I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: New Squad Members

Yang Wenqing didn’t hesitate. He went straight to his superior’s office and knocked.

After knocking and entering, he found Vice Director Gao sitting behind his desk, a gentle smile on his face as always. The Vice Director gestured for Yang Wenqing to sit in the chair opposite him. Then, he pulled out a document marked ”Top Secret, Destroy After Reading” and handed it over.

”This is some partial data retrieved from the Provincial Hall archives. You can only read it once before it self-destructs.”

Yang Wenqing’s expression turned solemn. He nodded gravely. ”Yes, Vice Director Gao.”

He took a deep breath, stood to accept the document, and broke its seal. He slid out the file within. The title read: *City Defense Headquarters Taboo Item File - No. 329 - Partial Information on the Spirit-Sucking Crystal*.

Below was a list of the core and auxiliary materials needed to refine the Spirit-Sucking Crystal. Each item made Yang Wenqing’s eyelids twitch. The process required a basic Soul Jade as a vessel. Then, a ”flesh-and-blood furnace” had to be formed using Yin Attribute spiritual materials to refine it. The file listed twenty of the more common Yin Attribute spiritual materials.

”The Provincial Hall would never give us all the data. Getting even a list of the required materials is the most we could hope for. If the full refinement method were to leak, it would be a disaster.”

Vice Director Gao’s tone was teasing. He was mocking the fact that, despite the secrecy, the refinement method for this thing was hardly a secret among certain Evil Cult Organizations.

After memorizing the materials listed, Yang Wenqing handed the file back to Vice Director Gao. ”Our province is a collection of separate archipelagos,” he said. ”Even though we’re a coastal region, the outer sea is protected by a dense network of monitoring arrays, with more between the islands. It would be impossible to transport contraband back and forth. The crystal must have been refined locally. We just need to investigate the materials listed in this file.”

Vice Director Gao nodded in satisfaction. With a slight shake of his hand, the document turned to ash. ”Correct,” he replied. ”That’s how previous cases were investigated. In fact, investigators often deliberately leave some leads untouched, just to quietly watch their prey complete the ritual step by step...”

He smiled. ”It’s just like that last Spiritual Qi surge. If they had completed their ritual, they could have refined quite a few valuable items. I’ve said it before: even if a monster is created in the process, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

He tapped his left hand gently on the desk, then changed his tone. ”But since you’re set on investigating, as your direct superior, I’ll certainly support you. After all, the greatest taboo in cultivation is a lingering obsession.”

Then he stared at Yang Wenqing. ”I’m not saying this to encourage entrapment. If you’re caught, it won’t just be you. Everyone connected to you will be purged by the City Defense Headquarters. The Headquarters doesn’t tolerate even a single grain of sand in its eye.”

Yang Wenqing nodded, only half-understanding. He was still just a squad captain, trying his best to figure out the rules of survival within the City Defense System. He was also trying to understand his superior, but the more he interacted with him, the more complex the man seemed.

Just as Yang Wenqing was about to take his leave, Vice Director Gao spoke again. ”I told you to fill out the Third Squad’s roster. It’s been over a month. Do you have any candidates to recommend? The dispatch center has complained multiple times that your squad has no one on the night shift.”

As he spoke, he pulled a stack of files from his drawer. ”I’ve found a few people for you. Two are veterans who were promoted to senior officers last year, and the other two are from your same graduating class. There’s also an externally hired communications specialist. Have Liu Qin train her for a month, then put her on the night shift.”

As Yang Wenqing took the files, Vice Director Gao produced another document. ”This is a recommendation slot for the city’s Police Academy. This spot bypasses the entrance exam. You could consider picking a younger member of your family. Be quick about it; the application needs to be submitted before the registration deadline in July.”

This gave Yang Wenqing pause.

”Go on, take it.”

Vice Director Gao insisted.

Yang Wenqing could only reach out and accept it.

...

Back at the Third Squad office, Wu Yan was already out on a case, leaving Liu Rong and Liu Qin on duty.

Yang Wenqing went back to his desk and started flipping through the files. The one on top belonged to the new communications specialist. The photo showed a young woman with glasses named Lin Wan. She was twenty-four, a graduate of the city’s Communication Academy, and her professional skills were all rated as ’Excellent’. She had previously worked for two years at the County Civil Affairs Bureau.

Next, he looked at the files for the four officers. One of them made him pause—it was Zhao Qin. ’Clearly, his family had pulled some strings for him,’ he thought. ’Those strings must not have been very strong, though, if they landed him under my command.’

It proved that the others didn’t have powerful backing either, not like he’d imagined. Someone had likely just called in a favor with Vice Director Gao, probably along with a valuable gift.

”Ah Rong, take these files to the records department to be archived. Then have them contact these people as soon as possible and tell them to report for duty within three days.” Yang Wenqing handed the five personnel files to Liu Rong.

As Liu Rong took them, Yang Wenqing picked up another stack of files. ”These are no longer needed. You can take them back to be re-filed as well.”

After Liu Rong left, Yang Wenqing took a blank sheet of paper from his drawer. He quickly jotted down the names of the twenty Yin Attribute spiritual materials he had seen in the top-secret file. For security, he didn’t write down what they were for, listing only the names.

Once finished, he stood up and walked over to Liu Qin. He handed her the piece of paper. ”Access the City Defense Bureau’s materials management system and the commercial registration database,” he instructed. ”I want a list of all registered businesses and merchants in Qianjiao County involved in mining, processing, or bulk trading any of these materials.”

With that, he took out his own identification badge and tapped it lightly against Liu Qin’s communication badge. A Spiritual Light flowed between them, completing the temporary transfer of authority. ”I’ve granted you the necessary clearance for the search. Report directly to me as soon as you have the results.”

Liu Qin felt the faint vibration from her badge as the clearance activated. Hearing the gravity in her captain’s voice, she carefully accepted the rune paper. She quickly scanned the list of unfamiliar material names and whispered, ”Yes, Captain!”

Yang Wenqing returned to his desk and got back to finalizing reports for previous cases. The paperwork had been endless ever since the Third Squad got busy.

Nearing the end of the day, Liu Qin approached Yang Wenqing’s desk with a report in hand.

”Captain, I have the results of the search.” She handed the report to Yang Wenqing, lowering her voice. ”After cross-referencing the list, I found three companies of interest.”

Yang Wenqing took the report and began to read it carefully.

Liu Qin explained from the side, ”Zhenyuan Mining’s main business is quarrying various types of stone. Last year, they applied for an exploration permit for the seabed in the Port District. Our geological data indicates they discovered a small Soul Jade vein there.”

”Chen’s Wood Art has been including small amounts of ’Sinking Yin Wood’ on its raw material procurement lists for a long time. And Hai Feng Chemical, which mainly produces water treatment agents, purchases large quantities of ’Deep Sea Cold Water’ for its purification workshop every month.”

Yang Wenqing merely nodded. He put the file away and said, ”Compile a report on these three companies for me. After that, you can head home for the day.”