Antique Shop Zero: Disfigured School Beauty Becomes a Succubus to Pay Off Debts

At dusk, in the capital city, on Laomang Mountain, the mountain range stretches for hundreds of miles.

A helicopter flew towards the cliff.

A neat gap slowly opened in the cliff, revealing a massive, matte alloy door deeply embedded in the rock.

It is like a dark heart embedded in Laomang Mountain.

The helicopter flew into the giant gate, and the interior was clearly visible.

The smooth metal walls all around immediately covered the helicopter with crimson scanning dots.

Scan safe!

A man in uniform, wearing an earpiece, signaled to the helicopter with a pilot flag.

The helicopter landed on the helipad.

This is the headquarters of the Anomaly Management Bureau.

Far removed from the mundane world, they are difficult to detect, yet they receive massive investments from the authorities every year.

The helicopter door opened.

The investigators from the gavel investigation team stepped down.

They were wearing investigator combat uniforms, even Yang Shayan, who rarely participated in combat.

The investigators, with solemn expressions, worked together to carry the coffin down from the helicopter.

Li Mingyue, carrying Liu Wei's portrait, walked in front, with Zhang Jiawei, the deputy leader of the investigation team, beside her.

Zhang Jiawei marched in step, walked to a position, saluted the darkness ahead, his face flushed red, and shouted with all his might:

"Judgment Wood Investigation Team, Team Leader Liu Wei, return to team! Requesting instructions from the Director!"

A roar echoed throughout the dark space.

"Click! Click-click!"

A row of lights turned on ahead.

The darkness in front of the investigation team was dispelled by the bright lights of the disc player.

The investigators, dressed in uniforms, stood solemnly.

At the very front of them was a man with slicked-back hair wearing a black suit.

Cao Ye, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Anomalies Investigation.

Cao Ye saluted, his expression calm, and began to speak:

Welcome home.

The voice was very flat.

But it was this calm voice that stirred up boundless warmth and sorrow in the hearts of the members of the investigation team.

Someone was sobbing; it was Yang Shayan.

A woman's crying is contagious; even those seasoned, hardened men had tears welling up in their eyes.

Li Mingyue clutched Liu Wei's portrait tightly, her lips pressed together, as if afraid her tears would soil the group leader's path to reincarnation.

Becoming an investigator means severing ties with one's family.

Even at funerals, relatives are not allowed to attend.

The Bureau of Anomalies has too many secrets, so many that one must remain silent for a lifetime.

Because once you say a word, there may be clues to those secrets.

The Bureau of Anomalies will eventually place the fallen soldiers' uniforms into small boxes and return them to their families.

The family members will never know the investigator's identity.

Li Mingyue felt that Liu Wei was already pitiful enough, and she would not be so insensible as to cry at Liu Wei's funeral.

Team Leader Liu Wei is a true man; he should leave this world with dignity.

Cao Ye waved towards the investigation team with the gavel.

Several staff members in white protective suits walked towards the investigation team members to lift the coffin containing Liu Wei's body.

Li Mingyue's pupils suddenly contracted.

She could tell at a glance that these people in white protective suits were going to do something bad to Team Leader Liu Wei's body.

Li Mingyue glared angrily at those people:

"What are you doing!"

Li Mingyue saw clearly that the nameplates on those people read "[Abnormal Research Institute]".

Cao Ye said indifferently:

"Liu Wei's remains are of great research value. According to regulations, the remains will be taken over by the Institute of Anomalies."

"You and I will be treated the same after we die."

Cao Ye met Li Mingyue's eyes and said, word by word:

"This is the highest honor."

Li Mingyue dared not look directly into those blazing eyes, and lowered her head.

Cao Ye continued:

"What Liu Wei could do, and what we living people could do, is to prevent more of our colleagues from having their funerals held in this wretched place."

After saying this, Cao Ye patted Li Mingyue on the shoulder and walked towards the auditorium.

......

At the funeral, all the colleagues stood solemnly in front of the portrait, one after another presenting wreaths.

Li Mingyue could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down her face.

Team leader Liu Wei was really good to her.

Although we didn't work together for long, he was a leader worthy of respect.

