As soon as we arrived, a flicker of anxiety crept onto Gao Liang's face. Xiao Heshang and Min Tianyuan stepped to his side, the three of them whispering quietly together. The other investigators had already untied the red cloth strips and were herding the souls toward the base of the cliff. Sun Fatty and I spotted Hao Wenming; he was staring somberly at the door embedded in the cliff wall, not saying a word even after noticing us.
We walked over. Hao Director didn't so much as glance at us, his brows tightly furrowed, eyes locked on that door.
"Head Hao, what's with the long face?" Sun Fatty called out. "Not to be that guy, but this is the Gate of the Dead, isn't it? All the souls are here already—when are we opening the door and sending them off?"
"Open the door…" Hao Director's eyebrow twitched as he muttered, "Just wait. Not to jinx it, but you better be ready to turn around and walk right back the way we came."
That made my stomach drop. "Head Hao, what are you trying to say? Don't tell me the Gate won't open."
For once, Hao Director turned to me and gave a small nod. "Someone's tampered with the door. It's been four hours—every method we've tried has failed. Looks like the word got out. The Underworld caught wind of it and rigged the mechanism from their side. That door's like it's been welded shut—nothing we do makes a difference."
"There's really a door that can't be opened?" Sun Fatty snorted and strode toward it. But just as quickly as he went, he came back. After circling the door once, he returned to Hao Wenming's side. "Not even a keyhole. No way to get a grip on it. Head Hao, why not just blow the damn thing open? I don't believe explosives can't do the trick."
"Get lost!" Hao Wenming snapped. But Sun Fatty wasn't one to be offended—he simply pointed toward the investigators burning paper offerings and asked, "What are they doing over there? Some kind of ritual to open the gate?"
"They're sending spirit money to the wrongly-dead souls you brought," Hao replied.
"Burning paper now? You really think the dead can receive it?" Sun Fatty asked.
Hao Wenming shot him a look and replied coldly, "Why ask me? I've never died before."
We waited under the cliff for a long while. Dawn was fast approaching. Even Gao Liang, normally composed, was beginning to show signs of strain. Min Tianyuan looked equally grim. It seemed like this long-prepared operation was about to fall apart. All we were waiting on was for Gao Liang to give the order to move the souls into the tents and postpone the crossing until the next night.
Then suddenly, from the direction of the door, came a sharp creak.
Gaba.
The sound rang loud and clear in the stillness of the night. The entire gathering fell silent. Gao Liang rushed to Ouyang Pianzuo, who was kneeling before the door. "Is it opening?" he asked.
But Ouyang Pianzuo looked utterly confused. He had already given up moments before—yet the door had chosen to move just after he stopped trying.
As confusion flickered across his face, another series of gaba gaba sounds followed. Everyone's attention locked onto the door.
Then it opened.
And from within, a man stepped out.
The man glanced at the assembled crowd, tipped his chin toward the nearby pile of burning paper, and gave a cold chuckle. "No wonder I couldn't find you in there—you've been throwing a bonfire party out here."
At the sight of the newcomer, the once-hopeful crowd collectively let out a long sigh.
With an opening line like that, who else could it be but Director Wu Rendi?
Wu looked rather disheveled. His trademark white shirt and pants were smudged with ash and dirt—God knows where he'd been. Though he maintained his usual acerbic tone, he paused once or twice to catch his breath, something I had never seen before.
Even Gao Liang seemed surprised Wu Rendi had been the one to open the gate. But between them was a strange, unspoken understanding. Once Gao Liang stepped up, Wu said nothing more, simply turned and walked aside, leaving the path to the Gate of the Dead clear.
"Don't just stand there! Dawn's almost here—get those souls through the gate!" Gao Liang bellowed.
His voice snapped everyone to attention. Qiu Bulao was the first to react. He ordered his team to bring the souls over from the tents. But the gate was narrow—only one soul could pass at a time. Disorder quickly arose as souls jostled and crowded. Xiong Wanyi and Ximen Lian rushed forward with their batons, restoring order with a few swift strikes. Soon the procession resumed, souls lining up and filing through the Gate of the Dead.
