I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 222: Chapter 128: The Truth

’This explosion was caused by his own Spiritual Power spiraling out of control and imploding,’ he mused. ’To have such fine control over Spiritual Power that he could attempt to forcefully rein in berserk Spiritual Qi... even though he ultimately failed, the command a Foundation Establishment cultivator has over their own power is truly terrifying.’

He couldn’t help but recall the rogue cultivator’s formidable strength when he had charged the station, shrugging off bullets and grenades. If the man hadn’t been afflicted by the Vein Erosion Guide, his Spiritual Power already spiraling into chaos, Yu Shuzi would have likely been forced to intervene sooner.

’A Foundation Establishment cultivator...’ For the first time, Yang Wenqing viscerally understood the immense gulf between high-tier and low-to-mid-tier cultivators.

Just as he was reeling from this realization, Liu Xin’s figure appeared silently from behind a pile of rubble. She hurried to his side and reported in a barely audible whisper, ”Yang Group Leader, we’ve detected Captain Wu’s Spiritual Qi signature on the periphery of the explosion’s core.”

”Captain Wu? Wu Qianjun?”

”Yes, it’s him!”

Liu Xin’s tone was certain.

Yang Wenqing asked Liu Xin, ”Are you sure?”

”Reasonably sure,” Liu Xin nodded. ”It’s highly likely he didn’t make it.”

’Wu Qianjun was here?’

Suddenly, Yang Wenqing recalled the conversation he’d had with Wu Qianjun, when the captain had sought him out at the Hongyuan Trading Company’s post.

’Could it be that Wu Qianjun found this rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator? Maybe he was even the one who poisoned him, then engineered a situation to force the poison’s onset, or tried to control him when it activated, only to fail...’

Yang Wenqing’s feelings suddenly became incredibly complicated.

He had never fully trusted Wu Qianjun; after all, he was a man sent by Zhang Qiming.

But...

For a moment, he couldn’t find the words to describe the man. By pointing out this rogue cultivator, he had clearly used clues from Zhang Qiming’s side. It was even possible that Zhang Qiming himself had sent him to find this specific cultivator.

’But he pointed out the rogue cultivator anyway, which is tantamount to betraying Zhang Qiming...’

Yang Wenqing remembered how Wu Qianjun had followed orders to the letter during their spar. ’Betraying Zhang Qiming must have been unacceptable to him,’ he thought, ’but he couldn’t accept Zhang Qiming’s methods either. So he could only prove himself in this extreme way...’

Shaking his head, Yang Wenqing exhaled slowly, suppressing the turmoil in his heart and banishing the unnecessary speculation.

Then, he looked at Liu Xin. ”Thoroughly investigate this rogue cultivator’s identity and map out his social network in Lingshan Town. Also, do your best to collect Captain Wu’s remains.”

”Yes, sir!” Liu Xin replied with a solemn expression.

Yang Wenqing stood his ground, gazing at the scorched earth that held so many secrets and sacrifices. He gave a bitter smile. ”Why is it that every new lead has to be bought with a life?”

Zhao Tiezhu responded, ”Captain Wu just followed the wrong person. I said it before, he wasn’t lying. And Zhang Qiming is a classic case of ’you reap what you sow’.”

Yang Wenqing didn’t reply as a communication request came in from Liao Tianming...

The task of pacifying Lingshan Town was far more complicated than imagined. Over at the Town Hall, Liao Tianming personally appeared to explain to the common people and workers that it was a dangerous experimental accident, which managed to barely stabilize the situation at the ground level.

But the well-informed owners of large businesses weren’t so easily dismissed. They were all skittish as startled birds. These bosses were more eager to speak with Yang Wenqing; after all, he was the one currently in charge of Lingshan Town.

For the next several hours, Yang Wenqing was like a firefighter, rushing from one meeting to the next, explaining, appeasing, and making promises. He couldn’t reveal any details, only repeatedly stress the determination of the City Defense Bureau and the Civil Affairs Bureau to maintain stability in Lingshan Town and protect legitimate businesses.

By the time the last representative from the Commerce Association left the temporary meeting room with a complicated expression, the sun was already setting outside. Yang Wenqing rubbed his throbbing temples, feeling a wave of exhaustion.

It was five in the afternoon when he returned to the station from the Town Hall. The courtyard was still on high alert, but the atmosphere was much less tense than it had been that morning. Qian Lu was the first to greet him, whispering, ”Yang Group Leader, Captain Liu is waiting for you.”

Yang Wenqing nodded. Just as he was about to head to his office, a figure hesitantly blocked his path.

