I Cultivate in a Government Office

”Immediately assemble all registered militia reserves in your jurisdiction. Distribute basic weapons and communicators, assist in maintaining order in the streets, and prioritize patrols in residential areas, commercial streets, and key facilities like power and water.”

”Third, dispatch additional patrol teams to conduct a new dragnet-style search of all hotels, rental housing, and abandoned buildings in the jurisdiction. Fourth, reassure the residents and merchants in the area. Issue an official notice through the public Communication Array stating that this was an accident during a drill and is being handled. Emphasize that the situation is under control to prevent panic from spreading.”

He paused, his tone growing heavier. ”Remember, stability is paramount. We can’t afford any more trouble!”

”Yes, Director Yang, I’ll get on it right away!” Chen Gang responded loudly, then turned and ran off to relay the orders.

Next, Yang Wenqing used his badge to issue similar directives to the other public security offices. After arranging all this, he walked toward the epicenter of the explosion.

Inside the cordon, Li Yue, captain of the Major Case Team’s Third Squad, was dressed in a dark, practical uniform, crouching at the edge of a scorched crater. In her hand was a palm-sized Spiritual Qi detection compass, and she was flanked by two young officers taking notes.

Two years ago, relying on solid merits and years of accumulated resources, Li Yue had barely managed to step into the Qi Cultivation Stage. Her talent for cultivation was mediocre, but she was an extremely seasoned investigator—an indispensable, hands-on member of the Major Case Team.

Seeing Yang Wenqing approach, Li Yue immediately stood up, dusted off her hands, and walked over to greet him. ”Director Yang.”

Yang Wenqing asked directly, ”What have you found?”

Li Yue held out her datapad, which displayed a simple sketch of the scene with some notes. ”The blast point is clear. Judging from the residual Spiritual Qi fluctuations and the signs of destruction, we’ve confirmed it was a ’Sacrificial Fire Bombing Skill.’ The detonator was likely the detainee themself.”

She pointed to a few spots on the sketch. ”The Evil Magic left at the scene has two energy points, and the residual auras are highly consistent. We can determine it was the same group of people, or at least the same method.”

”Anything else?”

Li Yue said, ”A few minutes before the explosion, an officer on duty saw one of the detainees clutching their stomach, complaining of pain. The officer was just about to call a medic when the explosion occurred.”

”What about the background checks?”

”We’re on it.” Li Yue sighed. ”We’ve confirmed twelve people were caught in the blast. Their identities are all over the place—stowaways, thieves, people arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct.”

”Their household registration information is either missing or fake, and most of them are single. We can probably still investigate their social connections, but it will take a lot of time. We’ll have to do it the hard way: sketch photos of them from before they died and conduct interviews bit by bit in the areas they frequented. If we’re lucky, we might dig something up. If not, it could be all dead ends.”

Yang Wenqing nodded. ’It’s already confirmed that the people involved are the problem. These individuals are the best leads. As long as we start with the two who carried the Evil Magic and investigate outward, we’re bound to find clues.’

Li Yue continued, ”You can’t rush this kind of case. I’ve already had my team split up to pull the files on the two individuals at the blast site, as well as a list of all personnel who have been in contact with them over the past two days.”

”Then follow your approach and investigate thoroughly. Don’t miss any details,” Yang Wenqing said in a low voice. ”But you also need to understand—be as fast as you can. I’ve already ordered a city-wide lockdown, and until we find the actual culprits, that order cannot be lifted.”

”Yes, sir!” Li Yue responded grimly.

As they were speaking, Liu Xin’s Flying Shuttle approached and hovered overhead. Liu Xin jumped straight down, followed by another person. It was Kong Yu, captain of the Major Case Team’s Second Squad. Yang Wenqing had handpicked him six years ago from a pile of transfer applications to the Lingshan New District. He was the same Kong Yu who had lived with Yang Wenqing in the dormitories at the East City Public Security Office.

