Chapter 2: Commonly Known as the Mysterious Department of the Huaguo Government

Xu Zhiting withdrew his gaze from the car’s taillights. With a cold expression and an icy tone, he ordered the two men to take the large cat back to the Supernatural Bureau and to call an ambulance for the two people who had fainted by the roadside.

At this critical moment, it was this cold-blooded superior, who had not touched a drop of alcohol from start to finish, who reacted with such swift precision.

The very next day, the entire Supernatural Bureau underwent a thorough purge.

Anyone who dared to dissent was summoned by Xu Zhiting into a small, dark room. When they emerged, each of them bore, to varying degrees, the marks of a beating.

Regarding this, people whispered behind his back that he was more terrifying than the devil.

The files of every member of the Supernatural Bureau were kept in the public archives, with the sole exception of Xu Zhiting; all of his records had been encrypted with special materials, rendering them top secret.

Those who could enter the Supernatural Bureau were, to some extent, different from ordinary humans. Many strange events that defied natural human explanation fell under the scope of their investigations.

In folk terms, it was known as the "Mysterious Department of China."

The previous director had gone missing during a mission and had not been heard from since. Xu Zhiting’s arrival had begun to turn this period of stagnation around.

The next day, the two passersby woke up in the hospital, unable to remember what had happened the night before, their heads throbbing with a dull, heavy ache.

As if following some silent command, the nurses remained tight-lipped about anything related to the previous night, simply telling the two that they could leave once they had checked their belongings.

A black business card fell from the corner of a pocket onto the floor.

Lin Jiang bent down to pick it up, puzzled. When had this ended up in his pocket? Who had put it there?

"Time Grocery Store, address: Xinhua Street intersection..."

His friend excitedly snatched the card away, reading the name and address aloud, syllable by syllable. As he finished, the words on the black card miraculously vanished.

Jiang Xiang rubbed his thumb back and forth over the surface, his tone filled with irrepressible joy.

"We’re going to be rich. We’re going to be rich!"

"What do you mean? How does a business card equate to getting rich?"

"Have you ever heard of an urban legend? The Time Grocery Store—as long as you pay to buy something from inside, all your wishes will be granted."

"Jiang Xiang, you've been watching too many TV dramas! If a shop like that really existed, everyone would be rich." Despite saying this, neither of them could bring themselves to throw away the card that had now lost all its text.

Whether it was true or fake, why not go and see for yourself?

The Time Grocery Store.

An ancient legend circulating in the human world.

It was said that with enough money, one could buy anything and satisfy every desire.

Legend had it that when twilight shifted, a second space would appear, overlapping and merging with the real world. During this time, humans, ghosts, and gods could interact.

And the Time Grocery Store was the only gateway standing at the intersection of the three realms.

...

"Yan Ye, Yan Ye, it’s going to rain."

"Yan Ye, Yan Ye, remember to bring in the laundry and close the windows."

"Yan Ye, Yan Ye, your makeup is caking."

"Spread the word: Yan Ye is skipping her livestream again today!"

...

The person on the recliner could take it no longer. She grabbed the book covering her face and hurled it directly at the robot huddled under the wooden window. With a loud clatter, the book hit the floor. The short, stout robot shrieked.

"Ouch, ouch! Yan Ye is bullying Jin Yuanbao!" The robot, known as Jin Yuanbao, spun in circles, grumbling curses.

Yan Ye had only just returned home after finishing a mission at dawn. She had wanted to catch up on sleep, but having only just drifted off, she was now plagued by this wretched robot.

A weary, listless voice echoed through the small courtyard.

"Sooner or later, I’m going to rip out your battery."

As soon as she finished speaking, a rumble sounded in the sky. Without the book to shield her, the sunlight fell directly onto the woman’s face. She had a remarkably young face, dressed in simple attire. Her long, tied-up hair was nearly touching the ground.

Her eyes, slightly opened against the sunlight, were clear and bright. A pale golden shimmer flashed through her pupils.

Her slightly furrowed brows seemed to confirm a thought in her mind.

"Is it really going to rain?"

Black clouds, heavy with pressure, drove away the clear sky. Raindrops as big as beans fell to the ground, bursting like flowers.

Her hair was stirred by the wind. As a sudden gale struck, Yan Ye stood up. Suddenly, she reached out to touch the pearl hairpin in her hair, as if about to do something.

The large tree beside her shook a few times, and its lush branches instantly shifted to hover above Yan Ye’s head and before her, shielding her from the incoming storm.

The heavy, double-leafed wooden door merely swayed a few times before returning to its motionless state.

The koi in the pond continued to swim leisurely, occasionally surfacing to eat, while a frog perched on a lotus leaf croaked twice, found it boring, and closed its eyes to sleep again.

Inside and outside the gate seemed to be two different worlds.

On the street.

Noisy sounds accompanied hurried footsteps. Some people held umbrellas, while others covered their heads with whatever plastic bags they could grab. They wove through the bustling intersection like a painting.

The rain came and went just as quickly.

The damp floor tiles gradually returned to their dry state. The tree branches, their purpose served, pulled away from above the woman with a sense of reluctance, as if afraid she might notice them; they brushed past her hair with a faint, ephemeral touch.

Just that was enough to satisfy them.

Yan Ye stretched and returned indoors, not paying much attention to the strange rain.

She began her daily, devout prayers.

Her knees rested on a soft cushion—it looked quite new, fluffy, and brightly colored.

On the wooden table directly in front of her sat a statue of the God of Wealth.

The girl, kneeling on the cushion, rummaged through a locked box, muttering, "This is it." What she lifted into mid-air was, surprisingly, an ID card.

"Please, today is another day where I want to get rich. Thank you for your hard work—when you descend to earth to scatter money, remember to scatter a bit more in front of the house of this woman named Yan Ye."

...

A white, cotton-candy-like Pomeranian puppy ran out from inside. Its tiny body couldn't clear the threshold; it stood on its hind legs, nudging with its little head. After several tries, it finally did a backward somersault, spinning 180 degrees in the air, and landed in a perfect parabola.

It began nuzzling into Yan Ye’s arms, making soft, whimpering sounds.

"Pearl, don't make a fuss." Yan Ye couldn't help but dote on the fluffy ball. She picked it up and stood, but just as she reached the corridor, a knocking sound echoed on the door knocker.

Tap, tap.

Each sound was quieter than the last.

Finally, it was almost imperceptible.

The little ball curled up in the crook of her arm.

Her slender fingers gently stroked the dog's white, smooth back and poked Pearl’s forehead a few times before letting it go to romp around, while she went to open the door.

The puppy hopped and skipped along, circling her ankles as she walked.

She unlatched the wooden bolt and pulled the door open. The wind chime hanging from the eaves began to ring, swaying in the air; the faint, resonant humming sounded like a catchy melody.

Huh? No one there?

Who had knocked on the door? Without a soul bearing a final wish, no one would easily set foot in this place.