I Went Crazy Killing in the World of Gods and Demons - CHapter 51

CHapter 51

Braving the cold rain, Xie Qingling and the others returned to the office from the suburbs.

It was already two-thirty in the morning.

The night was deep and silent, with only the incessant sound of rain.

After parking the car, Xie Qingling and Shen Huaizhou entered the office.

The sudden transition to the warm indoors irritated Xie Qingling, and she sneezed again it seemed she was really going to catch a cold.

Her physique had always been robust, and it had been a long, long time since she last fell ill.

The feeling of dizziness and weakness in her limbs made Xie Qingling feel as if she were walking on clouds.

Somewhat dazed, she followed behind Shen Huaizhou into the first-floor hall.

The hall was brightly lit, as bright as day. Yu Wei and Ling Fang, who had been waiting there, looked up and fixed their gazes on the entrance.

Shen Huaizhou, Xie Qingling, Ye Anran, and Dai Xingyu appeared one after another.

They had brought Xie Qingling back.

“Xie Qing ling ” Ling Fang gritted his teeth as he called her name.

With a jolt, Xie Qingling’s previously foggy mind instantly cleared.

Hearing the tone, each word spat out with barely contained fury, and the emotion that seemed ready to devour her whole even without looking, she knew Ling Fang’s face must be dark with anger.

Xie Qingling’s eyes shifted, hesitating for a moment before she closed them and let her body gently collapse toward Shen Huaizhou this move was something Shen Huaizhou had taught her. He should understand what she was trying to do, right?

As it turned out, Shen Huaizhou was far more reliable than she had imagined.

While the others were still stunned by Xie Qingling’s sudden movement and hadn’t yet grasped what was happening, Shen Huaizhou immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressed a hand to her forehead, and reported to Ling Fang, “Chief, Xie Qingling is burning up badly. She’s about to faint.”

Ling Fang fell silent.

Xie Qingling immediately let out two weak, delicate coughs, sounding utterly drained. She clutched her chest, breathing with apparent difficulty, and said nothing.

“Chief, it’s very late, and everyone is tired. Let’s discuss this tomorrow,” Yu Wei spoke up, breaking the heavy silence in the room.

“Ye Anran, take a look at her,” Ling Fang sighed. “Let’s call it a day for now. We’ll have a meeting tomorrow at eight in the morning. Don’t be late.”

And so, under Ye Anran’s escort, Xie Qingling feigned weakness as she slowly passed under Ling Fang’s watchful eyes and made her way, still playing the part, to Room 206 on the second floor.

Once inside the room, Ye Anran reached out and felt her forehead, saying, “So you really are sick.”

Xie Qingling: “…”

Was her acting really that fake and exaggerated?

Did everyone think she was pretending?

Well, it was true that she was sick, but the overly frail state she had just displayed was indeed an act.

Ye Anran said, “Take a fever reducer for now. My healing abilities can’t treat internal injuries like this. You’ll have to rely on medicine and wait to recover naturally. Don’t worry, I’ll tell the chief you’re seriously ill.”

Xie Qingling replied, “Thank you, Senior Anran.”

She noticed her voice sounded a bit hoarse.

“Don’t thank me yet. You might dodge the first day, but not the fifteenth there’s no escaping that self-criticism.” Ye Anran said mysteriously, “I have a feeling your self-criticism might double tomorrow. When that happens, don’t drag me into it. I don’t want to write self-criticism with you.”

As she spoke, Ye Anran noticed the marks on Xie Qingling’s neck. She thought about healing them but decided to leave them for now.

Just in case the department head doesn’t notice them she can deal with it tomorrow.

“Alright.” Xie Qingling nodded and obediently lay down on the bed.

After settling Xie Qingling, Ye Anran returned to her own resting room.

Since it was already late, everyone in the department chose to stay overnight at the office instead of leaving.

Listening to the faint sounds of movement and occasional footsteps outside her door, Xie Qingling gradually drifted into sleep.

She slept deeply that night.

Although Spirit Users could still fall ill, their physical constitution was remarkably robust.

After taking a fever reducer and getting a full night’s rest, Xie Qingling felt almost fully recovered.

Checking her reflection in the mirror, she noticed her complexion was unusually rosy. Going out with such a healthy-looking face to feign weakness might earn her a beating.

Before Xie Qingling could hesitate much longer, it was nearly eight o’clock.

Meeting time was approaching.

Xie Qingling put down the mirror, resolved to face whatever came her way and handle each challenge as it arose.

If she could avoid writing self-criticism, she would.

As Xie Qingling descended the stairs and reached the second-floor landing, before even stepping into the first-floor hall, she overheard Ye Anran arguing with Ling Fang: “It’s true, Department Head! I checked on her last night she was seriously ill! Probably due to Yin energy intrusion during the fight with the Red Wedding Dress, combined with last night’s sudden rain. Her body couldn’t handle it, so she fell sick.”

“Speaking of which, even if she’s a bit reckless, she’s currently our department’s top performer, right? I don’t think it’s appropriate to punish a sick top performer.”

“Oh?” Ling Fang heard footsteps and glanced toward the staircase, spotting Xie Qingling’s inadvertently revealed face. He drawled, “Is that so? Was she seriously ill? Barely able to get out of bed?”

Ye Anran nodded vigorously.

Xie Qingling: “…”

Xie Qingling felt touched, but hearing Ye Anran’s well-intentioned lies about to backfire, she decided to intervene.

