The Eldritch Files

”The three choices for someone who’s had contact with the grotesque?”

Ten minutes ago, Han Su never would have expected such a sharp turn of events just as he was about to leave the Public Security Bureau. He looked at Zhang Chiguo’s suddenly grim face, his own expression tinged with curiosity.

”That’s right.”

Having called Han Su back, Zhang Chiguo saw that there was no more room for maneuvering and cut right to the chase. ”Hypnosis, cleanup, and the third option:”

”Forced recruitment!”

”Anyone who personally experiences or comes into contact with grotesque phenomena must face one of these three choices.”

”The Ghost Truck is a special case. Legends about it had already leaked out, so its secrecy level isn’t that high. That, combined with giving the Xu Family some face, meant I could have bent the rules and let you go.”

”Unfortunately, the victims’ families hate you more than I imagined.”

”Song Chushi giving you that Spell sealed your fate. Neither I, nor the young lady Investigator who came to speak on the Xu Family’s behalf, can mediate in this matter any longer.”

Seeing Zhang Chiguo’s solemn expression, Han Su’s interest was piqued. ”So, what does that mean?”

Zhang Chiguo said slowly, ”It means that, aside from undergoing abnormal hypnosis, being specially ’cleaned up’ by our executive department, or being detained long-term, you only have one choice left:”

He paused. ”Join the Disaster Management Bureau.”

Han Su’s expression didn’t change, but there was a shift in his tone. ”The Disaster Management Bureau?”

”The Abnormal Disaster Assessment and Management Bureau.”

Zhang Chiguo let out a low sigh, pulled out another cigarette, and held it under his nose to sniff. He said in a low voice,

”We’re responsible for assessing and blocking certain surreal and grotesque phenomena that shouldn’t exist in this city.”

”Normally, we select suitable candidates from the border defense forces, the Public Security Bureau, social elites, and special talents from various fields. But even those people have to go through fierce competition for a chance to be chosen.”

”Those who’ve experienced the grotesque, however, are one of only two paths for direct recruitment into the Bureau.”

As if afraid Han Su hadn’t understood, he fell silent for a moment before adding, ”Although the investigation isn’t complete, we can already make a rough judgment. It’s highly likely that Young Master Zhang was scheming to do just that—to join us.”

”By making contact with the Ghost Truck, he would enter our radar. Then, using his background and status, he would avoid hypnosis or cleanup and, finally, become a member of the Disaster Management Bureau’s executive department.”

Han Su listened intently, somewhat surprised. ”Why?”

That Young Master Zhang was already rich, and from the looks of it, his life in Qinggang was smooth sailing. Why would he go to such lengths to join this bureau?

’And based on what I overheard earlier, this so-called Disaster Management Bureau is directly managed by the ’Secretary No. 5’ they mentioned?’

”Because we have great power.”

Zhang Chiguo revealed the truth in a single sentence, his expression turning grim. ”That’s why so many people ignore the risks on this path and instead see it as a channel for career advancement!”

’That adds up...’

Han Su immediately recalled the conversation between Young Master Zhang and Xu Ji before the former’s death, remembering how full of confidence he had been.

With that piece of the puzzle solved, he slowly retracted his gaze. When he looked up at Zhang Chiguo again, his tone softened. ”If that’s the case,” he said slowly, ”I went through something like this ten years ago. Why did no one come looking for me then?”

If a single Ghost Truck could decide the fate of those who encounter it, then what about the mysterious Ancient Castle kidnapping...?

Hearing this, Zhang Chiguo let out a low sigh. Since things had come to this, there was no need to hide it anymore, so he explained it plainly. ”The official classification is that it never happened.”

”A kidnapping happened, but a kidnapping by monsters did not.”

”Therefore, even at the Disaster Management Bureau’s level, it was officially just the nonsensical ramblings of a frightened child.”

”That’s why you were neither ’cleaned up’ nor subjected to the other kind of compulsory hypnosis. Understand? Before this, you were not a ’contactee’ on record with the Disaster Management Bureau.”

...

Han Su’s heart skipped a beat. He still wanted to say something, but Zhang Chiguo slowly shook his head at him and said in a low voice, ”Xiaohan, don’t be in such a hurry to say certain things.”

He began to speak again, slowly but with great seriousness. ”I need you to understand that being forcibly recruited by the Disaster Management Bureau is not a good thing.”

”It’s true that many ambitious or overly curious individuals try to join us to advance their careers, but they usually just end up as a joke.”

”In fact, this path is more likely to be the end of people like them.”

Given his personality, he normally wouldn’t have agreed to let someone go privately like this. When the young lady Investigator who’d come to plead the Xu Family’s case saw that he was willing to let Han Su leave, she had looked quite surprised.

