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墨書 Inktalez
We all got into the car they arranged for us and set off to visit the Cultural Heritage Bureau first.
It seemed that the local Cultural Heritage Bureau didn't have much funding, as evidenced by the old, rattling vehicle they used to pick us up.
The big man was furious and insisted on contacting someone from Qilin Island to handle our reception, but I stopped him.
It's better to keep a low profile when dealing with local matters; after all, who knows if this dilapidated car truly belongs to the Cultural Heritage Bureau or if they were deliberately giving us a rough start by not treating us properly?
Before we figured that out, it was best to endure for now. Patience is key.
We were crammed into a six-seater car, and because of the big man's size, it was quite uncomfortable. He kept frowning throughout the ride.
"Is there something bothering you, Daoist? Why do you look so angry?"
Wang Kun suddenly focused on the big man, catching us all off guard and almost leaving us speechless.
Fortunately, once we left the island, the big man seemed to return to normal and handled Wang Kun with ease.
"Leader Wang, I'm not upset; I'm just worried about my master and senior brothers. It's been so long since we came out, and we haven't heard anything. We're really anxious. Could you update us on their situation?"
He deftly shifted the conversation back to serious matters. The big man's response seemed to catch Wang Kun off guard; he pouted slightly, looking somewhat aggrieved.
"Daoist, please don't call me 'leader'; just call me Wang. If my superiors hear you calling me that, it won't be good."
Wang Kun had lowered his stance quite a bit. I quietly observed him.
The big man didn’t hesitate either; he laughed and called out to him.
"Alright then, I’ll take offense! Just tell me quickly what’s going on with my master; we’re all dying of anxiety here."
He looked at us with a troubled expression. "Dear Daoists, it's not that I don't want to help; it's just that my position is too low. I have no way of contacting those high-ranking figures. When Yuyang Daozhang came, he was personally received by the bureau leaders. I didn't even get to see him."
"As for your disappearance, I really don't know. I only heard that after Master Yuyang entered the tomb, he never came out,"
I immediately seized on this key point and pressed Wang, "So your master has been into the tomb?"
He nodded, "Yes, that's what the higher-ups said. I don't know the specifics."
As soon as he finished answering, he turned away and stopped talking.
The big man and I exchanged glances, and we both understood.
This kind of cowardice and cautiousness could either be due to a low position that made him afraid or just an act to deceive us.
Regardless of the situation, I instructed the big man to look into this person.
With Qilin Island's connections in society, investigating someone was definitely not a difficult task.
Ever since Mu Xuanche's identity as Island Master was revealed, I had free access to Qilin Island's resources.
Going to the Cultural Heritage Bureau was no different from visiting other departments; I had expected it to be filled with antiques but found it quite ordinary instead.
"Masters, please wait here while I check if the director and bureau chief are available,"
"Thank you, Wang,"
After expressing my gratitude, we took our seats as instructed.
We waited for nearly half an hour, and just when we were about to lose patience, a plump man with an imposing demeanor approached us, followed by Wang Kun with a fawning expression.
It was obvious without guessing that this man was the leader.
"Director Jia, these are the masters from Xuanzong,"
After Wang Kun's introduction, Director Jia glanced at us with disdain written all over his face.
When the Master arrived, it was said that the Director received him. Now that we are here, we haven't even seen the Director's face. The difference in treatment is quite significant.
Right now, we are under their authority and can only endure for the time being.
I stepped forward and extended my hand to Director Jia. "Director, hello, we just came from Xuanzong and wanted to talk to you..."
Before I could finish my sentence, I noticed something was off. His hand had already started to wander over mine.
Looking at his plump face, it was clear he was a lecher. No wonder his belly looked like he was ten months pregnant.
I quickly withdrew my hand, and his expression instantly turned cold.
This pig-headed man, let's see how I deal with him.
I took a step back and pushed He Zhi Yong forward.
This guy is an old hand at this; he can talk a good game. He immediately began praising Director Jia's appearance.
"Ah, Director, your face truly is that of a dragon among men. Your features are full and well-proportioned; in ancient times, this would be the visage of an emperor."
Who wouldn't feel pleased by such flattery? Although Director Jia's expression didn't change much, the smile in his eyes was evident to everyone.
Suddenly, He Zhi Yong shifted his tone. "But..."
In an instant, Director Jia's expression turned serious. "But what? You need to understand that you are from Xuanzong, not con artists. Don't try to pull any tricks on me."
I didn't expect Director Jia to be so sharp-witted and not fall for He Zhi Yong's flattery.
I initially wanted to call He Zhi Yong back, but he glanced at us reassuringly and charged ahead again.
"Director Jia, this year is your zodiac year. In this year, if things go well, you can soar high; if not, it could lead to disaster."
He Zhi Yong kept poking at Director Jia's weaknesses while Director Jia's expression continued to grow colder.
We stood at the back, feeling somewhat bewildered. How did He Zhi Yong know so much about Director Jia? It was as if he had watched Director Jia grow up.
Director Jia was equally confused; his gaze towards He Zhi Yong had changed entirely, almost as if he were in awe of a deity.
He warmly greeted us, "Please, esteemed Daoists, take a seat. This way, please."
We exchanged glances and couldn't help but smile.
Wang Kun approached with an expression of admiration, linking arms with the burly man. "Daoist, could you read my fortune too? Let me see my face's destiny."
However, he was quickly dismissed by the burly man and obediently stepped aside.
Thanks to He Zhi Yong's charm, we finally had the chance to meet the bureau chief here.
Director Jia was now completely under He Zhi Yong's influence, almost ready to hand over the password to his bank card.
The head of the Cultural Heritage Bureau was surnamed Chen. Director Chen had just been transferred to the Cultural Heritage Bureau and not long after his arrival, he discovered Qin Wang's Tomb. It was also his order that summoned the master to come and take a look.
Even Mingyue sensed something was off and leaned in to whisper in my ear, "Yan Xi, did you notice that he discovered Qin Wang's Tomb right after he arrived? The master came because of him too. Isn't that a bit too coincidental?"
I smiled slightly, feeling somewhat enlightened. "We'll find out soon enough."
Under Director Jia's introduction, we finally met the rumored Director Chen of the Cultural Bureau.
To my surprise, he looked quite young, appearing to be in his fifties—several years younger than He Zhi Yong.
Dressed in a Zhongshan suit, he indeed had the demeanor of a cultured scholar, standing out among the crowd as someone you would easily notice.
When he saw us, he didn't carry the imposing presence that Director Jia initially had; instead, he appeared humble and hospitable, chatting with us cheerfully.
"Esteemed Daoists have traveled from afar; I apologize for not welcoming you properly. If it weren't for my obligations here, I would have certainly gone to the airport to greet you all."
Dealing with someone like Director Jia, who relied on his authority to act tough, was relatively easy. However, this smiling tiger-like demeanor of Director Chen made it more challenging to approach him.
He Zhi Yong, who had just been promoted to team representative, took the initiative to start a conversation.
A few minutes later, He Zhi Yong shifted the topic to Qin Wang's Tomb. "Director Chen, we all came here for the Jade Sun True Person. We've been here for quite some time without any news. Could you please send someone to take us to Qin Wang's Tomb so we can see what's going on?"
Director Chen's expression suddenly changed, but then he returned to his cheerful demeanor. "There's no need to rush, my dear Daoists. After such a long journey, why not have a meal first?"
Dealing with these people was always like this; it always started with a meal.
Seeing that he insisted, He Zhi Yong didn't press further.
The big man and I pretended to feel unwell and left shortly after eating, leaving Mingyue and He Zhi Yong to keep each other company.
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