At his words...
The rebellious girl bobbed her head, then took out a pack of chewing gum.
She took a piece for herself first, then leisurely offered the pack around.
"Old Yan, and the rest of you, don't be so serious. Want a piece? It's mint-your Extra!"
Seeing everyone's speechless faces, she went on.
"Hehe, what's the big deal? It's either a Weird Realm or a secret domain, ghosts or monsters. Why get so nervous? Maybe they're having such a good time inside that they don't want to leave. It's not like we haven't seen that before. And Major Zhang, don't look so hopeless. Personally, I think things are pretty good now!"
"Heehee, I used to watch people's souls emerge only to scatter into the world right away. That was so boring!"
"Now I know it was because there were no rules to sustain them. They could only become nourishment for that Mother Gaia, turning into some kind of void that held the collective consciousness of intelligent beings. Look how good things are now. People get a chance to become ghosts after they die. Doesn't that count as a second life? How is that a bad thing?"
"Heehee, don't be afraid of dying, everyone. Just remember to shout before you go: fortunes change with time-don't underestimate the dead just because they're poor!"
With that, she jutted her chin toward the middle-aged woman whose expression mingled smugness with fear.
"See? Someone's already living a second life, and even calling themselves a god or an immortal!"
"Aren't they just benefiting from the changing times? So eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves. Living or dying isn't such a big deal. I've seen plenty of both anyway."
Everyone instinctively looked where she had pointed her chin.
Hanging against the woman's chest was a fist-sized, blackish-green carving. It was hardly exquisite; in fact, it was crude and roughly made, like the work of an ordinary village carpenter.
But no one underestimated it.
The woman was not particularly adept at hiding things. Despite all her evasiveness, everyone had learned that it was made from the heartwood of a two- or three-hundred-year-old pagoda tree.
Now, watching the girl make those pointed insinuations, the woman...
Nearly jumped up in fury.
"Why, you little Qian Yao! Don't think you're so amazing just because you have Yin-Yang Eyes and saw a few souls disperse in the past. You think I've never had an education? I graduated from the town high school, and I go online too! Those Yin-Yang Eyes of yours are probably just slightly sensitive optic nerves that let you see some kind of wave scientists talk about. Stop acting like you've seen so much of the world."
"Hmph! And what do you mean, 'benefiting'? My family has served as spirit mediums for generations. Our Immortal Bei is an ancient immortal, sitting alone in a lofty tower, watching human dynasties rise and fall..."
Qian Yao gave her a sidelong look.
"Keep pretending. Go on. Watching dynasties rise and fall? Without that century-old pagoda heartwood, your immortal would probably be greeting Ox-Head and Horse-Face in the Underworld right now. Oh, right, Director Yan, I heard you've found people who can travel to the Underworld too. Does it really have Ox-Head and Horse-Face? Ask King Yama and the others why they only started letting people become ghosts now. Ah, my poor grandparents!"
"Pah! What pagoda heartwood? I have no idea what you're talking about!"
"What am I pretending about? If you don't believe me, ask Director Yan whether my family has been spirit mediums for generations! Let me tell you, the great immortals worshipped by spirit mediums include Hu, Huang, Bai, Liu, and Hui, as well as Hu, Huang, Chang, Mang, and Bei. My family worships Azure Dragon King Bei. Don't run your mouth about things you don't understand. If our King of Sorrow gets angry, hmph!"
"Heehee, all right, I'll stop, I'll stop. Heehee, life's hard enough without exposing people's little secrets! I understand, I understand!"
"Hmph! You don't understand a damn thing, you little brat. If we weren't colleagues in the Third Bureau, all due to receive official posts, ranks, and guaranteed government pay, I'd... And another thing, our King of Sorrow said that dying in a secret realm or a Weird Realm doesn't necessarily mean you can become a ghost!"
Watching Qian Yao's guileless display of rebelliousness...
The others said nothing.
Instead, they listened with relish.
They took the opportunity to learn more about these people who had manifested extraordinary abilities amid the tide of changing times.
A little while later...
