I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 247: Chapter 141: The Chief’s National Address

"Chief Yang?"

Du Hong looked to Yang Wenqing, awaiting his orders.

Yang Wenqing’s Divine Sense swept over everyone at the scene. He breathed a small sigh of relief after confirming there were no other Qi Cultivators present, then instructed Du Hong, "Fire warning shots."

He didn’t equivocate or shirk his duty, but gave a clear and precise command.

Upon hearing the order, Du Hong decisively drew his sidearm and fired three consecutive shots over the empty, open water of the harbor.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

The deafening gunshots erupted in the night sky, carrying an unquestionable authority and a cold warning that instantly silenced the chaos at the scene.

"Everyone, on the ground! Hands on your head! Don’t move!"

Du Hong formed a voice-amplifying Array in front of him. His voice, channeled through the Array, boomed like thunder, echoing throughout the entire dock area.

At the same time, the security forces and militia, who were already on standby, immediately tightened their perimeter. They used shields and long batons to forcefully cordon off the chaotic area, shouting for the crowd to get down.

Under the deterrent of gunfire and stern commands, the panicked crowd was gradually brought under control. Most people squatted on the spot with their hands on their heads, no longer daring to run. However, the fear and unease permeating the air only grew thicker.

Yang Wenqing stood on high ground, his expression as calm as still water. He turned to Liao Tianming and said, "Director Liao, the task of calming everyone down will fall to your colleagues from the Civil Affairs Bureau."

Liao Tianming nodded. "Don’t worry, Chief Yang. It’s our duty."

Yang Wenqing then looked at Du Hong and ordered, "Interrogate that Qi Cultivator as quickly as possible. I want a full report on him before dawn."

"Yes, sir!"

Du Hong quickly relayed the order to a subordinate, but remained by Yang Wenqing’s side.

Just then, a hurried communication request came through the badge on his chest. It was Liu Xin, the head of the Major Case Team.

Yang Wenqing answered immediately.

Liu Xin’s voice came through, laced with the howl of the wind and the faint sound of waves. "Chief Yang, on the undeveloped coastline about ten miles to the south, our patrol Flying Shuttles and ground-based detection Arrays have picked something up. Over the past hour, they’ve detected at least seven suspicious small vessels making landfall. They appear to be fishing boats or speedboats, the kind used for human smuggling. The passengers quickly dispersed and moved inland after landing. We estimate over a hundred people have come ashore."

Yang Wenqing frowned slightly. The Lingshan New District had always had people sneaking in over the years. Most of them were from other provinces or refugees from other regions who couldn’t get by. Because the New District was newly established and in need of a large population, the Civil Affairs Bureau hadn’t been very strict with its inspections.

But for such a large-scale smuggling operation to happen on a night like this... ’Liu Xin must have found it suspicious too, which is why she made a special report.’

"Liu Xin..."

Yang Wenqing gave his orders. "It’s hard to say if this is just ordinary smuggling. Arrest as many of them as you can. However, if you encounter heavy resistance—especially if they are armed or use Magic—you have authorization to open fire. You may use Explosive Bullets if necessary."

He paused, then added, "I’ll pull patrol teams from the surrounding public security offices to support you. I’ll also have the operations department dispatch another squad for reinforcement. Keep your comms open and report your progress regularly."

"Yes, Chief Yang!"

After ending the call with Liu Xin, just as Yang Wenqing was about to contact Xia Meng and the local security offices, the badge on his chest lit up again. It was a signal from the city bureau.

Yang Wenqing answered immediately.

"Wenqing, what’s the situation at the docks?" Qi Yue got straight to the point.

Yang Wenqing reported succinctly, "We found three Qi Cultivators during the reception process. One of them had no identification. He’s been subdued and detained, and a preliminary interrogation is underway."

Qi Yue wasn’t surprised. "Other reception points have also been finding Qi Cultivators mixed in with the refugees," he said. "Not many, though. The ones we’ve captured have undergone a preliminary Soul Search, and it seems most of them don’t have any deeper connections."

"Some of them were originally living on the border islands and are just used to being drifters. Others have smuggled themselves into Mingbei City from the New Continent over the years. They were probably hoping to obtain legal Wanxuan status once the situation stabilized. This conflict erupted so suddenly that it caught them off guard. They panicked and fled with the main crowd, and we just happened to catch them."

"Keep a close watch on the Qi Cultivator you’ve caught," Qi Yue continued.

"Don’t let your guard down, but don’t be overly anxious either. In a few days, the city bureau will send people down to round up all these problematic individuals we’ve found. They’ll be taken away for a more thorough screening and resettlement. Until then, your people are responsible for watching him. Don’t let him escape, don’t let him die, and most importantly, don’t let him cause any more trouble."

"Yes, Chief Qi," Yang Wenqing replied.

"The number of smugglers from the New Continent has been increasing recently. The city bureau has received quite a few related reports. The problem must be even more severe in the New District, right?" Qi Yue asked, his tone casual.

Yang Wenqing reported truthfully, "Yes, Chief Qi. Just now, the Major Case Team reported that multiple suspicious boats have landed on the undeveloped southern coastline. I’ve already authorized them to begin a search and capture operation."

The line went silent for a moment before Qi Yue’s voice returned, deeper this time. "Outlaws from the New Continent, smugglers from the sea, even spies from some overseas Sects... they all love to pull these petty tricks. Normally, we can overlook their minor skirmishes, but at a critical juncture like this, we can’t ignore any sign of trouble."

"Wenqing, you need to oversee this personally. We expect more refugees to be transferred from Mingbei City, so you must coordinate with all parties and maintain a balance. Don’t hesitate to use force to suppress any unrest if it becomes critical. If war really breaks out in Mingbei City, our district may become the rear supply point. That makes our stability a top priority. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I understand. I will personally coordinate with all parties," Yang Wenqing promised in a solemn voice.