Chapter 554: Yuezhou's Dao Laogui

The Judge's Brush burned the translation from the ninth room.

Li Banfeng didn't understand the Judge's Brush's actions, and the Phonograph was also curious. "My lord," she asked, "what exactly was written in that translation?"

Before Li Banfeng could respond, the Judge's Brush proactively interjected, "It's all nonsense!"

It was extremely rare for the Judge's Brush to speak on its own accord.

Not only did it speak, it even began to act on its own. "Paper!" it demanded.

The Glove promptly laid out a piece of white paper.

"Ink!"

The Glove began grinding ink for the Judge's Brush.

"Photo!"

The Glove held the photograph perfectly still.

Hong Ying stared in astonishment. "What's gotten into you?" she asked. "You're doing exactly what it tells you to?"

The Glove considered for a moment, then replied, "It's all for our master; there's no shame in it."

The Glove, which normally dared to talk back to the old master, was surprisingly obedient in front of the Judge's Brush.

Soon after, the Judge's Brush completed several paragraphs of translation, seemingly from the photograph.

The first paragraph read: Boundaries originate from matter-antimatter annihilation, and the source of antimatter comes from the regular fluctuations of dark matter.

Li Banfeng was startled. "Is this the research outcome regarding the boundaries?" he wondered aloud.

The Judge's Brush paid no mind to his question; it simply continued translating.

The second paragraph read: Derivation and calculation of the trigger process for matter-antimatter annihilation.

The third paragraph read: Error analysis during the calculation process.

There were only these three paragraphs of translation. After completing them, the Judge's Brush returned to its shelf and called out, "Cover!"

Having learned from past experience, Li Banfeng quickly grabbed a silk handkerchief and draped it over the Judge's Brush.

The Judge's Brush promptly flipped over, causing the handkerchief to slide off.

"Too slippery! Use newspaper!"

Apparently disliking silk, Li Banfeng found a newspaper and covered the Judge's Brush with it instead.

Upon seeing these translations, the Phonograph's spirits lifted. "My lord," she said, "please allow your humble servant to study these materials at leisure."

Li Banfeng picked up a ledger and approached the Judge's Brush. "Ah Bi," he began, "would you mind translating this ledger for me?"

The Judge's Brush simply rolled over, ignoring Li Banfeng completely.

Li Banfeng moved around to its side and continued, "There will be plenty of good food and drink for you. Let's make a fair trade."

After a moment, the Judge's Brush appeared to have fallen sound asleep, so Li Banfeng had no choice but to put the ledger away.

The other magical artifacts were still eating. Migelov, along with a dozen of his subordinates, had all joined them at the table.

Li Banfeng instructed the Glove, "Save a portion for Ah Bi, and find a moment to discuss the ledger translation with him later."

The Glove sighed. "It's true that talented individuals are difficult to please, Master. You shouldn't argue with him."

Li Banfeng pushed open the door to the second room and looked towards the ninth.

"Old Master," he asked, "is the person from the ninth room truly a scholar of cultivation?"

The Portable Residence was engrossed in studying the Mud Castle and hadn't paid much attention to the recent events. "She should be a scholar of cultivation," it replied, "but I suspect she doesn't actually know Ravshan. Sometimes scholars make grand pronouncements, and if they repeat them long enough, they even start to believe them themselves."

This felt like more than just boasting. She was guiding me to do something, or perhaps guiding my wife.

She could deceive me, and even the old master, but she couldn't deceive the Judge's Brush. Why was that?

By evening, the Glove had successfully persuaded the Judge's Brush to help Li Banfeng translate the ledger.

The ledger revealed over a dozen strange names. From the entries, it appeared that the Birch Hermit Society regularly collected payments from these individuals.

The next day, Li Banfeng went to the Dark Star Bureau and called for Tang Yuan. "There are a few people I'd like to ask you about," he began. "Have you ever heard of 'Green Path Black'?"

"Green Path Black?" Tang Yuan shook her head. "Master Seven, is that even a person's name?"

Li Banfeng himself wasn't sure if it was a proper name.

He wrote down the three characters for Tang Yuan. After studying them for a while, Tang Yuan asked, "Could it be 'Night Roaming Green Shade'?"

"What is 'Night Roaming Green Shade'?"

