Spiritual Energy Riot

Yang Wenqing and Wu Yan quickly went downstairs and boarded a skiff. Wu Yan skillfully activated the Drive Formation, and the skiff immediately lifted off, speeding toward the eastern side of the city.

Once they passed the eastern official road and their view cleared a mountain peak, they saw a dazzling band of multicolored light on the horizon ahead. It was the Spell Barrier used by the City Defense Bureau to seal off and isolate major incidents!

Almost in the blink of an eye, dozens of skiffs from different Public Security Offices converged on the official road from all directions, flying at top speed toward the designated assembly point at the barrier's edge. At minimum, everyone aboard those skiffs was a captain-level officer from their respective Public Security Offices.

"Such a huge operation..."

Wu Yan watched the scene ahead, his expression grave as he controlled the skiff. "This Spiritual Energy Riot is probably the biggest one in recent years."

Yang Wenqing did not answer. He merely stared at the enormous barrier, subconsciously brushing the Azure Edge shortsword at his waist. Feeling the faint yet distinct response from the blade, he took out his pistol and checked the rounds in its magazine.

The skiff soon reached the temporary assembly point outside the barrier, where quite a few people had already gathered. Yang Wenqing spotted several familiar faces—the captains from Public Security Offices in other districts. When they saw him, they merely nodded in greeting, their eyes equally filled with confusion and gravity.

Yang Wenqing soon saw a simple temporary altar erected before the massive curtain of barrier light. Standing atop it was a middle-aged man in the white uniform of a police commissioner. He was Deputy Director Zhou, another deputy director of the precinct, responsible for internal affairs oversight.

Deputy Director Zhou held a command flag, spiritual power surging around him as he worked with several formation masters to maintain the barrier's stability. Under his direction, the flowing light across the enormous barrier seemed more orderly, but the violent ripples that periodically spread across it revealed the extreme instability of the energy within.

On an open stretch of ground nearby, a fifty-man squad of government soldiers in black armor had already formed up. Moving swiftly, they were setting up several cannons inscribed with armor-piercing and Explosive Runes!

Yang Wenqing and Wu Yan exchanged a glance, each seeing the gravity in the other's eyes.

"Wenqing, over here!"

A voice suddenly sounded to Yang Wenqing's left.

Following the voice, Yang Wenqing saw Wang Jianchao, captain of the Major Crimes Unit's First Squad and also the Major Crimes Unit's deputy leader. Beside him stood Liu Xin, captain of the Second Squad. The two were changing clothes, and their original garments bore obvious tears.

It seemed these two had been the first to discover the abnormal spiritual energy here. They had already gone through one battle.

As Yang Wenqing approached, Wang Jianchao instructed Wu Yan, "Xiao Wu, go report to the temporary wartime logistics office and follow their unified arrangements."

"Yes!"

Wu Yan nodded, then obediently left.

After Wu Yan departed, Wang Jianchao said, "There's going to be a hard fight shortly. Deep in the forest, a rogue cultivator set up a Spirit-Gathering Formation, causing many of the beasts inside to mutate. There are spirit creatures, demons, and some twisted monsters."

He looked at Yang Wenqing. "The three of us will form a combat group. You two will cover me!"

"Alright!" Yang Wenqing agreed without hesitation. He did not ask why this Spirit-Gathering Formation had not been discovered during the cleanup before the New Year.

"Take these!" Wang Jianchao pulled two Type-1 Pistol magazines and an Energy Crystal from his storage pouch.

Yang Wenqing's gaze was immediately drawn to the Energy Crystal. This thing was the equivalent of a Spirit Stone in this world, though it was artificially collected and manufactured. Even one of the lowest quality cost five thousand yuan. It could rapidly restore spiritual energy in one's Qi Sea and could also be used to cast certain spell seals that required vast amounts of spiritual energy.

Just then, a series of roars echoed from inside the barrier, followed by a dull, drumlike pounding that resounded in their ears. Soon after, seven precinct leaders in white uniforms emerged from the nearby temporary command post. Among them were Deputy Director Gao, Wang Ren, and precinct director Zhang Qiming.

They rapidly exchanged opinions, reaching an agreement in just over ten seconds. Then Yang Wenqing heard Deputy Director Gao's voice through the communication formation in his badge. "Everyone who sees me, assemble on me."

After giving the order, Deputy Director Gao did not remain where he was. Instead, he quickly moved toward the western side of the barrier.

"Let's go!"

Yang Wenqing, Wang Jianchao, and Liu Xin immediately followed. As they moved toward Deputy Director Gao, Yang Wenqing noticed that two other groups had answered his call as well.

Both groups consisted of colleagues from the Operations Division, all veteran sergeants of captain rank—Qi Refinement Practitioners. They too operated in three-person combat groups, six people in total, wielding rifles fitted with rune rails. Their firepower far surpassed that of pistols.

Leading the three assembled groups, Deputy Director Gao swiftly passed through the outer perimeter of the temporary camp. About fifteen minutes later, they arrived beside a stream in a relatively sparse patch of forest.

After stopping, Deputy Director Gao first swept his sharp gaze over everyone. Then he took out a signal pistol and fired it into the sky, launching a conspicuous red flare.

Only then did Deputy Director Gao say, "Advance in fan formations by combat group. Stay alert. Prioritize eliminating mutated creatures. Find and destroy the core of the Spirit-Gathering Formation. If you encounter anything you cannot handle, immediately fire a distress signal!"

He looked first toward the Operations Division officers. "Advance from both flanks!"

The moment the order was given, the two Operations Division groups sprang forward like cheetahs. One to the left and one to the right, they used the trees for cover and swiftly disappeared into the shadowy forest.

Next, Deputy Director Gao looked at Yang Wenqing's group of three. "Stay close behind me and clean up any stragglers I miss!" As his words fell, he flicked his left hand, and a flying sword shot from his sleeve, hovering at his side.

The roars inside the barrier grew increasingly fierce. Deputy Director Gao immediately charged into the barrier, with Yang Wenqing, Wang Jianchao, and Liu Xin following close behind.

"Wenqing, in areas affected by a Spiritual Energy Riot, spirit herbs can grow in just a few minutes. We'll point out their locations later, so make sure to collect them!"

As Wang Jianchao spoke, he tossed Yang Wenqing a storage pouch.

Deputy Director Gao, ahead of them, also said, "That's right, Wenqing. Stay behind us. Your primary task is to search for these treasures."

"Alright!"

Yang Wenqing accepted the storage pouch and looked up at the barrier in the sky. The operation looked massive, but compared with clearing out the monsters born of the Spiritual Energy Riot, the people who had come here clearly cared more about the spirit herbs and treasures growing inside.

Moreover, after entering the barrier, he discovered that the Golden Core in his mind was frantically absorbing and refining the violent spiritual energy here. Yet after absorbing it, his Qi Sea could not contain it, so it could only be used to nourish his body, giving him an urge to stop and cultivate.

There was another benefit to this situation: fighting here meant the spiritual energy in his Qi Sea was practically inexhaustible. Just then, Deputy Director Gao ahead of him activated the flying sword hovering at his side.