Chapter 46: Confession

Ninth Division, Jiang Hai City Temporary Office.

The smell of smoke mixed with instant coffee made the office atmosphere somewhat restless.

Nie Yang sat at the head seat, rhythmically tapping the desk with his fingers, a confidential file that had just arrived through an encrypted channel spread before him—"Preliminary Proposal for Establishing the Federal Weird Investigation Bureau."

"Fast lane."

Nie Yang folded the file, uttered three words, his face wearing his trademark warm smile.

"We don't want to wait any longer. The Weird Investigation Bureau's preparatory work is accelerating across the board. The three of us, as comrades with 'frontline handling experience,' have already been slated as the first batch of members."

Opposite him, the white‑haired youth Mo Zixuan was leisurely carving an apple with a military dagger; upon hearing that, he grinned, showing a set of white teeth.

"Chief, as the team leader, once this Weird Investigation Bureau is established, won't you be promoted three ranks and go straight into the Federation Core as a senior leader? You'll have to look after us then," he said in a flippant tone.

"Impossible," Nie Yang said gently, his words causing Mo Zixuan's smile to fade.

"What gets us into Ninth Division? It's 'united front value.'"

Nie Yang extended a finger and tapped the desk lightly.

"Frankly, people like us aren't clean‑handed. The state needs us to do the dirty work, to handle things that can't be put on the table. That's why we're given these privileges that exist outside the law, and they wouldn't be foolish enough to put us in high positions."

His gaze swept over Mo Zixuan, his smile gaining a few inexplicable undertones.

"Especially you, Zixuan, a mad dog—let out, you can bite people, but have you ever seen a household invite a mad dog into the living room, let it sit on the sofa and guard the house?"

"Anyone who can sit in that position, even if not a paragon, must be involved with at least one of them."

Nie Yang's words were like a bucket of cold water, dousing the spark of excitement in Mo Zixuan's eyes.

"According to the model's projection, the probability of the three of us entering the power core is 0.13%, lower than the chance of being killed by the Weird during a mission."

In the corner, the bespectacled woman L, who had been hunched over a holographic screen typing, suddenly added a sentence.

The air instantly became somewhat tense.

"Alright, let's stop dragging this out."

Nie Yang broke the silence, steering the conversation back on track.

"Headquarters has new conclusions on 'Cavity Person' and 'Ghost Wall.' The conclusion is that the Weird cannot be killed, only contained. Although we can confirm they are transformed from humans after death, the mechanism of transformation remains an unsolved mystery."

"How we deal with them in the future…"

At that moment, the office door was knocked.

The three looked toward the door.

A police officer in charge of liaison poked his head in, his expression odd.

"Team Leader Nie, Director Qin Yongchang of the City Bureau… named you specifically, wants to see you immediately."

The City Bureau, an emptied conference room.

Qin Yongchang sat alone inside.

In just one night, the once formidable and authoritative Public Security Bureau Chief of Jiang Hai City had a large patch of white hair at his temples.

His uniform remained crisply ironed, yet he seemed to have his spine pulled out, slumping loosely in the chair with a hollow stare.

The door opened, and Nie Yang entered with his unchanged smile.

"Director Qin, why the rush to find me? What major incident occurred?"

Qin Yongchang lifted his head, blood‑shot eyes fixed on Nie Yang, his lips trembling for a long moment before a hoarse voice forced out of his throat.

He trembled, pushing the two files before him onto Nie Yang's desk.

Nie Yang's smile remained unchanged; he pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up the two files.

One detailed the torture murder of Huang Mao in a sealed room.

The other recounted Zhang Shao being drowned alive at a pool party.

"Team Leader Nie…"

While Nie Yang examined the files, Qin Yongchang's voice, bearing a dying, shattered tone, confessed everything.

—How Qin Yu, due to a dispute of pride, led people in a revenge, and accidentally killed the girl named Ling Xinyu.

How they, in panic, dumped the bodies into the river.

And now, Huang Mao and Zhang Shao, two participants, met successive gruesome deaths in a manner beyond normal reasoning.

"It was her… the girl came back for revenge."

Qin Yongchang's voice was filled with fear and helplessness.

"She turned into… turned into the kind of 'thing' you mentioned."

Nie Yang listened quietly, neither interrupting nor showing any surprise. He simply flipped through the documents calmly until Qin Yongchang finished speaking.

"Director Qin, I'm very curious," Nie Yang set the files down, crossed his ten fingers, leaned slightly forward, his warm gaze fixed on the other, "With your influence, suppressing this matter for a while wouldn't be hard. Why choose to tell me proactively?"

"Can't keep it down."

Qin Yongchang gave a wry laugh and shook his head.

"As more people die, this matter will inevitably be investigated as a Weird incident."

He lifted his head, his eyes showing deep indifference.

"I've seen the power of your Ninth Division. Before you, I have no secrets; the Qin family will eventually fall."

"And my beastly son will sooner or later be found by her. Rather than let a vengeful spirit kill him alive and claim more lives, I chose to come clean and cut losses in time."

In that moment, the political hawk completely shed all dignity and luck.

"I plead guilty. I only ask you… please protect Qin Yu's dog life, don't let him die at that female ghost's hands. Finally, hand him over to the law."

At that point, Qin Yongchang seemed to finally regain a hint of his original intention.

Nie Yang looked at him, his smile unchanged.

He calmly gathered the two files, giving the table a light tap.

"Deal."

He accepted this weighty "letter of allegiance".

Nie Yang, in front of Qin Yongchang, took out a terminal and initiated encrypted communication.

"Wei Gong, Jiang Hai City has seen a new Weird incident, showing a clear vengeful tendency......"

His report was concise and efficient:

"The target of that Weird is to kill several of her perpetrators. So far, two deaths have occurred. The main culprit is Qin Yu, son of Jiang Hai City Public Security Bureau Chief Qin Yongchang."

"I suggest we immediately initiate containment procedures."

On the other end of the phone, Wei Gong's stern face showed no ripple; he only uttered two words:

"Approved."

"The Operations Team still retains the highest authority to allocate Jiang Hai City's local resources."

The communication was cut off.

Nie Yang stood up, adjusted his collar, and gave Qin Yongchang a smile that could be called polite.

"Chief Qin, thank you for your cooperation. From now on, your son will be taken over by our Ninth Division."

"Action."

He rose and left, leaving Qin Yongchang alone, slumped in his chair.

Mo Zhexian excitedly licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of a hunter who has found new prey.

He moved his wrists, joints making a crisp crackling sound, and followed Nie Yang.

The three members of the Operations Team marched out of the meeting room with decisive efficiency.

A hunt targeting the new Weird is about to begin.

The meeting room's door was gently closed.

Qin Yongchang sat alone in the empty room, as if abandoned by the whole world.

He dare not think about when his daughter, who always took pride in him, Qin Zhixia, who had engraved the two characters "justice" into her bones, would learn that his father, to shield his murderous son, had knowingly broken the law and personally tainted everything she guarded......

What kind of gaze would she use to look at himself?

He has no face to face his daughter, whom he is proud of.

He really made a mistake back then.

From the moment he decided to suppress Qin Yu's killing......

The Qin family is thus doomed to eternal ruin.