Patrol Duty

The Area 3 Xiao Liang spoke of consisted of three major factories. One was the county's only power device assembly plant and counted as one of its pillar industries; the other two were seafood processing plants.

There were generally few people in this district on workdays, and few shops lined either side of the streets. Their main patrol points were a marketplace and the various transportation arteries, along with checking the documents of strangers.

"If we run into anyone suspicious later, cover me while I go up and question them." As soon as Li Ming entered the patrol area, he gave Yang Wenqing this instruction.

"Alright." Yang Wenqing nodded. During his year-long internship, all he had needed to do was follow behind the squad leader. During that time, he had encountered one incident where spiritual energy fluctuations caused mass livestock mutations, assisted the precinct twice in encircling members of evil cultivator organizations, and seen brawls between martial artists who had yet to enter the Qi Refining Stage become commonplace.

Now that he was a full-fledged security officer, he had to stand on the front line whenever such things happened. He could no longer hide behind the squad leader as before, handling only trivial matters on the outskirts.

"Don't be too nervous. Even if something major happens, it won't be you and me at the front." Li Ming smiled and patted Yang Wenqing's shoulder. He was a veteran security officer who had worked this area for nearly five years. By next year, he might be able to advance to senior security officer simply by accumulating seniority.

As they spoke, they arrived at a small crossroads. A Monitoring Formation had been inscribed underground here, and Li Ming said to Yang Wenqing, "You check it."

Yang Wenqing nodded and formed a fixed hand seal with his left hand, activating a formation inside his police badge. A streak of cyan light projected from the badge into the center of the intersection. The next instant, a formation network appeared in his vision, covering everything within five hundred meters, including the sky overhead.

"Nothing wrong."

Yang Wenqing carefully examined the traces within the formation network. Only after confirming there were no contamination records did he release the hand seal.

Li Ming, who had been keeping watch with his right hand on his holster, relaxed and reminded Yang Wenqing, "The squad leader should have told you this: when activating a Monitoring Formation, never be careless. In our county precinct alone, on average, at least one colleague dies over this every year."

Yang Wenqing nodded solemnly. During the time he had patrolled with the squad leader, he had heard this warning at regular intervals.

The two continued their patrol. Whenever they entered a new block, Li Ming patiently introduced it to Yang Wenqing. Pedestrians on the street would instinctively keep their distance when they encountered them, while the heads of security at some of the smaller factories would come out and exchange a few words with them.

Near nine o'clock, they arrived at the entrance of the factory that assembled power devices. The factory was called Prosperity, and it had a dedicated militia patrol force inside. The two only needed to activate the Monitoring Formation at the entrance and investigate. Once the inspection was complete, the militia squad leader guarding the gate came over to chat with them for a moment.

After that, they made a round through the other two large seafood processing plants and the marketplace. Once they confirmed there were no problems, they rested for half an hour, then continued patrolling along the previous route. After repeating this three times, it was exactly noon.

Not long after the mechanical clock in the county government building struck twelve, Liu-jie's voice sounded beside their ears through their police badges. "Remember to go to Li's."

Then Squad Leader Xiao Liang's voice followed. "Wen Qing, you and Li Ming go first."

The patrol squad could not all go eat at once, because in this world, accidents truly could happen at any moment.

The "Li's" Liu-jie mentioned was a fast-food restaurant designated by the East City Public Security Station. By the time Yang Wenqing and Li Ming arrived, quite a few colleagues were already eating there. After Yang Wenqing explained their purpose to the owner, the owner immediately brought over a portion of chopped roast goose.

"Two roast geese have been cut into four portions according to Police Sergeant Liu's request," the owner explained as he set down a serving.

"How much?" Yang Wenqing asked.

"Three hundred and twenty-one." The owner handed Yang Wenqing a bill as he answered, then added, "Three hundred and twenty is fine."

Yang Wenqing did not haggle. In this world, aside from pork and mutton, all other poultry was rather expensive because there was no large-scale breeding. Sometimes a single surge of spirituality would drive them mad and mutate them, making the cleanup quite troublesome.

Perhaps because he had gone so long without satisfying his appetite, Yang Wenqing ate especially quickly. Li Ming was the same. In barely ten minutes, the roast goose was picked clean. When they walked out of Li's, both of them looked toward the seafood restaurant next door without prior agreement.

At the entrance of the seafood restaurant, four uniformed security officers were walking out amid lively chatter. The person surrounded in the middle was a slightly plump young security officer.

