I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 230: Chapter 132: Follow-up Investigation (2)

Yang Wenqing looked up at her. "The New District isn’t as stable as the county bureau. The situation is complex, and the initial phase is bound to be chaotic, with immense pressure. Once you’re there, you might be rooted there for a long time."

"I’ve thought it through!"

Liu Qin’s reply was firm and decisive.

Seeing the familiar sharp resolve in Liu Qin’s eyes, Yang Wenqing smiled slightly and nodded.

"Alright!" He agreed with a nod. Then his tone shifted, growing more serious. "However, the appointment isn’t official yet. Don’t get ahead of yourself."

Upon hearing his words, Liu Qin’s eyes flashed with delight. She immediately stood up straighter and answered solemnly, "Yes! Group Leader Yang... no, Director Yang! I won’t let you down!"

"Like I said, the appointment isn’t official yet," Yang Wenqing reminded her.

"Understood!" Liu Qin saluted, then turned and strode briskly from the office, a new spring in her step.

As Liu Qin’s cheerful figure disappeared through the doorway, Yang Wenqing leaned back in his chair and sighed. His gaze then returned to the case file from Lingshan Town on his desk.

The file contained little new information. After a moment’s thought, he activated the Communication Array in his badge to contact Liu Xin, who was far away in Lingshan Town overseeing the investigation team’s wrap-up work.

They spoke briefly, confirming that the situation in Lingshan Town was stable before ending the call.

Afterward, Yang Wenqing continued to handle a backlog of internal documents for the Major Case Team. Time slipped by quietly, marked only by the rustle of turning pages and the scratching of his pen.

Around 9:30 a.m., his chest badge pulsed with Spiritual Qi again, and Wang Ren’s voice sounded in his ear. "Wenqing, get to the rear docking platform, now. The leadership from the city bureau is almost here."

Yang Wenqing shot to his feet, straightened his uniform, and strode quickly out of his office.

When he reached the docking platform behind the main branch building, he saw that all the colleagues qualified to wear the white uniform had already gathered. Yang Wenqing took a few quick steps forward and silently took up a position half a step behind and to the side of Gao Zhen—a spot that denoted his rank without upstaging his superior.

His gaze swept across the crowd, and he noted that Li Gui was, as expected, absent. Zhang Qiming’s once-loyal confidant had clearly been dragged down with him.

Before long, three solid silver-gray armed Flying Shuttles, emblazoned with the striking insignia of the Coral City Defense Bureau, descended with a low hum, landing smoothly on the dedicated platform behind the branch building.

The hatch opened.

The first to emerge were six guards from the city bureau’s operations division, clad in blue tactical uniforms. They spread out quickly, subtly forming a security perimeter.

Next, a young man in a white uniform stepped out of the Flying Shuttle. His epaulets bore three silver flowers. He had the air of a refined scholar or a civil official, but his eyes held a worldly clarity and an undeniable aura of authority.

As a member of the Coral City Defense System, Yang Wenqing naturally recognized this man—he was Director Shen’s disciple. Yang Wenqing’s attention was then drawn to his rank. The three silver flowers designated a ’Senior Police Supervisor,’ which was a transitional, or honorary, rank only attainable by those at the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

This rank was equivalent to a ’Police Supervisor’ with three silver stars and was often granted to Foundation Establishment guards with sufficient seniority. It could also be given to those on the verge of achieving Entry. The former would lead important departments or major cases, while for the latter, it was mostly an honorary title, as they spent the majority of their time cultivating to break through to Entry.

’As for whether this meant you were just coasting toward retirement or were actively pushing for Entry—well, that depended on what you put on your own application.’

Following behind Zhou Mu were four others in white uniforms, three men and a woman, their epaulets identifying them as Police Specialists. They were clearly an elite team of investigators handpicked by the city bureau.

"Director Zhou, welcome to the Qianjiao Branch to oversee our work!" Gao Zhen was the first to step forward, snapping to attention with a salute, his voice booming.

"You’re too kind, Director Gao." A polite but reserved smile touched Zhou Mu’s lips as he shook Gao Zhen’s hand. He then shook hands with Wang Ren and Deputy Director Zhou in turn. His etiquette was impeccable—neither overly familiar nor coldly aloof.

