At that moment, more people came climbing up—it was Xiao Heshang, leading a few investigators. It now seemed likely that the whole "blocked mountain pass due to heavy snow" situation had been another trap laid by Director Gao for Huang Ran. When Xiao Heshang saw Sun Fatty and me, he gave us a knowing wink, then headed straight toward Gao Liang. The two of them huddled together and spoke in hushed tones—hard to catch exactly what they were saying, though I caught words like Yingquan and dug up here and there. Then Xiao Heshang called over Ouyang Pianzou, and the two of them hurried back down the slope.
Meanwhile, with only Wu Rendi and Hao Wenming staying back, the other directors began organizing the investigators who had arrived one after another to start surveying the entire Tomb of a Transcendent Beast, as well as the skeletal remains of Ruan Liulang. Po Jun and Zhang Zhiyan were carried down for medical treatment, and Meng Qiqi was taken away by Wang Ziheng, who had just arrived from behind.
As more and more people dispersed, Huang Ran—still leaning against the stalactite—suddenly turned to Gao Liang and asked, "Director Gao, now that things here are pretty much wrapped up, how do you plan to deal with me?"
Gao Liang was currently watching Wu Rendi, who had taken out a rope no thicker than a pinky finger from who-knows-where and loosely looped it around the white wolf's neck. Upon hearing Huang Ran's question, Gao Liang turned his head and gave him a smile. "Didn't you say you were interested in the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation? Then you can spend the rest of your life with us. There's plenty of room in the basement—I can even get you your own single-occupancy cell," he said with a pause, the smile on his face deepening into something harder to read. "Even if you want to live on Sublevel Five permanently, that's fine too. After all, anyone who dares to use Buddha Ash doesn't have many days left anyway."
Gao Liang's remark made Huang Ran visibly dim. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth again. "I once took a few things from the Bureau back in the day. If I return them now—and add in a few pieces from my private collection—would you consider letting me go?"
"Private collection?" Gao Liang raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Go on, what kind of rare treasure would make me even consider such a trade?"
Huang Ran let out a faint chuckle. One hand pressed over his wound while the other propped himself up from the ground. Slowly, he stood and said, "The Heavenly Principle Diagram. Earlier up top, I said it was here—that was just a bluff. It's actually with me. You let me go, and I give it to you."
"The Heavenly Principle Diagram, huh…" Gao Liang suddenly burst into laughter as if he'd heard the world's most absurd joke. Huang Ran, meanwhile, wore a smirk of his own.
Once Gao Liang finished laughing, Huang Ran asked, "Director Gao, is the Heavenly Principle Diagram really that funny?"
Still smiling, Gao Liang replied, "If you'd mentioned anything else, I might have let myself be fooled. But the Heavenly Principle Diagram…?"
He paused for a beat, and the mirth on his face turned cold. "I already know where it is. There's no way it's in your hands. And if it were, why would you have come here in the first place?"
Huang Ran's smile didn't falter in the slightest. He stepped closer, clutching his chest wound. Hao Wenming immediately moved forward, standing protectively in front of Gao Liang. Huang Ran stopped and said calmly, "You know the whereabouts of the upper half—or the lower half?"
That question froze the expression on Gao Liang's face for a couple of seconds. Exactly as Huang Ran had expected. He let out a chuckle—but the motion pulled at his injury, causing him to grimace in pain. After a few deep breaths, he continued, "I worked at the Bureau for a while, you know. As for Tao Heru and the Heavenly Principle Diagram… well, some things you know, and some things I know."
He spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, then grinned at Gao Liang with blood-stained teeth.
At the mention of Tao Heru, everyone reacted calmly—except for Yang Xiao behind Wu Rendi. His body stiffened for a moment, eyes flashing sharply as they scanned Huang Ran's face.
Gao Liang gave Huang Ran a measured look, his voice cool and emotionless. "Go on. Tell me something I don't already know."
This response made Huang Ran hesitate, but at this point, there was no turning back. He had no choice but to continue. "Back when Tao Heru was captured after being gravely injured by the Religious Affairs Commission, he offered the Heavenly Principle Diagram in exchange for his life. The diagram was right in front of them—of course the Commission agreed. My great-granduncle personally led the team to the hiding place. Everyone saw Tao Heru retrieve the diagram with his own hands. But while everyone was focused on the scroll, the guards watching Tao Heru let their guard down. He seized the moment and escaped using Blood Escape. In that instant, my great-granduncle reacted quickly and managed to tear away the lower half of the Heavenly Principle Diagram. Since then, the so-called version in Tao Heru's possession has only ever been the upper half."
