Chapter 461 - 235: The Grand Opening of the Disaster Prevention Bureau

Chapter 461: Chapter 235: The Grand Opening of the Disaster Prevention Bureau

Bi Shui agreed with a smile.

They ended up waiting for a full four hours.

"Next."

A weary voice called from behind the door. First went 567, followed by Bi Shui, until at last, it was Mo Kuang’s turn.

’So there’s a side door inside. No wonder I haven’t seen anyone leave through this one.’

Mo Kuang stepped through the doorway, and his eyes fell upon two men and a cat. A high-ranking official in a formal hat was hunched over a desk, writing with a frantic intensity. For a moment, Mo Kuang felt a sense of deja vu, as if seeing his own shadow from the long nights he spent feverishly copying texts.

Meanwhile, the Red King—the center of the city’s attention these past few days and the wealthiest man in the world—was leaning against a window, gazing at the setting sun. He cradled a small orange cat in his arms. A little tag made of pure copper hung from its neck. As the Red King stroked the cat, its head bobbed up and down in blissful comfort, and Mo Kuang faintly glimpsed a paw-print-shaped emblem on the back of the tag.

Mo Kuang suddenly felt a pang of nervousness.

’The man hunched over the desk... that’s Jiang Gaoyi, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice!’

"What is your name, your age, your former position in Ye Weiyang, and which Path do you follow?"

The official kept his head down as he rattled off the questions. Then he looked up at the young man, a gentle smile gracing his weary face. "No need to be nervous," he said. "Just answer truthfully."

"Mo Kuang. I’m sixteen. I was formerly the Lower Six of Ye Weiyang, and I follow the ’Scholars’ Path."

"Lower Six?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Gaoyi looked at the young man with newfound respect. "To become one of Ye Weiyang’s Twelfth Moon at such a young age is quite an achievement. You have a bright future ahead of you!" he praised. Then, Jiang Gaoyi turned to the Prince, who was idly watching the clouds and petting the orange cat’s rear, and asked tentatively, "Your Highness?"

"Oh, it’s you." Zheng Xiu’s interest was piqued for a moment upon hearing the words "Lower Six," but it deflated just as quickly when he remembered who that was. He answered Jiang Gaoyi listlessly, "Grant him temporary Level C clearance."

Mo Kuang was confused.

Jiang Gaoyi quickly recorded Mo Kuang’s information in the roster and explained the meaning of the four levels: A, B, C, and D.

Simply put, within the corporate-style Disaster Prevention Bureau, the Prince would assign a rank to each new member of the Dawn Department on their registration day. This rank determined the level of assignments they were permitted to accept.

Mo Kuang was now just a C-level Member, which meant he could only take on assignments with a maximum rating of Level C.

"I object!" Mo Kuang bit back, trying his best to sound less arrogant. "But I’m the Lower Six!"

Jiang Gaoyi stroked his beard, troubled. "This puts me in a difficult position. After all, it was the Prince’s decision."

Zheng Xiu stood up, still holding the small cat. "There’s no need to be hasty," he said with a smile. "This rank is only temporary. It can be raised once your abilities improve. This is for your own good, you know. Don’t forget, the last two people to hold the title of Lower Six before you both died in quick succession."

Mo Kuang froze, suddenly at a loss for words.

’The position of Lower Six really wasn’t a cushy one. Two of them had died in less than half a year; it was clearly an inauspicious post. When Mo Kuang had first heard about it upon his appointment, he’d felt uneasy for a long time. But in the end, he couldn’t resist accepting the position. Impulse had triumphed over reason.’

"Do you see this little cat’s whiskers?"

Zheng Xiu pointed to the orange cat’s whiskers.

Mo Kuang nodded.

"When this little cat encounters someone who has traveled far along their Path, its whiskers twitch. The more violently they twitch, the more profound that person’s Path Mystic Skill." As he spoke, the Red King gestured for Jiang Gaoyi to come closer. Jiang Gaoyi eagerly complied—clearly, the Prince had used this method to provide a "reasonable" explanation to many who harbored doubts.

As Jiang Gaoyi stepped forward, the orange cat’s whiskers quivered, a minute vibration almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

"Now you come here."

Mo Kuang obediently took a step forward.

The cat’s whiskers remained perfectly still.

Mo Kuang was dumbfounded. "Based on this stupid cat?"

"Mrow?"

The orange cat’s eyes cracked open a sliver, its emerald-green pupils seeming to emit a blinding light.

In that instant, Mo Kuang felt as if he’d been plunged into an ice cellar. A chill shot through his body, and with a THUD, he collapsed to the floor. Strange illusions flickered before his eyes, and he found himself involuntarily thinking of Fairy Mei.

Zheng Xiu clapped his hands.

Jiang Gaoyi swiftly produced a chamber pot and handed it to him.

Mo Kuang clutched the chamber pot and retched for a while.

After he finished heaving his guts out, Mo Kuang had a sudden epiphany. This orange cat, which at first glance seemed less remarkable than even a Soul-Luring Lamp, was no ordinary feline.

By the time Mo Kuang came to his senses, the sky had already darkened to twilight, with only a faint glow remaining. He had no idea how long he had been in that daze.

Zheng Xiu handed a Copper Mirror to Mo Kuang, then glanced at the sky and waved for him to leave.

"Take good care of the Eternal World Painting," he instructed. "When you leave, turn left and look for the sign to the logistics department. Find the deaf man there to get your Dawn Department uniform. Then, go to the New Recruit Training Office and find the mute man; he’ll tell you how to use the Eternal World Painting, the rules for future assignments, and about your monthly pay and commission. Finally, go to the Contract Office, have the blind man witness your signature, and you’ll be officially on board."

In a daze, Mo Kuang took the mirror and stumbled out the door.

Just before he left, Zheng Xiu, as a final thought, called out to him. Cradling the small cat, he offered a final piece of advice:

"Be a little more respectful to the cat from now on."

Zheng Xiu smiled.

"It’s the legendary Pillar Cat."