Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Huang Yuanbo’s hand that was wearing the white glove flipped and turned while inspecting the silver metal piece but dared not touch the button on it. After a long time, he placed it inside an evidence bag and continued with other processes. Suppressing his curiosity, Gu Liang looked attentively at the sheriff, occasionally helping according to instructions. More and more things that he had learned in police school appeared and confirmed mutually in his mind.

“Looks complicated…” the sheriff suddenly sighed, but his tone was relaxed.

Puzzled, Gu Liang plucked his courage and asked, “Sheriff Huang, will this be an unsolved case? That’s why you feel that it’s complicated?”

But why did he sound relaxed? Because it would be an unsolved case anyway, so there’s no need to put in effort to investigate?

Huang Yuanbo smiled, standing in front of the charred body, “This isn’t the only case of being struck to death by lightning on a night without lightning. Many similar cases have happened in the past, some of them involved supernatural phenomena while some are related to organizations like the spiritual society.”

“Last year, Detective Charlotte from Scotland Yard who came here for exchange mentioned a similar case – also struck by lightning on a night without lightning, also holding a silver metal piece. The only difference was, the victim’s body was unusual and suspected to be a believer of demon gods, and he was discovered many years after his death. So, there is reason to believe that this is another case that involved cults and extraordinary encounters that doesn’t require us, the Criminal Investigation Division, to take over. There is the Special Operations Division which is directly affiliated with the Chief Police Officer Committee responsible for it.”

Gu Liang was stunned and baffled after listening. It was as though the ghost story he read last night got into reality. What supernatural phenomena? What extraordinary encounters?

What is Sheriff Huang talking about?

“Have you read the book World Fantasy Records?” Huang Yuanbo asked casually while fiddling with his glove.

“Yes, yes!” Gu Liang replied subconsciously.

Sheriff Huang smiled, “That’s good, the things recorded inside are all real.”

“Ah…” Gu Liang opened his mouth, unable to close it.

“The HR Department has already approved your confirmation application and there will be a department taking you next monday. I lent you this book that contains the internal information of the police station in advance so that you won’t be at a loss when you meet with spiritual encounters on the move.” Huang Yuanbo laughed, “Did you feel that the content is unheard of when reading it? This is confidential information!”

Dad, Mom, I wanna quit… after feeling shocked, Gu Liang got cold feet and thought of resigning. How did an ordinary person like him enter the spiritual world?

Huang Yuanbo took a quick glance at him and said, “We always submit directly to the Chief Police Officer Committee when we meet with similar matters when on the move and they will get the Special Operations Division to handle them. We only have to be responsible for things related to normal people. Don’t be afraid, even if you’re not a police officer, can you guarantee that you won’t have any spiritual or ghostly encounters in your life? At least we know the background now and can also get the help of professionals, what’s there to be afraid of?”

His relaxed tone made Gu Liang gradually calm down and said, “You’re right, Sheriff Huang.”

At this moment, the other colleagues from the Criminal Investigation Division had rushed over. Some of them protected the scene while some returned to the New Scotland Yard to submit a report to the Chief Police Officer Committee and wait for the Special Operations Division to take over. Before Gu Liang could find out which department would be taking him, he already had a load of miscellaneous work to do and even ended up with an extra night duty.

Late at night, lights went off one by one in the busy New Scotland Yard, leaving only the evidence room of the Criminal Investigation Division with a dim yellow old lamp shaking. With both hands on his pockets, Gu Liang walked back and forth, his mind filled with unclearable fear.

Because the charred body and the items related to him were still inside!

After the Special Operations Division sent people to take a look, they felt that it wasn’t an important case and also because they were busy with a big case recently, they were unable to let out manpower and could only take over a few days later. As such, Sheriff Huang Yuanbo got Gu Liang to stay on guard overnight.

After Gu Liang got tired pacing back and forth, he sat down again. On the table in front of him were a few evidence bags, and inside them were exquisite pocket watches, gold bars and other miscellaneous items, including the silver metal piece.

Feeling bold and curious, Gu Liang who loved ghost stories and thrillers started thinking as he continued sitting. What is the silver metal piece that the watch merchant held in his hand before he died? A cult insignia?

He looked around, clenched his teeth and simply took out a pair of white gloves wear. He opened the evidence bag carefully, took out the metal piece and started looking at it against the light.

Its design had a kind of beauty that seemed to transcend time, it wasn’t permeable, its pattern looked strange, and there was only one button…

Suddenly, Gu Liang’s hand slipped and the silver metal piece fell. He quickly grabbed it but accidentally hit the button. His heart skipped a beat, afraid that something bad might happen.

