Whir!
The firefighting helicopter swept over Captain Chen Qintao, its downdraft stirring the air as it dropped nearly five tons of water.
Splash!
The fire snakes were extinguished by the firefighting water, which had been treated with a special agent, making it difficult for them to reignite.
"Quick!"
"Move faster!"
These days, eighty percent of the Intelligence and Technical Support Team's missions involved providing intelligence and technical support to Captain Chen Qintao's Assault Team.
The firefighting helicopter cleared a path, and Chen Qintao and the others hurried toward the Iron Rod Gang's headquarters.
"Captain Chen."
"Sky Net is coming back online, but the signal may weaken once you enter underground."
Outside the Old District's blockade line, inside the Temporary Command Center that had been hastily set up.
Aside from Director Zhang Qifeng, all the Security Bureau's top fighters had already gathered there, ready for battle.
The large screen was divided into eighty small windows, all showing live feeds from Drones.
The support team members sat at their computers, intently analyzing intelligence.
"Captain Chen."
"We may have located Public Safety Officer Qin."
"In an alley five kilometers north of the Iron Rod Gang, we've detected seventy-eight heat sources."
Normally,
there shouldn't still be so many people gathered together in the Old District. The only reason would be if they were trying to surround and intercept someone.
In the southwestern district, the only person who fit that description was Qin Annian.
"Plotting a route for you now."
The Supply Ship adjusted its course so Chen Qintao's squad could pick up Qin Annian along the way.
Meanwhile,
the Security Bureau's senior fighters, who had arrived at the Temporary Command Center only recently, also turned their attention to the screen.
Although their Life Development Power far surpassed Qin Annian's, they were still curious about the boxing prodigy whose fame had been rising lately.
The second temporary worker to become permanent, a boxing prodigy whose Life Development Power had increased by more than two points in two months, and who had come through several schemes unscathed.
Wasn't that person rather interesting?
"If he doesn't know his own limits, he'll only cause trouble."
"Do people these days think they're invincible just because they have a little talent?"
Zhang Xiaoqian, head of the Equipment and Logistics Management Division, wore the latest power armor. With Life Development Power approaching 700, she had a mocking smile on her lips.
Everyone else present knew Zhang Xiaoqian was making an indirect jab at someone.
Han Xi, her neat short hair tied back and a deep-black long case slung over her shoulder, wore a standard-issue combat uniform. Her expression didn't change in the slightest as she rested with her eyes closed.
"There are modified warriors from the Cultivation Holders Association here, along with gang members who've injected themselves with banned drugs."
"A prodigy with less than fifteen points of Life Development Power is likely to bring shame on the Security Bureau."
"If he dies in there, the Security Bureau will become a laughingstock."
Zhang Xiaoqian stared at the screen and spoke coldly.
Everyone knew Zhang Xiaoqian and Han Xi were competing for the position of the next head of the Operations Division.
They also knew Zhang Xiaoqian was set to marry the eldest son of the general manager of Lingyun Pharmaceuticals' Taiyu City branch, and that the two families had pressured the Security Bureau into changing the selection criteria for the head of the Operations Division.
Generally speaking,
a branch general manager at Lingyun Pharmaceuticals shouldn't have had that much influence.
But the situation was entirely different when his family had a member on the Betelgeuse United Council.
And so,
the most absurd selection criteria for the head of the Operations Division in the history of the Taiyu City Security Bureau were announced.
"With both families joining forces, the position should go to Zhang Xiaoqian."
Almost everyone thought so.
But then something happened that left even those with hundreds of points of Life Development Power dumbfounded.
Han Xi had gotten married?!
This mysterious woman, so gifted she seemed monstrous, a cool and aloof celestial beauty who seemed untouched by worldly concerns, had actually married?!
On the day Han Xi handed out wedding candy at the Security Bureau, everyone who received some stood there stunned, feeling as if they'd fallen into a dream.
Only when the sweet hard candy melted in their mouths did they accept that it had really happened!
The selection criteria they had worked so hard to create had been rendered completely useless.
From the day Han Xi handed out the wedding candy,
the rivalry between Zhang Xiaoqian and Han Xi grew even fiercer. More precisely, Zhang Xiaoqian was the only one making an effort; Han Xi didn't even bother with her.
"The fire's out!"
"Sky Net's field of view has been restored!"
After a brief silence in the Temporary Command Center, the Supply Ship's voice broke it.
He rapidly typed on the keyboard, and soon enlarged the Drone feed from the relevant area onto the big screen.
Splash!
Firefighting water poured from the sky like a surging river.
Splash!
The blazing inferno, radiating scorching heat, immediately gave way, leaving puddle after puddle on the ground.
Chen Qintao's squad had followed the helicopter's firefighting route to the alley. They stood at its entrance, their pupils trembling with shock!
Boom!
A gunblade swept past.
A frenzied gang member fell into a pool of blood.
Whoosh!
A modified warrior from the Cultivation Holders Association, wielding a long blade, seized the opportunity to slash at the young man's neck.
But—
After deftly dodging the strike, he thrust his short spear forward, pinning a gang member closing in from the other side to the alley wall. Then he turned and closed in on the modified warrior.
One hand shot forward and snapped the mechanical arm holding the blade.
The other hand tapped lightly, crushing his throat.
Whoosh!
He yanked out the short spear and thrust it forward with a sudden stab.
Its sharp point carried an irresistible force, like a missile cutting through the sky, piercing several bodies in succession.
In just ten seconds, six people had fallen in the alley.
It was a one-sided slaughter, coldly precise, without a single wasted movement!
In fact,
to Chen Qintao, a martial artist, this killing had become a kind of art!
That was precisely why
he and the team he led stood rooted to the spot for a moment.
"Move."
The terse command brooked no argument.
Only then did Chen Qintao and the others notice the boy behind Qin Annian, carrying a little girl in his arms!
Coming back to his senses, Chen Qintao immediately gave the order, leading his team forward to fight.
In no time,
the few remaining modified warriors from the Cultivation Holders Association who could still stand were lying lifeless on the ground.
As the firefighting water washed over the blood, it formed bubbling red streams that flowed out of the alley.
Qin Annian's lowered right hand held the gleaming, spotless long spear. His posture was straight and steadfast as a pine tree.
At that moment,
rays of sunlight pierced through the thinning clouds of smoke and fell on the scene.
It seemed the sky had brightened.
The damp air, heavy with moisture, refracted a rainbow of seven colors!
At the Temporary Command Center,
as they watched the live footage from the Drone, even the support team members stopped what they were doing and stared at the screen, mouths falling open.
Zhang Xiaoqian looked like a cackling duck with its neck squeezed shut, her eyes wide but no sound coming out.
The other senior fighters from the Security Bureau wore all kinds of expressions.
At some point, Han Xi had opened her eyes. Her gaze rested on the figure holding the short spear.
"Is that the broken spear from the director's collection room?"
The silence was broken. Someone stared fixedly at the weapon in Qin Annian's hand.
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