"It's a group of dark ability enthusiasts," Tang Yuan explained. "They worship the God of Green Shade and typically gather in the wilderness late at night."

"Does this group have any dealings with the Birch Hermit Society?"

Tang Yuan seemed stumped. Li Banfeng recalled the information Zhong Er had provided, which indeed mentioned the "Night Roaming Green Shade" organization and its very close ties with the Birch Hermit Society.

Li Banfeng simply called Zhong Er over and showed him another name: "Yellow Decline."

This also didn't sound like a person's name. Zhong Er pondered for a long time, then asked, "This probably refers to the 'Yellow Flower Leaf' group. They're another dark ability enthusiast group who believe that wilting and decay are the beginning of new life, and they particularly like to use withered yellow leaves as props for their rituals."

"Does this organization have any dealings with the Birch Hermit Society?"

"Yes, the Yellow Flower Leaf is a dark ability group we monitor closely," Zhong Er replied. "This is because they operate at the intersection of experienced practitioners and novices. They've mastered many destructive dark energy rituals, leading to numerous hidden dangers. Last year, they held a ritual called 'Summoning Yellow Leaves' at a suburban gathering. The ritual failed, causing dark energy to go out of control, which led to a large amount of surrounding agricultural produce ripening prematurely and resulting in considerable economic losses. The Bureau severely punished the organization and placed it on a priority watch list. The 'Summoning Yellow Leaves' ritual, in fact, originated from the Birch Hermit Society. Based on my investigation, over half of this organization's dark energy rituals originate from the Birch Hermit Society. The reason why the Birch Hermit Society provides such assistance remains unknown."

In fact, the reason wasn't complicated: this assistance was not free.

Li Banfeng opened the ledger and examined the amounts collected. The Yellow Flower Leaf group paid substantial monthly fees to the Hermit Society.

The subsequent investigation proceeded much more smoothly. While the Judge's Brush had translated the names of these enthusiast groups as personal names, a slight semantic adjustment was all that was needed to identify the corresponding organizations.

Migelov, the leader of the Birch Hermit Society, had been selling ritual procedures, medicinal formulas, and certain low-level dark energy conduits as high-priced commodities to these enthusiast groups. This had clearly become their primary means of accumulating wealth.

Now that Migelov had disappeared, would the Birch Hermit Society also vanish? Or would someone else step in to replace him?

Li Banfeng summoned Chen Changrui and assigned him a task: "Monitor the movements of these dark ability enthusiasts closely. If they receive assistance from other groups again, or engage in financial dealings with them, inform me immediately."

The Phonograph derived the formulas over and over. Piles of calculation paper stacked several feet high, yet she still couldn't arrive at the desired result.

Li Banfeng took out the Hermit Society's blueprints and showed them to his wife. "This might be the apparatus used to break through boundaries," she mused. "No, not apparatus; judging by the size, it looks more like a structure, perhaps a tower—"

After a brief look, the Phonograph set the blueprints aside. "My lord," she said, "I don't wish to look at the blueprints. I simply want to solve these problems, otherwise I'll feel terribly uneasy."

"You can leave the calculations to the calculation scholar from the eighth room," Li Banfeng suggested. "My dear wife, why should you suffer this hardship?"

"I showed it to that calculation scholar," she replied. "After his deductions, he said that two pages of notes were missing from the middle. According to his calculation process, it's simply impossible to derive the subsequent results. These two pages of notes are crucial for proving the correlation between the degree of matter-antimatter annihilation and the flow of dark matter. I've tried many methods to deduce them, but every method is missing some crucial steps. So, my lord, what are you doing with that oil lamp?"

"Nothing," Li Banfeng said, a look of enchantment on his face. "I just find that when my dear wife talks about calculations and derivations, both your manner and your appearance are particularly captivating."

"Pah!" The Phonograph retorted, spitting at Li Banfeng. "Am *I* charming, or is that hussy charming? You're thinking of your esteemed university professor again, aren't you?"

"I truly wasn't thinking of her, I was thinking only of you, my dear wife!" Li Banfeng said, embracing the Phonograph from behind.

"Allow me to solve this puzzle first, then I'll attend to you, my lord." The Phonograph's mind was entirely on the problem, with no interest in anything else.

Feeling for the Phonograph, Li Banfeng stayed and helped his wife with the derivations.

