Soul-Calming Office

Biodata

Organization and Duties

• Dungeon — Holds dangerous corpses and Evil Spirits. Corpse collectors patrol it and remove bodies for cremation; more dangerous remains are kept on its second level 19.
• Blood Valley outpost — The Shichuan Prefectural City office maintains a fortified town near Blood Valley. Constables regularly enter the valley to clear Evil Spirits and must defend the city if a calamity breaks out 82 83.

Recruitment and Rank

• County recruitment — In Jiangyin County, the Night Patrol Office offers laborers a six-month martial arts assessment for seven openings: four in Evil-Exorcism, two in Night Patrol, and one in Corpse Collection 3.
• Yin Bone assessment — Officers are tested for resistance to evil aura. Yin Bone quality affects their survival prospects, institutional attention, and chances of passing reassessment 18.
• Prefectural selection — Shichuan Prefectural City draws candidates from its 128 counties. Candidates holding Gold or Silver Tokens gather for an assessment at the office’s outpost 81 82.
• Gold Tokens — Mark exceptional candidates and grant access to senior guidance and the office’s protection. Holders must serve the public, pass six-month reviews, and defend their tokens against yearly challenges 70 90.
• Office chiefs and Executives — Office chiefs can make three annual selections of martial arts or items from the secret vault; Executives can make five and take part in major decisions 141 148.

History

Jiangyin County

After Chief Commissioner Cheng Yannian disappeared during an operation against Yin Muhua, the Jiangyin office fell into turmoil. Yang Feng was demoted, while Jiang Baihe used his position to pursue a grudge against Lin Qing 38 39 40.

Prefectural stewards Wang Ling and Ran Hongxia investigated Cheng’s disappearance and the Han Family’s suspected involvement with the Yinyuan Sect. Following a purge of the Han Family and allied factions, Ran filled vacant posts to restore the county office to working order 40 70.

Shichuan Prefectural City

The prefectural office raided the Black Dragon Gang after uncovering its ties to the Yinyuan Sect. It arrested hundreds and shut down the gang’s businesses, though leader Song Heilong escaped with sect assistance 96.

During a later Blood Calamity, constable Lin Qing helped end the disaster and received the office’s highest reward, including candidacy for an office-chief post 123 125 126. He subsequently became chief of the Netherworld Pacification Bureau and, after the fall of the sect-linked Luo Family, was appointed the office’s Ninth Executive 141 149.

Notable Personnel

• Yang Chenglu — Chief Envoy of the Shichuan Prefectural City office; oversees senior appointments and sets expectations for Gold Token constables 90 138 149.
• Wang Ling — Prefectural steward who recruits Lin Qing, leads operations against sect-linked groups, and protects those under his authority 40 65 96.
• Qiu Changming — Prefectural steward who brings recruits to the Blood Valley outpost and explains an office chief’s duties and privileges 81 82 141.
• Lin Qing — Begins as an Artisans’ Office laborer, becomes a corpse collector, and later rises to office chief and Ninth Executive in Shichuan Prefectural City 1 18 141 149.