Liu Qin quickly delivered the detailed files she had compiled on the three companies to Yang Wenqing's desk, then left work. In the blink of an eye, Yang Wenqing was the only one left in the office.
He roughly read through the materials on all three companies, then pulled out Zhenyuan Mining's file separately. The company was located in Port District, and one of its warehouses was not far from the dock where Chen Dayong's body had been found.
The company's legal representative was Wang Zhenhai, fifty-eight years old and a native of Thousand Reef County. According to the sub-bureau's records, he had dealt in stone in Port District when he was young, gradually building it into this mining company.
Wang Zhenhai had only one son, thirty-two years old, named Wang Lei, who currently served as the company's general manager. According to the information in the records, he had long maintained contact with a deputy director in the General Affairs Division of the County Administrative Office.
More interestingly, Wang Lei had been placed under investigation by the County Supervisory Commission twice, yet both cases had ultimately fizzled out without a trace. The County Supervisory Commission was similar to the Internal Affairs Oversight of the City Defense System. Like the Court, it was independent of the Government Affairs Council and could supervise all Government Affairs Council officials.
The deputy director of the County Administrative Office's General Affairs Division who kept in contact with Wang Lei was named Zhou Cheng, forty-five years old. His file showed that he had entered the Government Affairs Council system through formal examinations and had worked in the General Affairs Division for nearly twenty years, mainly handling the preliminary review and coordination of certain industrial and commercial approvals in Port District.
It was a crucial position. Many business applications involving Port District had to pass his initial review before entering the subsequent process.
Yang Wenqing's gaze moved back and forth between Zhou Cheng's and Wang Lei's names.
The General Affairs Division here was far more than the mere wielders of the pen from Yang Wenqing's memories. Its duties included assisting the county magistrate in overseeing the county's agriculture, timber mills, fisheries, education, archives and personnel, water conservancy, commerce, and trade.
Under ordinary circumstances, the City Defense Bureau's authority ranked below that of the Government Affairs Council, and the City Defense Bureau had no authority to investigate them. Every official with a formal rank possessed an Official Seal Badge of the Joint Council. The moment they entered the Government Affairs Council, that seal badge fused with their consciousness.
The Joint Council was an alliance within Zhongxia Kingdom's cultivation system. It had established the nation's order. Every ten years, it selected seven Cabinet members, then chose a Chief Minister from among them to govern this vast country.
The City Defense System held a fixed Cabinet seat, second only to the Chief Minister's, yet it could not serve as Chief Minister. This had been the convention ever since the Joint Council was established.
It was worth mentioning that the county City Defense Sub-Bureau also had a Joint Council seat, though under normal circumstances, one needed at least the rank of Police Commissioner to have a chance to run for it. The Government Affairs Council was different: as long as one was a ranked official, one automatically became a Joint Council member. This was because the bureaucratic system was too enormous, and many low-ranking officials often died without anyone knowing why.
Later, the Cabinet gathered hundreds of Grand Cultivators and erected the National Altar in the capital. With the faith of ten thousand people, they sheltered the low-ranking officials and continually elevated their status. They then steadily separated out the City Defense Bureau's powers, transforming what had once been military fortresses one after another into today's cities brimming with commerce and everyday life. Only then did society stabilize.
All things considered, Yang Wenqing could not investigate their relationship, and he had to be especially careful when looking into Zhenyuan Mining.
As for the other two companies, he did not have much energy to spare for them yet. He could only eliminate this company first.
Having made his decision, Yang Wenqing did not immediately spring into action. He carefully locked the materials in a drawer, packed up his things, and got off work.
After returning home to Dongning Community, he made a simple dinner. After eating, he first wrote a letter home explaining the recommendation quota. Once he finished the letter, he cultivated in meditation as usual, circulating the Ninefold Refinement Method to advance the Second Refinement, "Skin Membranes Like Drums." After finishing his cultivation, he nourished his short sword and inscribed the day's batch of talisman papers.
