I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Embodiment of Power

Yang Wenqing stood up and straightened his uniform, which he hadn’t had time to change. He casually put on his hat, cast a Dust Clearing Skill on himself, and walked out under the gazes of the other three people in the office, heading toward the main conference room on the top floor of the sub-bureau.

At that moment, Liu Qin watched her captain leave, her eyes seemingly filled with stars. Qian You and Zhao Qin both had an inkling of what was happening, and endless envy filled their chests.

The top floor was now under lockdown. Although the guards from the Operations Department knew Yang Wenqing, they still verified his identity according to procedure. After confirming everything was in order, a civilian clerk from the General Affairs Department silently made a ”please” gesture and led him toward the heavy conference room doors.

The moment he pushed the door open, a wave of gentle heat washed over him. He then saw a huge, oval conference table. Most of the seats were currently empty. Led by his colleague from the General Affairs Department, he walked to the seat at the far end and sat down. He placed his hat on the table, then straightened his back, assuming a formal and upright posture.

At this very moment, he deeply understood what power was. Even though the conference room was empty, he could still feel a sense of pressure.

A moment later, he calmed down and quickly regulated his breathing.

Then, the door was pushed open again. It was the deputy heads of various departments. They were talking in low voices. Qin Feng and Li Yi saw Yang Wenqing and came over to greet him, introducing him to the others.

After they chatted for a bit, Zhou Tielong, the Director of the North City Public Security Office, strode in like a tiger. He was followed by Wang Ren, who was about to be transferred to the sub-bureau’s General Affairs Department, wearing his usual smile. Then came Lei Dan, the head of the Operations Department, walking with a steady gait.

As soon as these three entered, Yang Wenqing and the others dutifully sat down in their seats. Then, Vice Director Gao and Deputy Director Zhou entered, followed by the heads of the remaining departments. After a brief chat, Vice Director Gao sat down next to Lei Dan. Deputy Director Zhou took the more senior seat beside Vice Director Gao, while the other department heads took the more junior seats beside Lei Dan.

Finally, the directors from the West City, South City, and Port District offices walked in. They only nodded to Vice Director Gao and Deputy Director Zhou, seeming somewhat independent.

At this point, all the mid-to-high-level officials of the Qianjiao County City Defense Sub-Bureau had arrived, except for Director Zhang Qiming. The chatter from the deputy chiefs who had arrived earlier had long since ceased, and every one of them sat bolt upright.

Finally, the conference room door was pushed open once more. This time, everyone’s gaze involuntarily focused on it.

Director Zhang Qiming walked in. He wore a crisp white uniform, the two silver stars on his epaulets shining brightly. His expression was stern. His calm gaze swept across the room, and everyone his eyes fell upon unconsciously straightened their backs even more.

But he immediately turned sideways, adopting a polite, inviting posture. The stern look on his face vanished. The person he ushered in was none other than the County Magistrate of Qianjiao County. The County Magistrate was not dressed in overly ornate clothing, but the moment he appeared, he naturally became the absolute center of attention.

Then, everyone in the conference room—including Director Zhang Qiming, Vice Director Gao, Lei Dan, and all the other white-shirts—rose to their feet in perfect unison, as if they had practiced it a thousand times.

Yang Wenqing also rose with the crowd. In that instant, he felt the form of power with extreme clarity. It was formless and intangible, yet as heavy as a mountain. It manifested in the focused gazes converging on one person, and in the absolute authority underscored by the complete silence of the room.

”Let us welcome County Magistrate Wang and our colleagues from the Civil Affairs Bureau.”

Zhang Qiming started clapping, and the conference room instantly erupted in enthusiastic applause. Vice Director Gao and Deputy Director Zhou quickly moved forward to greet him, their faces wreathed in respectful smiles.

County Magistrate Wang, with a gentle and composed smile, walked toward the head of the long, oval table, flanked by Director Zhang, Vice Director Gao, and Deputy Director Zhou.

At the same time, the officials from the Civil Affairs Bureau who had accompanied County Magistrate Wang stood in an orderly fashion on the other side of the long table. They too were smiling, exchanging silent glances with the high-ranking members of the City Defense Bureau. The entire scene appeared harmonious and solemn, yet it subtly revealed the delicate balance and tacit understanding between the two systems.

”Alright, everyone, please be seated.”

County Magistrate Wang motioned downward with both hands.

The applause stopped abruptly.

As if on command, everyone sat down again in a synchronized movement, followed by the faint sound of shifting chairs.

Sitting at the far end of the table, Yang Wenqing took it all in. His gaze drifted involuntarily to Director Zhang’s seat as he subconsciously wondered, ’How long will it take for me to sit there?’

After settling into the head seat, County Magistrate Wang skipped the pleasantries and said directly, ”Let’s begin the meeting. We’re all busy. Director Qiming, you can start us off.”

Director Zhang Qiming cleared his throat, his voice resounding and powerful:

”...This year’s annual assessment, through the meticulous organization of the assessment committee and the combined efforts of all our colleagues, has now successfully completed most of its stages...”

”...During the assessment period, all participants demonstrated outstanding professional skills, a tenacious fighting spirit, and excellent morale. We achieved the desired goal of ’using assessment to promote training, and training to promote combat readiness,’ effectively testing and enhancing the practical combat capabilities of our county’s city defense forces.”

He paused slightly, his tone turning grave but still full of power:

”It must be especially pointed out that during a critical period of the assessment, our county unfortunately suffered a premeditated and organized attack. Faced with this sudden and severe test, everyone in our bureau, especially our colleagues who remained on duty, acted calmly in the face of danger, responded decisively, and fought bravely...”

After Director Zhang finished his speech, County Magistrate Wang nodded slightly and took over:

”Director Qiming’s summary was very comprehensive. On behalf of the County Civil Affairs Bureau, I would like to congratulate our colleagues who achieved outstanding results in this assessment. Furthermore, I extend my most sincere sympathies and highest respects to all the colleagues who performed exceptionally and fought valiantly during the unexpected incident...”

”...Facts have proven that the Qianjiao County City Defense Bureau is a force with strong combat effectiveness, a force capable of shouldering great responsibilities...”

The two leaders’ speeches were filled with official affirmation and praise, setting the tone for the entire incident as one of ”successfully overcoming a test and demonstrating the force’s combat strength.”

These formalities might have seemed like a pointless waste of time, but the leaders were all extremely enthusiastic about them. They were a way to demonstrate their unique power, to emphasize their superior status, and also the most important means of conveying directives to their subordinates. Some leaders were particularly fond of using these speeches to hint at their unspoken intentions.

After the pleasantries were over, Vice Director Gao gave a look to the two clerks recording the meeting minutes. All the junior staff from the General Affairs Department then rose and cautiously exited through a side door.

As the topic shifted to the specific details of the attack on the city, the smile on County Magistrate Wang’s face vanished at some point. He began to repeatedly question why the City Defense Bureau hadn’t taken preventative measures.

When the conversation turned to the specific details of what had happened, Vice Director Gao spoke up at the opportune moment, his gaze turning to the seat at the far end of the table:

”Regarding the specifics here, Captain Yang Wenqing, who was in command of city security at the time, knows best. Wenqing, come and give the County Magistrate, the Director, and our colleagues a detailed report of the situation.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Wenqing immediately stood up and came to attention.

P.S. There will be another Chapter later this afternoon~