CH 64

Translator: Abo Dammen

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Father Liang had just stepped out of the shower when he noticed a pink envelope lying on the desk. His brow furrowed deeply.

The content was the same as the white letter, but the color had changed to pink.

“Why was this brought in again? I gave explicit instructions to throw it away!”

He picked it up casually. The wording was identical to the previous ones, demanding he repay a colossal, impossible debt that had absolutely nothing to do with him.

It was utterly absurd. Father Liang felt genuine anger bubbling up from the sheer irritation of it.

He gripped the envelope with both hands, fully intending to rip it to shreds. But the quality of the paper was simply too high. No matter how hard he strained, it refused to tear. He tossed it into the trash bin once more.

He called the butler. “That particular letter, do not bring it to my attention again. How many times must I tell you?”

The butler, however, replied, “Mr. Liang, I already disposed of the one in the mailbox.”

Disposed of it? Then how had this one appeared on his desk?

Father Liang pressed his lips into a thin line. He squatted on the toilet, smoking a cigarette to steady his nerves. When he stood up to flush, he spotted an identical envelope floating in the water.

The one on the desk could have been placed there by someone else. But the one inside the toilet bowl? He certainly hadn’t produced it himself moments ago.

Fake. It was all fake. An illusion. He was clearly just overworked.

Muttering to himself, Father Liang pulled back the covers, ready to collapse into bed.

But when the quilt was lifted, the bedsheet beneath was densely, impossibly covered with pink envelopes. They formed a solid, horrifying layer, like a second skin on the mattress.

Father Liang stood frozen in place.

“Dad, what’s wrong?”

At breakfast the next morning, Liang Ziang called out to him from across the dining table.

“Oh, just some work-related matters,” his father answered slowly.

“You’ve seemed off lately. Perhaps I should go to the office today to check on things?” Liang Ziang offered.

He had already started taking over some of the company’s affairs. His father didn’t look like he was in any condition to work.

His father refused. “No need. I can still manage. You stay home and be a good host to your uncle and Mr. Ruan.”

Liang Ziang sensed something deeply wrong with his father but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. He could only nod. “Alright. They went out this morning to buy some local specialties. They should be back soon.”

In the afternoon, President Lou returned alone.

Liang Ziang looked behind him, but Ruan Zhou was nowhere in sight. “Where is Mr. Ruan?”

“Oh, he said he wanted to explore on his own for a bit.” President Lou looked at him knowingly. “Leave him be.”

He could see right through this boy’s intentions. Did Liang Ziang ever look in a mirror? Other than his money and his face, what other talents did he possess? His nerve was simply too much.

“Oh,” Liang Ziang acknowledged quietly.

“What’s this?” President Lou casually picked up a letter that was sitting on the table.

Liang Ziang’s pupils contracted sharply.

The envelope on the table was glaringly conspicuous. But just moments ago, the table had been completely empty. That object hadn’t been there before.

President Lou opened it and glanced at the contents. His eyes nearly popped from his head. “How could anyone owe this much money?”

If you sold every company in Linquan City, would it even cover this debt?

Liang Ziang sighed heavily. “We have absolutely no connection to this company, not a single transaction. These things just keep coming.”

“Then simply ignore them. Padlock the mailbox,” President Lou said, his expression darkening.

Liang Ziang shook his head. “That’s useless. The moment we locked the mailbox, the letters started appearing under the door crack. It’s been almost a month now. The frequency is increasing. Yesterday, we received two bills. Today, this is already the fifth. The Public Security officers came by a few days ago. They said it was likely someone playing a malicious prank. They took our security footage to review, but we still haven’t heard back. Our own entrance cameras haven’t captured any sign of a delivery person. The letters just seem to materialize out of thin air.”

President Lou’s expression was deeply serious now. He clearly grasped the gravity of the situation. “Where is your father today? I haven’t seen him.”

“He went to work,” Liang Ziang said.

Just as the words left his mouth, Father Liang walked through the front door.

