Chapter 318 - 172: The Bureau Chief’s Duty

He couldn't possibly hand the person over to the Special Case Office just like that. Before the arrest, it was inconvenient for him to use the Communication Array on his badge to contact Director Qi and his master. After all, even with encryption, it still required a signal relay. Once the capture was successful, however, those concerns would vanish.

"Understood!" Xia Meng and the other team members replied in low voices.

"Director Zhu," Yang Wenqing said, looking at Zhu Yunchuan. "Move in with your equipment the moment the target is secured. If the target dies, don't hesitate. Activate the device immediately and retrieve what memories you can."

"Rest assured, Director," Zhu Yunchuan promised.

Yang Wenqing nodded and said no more. The truck weaved through the city streets, cleverly avoiding main roads and bustling areas as it headed for the north side. The operatives on the mission quickly began to ready themselves.

A dozen or so seconds later, Yang Wenqing also closed his eyes to regulate his breathing. This arrest of Li Xiulan was officially registered with the municipal bureau. If the lead went cold here, the pressure and scrutiny from the municipal bureau—and even higher authorities—would fall directly on him and the Lingshan New District.

But he had to act, or things would become even more troublesome. This was the responsibility that came with his position!

…

「Ten minutes later.」

The truck came to a silent stop in a small, abandoned freight yard two streets away from Locust Tree Alley.

Yang Wenqing was the first to disembark, with Xia Meng, Zhu Yunchuan, and the others close behind. The moment they stepped out, two men in plain clothes emerged from the nearby shadows. They were the agents from the Special Case Office responsible for surveillance.

"Director Yang, the target is still inside. She's still praying, but she hasn't received any response," one of the Special Case Office agents reported quickly. "This area is under the coverage of the Wanxuan Divine Artifact, which strongly suppresses external Divine Art and spiritual connections."

The other agent added, "The target only has minor Divine Art Cultivation. We've checked the surrounding area; there are no accomplices, only three hidden monitoring Arrays. Captain Kong's people are stabilizing them."

"Understood." Yang Wenqing nodded and asked, "Where is the retention photograph of the target?"

As he finished speaking, another person emerged from a different direction. He took a retention photograph from his jacket. Yang Wenqing took it, glanced at it, and then handed it to Xia Meng.

Xia Meng and his team members quickly passed it around, memorizing the target's features.

The man who had handed over the photograph then said, "Director Yang, our people are familiar with the situation and are experienced in handling targets who might be involved in Divine Art rituals. Let us take point."

Yang Wenqing glanced at him and said casually, "This is the Lingshan New District. My branch is responsible for the arrest operation. If any accidents were to occur, leading to the target's death or the loss of our lead, the division of responsibility would be unclear, and I'd have a difficult time reporting to my superiors."

After this refusal, he smiled and asked the man, "You must be Captain Qiu Zheng, correct?"

The man replied instinctively, "I am."

Yang Wenqing extended his hand. "A pleasure to work with you, Captain Qiu."

Qiu Zheng looked like he wanted to say more, but upon seeing Yang Wenqing's sincere smile, he ultimately chose to compromise. Shaking Yang Wenqing's hand, he replied, "A pleasure to work with you."

Yang Wenqing said no more, releasing his hand and turning to nod at Xia Meng.

Xia Meng understood at once. He gave a few concise hand signals, and six operatives split silently into three groups, moving like well-trained cheetahs. Using the shadows of the abandoned freight yard and the cover of buildings along the path, they swiftly and stealthily closed in on Number 7, Locust Tree Alley.

Zhu Yunchuan followed close behind with two agents from Internal Affairs Inspection. The members of the Special Case Office, aside from Qiu Zheng, also dispersed and followed along, but they did nothing more than follow.

Yang Wenqing stepped back into the truck, monitoring the situation ahead through the blurry images and sounds transmitted back from the miniature monitoring Arrays the team members were carrying.

Before long, the assault team had deftly approached the small courtyard.

The first team, consisting of two members, silently crept to the front yard of Number 7, Locust Tree Alley. After deploying a Sound Insulation Array, they leaped over the courtyard wall. Once they had their footing, one of them flipped over his left hand, a Strong Light Talisman pinched between his fingers. The other produced a lasso imbued with a potent paralyzing effect.

