Investigation Report of the Gods-Chapter 154 : The Esotericism Faction
Chapter 154: The Esotericism Faction
“？”
Even Han Su was genuinely a little shocked.
He even scrutinized it carefully, confirming that this was indeed the same Living Bronze Puppet he had seen in the secret chamber before.
This—one of the thirty-two most dangerous weapons in the world, a Divine Weapon...
Was just casually placed in the main hall?
Did the owner of the Lilac Courtyard go mad from the shock of the Mechanical Fragments being stolen, and so brought this thing straight up here?
Aren’t you afraid some brat might accidentally run into it?
“Mr. Han Su, this way please.”
At that moment, the exclusive elevator had already been called. A neatly dressed server had come down from the club, stepped aside with a smile, and invited Han Su into the elevator.
No matter how reluctant he felt, Han Su could only withdraw his gaze and follow him into the elevator. They went straight to the third floor, where a spacious room unfolded before him. At the entrance was a bar counter, surrounded by tables that combined artistic design with comfort.
The sound of a phonograph played softly, its gentle melody drifting through the space.
Scattered around the area were a few people.
Most had a box by their side. Those without one still carried an air that clearly marked them as part of the mysterious circle.
Upon seeing Han Su enter, many turned to him with friendly glances. Some even raised their glasses in greeting from afar. Han Su recognized several familiar faces from his time at the Disaster Management Bureau base and could sense great goodwill from them.
However, with just a quick glance around, his gaze landed on the Red Trench Coat woman seated by the west wall of the club.
She only gave him a fleeting look before withdrawing her gaze again, expressionless.
Next to her sat a short-haired girl with her head lowered—it was Miss Crow.
Across from Miss Crow was another girl with ash-blond hair, dressed smartly and smiling brightly.
This person caught Han Su’s attention the most.
He had seen her once before during the resolution of the Crystal Skull incident, then also at the side of the Red Trench Coat woman.
She was Sparrow!
……
……
“Good, everyone’s here...”
Han Su nodded silently and followed the server inside, choosing an empty table where he placed his suitcase.
Seeing the bare tabletop with only an aromatherapy candle, he felt a bit disappointed. “So this is the welcome party? I thought there’d be a dozen or twenty tables at least…”
Then a voice suddenly sounded: “Investigators are people too—they need a place to relax. Otherwise, dealing with those damned things every day, the pressure would drive anyone insane.”
“Besides, the experiences we go through, the ways we handle them, need to be shared. The Disaster Management Bureau’s rules are too rigid—just to read someone else’s anomaly , you have to file a request. Isn’t it better to chat freely with each other?”
Han Su turned to see the Drunkard Investigator, his eyes already glassy from drinking, and his bulbous red nose prominent. He held a dented bottle and slumped down across from Han Su with a wobble.
“So, we found a place like this here at the Lilac Courtyard. Here, everyone can talk about things from the mysterious circle without it being considered leaking secrets.”
“Those rich playboys sometimes show up too, but they all stick to the second floor. The third floor isn’t open to them.”
“……”
Han Su turned to look at the Drunkard Investigator, keeping a polite smile on his face as he said, “I thought veterans like you didn’t care about what counts as leaking secrets anymore. I heard someone here at the Lilac Courtyard has been giving lessons to those rich playboys.”
“That’s you, isn’t it?”
“……”
“Everything I’ve done was tacitly permitted.”
The Bulbous-Nosed Man met Han Su’s gaze and smiled. “The Disaster Management Bureau was built by Secretary No. 5 himself. And to build it up, naturally, he needed both support—and restraint.”
“The ones who supported the formation of the Bureau were, of course, the Esotericism Faction. They’ve existed for countless years before the Bureau.”
“As for restraint—who do you think has the qualifications to keep the Bureau in check?”
“……”
‘Ancient Nobility?’
From his earlier conversation with Black Rose, he had already learned of this group’s existence.
And since joining the Bureau, with all the things he’d encountered, he had gradually deduced that the Disaster Management Bureau, Esotericism Faction, and Ancient Nobility were all interwoven in complex power balances.
The Drunkard Investigator seemed intent on using this as a starting point to chat about secrets of the mysterious world—whether to show off or for deeper reasons, Han Su couldn’t be bothered to respond.
Seeing Han Su stay silent, the Bulbous-Nosed Man simply smiled and continued, “At the end of the day, the Disaster Management Bureau is just a workplace. We don’t need to worship it. If you want to survive well, it’s more important to know who you’ll ultimately serve.”
Han Su simply stared at him coldly, then suddenly asked:
“You said everything you’ve done was tacitly permitted—so, the attack on me by D7 was, too?”
