Chapter 302 - 165: The Taiyan Cultivator’s Strangeness (2)

Chapter 302: Chapter 165: The Taiyan Cultivator’s Strangeness (2)

Setting the badge down, Yang Wenqing took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He felt much more at ease. With his master watching over him in secret, tonight’s operation had gained a vital safeguard.

For the next few hours, he composed himself and went about his business as usual. He tackled the mountain of paperwork, met with several department heads who had come to give their reports, listened to a detailed briefing on the security plan for the port expansion, and reviewed a few personnel transfer requests.

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion, making it seem like just another ordinary evening at the office.

As the workday was ending, a soft knock came at the door. As Yang Wenqing had instructed, Kong Yu walked straight in. His face showed a hint of fatigue, but his eyes remained focused as he placed a thin folder on Yang Wenqing’s desk.

"Chief, time was tight. We only managed a preliminary review of Director Du Hong’s activities and key contacts over the past month," Kong Yu reported, his speech rapid.

"From the official records, everything looks normal. He clocks in and out on time, mainly moves between the mining district and the branch office, and the people he contacts are mostly colleagues from the security station, mining district management, and a few familiar heads from the Commerce Association. There are no records of unusual financial transactions, and his family life is stable."

Yang Wenqing picked up the folder and quickly leafed through it. It was exactly as Kong Yu had said.

"Alright, let’s leave it at that." He closed the folder and looked at Kong Yu. "Your next priority is to get the investigation team up and running as quickly as possible."

"Yes, Chief." Kong Yu asked no further questions and immediately left the office.

Shortly after Kong Yu left, the daily case summary from Liu Xin, leader of the Major Case Team, arrived on Yang Wenqing’s desk. He scanned it quickly. The report still centered on the seventeen primary suspects, but there were no new breakthroughs or clear connections between them.

As night deepened, the lights in the station building began to go out, leaving only the essential on-duty sections and the command center illuminated. Zhu Yunchuan stopped by at eight o’clock and left in a hurry after a brief discussion with Yang Wenqing.

At ten o’clock sharp, a call came through from Du Hong. "Chief, the secret Array we placed in the outer sea has detected a number of smuggling vessels. Everything is ready. When are you heading over?"

"I’m departing now. But let me be clear, I’m only there to observe," Yang Wenqing said, his tone even.

"Got it. We’ve set up a temporary command post high on the western cliffs. You can come straight here."

"Alright. That’s all for now."

"Right!"

After ending his call with Du Hong, Yang Wenqing thought for a moment before connecting to Zhu Yunchuan’s Communication Array. "Chief Zhu," he asked, "the mining district precinct has confirmed the intel. Are your arrangements in place?"

"There won’t be any problems," Zhu Yunchuan’s voice was steady.

"Good," Yang Wenqing said. "I’m heading over now."

"Please be careful, Chief."

After disconnecting the call, Yang Wenqing checked the elixirs and Talismans in his Storage Bag and made sure the protective runes on his uniform were functional. Lastly, he checked his badge’s Communication Array and emergency distress signal.

He then contacted Yang Wenyuan. "Wenyuan, are you ready on your end?" He had told Yang Wenyuan to assemble his combat squad earlier that afternoon.

"Ready to deploy at a moment’s notice!" Yang Wenyuan’s voice was calm and confident.

"Head to landing pad three in the rear courtyard. I’ll be right there."

"Yes, sir!"

A few minutes later, Yang Wenqing arrived at the rear courtyard. A ’Cyan Simurgh Type Three’ combat Flying Shuttle was parked on the landing pad, which was normally reserved for emergency and classified missions. Its side hatch was open, and Yang Wenyuan and nine other fully-armed team members stood in formation beside it.

As Yang Wenqing approached, they all snapped silently to attention.

Yang Wenqing’s gaze swept over the elite squad. Most of them were members of the Yang family, his own brother included. With a simple nod, he boarded the Flying Shuttle. Yang Wenyuan followed right behind, and the other team members filed in after them.

The hatch sealed shut, and the interior filled with a soft glow. Yang Wenqing took the command seat behind the cockpit, while Yang Wenyuan sat at the co-pilot and weapons officer station to his front-side.

"Take us to this location." Yang Wenqing pulled up a holographic map of Lingshan New District and keyed in the coordinates that had been synced from Du Hong’s position.

"Right!"

"Maintain stealth mode. Fly low, hugging the terrain, and avoid major flight paths and residential areas."

"Understood."

The Flying Shuttle lifted off vertically with ease, then shifted its orientation. Like a giant Night Owl, it slid silently into the night sky, heading toward the mining district to the north.

About a quarter of an hour later, the terrain ahead grew treacherous. A series of gray-black cliffs stood like the fangs of a behemoth along the coastline. Between the two steepest cliffs lay a narrow inlet—the only passage to the shoals Du Hong had spoken of.

The canyon entrance was no more than thirty feet wide, flanked by cliff faces soaring nearly a hundred meters high. The rocks were jagged and grotesque, and the sea breeze funneled through with a mournful wail. Inside the canyon, the waterway twisted and turned, thick with hidden reefs that made passage for large vessels impossible. High above, the silhouettes of several old watchtowers built by the mining district were faintly visible.

Instead of flying directly through the canyon, Yang Wenyuan piloted the Flying Shuttle in a low-altitude skim along the shadows of the outer mountain ridge. They circled around to approach the rendezvous point from the side. The meeting spot Du Hong had designated was to the west of the shoals, atop a high cliff with its back to the canyon. A stone watch house stood there, its position exceptionally concealed, yet offering a commanding view over most of the shoals and a portion of the canyon’s exit.

The Flying Shuttle landed silently in a sheltered, leeward spot about half a kilometer from their destination. Yang Wenqing proceeded on foot with Yang Wenyuan and two other squad members. The rest of the team remained aboard the shuttle on standby, keeping the engines on low power, ready to provide extraction or fire support at a moment’s notice.