Chapter Twenty-Six: The Lord of the Sun

Hearing Cui Xiu ask about Guan Yuan’s background, Wu Yu did not evade the question. Perhaps it was because of Cui Xiu’s conduct that Wu Yu felt more at ease with him.

“Brother Cui, there is something you may not know—Captain Guan is no ordinary person, nor is he a typical military officer.”

As Wu Yu spoke, he sighed lightly, as if Guan Yuan’s identity brought complex feelings to mind.

Cui Xiu, of course, already understood that Guan Yuan could not be an ordinary man. If he were, he would never have been able to sense the presence of the short staff earlier. Moreover, for someone to assume the trouble Wu Yu carried with such decisiveness and confidence, he could hardly be considered a commoner.

Naturally, Cui Xiu kept these thoughts to himself and did not interrupt, waiting quietly for Wu Yu’s explanation.

Wu Yu did not hesitate and soon revealed Guan Yuan’s identity to Cui Xiu.

“Captain Guan Yuan is a man of the Sun Directorate.”

The Sun Directorate?

Cui Xiu was surprised. Since coming to this world, he had never heard of such an office, nor did the original owner’s memories provide any clue about it.

Wu Yu glanced at Cui Xiu and immediately understood his confusion. He merely shook his head with a smile. It was not that Wu Yu was particularly perceptive, but rather because, given Cui Xiu’s background, it was only natural he would not know of the Sun Directorate’s existence.

Even Wu Yu himself would not have known, had it not been for the recent events that led his father to invite Guan Yuan. Only then did he learn of such an organization in the world.

Before Cui Xiu could ask, Wu Yu continued, “The so-called Sun Directorate is a special office of the court, established to deal specifically with strange and supernatural affairs. Brother Cui, you may have heard of the Fish-Dragon Guards—the Sun Directorate is similar to them, but far more mysterious and unique.”

“I hear the personnel within this bureau are quite complex. I know little beyond this; it’s only what my father has told me.”

Cui Xiu grew thoughtful as he listened. He had long suspected this world housed cultivators, and Wu Yu’s explanation confirmed his suspicions. Yet, the existence of the Sun Directorate still surprised him. While he expected the court to have some means of dealing with monsters and demons, he had not imagined such an organization.

Listening to Wu Yu’s explanation, Cui Xiu found the Sun Directorate reminiscent of the Six Gates he had read about in martial arts novels in his previous life. The essence was much the same—one dealt with the affairs of the martial world, the other with the supernatural.

Now, considering monsters and demons, it seemed likely that Guan Yuan had been invited to the Wu residence by Master Wu to help Wu Yu. Yet, from what Cui Xiu had observed, before Guan Yuan saw the short staff, he seemed entirely unwilling to help. But wasn’t it the Sun Directorate’s duty to handle such matters? Why did Guan Yuan act otherwise? This puzzled Cui Xiu.

Indeed, upon learning of the Sun Directorate’s existence, Cui Xiu had considered seeking their help to deal with the old crone. Yet Guan Yuan’s behavior suggested things were not so simple.

“Since Captain Guan serves in the Sun Directorate, and handling the supernatural is their duty, why is it that earlier…” Cui Xiu, knowing some of Wu Yu’s temperament, spoke directly, voicing his doubts.

Wu Yu took no offense and only shook his head with a wry smile. “It’s not so simple. Though many in the Sun Directorate are extraordinary, their hearts are not so different from ours.”

“The reasoning is much the same as with any officialdom, Brother Cui. Even with their special status, in the end, they are not so unlike ordinary court officials. Without merit or credit, even those tasked with handling such matters are not eager to act. Such attitudes are common in bureaucracy. Sometimes I wonder if pursuing this scholar’s path is worth it after all…”

Wu Yu grew more and more reflective as he spoke, quite different from the proud young scholar Cui Xiu had first met.

Cui Xiu did not pay much heed to Wu Yu’s latter words; his voice had grown soft, and the topic had drifted from the Sun Directorate. It seemed Wu Yu knew little more about this mysterious office, which Cui Xiu found regrettable. To have the chance to learn of an organization like the Sun Directorate was a rare opportunity, and his curiosity had only grown—especially since possessing the strange power of the gray mist, any chance to touch the extraordinary side of this world could only benefit him.

Just as Cui Xiu was absorbed in thoughts about the Sun Directorate, Wu Yu suddenly remembered something and spoke up. “Ah! I nearly forgot something important.”

“Hm?” Cui Xiu looked at him, puzzled.

“Brother Cui, weren’t you hoping to learn more about the origins of the item you delivered? Though I don’t know much, since Captain Guan took an interest, he must surely know its history. We forgot to ask him earlier.”

Indeed!

Cui Xiu was momentarily stunned, then realized he had been so preoccupied with Guan Yuan’s identity that he had neglected this matter, which was of great importance to him. Had Wu Yu not reminded him, he might have remained lost in the stories of the Sun Directorate and forgotten entirely.

He looked up, about to speak, but Wu Yu said, “No need to worry, Brother Cui. Captain Guan will return tomorrow—you can ask him then.”

Wu Yu assumed Cui Xiu was troubled by this oversight.

Cui Xiu did regret it, but since there would be another opportunity, he merely felt he’d been careless and did not dwell on it. The reason he looked to Wu Yu was that this lapse had reminded him of the affair at Liu Family Village.

About Liu Family Village and the old crone, he still knew little. Even with what Wu Yu had shared, the details remained unclear. Now, because of the short staff, Cui Xiu thought again of the old crone and wanted to ask more.

His intuition told him that if he could learn the staff’s origins from Guan Yuan, it might yield insight into the old crone who sought it and the evil god of Liu Family Village—perhaps there was more to discover.

Wu Yu, of course, had no idea of Cui Xiu’s thoughts, nor of his strange abilities. Seeing Cui Xiu’s interest, he merely thought his curiosity about the supernatural had been piqued by the Sun Directorate.

By now, thanks to Cui Xiu’s actions, Wu Yu considered him a close friend. Since Cui Xiu wished to know, Wu Yu saw no harm in indulging him.

“My father believes that knowing too much of such supernatural matters brings little good, but since you ask, Brother Cui, I see no harm in telling you what I know.”