“Sister Anran!” Xie Qingling called out quickly, “Thank you for your miraculous healing last night! After your treatment, I feel much better now! Although I really couldn’t get out of bed yesterday and had to trouble you to care for me overnight, I’ve improved significantly!”

Ye Anran stiffly turned her head and saw Xie Qingling’s exceptionally rosy complexion. Instantly rendered speechless, she fell silent like a dud firecracker.

Ling Fang chuckled coldly and said to Ye Anran with a smile, “It seems your medical skills have improved quite a bit. To recover so completely after being so seriously ill last night.”

Ye Anran was too guilty to speak.

“Since everyone’s here, let’s begin the meeting.”

By now, everyone had taken their seats. After Xie Qingling settled in, the meeting commenced.

Though it was called a meeting, in reality, it was yet another review session targeting Xie Qingling for violating the Work Guidelines.

Ling Fang looked at Xie Qingling and asked, “What is the first rule of the Work Guidelines?”

This was a test to see if she had taken the rules to heart.

Xie Qingling replied seriously, “Protecting the safety of department members is the department head’s responsibility.”

Ling Fang nodded and continued, “What is the second rule of the Work Guidelines?”

“Unconditionally following the department head’s instructions is the core principle of department work. Those who disobey orders without reason will be penalized based on the severity of the consequences.”

“Very good, very impressive. You’ve memorized them well.” Ling Fang nodded in approval, then his expression turned stern. “Since you’ve memorized them so well, I don’t need to remind you what you did last night, do I?”

Xie Qingling lowered her head and said, “I know I was wrong. I’ll write a self-criticism.”

Ah, as expected, she couldn’t escape it.

Ling Fang cut her off, “This is the third time. Every time you write a self-criticism, you claim to reflect, but I’ve never seen you actually change. This time, double the word count.”

Xie Qingling made a pained face and reluctantly said, “Alright…”

Ye Anran and Dai Xingyu simultaneously gave Xie Qingling sympathetic looks.

“Also,” Ling Fang continued, “I feel the current Work Guidelines aren’t detailed enough to regulate the daily work of department staff, so I’ve decided to add more relevant clauses. Anyone with suggestions can report them to me, and I’ll include them.”

“Ah? More?” Ye Anran couldn’t help but exclaim, “They’ve already increased tenfold, Department Head!”

“Oh, only ten times? That’s indeed not quite enough.”

Ling Fang turned his gaze to Ye Anran and sneered, “And you, Ye Anran, full of lies, abetting wrongdoing, and fostering unhealthy practices in the department. You also write a ten-thousand-word self-criticism for me.”

“I I… I’m so happy, hahaha, Department Head! I’ve been wanting to write a self-criticism for a long time!” Ye Anran’s face turned pale as she forced a dry laugh.

Why drag her into it again!

Ye Anran was exasperated.

But she didn’t dare resist at all resistance would only double the word count!

Vaguely, Dai Xingyu sensed the impending danger of being implicated.

However, out of team camaraderie, he didn’t shrink back but courageously pleaded on Ye Anran’s behalf: “Department Head, I think Sister Anran didn’t do anything wrong. She was just… just too concerned about the new member. It’s all the new member’s fault; it has nothing to do with Sister Anran!”

Ling Fang gave him a cold glance and said, “You write a self-criticism too.”

“Me… me??? Why me?” Dai Xingyu said in disbelief. “I wasn’t involved in anything! Department Head, I didn’t help the new member lie, and I didn’t plead for her either!!!”

“However,” Ling Fang stated, “you’re too indifferent. You don’t show enough concern for new members, which harms team harmony. The self-criticism is due by the day after tomorrow at the latest.”

Dai Xingyu: “…”

He was done for.

At this moment, Shen Huaizhou finally spoke up leisurely, “Do not easily question any decision made by the department head. All of the department head’s decisions are surely well-considered and undoubtedly correct.”

“You, Shen Huaizhou.” Ling Fang shot him a sidelong glance. “Full of cunning schemes, inciting new members to break the rules. Seems like it’s been too long since you last wrote a self-criticism, and your hands are itching for it.”

“No, absolutely not.”

“You’ll hand one in too.”

Shen Huaizhou: “…”

He’s gone mad, completely mad.

What does this have to do with him?

All he did was speak up for Xie Qingling last night.

Shen Huaizhou fell silent.

Xie Qingling also remained silent.

But she had to admit, with so many people in the department writing self-criticisms alongside her, she didn’t feel quite as miserable anymore.

At this moment, everyone’s gaze unconsciously turned to Yu Wei, looking at this sole survivor with eyes full of envy.

They truly envied Lao Yu. Because he was the one who went to pick up the department head yesterday, the head hadn’t punished him.

It seemed Lao Yu must have completed yesterday’s task of fetching the department head quite well.

If only they had volunteered to fetch the department head themselves what a pity.

Clearly, for such favorable assignments like fetching the department head in the future, they must participate actively!

After thoroughly organizing everyone’s tasks, Ling Fang’s expression turned stern as he concluded this self-criticism session: “I hope you all understand that everything I’m doing now is to ensure all six of us can sit here together at every meeting. More importantly, I don’t want to someday have to carry your bodies back from the battlefield after a mission ends.”

“Understood.”

The five responded in unison.

“Alright.” Ling Fang’s expression softened slightly. “The self-criticisms can be submitted tomorrow or the day after. For now, let’s discuss the follow-up handling of Chai Yuhu’s case and the rewards for Xie Qingling.”