With an hour left before sunrise, half the souls had already crossed. Gao Liang's face finally eased a little.
At that moment, Xiao Heshang brought over Xiao Sanda's soul. The sight of him cast a shadow over Gao Liang's face. He and Xiao Heshang said nothing—they simply stared at the blank-faced soul before them.
It was Gao Liang who finally spoke: "Sanda, maybe this way's better. At least you won't have to suffer through mundane worries anymore."
Xiao Heshang's eyes reddened. He looked at Sanda and said, "Sanda, whatever you become in your next life, don't blame us. Bite down and push through—it's just one lifetime. After a few turns through the wheel, you'll get another chance at life…"
Qiu Bulao, ever perceptive, called a temporary halt and cleared a path so Xiao Sanda could pass.
Xiao Heshang and Gao Liang escorted him to the threshold of the Gate. Just as Sanda's soul was about to step through, a new car pulled up at the distant parking area. None of us had noticed when it arrived.
A man in his early forties stepped out of the Audi. As he walked over, he called to Gao Liang and Xiao Heshang, "Wait for me—let me send Director Sanda off as well."
The man speaking wasn't someone I recognized—he wasn't even from the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation. Neither Sun Fatty nor I had ever seen him before. What was truly unnerving was that no one had noticed his arrival until now. He walked briskly, and by the time he finished speaking, he was already near Gao Liang and Xiao Heshang. Ximen Lian stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "Who are you? Don't come any closer."
"Let him through. Go tend to your duties," Gao Liang gestured to Ximen Lian, waving him off. He then stared coldly at the newcomer. "So… you're done playing around and decided to come back?"
Xiao Heshang glanced at the two men and said, "Whatever it is, save it for later. Let's see San Da off first."
The man said nothing. He looked at the soul of Xiao Sanda and then lowered his head, silently following the two of them. Together, they escorted Xiao Sanda to the Gate of the Dead.
I still didn't recognize who the man was. Curious, I took a few steps forward to ask Hao Wenming, but as I neared him, I noticed that Hao Director's eyes were wide with shock. He was staring unblinkingly at the man. "Director Hao, do you know who that is?" I asked.
Hao Director didn't look away. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out three words: "Hao Zhengyi."
I remembered that Xiao Heshang had once said Hao Wenming and Hao Zhengyi were twins, but seeing them now, they didn't look alike at all. They didn't resemble each other in the slightest.
By then, Xiao Sanda had already stepped through the Gate of the Dead. Min Tianyuan approached, leaning on his cane. Gao Liang and Xiao Heshang clearly had questions for Hao Zhengyi, but with Min Tianyuan present, they held their tongues—it wasn't the time.
Min Tianyuan didn't even acknowledge Hao Zhengyi. He simply nodded at Gao Liang and Xiao Heshang. His body swayed slightly, and then a soul split from within him—it was the same soul that had helped save Sun Fatty atop the train. Min Tianyuan exhaled softly and said, "Second Brother, go ahead and see if you can find Eldest Brother down there. I'll be right behind you. The three of us will reunite below."
Min Tianbiao's soul hesitated, reluctant to leave his younger brother. He hovered at the threshold of the Gate of the Dead, blocking the way. With several hundred souls still waiting to pass, the bottleneck quickly caused a commotion. It wasn't until Xiong Wanyi and the others laid down some baton discipline that the chaos settled.
In the end, Gao Liang stepped forward and said, "President Min, that's enough. Dawn is almost here, and we've still got hundreds to send in." This wasn't addressed to Min Tianyuan, but to his brother's soul.
Min Tianbiao turned and looked at the sea of souls behind him, then back once at Min Lao San. At last, he turned sharply and stepped through the Gate of the Dead.
Order was restored, and the crowd of souls began to thin. But the ever-mysterious Director Wu had once again vanished without a trace. Sun Fatty, ever the busybody, searched all around but couldn't find him. For a moment, I even suspected he might've slipped through the gate with the others.
