She happily slipped the jade tiles into her pajama pocket, patting it, feeling like her luck would improve today.
Afterwards, she contentedly flopped back onto the bed, pulled the blanket over herself, and instantly fell into a deep, sweet sleep, a faint smile of unexpected joy still lingering on the corner of her mouth.
As for the origins of that thermos and the jade plaque?
She'd worry about that after waking up! Nothing was more important than sleep!
The Ten Kings Court.
In stark contrast to the cozy laziness of Qingque's Home, the interior of the Ten Kings Court was perpetually shrouded in an unshakeable chill.
The light was dim, ancient runes flickered faintly on the walls, and the air felt thick with unseen whispers.
If it were the usual Huo Huo, walking down this corridor leading to her superior's office, her Tail would have puffed up, her heart would be pounding like a drum, and she would be desperately hugging the wall as she shuffled along.
But today—
Wearing the large, black sunglasses she had impulsively bought at a street stall—believing they would increase her "sense of authority"—Huo Huo held her back straight, her steps steady and quick.
The sunglasses covered most of her face and seemed to block out the majority of the psychological pressure imposed by the surroundings.
She tightly clutched the resignation letter in her hand, her knuckles slightly white, but from exertion rather than fear.
(Once I hand it in, I can leave this cursed place... Just finish the task... It's no big deal...)
She repeated these phrases internally, both to pump herself up and to solidify her resolve.
After Tail Master was forcibly "muted," the world became much quieter. Even the constant mocking voice in her ear had disappeared, giving her a strange sense of "ease" and "courage."
Walking straight up to Judge Hanya's office door, Huo Huo didn't even carefully knock and whisper a query as she usually did. Instead, she reached out directly—
With a "creak," she pushed the door open.
Inside the office, the lighting was equally dim.
Hanya sat upright behind a massive desk piled high with dossiers, holding a vermillion brush and swiftly reviewing documents.
Her demeanor was cool and her expression serene, as if no external disturbance could affect her in the slightest.
Hearing the door open, she didn't lift her head, only pausing the tip of her brush slightly.
It wasn't until Huo Huo reached the front of the desk that Hanya finally raised her eyes.
The sight of Huo Huo momentarily stunned even the experienced Hanya for half a second.
She was still wearing the Judge uniform, and her figure was still small and timid. However, the incongruous large black sunglasses on her face, combined with an almost brazen aura—which the sunglasses couldn't hide and which was completely unlike her usual shrinking demeanor (though to outsiders it might just look like a small animal bluffing)—all signaled that something was amiss.
"Lady Hanya."
Huo Huo spoke, her voice muffled but exceptionally clear.
Hanya put down her brush and looked at her calmly, waiting for her to continue.
Huo Huo took a deep breath, and then, as if expending all her strength, she slammed the resignation letter—which was warm from being tightly clutched—down with a "smack" onto the very top of the mountainous pile of official documents in front of Hanya!
The paper made a crisp sound as it hit the thick dossiers.
"Gabfest Judge!"
Huo Huo puffed out her chest, trying hard to sound forceful, but her naturally soft voice made the statement sound more like a childish tantrum: "I! Quit!"
(...Gabfest Judge?)
A ripple of near speechlessness finally crossed Hanya's eyes, which were usually as calm as an ancient well.
She glanced at the resignation letter on the desk, then looked up at the subordinate standing before her, who was wearing ridiculous large sunglasses and trying to look fierce but possessed zero intimidation factor.
(Was she overstimulated by Tail? Or did she finally snap?)
Hanya instantly formed a judgment.
Based on her understanding of Huo Huo and the troublesome Suiyang residing within her, this sudden "toughness" and abnormal behavior was ninety-nine percent likely due to Tail Master causing trouble again, or Huo Huo finally breaking down after some fright and deciding to use this extreme method to escape.
As for the sunglasses... they were probably a laughable attempt at some childish psychological defense.
Having finished her internal analysis, Hanya's face reverted to its usual businesslike indifference.
She neither grew angry nor questioned her, nor did she even touch the letter of resignation.
She had her own way of dealing with such situations—a method so calm it bordered on ruthless, yet often effective.
She merely pondered for a moment, then expertly reached into the pile of pending dossiers next to her and pulled out a single sheet, placing it gently beside the resignation letter Huo Huo had slammed down.
It was a standard Ten Kings Court Field Investigation Mission Form.
The address was an old residence that had been abandoned for years and was rumored to be haunted.
The reason stated was: "Recent reports from nearby residents regarding abnormal noises; requires Judge to investigate and provide initial handling."
"Complete this."
Hanya's voice was flat, as if stating the weather today: "Then you may leave."
Her logic was simple and direct:
Since you want to use resignation to escape the pressure of this job, I will give you a small, directly related task.
If you complete it, you prove you are at least capable of handling basic responsibilities, and resignation might be negotiable (though she likely wouldn't approve it). If you fail, or are scared back, you naturally won't have the face to mention quitting again, and you'll quietly return to continue adapting.
How long Huo Huo's abnormal toughness would last, and whether she could handle the potentially genuinely eerie abandoned residence, were not within Hanya's current scope of consideration.
The work of the Ten Kings Court could not tolerate too much timidity or willfulness.
Huo Huo's gaze fell upon the mission form, and her brows furrowed behind the sunglasses.
Without hesitation, she snatched the mission form and quickly scanned it.
Then, she looked up, staring at Hanya through her sunglasses, her tone still carrying that forced momentum: "Are you sure? Just finish this and I can quit?"
"Of course."
Hanya's reply was concise and utterly devoid of embellishment.
"Fine!"
Huo Huo stopped wasting words. She folded the mission form, tucked it together with the dark red brocade pouch she was carrying, then turned around decisively and walked out of Hanya's office with faster steps than when she arrived, never looking back.
The door closed softly behind her.
Silence returned to the office.
Hanya's gaze rested on the door for a moment, then fell back to the resignation letter that had been slapped onto the top of the document pile.
Her face remained expressionless. She simply picked up her vermillion brush again and continued reviewing the previous documents, as if the small disturbance had been nothing more than a trivial interlude in her daily complex duties.
However, she gently nudged the letter of resignation into the corner of a stack of pending files, showing no intention of opening it yet.
As for Huo Huo, who had walked out of the Ten Kings Court Main Building and was now standing on the slightly chilly street, the outside wind caused her forced aura to deflate slightly.
She squeezed the mission form and the brocade pouch in her pocket, and her lips tightened under the sunglasses.
(Abandoned old residence... investigation...)
A familiar chill seemed to try and creep up her spine.
But she vigorously shook her head, forcing the timidity away.
(It's no big deal! Just do it!)
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