“Dad?” Liang Ziang looked startled. “Why are you home so early?”

He had left the house that morning looking dazed and hesitant. Now, returning, his face was wreathed in smiles.

“It’s nothing. I’m perfectly fine.” His father spotted the letter still in President Lou’s hand. “You don’t need to worry about that anymore. I’ve found a solution.”

President Lou pressed him. “Really? You know, you could let our Ruan—”

“Pangbing, there is no need for you to concern yourself with this matter. I understand the stakes.” Father Liang went straight upstairs.

President Lou caught Liang Ziang’s eye and gave him a meaningful look. “Keep a close watch on your father.”

Liang Ziang nodded firmly.

“Dad, what exactly are you planning to do?” Liang Ziang followed him all the way to the study.

“Repaying debts is a matter of natural justice,” his father declared, dropping the words like a thunderbolt.

“Dad! Have you lost your mind?!” Liang Ziang’s voice cracked.

The amount on those bills was in the trillions! How could they possibly repay it? Even if they liquidated every single company owned by every branch of the family, they couldn’t scrape together that sum!

“Liang Ziang, in business, integrity is paramount. What’s the big deal about repaying a debt? This is nothing for you to worry about. Your father has it well in hand.” He clapped Liang Ziang on the shoulder, smiling.

Xiao arrived at the address provided by Ruan Zhou’s company, carrying his equipment.

The moment he registered the location, he froze in stunned disbelief.

Why was the worksite the Anomaly Control Bureau?!

He, a high-ranking operative of an illegal organization, had been dispatched, on the recommendation of Ruan Zhou, directly to work at the Anomaly Control Bureau?

Had the world gone completely mad?

A freshly established human resources company, barely off the ground, had managed to secure a client as significant as the Anomaly Control Bureau…

The Bureau would never, under normal circumstances, contract with a scrappy startup like this…

After the Mingyu Group incident, the Bureau must have uncovered something…

Information assembled rapidly in his mind. Xiao reached his conclusion.

Everything had been orchestrated by the Anomaly Control Bureau.

Did that mean they had already identified him?

Xiao was instantly on high alert.

Perhaps he had been standing frozen for too long. Before long, a guard emerged from the gatehouse. “May I ask who you are?”

Xiao was clutching a mop and bucket, clad in a blue checkered apron and a soft pink cap. He summoned a bright smile. “I’m the janitor sent over by Mr. Ruan’s introduction.”

The guard blinked. “Wait here a moment.”

He went inside to make a call.

Shortly after, a female Anomaly Control officer came to escort Xiao in.

Once she had settled him in an office to wait, the officer offered a smile. “I should preface this by saying the work environment here might be somewhat… unique.”

Xiao replied smoothly, “That’s no problem at all. I’ve seen a great deal. No job is too dirty or too demanding for me.”

The officer’s eyes lit up. “Excellent! I just knew Mr. Ruan was a reliable man. His judgment is spot on!”

Xiao couldn’t help but ask, “This is a classified facility, isn’t it? Is it really alright for an outside janitor like me to come in?”

Under normal circumstances, even the janitorial staff at such an institution were specifically designated personnel, subject to the strictest vetting. Even someone handpicked by Ruan Zhou shouldn’t be granted access this effortlessly.

Otherwise, his organization would have infiltrated the Anomaly Control Bureau until it was riddled with holes long ago.

“You needn’t worry about that,” she assured him. “The truly classified areas will not require your cleaning services.”

She smiled again. “In a moment, I’ll take you to familiarize yourself with your work environment. Rest assured, our Bureau’s management philosophy is exceptionally humane.”

Xiao waited in the office for a short while until someone called his alias.

“Zhou Xiao!”

Xiao shot to his feet. “Present!”

“Gather your tools. You’re with me.”

Xiao still had no grasp of what was happening. He simply followed the officers’ instructions mechanically.

This was not the time to expose himself. He still had a critical mission to accomplish.

He was led to a van. After the officer verified his identity, he was directed to the back seat.

