I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 253: Chapter 144: Water Race Demon Soldiers

The connection went through quickly. After briefly reporting the situation, Yang Wenqing said, ”Director Zhou, they’re holed up in a defensible position, and we don’t know what’s inside the caves. I’d like to request one hundred officers from the county to lock down the mountain.”

There was a two-second silence on Zhou Mu’s end before he replied, ”Wenqing, to be perfectly honest, the redevelopment of Qianjiao Port has tied up a large number of our officers. I have even fewer mobile units at my disposal than you do right now.”

Yang Wenqing’s brow furrowed. He looked at the caves in the image projected by the water screen, then turned his attention to the data coming back from the monitoring array.

Zhou Mu then changed his tone. ”For these rogue cultivators hiding in the mountains, you’ll definitely take casualties if you attack without several times their number... Since this has to be reported to the city bureau anyway, you might as well request manpower directly from them.”

”Oh?” An idea sparked in Yang Wenqing’s mind.

Zhou Mu continued, ”You could request an Entry-level Cultivator of the Earth or Metal Element. If the city bureau agrees, they could take care of your little problem in an instant.”

”Is... that in line with protocol?”

Yang Wenqing asked because, within Wanxuan’s official system, cultivators—especially those who had reached the Entry Stage—were bound by strict internal laws and moral codes.

They were not to personally intervene and carry out destructive strikes against low-tier cultivators or stationary targets, except when facing enemies of a comparable level or dealing with a strategic objective of extreme importance.

This was both to prevent the abuse of power and part of a high-tier cultivator’s own spiritual journey to maintain their humanity.

”Protocols are rigid, but people are flexible,” Zhou Mu said meaningfully. ”You heard Director Shen’s speech: ’Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.’ Our two areas are the absolute top priority right now.”

”I understand. Thank you for the guidance, Director Zhou.” Yang Wenqing suddenly felt that the city bureau would very likely approve his request.

”Just use your own discretion.”

With that, Zhou Mu ended the call. It seemed he was incredibly busy himself.

Yang Wenqing mulled it over for a long moment. He gazed at the image on the water screen, which showed the monitoring camp his team had set up, then used his badge’s encrypted channel to contact Deputy Director Qi.

Qi Yue’s voice came through at once. ”Wenqing?”

Yang Wenqing gave a quick and organized report of the situation, then concluded, ”I would like to request that the city bureau dispatch a suitable Entry-level Cultivator to conduct a precision strike on this stronghold. The goal is to completely eradicate this major security threat in the shortest time and with the least risk, while also demonstrating our resolve to crack down on destabilizing factors.”

After a few seconds, Qi Yue’s voice returned. ”Stand by...”

”Yes, sir!”

The call was temporarily disconnected. The command cabin of the Flying Shuttle fell silent, save for the soft hum of the instruments. About ten minutes later, the faint glow of the Communication Array lit up again, and Yang Wenqing immediately accepted the connection.

Shen Wenyuan’s deep, highly distinctive voice came over the line. ”Wenqing.”

”Director Shen!”

”We have just evaluated your request,” Shen Wenyuan’s voice was steady. ”The conclusion is: it is not approved.”

Yang Wenqing was taken aback but resisted the urge to question the decision, waiting for the explanation that was sure to follow.

”Your request does not meet the necessary criteria to initiate the ’Special Disposal Protocol.’ If we were to set this precedent, every district and county that runs into a difficult public security issue could simply request an Entry-level Cultivator to solve it. What would become of the law’s authority then? This is not a trend we can allow to start.”

Shen Wenyuan’s criticism was direct and clear. Yang Wenqing immediately replied, ”That was my oversight. I accept your criticism, Director Shen.”

”Good. It’s enough that you can admit your mistake. You made a judgment call on the fly, intending to quickly eliminate a threat. Your intentions are commendable.” Shen Wenyuan paused for a beat before continuing, ”The city bureau has decided to temporarily dispatch a medium-sized armed Flying Ship to support the Lingshan New District.”

Yang Wenqing’s spirits lifted. He responded at once, ”Thank you for the support, Director Shen! The Lingshan Branch will not betray the city bureau’s trust!”

Shen Wenyuan grunted in acknowledgment. ”The Flying Ship will be escorted by an agent from the city bureau. ETA is two hours at your position. That’s all.”

Yang Wenqing had just breathed a sigh of relief when the badge on his chest lit up again. This time, it was a private, encrypted channel from Qi Yue.

He immediately accepted the call.

”Wenqing.” Qi Yue’s voice was soft.

”Director Qi!”

”The person escorting the Flying Ship... he’s a Registered Disciple of mine from many years ago. His name is Lu Zheng.”

Before Yang Wenqing could even react, Qi Yue hung up.

Yang Wenqing was left a little dumbfounded. He couldn’t figure out why his superior would use a private, encrypted channel just to tell him that one piece of information.

Just then, on the image projected by the water screen in the command cabin, seawater suddenly began to pour from the three scorched-black cave mouths. Swarming within the water were countless Water Race Demon Soldiers.

Before the spray could even settle, bluish-black Shrimp Soldiers began to squeeze out. They arched their shiny, dark-red carapaces as their long, jointed limbs frantically scrabbled at the slick rock wall, kicking up a shower of water droplets.

Next, millstone-sized, grayish-blue crabs charged out sideways, their pincers snapping open and closed in the air with a faint CLICK, CLICK sound.

The last to pour out was a swarm of humanoid creatures covered in slimy black scales. They had webbed fingers and toes, and their eye sockets held only two milky-white eyeballs that swiveled about blankly.

They squeezed together in a tight mass, pushing and shoving as they squirmed down the seawater-drenched rock face, leaving glistening, wet trails in the light of the setting sun.

”It’s the Water Race Demon Soldiers!” an officer monitoring the water screen reported.

Yang Wenqing saw it too, of course. ’There must be an underwater river in these caves that connects to the sea,’ he realized instantly. ’The key targets have probably already escaped through it, but there’s still value in taking this place.’

”Open fire,” he ordered without hesitation.