Yang Wenqing straightened his uniform and pushed open the door to Deputy Director Gao's office.
The office was thick with smoke. Deputy Director Gao reclined against his chair, puffing away, while Wang Jianchao and Liu Xin sat on the sofas to either side.
"Here?" Deputy Director Gao raised his eyelids slightly and casually tossed an unopened pack of cigarettes onto an empty corner of the desk. "Help yourself."
Wang Jianchao lazily pointed at the empty seat beside him. "What are you standing by the door for? Waiting for me to salute you?"
Though Liu Xin said nothing, she shifted aside as well, making more room for him.
Yang Wenqing immediately caught on. He stepped forward, naturally picked up the pack of cigarettes, opened it, and offered one to Deputy Director Gao first, then one each to Wang Jianchao and Liu Xin before lighting one for himself.
The pungent smoke entered his lungs, and he coughed lightly twice. That awkward reaction instead eased the atmosphere in the office.
Deputy Director Gao blew out a smoke ring. "Let's take a look at today's haul."
His gaze fell on Yang Wenqing.
Yang Wenqing immediately took out three storage bags.
Deputy Director Gao rose and walked over to his desk. He picked up several wooden boxes that had been prepared beforehand, each carved with preservation formations. Returning to his seat, he took the storage bags and removed the spirit herbs and the glazed bottles containing Spirit Liquid, placing them on the desk.
"The remaining demon beast flesh and bones in the storage bags are worth roughly a hundred thousand or so. Let's count them as one hundred and fifty thousand." As he spoke, Deputy Director Gao arranged the spoils on the desk.
"Then we'll follow the old rules. Director, you take fifty percent, and the remaining half is split equally among the three of us," Wang Jianchao said smoothly.
"I'll transfer the money to you tomorrow." Deputy Director Gao glanced at Wang Jianchao and put away the storage bags.
Yang Wenqing's eyes merely swept over those storage bags. He had always thought that someone in Deputy Director Gao's position probably would not have to worry about cultivation materials. Yet judging by Deputy Director Gao's current demeanor, he seemed to care even more about cultivation resources than Yang Wenqing did.
But on second thought, the further one cultivated, the more one's Qi Sea and Spirit Veins would inevitably expand, and the materials required would multiply accordingly. At the same time, they also had to face the problem of lifespan. They had no choice but to invest more and strive to break through before their lives came to an end.
"All the spirit herbs are Soul-returning Herbs. It seems to be related to the attribute of this spiritual energy. This herb can strengthen Divine Sense, and it becomes highly useful after the Sixth Qi Refinement. However, since it can now be artificially cultivated, it is worth fifteen thousand per plant. Wild ones are more expensive, around thirty thousand each. There are six plants here in total. Do you want to exchange them for money, or what?"
As he spoke, Deputy Director Gao placed the six Soul-returning Herbs into the wooden boxes he had taken out earlier.
Wang Jianchao immediately replied, "Same old rules. Director, you take fifty percent, and each of the three of us gets one plant." As he spoke, he looked at Yang Wenqing. "I happen to have a twenty-year Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Grass in fairly good condition, worth about the same amount. How about I trade it for your Soul-returning Herb?"
Yang Wenqing froze for a moment, then quickly nodded. "All right!"
The Soul-returning Herb was of little use in his hands right now, but a twenty-year Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Grass was different. Its medicinal potency was several times that of the ordinary Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Grass in the City Defense Bureau's warehouse. Its value was not fixed, but it would not be less than thirty thousand. It was just that hardly anyone bought it, because it was rather like chicken ribs—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to throw away.
But Yang Wenqing was currently at a crucial point in the First Refinement and needed a Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Grass with powerful medicinal effects. Perhaps after absorbing its medicinal potency, he could break through in one fell swoop.
Seeing Yang Wenqing agree, Wang Jianchao immediately took a square wooden box from his storage bag and handed it to him. Yang Wenqing did not stand on ceremony. He accepted it, swiftly opened the preservation formation, took one look, and quickly put it away.
