The moment Irene noticed the official-looking form spread out in front of Yu Sheng, the little doll rushed over as if pulled by an invisible string. She came to a stop right beside him, practically buzzing with excitement.
“We’re forming a club!” she cried, much more enthusiastic than Yu Sheng himself seemed to be. She stood on tiptoe, peering at the form. “Have you decided on a name yet? It should sound really cool and mysterious, don’t you think? A name that alone could make people curious enough to ask for our help!”
Yu Sheng paused, tapping the tip of his pen lightly against the paper. “A name, hmm… I’ve thought of a few ideas,” he said thoughtfully. “Any suggestions?”
“I’ve got one! Let’s call it ‘Irene’s Vanguard!’” Irene declared, crossing her tiny arms like a general leading an army. Her wooden cheeks puffed out with pride.
Instead of responding to the doll, Yu Sheng glanced over at Foxy, who stood quietly to one side. His eyes clearly asked the clever fox-girl for her opinion. “What do you think it should be called?”
Irene began hopping up and down in protest, her voice rising in indignation. “Hey, don’t ignore me! What’s wrong with ‘Vanguard’? Just because we’re not a huge crowd, we can’t be a vanguard? That’s not fair!”
Foxy hesitated, ears twitching and tail swishing, looking from the excited doll to Yu Sheng and then down at the form. She took a long, thoughtful moment before answering softly, “I’m not very good at naming things, but… what about ‘One Big Happy Family’?”
Yu Sheng’s face went utterly blank, as though someone had cast a mild freezing charm upon him.
Irene practically leapt into Yu Sheng’s face, waving her tiny arms. “See! That’s worse than my idea! Come on, you can’t seriously prefer something that corny! Listen to me instead of the silly fox!”
Irene craned her small head, peering at the name. She blinked. “‘The Hotel’? That’s it? Why that name? It sounds a bit strange… kind of dull, don’t you think?”
Yu Sheng gently pushed her wooden head aside so he could see what he was doing. “It’s because of my ‘doors,’” he explained patiently.
At that, the doll grew silent, folding her arms as if pondering something complicated. She knew about Yu Sheng’s remarkable doors—those strange portals that could lead to distant places, incredible sights, and perhaps even the dreamlike world he sought beyond the Borderland. Gradually, understanding dawned in her painted eyes.
“On the road, huh…” she murmured, as if suddenly picturing distant landscapes and long journeys. But Irene could never remain quiet for too long. Within seconds, her chattering voice returned. “But what if we add my element too? Let’s put ‘Doll’ in front and then something for Foxy’s tail… ‘Doll-Tail Hotel’! Yes? No? Oh, stop glaring at me!”
Yu Sheng had grown quite accustomed to her endless suggestions, so he simply ignored the last comment and went on filling out the rest of the form. Under the section for the organization’s initial members, he carefully wrote down the names: Irene and Foxy.
“Leave the ID number field blank for now,” said Ren Wen Wen, the administrator assisting them. She pointed to a portable card printer on the desk nearby. “The chip cards are already inside. Once your details go through, they’ll be activated within a few minutes. Just fill in the basic personal details first.”
Yu Sheng nodded, acknowledging her instructions. Then he glanced up at Irene and Foxy. “What are your educational qualifications?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
Irene thrust out her chest proudly. “A doll doesn’t need school! Dolls receive ancient knowledge at the moment of their creation from the Ancestor of the Dolls and then build upon it through the network of Alice’s Garden. We don’t do boring human schools.”
Foxy’s face turned a bit pink, her ears drooping shyly. “I… I was still in elementary school,” she admitted softly. “But then… well, things happened, and I never went back.”
Yu Sheng stared at the pair of them for a long moment, stunned. All his grand ideas and plans seemed to wobble precariously. After what felt like half a minute, he gave a heavy sigh and wrote down their “educational backgrounds.” One had a kind of strange, ancient, magical “prenatal” knowledge, and the other had never finished elementary school. He could only imagine how this would look on their official records.
Ren Wen Wen noticed Yu Sheng’s crestfallen expression and stepped closer, trying to reassure him. “Don’t worry about it. Different species have complicated backgrounds, and most of the Borderland’s education systems don’t match up with one another. This part is mostly just for reference.”
Yu Sheng lifted his head and gave the administrator a look. “Normally, only ‘locals’ would be registering an organization in the Borderland,” he said. “You don’t have to comfort me.”
Ren Wen Wen opened her mouth to say something more, but at that very moment, the card printer on the desk began to hum, signaling that the data was processed and the cards were ready.
“Oh, it’s done,” she said, turning her attention to the machine.
A moment later, Foxy and Irene each received their brand-new ID cards. They looked like plain, human-style identification cards, small and stiff.
