Chapter 119: Complete Disadvantage

Recipient: Acting Manager Ji Li, Tianhai Hotel Branch Seven

Please arrive in Lower Kyoto District, Kyoto, Japan, near Sunset Bridge by midnight, November 5, 2015.

Specific task details will be delivered to staff at exactly midnight by other means.

From November 5, you have 72 hours to capture the designated ghost. Successful capture counts as task completion and triggers the arrival of a new resident.

This task is a joint guidance mission for the Fourth and Seventh Branches.

Theoretically, there is no conflict, opposition, or competition between the branches.

Completion by one branch will allow all participating staff to return safely.

Note: Only one ghost is involved in this mission.

Sender: Tianhai

This was the entirety of the latest task.

Ji Li frowned as soon as he read it. He hadn’t expected that just after reaching two-star status, a joint mission with another branch would appear.

The scope was enormous, spanning countries to Japan. Today was November 3, and they were required to reach Sunset Bridge in Kyoto by midnight two days later.

No concrete task details were provided; they would only be released upon arrival. This peculiar approach suggested the hotel was deliberately withholding information, revealing nothing until the very last moment. The difficulty would undoubtedly be extreme.

Ji Li’s main concern was having to work with an unfamiliar Fourth Branch. None of the Seventh Branch staff—new or old—knew the Fourth Branch’s personnel, tasks, or temperament.

Seven staff from the Seventh Branch were dispatched for this mission, but the Fourth Branch’s numbers remained unknown.

The hotel claimed no competition or opposition was expected, yet the more they emphasized this, the more Ji Li suspected intense conflicts would arise between the two groups of survivors in order to complete the task.

In other words, the mission required not only defending against the ghost but also navigating tensions with the Fourth Branch.

What worried Ji Li most was that no one knew the Fourth Branch’s current star rating. If they were above two stars, they would almost certainly possess Sin Artifacts.

Having Sin Artifacts versus not having them was a world of difference. Besides Fang Shenyan, the Seventh Branch staff could not survive even a single ghost attack, which would drastically reduce their numbers. If the Fourth Branch had many Sin Artifacts, Ji Li and his team would face immense difficulties completing the mission.

He glanced at the six others absorbed in their phones, confirming the Seventh Branch participants.

What troubled him further: aside from himself and Fang Shenyan, no veteran staff would take part. The remaining five were all newcomers led by Mei Sheng, making the mission even harder.

At least Fang Shenyan, the branch’s only Sin Artifact holder, was participating, giving Ji Li some confidence.

Closing his eyes, Ji Li issued instructions quickly and calmly while the others read the message:

“Yu Guo, start now—book seven flights to Kyoto for us. The sooner, the better.”

Yu Guo hesitated, glanced at the confused Hong Fu, who hadn’t received the task, and then checked the task details with another newcomer. He realized the mission’s extraordinary nature and the urgency of the timeline, yet remained silent, compiling the seven staff’s information to book tickets on his phone.

After giving the first instruction, Ji Li turned to Tongguan, speaking in a low voice:

“Helping me now is helping the Seventh Branch. You and I both know, for a joint guidance mission, we are at a severe disadvantage.

Among the old team from your Eleventh Branch, is there anyone who joined the Fourth Branch? I need all available information on the Fourth Branch.”

Tongguan’s expression darkened. Hearing Ji Li’s words, he immediately sensed the situation’s gravity.

As Ji Li said, the Seventh Branch, newly promoted to two stars, was not yet capable of confronting other branches directly. But with no other choice, they had to fight.

He hesitated briefly, then shook his head: “No one from the Fourth Branch, but I can make inquiries.”

He and Chang Nian left the group of staff to call former teammates for information. Not having Fourth Branch staff didn’t mean they couldn’t gather intelligence from those who had previous joint mission experience.

After receiving responses, Ji Li nodded, sat back, and contemplated the email.

He remained silent, but Fang Shenyan spoke, turning to the newcomers who received the task, his tone icy:

“Introduce yourselves.”

The five newcomers looked at each other, unsure how to respond.

Mei Sheng sat first, expressionless, and calmly said: “Mei Sheng.”

One of the four newcomers, a sharp-looking young man, ran his hand through his hair and said:

“My name is Cui Yanqing, I’m twenty-five years old, and I work as an engineer…”

Following Cui Yanqing’s introduction, the others began to introduce themselves as well.

The rough lineup for the mission was now set.

Leading the group was acting manager Ji Li, accompanied by Fang Shenyan, who possessed a Sin Artifact. Mei Sheng, the special young woman, would experience her first mission.

Then came the clever young man Cui Yanqing, followed by Chi Rou, a married woman, and Gao Liangping, a doorman with twenty years of experience.

The last newcomer immediately drew attention: she was a native Japanese, living in Kyoto. Her name was Kondo Sei.

Remarkably, just a few hours ago she had been reading at home in Japan before the hotel forcibly summoned her for this mission.

It was obvious why the hotel had brought her: her local knowledge of the mission area made her indispensable. With Kondo Sei as a guide, Ji Li’s confidence rose. The fact that she had studied locally and spoke decent Chinese was a further advantage.

Ji Li memorized everyone’s faces, paying special attention to Kondo Sei, and nodded in satisfaction.

Cui Yanqing, smiling, stepped forward and asked:

“Branch Manager, why do we need to leave for Kyoto now if the mission doesn’t start until the day after tomorrow?”

It was a question all the newcomers wanted to ask. Normally, entering a mission later was safer, minimizing risks.

Ji Li gave him a look that made the young man’s smile seem irritating, and he was reluctant to answer.

Fang Shenyan lazily explained:

“This mission requires intelligence—about the ghost and the Fourth Branch. The hotel may claim there’s no competition, but it will manipulate the mission to force us into conflict. I expect the Fourth Branch will arrive at the site first. Since we are already at a disadvantage, we must get there faster. Speed is our edge.”

Yu Guo arrived quickly and said to Ji Li:

“Ji Li, make sure the tickets are booked. It’s five o’clock now; you need to be at the airport by seven.”

Meanwhile, Tongguan returned after hanging up the phone, looking grim. He exhaled deeply and told Ji Li some troubling news:

“The Fourth Branch… among all branches, it ranks in the top three. The number of Sin Artifacts is unpredictable, and important personnel are even more numerous.

From friends, I’ve learned that the Fourth Branch has a man named Xue Tinghai. He possesses at least two Sin Artifacts and serves as assisant branch manager.

His nature is dark and ruthless. In previous joint missions, he was present four out of five times. If he comes this time, a major clash with your team is inevitable!”

Tongguan drew a deep breath and said deliberately:

“For survival, and for the Sin Artifacts!”