The Summons

Yue Changkong studied the token for a long moment before slowly withdrawing his gaze. "The token is genuine. The Nether-Sigils upon it are Chen Xuanli's unique handiwork."

Chen Mo felt a jolt in his heart, never expecting the man to discern his origins at a single glance.

"What is your relation to Chen Xuanli?" he asked directly.

"He is my grandfather." Knowing that concealment was useless, Chen Mo admitted it frankly.

A complex glimmer flashed through Yue Changkong's eyes. He nodded slightly, and the invisible, scorching pressure radiating from his body receded.

"The grandson of White Paper Yama—I certainly didn't expect to run into you here." He shifted his tone. "How much of your family's Nether Paper-Crafting Art have you inherited? What level have you reached?"

Sensing the weight behind the question, Chen Mo answered truthfully: "Reporting to Inspector Yue, my family only preserved the techniques for the first three levels, and this junior has only mastered the third."

"The third level, is it..." Yue Changkong repeated in a low voice, as if weighing something.

He remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the anxious Chen Dachuan and the others in the distance before returning to Chen Mo.

"The situation in Linhe County is no small matter. We are currently in need of manpower, especially those who understand the trade."

"Since you are a descendant of Chen Xuanli and hold a reserve status with the Bureau of Strange Suppression, you shall remain here to serve."

"This current situation is your ready-made examination." Yue Changkong did not bother asking for Chen Mo's opinion, making the decision on the spot. "I will have someone send your family safely out of the city. As for you, you will stay behind to assist in handling the anomalies within the city."

"If you can prove your worth here, I will consider your examination passed, and you may directly join my bureau to serve."

Chen Mo felt a tightening in his chest, but with the man having spoken so definitively, he had no room to refuse.

"Understood."

Yue Changkong nodded and instructed the officer beside him, "Battalion Commander Liu, record the features of those three. Let them pass through the East Gate Checkpoint No. 3 and have them depart on the Rising Sun."

"The Rising Sun?" Battalion Commander Liu, standing nearby, was slightly startled before immediately straightening his posture. "Yes! This subordinate understands! I guarantee they will be delivered safely!"

Once Battalion Commander Liu had departed, Yue Changkong looked back at Chen Mo. "The Rising Sun is an internal vessel of the Bureau of Strange Suppression; it is safer than those common ferries. Now, you should be able to set your mind at ease."

How could I possibly be at ease staying here?

Though Chen Mo grumbled inwardly, he could only cup his fists respectfully and feign gratitude. "Many thanks, Inspector Yue."

"No need to thank me. This is the price you paid with the value of your own stay."

Yue Changkong stated the nature of the exchange with a flat tone. "From now on, you are temporarily under my command."

"The waters of Linhe County run deep. Since your Paper-Crafting Art has reached the third level, your perception of Yin-Sha must be sufficiently honed. You are exactly what I need."

He turned slightly, signaling for Chen Mo and the others to follow, and headed toward a temporary command tent at the wharf.

The interior of the tent was dim. Several makeshift tables had been pushed together, upon which a rough map of Linhe County was spread out, with several locations heavily circled in ink.

Yue Changkong walked to the head of the table but did not sit. He merely tapped his knuckles against the area marked as the West City on the map.

"Linhe County is not large, but it is a hub of waterways where all sorts of people mingle. Beyond the visible factions, there is a great deal of filth buried beneath the surface."

He looked up at Chen Mo. "Recent investigations show traces of abnormal activity in Rat Alley, the Old Wharf Warehouse District, and the abandoned Dragon King Temple area downstream. It looks like the methods of those lower-tier heterodox sects."

"Lower-tier heterodox sects?" Chen Mo was unfamiliar with the term.

"Yin-Scavengers, Yin-Courier runners, Corpse-Bearers... things of that nature. They do not belong to the orthodox schools and mostly scrape a living on the fringes of Yin-Sha and strange artifacts. Their methods are sinister, and they often walk the line of the taboo."

Yue Changkong's explanation was brief, yet his words carried a chilling edge. "Usually, they just scrape by, and the Anomaly Suppression Bureau doesn't necessarily hunt them to extinction. But at this moment, Linhe County cannot tolerate their existence."

He extended his index finger and tapped the three marks on the map.

"Your task is to assist Yue Shan's squad in locating their true dens in these areas, and then..."

Yue Changkong's tone carried a startling coldness: "Wipe them out."

"Yue Shan's squad will handle the primary combat. You must ensure no fish slip through the net and deal with any lingering Yin-filth techniques."

"This is real combat, and it is also your examination."

"Let me see how much skill and courage Chen Xuanli's grandson has inherited, beyond just his bloodline."

"Yes, sir."

Seeing the man pick up his teacup, Chen Mo took the hint to withdraw and followed Yue Shan out of the tent.

"I never expected you to be the grandson of White Paper Yama. I saw your family's secret paper-crafting techniques in the archives before."

Yue Shan, leading the way, didn't even turn his head, though his tone was somewhat unpleasant. "You were the one who wiped out the Black Tiger Gang, weren't you? You even played dumb with me that day."

"Captain, it was a matter of survival, nothing more."

Chen Mo did not deny it, nor did he offer further explanation.

Explanation was no longer necessary; he trusted that the man would not make things difficult for him over a few dead men.

Yue Shan stopped and turned around, staring at him for a few seconds.

"Kid, the first rule of working under me is: don't treat the people in this squad like fools."

"You have your secrets and your methods—that's normal. Who in the Anomaly Suppression Bureau doesn't have a few hidden cards they don't want others to know about?"

As he spoke, his gaze never left Chen Mo's eyes. "But during a mission, on the battlefield, I need to know when you will use what methods, whether you will lose control, and whether you will drag your teammates down with you."

"I won't dwell on the Black Tiger Gang matter, but you are now temporarily assigned to my squad. Your life and my life are, to a certain extent, tied together."

"The Captain's lesson is well-taken." Chen Mo took a deep breath, looked up to meet Yue Shan's gaze, and said frankly, "This junior can guarantee that since I have joined the Captain's command, I will obey orders and do my utmost. I will not hide anything that might affect the mission."

Yue Shan stared at him for another moment before that oppressive pressure slowly receded, his tone softening slightly.

"Remember what you said. In the ranks of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau, reliability is paramount. Skills can be honed and experience can be gathered, but those with crooked hearts who endanger their teammates rarely live long."

Having said this, Yue Shan turned back around and continued walking forward.

Chen Mo followed behind him, passing through the makeshift corridor partitioned off in the dock area and heading toward a more heavily guarded zone further inside.

Along the way, personnel clad in black uniforms could be seen hurrying to and fro.

The two arrived before a large tent and lifted the heavy door flap.

The interior was slightly more cluttered than Yue Changkong's, possessing a more lived-in atmosphere.

Several cots were lined up against the sides, while a long table sat in the center, spread with more detailed city defense maps and scattered files; in the corner, a few bulging duffel bags and metal crates were piled up.

At this moment, there were already three people inside the tent.

Zhou Ling, Zhao Tie, and another man whom Chen Mo had not seen before.