Bai Ci read through the detection report bit by bit, her face showing little surprise. Instead, there was a sense of calm, as if the dust had finally settled.
Beside her, An Shu looked at Bai Ci's calm expression and couldn't help but sigh again. The basketful of comforting words she had prepared was now useless, and she didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing.
She had seen many people troubled by anomalous powers, and most were filled with despair. Yet, Bai Ci's composure made her heart ache even more for the girl.
“I'm in charge of records management, so all documents pass through my hands,” An Shu explained. “I saw this report yesterday, and when I saw the results, I felt very sad for you.”
“We currently have no way to deal with that curse related to the evil god, and as for that twisted blessing, we have to find the source to resolve it. This undoubtedly adds a lot of difficulty.”
“It's fine. We already speculated before that there were probably two curses on me. Now, the speculation is just confirmed,” Bai Ci said in a feigned lighthearted tone.
“Actually, this result is much better than I expected.”
“At least I've figured out that the so-called family curse isn't a real curse; it's a blessing, and there's still a chance to break it.”
“I plan to convince my mom to take me back to her hometown. The source of the blessing is probably over there.”
“It's a blessing after all. Even if there's something anomalous at the source, it shouldn't be too dangerous. It's much more reliable than what we're facing now, having no idea where to start with that evil god's curse.”
Hearing this, An Shu nodded. Seeing that Bai Ci had her own plan, she felt much more at ease.
“Send me a message when you're setting off. I'll see you off and bring you some things that might come in handy.”
She calculated in her mind what she should exchange for Bai Ci using the commendation from this incident, planning to discuss it with the captain later.
Although it was a blessing, it was still an anomalous power in the end. It was always best to be cautious.
“Sure, I'll definitely let you know once it's set.” Bai Ci pulled out her phone and waved it. “But before that, shouldn't we exchange contact information?”
After exchanging contact details with An Shu and chatting for a bit longer, Bai Ci left the office and returned to the main hall.
The moment she stepped into the hall, she saw her mother still sitting on the sofa in the corner. Her eyes were fixed on the direction of the office, her face filled with anxiety, and she was in the exact same sitting posture as when Bai Ci had left.
“Mom, I'm back,” Bai Ci said as she quickly walked over and sat down beside her mother.
Seeing Bai Ci, Mother Bai immediately stood up, scanning her from head to toe, and asked anxiously, “Xiao Ci, how did it go? Are you alright?”
Bai Ci pulled Mother Bai back down and spoke in a deliberately slow, soothing tone, “Mom, I'm fine. The test results are out. Let me show you and explain the details.”
She handed the document envelope to Mother Bai and roughly explained her plans.
As Mother Bai looked at it, her hands trembled, her face filled with bewilderment and disbelief.
She had lived her entire life believing that the Bai family's curse was innate and impossible to break. She had never imagined that this curse, which had plagued generations of women in the Bai family, was actually a blessing.
She stared blankly for a long time before slowly registering it. Her lips trembled, and her voice sounded slightly raspy. “Okay... Okay, let's go back.”
“We'll search together. Even if we have to dig up the very earth, we will find the source of that blessing, break your curse, and keep you safe and sound.”
As long as there was a sliver of hope, she was unwilling to give up.
Her greatest wish in life was to see Bai Ci safe and sound, free from the shackles of the curse, and living a good life.
Looking at Mother Bai's exhausted yet determined expression, Bai Ci's heart softened. This was indeed a mother who loved her child with all her heart.
She gently embraced Mother Bai.
“Mom, thank you. Don't worry, we will definitely find it. When the time comes, you won't have to worry about me anymore.”
Leaning against Bai Ci's shoulder, Mother Bai's eyes grew slightly red, and she kept murmuring, “We will, we definitely will...”
The day after leaving the Bureau of Investigation, Bai Ci and Mother Bai finalized the date of their departure for her maternal grandmother's hometown. They booked the earliest long-distance bus and were set to leave in three days.
Her grandmother's hometown was Baijiacun in the suburbs. It wasn't considered remote, but there was no direct high-speed rail, making the long-distance bus the most convenient choice.
On the night before their departure, Bai Ci sent a message to An Shu as agreed, informing her of their departure time and bus number.
Early on the morning of their departure, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Bai Ci and Mother Bai carried their simple luggage and walked out of the residential community gates.
An Shu, whom they had expected to meet near the station, was already standing by the roadside. She wore a black trench coat and held a palm-sized iron box in her hands.
“An Shu, why are you waiting here?” Bai Ci walked up and greeted her casually.
An Shu smiled and handed the iron box to Bai Ci. “I thought about it, and with all the people coming and going at the station, some things are better said in a quiet environment.”
“This is for you. With the captain keeping an eye on it, the application process wasn't delayed at all, and it finally came through before you left. It might be of some help to you.”
Bai Ci took the iron box, which felt slightly cool to the touch. It was made of ordinary sheet metal with no patterns on its surface, secured only by a simple latch.
Opening the latch, she saw a layer of soft velvet lining the inside, on which lay a small bundle of dried pale-green herbs. It emitted a faint, crisp fragrance that instantly refreshed her mind.
“This is...” Bai Ci looked at An Shu, asking about the purpose of the herbs in the box.
“It's called Dream-Inducing Incense,” An Shu explained.
“Its usage is very simple. Just hold an object closely associated with a certain person and light this Dream-Inducing Incense, and you'll dream of that person's deepest obsession.”
She paused, then added, “Our unit discussed it, and since you're going to investigate the source of the blessing, you might run into dead ends where you don't know where to start.”
“This Dream-Inducing Incense can help you see their obsessions, which might lead you to key clues.”
“This item falls into the category of having very minor side effects. You might experience insomnia for a few days after using it, but it won't attract anything extra, so feel free to use it with peace of mind.”
“Thank you, An Shu, and everyone in your unit for being so considerate of me.”
Bai Ci said sincerely, somewhat surprised that the NPCs would think things through so deeply for her.
“No need to be so polite,” An Shu waved her hand. “You did our Bureau of Investigation a huge favor, after all.”
Because Mother Bai was present, An Shu kept her words brief.
“Just focus on finding clues. If you encounter any anomalous situations or need help, call me or the captain anytime. We'll definitely do our best to help.”
Mother Bai stepped forward and thanked An Shu repeatedly, “Young lady, thank you so much. Thank you for always keeping our Xiao Ci in your thoughts.”
“Auntie, you're too polite. This is all just my job,” An Shu replied with a smile. She gave Bai Ci a few more reminders before watching the mother and daughter board the vehicle heading to the station.
Rate on N.U.