There was neither strange light nor black fog appearing. Gu Liang heaved a sigh of relief and wanted to put the metal piece back into the evidence back, not daring to be presumptuous anymore.

At this moment, the surface of the metal piece started moving as though it were alive. A layer of silver came off and turned into a thumb-sized pearl that was dark on the inside and light on the outside, looking like a deep eye.

Gu Liang suddenly stood up, knocking the chair down and moved backward continuously, wanting to avoid the strange change. He didn’t have the time to think if he had caused big trouble and only wanted to get away from this terrifying scene.

After the deep silver eye was formed, all changes disappeared and Gu Liang had yet to get out of the evidence room.

He paused his footsteps as though there was something there calling him. Swallowing hard, he thought that since there wasn’t anything strange anymore, he had to tidy up the table so as not to get fired just after being confirmed.

No evidence was lost and there was instead one more item. Gu Liang picked it up with a glove on and saw that it was engraved with rows of tiny words, “The Eye of Desire, celestial item of the God of Storm and Natural Disasters. It can realize all your desires, as long as you make a corresponding offer as tribute.”

Gu Liang was stunned, suddenly feeling that something wasn’t right. He had read so many ghost novels before but this was the first time he saw an object that labeled itself as some celestial item. Although it was obvious at a glance, the terrifying feeling of mystery and the unknown was lost as a result, and it looked particularly outdated!

“Offer a tribute and realize your desires, sounds like style of a cult indeed.” Gu Liang shook his head and sneered, “If I make a wish to improve my shooting ability, how would it be realized?”

Right after his words, a low thunderous voice sounded beside his ears, “With the accumulation of tributes, the desire will be realized.”

Silver light flowed out and Gu Liang’s body felt numb at once. His brain suddenly felt pain like it was pricked by needles, his vision showed subtle changes and his motor nerve also underwent some improvement.

Everything was over soon, as though nothing happened. Gu Liang put down the Eye of Desire fearfully, and stared at his own hands, feeling like they had become much more skillful.

“Could the wish have really come true?” he thought, feeling puzzled.

The entire night was filled with wild thoughts. After waiting until dawn, Gu Liang put back the silver metal piece that had been peeled off a layer, took the Eye of Desire and did a handover with his colleague before rushing to the shooting range, wanting to test his shooting ability.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Ten shots in a row, the center of the bullseye was hit. Gu Liang stood rooted to the spot and couldn’t believe his eyes.

His shooting ability had always just barely passed!

The Eye of Desire can really realize desires!

Why hasn’t he heard of the God of Storm and Natural Disasters having such celestial powers?

Suddenly, a man was beside him. Wearing a black coat of Scotland Yard style, his face was thin and black eyes showed some redness in them, and he had a weak sense of presence.

“Not bad,” the man nodded. “Extraordinary shooting ability.”

He looked at Gu Liang’s police badge and said indifferently, “Gu Liang? Report at the Special Operations Division on Monday.”

After finishing, he turned and left, not giving him any chance to reject.

Special Operations Division? Gu Liang got a shock and wanted to reject, but the other party already couldn’t be seen.

Is the Special Operations Division in such need of manpower that they even want to recruit people like me?

He made up his mind to resign on Monday. Since he had the Eye of Desire, he could do something better?

But, would he end up being struck to death by lightning like the watch merchant?

…

On Monday, Gu Liang asked around a few times before finally finding the Special Operations Division that was located inside an old-fashioned bungalow and saw the man in the black coat.

He was about to speak when the other party said, “You’ve been assigned to the First Operations Unit and will follow them to investigate the recent big case.”

“I, I want…” Gu Liang quickly spoke but was interrupted by the other party before he could finish, “This case involved a newly-emerged cult and is very likely to be related to the three hundred years of lost history of the Far East region.”

Huh? Curiosity popped up in Gu Liang’s mind. Related to the three hundred years of lost history?

“Three hundred years ago, there were Buddhist and Taoist organizations in the Far East, but a short man with a mustache appeared at that time. He was originally an artist but later came into contact with the Buddha’s Palm, the top secret of the Buddhist organization. He got enticed by demons and practiced the Buddha’s Palm in a reversed way, finally becoming a world-destroying demon and destroyed the civilization of the Far East. The organization that worshipped him has now appeared and this aids us in finding out what exactly happened three hundred years ago,” the black coat man said concisely as he led Gu Liang into a dark room. Inside was a flag hanging – its base was red and there were two black S-like characters crossing in a reversed direction, making one feel creepy.

“This is the Anti-Buddhist Sect’s symbol!”

Seeing this symbol and hearing the black coat man’s introduction, a low thunderous voice suddenly sounded beside Gu Liang’s ears, “Investigate the Anti-Buddhist Sect and gain tribute!”