Compared to Zhou You’s intentions, the issues with Warehouse No. 0 were evidently more severe.
If Zhou You returned to Warehouse No. 0 and if Elephant and Rat were indeed under his control, the alliance of these individuals would spell disaster for the prisoners still held within.
Zhou You and Lu Qinglai had disappeared, but colleagues patrolling around Luquan continued to send back messages, reporting no sightings of the two.
“Let’s head to Warehouse No. 0,” Qin Yeshi decided decisively. “We should prepare first. Once Lei Chi arrives tomorrow, we will head to Luquan immediately. We need to investigate Warehouse No. 0 before Zhou You and Lu Qinglai take action.”
In the stone hut, a warm fire was burning.
Zhou You looked out the window at two horses standing in the pitch-black night, sleeping.
The house was small, a temporary stopover, with simple bedding and food. Lu Qinglai poked the fire, and the unconscious homeowner was tied up and thrown in the corner.
“Why keep him?” Zhou You asked, puzzled.
“No more killing,” Lu Qinglai frowned. “It’s unnecessary.”
Zhou You was surprised by his defiance and, after a moment, laughed. His laughter was hoarse, and with his pale complexion, he looked more like a ghost.
The closer they got to Luquan, the stronger Zhou You’s headaches became, as if an invisible hammer was pounding his brain. He couldn’t resist, only endure it through gritted teeth.
His ‘Sea Area,’ fragmented by Xie Liang, left him in perpetual unrest.
“…Qin Ge and Xie Zijing should have arrived at Luquan by now, right?” Zhou You suddenly stood up. The firelight elongated his shadow, making it appear distorted and menacing on the walls and floor. “They should have reached Warehouse No. 0 by now, right?”
Lu Qinglai looked up at him. “I don’t understand why you hate Xie Liang so much.”
In Zhou You’s life, there were many he could resent. But Xie Liang was unique. They had no prior connection, yet Xie Liang inflicted the longest-lasting pain on Zhou You. What tormented Zhou You the most was his inability to punish Xie Liang. Xie Liang wasn’t Zhou Xuefeng, Zhou Yiqing, or even the real Zhou You. Zhou You couldn’t reach Xie Liang, nor could he make Xie Liang feel the agony he was enduring.
So when he escaped Warehouse No. 0, he was both shocked and delighted: Xie Liang was right in front of him. But it wasn’t just Xie Liang—there was also his wife and his son.
“…Elephant and Rat really locked Xie Liang in B0064?” Lu Qinglai found it hard to believe. “You can actually command the administrators of Warehouse No. 0…”
Zhou You saw a peculiar fanaticism in his eyes.
“It’s not just Xie Liang.” Zhou You thought for a moment and slowly began to laugh. His laughter was maniacal, as if he had thought of something that filled him with uncontrollable joy. His laughter even startled the horses in the yard, causing them to stamp their hooves in panic.
“Qin Ge helped Xie Zijing’s ‘Sea Area’ recover, didn’t he?” Zhou You’s laughter suddenly stopped. He paced back and forth inside the room, his shadow wildly dancing around the walls. “Once they discover Xie Liang and realize his ‘Sea Area’ was destroyed by me, they will definitely try to restore it, right?”
“What difference would that make?”
Zhou You stopped, the firelight reflecting in his bright eyes like dancing phosphorus flames. “He will definitely go mad.”
The next afternoon, the travel-weary Lei Chi and his team finally arrived. He brought along his trusted assistant Xiao Liu, as well as several field agents that the Crisis Management Office could currently deploy.
“Everyone coming to Luquan has to be thoroughly vetted by the Special Management Committee.” Lei Chi said, “But fortunately, the Special Management Committee doesn’t know that the entire team from the Psychological Adjustment Department has disappeared and come here.”
“After all, we’re just a small department, not on their radar.” Qin Ge introduced him to Qin Yeshi.
Qin Yeshi took an immediate liking to this young werewolf and started inviting Lei Chi to visit his home whenever he had time.
Xie Zijing commented, “…Your uncle is quite peculiar.”
Qin Ge replied, “That’s because Teacher Yuan… my uncle’s partner, really likes fluffy, small animals.”
Xie Zijing said, “Like your rabbit?”
Qin Ge affirmed, “Yes.”