Xiao sat wedged among the cleaning supplies, swaying with the vehicle’s every turn.

The officer in the front passenger seat remained utterly silent, his expression grim, occasionally glancing at Xiao through the rearview mirror.

The journey stretched on and on. Time crawled by, and the atmosphere inside the van grew increasingly oppressive. Xiao was seriously beginning to suspect his cover had been blown.

Just as he was preparing to make a move, the officer in front announced, “We’re here.”

They had stopped in front of a residential building. Xiao jumped out of the van.

“Bring your tools,” the officer instructed.

They took the elevator to the fifteenth floor. There, Xiao came face to face with an Anomaly Control officer sporting a high ponytail. He recognized this man. This was the officer who had apprehended Lin Xuezhu.

“You arrived quickly.” Fei Shilan lifted his eyes, his tone nonchalant.

He had just finished escorting a contained anomaly back to headquarters when he was notified that the person Ruan Zhou had selected was en route. He had rushed back immediately.

The interior of the apartment was a slaughterhouse. The walls, the floor, the bed were all scored with the marks of some monstrous attack. Shreds of human remains and viscera lay exposed to the air in a gruesome, scattered mess. The cloying, rancid stench of decaying flesh assaulted the senses.

Any normal person witnessing this scene would have vomited uncontrollably.

The man in the blue checkered apron and soft pink cap, clutching his mop bucket, merely frowned. He turned aside, retching a few dry heaves, but managed to keep the contents of his stomach down.

Fei Shilan was mildly impressed. “So you’re the man Mr. Ruan sent.”

The man opposite him hesitated. “Yes, that’s me. What… what exactly happened here?”

“Any details beyond what you see are not your concern,” Fei Shilan said. “I noticed when you entered, you remained relatively composed. Your [tn content=”SAN index”]sanity levels basically[/tn] stayed remarkably stable. Not bad at all. Truly, a man of Mr. Ruan’s caliber has an eye for talent.”

Xiao wrinkled his nose in irritation. It was his own formidable psychological resilience, his own emotional stability. Why was everyone praising Ruan Zhou’s judgment?

“We’re severely short-handed lately. The reason we’ve called you in is simple. As you can see, a fatal incident occurred here. Your task is merely to clean the scene thoroughly. You will be compensated at the absolute highest hourly rate in the industry.”

“…I’m doing this alone?” Cleaning this site would take a minimum of ten-plus hours of continuous labor.

Fei Shilan offered a reassuring smile. “Rest assured, I understand how valuable this job opportunity is. No one will compete with you for it. Wages will be settled daily in cash. Your social insurance will also be covered. However, you will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement.”

“So now, you are officially a Crime Scene Cleaner. Please, give free rein to your talents.”

Liang Ziang came downstairs with deep, dark circles ringing his eyes.

“Did the young master not sleep well?” the butler inquired.

“I’m worried. My father’s condition is seriously abnormal.” Liang Ziang forced a pained smile. “I’m concerned about him.”

The butler asked, “What has happened to the master?”

Liang Ziang explained everything that had been occurring with his father.

The butler had never directly encountered spiritual contamination, but he knew instinctively that this was beyond normal.

“Have you told anyone else about this, young master?”

Liang Ziang shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Perhaps you should speak with Mr. Lou. He may have encountered something similar before.”

Liang Ziang considered this and found it reasonable.

The Mingyu Group incident had been a major event. Users on the forum all speculated that anomalies were involved. His uncle had been at the very center of it. He might be able to offer some advice.

Father Liang descended the stairs at a leisurely pace. Noticing his son and the butler whispering in hushed tones, he frowned with displeasure. “What are you two muttering about so secretively?”

“Dad, how are you feeling today?”

“Perfectly fine.”

“And the bills? Are you still planning to repay the amount on those bills?”

“I’ve told you, this matter does not concern you. And you are not to go to the company recently,” his father said, sidestepping the question entirely.

