Hearing Zhao Jianguo answer the phone, Wang Liang continued:
“I just heard that operator mention some of the benefits you Interpol people receive, but I don’t think they’re reasonable. I can join, but I want to change some of the conditions.”
“Oh? Go ahead and tell me. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.”
“If I’m to become a city person-in-charge, I want to stay in Da’an City.”
Da’an City?
Zhao Jianguo pulled up Wang Liang’s personal file beneath him. After confirming that his birthplace was indeed Da’an City, he nodded and replied:
“That’s acceptable. The person-in-charge of Da’an City was confirmed dead in a supernatural incident a month ago. If you become an Interpol officer, you can be transferred there to take charge of Da’an City.
But even if you join Interpol now, you can’t immediately become the official person-in-charge of a city. You’ll need to undergo an assessment. However, you can choose to assume the post first as an acting person-in-charge, with the same treatment and benefits.”
Wang Liang said, “Acting person-in-charge is fine. What I mainly want to talk about is the issue of benefits and authority. After I become the person-in-charge, I require that Headquarters cannot forcibly order or interfere with me in handling supernatural incidents, nor forcibly demand the evil ghosts I’ve imprisoned.
I also want absolute autonomy over supernatural matters in that city, authority over the allocation of gold, and the rights a normal person-in-charge has over all local parties.
And if Headquarters requires me to go support a city that isn’t under my jurisdiction, then depending on the difficulty of the supernatural incident, additional resources must be negotiated with me separately. I won’t accept being forcibly ordered to go help directly.”
“So you only want the rights of a person-in-charge without handling supernatural incidents?” Zhao Jianguo frowned.
“No. If you can agree to the conditions I stated above, I will indeed be responsible for handling all supernatural incidents in that city, and I’ll guarantee that nothing goes wrong.
Headquarters can verify the situation at any time. If I fail to meet the standard, you can remove me as person-in-charge at any time. My main requirement is that Headquarters cannot forcibly interfere with or arrange any of my actions.
Professionals should handle professional matters. Supernatural affairs cannot be completely equated with combat command. You people sitting in offices will never truly know what people like us have to face.
So with me, you can only offer suggestions, and I’ll handle those supernatural incidents at my own pace. Otherwise, I’d rather resign and not do it at all.”
Zhao Jianguo understood, but he was somewhat hesitant, because Wang Liang’s demands meant Headquarters would have no right to interfere in anything he did. They would only give him authority; how he used it would be entirely up to Wang Liang himself.
This… didn’t seem much different from carving out territory and declaring himself king!
Only compared to Ye Zhen of Dahai City, who hardly gave Headquarters the time of day, Wang Liang at most had the added distinction that he would listen to Headquarters’ suggestions and, nominally, remain one of their people.
“…I understand your conditions, but changes of this degree aren’t something I can decide on. I need to communicate with the higher-ups.”
“As soon as possible.”
“…”
Zhao Jianguo handed the phone back to Su Xinxi, then used another phone to call Cao Yanhua, the deputy minister currently in charge of internal management at Interpol Headquarters, and quickly explained the general situation.
“What is his character and ability like?” Cao Yanhua asked from the other end of the line.
“He can easily withdraw from a Ghost Domain through some special method and appear five kilometers away. After coming out, he can accurately track that Ghost Domain again. After the incident tentatively designated as the Knocking Ghost ended, surveillance did not observe any signs of his condition worsening.
Judging from the known information, that Wang Liang either also possesses a Ghost Domain, or possesses some other powerful supernatural ability. Merely watching surveillance footage that contains him will cause the video to be slightly affected by his supernatural power.
As for his character, he used to be a teacher. He’s mature in the way he conducts himself, and his style is efficient…” At this point, Zhao Jianguo hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Someone who can chase after a Ghost Domain for the sake of his students should be quite responsible. After all, ordinary people wouldn’t be able to do something like that.”
“Mm, understood. In the end, he only wants sufficient autonomy. As long as he has the ability, that isn’t excessive. It will be enough as long as he can resolve that city’s supernatural incidents as he claims.
The situation is getting worse and worse. Our previous methods can indeed be adjusted for certain special individuals. Providing external support through a hiring model is also acceptable for capable people.
However, the city’s gold reserves cannot be handed over entirely for his free disposal. Do this: tell him his treatment will be improved. We were already responsible for the basic gold needed to handle supernatural incidents, and the quota of gold he can allocate independently will be increased to four hundred kilograms.
If he needs more gold, he must submit an application and tell Headquarters the specific purpose. As long as it doesn’t touch any bottom lines, it can still be approved. However, ensuring that nothing goes wrong in that city is the premise for everything!”
“Understood. I’ll tell him now.”
After hanging up Cao Yanhua’s call, Zhao Jianguo relayed Cao Yanhua’s words to Wang Liang.
“Fine. Then let’s do it that way. I choose to join Interpol,” Wang Liang said.
“That’s good. You can head to Da’an City in the near future. Several supernatural incidents have already broken out in Da’an City, but Headquarters can’t spare any manpower for the time being, so we can only temporarily seal them off.
This satellite phone will temporarily serve as your means of communication with Headquarters. This phone was specially made. It won’t be eroded by the power of evil ghosts, and its battery can last for a year.
Su Xinxi will become your dedicated operator. After you arrive in Da’an City, inform Su Xinxi, and she will contact the local liaison for you.
After some time, Headquarters will send someone to Da’an City to conduct a psychological evaluation on you. Once you pass, you’ll be transferred from acting to official person-in-charge. After that, you just need to find time to come to Dajing City for training.
In a while, your satellite phone will receive a website link. It was jointly established by various countries, and only special personnel can log in. You can take a look at some of the content inside.”
“No problem. I’m hanging up first. I have something to do.”
Beep.
Wang Liang hung up the phone. The reason he was in such a hurry was because a special feeling had suddenly arisen in his heart.
Wang Liang used Sadako’s supernatural power. In his field of vision, one of the gray lines leading into the distance was gradually deepening, indicating that the location at the end of the gray line was coming into contact with the supernatural.
“Yang Jian? I’ve finally waited for the Newspaper Ghost!”
Wang Liang used Sadako’s supernatural power to release a curse along the gray line.
Inside the room,
It was stifling, oppressive, almost impossible to breathe.
After Yang Jian returned home, he felt tired and lay straight down on the bed.
But the longer he slept, the more uncomfortable he felt. His consciousness was still fairly clear, but his entire body could not move, as if he were suffering from sleep paralysis.
Gurgle.
Beneath the skin of Yang Jian’s cheek, something spherical was wriggling. His flesh turned cold, and a scarlet eye rolled out from under the skin, rotating eerily.
And as this ghost eye opened, the perspective of the ghost eye on his cheek also appeared in Yang Jian’s mind.
One ghost eye had opened, and five more ghost eyes were moving around throughout his body.
Wherever the ghost eyes moved, his flesh and blood seemed to be torn apart, causing intense pain to spread through his body, as though he were suffering unimaginable torture.
‘What… is happening to me?!’