Yang Shayan took Li Mingyue's arm, wiped away her tears, and comforted her:

"Everyone has to go through this day eventually."

It all depends on whether a person has any regrets when that day comes.

Liu Wei has no regrets, really.

He was a soldier personally trained by Cao Ye, and he wasn't bad.

Zhang Jiawei said in a muffled voice:

"None of the investigators are cowards; they are all willing to sacrifice themselves for the glory of the Xia Kingdom!"

Mingyue, you must get used to it, but also remember that, given the frequency of the resurgence of forbidden things, some of your colleagues will definitely die.

Today it's Liu Wei, tomorrow it might be me, and the day after tomorrow it might be Sister Yan.

Or perhaps, the person who died was your future colleague.

I've been with the Anomaly Management Bureau for eight years, and including Liu Wei, a total of seven colleagues have died in the line of duty.

Li Mingyue's lips moved for a long time, but she couldn't say anything.

Yang Shayan looked at Zhang Jiawei:

"Instead of spending time educating Mingyue, you should think more about yourself."

Li Mingyue raised her eyes, her gaze filled with confusion.

Yang Shayan sighed:

"If the Five Emperors' Poison Money is lost, some people in the bureau will hold this against us."

Li Mingyue said in disbelief:

"What?! Have they no shame?!"

Yang Shayan said softly:

"There are a lot of shameless people in the bureau, Cao Ye is the only normal one. You'll get used to it."

.........

The funeral has ended.

The members of the investigation team and several high-ranking officials from the Bureau of Anomalies began a meeting in the conference room.

After Zhang Jiawei finished his report, he glanced cautiously at the middle-aged man in the white uniform sitting at the head of the table, and said guiltily:

"I'm sorry, Director, I'm sorry, all the leaders."

Our investigation team, using the gavel, lost the Five Emperors' Poison Coins during the Onmyoji incident.

Director Zhao Pengcheng remained expressionless, as still as a deep well, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

"snort!"

An elderly man with white hair snorted coldly:

"Lost it? What do you think Five Emperors Poison Coin is?"

There are only five forbidden items in the bureau. You're saying they're just gone like that?

He is the director of the Archives Department of the Bureau of Abnormalities.

He was in charge of keeping forbidden items and other objects and materials related to unusual events.

Zhang Jiawei lowered his head:

"I'm sorry, this is my dereliction of duty."

The elderly woman in uniform scrutinized Zhang Jiawei with her sharp, triangular eyes:

"Any investigator should use items that are forbidden by the Bureau of Life Protection!"

This is no longer a mistake, this is a serious dereliction of duty!

Your entire investigation team should be disciplined!

As for you?

As the deputy head of the investigation team, his crime is compounded!

She is the head of the personnel department of the Bureau of Abnormalities.

Zhang Jiawei said in a deep voice:

"I am willing to accept any punishment, but my team members are all brave warriors."

They performed admirably in this incident and should not be punished.

The old woman scoffed:

"The Onmyoji weren't dealt with by you; it was that mysterious person who took care of them."

What was the code name the archives department gave him?

Oh, right, [Forbidden Twilight].

"You failed to retrieve the Onmyoji's remains and even lost the Five Emperors' Poison Coins. I truly don't know how you carried out your mission!"

Zhang Jiawei clenched his fists and said in a muffled voice:

"The other side is too powerful. Our team of investigators has really used all their strength."

The old woman said angrily:

"What? What do you mean by that? Trying to take credit?"

Zhang Jiawei stared in astonishment, his mouth agape.

"I didn't mean that. I wasn't trying to take credit, I..."

He's clumsy with words; how could he possibly out-argue this old woman who's always spouting nonsense at the bureau?

A yawning sound came from behind:

"You've done good, how could you not have done good?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Cao Ye sitting in the deputy director's seat, legs crossed, picking his ear.

Cao Ye glanced at Zhang Jiawei:

"The gavel team is awarded a collective first-class merit."

The old woman said angrily:

"Director Cao, what do you mean by this?"

They made a mistake, why are you rewarding them!

The next chapter is even more exciting: Chapter 65, Liu Wei's Funeral. We look forward to your visit.