With Shakespeare's assistance, finding someone in Fucheng is simple, but I don't want to arouse Prefect He's suspicions, so I decide to meet him through "official channels."
I first contact Shen Xingyue and get the WeChat of her junior disciple, Xingyao. Through chat, I learn that Xingyao is still at Jiuxian Cave, overseeing the renovation of Hanyin Temple. I ask him if he has Prefect He's phone number, and he says he does.
"Alright, Master Xingyao, I'll send you some lines. Make a call to Prefect He according to these lines."
"Okay, Senior Brother Wu." Xingyao probably learned it from Shen Xingyue. He calls me Senior Brother and refers to Yao Yao and the group of miscellaneous demons as Senior Sisters.
After ending the WeChat call, I compose a message and send it to Xingyao. The gist is that the great immortal Huang from Jiuxian Cave has manifested and is touring the human world. Great Immortal Huang is grateful to those who have worshipped her and plans to select a few representatives for a personal audience and to help resolve their troubles. Xingyao, of course, immediately thought of Prefect He. He reported this to Great Immortal Huang, who agreed and asked Xingyao to make arrangements for a meeting tonight.
Xingyao sends back an "ok" emoji.
About five minutes later, Xingyao calls me on WeChat, excitedly saying, "I've arranged for Senior Sister Huang! Tonight at 6:30 PM, at Hongbin Tower in the West Market, Prefect He will be hosting Great Immortal Huang."
"Thanks, Master Xingyao. Temple repairs have been tough lately. Just a small token of my appreciation, nothing much."
After speaking, I send a WeChat red packet. But Xingyao doesn't accept it, or rather, he dares not. He spouts a lot of polite remarks about it being his duty and his honor.
Never mind, if he doesn't accept, my intention is conveyed. If he doesn't take my red packet, perhaps Prefect He will give his junior master a generous one afterward, thanking him for the "introduction." How generous it will be depends on how much we can help Prefect He tonight. And how much effort we are willing to invest in helping him depends on whether his collection can satisfy Yao Yao.
It's a chain of events, seeming chaotic, but in reality... utterly without order.
After hanging up, Xingyao thoughtfully sends me the address of Hongbin Tower. It's not far from our Zhejiang Building, on the same street.
"Should I change my attire?" Yao Yao suggests.
"Dress formally?" I ask.
Yao Yao shakes her head. "That wouldn't be appropriate. You should dress... professionally. A professional mage, you know."
I understand what Yao Yao means, but.
"Those kinds of clothes can only be bought online, right?" I say, referring to them as costumes. A proper department store wouldn't sell such things; they're too frightening.
Yao Yao ponders for a moment, then snaps her fingers. "You could borrow from your Commander. They must have something similar."
"...Xie Bi'an? Isn't that the attire of a soul-capturer? What do ghosts have to do with demons?" I frown.
"Demons and ghosts are related, aren't they? It's the same thing," Yao Yao laughs.
I recall Xie Bi'an's attire during our previous meetings. Indeed, it's hard to tell if she's a soul-capturer or a mage.
Taking off my soul-binding token, I contact Xie Bi'an through the operator. I wonder if she's participating in the battle.
She isn't. The background is peaceful, with sounds of flowing water and birdsong. Is she on vacation?
"An'an, where are you?" I ask.
"In your mortal realm. What is it?"
"Aren't I a soul-capturer? I was thinking, shouldn't our Soul-Capturing Bureau issue me a uniform?"
"We have them," Xie Bi'an says lazily and comfortably. She might actually be hiding and vacationing under the guise of capturing ghosts in the mortal realm. "Shall I have someone deliver it to you?"
"Do you have women's sizes?" I ask again.
"We do. What, are you planning to be a cross-dresser lately?" Xie Bi'an asks. She actually knows about this.
"Then please lend me two more sets. I need them tonight, not for ghost-catching, just to experience the life of a soul-capturer."
"No problem. Give me the address." Xie Bi'an is quite straightforward; it's public property anyway.
"Fucheng, Zhejiang Building."
"Why are you back in Fucheng? I'm here too. I'll deliver it to you then."
"You're in Fucheng?" I ask in surprise. Judging by the background sounds on her call, it sounds like a warm southern region.
"Fucheng, Daban Town. There's a manor here; it's property of our Soul-Capturing Bureau."
Good heavens, the Soul-Capturing Bureau owns real estate in the mortal realm? Is that considered an investment?
"Okay, we estimate we'll arrive at Zhejiang Building in ten minutes."
"Then hurry. I need to go back and then come to your place. It won't take more than ten minutes," Xie Bi'an says, then hangs up.
"Your superior is quite interesting," Yao Yao laughs. They know each other, but aren't very close.