The headquarters of the Bureau exploded, reducing the foundation tree to ashes.

The culprit fled in a panic, leaving no trace behind.

Only the flowers, blooming out of season due to the Curse of Subjugation's hard work, remained vibrant and alive.

The thick leaves of the ivy climbed up the small building, layer upon layer. The branches and shoots peeked out of the windows, as if they were up to no good. When the morning breeze blew, the cherry blossoms and elm leaves fell to the ground, mingling with the remnants of snow from a few days ago.

Inside the building, there were originally some decorative plants, but they looked so scared that they were all moved outside. Each one had grown long stems and stubbornly crawled towards the conference room, as if they were trying to surround it.

A large-scale formation of the Curse of Subjugation would indeed "pollute the environment" and cause some ordinary animals and plants around it to be contaminated with "evil spirits" - contaminated chickens and ducks would grow poisonous flowers-like feathers, their wings would increase in size, and they could soar into the sky like eagles and falcons. Cows and horses might grow sharp teeth, and watchdogs would become like wild wolves that don't recognize their own kind.

But...

Xuan Ji turned his head and asked, "So far, have we received any reports of attacks by 'abnormal animals'?"

Xiao Zheng replied, "...None!"

"So, only plants that have accepted these leaked abilities are affected," Xuan Ji asked again, "In the plant-types registered by the bureau, how many people's spirit plants are the green ivy?"

"The plant types are not a rare lineage, but there are more types of plants, so... unless they are close relatives, it is rare for two of the same plant-type lineages to be in the True Nature Sect." Xiao Zheng's throat was dry, and he struggled to finish his sentence. "As for the green ivy... I only know one."

"I also only know one," Dan Lin's face darkened. "Before Han Guo's investigation team enters the dangerous area, they need to file a report and there will be other support staff accompanying them - when they go deep into the Chiyuan Grand Canyon, they need to inform the scenic area management and the aftermath department will cooperate... Who was responsible for communicating with the Chiyuan forest management side at that time?"

Xuan Ji logged onto the intranet with his phone - the director had the authority to query employee travel records and attendance.

He quickly flipped to the date of Dr. Han's murder and saw that in the aftermath department's business trip records, there was a conspicuous entry: Luo Cuicui, business trip to Chiyuan, cooperating with the Ancient Studies Department, communicating with the original forest management side, two-day business trip, reimbursing travel expenses of 320 yuan.

"No, wait..." Zhang Zhao looked at this, then looked at that, "Is it what I understand? Did I hear it wrong... You said it was Old Luo? But, but a few days ago when there was an incident in the mountains, Old Luo and a few people from the aftermath department were at the scene, he didn't have that... that mark of the True Nature Sect. And it was him who alerted us in time through the green vines! If it weren't for his timely reporting..."

Zhang Zhao stopped here - if it weren't for Luo Cuicui's timely report, it seemed that... nothing would have happened.

Sheng Lingyuan had long ago transferred the real mermaid scales, leaving behind only a sealed box as bait.

If Luo Cuicui hadn't brought along a bunch of logistical burdens to cause trouble in the back mountains, they might have been able to catch people even more efficiently...

No, wait!

Even the fact that "Luo Cuicui doesn't have the true mark of the sect" was a preconceived notion.

At the time, he had collapsed from exhaustion while trying to 'protect his colleagues' and was immediately taken away as a wounded person and sent to a special abilities hospital!

Luo Cuicui usually did things sneakily and was only good at latching onto someone's thigh to get ahead.

But protecting the sealed box was the responsibility of the Research Institute and field agents. As a member of the aftermath department, why did he sneak into the back mountains without receiving orders from his superiors at that time?

Did he really want to help?

Also, there's a group of field agents led by Wind Gods who always hang around Sheng Lingyuan, asking all sorts of questions. This big shot is obviously a "thick-legged thigh" to clutch onto.