At that time, Kong Yu had just advanced to the Qi Cultivation Stage. Even though he was nearly fifty, his passion for cultivation hadn’t diminished, and his work was meticulous. Yang Wenqing had placed him in this position because when they first met, Kong Yu had immediately pledged his loyalty. Besides, Yang Wenqing genuinely had no one else he could use at the time.

”Director Yang!”

Liu Xin and Kong Yu saluted in unison.

Yang Wenqing listened to their reports, which were nearly identical to the intel from the public security office. He then gave the same instructions:

”...Proceed according to the previous deployment. Liu Xin, focus on investigating the central city network. Li Yue, you dig deep on the public security office side. Kong Yu, you and your team will be responsible for cross-referencing information between the two explosion sites!”

Just as his voice fell, another deafening boom came from the direction of the mining district.

Immediately after, a hot wind carrying the salty tang of the sea and a strange, burnt smell swept across the ground, making the flag on the pole in the public security office’s courtyard snap loudly.

Yang Wenqing pushed off the ground, his body shooting up like an arrow released from a bow. The Five Yang Qi inside him circulated naturally, lifting him to a light landing on the roof of a nearby six-story Commerce Association building.

He gazed into the distance. Over the mining district, he could faintly see a deep blue halo of light flickering violently, like the single eye of a deep-sea leviathan. The light was strange and cold. It clashed with the searing white beams of the Government Soldiers’ artillery and the earthy yellow Spiritual Light of the mining district’s defensive Array, erupting in a heart-stopping turbulence of energy.

Then, the badge on his chest began to vibrate urgently. Before he could even answer, Gao Zhen’s voice came through: ”Wenqing, there’s a breach in the mining district’s defensive line! The Water Race Demon Soldiers used some kind of never-before-seen frost explosion rune. Director Chu was injured while blocking the blast and is temporarily unable to command!”

”What?!” Yang Wenqing’s heart sank.

Gao Zhen’s voice came again: ”I order you to immediately assemble all available mobile forces from the branch’s operations division, including the reserves, and reinforce the mining district’s defensive line with all speed. Director Chu will return to the city. He’ll recuperate while holding down the fort at the branch office.”

Yang Wenqing took a deep breath, suppressing all his emotions as rationality took absolute control. After acknowledging the order, he used his badge to contact the communications center for the branch’s operations division.

”This is Yang Wenqing. All operations division squads not currently deployed to the front lines are to assemble immediately. Bring full combat gear. Prepare to reinforce the mining district. Move fast!”

’Most of the people in the action teams are Director Gao’s trusted men, and he’s probably taken them all to the front lines. The ones garrisoned at the branch are most likely the people I’ve trained. I’ve trained three squads in total, and one of the squad captains is my cousin, Yang Wenyuan.’

’In that squad, more than half the members are from the Yang Clan, including my own younger brother. Their loyalty and ability to execute orders are beyond question.’

After issuing the command, Yang Wenqing leaped from the rooftop, landing precisely at the door of the hovering Flying Shuttle in the distance.

”Yang Zhong, full speed to the mining district front!” Yang Wenqing’s voice was frigid.

”Yes, Patriarch!” Yang Zhong didn’t hesitate. The Flying Shuttle’s engine let out a low roar, and it instantly transformed into a streak of light, speeding toward the battlefield to the northeast where deep blue and searing white clashed.

Below, Liu Xin, Li Yue, and Kong Yu exchanged a look. Liu Xin was the one who spoke. ”We need to handle this case quickly. Otherwise, none of us are going to get any peace.”

Inside the Flying Shuttle, Yang Wenqing closed his eyes, focusing his mind and quickly regulating his breathing. He smoothed out the aura that had been roiled by his emotional fluctuations. The *Qingfeng Sword* in his sleeve trembled slightly, then quickly concealed its sharp edge, awaiting the moment for a killing blow.