“Elder Black Tortoise.”
Gao Yang had thought that it was a summon meant for everyone, but it turned out he was the only member called to the meeting.
“Seven Shadow, you have been promoted to my rank. You should just call me Black Tortoise.” Black Tortoise smiled as he said obvious pleasantries.
“You are too kind,” Gao Yang said humbly, but his attitude was firm. “Is there a mission for me, Elder Black Tortoise?”
“Yes. although we can talk on phones, it’s better to tell you in person when you’re coming anyway.”
Gao Yang nodded. “Please go on.”
Black Tortoise’s face darkened. “An hour ago, the morgues at the Vermilion Branch had a break-in.”
“What?” Gao Yang didn’t manage to hide his surprise.
Black Tortoise frowned slightly. “The morgues store mostly awakeners’ bodies. There are also a few monsters, mostly used for research. However, some of the bodies were stolen earlier.”
He paused, his eyes flashing with sorrow. “The fourth and fifth team members were among them.”Fury ignited in Gao Yang’s heart. They had only passed away less than three days ago, yet their bodies were already taken.
“Why the bodies?” Gao Yang didn’t understand. “What use do they have?”
“I’m confused about that as well. Past the 24-hour mark, the bodies cannot be used for anything other than autopsy and study, and the morgues had never been broken in before.”
Black Tortoise sighed. “That was why the security wasn’t that strict, and the culprit was allowed to have their way.”
“Can it be,” Gao Yang’s voice lowered without him realizing, “An inside job?”
“It’s possible,” said Black Tortoise. “However, I sent someone to look into the matter, and at the time the incident took place, most members above the Elite rank had sufficient alibis. And I don’t believe regular members would be capable of this.”
Gao Yang considered the information.
“Guildmaster Qilin appointed you the investigator.”
“Just me?”
“Yes. He wants to keep this matter on a need-to-know basis. You are to conduct the investigation secretly.” Black Tortoise met Gao Yang’s gaze like he was looking for something. “Guildmaster has high expectations for you.”
“I don’t deserve the honor.” Gao Yang bowed slightly, averting the man’s scrutinizing gaze naturally.
Although Gao Yang had been recruited by Black Tortoise, and he was still Black Tortoise’s subordinate, he had a feeling that Black Tortoise didn’t trust him fully. In fact, Black Tortoise seemed to have gotten more wary of him since the matter of the Rune Cave.
It made sense though.
Gao Yang had discovered the Godbearer Cult as soon as he joined. Then he stumbled into a Rune Cave, resulting in the death of half of Black Tortoise’s subordinates. All the while, Gao Yang had earned great merit for identifying the traitor and acquiring two Rune Circuits, thus winning Qilin’s approval and opening the door to the inner circle of the Guild.
Of course Black Tortoise would harbor complicated and conflicted feelings for Gao Yang.
“Anyway, investigate in secret and report to me or Guildmaster as soon as you find something.”
“I will.” Gao Yang nodded, quickling following up with a question, “Do I start now?”
“Yes, now. Go to the morgues at the Vermilion Bird branch.”
“Roger that.”
Gao Yang bowed slightly and turned to leave, doing his best to look composed, experienced, and professional.
Only once the door of the meeting room closed did he let out the breath he had been holding and grimace. Such was the fate of the employed. Working overtime was only part of the job description.
The Vermilion Bird branch was located in the remote Beiyong District. Given its greater distance from the main base, there was no underground express line leading to it.
Gao Yang first rode a capsule from the Black Tortoise branch to the White Tiger branch to put the diary in the safe in room 5007. Then he left the White Tiger branch and caught a taxi to the Beiyong District.
He arrived at his destination at three o’clock in the morning.
The suburban area had a small population. Under the short hill sat a scattering of white buildings, circled on the outermost ring by concrete walls and metal fences. The rows of conjoined short buildings looked like factories, divided by bands of green in between.
Gao Yang approached to see a large landscape boulder sitting by the quaint front door, which said, ‘Northbound Funeral Home.’
Gao Yang stared at it pensively. He knew that he was sent to investigate the morgues, but he didn’t expect the Vermilion Bird branch to be an actual funeral home.
In the guardhouse, a young security guard was taking a nap on a recliner with his legs crossed.
“Hello.” Gao Yang knocked on the window.
The guard reluctantly sat up. “How can I help you?”
“I’m here for Miss Xia.” Xia Li, a member of the Qilin Guild, worked at the funeral home. Black Tortoise had told Gao Yang to seek her out when he arrived.
“Oh, Director Xia?” The guard cleared his head and opened the visitor logbook. “Here. Put down your information.”
Gao Yang wrote down a random name and an address he came up with, and without giving it another look, the guard let him in.
Across an empty clearing, Gao Yang headed to the main hall on the first floor and turned left, crossing the corridor connecting the buildings to reach a row of conjoined short buildings on the left.
Following instructions, he went up to the second floor and saw the morgues.
The layout was similar to the inpatient department of a hospital. The long corridor ran from one end of the building to the other end, each side lined with rooms.
There was a sturdy metal automatic gate at the mouth of the corridor, on which was a sign that said, ‘Personnel Only.’ On the fringe was a cellphone number and a note that said, ‘Contact: Miss Xia.’
Gao Yang first tried knocking. The sounds reverberated along the chilly, quiet corridor. When he got no response, he called the number.
A few seconds later, the noises of zombies growling came from the end of the corridor. Gao Yang jumped but quickly realized that it was a ringtone.
Soon, a figure emerged and headed toward Gao Yang. Clack, clack. Her red high heels hit the hard, smooth floor as she walked, and the automatic light lit up following her steps, allowing Gao Yang a better look at Director Xia.
Under the long white coat around her shoulders, she was wearing a light blue work shirt and a pair of straight-leg pants. There was a work badge before her chest. Her slim figure looked even slimmer under her loose clothes.
Brunette curls and airy bang framed a delicate, cynical-looking face. While her brown eyes were bright, the corners of her eyes were tilted downward like the curves of her lips.
Hands in the pockets of her long white coat, she sauntered to the metal gate. Through the metal bars, she considered Gao Yang with narrowed eyes.
Two seconds later, she asked in a lazy voice, “You’re Seven…” She yawned. “...Shadow?”
The sleepy yawn broke the image of professionalism and elegance that she had projected a moment ago.
Gao Yang couldn’t help but smile. “That’s me. And you’re Miss Xia?”
“Yeah, just call me Xia Li.”
She pressed a button on the wall with her right hand, and the metal gate opened to the side slowly.
Gao Yang walked in and offered her a hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Xia Li paused and took his hand with a half-smile. “Nice to meet you.”
[Detected one unknown Talent. It cannot be replicated.]
Gao Yang thought with surprise, Dang! She’s a top dog!
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