Just as the last of the souls were about to pass through, Min Tianyuan slowly approached Gao Liang with his cane. "Director Gao, can we talk about Huang Ran now?"
Gao Liang smiled faintly and said, "President Min, I thought you'd forgotten about your precious great-grandson."
They weren't trying to keep their conversation secret. Their voices were low, but in the silence of the night, everyone could hear them clearly.
Min Tianyuan chuckled along and waved his hand. "Don't call me President anymore—I've already stepped down from the Religious Affairs Commission."
Gao Liang blinked, momentarily stunned. "You're retiring? That's why you're suddenly interested in Huang Ran again? Planning to have him take over?"
"Heh..." Min Tianyuan laughed lightly and shook his head. "Huang Ran? He's not qualified yet. He's clever, sure, but leadership? He lacks it. The Commission isn't some hereditary title—any capable person can lead it. But of course, Director Gao, if you ever get tired of your job, I'd be more than happy to welcome you as our Vice President."
Gao Liang smiled and replied, "Sure. Save me that VP spot. If the Bureau ever kicks me out and you're still alive, I'll hop over to Taiwan and join you."
Seeing Min Tianyuan's face twitch slightly, Gao Liang chuckled and continued, "But when the time comes, I want to meet this new president of yours. I'm curious—who could be such a standout that you'd abandon your own grandson?"
"Funny coincidence—you already know our new president. He's an old acquaintance of the Bureau as well," Min Tianyuan said. Then he gestured in the direction of Xiao Heshang. "Come over here, Director Gao wants to meet you."
Everyone nearby, including Gao Liang, jumped in surprise. They all thought he was calling Xiao Heshang. Even Xiao Heshang looked confused, his mouth agape.
But the truth was revealed a second later. From behind Xiao Heshang, a figure stepped forward—it was none other than Hao Zhengyi. Those in the know looked stunned, and at least half of them turned to stare at Hao Wenming.
Hao Director looked as if his eyes would pop out. He glared at his brother's back, his teeth clenched tight with rage.
Gao Liang didn't look much better. His smile froze on his face, and veins bulged across his forehead. I'd been in the Bureau long enough, but this was the first time I'd seen the Director look like this—so completely unlike his usual cunning, smiling self.
As Hao Zhengyi reached Min Tianyuan's side, Gao Liang scoffed coldly before he could say a word. "President Hao, is it? So after all these years, you come back as the head of the Religious Affairs Commission. Makes sense, I suppose. The Bureau's too small a temple for a god like you. But funny thing—Huang Ran told me you turned him down a few years back when he tried to recruit you. What changed so suddenly?"
Hao Zhengyi didn't flinch. He offered a polite smile. "Director Gao, you haven't changed at all over the years." Then, shifting his tone slightly, he continued, "It's all thanks to President Min. He invited me repeatedly, and I couldn't say no to his enthusiasm. You know me—I never cared much for titles. But President Min was insistent, and I couldn't refuse."
While Hao Zhengyi spoke, Xiao Heshang stepped up beside Gao Liang, silently glaring at Hao Zhengyi and Min Tianyuan. Compared to Gao Liang, it seemed Hao Zhengyi was more uneasy under Xiao Heshang's stare—his eyes flickered with discomfort.
Min Tianyuan noticed the tension and quickly changed the subject. "Well, now that you've met our new president, can we talk about Huang Ran? He's been with your Bureau long enough. Don't you think it's time he came home for the New Year?"
"For the New Year?" Gao Liang sneered again, still staring daggers at Hao Zhengyi. He finally answered, "Sure. But I gave you that list ages ago, and I haven't seen you act on it. Now you just say a few words and expect me to send Huang Ran back with a bow on his head? President Min, you've got some nerve."
Min Tianyuan didn't seem upset. He smiled and replied, "I've got everything ready on my end. But there's just one small detail left to negotiate."
"A detail?" Gao Liang finally turned to face him. "What kind of detail?"
"I'll give you everything you asked for, not missing a single item," Min Tianyuan replied calmly, "but in exchange, I'd like one small favor—hand over Luo Simen to me."