Chapter 17: The Eerie Origin

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Just then, the driver spoke again:

“Hey, you’re Di Qiu, right? I’ve heard about you—being able to make an S3-level Ghoul not attack proactively is quite rare even in our Bureau.

But, you know, the Ghouls beneath that tunnel just now are nothing like the S3-level ones you face in assessments. Down there, there are thirty-three S3-level Ghouls sealed away. They must not be disturbed.

No one knows if these Ghouls will suddenly devour each other and merge into the Ultimate Ghoul King. So, the first thing when entering the Zhongwei Bureau is to understand the secret behind that tunnel.”

The moment he mentioned the words “Ultimate Ghoul King,” everyone inhaled sharply, even Zhu Yufang, usually calm and composed, showed a flicker of surprise.

Di Qiu scanned everyone’s reactions silently; it seemed this was the first time they had heard of this matter.

There was a three-second silence in the car. The driver, sensing the mood, was not surprised—he was waiting for this reaction. Finally, he broke the silence:

“But you don’t have to worry. That tunnel is a massive sealed lock for the Ghouls. Although these A-level Ghouls can freely move inside the tunnel, they can only be active there. They cannot break the seal and leave to harm people.

And there’s no need to fear that some esper will foolishly try to eliminate all the Ghouls inside. No one is that dumb. There are sixteen A-level Ghouls in total. If one person tries to wipe them all out, they would face either the S3-level Ghouls or the awakening of the Ultimate Ghoul. No one dares to do that.”

Di Qiu groaned inwardly: “No way. Could it be that the Phoenix Spirit Blood in the mission is actually obtained inside that tunnel? The Vajra Talisman, and you’re giving me all this trouble?”

“If an S3-level Ghoul comes out, would the tunnel’s seal be broken?” Zhu Yufang asked a key question.

“Supposedly not.”

“Then why warn us to be careful next time we come?” An Lang was quick to voice his doubt.

This time, Deng Jingxiang finally replied with a soft laugh:

“It’s nothing much. Once the lighting is turned on, the Ghouls can clearly see everyone inside the car. They remember your faces. Next time, if you pass through here alone, even with protection, your chance of being attacked is tens of times higher than others.”

“Hey, Sister Xiang, why didn’t you say that earlier?”

“The car was already inside the tunnel; no talking was allowed.”

“What a lousy excuse...” Yun Jiayu crossed her arms and snorted.

Huang Ming looked out at the green fields and asked, “But why did the Zhongwei Bureau headquarters set up here? It’s so remote. I sense a lot of sealed Ghoul auras along the way. With so many logisticians in the Bureau, why don’t they deal with them?”

The driver kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, casually replying, “Because the Ghouls in this valley can never be completely eradicated. This place is the source of the Ghouls. That’s why the Zhongwei Bureau is established here—to guard the four directions.”

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“What do you mean by ‘source’?”

Deng Jingxiang stood in the aisle, her face serious.

“This mountain is called Wuyuan Mountain. Every inch of it is sealed with powerful enchantments to prevent any Ghoul from escaping. Tens of thousands of Ghouls have been sealed here. After waves of exterminations by logisticians, thousands of new sealed Ghouls have emerged again.

In other words, after all the Ghouls are eliminated, new sealed Ghouls will appear.

So, for new logisticians, your initial task can be to undertake trials here and earn points.”

“Hey, so does that mean we could basically wipe out all the Ghouls on this mountain?” Di Qiu stroked her chin thoughtfully.

“...”

Is that really how the phrase ‘wipe out’ is used?

But Deng Jingxiang nodded coldly, “If you think of it that way, you’re not wrong.”

“Then if we come to headquarters next time, will there be a special vehicle to pick us up?” someone asked with concern.

Deng Jingxiang said, “No, so cherish this round trip. However, everyone can apply for their own vehicle from the Bureau and drive themselves.

Also, the Bureau issues exclusive Protection Talismans that conceal one’s aura and prevent Ghouls from attacking proactively.”

“Looks like the Zhongwei Bureau isn’t all that great. They can’t even spare a special car, abusing the elderly,” Zhu Yufang complained slightly.

Di Qiu nodded deeply, feeling like she’d gotten on a thief’s ship—no, thief’s car.

As an A-level logistician, she didn’t even have a dedicated vehicle. The Bureau’s status was just so-so.

“Heh, you think so too? I wonder if we can quit the Zhongwei Bureau,” the elderly woman seemed to have found a kindred spirit and turned to Di Qiu with bright eyes, her voice a bit too loud.

Deng Jingxiang’s calm voice followed: “A-level logisticians can apply for a dedicated vehicle if they pass an advanced assessment.”

Di Qiu, the only one in the car who had passed the A-level rating, suddenly dropped her earlier disdain, cleared her throat twice, and said, “That said, I think the Zhongwei Bureau’s policies are quite humane.”

No sooner had she spoken than she felt all twenty eyes burning into her. Feeling like needles pricking her back, she whistled casually, then turned to the window, suddenly stopping and exclaiming, “Wow!”

An Lang, seated up front, turned around intending to tease her, but seeing her reaction, closed his mouth and looked out the window with curiosity. His mouth, just closed, opened slightly: “Wow~”

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Who would have thought such a colossal, magnificent building stood here, towering between two split canyons, forming a new mountain with the surrounding peaks, its summit piercing the clouds.

At the flat ground stood a stone gatehouse with a hundred-meter-wide stairway climbing straight up to the building above.

Above the gatehouse was a grand archway, inscribed with three large golden-edged characters: Zhongwei Bureau.

A collision of classical and modern architecture—strange yet harmonious.

All twenty in the car got out and stood before the stairway. Except for the driver and Deng Jingxiang, everyone wore expressions of awe.

Di Qiu looked up the endless stone stairs and noticed there was no cable car or similar facility. Suddenly, she asked, “Sister Xiang, you don’t mean we have to walk all the way up, do you?”

Deng Jingxiang smiled faintly, “What else? There’s no cable car here, and cars can’t drive up.”

“...”

Di Qiu looked down at her legs and wiped the sweat away. In this scorching June heat, it felt even hotter.

This was really going to be tough.

“Let’s go,” Deng Jingxiang said, stepping first onto the stairway. Her figure flickered like a ghost, moving further and further away.

The other students, seeing this, used the various abilities they learned at school, each displaying their talents: some ran briskly up without a breath, others fired themselves upward using their cannons.

One by one, eighteen students left, leaving only Di Qiu and Zhu Yufang side by side.

Looking at the long stairway, Zhu Yufang sighed and shook her head, leaning on her cane, “This is going to be tough on my old back.”

But as soon as she took a step, her pace was no slower than that of a lively young person.

Now alone, Di Qiu took a deep breath and began to run upward step by step.