Congratulations, you have passed all the assessments and officially become a member of the Monster Bureau...
Huangfu Jun brought the teacup to her lips. The rising steam blurred her expression as she gently blew on it and took a small sip.
Unhurriedly, she said, "It wasn't that hard. Guiche Jun mentioned that the dorms come with employee meals. Later, when I visited Uncle Shan and Sister Ying's dorms, it was the same. So, in the dorm, meals are not something you need to choose. Just like the room layout—Director Zhang has already decided everything, and for the residents, his preparations are the most suitable."
"But the first meal I saw required a separate choice and even an extra fee. That doesn't match the dorm's setup at all. Plus, Doctor Zheng said that any demon entering the Monster Bureau must undergo three tests. With my special status, these tests wouldn't be avoided; they'd be even harder. The so-called assessment essentially tests one's qualifications to enter the bureau. Looking back at my experiences since joining, it's easy to guess that the bureau started testing me from the very beginning."
"The dinner test dealt with desire, and it was the third test. The second test before that was about ability. Gaining approval from both the Supervision Bureau and Director Zhang—I think the latter was the real test for me. The incident at the construction site was unexpected and beyond the bureau's control. So even without the excuse to find materials for Ying Wu, the bureau would have found another reason to send me to the archives to be assessed by Director Zhang."
Zhang Yu No. 4 was silent for a long time before speaking again. "And the first test?"
Huangfu Jun smiled. "The first one was the simplest. I've said a lot—now it's your turn."
"The first test was 'seeing,'" Zhang Yu No. 4 said without suspicion. "Whether human or half-demon, without the bureau's permission, no one can see the bureau. To join the bureau, you must have the ability to 'see.'"
Huangfu Jun tilted her head and smiled slightly. "So simple? Honestly, I didn't guess the first one."
Zhang Yu No. 4: ...
How could someone be so innocent and so honest at the same time!
It made it hard to even get angry.
It pouted and sighed helplessly. "Congratulations. You've successfully passed all the preliminary tests to join the Monster Bureau."
She definitely didn't understand the weight of the word "seeing." Since the bureau's founding, no human or half-demon had ever seen the bureau without permission, let alone entered it to work.
Huangfu Jun set down her teacup, her gaze suddenly sharp. "If I hadn't passed the tests, what would you have done to me and my family?"
"Unfortunately, there's no 'if.' The fact is, you passed."
Huangfu Jun clenched her back teeth. "Are you saying I should be grateful I passed?"
"Yes. Nothing else matters. What matters is that you—Huangfu Jun—passed."
Huangfu Jun bit her lip. "So you're not Director Zhang's avatar. You're Captain Bai in disguise. You're not just my system; you're also my examiner?"
Zhang Yu No. 4 paused. Its voice completely changed to Bai Lin's: "You did well, both in the normal and hidden tasks. Welcome to the Seventh Sub-bureau of the Monster Bureau's Flower North District in Hua Kingdom."
Huangfu Jun felt the world before her brighten for a moment, and Zhang Yu No. 4 vanished from her mind.
At the same time, another figure gradually materialized before her.
A lake-blue wide-sleeved robe, a tall and straight figure, a refined and handsome face—a true aristocratic gentleman—clearly Director Zhang Yu in human form.
Huangfu Jun blinked in surprise. Back in the hall, Zhang Yu had eight octopus legs beneath his robe, but now they were gone.
As if reading her confusion, Zhang Yu's eyes held a smile. "A Mei truly is a once-in-a-millennium figure in the bureau. Passing the bureau's tests so easily is an eye-opener for me."
Huangfu Jun instinctively opened her mouth, then remembered she couldn't speak outside her mind. She stood up and typed on her phone: "Was Zhang Yu No. 4 another bureau employee?"
Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise. "A Mei can see that much?"
Huangfu Jun's AI voice continued: "It's not hard to guess. The senior colleagues gave me the bureau's rules—to contact Director Zhang, I had to use the meal card. But when communicating with Zhang Yu No. 4, I didn't need the card. Moreover, it could appear freely in my mind. That skill doesn't seem available to everyone. Otherwise, everyone wouldn't waste time waiting for me to write things down."