At that moment, more people were coming up from below—Xiao Heshang leading a few Bureau investigators. It seemed the whole "snowstorm blocking the mountain" situation had been just another trap set up by Bureau Chief Gao for Huang Ran. When Xiao Heshang spotted Sun Fatty and me, he gave us a wink, then headed straight to Gao Liang's side. The two leaned in and murmured quietly—couldn't hear much, only caught phrases like "Ying Spring" and "dug up." After their hushed exchange, Xiao Heshang called over Ouyang Bias-Left, and the two of them quickly headed down the slope together.
At this point, aside from Wu Ren'e and Hao Wenming, the remaining directors started leading the investigators who'd arrived to conduct a survey of the entire Tomb of the Transcendent Beast and the remains of Ruan Liulang. Po Jun and Zhang Zhiyan were carried down for medical treatment, and Meng Qiqi was taken away by Wang Ziheng, who had just caught up.
Watching as the people around us thinned out, Huang Ran—still leaning against a stalactite—suddenly said to Gao Liang, "Bureau Chief Gao, things here are just about wrapped up. What are your plans for me?"
Gao Liang was watching as Wu Ren'e pulled out a rope about the thickness of a pinky finger from who-knows-where and lazily looped it around the white wolf's neck. Hearing Huang Ran's question, he turned his head and grinned, "Didn't you say you were interested in the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation? Then spend the rest of your life there. I've got plenty of rooms in my basement—I'll even spare you a single."
He paused for a moment, his smile growing a bit more layered. "And if you want to stay on Sublevel 5 permanently, that's fine too. You dared to use the Ashes of the Guardian Buddha—you won't have many days left anyway."
Gao Liang's words dimmed Huang Ran's expression. After a few seconds of silence, Huang Ran asked again, "Back when I was in the Bureau, I took some things. If I return them—along with a few personal collections I've gathered over the years—would you consider sparing me?"
"Personal collections?" Gao Liang raised an eyebrow, interested. "Go on. What's so precious that I should trade your life for it?"
Huang Ran chuckled. Supporting his wound with one hand and the ground with the other, he slowly stood up and said, "The Heavenly Principle Diagram. I mentioned earlier that it was here—well, that was a half-truth. It's with me. As long as you let me go, you get the Heavenly Principle Diagram."
"Heavenly Principle Diagram, huh…" Gao Liang suddenly let out a chuckle, as if he'd heard a joke. Huang Ran also had an amused smile on his face.
After Gao Liang's laugh faded, Huang Ran asked again, "Is the Heavenly Principle Diagram really that funny, Bureau Chief Gao?"
Gao Liang replied, "If you'd said something else, I might've been fooled. But the Heavenly Principle Diagram…"
His tone turned cold. "I know where it is. There's no way it's in your hands. And if it were, why would you even come here?"
Huang Ran's grin didn't falter. He stepped forward, hand over his wound. Hao Wenming stepped up and blocked his path. Huang Ran gave a small laugh and stopped, then said to Gao Liang, "Do you know the whereabouts of the upper half… or the lower half?"
This froze Gao Liang's expression for a few seconds—exactly what Huang Ran had expected. He chuckled, though the effort pulled at his wound and made him grimace in pain. After a moment, he added, "I used to work in the Bureau, after all. I know a little about Tao Heru and the Heavenly Principle Diagram—maybe even a few things you don't."
He spat out a mouthful of blood and flashed a bloody smile. At the mention of Tao Heru, most people stayed calm, but behind Wu Ren'e, Yang Xiao visibly tensed. He quickly glanced at Huang Ran, eyes wide.
Gao Liang looked at him and said flatly, "Go on. Tell me something I don't know."
This uncharacteristically calm reaction gave Huang Ran pause, but at this point he had no choice but to continue.
"Tao Heru was captured after being gravely injured by the Religious Affairs Commission. Later, he offered to trade the Heavenly Principle Diagram for his life. The Diagram was right there—so of course the Commission agreed. My great-granduncle personally led the retrieval team. They watched Tao Heru pull the Heavenly Principle Diagram out with his own hands. Everyone was focused on the Diagram, so the guards relaxed for a moment. Tao Heru seized the chance and used Blood Escape to escape.
"But just as he escaped, my great-granduncle reacted quickly and tore off the back half of the Diagram. So the one Tao Heru had in hand—the one you've all been chasing—was only the upper half."
—End of Volume Three—