New Case

Liu Qin quickly delivered the detailed files she had compiled on the three companies to Yang Wenqing's desk, then left work. Before long, Yang Wenqing was the only one left in the office.

He roughly reviewed the files on all three companies, then singled out Zhenyuan Mining's file. The company was located in the Port District, and one of its warehouses was not far from the pier 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 branch records, he had dealt in stone in the Port District when he was young before gradually building up this mining company.

Wang Zhenhai had only one son, thirty-two-year-old Wang Lei, who currently served as the company's general manager. According to the records, he had long been in contact with a deputy director from the General Affairs Division of the County Administrative Office.

More interestingly, Wang Lei had been investigated twice by the County Supervisory Commission, yet both cases had ultimately fizzled out. The County Supervisory Commission was similar to the internal affairs division of the city defense system and, like the courts, operated independently of the Government Affairs Council. It could oversee every official in the Government Affairs Council.

The deputy director of the County Administrative Office's General Affairs Division who had kept in contact with Wang Lei was named Zhou Cheng. He was forty-five this year. His file showed that he had entered the Government Affairs Council system through the proper examinations and had worked in the General Affairs Division for nearly twenty years, mainly handling preliminary reviews and coordination for approvals involving some industrial and commercial matters in the Port District.

It was a crucial position. Many business applications involving the Port District had to pass his preliminary review before entering the subsequent process.

Yang Wenqing's gaze shifted back and forth between Zhou Cheng's and Wang Lei's names.

The General Affairs Division here was far more than the group of clerks Yang Wenqing remembered. 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 normal circumstances, the City Defense Bureau ranked below the Government Affairs Council, and it had no authority to investigate it. Every official with an official rank possessed a Joint Council Official Seal Badge, which fused with their consciousness the moment they entered the Government Affairs Council.

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 one of them as chief minister to govern the vast kingdom.

The city defense system held a fixed Cabinet seat, second only to the chief minister, yet it could not assume the position of chief minister. This had been the convention since the Joint Council was established.

It was worth mentioning that the county City Defense Bureau branch also had a Joint Council seat. Normally, however, one needed at least the rank of Police Commissioner to have a chance to run for it. The Government Affairs Council was different: any official with a rank automatically gained Joint Council membership. The bureaucratic system was simply too vast, and many low-ranking officials had often died without explanation.

Later, the Cabinet gathered hundreds of great cultivators to build the National Altar in the capital. With the faith of the people, it protected low-ranking officials and continuously elevated their status. It then steadily separated the City Defense Bureau's powers, transforming what had once been military fortresses into cities rich with commerce and daily life. Only then did society stabilize.

All things considered, Yang Wenqing could not investigate their relationship, and he had to be especially careful while looking into Zhenyuan Mining.

As for the other two companies, he did not have the energy to spare for them yet. He could only eliminate this company first.

After making his decision, Yang Wenqing did not act immediately. He carefully locked the files in his drawer, packed up, and left work.

After returning home to Dongning Community, he made a simple dinner. After eating, he first wrote home to explain the recommendation quota. Once he finished the letter, he meditated and cultivated as usual, circulating the Ninefold Refinement Method to advance the second refinement, Skin Membranes Like Drums. When his cultivation ended, he nourished his short sword and inscribed that day's talismans.

Early the next morning, Yang Wenqing mailed the letter home before heading to the branch. When he entered the office, no one else had arrived. Looking at the silent room, he truly felt just how lazy his squad was.

He had barely sat down at his desk when the badge on his chest sent out urgent spiritual energy fluctuations. A message from the Police Alert Center sounded directly in his mind:

"Chief Yang Wenqing, emergency notification. A cultivator riot has occurred in Fu'an Community, West City District. Five people have been confirmed dead so far. Proceed to the scene immediately and handle the situation!"

Yang Wenqing frowned slightly. Under normal procedure, the Police Alert Center would not contact him directly unless the case was extremely urgent. At that moment, Wu Yan happened to walk into the office.

"Old Wu, grab your gear. We're heading to the scene!" Yang Wenqing said tersely as he checked his Type-1 Military Pistol and slipped it into his shoulder holster.

"Yes!" Wu Yan did not hesitate.

A moment later, the two boarded the old Windrunner-III flying shuttle. Wu Yan expertly activated the formation. As the shuttle left the branch, another message suddenly came from the Police Alert Center: "Chief Yang Wenqing, the situation at the scene is somewhat complicated. The Operations Division will dispatch two combat squads to reinforce you."

"All right!"

Yang Wenqing nodded, 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 signal to Deputy Director Gao connected, but he explicitly declined the call. That meant someone was keeping him occupied, and such a decisive rejection was clearly meant as a warning.

Suddenly, Yang Wenqing recalled being reprimanded in the director's office after botching the harbor body-dumping case. Combined with the fact that Third Squad had achieved almost nothing over the past month, there had to be something wrong with this sudden case in the south of the city that had specifically been assigned to him.

Worse still, West City Public Security Station was the director's territory. Even if the director was in a difficult position right now, stirring up some trouble would take no more than a flick of his finger.

Was this really necessary? I was just a nobody...

Yang Wenqing gave a bitter smile inwardly, but his expression remained calm and composed. He looked at Wu Yan beside him, recalled Wu Yan's file, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning. 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 Director Wang. Tell Director Wang about my case."

He had already stepped out of the flying shuttle as he spoke.

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 questions. He merely nodded solemnly. "Captain, be careful."

Then he turned the flying shuttle around and sped toward the east side of the city.

Yang Wenqing straightened his collar and calmly headed toward Fu'an Community in West City. He took the main road, his steps steady, as though he were merely on an ordinary patrol.

About five minutes later, a low hum came from the street corner ahead. Two flying shuttles bearing the City Defense Bureau insignia, clearly faster models than the Windrunner-III, approached swiftly in an almost combat formation and stopped precisely in front of Yang Wenqing.

The shuttle doors slid open, and six fully armed Operations Division officers jumped out of the first shuttle. The leader was tall and stern-faced, wearing a fitted combat uniform. His shoulder insignia showed the rank of chief.

Yang Wenqing recognized him. Zhou Yong, captain of Operations Division's Third Squad—the very man Director Zhang Qiming had previously intended to force into the Major Crimes Unit!

At that moment, Yang Wenqing was certain that his suspicions were correct.