Early the next morning, Yang Wenqing mailed his family letter before heading to the sub-bureau. When he entered the office, no one else had arrived. Looking at the silent office, he truly felt that his squad was excessively slack.
He had just sat down at his desk when the badge on his chest sent out urgent spiritual power fluctuations, and a message from the Police Alert Center sounded directly in his consciousness:
"Police Sergeant Yang Wenqing, emergency notice: a cultivator riot has occurred in Fu'an Community, West City District. Five deaths have been preliminarily confirmed. Please proceed to the scene immediately and handle the situation!"
Yang Wenqing frowned slightly. Under normal procedures, the Police Alert Center should not have contacted him directly unless the case was extremely urgent. Just then, Wu Yan happened to walk into the office.
"Old Wu, bring the equipment. We're heading to the scene!" Yang Wenqing said concisely as he inspected the Type-1 Military Pistol and slid it into his shoulder holster.
"Yes!" Wu Yan did not hesitate.
Moments later, the two boarded the old Windrunner-III Flying Shuttle. Wu Yan skillfully activated the formation. As the shuttle left the sub-bureau, another transmission suddenly came from the Police Alert Center: "Police Sergeant Yang Wenqing, the situation at the scene is somewhat complicated. The Operations Division will send two combat squads to reinforce you."
"Understood!"
Yang Wenqing nodded in agreement, but suddenly felt that something was wrong. Without hesitation, he immediately contacted Deputy Director Gao.
"Stop!"
Yang Wenqing's voice was loud.
Wu Yan seemed startled and instinctively brought the Flying Shuttle to a halt.
The connection to Deputy Director Gao went through, but he explicitly declined the call. That meant someone was tying him up at the moment, and such an unhesitating refusal was clearly a warning.
All at once, Yang Wenqing recalled how he had been reprimanded in the director's office when the Harbor Corpse-Sinking Case had gone wrong. Added to the fact that Third Squad had achieved almost nothing over the past month, this case from South City District that had suddenly named him for assignment definitely had something fishy behind it.
Even worse, West City Public Security Station was originally the director's territory. Though he was somewhat embarrassed at the moment, stirring up trouble was still no more difficult for him than lifting a finger.
Was this really necessary? I'm just a nobody...
Yang Wenqing laughed bitterly inside, but outwardly remained calm and unruffled. He looked at Wu Yan beside him. Recalling Wu Yan's file, countless thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning and flint. Then he said, "Old Wu, go to East City Public Security Station. Find Xiao Liang, the captain of Second Squad, and tell him to find Station Chief Wang. Tell Station Chief Wang about the case here."
As he spoke, he had already stepped out of the Flying Shuttle.
Although a trace of confusion flashed through Wu Yan's eyes upon hearing Yang Wenqing's order, the habit of obedience he had developed over the years kept him from asking more. He merely nodded solemnly. "Captain, be careful."
Then he controlled the Flying Shuttle, turned it around, and sped toward East City District.
Yang Wenqing straightened his collar and unhurriedly walked toward Fu'an Community in West City District. He took the main road, his steps steady, as though he were merely conducting an ordinary patrol.
About five minutes later, a low hum came from the street corner ahead. Two Flying Shuttles painted with the City Defense Bureau insignia, models clearly faster than the Windrunner-III, sped over in a near-combat formation and stopped precisely in front of Yang Wenqing.
The shuttle doors slid open. Six fully armed Operations Division personnel jumped from the first shuttle. The leader was tall and broad, with a stern face and a fitted combat uniform. His shoulder insignia showed that he held the rank of Police Sergeant.
Yang Wenqing recognized him. Zhou Yong, captain of the Operations Division's Third Squad—the very man Director Zhang Qiming had previously tried to force into the Major Crimes Unit!
At that moment, Yang Wenqing became certain of what he had suspected.
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