The man’s expression was sorrowful, his eyes red. It was one of Wu Qianjun’s subordinates, Chief Sun. He was usually taciturn and one of the old subordinates Wu Qianjun had brought back from the Northern Border.

”Yang... Yang Group Leader.” Chief Sun took out a plain, unmarked envelope and held it out to Yang Wenqing. ”Captain Wu gave this to me. He said if he didn’t make it back, I was to give it to you personally.”

Yang Wenqing took the envelope. It was very light.

He walked over to a relatively quiet corner and opened it. Inside was a single, thin sheet of paper, covered in Wu Qianjun’s slightly messy but strong and distinct handwriting:

”Group Leader:

By the time you read this letter, I’ve likely had an accident. Some things, when they’re wrong, are just wrong. Debts must be paid.

Lingshan Town is no place of kindness. I am trapped here, torn. Everything I said before came from the bottom of my heart. Regarding the matters of Liu Rong and Wu Yan, I cannot escape the blame. What I’ve done now is also to find some peace of mind.

I have drifted for half my life and have no savings to speak of. My only concerns are my wife and child. If I die, I beg you, for the sake of our time as colleagues, to look after them if you have the means in the future. Protect them from hardship. For this kindness, I will repay you in the next life.

Qianjun.”

There was no lengthy explanation, just a very simple letter.

Yang Wenqing read it several times before folding the letter and putting it away inside his jacket. The letter confirmed some of his suspicions. Wu Qianjun may never have truly been on his side, but he had walked the final stretch of his chosen path in this drastic, resolute manner.

Yang Wenqing looked at the chief, who had been waiting patiently. ”You know where Captain Wu’s family lives, don’t you?”

”I do, Yang Group Leader.”

”Good. Take a message for me. Tell them Captain Wu died in the line of duty, and his child will be eligible for a special stipend from the bureau.” Yang Wenqing’s promise was clear and firm.

”Yes, sir! Thank you, Yang Group Leader!” Chief Sun saluted, then turned and left.

Yang Wenqing watched him go, the complex emotions in his heart settling into a firmer resolve.

「Ten minutes later.」

The investigation team’s routine meeting began in a somewhat somber atmosphere.

Liu Xin was the first to stand and report. ”Yang Group Leader, we’ve found nothing on the rogue cultivator’s identity. Besides the faint residual aura of Captain Wu, there are almost no other valuable biological traces at the explosion site. This person’s social network in Lingshan Town is a complete blank. He never registered a residence and there’s no trace of him even interacting with anyone.”

This matched Yang Wenqing’s suspicions. Since the man could be assigned such a secret and dangerous mission, he certainly wouldn’t have left behind easily traceable clues. It seemed unlikely this lead would yield any substantial breakthroughs locally in Lingshan Town before the City Defense Bureau finished the Soul Search on the other rogue cultivator.

The subsequent reports were mostly about the cleanup after today’s explosion and the security status of various areas.

Although these matters were trivial, they were necessary. Yang Wenqing listened attentively, but a strange feeling crept into his heart. After the explosion, no one from the county or the city had contacted him via his communication badge—not to apply pressure, not to express concern, nothing.

This abnormal quiet was unnerving, like the suffocating calm before a storm.

The meeting ended at 9:30 PM. Yang Wenqing told everyone to get some rest, while he returned to the investigation team’s office to deal with a backlog of paperwork and wait.

He knew there would be news from the City Defense Bureau.

Sure enough, just after 10:00 PM, his badge pulsed with a top-level encrypted Spiritual Qi fluctuation.

It was Vice Director Gao.

”Wenqing,” Vice Director Gao’s voice sounded weary, but it also carried a sense of relief. ”The Soul Search on that rogue cultivator is complete.”

Yang Wenqing’s spirits lifted.

”The people and matters involved run deeper than we anticipated. The higher-ups at the City Defense Bureau and the Inspectorate have reached an agreement. We can now close the net.”

Vice Director Gao paused for a moment. ”This process might cause some turmoil, especially last-ditch struggles from interested parties. Your most important task right now is to stabilize the situation in Lingshan Town.”

”From this moment on, Lingshan Town is under wartime control. On behalf of the City Defense Bureau, I authorize you to use any means necessary to ensure the town’s stability. If you discover any signs of instability, you can suppress them with force. No prior authorization needed!”

”Also, Wenqing, it was our oversight that Zhang Qiming went to Lingshan Town. As a key suspect in this case, we applied for surveillance on him countless times, but none of the requests were approved.”

”Director Gao, I understand completely. You don’t need to explain.”

”Good. Stay safe!”

”Yes!” Yang Wenqing responded in a low voice. A great weight was lifted from his heart, only for another, heavier one to settle in its place. But he didn’t back down, nor could he.