They worked all night without any breakthrough. The Phonograph was truly persistent, but the derivation process simply wouldn't connect. She became so anxious her voice changed pitch. "My lord," she began, "why don't you go—"

The Phonograph hesitated, on the verge of saying something but stopping herself.

"My dear wife," Li Banfeng asked, "where do you want me to go?"

The Phonograph's horn turned towards Li Banfeng, but her anger resurfaced. "No, you can't go!" she declared. "I won't let that hussy look down on me!"

"Are you asking me to seek out Teacher Song?" Li Banfeng clarified.

"Who said anything about finding her?" she snapped. "What, can't we get anything done without her?"

After a moment of silence, the Phonograph conceded, "Going to her is fine, but only discuss this puzzle. Don't talk about anything else!"

Li Banfeng chuckled. "My dearest wife, what else could I possibly talk to her about? Don't you trust me?"

His wife was clearly displeased. "If it were anyone else, fine, but that hussy will surely charm your soul away. I simply don't trust her!"

Li Banfeng comforted the Phonograph twice. The Phonograph then extracted the intermediate derivation steps and handed them to him. "Just ask her to solve the problem," she instructed. "You mustn't tell her the full context. That hussy is very capable, and her origins are surely unusual. If she learns about the boundaries, she might expose you, my lord."

Li Banfeng wasn't concerned that Teacher Song would expose him, but he genuinely didn't want to involve her in any trouble.

After arranging a time by phone, Li Banfeng went to the school that afternoon to work on the problem with Teacher Song.

"Banfeng, you've already researched this to such an extent?" Teacher Song exclaimed, surprised to see the derivation process.

Li Banfeng smiled. "I am indeed very interested in dark matter."

"I suggest you return to school, further your education, and specialize in dark matter research," she said.

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Qualifications aren't important; knowledge is."

Teacher Song admired Li Banfeng's attitude. Though she had no classes that day, she was still dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, her attire reflecting her respect for and rigor in academia.

The derivation process proved to be genuinely difficult. Although Teacher Song's foundational knowledge was better than his wife's, several attempts at derivation ended in failure.

Beads of sweat dampened her hair, slowly tracing paths down her face. Li Banfeng diligently assisted her, buying cold drinks, looking up information, and performing basic calculations.

At 4:30 PM, as the sun began to set, Teacher Song suddenly clutched her chest.

Li Banfeng was startled. "Are you feeling unwell?" he asked, concerned about her heart.

"A little…" Teacher Song's breathing became somewhat rapid.

Fearing an attack, Li Banfeng quickly asked, "Do you have your medicine with you?"

Teacher Song shook her head. "I don't think it's necessary… Banfeng, I'm afraid we won't be able to solve this problem today."

Li Banfeng gathered the calculation papers. "Teacher, please get some rest. I'll return to do some more research first, and come to consult you again in a few days."

Teacher Song nodded. They both walked out of the teaching building, and Li Banfeng headed towards the school gate.

"Banfeng!" Teacher Song suddenly called out.

Li Banfeng turned. After a moment of silence, Teacher Song said, "I'm very happy to see you delving into academics. For other matters, you must be more careful."

Li Banfeng nodded repeatedly. After waiting a moment and seeing that Teacher Song had nothing else to say, he turned and left.

Teacher Song did, in fact, have more to say.

Her recent heart palpitations were due to a magical artifact on campus that had resonated with her.

That artifact had encountered a dangerous individual.

Teacher Song worried that this dangerous individual would bring harm to the school, so she had intended to tell Li Banfeng.

She wanted Li Banfeng to help her resolve the issue.

However, she didn't want to drag Li Banfeng into danger. After careful consideration, she decided to handle it on her own.

She went to the campus supermarket; the artifact that had resonated with her was the supermarket's storage locker.

The dangerous individual was He Jiaqing, who had stored something inside the locker.

The campus storage locker was a highly sophisticated magical artifact. Ordinary people couldn't forcibly break into it to retrieve items, and even Teacher Song, at her current level, couldn't do so.

However, Teacher Song had another method. She and the locker were friends, and friends had a special way of communicating.

Teacher Song touched each locker door, one by one, engaging in a silent conversation with the artifact.

The locker door vibrated rhythmically, transmitting a message to Teacher Song: "I am reminding you that He Jiaqing was here out of our friendship. However, protecting a client's belongings is my inherent responsibility."