The aftermath department didn't catch up with the two big events of slaughtering demons at sea and hunting down Shadow people in Jiangzhou, and they didn't know the danger of this big shot - even the demon didn't show his true colors until the critical moment.

Shy Ping Qianru and Yang Chao, along with their group of young people, get along well with him, but only Luo Cuicui, who is an expert at clinging to powerful people, doesn't come forward. Looking back, he didn't even have a chance to talk to Sheng Lingyuan alone.

Wang Ze murmured, "If you put it that way... it seems like every time something big happens, old... Luo Cuicui is always there."

However, he had crafted the image of a flatterer and a follower too well, and everyone saw him as a clown who added color but didn't take him seriously!

Xuan Ji sighed and glanced at Zhi Chun discreetly, thinking to himself: "It's not like this happens every time."

After a heavenly sword spirit was damaged, although one could survive, they would suffer from a long-lasting "brain concussion," losing their memory and becoming disoriented. They would only unconsciously revolve around their closest loved ones, with the only thought in their mind being to repair their original body.

Zhi Chun's situation was special.

Before the Yin Sacrifice ritual, he had many "coexisting bodies," so he did not completely sever ties with the mortal world. The people of the True Nature Sect used his body to lure him into King Wei Yu's tomb and enticed him to agree to the conditions of the Yin Sacrifice ritual.

Zhi Chun believed that he could repair his "body," so before the Yin Sacrifice ritual on the night of the new moon, he attached himself to his body in the ancient tomb and broke into the 60th floor of the underground control bureau, stealing his own fragments.

It just so happened that on that day, the headquarters was conducting its first major clean-up, investigating all those involved in the Mirror Flower Water Moon Butterfly case.

Xuan Ji was afraid of getting into trouble, so he helped Young Master Xiao out on the side.

At that time, the Nirvana Stone had already shattered, and his memories and abilities were slowly recovering. His divine consciousness enveloped the entire Bureau building. If Zhi Chun had come in while he was there, the Sword Spirit wouldn't have been able to go to Yuzhou.

Coincidentally, Zhi Chun arrived just as he had left. Luo Cuicui was the one rushing to send him off.

"I see that the 'Aftermath Department' also has a nickname called the '25 Boys' Club'. No wonder no one wants to work for this department. They just cheat people into signing up and then quickly accept them." Xuan Ji sighed and called Ping Qianru. "Notify all members of the aftermath department to gather in the conference room immediately, no matter what they are doing. From now on, they will directly follow the orders of the Central Dispatch Office."

Xiao Zheng suddenly stood up. "The special abilities hospital..."

"I've already contacted them," Dan Lin raised his head. "The hospital said that Luo Cuicui claimed to be better and checked himself out of the hospital last night without completing the necessary procedures."

"Retrieve Luo Cuicui's file and arrest him!" Xiao Zheng's face was as dark as water. "If we can't find his current whereabouts, then we'll search for his recent movements! Distribute his portrait and issue a warrant. We'll dig three feet into the ground to find him!"

"Dao Yi, things are not peaceful in Chiyuan," Xuan Ji turned to Dao Yi, who looked confused behind the water curtain, "Can you please take care of things at home and move everyone to higher ground? Let us know immediately if there are any changes."

"The Storm agents near Chiyuan are ready at any time," Dan Lin said, "Since Han Guo's accident, the primitive forest in Chiyuan has always been the top priority for the Storm team. The equipment in the branch is complete, and they can handle emergencies."

"I'll go contact our informant," Wang Ze stood up, "The black market has all sorts of people, and if Luo Cuicui has had any contact, there may be traces left."

Sheng Lingyuan turned to Dr. Wang, "What have you discovered in your years of studying the earth's veins? Can you show me?"

Dr. Wang quickly replied, "Yes, yes. The archives of the Ancient Studies Department are all with me."

Sheng Lingyuan followed him out and waved to Xuan Ji, "Come with me."