Liang Ziang’s expression hardened. “Dad, you are being controlled by an anomaly.”

Father Liang’s brow furrowed. “What on earth are you talking about?”

The butler tugged at Liang Ziang’s sleeve. “Young master!”

“We cannot repay this debt, and there is absolutely no need to. Your current state is not normal.”

Father Liang suddenly smiled. “Oh, is that what this is about? I thought it was something serious. I know we can’t repay it. I just had the passing thought. After all, we can’t let them keep harassing us indefinitely.”

“Both of you, stay home and behave. I’m heading to the office.”

“You are not going to the office.” Liang Ziang’s face was as cold and severe as frost. With a single long stride, he planted himself directly in his father’s path.

His father looked genuinely astonished. “Did you actually believe I would do something to harm the company? Ziang-er, you underestimate your father.”

The butler tried to mediate. “Sir, perhaps you could postpone going in today. Taking one day of rest won’t hurt.”

It was at this moment that Ruan Zhou descended the stairs, catching the tail end of the heated exchange. He stopped dead, uncertain whether he should proceed further.

“Even you are lecturing me now?” Father Liang’s face twisted with irritation. “I don’t need any of you fretting over me. I’ve spent half my life navigating the storms of the business world. What tempest haven’t I weathered? The company will be fine. Just stay home, all of you!”

Shaking off the hands attempting to restrain him, Father Liang forced his way to the car and was driven off.

Ruan Zhou had witnessed the entire scene from the staircase.

It sounded like a professional issue.

Father Liang was their investor. If something went wrong with the investor’s company, the promised capital would almost certainly fall through.

“Was it because of those billing letters?” Ruan Zhou couldn’t help but ask as he finished his descent.

“Mr. Ruan.” Liang Ziang immediately straightened his posture. “My apologies for you having to witness such a scene. Yes, it’s the bills. My father intends to repay a debt that simply doesn’t exist.”

Ruan Zhou had heard about this from President Lou. A fraudulent company was demanding an astronomical sum.

Ruan Zhou’s brow creased. “That is indeed troubling. Perhaps you should try reasoning with him further. Would you like President Lou or myself to speak with him?”

Liang Ziang quickly demurred. “I couldn’t possibly impose on you like that.”

“It’s no imposition. If you need us, just say the word. Your father has always seemed like a reasonable man. If we present a united front, we should be able to talk him down.”

“And if reasoning fails, we can still physically restrain him,” Ruan Zhou added pragmatically.

Liang Ziang gave a rueful laugh. “Thank you.”

Just then, the butler re-entered, his expression stiff and his voice trembling slightly. “Mr. Ruan… there is a courier package for you.”

Ruan Zhou was puzzled. “A package? How could a package for me arrive here in Linquan?”

He had no recollection of ordering anything.

He opened the document pouch, and a pink envelope slid into view.

“What is this?” Ruan Zhou asked.

Liang Ziang’s eyelid twitched violently.

“It looks familiar.” Ruan Zhou read the front. The envelope was addressed: Respectfully to Mr. Ruan, for his perusal.

He remembered now. Wasn’t this the same type of envelope that Father Liang had been receiving?

Except this time, the recipient wasn’t Father Liang. It was himself.

“Don’t—!” Liang Ziang couldn’t even get the warning out in time to stop him from opening it.

A neatly trimmed piece of stiff cardstock emerged. The text read:

[Respected Mr. Ruan:

Our company formally demands that within 30 days of receiving this notice, your esteemed company remit the following outstanding debt to our designated account. Should your esteemed company fail to settle this obligation punctually, our company will be compelled to undertake further measures to protect our lawful rights and interests. All resulting consequences shall be borne solely by your esteemed company…

The seal below read: Bill Company.]

Ruan Zhou extended a finger and meticulously counted the digits of the sum demanded. The unit of measurement was in the trillions.

His company had been formally established for less than half a month, and someone was already demanding he pay an impossible debt?

Ruan Zhou found himself laughing from sheer outrage.