The Crane Control Bureau was located within the imperial city, not far from the Privy Council. A narrow alley, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, led to its entrance.
After entering and walking about thirty meters, the path split into three. The guide explained, "All three paths lead to the Crane Control Bureau, though some may be inaccessible at times."
Without further explanation, he chose the rightmost path.
The surroundings were lined with buildings, creating a cramped and oppressive atmosphere. However, upon reaching an arched bridge, the view suddenly opened up.
The terrain here was peculiar—no towering mountains or deep valleys, just a gently sloping rise so subtle it was barely noticeable unless viewed from above.
In feng shui, this formation was called the "fishbone ridge," also known as a minor dragon vein.
The arched bridge seemed to stand at the highest point of this ridge. From here, under the vast night sky and a blanket of snow, one could see rows of upturned eaves, intricately carved brackets, and densely packed buildings of varying heights. Some of these upturned eaves bore white lanterns, others red lanterns, and still others had wind chimes that jingled softly in the breeze, their collective sound forming a unique melody.
"Wait here, everyone. I'll return shortly," the guide said, producing an entry document before leaping down from the bridge.
The atmosphere relaxed somewhat. Sui Yunzhu asked curiously, "Why are the things hanging from the eaves different?"
This wasn't classified information, and Sheng Changying had heard about it before. He explained, "When the shadow unit receives a mission, they hang a red lantern from the eaves. If the mission succeeds, it's replaced with a white one. If an operative dies in action, the lantern is removed, and a wind chime is hung in its place."
"Listening to the sound, there must be hundreds—no, thousands—of chimes!" Li Qingzhi sighed.
Just then, the guide returned and distributed tokens to everyone. "With these tokens, you may light the lanterns."
Sheng Changying and Zhu Pianxian, however, did not receive any.
The guide continued, "Someone will come shortly to escort Lord Sheng to exchange his official seal. He has no need to light a lantern."
In other words, Sheng Changying wouldn't be assigned missions.
"As for you," the guide said, turning to Zhu Pianxian, "Lord Chu allowed you entry. If you can survive a day in the Octagonal Tower, you may stay here and await his return."
"And if I can't?" Zhu Pianxian had no intention of staying in such a place. What little money could she possibly earn here, even if she risked her life?
"If you can't?" The guide replied coolly, "You have two choices: pass or die."
Zhu Pianxian gritted her teeth, silently cursing Chu Dingjiang's ancestors for eighteen generations. Though his original surname was Hua, some poor Chu ancestors were now suffering collateral damage.
As they entered the complex, everyone was astonished to find it resembled a small town, complete with taverns, teahouses, restaurants, and even a storyteller at a roadside tea stall!
"This place is much more comfortable than the Crane Control Institute!" Sun Dixian muttered.
The Earth Instructor, who had remained silent until now, let out a disdainful snort.
The others stifled their laughter. If not for this transfer, they would never have known the Earth Instructor had such a mighty and domineering name—Gao Dazhuang!
Though he had announced his name change to Gao Yuanxin upon joining the Crane Control Institute, everyone still called him the Earth Instructor, and the name Gao Yuanxin had long been forgotten. When the transfer documents arrived, the name written in bold characters was none other than "Gao Dazhuang."Fate. It truly knows how to kick a man when he's down—the more dire one's circumstances, the more likely their darkest past will be dredged up...
Seeing the subtle shift in atmosphere, Gao Yuanxin immediately understood what everyone was thinking! His frustration only deepened.
"This is the Crane Control List," the guide said, stopping before a massive stone wall. "Those who make it onto this list will hold at least a sixth-rank position in the Crane Control Army."
An Jiu looked over. The wall was built from snow-white stone, polished to a mirror-like sheen, adorned with carvings of auspicious clouds and cranes. At the very top was a blurred depiction of a long-bearded elder extending a palm, its center engraved with the Eight Trigrams. The blank central section bore rows of raised hooks holding jade plaques inscribed with names. The top spot bore an unfamiliar name, the second was also unknown, while Gu Jinghong ranked third.
The guide continued, "The top two on the list are already second-rank officials in the Crane Control Institute and no longer need to light lamps. The third-ranked Lord Gu is effectively the current leader of the Crane Control List. It was only in recent years that Lord Gu rose to the top. Given time..."
An Jiu stopped listening, her eyes scanning the list until she finally found Chu Dingjiang's name at twenty-nine.
"Lord Chu is the Divine Martial Commander, isn't he? Why is he ranked thirty-ninth yet holds a higher position than Lord Gu?" Sun Dixian asked.
The guide replied, "Lord Chu is one of the few Transformation Realm Masters in the world. If he takes on a mission, success is guaranteed. Take this mission, for example—without Lord Chu, the lot of you would have been devoured by Misty Villa, bones and all! Masters of his caliber naturally have more important matters to attend to."
The facts were as the commander had stated, but the Crane Control Army's rules dictated rankings based on the number of missions completed. While the reasoning made sense, Chu Dingjiang hadn't fulfilled enough missions, inevitably giving the impression that he relied solely on his martial prowess without sufficient experience.
The Crane Control List only displayed the top thirty-nine names.
Here, the phrase "survival of the fittest" was vividly embodied. Those with strength would earn a place on this list and hold high office. Those without would perish like extinguished lamps, leaving behind only a string of bells under the eaves—with no one to remember they had ever existed.
After passing the Crane Control List, the guide led the group to a cluster of residences. The eaves were hung with countless bells, and though there was no light, the wind carried a chorus of clear, melodious chimes.
"Here, there's a large three-section courtyard, alongside many smaller standalone houses," the guide said, standing opposite the group with his hands behind his back as he explained the rules. "The building next to the Crane Control List is the Lamp Lighting Tower. Present your tokens there to receive a mission, take a lantern, and then freely choose any unoccupied residence. A word of advice—since you're a team, it's best to stay close together."
He paused before continuing, "Internal conflict isn't forbidden in the Crane Control Army, but lethal combat is prohibited! Staying together will allow you to watch each other's backs. Additionally, apart from missions assigned from above, you may individually accept tasks at the Lamp Lighting Tower. If you fail to complete one within twelve hours, someone will take you to face the Trial of Life and Death."
"Can we choose missions freely?" Qiu Yunxiao asked.
"Of course," the guide said. "By drawing lots."
Raising his voice, he declared, "My instructions end here. Farewell."
Watching the guide's figure vanish into the night like a darting hare, Sun Dixian couldn't help but complain, "What kind of nonsense is this? We just got here and already have to work!""Let's go, or we won't even find a place to stay," said Li Qingzhi.
"Which one is Zhu Pianxian?" A figure in black robes landed gracefully not far away.
Zhu Pianxian stepped forward reluctantly. Sheng Changying hesitated and struggled internally before finally offering some comfort, "Miss Zhu, your Internal Energy is profound. Lord Chu must have anticipated you could pass, which is why he brought you in. There's no need to worry." (To be continued...)
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