The locker was unwilling to hand over He Jiaqing's stored item to Teacher Song.

Teacher Song gently tapped the locker door with her fingertips, conveying her intent: "I am a teacher here, and protecting the safety of the students is my responsibility. I suspect that the item He Jiaqing stored could pose a significant danger."

The locker quickly responded: "From my observation, the item itself will not cause harm or disaster."

Teacher Song tapped the locker door again. "Can you tell me what the item is?"

"It's an information storage device."

"What kind of information is stored inside? Is the information itself harmful?"

The locker could not answer.

Teacher Song made a promise: "Give me half an hour. If the information proves not to be harmful, I will return the item immediately."

After a short wait, the third locker door in the second row automatically popped open, revealing He Jiaqing's deposited item inside.

It was a USB drive.

Teacher Song carefully examined the USB drive, confirming that the device itself posed no immediate threat. She then took it back to her office and plugged it into her computer.

The USB drive contained only one video file. Upon opening it, she saw surveillance footage of an abandoned construction site.

Yuezhou City had numerous abandoned construction sites at the time. Teacher Song observed the footage carefully for a while, and by recognizing the scenery outside the window, she determined it was a construction project in Yunxiu District.

The video was approximately thirty minutes long. For the first twenty minutes, the footage showed nothing unusual.

At the twenty-one minute and sixteen-second mark, a dark shadow suddenly darted across the screen.

Teacher Song rewound the surveillance footage and used frame-by-frame slow motion to carefully examine the dark figure.

After capturing a key frame, Teacher Song clearly made out the shadow's outline.

It had short, stout limbs and a rounded body, with almost no discernible angles.

Upon closer inspection of the shadow's trajectory, Teacher Song was greatly alarmed.

It was a *Daolaogui*!

A *Daolaogui* had appeared in Yuezhou!

Teacher Song immediately drove to the construction site. Dealing with a single *Daolaogui* was not difficult for her.

However, as she neared Yunxiu District, another crucial question occurred to her.

Had only one *Daolaogui* arrived, or an entire group?

If she rushed to the scene now, could the situation still be contained?

*Daogui* Ridge could move. Had it just been a *Daolaogui* that came to Yuezhou, or the entire *Daogui* Ridge itself?

This could trigger a disaster for all of Yuezhou, or even the entire Huan Kingdom.

The situation at the site had to be controlled, and more personnel were needed for a broader response.

She took out her phone and dialed a number.

Li Banfeng returned to his residence and organized his calculations. Although he hadn't found the final answer, he had made some progress.

He was about to return to the Portable Residence to give the calculations to his wife when he suddenly heard the Projector say, "Director Seven, there's a message from the Dark Star Bureau."

Li Banfeng read the message: An anomaly had been detected at Hesheng Community on Shifeng Road in Yunxiu District. All Dark Star Bureau combat personnel were to report to the community for assembly.

*All* combat personnel?

This was more than just the public security team.

What kind of emergency could be this serious?

Li Banfeng handed the calculations to his wife and immediately headed to Hesheng Community. Shen Jingye was already waiting at the entrance. Cars arrived one after another, and soon the Security Team, Demolitions Unit, Investigation Department, Biodefense Unit, Electromagnetic Defense Unit, Anti-Air Defense Unit, Water Defense Unit, Toxicity Defense Unit, and Special Emergency Response Team had all arrived.

"Little Shen, what's going on?"

Shen Jingye replied, "Someone discovered a *Daolaogui* in this community."

"Discovered what?" Li Banfeng asked, suspecting he had misheard.

Shen Jingye repeated seriously, "A *Daolaogui*! A mutated creature formed by the cross-infection of dark energy and pathogens. You must be familiar with these from Pro-state, so I shouldn't need to explain."

"Where did this information come from?" Li Banfeng asked.

"From surveillance footage of Building Nine in the community."

"From what time was the footage?"

"Two hours ago. The *Daolaogui* might still be in the community, or it might have gone elsewhere. The situation is extremely urgent; a *Daolaogui* could potentially bring unimaginable disaster to all of Yuezhou! This is the most severe challenge we've faced since the Green Water Bow incident, and we cannot afford a single mistake."

A *Daolaogui* in Yuezhou?

If this was true, it would indeed bring about a disaster. Theoretically, a single *Daolaogui* could generate countless more, eventually destroying an entire city.