Director Yan finally smiled.
"Haha, Miss Qian Yao really is optimistic. We're the ones getting stodgy. From now on, our Third Bureau will have to rely on young people and gifted individuals like you!"
Then he looked at the woman.
"Comrade Qiu Lanlan, rest assured. After this operation, all of you will be given official government positions and receive special talent allowances. We'll also arrange jobs for your family members. Your children will get priority in choosing schools, and there will be a fast-track channel for them to enter the civil service!"
"Hehe, good, good. My family has wanted guaranteed government pay for generations. It's a shame you only came to recruit us now. Also, my son is about to graduate from university. No matter how the world changes, I still think being a civil servant is a fine choice!"
"Hehe, wanted to be recruited for generations? If this hadn't started five years ago, who would have paid you any attention? More like you've been swindling people for genera-"
"Qian Yao, you little brat! Looking for a fight, are you? You think I'm afraid of you..."
Qian Yao finally stopped bickering.
She casually picked up her phone.
And checked her messages.
"That woman still hasn't replied after all this time. What century is this? Why is she still doing that old 'cut yourself off from the world' routine? She really has no idea that the man of her dreams got dumped without a shred of mercy by that bitch. Tsk, tsk, tsk. That dejected look in the photo back then just gets more satisfying every time I see it."
"Heehee, I really want to see your face when you hear the news. I really want to see you go back and show him up. Let him know: you couldn't be bothered with me back then, but now I'm out of your league. I figured out ages ago that his family would collapse one day. I told you not to be sad, silly woman. You'd get your chance to throw it back in his face."
"Hehe, the funeral business. You just couldn't bear to let it go, and even expanded into dozens of countries. That's more than you can handle!"
Director Yan and Major Zhang shook their heads.
Qian Yao came from a privileged family. She was fiercely rebellious, and her thoughts jumped all over the place. She really did seem like a Happy-Go-Lucky Kid.
Last time, Qiu Lanlan had mocked Qian Yao's lip, nose, and ear piercings for looking bizarre. She really had held on to that grudge!
Fortunately, she was not particularly calculating either. Now she had seen something on her phone, and her mind had apparently jumped straight to something else.
Happy-Go-Lucky Kids certainly found plenty of fun.
Then there was Qiu Lanlan. Because her family had performed shamanic rituals on the side for several generations, she always liked to put on a deliberately mysterious air. The trouble was, everyone knew what was really going on.
After an elder in her family died, perhaps because the world had changed, their soul had been able to linger briefly. By chance, it had slipped into that piece of century-old soul-nurturing wood and somehow evaded the rule that would have sent it into the Netherworld.
Fortunately, she had a deep-seated fixation on guaranteed government pay. Perhaps the prestige of civil servants back home had left her unable to forget it. That made her an unusual talent they could bring into the fold.
Putting those two aside...
He turned to the man who looked like an old farmer.
"Comrade Che Yongyuan-Old Che-rest assured as well. Once your appointment is made permanent, you'll receive not only a substantial resettlement allowance, but also access to a special reimbursement channel for your son's blood disorder. You'll hardly have to pay anything yourself. The country has always provided special treatment for exceptional talents like you. We'll make sure you have no worries at home."
"Don't worry. As the world changes, who's to say he won't have a chance to recover completely on his own?"
Major Zhang nodded too.
"Those who gather firewood to warm others must not be left to freeze to death in the wilderness!"
Old Che rubbed his hands together.
Hope appeared in his eyes, and his expression relaxed with relief.
"Good, good!"
Then he bent down again and carefully stroked the dog's head, his face full of affection.
"Big Yellow, my old friend, you've saved your nephew. You've changed our family's life too."
The big yellow dog gave a couple of soft whines, as if understanding him, then licked him a few times before turning back to watch the tunnel warily.
Old Che stroked Big Yellow's head again.
Then he straightened up.
"Don't worry, Director. Old Che and Big Yellow will get the job done. Haha, I'm already old enough to know my fate, yet I still get to see such a wondrous world. That's wonderful, truly wonderful!"