At this point, Huangfu Jun couldn't help but think of Bai Lin. So far, the only one who could appear freely in her mind was Bai Lin. And Zhang Yu No. 4's drastic change was clearly someone impersonating it. So, was it Bai Lin?
Once she imagined Bai Lin—aloof, poker-faced—in the guise of the cute and adorable Zhang Yu No. 4, Huangfu Jun couldn't help but shudder. The feeling was too颠覆ing and terrifying.
Zhang Yu smiled, but inside he was panicking, afraid Huangfu Jun would probe further. He quickly changed the subject. "Conducting assessments isn't within the purview of the logistics director. I'm not clear on the details. Sorry I can't answer more, A Mei. I came here to thank you."
Huangfu Jun looked up at him, confused.
Zhang Yu understood her expression and answered proactively: "This test was about desire. Greed leads human consciousness into the abyss of evil. Though we are not human, any life that takes human form is limited by human senses and thoughts. For instance, a demon that prefers cold to heat, once in human form, will feel comfortable basking in warm sunlight or drinking a hot beverage. A demon without pain receptors, in human form, will feel pain if pricked by a needle. Every thought and action is driven by desire. Those deeply entangled by human desire become more brutal. If released to the field with more freedom, they'd cause trouble. Only those who pass the test can work in the bureau."
"Though I've been in the bureau for years, my human form was never complete. Luckily, the bureau's logistics work rarely involves human interaction, so the director made an exception for me. Now, watching A Mei's test, I suddenly understood some truths about being human. I unexpectedly completed my human form. So I came to thank you."
Huangfu Jun stood up, looking Zhang Yu up and down with amazement. She typed: "That's amazing! But I don't think it's related to me. Director Zhang has cultivated for so long; this insight was long overdue—like a ripe fruit falling naturally."
She asked, "But why does Director Zhang call me 'A Mei'?"
Zhang Yu's eyes sparkled. "It's a term from my hometown for young women. If A Mei doesn't mind, you can call me 'A Xiong' from now on."
Huangfu Jun's eyes softened into a sweet smile, and she typed: "Hello, A Xiong."
That smile struck Zhang Yu's heart, making his cheeks flush slightly. He took a half-step back, his form gradually fading until he vanished.
Huangfu Jun waved in his direction, then sat back down at the table to eat. After an exhausting day, she was truly hungry.
Enjoying a full meal, the dishes and utensils disappeared through a flap mechanism in the center of the table, like modern smart furniture. No dishes to wash, no clean-up. Huangfu Jun felt thoroughly relaxed. Who wouldn't love such leisure time?
She checked the time—two hours until midnight. For many young people, this was when the real nightlife began. Huangfu Jun was clearly a standard young person. So she decided to curl up on the sofa and read.
The book was naturally her grandmother's latest handwritten copy of "Tang's Workplace Thick Black Theory." She planned to finish this one, then find some demon books to read, like "Classic of Mountains and Seas" or "Huainanzi." Not because she was particularly studious, but out of curiosity—about her colleagues' true forms and unknown demons. Perhaps she could glean some scraps from these ancient texts. If useful later, knowing oneself and the enemy ensures victory.
She lounged on the sofa, her eyes moving line by line over the handwritten text, but gradually she grew drowsy.
In her dream, she saw that blurred face again—the young man. Though she couldn't make out his features, the melancholy and sorrow surrounding him were clearly perceptible.
"Who are you?" she asked urgently, though she didn't recognize him. Yet his mournful atmosphere made her heart ache too.
He sighed sorrowfully. Amid the mist, he seemed to reach out to her.
Unconsciously, she stretched out her hand, wanting to confirm his existence through his fingertips. In the mist, she finally saw his hand, his pale fingertips. She strained to reach them, but a sudden ringing scattered the mist and shattered her dream.
Huangfu Jun jolted upright, realizing she had fallen asleep. The handwritten book had fallen to the floor.
She picked up the book and pulled out her phone, checking the time with a hint of unconscious irritation.