But how could a *Daolaogui* possibly appear in Yuezhou?

Li Banfeng was intimately familiar with the habits of *Daolaogui*. Although they had undergone many changes after being modified by Cui Tik, their range of activity was limited; they couldn't stray too far from *Daogui* Ridge.

What other experiments had Cui Tik been conducting?

Had the plan to destroy all humanity been initiated?

Or had *Daogui* Ridge itself been moved to Yuezhou?

Shen Jingye ordered a complete lockdown of the construction site, the evacuation of surrounding residents, and the deployment of unmanned reconnaissance drones for a thorough search of the area.

All Dark Star Bureau personnel were on standby, ready to enter the site at any moment.

Li Banfeng stated, "If a *Daolaogui* is confirmed on site, dark energy users below Level Six are not to enter."

Shen Jingye shook his head. "This isn't for you or me to decide. I know the situation is extremely dangerous, but this is the mission of every combat operative in the Dark Star Bureau! Every person in the Dark Star Bureau, myself included, must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice."

Li Banfeng retorted, "Mission and pointless sacrifice are two different things. Sacrifice isn't a solution. Sending one more person in could simply mean one more *Daolaogui*. Don't you understand that?"

Shen Jingye replied, "Everyone understands the principle, but we don't have time for debates right now. This is about our responsibility and duty!"

Li Banfeng looked at Shen Jingye. "When Green Blossom arrived, where were your responsibilities and duties then? You sold me out; do you think I've forgotten about that?"

Shen Jingye pursed his lips. "The situation was different then—"

"What's different? Wasn't Green Blossom's threat even greater than a *Daolaogui*'s?"

Shen Jingye couldn't answer. For him, the two situations were indeed different.

His promotion documents had already been approved and were set to be issued this week. He couldn't afford to observe from the sidelines now, and certainly couldn't make any missteps.

Unmanned reconnaissance drones conducted multiple search rounds but yielded no results.

Shen Jingye prepared to send the Investigation Department into the site, but Li Banfeng shook his head. "You can't let them go!"

Shen Jingye insisted, "We must demonstrate the appropriate resolve."

"A *Daolaogui* won't see your resolve," Li Banfeng countered. "Your attitude is worthless in its eyes!"

Shen Jingye looked into the distance. His resolve wasn't for the *Daolaogui*'s benefit.

Du Wenming stood in the distance. He hadn't taken command of the operation but was merely observing from afar.

Shen Jingye glanced at the two individuals beside Du Wenming. "See?" he whispered. "He's brought the Unobservables."

"What are 'Unobservables'?" Li Banfeng asked, looking at the two people beside Du Wenming. "Aren't they visible?"

"Unobservables doesn't mean they can't be seen," Shen Jingye explained. "It refers to their method of using dark abilities, which cannot be observed or explained. To put it bluntly, they are the Curse Cultivators from Pro-state. Bringing them here shows how seriously Director Du views this operation."

"So your resolve is for Du Wenming's benefit?" Li Banfeng probed.

Shen Jingye replied, "Even if he weren't here, we would still have to take action."

"I'll go," Li Banfeng stated, quickly checking his equipment.

Shen Jingye stared, stunned. "You're going alone?"

Li Banfeng glanced at Shen Jingye. "Or should we both go?"

Shen Jingye pursed his lips. "Someone needs to stay here to command the operation."

"Are you suggesting I stay here and command?" Li Banfeng asked.

Shen Jingye fell silent. He knew that if he uttered one more word, Li Banfeng would send him directly into the construction site.

Sending him in would only be a hindrance, so Li Banfeng ultimately entered the construction site alone.

This construction site was slated for twelve buildings; three of them had already been topped off, while the remaining nine varied in height from mere foundations to over thirty stories.

As he scanned each building, Li Banfeng felt no discernible danger.

The *Daolaogui* footage came from Building Nine's surveillance. As Li Banfeng walked below Building Nine, he suddenly turned around, noticing someone beneath Building Five, quietly watching him.

The person's figure was extremely blurry, and Li Banfeng immediately heightened his vigilance.

Drones hovered above Li Banfeng, and the video footage was quickly transmitted to the Investigation Department.

Shen Jingye stared at the surveillance screen, wondering why Li Banfeng had stopped.

