The Eldritch Files

”What is this trash they’re recruiting nowadays?”

In another interrogation room, the Investigator of Strange Birds sat across from Zhang Chiguo, a Cigar clamped between his fingers. His face had completely fallen; being questioned by Zhang Chiguo was clearly a deep humiliation.

Just moments before, when the mission was confirmed a failure, he had managed to maintain a smile and a facade of composure in front of Han Su.

But now, knowing that Zhang Chiguo was aware of everything, with nothing hidden, he dropped all pretense and let his explosive temper show:

”What about the death row inmates?”

”I’ve said it before, we should have Secretary No. 5 step in, raise the sentencing standards in Qinggang City, create more death row inmates, and drag them all into the Disaster Management Bureau...”

”...”

”We’ve already run out of death row inmates.”

Across from him, Zhang Chiguo’s face was grim as he replied in a cold voice, ”In just three short years, Qinggang City has run out of death row inmates. Even with harsher sentences, it’s not enough. If you really want more, we’d have to import them from other cities.”

”But other cities are unwilling to give them up. They don’t have enough for themselves either.”

”All the current Executioners were recruited through proper channels. Their lives are lives, too. Not to mention, the Executioners in the D1 and D2 Groups are all Investigators in training!”

”Heh, so now you want to talk about the value of human life? When we were risking our necks fighting those monstrosities, why was it always about nothing but the results?”

The Strange Bird Investigator’s expression grew even more sinister. ”I’ve been chasing this door for so long, and I finally managed to pinpoint its location. And now, because of some Executioner’s mistake, it’s all gone down the drain. Who am I supposed to hold responsible?”

”The mission failed, so naturally, it’s your responsibility.”

Zhang Chiguo stared at him coldly. ”I already know you found the wrong door.”

”If you hadn’t been so eager to claim all the credit, rushing in before the support team arrived, we would have had a much better chance of locating that door. This mistake wouldn’t have happened at all.”

”Also, do you have any idea how risky it is to casually teach an Encrypted Spell to Executioners and force them to recite it? You did this without even knowing their mental state!”

”The Disaster Management Bureau can tolerate some mistakes, but it cannot tolerate you completely disregarding even the basic rules.”

”Since I’m here now, I’ll be keeping a close eye on this.”

”...”

Facing Zhang Chiguo’s fury, the Strange Bird Investigator was stunned for a moment. Then, suddenly, he started laughing. He leaned back, propped his legs up on the interrogation table in front of him, and said with a grin:

”Old Zhang, why are you still so naive?”

”You haven’t forgotten how you missed out on that promotion and got benched in this position, have you?”

Hearing this, Zhang Chiguo’s face turned livid.

But the Strange Bird Investigator continued with a laugh, ”We’ve been dealing with those... things for so long. Don’t you know by now that in our line of work, a human life is just a number?”

”You’re harping on about caring for human lives now, but let’s see you try that when the Tide comes.”

”I wasn’t the one who said ’stop the Penetration at all costs’ back when the Disaster Management Bureau was founded.”

”Besides, am I the only one in the Disaster Management Bureau who does things this way? That other guy, the one who cares even less about human life, didn’t he get a big promotion?”

”...”

Zhang Chiguo knew who he was talking about, and his tone grew heavier. ”Don’t mention that man!”

”And don’t you dare try to be like him.”

”It’s true he cares even less for the rules, and the Executioners who work with him have a notoriously high attrition rate. But he is not like you.”

”Every single Executioner sacrificed under his command has a reasonable explanation in the report, even the ones from D7.”

”More importantly, he has never failed a mission he’s taken on!”

”...”

This point struck a nerve, and the Strange Bird Investigator’s expression turned icy, but he let out a cold sneer. ”Old Zhang, oh, Old Zhang. I heard you weren’t well-liked back at the Public Security Bureau. Are you planning to walk that same old path again here at the Disaster Management Bureau?”

Across from him, Zhang Chiguo’s expression was grim, and his eyes held a dangerous glint.

Meeting that gaze, the investigator finally, a bit unnaturally, took his legs off the table. But his sneer remained. ”I won’t waste any more words.”

”Transfer that guy to my command.”

”I still have a slot for an assistant, don’t I? Perfect. I can ’train’ him properly.”

”...”

Zhang Chiguo had been waiting for him to say this.

Every Investigator could transfer two Executioners to serve under them as assistants.

In a way, they were also students, to be personally trained and disciplined.

The Strange Bird Investigator originally had two, but one had already died. The one remaining was now his assistant. But this new request, of course, was not genuinely about training someone.

Zhang Chiguo just shot him a cold glance and said, ”You can’t have him.”

The Strange Bird Investigator’s expression instantly turned frigid. ”If you refuse, do you think I won’t just apply directly to the higher-ups?”

Zhang Chiguo listened, his face grave. He suddenly asked, ”That little girl, codenamed Crow. You really don’t know who she is?”