When it was Yang Wenqing’s turn, Zhou Mu’s gaze lingered on him for an extra moment, and his handshake was slightly firmer. "Yang Group Leader, I’ve heard a great deal about you. You handled the Lingshan Town case very well."

"You’re too generous, Director Zhou. I was only doing my duty." Yang Wenqing saluted crisply after the handshake.

Zhou Mu then exchanged nods with the branch’s other key division chiefs. The entire reception was swift and orderly.

After the simple welcoming ceremony, the group moved to the branch’s largest conference room.

Inside, the long conference table was filled on both sides. Yang Wenqing sat beside Gao Zhen, a position that reflected the standing of the Major Case Team.

The meeting began with Gao Zhen, representing the Qianjiao Branch, giving Zhou Mu and his team a brief report on the Lingshan Town cases. His summary was objective and concise; he had clearly simplified it for the occasion.

After listening in silence, Zhou Mu spoke directly.

"Director Gao, and all our colleagues at the Qianjiao Branch. I’ve been sent by the leadership of the city bureau to thoroughly clarify and complete the chain of evidence for this case. We must provide our superiors, the public, and all our fallen and injured colleagues with an account that can withstand the highest scrutiny."

His gaze swept across the room. "The city bureau’s position is resolute: no matter who is involved or how high up the ladder it goes, we will see this investigation through to the end."

"However..." Zhou Mu’s tone shifted, softening slightly. "We are not investigating simply for the sake of an investigation. Our ultimate goal is to root out the corruption, restore order, and allow Lingshan Town and Qianjiao County to move on, unburdened. Therefore, while we must be firm in cracking down on criminal activity, we also need to be mindful of our methods and minimize unnecessary disruption."

"As for the work ahead... the task force will coordinate with the relevant branch divisions after this meeting. Our guiding principles will be: unified command, cooperative division of labor, lawful evidence gathering, and swift progress," Zhou Mu concluded.

The meeting was short, and Zhou Mu’s speech was impeccable. As soon as it concluded, the intensive work began.

The city bureau’s task force quickly coordinated with the branch’s Internal Affairs Inspection Division, Operations Division, Technical Division, and Archives Division. They moved at top speed to consolidate all the scattered loose ends of the case and resolve them systematically.

Yang Wenqing remained by Zhou Mu’s side, constantly on standby for his orders.

For the next two days, he became Zhou Mu’s living map of the Qianjiao Branch. Whenever Zhou Mu needed to know the background, social network, or local movements of anyone involved in the case, Yang Wenqing provided clear and accurate answers instantly. If a remote precinct needed to be coordinated for surveillance or to provide files, a single call from Yang Wenqing ensured it was handled swiftly.

His demeanor was respectful. He answered every question fully but never overstepped his bounds by offering unsolicited opinions, maintaining his position as a subordinate and aide.

While consolidating the case files, Zhou Mu ordered numerous arrests. True to his word, he spared no one connected to the case, which included a number of merchants and estate owners.

As more and more people were arrested, the atmosphere in the temporary command center grew increasingly grim. The only sound was often the calm, measured tone of Zhou Mu’s orders. Yang Wenqing followed quietly by his side, feeling no particular turmoil.

’This was the other side of power: cold, precise, and absolute. It could both protect and destroy. What I have to do is learn to control it, wield it, and forge my own path through these complex rules to protect what I want to protect.’

The two-day sweep was both deceptively quiet and breathtakingly intense. When the most critical work was done, Zhou Mu rubbed the bridge of his nose and said to Yang Wenqing, "We’ve achieved our initial objective. Next comes the more tedious work of interrogations and report writing. I’ll have to leave that hard work to you all."

"Not at all, Director Zhou. It’s all for the case," Yang Wenqing replied politely.

Zhou Mu then added, "The city has located two strongholds of rogue Cultivators within Coral City. Over the past two days, three thousand Government Soldiers have been assembled and are surrounding them. The next step is to mobilize the operations teams from the various City Defense Bureau branches. This is going to be a major operation. We need to fully cooperate with this city-wide action and maintain local stability."

In other words, during this operation to besiege the strongholds, everyone except for the guards in the Operations Division was to carry on with their duties as usual.