The drone adjusted its camera direction, following Li Banfeng's gaze, but the screen showed only a blank image. Nothing was captured.

Shen Jingye picked up his walkie-talkie. "Director Li, what's going on?"

Li Banfeng didn't answer. The person in the distance was slowly approaching him.

She was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, with ear-length short hair. She adjusted her glasses and said to Li Banfeng, "I've already checked Building Nine; no *Daolaogui* were found."

Teacher Song?

How could she be here?

Li Banfeng knew Teacher Song's identity was unique and her cultivation level was considerable, but he hadn't anticipated her direct presence at this construction site.

Teacher Song placed a finger to her lips, signaling Li Banfeng to remain silent.

Was she worried about being detected by those outside?

Did the people outside not know she was in the community?

Li Banfeng looked up at the drone hovering above. From its current angle, the drone should have been able to see Teacher Song.

Teacher Song shook her head. "It can't see me. Its video and audio equipment can't detect me, and your walkie-talkie won't pick up my voice either."

What kind of Daoist technique was this?

Shen Jingye's voice crackled through Li Banfeng's earpiece. "Director Li, what exactly is happening? Respond if you receive!"

Li Banfeng replied, "I'm currently observing the situation around me. Don't overreact!"

Being reprimanded by Li Qi in front of so many members of the Investigation Department caused Shen Jingye some embarrassment, but this was no time to worry about appearances.

In the surveillance footage he was watching, there was only Li Qi, no one else.

From her cuff, Teacher Song produced a retractable pointer. It gently brushed past Li Qi's earpiece as she spoke: "Banfeng, you can talk to me now. They can't hear your voice."

"Why are you here?" Li Banfeng asked.

"I'll explain this to you later, Banfeng," she said. "What's your plan?" Regardless of how urgent the situation was, Teacher Song's tone remained gentle toward Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng replied, "Using my techniques to sense danger and locate the target as quickly as possible."

Teacher Song nodded. "I'll cooperate with you. From now on, I'll follow your lead."

"You've already searched this community once?"

Teacher Song nodded. "Every building has been searched. Perhaps my perception isn't sharp enough, but I didn't find any *Daolaogui*."

After a moment of thought, Li Banfeng decided to begin the search from Building Nine once more.

Li Banfeng walked ahead, his pace brisk.

Teacher Song followed closely, keeping watch behind them.

The two quickly searched every corner of Building Nine. They found no *Daolaogui*, nor did Li Banfeng sense any danger.

Next was Building Ten, adjacent to Building Nine.

At the main entrance of the Dark Star Bureau, a melodious harmonica tune began to play, and the security guard gradually drifted off to sleep.

Once the guard was in a deep sleep, a cloud of smoke drifted into the main hall.

The Dark Star Bureau building was unusually quiet that day, as almost all combat personnel had departed for the *Daolaogui* capture mission.

The smoke seeped through the door crack into the stairwell, floated up to the fifteenth floor, passed through the corridor door, and entered the area behind the iron fence.

Behind the iron fence was a room where Big Head sat, watching the cloud of smoke before him.

Having worked at the Dark Star Bureau for so many years, his experience told him that this smoke originated from a dark energy user of extremely high cultivation.

A voice emerged from the smoke: "Big Head, it's me."

He Jiaqing!

Big Head was startled and quickly scanned the surrounding surveillance equipment.

The smoke expanded, obscuring all the cameras. From within the smoke, He Jiaqing spoke: "Big Head, I have a question for you: Are you willing to come with me to Pro-state?"

Big Head lowered his head, offering no reply.

He Jiaqing continued, "If you don't come, you might be imprisoned for life. Your wife doesn't know when she'll be released, and your child will never be able to hold their head high."

Big Head took a deep breath and spoke, "But if I leave, what will happen to them?"

"Come with me, all of you, to Pro-state. I'll provide you with a better life, one far superior to your current situation. Can you trust me, brother?"

A flicker of hope appeared in Big Head's eyes, but it quickly faded.

"This is the Dark Star Bureau; I can't escape."

"Normally you couldn't escape, but today you can," He Jiaqing said. "Today is the perfect opportunity, one I specifically created for you." Big Head looked at the smoke before him, then at the iron fence beyond the door.

He nodded towards the smoke.

Dear readers, it's almost the end of the month.