“……”
The Bulbous-Nosed Man’s face briefly darkened at the question. Meeting Han Su’s eyes, he seemed a bit sobered and replied in a low voice, “I heard about the attack on you by D7.”
“But in my view, maybe they didn’t really mean to harm you—perhaps just to give you a warning, a lesson. Even if you hadn’t shown your current strength, had you been more cautious, those three D7 wouldn’t have gotten close to you…”
“To be honest, you were a bit careless during that mission.”
He spoke as if guessing, but his tone sounded defensive.
Han Su almost laughed—truth be told, this guy wasn’t wrong.
Back then, when facing the three D7, Han Su had been deliberately creating opportunities for them—or rather, creating a chance to meet with Bowl‑Cut Boy, which led to the so-called attack.
In theory, had he remained cautious and followed Bureau protocols, those three wouldn’t have had the chance to touch him at all. At most, he’d just sense their hostility and overthink it?
Then what? He’d feel afraid and live under restrictions in the Bureau?
“That’s just how I operate.”
Han Su said, “The attack already happened. Besides, I heard one of the D7 psychos has developed a grudge against me.”
“Yeah…”
The Drunkard Investigator frowned too and muttered, “That guy is certainly unexpected and troublesome…”
“But since he’s in D7, he won’t get out easily. There’ll be ways to deal with him.”
“……”
As he spoke, he snapped his fingers and said to a server, “Bring him a cup of Nile Red Tea.”
“Red tea?”
Though his voice wasn’t loud, the surroundings stirred subtly.
Many turned to glance their way—including the Red Trench Coat woman by the window, who had been whispering to Sparrow. The candles on the tables flickered lightly.
Soon the tea arrived. Han Su looked down at the crimson liquid, floating with dry bark-like pieces.
The color was so deep it seemed suffocating.
Just one glance made him dizzy. He instinctively let out a trace of spiritual power, which quelled the feeling. Taking a deep breath, he could now smell only sweetness.
The Bulbous-Nosed Man lazily smiled. “Try it. It’s beneficial.”
Han Su was curious: “That doesn’t look like tea leaves.”
“Of course not. The tea leaves were filtered.”
As if hearing a joke, the Bulbous-Nosed Man laughed, then explained, “That is powdered mummy from a Radiation Era ruin in the Brong Highlands of the Southern Continent.”
“These mummies came from a mutated tribe long lost to history, bearing incomprehensible mystical properties. It’s said they’ll awaken one day.”
“Ground into powder, they help us greatly enhance our mental activity, and even comprehend the Life Code.”
“……”
“Huh?”
Han Su had harbored suspicion toward these people, so nothing they did would surprise him.
But now, after hearing this, his scalp tingled: “You people... sit here drinking corpses?”
“Isn’t that disgusting?”
“Don’t say such laughable outsider nonsense.”
The Bulbous-Nosed Man waved dismissively, then said, “All you need to know is that the benefits to your mental activity from this one cup are beyond imagination. With regular use, you’d enter the Forbidden Zones of the Gods in no time.”
‘So this is the secret to how they rapidly enhance their mental activity?’
Seeing the matter-of-fact look on the Bulbous-Nosed Man’s face—and the envy in others’ eyes as they looked at the tea—Han Su finally understood.
No wonder Zhang Chiguo, someone sent from above, had less influence than the Four Major Investigators.
Setting aside connections and interests, just this edge in mental activity enhancement gave them a massive lead over the Bureau.
Drinking mummy tea?
The Bulbous-Nosed Man didn’t seem surprised by Han Su’s expression—in fact, he almost seemed to enjoy it. He continued, “To go further, mental activity is always the key. Compared to the Bureau’s crude surgical enhancements, we offer many alternatives.”
“Meditation, psychic massage, hypnosis—countless methods to boost yourself. Not less than the mysterious cults.”
“Even these aromatherapy candles on the table are mystical items that soothe the mind.”
“And the most important thing—we have the experience to avoid contamination. We don’t lose ourselves like the cults. So, you can see how valuable it is to have people on your side.”
“……”
“So this is the Esotericism Faction?”
Hearing his words, Han Su began to realize—this method of using mummy tea to boost mental activity must be passed down by this Esotericism Faction.
He picked up the teacup, catching a pleasant aroma—but knowing what was steeped inside, all he could smell was rot. He simply sniffed it once, then put the cup down under everyone’s envious gaze.
And smiled. “Something this good wouldn’t come free. Just tell me what you want.”
“You want me to stop bringing up that kidnapping case, right?”
.
!
Chapter 154 : The Esotericism Faction
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