Chapter 48: The Underground Bureau of Supernaturals

On the other side, at the entrance of the Old Town Police Station, Bai Mengqi and Zi Yanran had already arrived.

Su Ruoxi was already waiting at the entrance. The moment she saw the two women alight from their car, she hurried over to greet them.

“You’ve finally arrived,” Su Ruoxi said with a smile.

Zi Yanran immediately greeted Su Ruoxi. “Auntie.”

Su Ruoxi nodded, then shifted her gaze to Bai Mengqi.

“Both of you, follow me,” Su Ruoxi instructed, leading them into the police station.

The police station was merely a facade; the Bureau of Supernaturals lay hidden beneath it.

Su Ruoxi guided the two women to an elevator entrance.

This elevator was exclusively for the Bureau of Supernaturals; ordinary police officers could not access the lower levels without proper credentials.

The three entered the elevator, descending steadily, indicating that the Bureau of Supernaturals was quite a distance below ground.

Inside the elevator, Su Ruoxi reminded Zi Yanran, “Yanran, you are an ordinary person. Once we go down, it’s crucial that you maintain secrecy and don’t tell anyone what you see, understand?”

Zi Yanran nodded without hesitation. “I understand, Auntie.”

As the elevator doors slowly parted, the trio stepped into a spacious and mysterious underground complex.

This was the headquarters of the Bureau of Supernaturals.

However, just as they emerged, Lin Hongyu appeared at the elevator entrance.

He chuckled, striding forward to greet them as soon as they stepped out.

After shaving his beard, he actually looked no older than his early thirties.

“Hahaha, it’s Miss Zi and Miss Bai, correct? A pleasure to finally meet you.”

Lin Hongyu exuded warmth the moment he appeared. He quickly stepped forward, extending his hand to Zi Yanran as if reuniting with an old friend.

Though it was Zi Yanran’s first time meeting Lin Hongyu, she politely returned his greeting.

Su Ruoxi, standing nearby, promptly introduced Lin Hongyu.

“Yanran, Miss Bai, this is Lin Hongyu, the director of our Jiang City Bureau of Supernaturals.”

“Hello, Director Lin, I am Zi Yanran,” Zi Yanran said, offering a polite greeting.

Bai Mengqi, however, regarded him with a wary gaze.

This was because the energy fluctuations emanating from the man before her were anything but ordinary.

After greeting Zi Yanran, Lin Hongyu extended his hand to Bai Mengqi.

“Miss Bai, your reputation precedes you. To meet you today is an honor. On behalf of the Jiang City Bureau of Supernaturals, I must thank you for saving Deputy Director Su and my other subordinates three years ago.”

Bai Mengqi observed Lin Hongyu’s expression. She could discern an inexplicable battle intent simmering beneath his seemingly amiable demeanor.

“You’re welcome. It was all for the stability of society,” Bai Mengqi replied, extending her own hand.

The moment Lin Hongyu’s hand met Bai Mengqi’s, he suddenly froze.

He felt an indescribable power radiating from her palm.

Bai Mengqi, too, frowned, casting a peculiar glance at him.

“Excellent, excellent! Young supernaturals with such a sense of social responsibility are rare indeed. May I ask, Miss Bai, where are you from? Which sect or school do you belong to? Who is your master? And why can’t our Bureau of Supernaturals find any information about you?”

Lin Hongyu fired a barrage of questions, attempting to uncover Bai Mengqi’s background. Yet, Bai Mengqi merely offered a slight smile.

“Perhaps I’ve simply been rather low-key before, which is why your esteemed bureau couldn’t find my information. Besides, I haven’t done anything wrong, have I? Why such an intense interrogation, Director Lin?”

Zi Yanran watched the two converse with feigned pleasantries, feeling utterly bewildered.

She sensed that despite their superficial cordiality, an undercurrent of tension flowed between them, as if they were both subtly probing each other.

Especially during their handshake, Zi Yanran distinctly felt both their palms clenching with force, seemingly engaged in a silent contest.

‘Why are these two shaking hands for so long? Are they secretly competing?’ Zi Yanran wondered, observing their prolonged posture.

She quickly glanced at her aunt, but Su Ruoxi merely shook her head, signaling her not to interfere.

The energy fluctuations emanating from the two grew increasingly volatile, and the air around them began to grow hot.

But after about ten seconds, Lin Hongyu’s expression abruptly turned strange.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his composed smile gradually stiffened, barely holding its shape.

Bai Mengqi, however, remained perfectly serene.

The two continued their conversation, asking various questions. Initially, Lin Hongyu had been the one questioning, but then Bai Mengqi began to pose queries.

Lin Hongyu’s face started to flush crimson. Their clasped hands trembled rapidly, and a wave of heat radiated from their palms.

His facial muscles began to twitch, and the veins on his right hand bulged.

Bai Mengqi, who had been observing his eyes, noticed the change in his expression and promptly shifted the topic.

“Director Lin, perhaps you could show us around the Bureau of Supernaturals? We could chat while we tour, what do you say?”

Lin Hongyu’s heart tightened at her words, but he maintained his smile. “Ah, yes, yes, of course! I’ll be happy to give you both a tour.”

His voice had become noticeably weak as he spoke.

Bai Mengqi released Lin Hongyu’s hand, and he, as if liberated, swiftly pulled his hand back and placed it behind his back.

Zi Yanran happened to witness this. Lin Hongyu’s hand, which had just gripped Bai Mengqi’s, was swollen and purplish, while Bai Mengqi’s hand showed no signs of abnormality whatsoever.

Lin Hongyu was inwardly astonished. As the head of the Jiang City Bureau of Supernaturals’ branch, he was an esper nearing A-rank.

Yet, during their brief contest, he found himself swiftly at a disadvantage.

If Bai Mengqi hadn’t deliberately held back, his hand might very well have been crushed.

‘Damn it, where did this monster come from? They’re even stronger than me!’

Lin Hongyu cursed inwardly, yet maintained a smile on his face, as if nothing untoward had occurred.

“Well, Director Lin, weren’t you going to give us a tour?” Bai Mengqi prompted when Lin Hongyu remained unresponsive for a moment.

Lin Hongyu quickly nodded. “Ah, yes, yes, that’s right! Come, Miss Bai, Miss Zi, please follow me.”

With that, he turned and led the way forward. He exchanged a glance with Su Ruoxi, shaking his head subtly.

This small gesture conveyed to Su Ruoxi that even he was no match for Bai Mengqi.

Upon entering, a long corridor immediately greeted their eyes.

This corridor, constructed almost entirely of metal, appeared incredibly sturdy.

At its end was a tightly sealed door, embedded with an electronic display screen that pulsed with a cold blue light.

Lin Hongyu approached the door and had his face recognized by the display.

Once the door opened, it revealed a vast underground space.

This was starkly different from the police station above; they seemed to have stepped into a city of the future.

“Alright, we’ve arrived. Besides overseeing supernaturals, the Bureau of Supernaturals is also responsible for apprehending illegal supernaturals and supernatural beings. This place also functions as a prison,” Lin Hongyu explained as he walked.

Inside, rows upon rows of cells, constructed from energy nets and specialized metal, stretched out. They held various supernaturals, as well as some non-human entities.

For instance, in an energy cage to Bai Mengqi’s right, an evil spirit exuding malevolent aura was imprisoned.

Next to the evil spirit was a monster resembling an octopus—a Sin-Eater, a creature born from humanity’s negative emotions.

Many beings beyond human comprehension resided here.