The second team of three scaled the side courtyard wall like geckos…

The third team, consisting of Xia Meng and the burliest operative, stood guard in the shadows of an alley corner diagonally opposite the courtyard gate. They served as both the reserve unit and a lookout for any surprises from other directions.

The first and second teams quickly advanced on the house containing the target. Within moments, they were in position. Xia Meng, seeing via the miniature monitoring Array that both teams were ready, took a deep breath and ordered, "Go!"

The operative positioned beside the door leaned his shoulder against it, as if casually resting. The instant the wooden door slid inward, creating a crack, he hurled the Strong Light Talisman in his hand through the gap and into the house, barking out, "Eyes closed!"

THUMP!

Following the muffled sound, Spiritual Qi pulsed, and a brilliant white light exploded within the small room. Even through the walls and with their eyes shut, the operatives outside could feel the momentary turbulence in the air.

Inside, Li Xiulan was kneeling before a shrine and had no time to react. The sudden impact from the concussive blast of light left her eyes stinging, her ears ringing, and her head spinning. She staggered.

That single moment's delay was the opening!

The other two operatives crashed through the windows like phantoms. A Light Body Spell was active on each of them, making their movements swift and silent. One of them flicked his wrists, and several Immobilization Spell rune papers shot toward Li Xiulan.

But Li Xiulan did have some minor Divine Art Cultivation. Amid a burst of golden light, she actually managed to roll aside on pure instinct, dodging the spells. At the same time, she subconsciously raised her right hand, seemingly about to strike her own head or heart.

The team was prepared for this exact move!

The lasso in the hands of the operative who had entered through the main door shot out like a living Spirit Snake. SWISH! It coiled precisely around her wrist an instant before her palm could connect. Simultaneously, one of the operatives who had come through the window slammed a piece of rune paper, etched with complex spirit-calming patterns, onto the Dazhui acupoint at the back of her neck.

This was a Divine Art rune paper. It flashed, and a powerful yet gentle soul-suppressing energy instantly invaded Li Xiulan's Sea of Consciousness, forcibly smoothing out the violent waves of her consciousness as she fought to resist and self-destruct.

"Urk..."

Li Xiulan's body went rigid. The terror, despair, and ferocity in her eyes were swiftly replaced by confusion and a vacant stare. Her other raised hand fell limply to her side. The light of the Immobilization Spell then caught up, sinking into her acupoints and completely sealing her ability to move.

The entire process took no more than the span of three or four breaths, leaving the target with virtually no opportunity to react or self-destruct.

"Target neutralized. All clear," the operative who had used the spirit-calming rune paper reported in a low voice.

Xia Meng and the other operative immediately dashed out from the alley, entering the courtyard at top speed with Zhu Yunchuan right behind them. They heard Xia Meng give the order: "Check her mouth and body for hidden Restrictions or poison sacs. Seal her Qi Sea and basic consciousness."

"Yes, sir!"

One of the operatives immediately moved in. He expertly checked Li Xiulan's mouth and ear canals and scanned the key acupoints around her body with a detection-type Magical Artifact. At the same time, he took out a specially made Spiritual Qi Imprisonment Talisman and used it to seal her Qi Sea and primary consciousness pathways.

Just then—

The utterly unremarkable idol in the room, without any warning, erupted with a blinding golden light that instantly flooded the small main hall like quicksilver.

Inside the truck, Qiu Zheng's expression changed drastically as he watched the scene unfold on the water-screen monitor. He yelled into the Communication Array, "Quick! Get her and pull out now!"

At almost the same instant Qiu Zheng shouted, Yang Wenqing's Divine Sense detected a cold, rational consciousness abruptly appearing within the Inspiration World.

"Director Zhu, set up a ward immediately! Isolate the area, especially the connection on the inspirational plane!" Yang Wenqing's voice boomed in Zhu Yunchuan's ear through the Communication Array. He then immediately leaped out of the truck, crossing the distance to the courtyard in a single bound.

Zhu Yunchuan, already retreating from the house, reacted with extreme speed. While signaling Xia Meng to get the prisoner clear, he planted his feet and faced the room containing the idol. As a senior agent of Internal Affairs Inspection, his specialty was deploying wards for sudden incidents.

Almost in the same instant Yang Wenqing gave the order, he had already pulled a handful of array flags inscribed with complex runes and a fist-sized, softly glowing Purifying Spirit Stone from his Storage Bag.