Chapter 301 - 165: The Strangeness of the Taiyan Cultivator

Chapter 301: Chapter 165: The Strangeness of the Taiyan Cultivator

Yang Wenqing turned to face Zhu Yunchuan, chuckling as he said, "Yunchuan, you aren’t as candid as you used to be."

Zhu Yunchuan said, "You must be joking, Director. How could I dare be anything but candid with you?"

They had been equals before, but now Yang Wenqing was his superior. Therefore, any such "suggestion" had to come from Yang Wenqing’s orders, not from him.

Yang Wenqing let the matter drop and continued to gaze at the cityscape outside the window. "Contact the Government Soldiers at once," he said. "Especially the two Patrol Inspectors. Inform them of what might happen tonight and of our suspicions. Request that they secretly dispatch reliable forces to set up surveillance in the sea and air, farther out from the shoals north of the mining district."

"Second, the sub-bureau will maintain the highest level of alert. All personnel on duty tonight—patrol teams and emergency response squads included—must be on standby. The moment the sub-bureau gives the signal, or you detect any anomalies on your end, activate our emergency protocols immediately."

Zhu Yunchuan was taken aback. "Director, the risks are still considerable if you go in person."

Yang Wenqing shook his head. "We have an Entry-level Cultivator stationed in Lingshan New District now. As long as this doesn’t involve anyone above that level, what danger could I possibly be in? And if there really is an Entry-level Cultivator involved, they wouldn’t be stupid enough to make a move. I’ve heard they value their lives far more than ordinary people do."

His tone was calm. "The bait will only be tempting enough if I go myself. Only then can we see what kind of fish are really hiding in these murky waters."

"Besides, we might be worrying over nothing. Maybe it’s not a trap at all, and he simply had a change of heart."

Zhu Yunchuan knew Yang Wenqing’s mind was made up and that this plan was the soundest strategy they had. He stopped trying to dissuade him and simply said with gravity, "Please be careful, Director. I will keep the communication lines open at all times. As soon as things are coordinated with the Government Soldiers, I’ll sync the temporary command channel’s encryption key to you."

Then, he asked, "And about Du Hong..."

"You can open a file on him. Do some appropriate background checks."

"Yes, sir!"

"Good." Yang Wenqing patted Zhu Yunchuan’s shoulder. "Get to it."

"Yes, sir!"

Zhu Yunchuan accepted his orders and departed.

The office fell silent once more. Yang Wenqing returned to his desk, closed his eyes, and began rapidly running through the various scenarios he might face that night.

’Du Hong’s behavior is the biggest red flag. From what I know of him after all these years, even if Zhou Dachuan really was his old subordinate, he would never have burst into my office to kneel and beg.’

’But as Yunchuan said, Du Hong passed through countless screenings when he first took the position. If he’s compromised, the implications would be enormous.’

’But thinking deeper... if Du Hong himself isn’t the problem, could his uncharacteristic urgency and emotionality be the result of some external influence? Something affecting his judgment, or even his emotions, to make him believe his actions were right and necessary?’

’The first person who came to my mind was that Third Realm Taiyan Cultivator, Zhu Sheng. But the idea immediately seemed absurd. A major Third Realm cultivator, someone capable of stirring up trouble among the top brass of the City Defense System, using his schemes on a low-level precinct chief like Du Hong?’

’Or maybe it’s all as simple as it looks on the surface, and Du Hong merely wants to protect the posthumous reputation of his old subordinate.’

’But what if...?’

At this thought, Yang Wenqing activated his emergency encrypted comms link to his master, Qin Huaiming. The connection was established quickly, and Qin Huaiming’s voice came through first. "Wenqing? Calling at this hour... is something urgent?"

"Master, yes. There is a matter I need to consult you about."

Yang Wenqing held nothing back, explaining the situation Du Hong had reported, his own suspicions, and in particular, his theory that Du Hong’s state might be unnatural.

"...I suspect that Du Hong’s thoughts may have been influenced in some way without his knowledge. But I can’t understand why they would do it. It seems like overkill."

The other end of the line went silent for a moment before Qin Huaiming responded, "Wenqing, your caution is well-founded. You must never judge a Taiyan Cultivator by ordinary standards."

"They specialize in manipulating the hearts of men. The higher-tier the Taiyan Cultivator, the more inscrutable their actions become. ’Playing in the mortal world’ is a common cultivation method for them. They manipulate pawns of different identities and loyalties to push events forward. To them, it is both an experiment and a form of cultivation."

Qin Huaiming’s tone grew more serious. "They don’t necessarily care if their methods are beneath them; they only care if they are effective, or even just amusing. If Du Hong was indeed influenced, it wouldn’t have required some profound technique. Simply amplifying the pity in his heart would have been enough."

"You must remember this: when facing the possible machinations of a Taiyan Cultivator, the greatest danger is rarely a direct attack. It’s the inability to be certain who around you is truly an ally, or whose thoughts are even their own. They are experts at striking where the heart is softest and cares the most. Familial love, friendship, loyalty, guilt—all of these can become weapons in their hands."

A chill ran through Yang Wenqing as he listened. He responded, "I understand, Master. In that case, tonight’s situation is likely far more complex than I anticipated."

"Indeed," Qin Huaiming affirmed. "If you intend to play this out, I happen to be free tonight. I’ll watch over you."

"Thank you, Master!" ℴℴ𝘮

"There’s no need for thanks between master and disciple. Tonight, don’t try to look for me or contact me. Just do what you have to do."

"Yes, Master!"

"Be careful, but don’t worry too much. This is the Wanxuan Realm. They wouldn’t dare charge in here recklessly, not even if a full-scale war broke out." With that final word of advice, Qin Huaiming ended the call.