Yang Wenqing recognized him. He was Zhao Qin, who had entered at the same time as him. His family seemed to have some connections in the County Administrative Office and owned a leather factory. Back at the Security Academy in the city, he had been very high-profile. He and Yang Wenqing were not birds of a feather, and they had never had much contact.

Zhao Qin was glowing with health at the moment, clearly in an excellent mood. He patted his chest and promised his companions, "Don't stand on ceremony with me. This seafood feast is only the beginning. Tonight, I'll treat you all to music and drinks!"

A tall security officer beside him immediately chimed in, "Young Master Zhao is generous indeed!"

The young security officer called Young Master Zhao laughed heartily. His gaze happened to sweep over Yang Wenqing and Li Ming, who were preparing to leave. His eyes lingered on Yang Wenqing for a moment before he went back to joking with his companions.

Li Ming lightly nudged Yang Wenqing's arm and said in a low voice, "Let's go."

Yang Wenqing nodded.

At that moment, Squad Leader Xiao Liang was also walking toward Li's with Ye Yong and another full-fledged security officer. After the five exchanged a few brief words, they went their separate ways.

The afternoon was much more peaceful. The two made two more rounds along their assigned route, checking the documents of several pedestrians who looked suspicious but ultimately proved to be ordinary visitors.

Near four in the afternoon, close to the shift change, Liu-jie's steady voice suddenly came through the police badge communicator. "Stonepine Street in Area 2. A small-scale armed brawl has broken out. Li Ming, Wen Qing, you two proceed there immediately for support!"

"Move!" Li Ming barked. His right hand instinctively pressed against the holster at his waist, and then he shot forward at high speed.

Yang Wenqing immediately followed close behind. Area 2 was the Second Patrol Squad's designation. Zhu Lin and Wang Yuanfeng were currently responsible for patrolling that area, and Zhu Lin was an experienced senior security officer.

When the two arrived at Stonepine Street, they saw two groups of young people in different work uniforms engaged in a chaotic brawl outside a barbershop. But on closer inspection, only two young men were truly fighting; most of the others were merely putting on a show.

The moment Zhu Lin saw Li Ming and Yang Wenqing arrive, he stepped forward and shouted sternly, "Stop it, all of you!"

Those young people who had merely been putting on an act promptly stopped, then tacitly retreated to stand on either side. But the two young men in the middle had clearly fought until their eyes were red, turning deaf ears to the rebuke.

"For Xiao Juan, I'm beating you flat on your back today!"

"In your dreams!"

As the two roared, a faint glow surfaced across their skin. They had clearly opened their Spirit Veins, and combined with the fist techniques each used, they possessed some real power.

Li Ming said to Yang Wenqing, "They're using minor clan boxing styles."

Yet he did not rush forward to stop them. Zhu Lin and Wang Yuanfeng, beside him, coldly watched the two separated groups of youths, their right hands resting on their sword hilts.

So-called minor clan boxing styles referred to fist techniques used by small clans for self-defense.

After the two fought for over ten seconds, both had suffered injuries. Only then did Li Ming signal Yang Wenqing with his eyes, and the two charged forward at the same time.

Li Ming cut in from the side, seized the arm of the young man on the left, and used deft force to twist it behind his back. The young man cried out in pain and struggled to resist, but Li Ming drove a knee into his lower back and pinned him firmly.

Yang Wenqing charged toward the young man on the right. Seeing Yang Wenqing approach, the latter instinctively threw a punch at his face. Yang Wenqing slipped aside, then precisely hooked his foot. The young man's forward momentum was too fierce; when his lower body was blocked, he lost his balance and pitched forward. Yang Wenqing seized the opportunity to lock his wrist and neatly slam him face-down onto the ground, his knee pressed tightly against the man's back.

"Don't move!" Yang Wenqing barked, already pulling out handcuffs with his other hand.

With a click, the handcuffs snapped shut.

On the other side, Li Ming had successfully cuffed the other young man as well.

Only then did the two young men seem as though they had been doused with a basin of cold water. Their struggles weakened, leaving only heavy breathing and unwilling looks in their eyes.

Zhu Lin stepped forward. He first nodded to the barbershop owner to signal that it was over, then looked at the subdued pair and snorted. "Fighting in the street over a girl, and even using Spirit Veins? You two are really something!"

Li Ming and Yang Wenqing released their holds then, allowing Wang Yuanfeng to take custody of the two youths. Zhu Lin looked at Yang Wenqing and said with a smile, "Quick reactions. Clean and efficient handling."

Yang Wenqing let out a breath. At the Security Academy, he had fought plenty of people. As long as he calmed himself and borrowed the power of the Golden Core World, his opponents' movements immediately became traceable. That was the Golden Core World's power of deduction.