The Strange Bird Investigator’s expression shifted slightly. ”Who?”

Zhang Chiguo snorted. ”To the Executioners, you’re obviously someone they can’t afford to offend. But don’t forget, in this Disaster Management Bureau, there are plenty of people you can’t afford to offend either.”

”For example, the one who likes to wear a Red Windbreaker.”

Seeing the color drain from the Strange Bird Investigator’s face, he lowered his voice and continued, ”You forced her niece—or you could say, her student—to act as bait. You even forced her to recite a Spell that draws a plague into one’s body, all in an area where a plague was already spreading...”

”What do you think will happen when she finds out about this?”

”...”

The Strange Bird Investigator’s expression was now extremely strained. He waved his hand dismissively. ”I didn’t know who she was. Anyway, nothing happened. You give me that guy, and at worst, I’ll just look after that girl a little more in the future.”

Zhang Chiguo slowly shook his head. ”You could certainly try to explain it away by saying you didn’t know her identity. But have you ever known the one in the Red Windbreaker to be reasonable?”

”...”

The Strange Bird Investigator’s face was now incredibly ugly. He suddenly slammed the table. ”Old Zhang, are you trying to screw me over?”

”She owes me a favor.”

Zhang Chiguo ignored him and said slowly, ”So, I can help persuade her to just let this matter go, as if it never happened.”

”Of course, I could also persuade her the other way.”

”...”

The Strange Bird Investigator’s breathing suddenly became heavy. But looking at Zhang Chiguo’s cold, hard face, he couldn’t voice the anger welling up inside him.

”Don’t cause any more trouble for me. After all, like you just said, I’m already very unhappy about being transferred to this position.”

Zhang Chiguo slowly retracted his sharp gaze and said, ”This matter ends here.”

”However...”

Then, his tone suddenly shifted. ”Of course, that application you wanted to write to transfer a certain Executioner to your side... you can still write it...”

”In the Disaster Management Bureau, sometimes, the only standard for judging a person is their value.”

In another interrogation room, Secretary Cui Qiao sat on the edge of the table, rubbing the bridge of his nose and looking down at Han Su. ”You made it into the D2 Group, so your value is higher than those in the groups below you.”

”Also, his report was very damaging to you. If you hadn’t reported him first, and if the other Executors with you hadn’t corroborated your report by confirming his operational violations, you would have had a much harder time getting out of this mess.”

”But regardless, you’ve made the Strange Bird lose a lot of face, so you’ve thoroughly offended him. Even with Zhang the Head protecting you, you need to be extra careful.”

”This person... there are rumors that he’s been in contact with some kind of monstrosity too much, and it’s deeply affected him. His mind...”

Cui Qiao pointed to his own head and whispered, ”It’s not quite right anymore.”

”It’s one of the side effects of getting too deep into the Mysterious Power. It’s just not officially acknowledged by the Disaster Management Bureau. After all, being able to skillfully Master and use Mysterious Power is already a great asset.”

”Of course, the price he pays is a lower evaluation. It’s almost impossible for someone who isn’t rational enough to become an Independent Investigator.”

”Making a fool smart and making a madman rational are both very difficult tasks. That’s the problem Zhang the Head is facing now.”

Han Su cursed inwardly, ’Fuck, as if anyone’s mind is normal around here...’

’I get kidnapped by a monster twice a month, and have I said a word about it?’

However, this incident did make him understand the dangers of this Executor job.

In their work of investigating and stopping monstrosities and surreal phenomena, Investigators have the right to justifiably sacrifice Executors.

Of course, the Disaster Management Bureau will investigate and place checks on these Investigators’ actions after the fact. But even if a problem is uncovered, the punishment is a fine at most, or a lower evaluation. Only if their evaluation drops to a certain level will their license be confiscated and their Investigator status revoked.

He was grumbling internally when a question he was curious about suddenly came to mind. ”Just now, when he was facing those monstrosities, he did something and suddenly seemed to turn invisible. What kind of ability is that?”

”One of the Disaster Management Bureau’s most basic Mysterious Power training techniques.”

Cui Qiao said, ”Basically, every person who becomes an Investigator receives this type of training... And you’re concerned about this now?”

Han Su said, ”I’m just curious. When will I be able to receive that kind of training?”

”Training?”

Cui Qiao gave him a curious look and shook his head. ”Not for a long, long time!”

”Unless you accumulate enough seniority for the Bureau to decide to train you as an official Investigator. Or, you get promoted from your position as an Executioner, get noticed by some Investigator, and get transferred to be his personal assistant. Then he would train you.”

”But both of those options are a long way off for you!”

”...”

Hearing this, Han Su’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. ”So you’re saying I do have a chance to start this training in the shortest time possible?”

”I just need to be transferred to an Investigator’s side as an assistant?”