Xie Zijing pointed out, “But Lei Chi is a werewolf, he’s quite large.”
Qin Ge reasoned, “Werewolves are rare.”
Xie Zijing was convinced by this strange logic and fell silent.
Lei Chi and his team rested only briefly before joining Qin Yeshi’s group and heading to Luquan. Bai Xiaoyuan and Tang Cuo were in one vehicle, and Lei Chi hurriedly passed by her, slipping a handful of candies into her hand. “Fruit candies from the plane, they taste pretty good,” he said. “I asked the flight attendant for a few more.”
Holding the candies, Bai Xiaoyuan said to Lei Chi, “Hey, once this is over, I’ll buy you a drink.”
Lei Chi responded, “Sure, Qing Meizi is coming to Beijing next month, should we invite him?”
Bai Xiaoyuan replied, “No.”
Lei Chi, delighted, asked, “Can I see the sand cat?”
Bai Xiaoyuan replied, “Go ahead.”
She climbed into the car and waved to Lei Chi. Xie Zijing and Tang Cuo extended their hands to her. “I want some candy.”
Bai Xiaoyuan put the candies in her backpack, zipped it up, and ignored the two hands in front of her. “Get lost.”
As night fell, the convoy finally arrived at Jiwusi.
Xie Zijing stood on the wide road, looking up at the stars overhead. He recalled a trip that had once been impossible to remember. He and his parents hadn’t had enough time to gaze at the starry sky.
“Captain, based on the topographical features provided by Section Chief Qin, we indeed found a place near the foot of a mountain in Luquan that appears to be the entrance to Warehouse No. 0.” Qin Yeshi’s team member unfolded a map, where he had already marked the approximate location of Warehouse No. 0. “The structure diagram of Warehouse No. 0 provided by the Special Management Committee should be accurate. From the entrance, heading south leads to Luquan, and the massive hollow beneath Luquan all belongs to Warehouse No. 0.”
Qin Yeshi asked, “Have the surface security measures been completed?”
“They’re in place. The Western Office has given us some assistance, though not much…” the team member explained, “but they’ve mobilized the Yeti for us.”
Both Qin Yeshi and Xie Zijing’s expressions changed: “The Yeti?!”
Qin Ge asked, “What’s the Yeti?”
Qin Yeshi, full of excitement, walked around a few times to calm down. “Let’s focus on the task first. We can greet the Yeti after we complete the mission.”
Xie Zijing also nodded repeatedly.
Qin Ge asked again, “Can someone explain to me what the Yeti is?”
“In this region, there are several unique creatures that are only born here,” Xie Zijing told him. “The Qing Meizi is one such creature. Another peculiar being is what we call the Yeti. They are a type of special human native to the Himalayas, covered entirely in long fur, generally around two meters tall, and very strong. The Yeti were only recognized as special humans about fifty years ago, after which they began learning human languages and communicating with people. They are actually quite intelligent, but they don’t like interacting with humans much. I’ve seen them a few times but never spoken to one.”
Qin Ge was very curious, “Do they live in the snowy mountains?”
“Yes,” Xie Zijing laughed. “The Yeti is the Western Office’s secret weapon, rarely mobilized.”
While they were talking, the group arrived at the foot of the mountain.
This place had not changed from what Jiang Yong remembered; the entrance to Warehouse No. 0 remained the same.
Thick white mist rose from Gao Shu, condensing and swirling in the air before forming into a giant swordfish shark.
The water protection shield was illuminated by the tactical flashlight beams in everyone’s hands and the starlight. It heard the humans’ exclamations.
“See!” Tang Cuo tugged Bai Xiaoyuan’s hand. “I told you, it’s majestic and beautiful!”
The swordfish shark spun gracefully and swam close to Gao Shu, its long snout touching his palm.
Its body began to shrink until it became a small fish circling in Gao Shu’s hand.
Qin Yeshi’s colleagues were all stunned. Xiao Liu tugged at Lei Chi’s sleeve. “Team Leader, this guy is something. Which department is he from? Let’s recruit him for our team.”
Lei Chi replied, “This is Director Gao’s son.”
Xiao Liu fell silent.
Qin Yeshi nodded to Gao Shu. His colleague had already pried open a fist-sized hole in the stone slab on the ground.
Gao Shu flicked his fingers, and the small fish swam out in response, deftly diving into the hole.
