A Good-for-Nothing

70. An Imminent Upheaval (2)

 

Translator: Dragon Rider

 

With an apathetic face, He Zheng flicked Zu Zhichong a glance. Then he raised Li Zong’s Thermos bottle and was just about to hit Zu Zhichong’s head when Zu Zhichong hurriedly told the truth. “Wow, wow… Cool it, bro! Your application for a place on the Special Talents Training Program (STTP) needs to be stamped in the Supernaturalism Management Bureau of Sui City. I’m taking you there to have it stamped!”

He Zheng cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him, as if asking him what was going on.

Zu Zhichong explained, “He family is under the jurisdiction of Chief, but you are now a disciple of the Qingwei Sect, so your files have been temporarily transferred to the Supernaturalism Management Bureau of Sui City. If you want to participate in STTP, you have to go to the Wuwei-shizi Counter-demon Committee to have Mr Tan stamp your application form.”

He Zheng was confused. “The Counter-demon Committee? Are the Counter-demon Committee and SMB in the same place?”

“You don’t know?” Zu Zhichong looked at He Zheng like an idiot, but then he recalled He Zheng’s previous reputation and felt relieved, a kindly smile on his face. “In fact, the Counter-demon Committee and SMB used to be the same agency. SMB was established as an expansion of the Counter-demon Committee, so the SMB of Sui City is actually the Counter-demon Committee of the Guangshen Area.”

“Too complicated,” concluded He Zheng simply with two words.

Zu Zhichong curled his lip. Without making any further remarks, he pressed down on the gas pedal and drove towards the entrance of the Yinguo Alley.

The Wuwei-shizi Counter-demon Committee was near the entrance of the Yinguo Alley. Its entryway was in the warehouse of a Laofengxiang Silverware Shop. Zu Zhichong parked the car and led He Zheng towards the entryway. Probably because the founder had wanted the style of buildings of the department to accord with that of the Sui City, most constructions in the Wuwei-shizi Counter-demon Committee were of European style, looking sumptuous and imposing. There were two giant yulan magnolias at the front gate of the department, which were laden with white flowers. A couple of staff members, seeing them walking inside, cocked their eyelids at them. One of them even waved a hearty greeting at Zu Zhichong.

All of them seemed to be well acquainted with Zu Zhichong. Zu Zhichong, who was also very familiar with this department, led He Zheng towards the office building. “Originally, I was supposed to work in this department for a certain amount of time before being eligible for a transfer to the Coastal City, because the Qingwei Sect is within the jurisdiction of this city.”

He Zheng was just about to say something when Zu Zhichong continued his talking.

“You know, these days, having a high-ranking backer is very important. I was directly transferred to the Coastal City.” Zu Zhichong cast a smile at He Zheng, which made He Zheng felt an overwhelming urge to kick his ass.

For the first time ever, He Zheng, who had also had someone pull strings for him not long ago, felt that enjoying preferential treatment indeed aroused others’ jealousy very easily. At this moment, for example, he really wanted to beat Zu Zhichong up.

The two of them also walked past a yulan magnolia from under it and then arrived at the doorway of the office. Zu Zhichong raised his hand and gestured He Zheng to wait. Then he stepped forward and knocked at the door. A female voice came from inside. “Come in.”

In the office, a middle-aged woman with a ponytail, dressed in plain clothes, was sitting on an office chair. The interior decoration of the office was somewhat old-fashioned, reminding people of a teachers’ office over ten years ago. Seeing them walking inside, the middle-aged woman put down her enamel cup, raised her hand and signaled them to sit down.

“Director Tan.” Zu Zhichong seemed to be quite acquainted with this woman as well. After greeting her, he twisted his head around and introduced her to He Zheng. “This is Tan Lubai, a director of the Wuwei-shizi Counter-demon Committee. She’s also a chairwoman of this committee.”

He Zheng looked at the middle-aged woman somewhat surprisedly. If it weren’t for the specialness of this department, a middle-aged woman with this appearance and clothing style would be unduly nondescript.

The woman seemed rather mild, bearing a very motherly temperament.

“You are He Zheng, I suppose? Li Zong made a phone call to me and told me about this. I’ve just sent someone to print your application form. I’ll have it stamped when it’s ready.”

He Zheng nodded and thanked her.

Tan Lubai looked at He Zheng, a smile on the corners of her mouth. Suddenly, she let out a sigh. “Pity it’s not us who are meant to be master shifu and apprentice. Xuanqing is such a lucky dog.”

He Zheng was thrown into perplexity.

Tan Lubai smiled, making no further remarks.

“Oh. Sorry to have put you to the trouble, Director Tan.” Zu Zhichong gave an exceptionally obsequious grin. “A few days ago when I came here to perform a task, I wanted to pay you a visit, but I got delayed again and again and didn’t find the time until this day. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad to know that you still remember me.” Director Tan was very approachable. She briefly sized Zu Zhichong up and observed, “It seems that Li Zong taught you well.”

Zu Zhichong instantly had a distressed look on his face and started spilling out his troubles. Director Tan pulled a wry face and eventually couldn’t help but tap at the surface of the table and remind him, “Complaining about Li Zong in the presence of He Zheng is beyond the pale.”

Zu Zhichong immediately shut up and looked at He Zheng warily. “Cutie, actually I was just joking. Don’t tell Chief about this.”

He Zheng rolled his eyes.

At this moment, another young man showed up. He knocked at the door and said in a discreet tone of voice, “Director Tan, I’ve had the form printed.”

Zu Zhichong squinted his eyes and stared at the young man in front of him. He was wearing a white shirt probably bought from some street vendor for twenty yuan, and a pair of fake Nike sneakers with cracks in the rubber edges of the uppers. Even his pants were single-colored. Loose thread residues stretched out of the bottom of his pant legs. His outfit seemed somewhat shabby, but his face was utterly pimple-free, giving people no unpleasant feelings of any kind.

With a big smile on her face, Director Tan fished a seal out of a drawer and stamped He Zheng’s form. “By the way, this young man here is the one our committee recommended to SMB for a place of STTP this year. You two should get acquainted with each other. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be teammates some day.”

The swarthy young man grinned at them, precisely revealing eight white teeth. In a very polite manner, he offered his hand and said friendlily, “Nice to meet you, Elder Sect-brothers. As they say, all chance meetings were predestined, and all predestined acquaintance deserves to be treasured. My name is Jin Qianlai. I’m looking forward to learning from you.”

How he had got this name was somewhat of a mystery. (In Chinese, “Jin Qianlai” means “Money is coming”.)

The corners of the mouths of He Zheng and Zu Zhichong involuntarily twitched with embarrassment, but they still shook hands with him.

“Just call me by my full name,” Zu Zhichong said.

Director Tan informed them, “Jin Qianlai works for SMB of the Sui City. Given that Zu Zhichong used to work here as well, it’s acceptable, in terms of both etiquette and reason, for him to address you as elder sect-brother.”

Since Tan Lubai had put it this way, the others inclined their heads. Zu Zhichong said, “Director Tan, if there’s nothing I can be of service to you for the moment, I’d like to take He Zheng to visit my family first.”

“All right. Just come back here to meet us after all your business is handled.”

With that, Tan Lubai flicked a glance at He Zheng, a smile in the depths of her eyes.

He Zheng was baffled by this glance.