But he never imagined that the one time he tried to be lenient, it would be impossible.

Now, he no longer had the option of simply letting him go. That left only forced recruitment. But this was a huge deal, something that would affect the boy for the rest of his life...

’Why doesn’t this kid look panicked at all?’

’Can’t he give the normal reaction a mentally and physically sound person is supposed to have?’

’It seems the person who made the official classification on my case has a very high status...’

But hearing Zhang Chiguo’s warning for the second time, Han Su, strangely, didn’t get angry. Nor did he show the shock and panic Zhang Chiguo expected to see. Instead, he thought silently for a moment, then gently raised his head and smiled.

”Uncle Zhang, if I join you, will I have to deal with grotesque things like that killer truck from now on?”

...

Zhang Chiguo nodded, his face stern. ”Lifetime service, fighting the Tide.”

Han Su immediately nodded back and grinned. ”Then I’ll join. What should I do now?”

”Are you always this adaptable?”

Han Su’s reaction made Zhang Chiguo antsy. He even began to wonder if he hadn’t explained the serious implications clearly enough, or if the kid had genuinely become a little unhinged.

He had a million things he wanted to say, but in the end, he just sighed and lowered his voice. ”Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

”Listen to me. After you get in, you will indeed come into contact with many things that normal people don’t. But don’t keep bringing up that kidnapping case, and especially don’t casually tell anyone about our conversation today.”

”In return, I’ll make you a promise.”

”When you complete your training, I will, in a different capacity, have a formal talk with you about that kidnapping case!”

...

This time, Han Su could finally see the resolve and determination on Zhang Chiguo’s face. His mood suddenly brightened, and he nodded. ”Understood, Uncle Zhang.”

”I hope you realize the gravity of this situation!”

Han Su’s relaxed, even somewhat expectant, expression once again left Zhang Chiguo feeling helpless. He waved his hand dismissively. ”As for now...”

”Someone will arrange a test for you to measure your Spirituality and Blocking Resistance. If you pass, you will undergo training with the Disaster Management Bureau’s executive department and become one of its field agents...”

”But if you don’t pass...”

He paused, then lowered his voice. ”Then the best you can hope for is compulsory hypnosis!”

...

Several guards armed with live ammunition were already waiting at the door. Han Su obediently followed them out. Watching his relaxed back, Zhang Chiguo looked rather weary.

He sat quietly for a moment before someone brought him a cup of green tea. Zhang Chiguo took a sip and flinched from the heat, frowning at the woman in the black suit beside him.

The woman shrugged. ”Even though this is part of my job, you know I’m not good at it.”

Zhang Chiguo didn’t get angry. After a long moment, he just sighed in resignation. ”So, it’s confirmed? The kid can’t get out of this?”

The woman in the black suit nodded. ”If it were just the Cape Harbor Fishing Song, he could leave with your signature. But a detailed analysis has confirmed that the Fishing Song is just a facade. This Spell has a much more dangerous nature.”

As she spoke, she pulled an analysis file from her handbag. It was stamped ”CONFIDENTIAL,” and she continued in a low voice,

”The content of the Fishing Song is very simple. It means: ’The Gods have sent down a decree!’”

”This is just a common spell. Many religious and folk organizations chant similar spells during rituals and prayers.”

”But the misleading part of the recording is that, besides this one line, there are a few extra syllables. They’re hidden very deep and can only be heard through careful analysis.”

”With the addition of these syllables, the entire meaning of this ordinary spell changes completely.”

...

She paused before continuing slowly. ”The two extra syllables, though faint, have been confirmed to mean ’I’ and ’am.’”

”As a result, the spell transforms from the ordinary ’The Gods have sent down a decree’ into ’I am a God, and I send down this decree!’”

...

The room instantly fell silent.

Zhang Chiguo frowned and took another sip of his tea. After a long while, he asked in a low voice, ”Was this Spell activated?”

”No.”

The woman in the black suit shook her head. ”I’ve already tried. Although the Spell is presented entirely in a coded language, it contains no directed Mysterious Power. In other words, it’s empty.”

”So, reciting it should have no effect.”

”However, because of the Spell’s inherently high-level nature, it’s reasonable that it scared away that cunning and timid Ghost Truck.”

”Furthermore, I’ve already questioned that kid from the Xu Family. His testimony confirms that when he recited the Spell, there was likely no Penetration of Spiritual Power. His current mental state also supports my conclusion.”

...

”That’s a relief.”

Zhang Chiguo breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like they had dodged a bullet. He slowly stood up. ”Write up the report for our superiors just like that.”

”As for everything else... we can only hope the kid passes that test without any trouble...”