Deputy Director Gao continued, "Next is this Spirit Liquid. I examined it with Divine Sense. There should be about one kilogram, so we'll calculate it as one kilogram. Its current value is one hundred per gram, making it one hundred thousand."
He paused, then looked at the three of them. "I need it badly, but the branch office's annual allocation is too small. I'll buy your share of the Spirit Liquid at one hundred and fifty per gram. How about it?"
What could Wang Jianchao, Liu Xin, and Yang Wenqing say? They could only nod in agreement.
Yang Wenqing silently did the math. This time, he would receive fifty thousand in cash. That money could be used to prepare for the upcoming Second Refinement.
"I'll transfer the money into your accounts before noon tomorrow," Deputy Director Gao promised again. The bank account information for all three of them was recorded in their files.
The three of them responded with polite words of thanks.
Then Deputy Director Gao's gaze settled on Yang Wenqing. "You were a great help in the center of the forest earlier. I don't have much to show my gratitude. With your current cultivation, you're about to break through the First Refinement, and A-Chao has traded you the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Grass." As he spoke, he took out a glazed bottle. "There are five hundred grams of hundred-year Stone Marrow Liquid inside. It can help with your cultivation for the Second Refinement."
Yang Wenqing instinctively wanted to refuse, but Deputy Director Gao cut him off first in a tone that brooked no argument. "Take it. Some things need to be settled clearly. We may encounter even more dangerous battles in the future."
"Yes!"
Yang Wenqing could not very well refuse after hearing that. Stone Marrow Liquid was an ordinary spiritual material, but the hundred-year kind was exceptionally rare. One gram was worth fifty, more expensive than silver. Like Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Grass, it was an auxiliary spiritual material for cultivation during the Second Refinement of the Qi Refining Stage.
As Yang Wenqing accepted the glazed bottle, Wang Jianchao took out a brand-new storage bag and said to him, "This is a token of gratitude from Xiao Xin and me."
Yang Wenqing paused, then said, "Thank you!"
Liu Xin smiled. "We should be the ones thanking you. Do you know? When they later checked the casualties, a Qi Refinement Practitioner from South City Public Security Station had actually died."
Yang Wenqing frowned slightly. "This..."
Wang Jianchao explained, "South City Public Security Station was too close to the central area. They thought there might be something good inside and wanted to rush in before everyone else to seize it."
"Let's not talk about that..."
Deputy Director Gao cut off the conversation between the three of them. Looking at Wang Jianchao, he said, "The director of Small Bridge Town Public Security Station is nearing the end of his lifespan and has been unable to break through for a long time. He'll likely retire this year. Your opportunity has come. This year, you don't need to hold back. If you pass the examination directly, you'll most likely be posted to Small Bridge Town."
Delight appeared on Wang Jianchao's face, but he immediately glanced at Liu Xin again and asked worriedly, "After I leave, the director will probably take the chance to place someone else here. Will Xiao Xin be able to smoothly take over as deputy team leader?"
Deputy Director Gao smiled in response. "He wants to transfer that useless director from West City Public Security Station over here, giving him a deputy team leader post with a higher rank. If he isn't afraid of losing face, I can agree to it." He laughed after saying that. "But the deputy team leader may not necessarily also serve as captain of the First Squad. When the time comes, I'll clear out the storeroom opposite my office and make it his office. It just so happens that I don't have a secretary either, so he can handle some of the squad's miscellaneous matters."
Wang Jianchao pondered for two seconds, then asked, "Will Xiao Xin take over the First Squad?"
Deputy Director Gao nodded. "Yes. Then Wen Qing will take over the Second Squad. As for the Third Squad..." He exchanged a look with Wang Jianchao. "I'll arrange for a veteran police sergeant. If the director has any objections, then we'll follow tradition and have a trip to the arena."
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