Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Director Nalan (Sixth Update)
Just as Yang Xiao was staring at the painting, still not recovered from his shock, the funeral procession suddenly changed direction, heading straight for him. At that moment, Yang Xiao felt as if his body were frozen in ice, unable to move, he could only watch with wide eyes as Master Feng and the others approached.
Their faces grew increasingly ferocious, mouths stretching wider and wider, revealing their hideous gums, and the sight of their stark white teeth was enough to set one’s heart racing.
"Move, move! Quick, move!"
Yang Xiao desperately tried to command his limbs, seeing the funeral procession bearing down on him, he had no doubt that they would seize him and throw him into a coffin.
Finally, in the last moment, Yang Xiao’s arm regained some sensation, and he shut the door with a sweep. But in the next second, his eyes flew wide open.
"Huff—"
"Huff—"
Yang Xiao lay on the bed, gasping for breath, his mind was on edge, empty for an instant, but thankfully, the light was on overhead, the surroundings still the familiar environment.
There was no funeral procession, no abandoned room, nothing at all; he was just lying on the bed, and he could even hear the sound of music from the bar outside the window.
Cold sweat had already soaked his pillow, Yang Xiao reached up to wipe the sweat from his forehead. But then, he froze, turning his head mechanically to stare straight at his arm. He didn’t know when, but he was wearing that costume, and it was the blue side of the Nether Garment, just like the one he had seen on himself in the painting.
He sprang out of bed in an instant, ripped off the Nether Garment at top speed, and threw it onto the sofa. At this moment, ’terrified’ was not enough to describe his state of mind; he was one step away from losing his sanity.
"Why is this happening?"
"How did the Nether Garment suddenly end up on me?"
"And, the funeral procession from Master Feng’s group was for me, I was the person in the painting, but also not like me, what on earth is going on?"
At least Yang Xiao could confirm that in all his years, he had never managed to look so solemn as to appear as if he were dead.
Yang Xiao’s breathing suddenly became rapid, his mind racing back to what Kuang Hongyi had said during the day, "Could it be the so-called magnetic field, because my brain waves are in the same frequency as this costume’s magnetic field, that’s why the costume was awakened?"
That seemed to be the most logical explanation at the moment.
But... but this was too dangerous. To carry such a thing around, you can’t even talk about saving your life, it might suddenly awaken ghosts at any time.
Gradually, Yang Xiao calmed down. After careful thought, he speculated that someone among the Angel Envoys must know how to suppress the awakening of the Resentful Eye, otherwise, forget dealing with supernatural events, if the Resentful Eye Items they had sometimes came out to cause trouble, those envoys would have collapsed long ago.
And these questions, he presumed, could all be answered in the Patrol Defense Bureau, assuming he got the job.
Thinking this, Yang Xiao grew even more eager to join the Patrol Defense Bureau, looking forward to contributing his modest efforts to society.
At six o’clock sharp in the morning, Yang Xiao got himself ready, dressed in new clothes, and after hesitating, he still put on his backpack, which contained the costume inside, then he left to have breakfast.
After breakfast, Yang Xiao took the subway to the agreed-upon location. Facing a meeting with a high-ranking official, Yang Xiao was well aware of his potential role as a subordinate and planned to arrive early to make a good impression on his future leader. After all, he was very keen on progressing.
Choosing to meet at a flower shop, Yang Xiao surmised that the director was someone with a certain taste, and remembering Kuang Hongyi’s reminder about Director Nalan’s low profile, he sketched out a mental profile of the yet unseen director.
She was probably a woman of modest attire, with a restrained and introspective personality, focused on practicality, capable of exuding an oppressive presence, and immensely competent in her field.
As for her age... to attain such a position, she must at least be in her mid-thirties, most likely in professional attire, with a sharp gaze and an air of authority about her.
"I could arrive early and pick out some flowers for Director Nalan, assembling a nice bouquet as a gift for our first meeting."
But arriving too early isn’t polite, so Yang Xiao aimed to be 20 minutes early, showing up promptly at 7:40 AM at a florist called Dream Valley.
Standing in front of the glass door of the flower shop, one could see the Lin’an District Police Station just across the street, but at that moment, Yang Xiao had no time to survey his surroundings – he had already spotted his target.
Through the glass door, he saw a woman inside the flower shop. She was tall, with neat short hair, dressed in a light gray business suit with a pencil skirt, her skin was fair, and she had a substantial presence, but most crucial were her eyes.
Her eyes were not particularly expressive, yet they carried an air of supremacy, as if she were above all. Yang Xiao stood just outside the glass door, virtually locking eyes with her; yet, not once did her gaze focus on him, even slightly. She radiated a natural pressure of authority, and Yang Xiao felt certain; it had to be her!
Although the woman appeared younger than he had imagined, probably around 30, that kind of indifferent demeanor isn’t something everyone could possess. She seemed to regard Yang Xiao, who was outside the door, as insignificant.
Yang Xiao knew this was a deliberate show of power to intimidate the newcomer. Leaders had to have a certain commanding presence, he thought, to maintain control. He understood the dynamics of the establishment.
Standing tall, Yang Xiao carefully and gently opened the glass door. Besides Director Nalan, there was a middle-aged man inside, wearing an armband and an apron, relentlessly pruning the stems of flowers, looking very hip with his meticulously combed hair – he seemed to be the owner of the flower shop.
Seeing that Director Nalan still hadn’t reacted, Yang Xiao quickly approached her, reached out his hand while slightly bowing, making sure to stay lower than his leader, and then showcased a sunny and confident smile, "Director Nalan, good morning. I’m Yang Xiao, reporting to you."
But unexpectedly, the next moment, the woman took a startled step backward as if frightened, her face panicked as she looked around Yang Xiao and exclaimed, "Who’s there? Who’s that??"
Yang Xiao: "???"
"Yu Shu, you’re daydreaming again. Alright, the car is here, you go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on the shop; Xiao Wu will be here shortly." The middle-aged man turned around, as he took off his armband while smiling and instructing.
"Okay."
The woman pulled out a white cane from behind her and cautiously moved forward, eventually pushing open the glass door, where a car was already waiting for her outside.
Yang Xiao was stunned. At the moment when the woman pulled out her guide dog, his brain short-circuited.
Finally turning around, the woman bowed slightly to the middle-aged man inside the shop and said softly, "I’m sorry to trouble you again, Uncle Nalan."
"Haha, no need for formalities with me, child," the middle-aged man laughed and waved his hand dismissively, hanging up his armband and apron. Now in a refined light gray suit and gleaming shoes, combined with his handsome looks and impeccable hair, he epitomized a dashing gentleman.
The man turned to Yang Xiao, who was still recovering his wits, and reached out his hand, "Hello, I am Nalan Shuo, the current Director of the Lin’an District Patrol Office."