Irene studied hers suspiciously. She held it in both hands, tilting her head left and right to examine it. “This picture looks terrible,” she complained, looking up at Ren Wen Wen. “Do you all get special training in taking ugly ID photos? Even the prettiest people end up looking awful! And you changed my eye color, too!”
Ren Wen Wen shrugged, shuffling some papers back into place. “We needed a neutral ID that can be recognized in all kinds of general situations. Don’t worry, you likely won’t need to use it much. See? Foxy doesn’t mind.”
Indeed, Foxy seemed perfectly pleased. She nodded happily. “I think mine looks fine,” she said, smiling. She carefully tucked the little ID card into her fluffy tail, then looked up at Yu Sheng with her warm eyes shining. “Thank you, Benefactor, for helping me.” ȑåꞐò𝐛Ɛ𝙨
Yu Sheng smiled softly and reached out to pat her on the head, rubbing gently behind her ears. Foxy closed her eyes contentedly, looking as though she might start purring at any moment.
Ren Wen Wen cleared her throat, standing up straight. “Well, the registration is complete. Your official license can’t be issued on the spot, but someone will bring it by in a couple of days. Oh, and there’s something else for you.”
She began rummaging in her bag—apparently bottomless—and pulled out a brand-new phone. Holding it out to Yu Sheng, she said, “This is for you.”
Yu Sheng blinked in surprise, hesitating to take it. “Er… why would I need another phone?”
Ren Wen Wen explained patiently, “This is special equipment. It’s got a built-in platform created by the Special Affairs Bureau to help with communication and information-sharing. It can also activate support nodes that are set up throughout the Borderland, and it works even in tough conditions. If you’ve met other Spirit Realm Detectives, you’ve likely seen something like it. It’s not just a regular phone.”
He stared at the device thoughtfully, remembering how Little Red Riding Hood had a similar tool. So that was how it worked.
He narrowed his eyes slightly. “This thing… it’s free, right?”
Ren Wen Wen laughed. “There’s usually a fee, but don’t worry about that. This one is a gift from our director. He wanted you to have it.”
Yu Sheng finally reached out and took the phone, still taken aback. “Director Bai Li Qing? Are you sure this is okay?”
Ren Wen Wen’s expression turned serious. “You cleared out the Entity haunting Night Valley, and you rescued two of our bureau’s operatives and a Spirit Realm Detective. They all returned safely to the real world because of you. This is just a small token of appreciation. The director and our captain both asked me to tell you: if you ever need anything—especially if you run into any odd difficulties in everyday life due to supernatural reasons—please reach out. Don’t worry about bothering us.”
Yu Sheng listened, feeling a strange sense of gratitude mixed with something he couldn’t quite name. He made a small sound of acknowledgment, tucking the phone away. He still didn’t quite understand what felt off, but he appreciated their support nonetheless.
Noticing that Ren Wen Wen lingered, he raised an eyebrow curiously. “Um, do you have something else to say?”
Ren Wen Wen hesitated, visibly struggling with her words. She opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again, looking a bit like a shy student wanting to ask a teacher a question. Finally, she spoke in a softer voice than before. “It’s not from the Bureau. It’s personal.”
Yu Sheng waited patiently, a friendly smile on his face. “Go ahead,” he said gently. “If you need my help with something, I’ll do what I can. You’ve all helped me a great deal.”
Ren Wen Wen nodded, gathering her courage. “I just wanted to confirm something… Are you the author of ‘The Blizzard Mystery’?”
Yu Sheng froze for an instant, then recognized the title. He blinked at her in surprise. “Yes, that’s me. Wait, you’ve read it?”
Ren Wen Wen’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I’ve read a lot of your writing! I read it on my phone. I’m a big fan!”
The corner of Yu Sheng’s mouth lifted into the world’s most delighted grin. He turned quickly to Irene, as if to say, “I told you I was impressive!” But before he could utter a word of pride, Ren Wen Wen had whipped out a notebook from her bag as eagerly as a fangirl at a book signing.
“Could you sign this for me?” she asked, holding it out so suddenly it almost poked him in the chest.
Yu Sheng let out a joyful laugh. He took the notebook and pen at once, feeling quite pleased with himself. “Of course,” he said cheerfully, “I’d be honored.”
While he scribbled his signature, Ren Wen Wen chattered on excitedly, “I recommended your stories to our captain, though he said he didn’t quite get them. My favorite character is Lin Qi! And I really love the idea of him paired with Nightblade—”
For a moment, Yu Sheng’s hand, which held the pen, began to tremble slightly. “…Ah?” was all he managed to say, caught off guard and blushing faintly at her enthusiastic shipping of his characters.
Still, he finished signing his name with care. After all, a true author always appreciates a loyal reader—no matter how surprising their opinions might be.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation