Chapter 61: Something’s Really Happened
Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Something’s Really Happened
Yang Wenqing decisively stepped out of the car. The western sky was already aglow with a towering blaze, thick black smoke billowing toward the heavens. A moment later, a fierce wind carrying the stench of burning and searing dust blasted him, making his uniform whip and snap.
The force of the gale made Yang Wenqing’s eyelids twitch violently. He could tell from the sheer power of the blast wave that this was no minor incident. The scale and might of the explosion were far beyond ordinary!
Almost simultaneously, the Spirit-Link Core on his chest and the Communication Array inside the Flying Shuttle both chimed with a report from the comms team:
"Captain, emergency alert! A massive explosion has occurred near Pier 3 in the Port District. The cause is unknown, the area of destruction is immense, and we’re experiencing widespread communication blackouts at the scene!"
’The Port District, just as I thought. It’s packed with warehouses and relatively sparsely populated—the perfect place to stir up chaos.’
Yang Wenqing’s mind raced. He instinctively turned to Fang Che and ordered sharply, "Orders! All five temporary patrol teams in the West City District are to abandon their current assignments immediately. Proceed at full speed to the explosion site in the Port District. Prioritize civilian evacuation, fire containment, and establishing a perimeter!"
The five squads constituted nearly all the mobile forces he could deploy at a moment’s notice. Along with the local militia, they should be able to contain the fires from a typical explosion.
However, he knew something was deeply wrong with this situation. Deploying these units was a necessary first step for a commander, a show of force. After all, this was nothing like a petty theft case.
Just as he was debating whether to head to the Port District himself, Wu Yan ran back, his expression grave. He was tightly clutching a purple Token. Speaking rapidly, he said, "Captain, my informant reports there’s definitely a problem at Zhenyuan Mining. They found a body this morning, and the death was bizarre. A Life-Siphoning Array was carved around the corpse, and the Wang family father and son are trying to cover it up!"
Yang Wenqing’s brow furrowed. He suddenly hesitated, his thoughts freezing for a fraction of a second. It was a lapse caused by the immense pressure and tension of the moment. He could even hear the heavy, thudding beat of his own heart.
His gaze swept across the street. Civilians, startled by the explosion, looked terrified. Some stood frozen, staring, while others ran in panic. Through his Spirit-Link Core, he could almost see hundreds of his fellow officers at their posts, awaiting the next order from the command center.
The safety of everyone now rested on his next decision.
’I can’t panic! I absolutely cannot panic!’
As Yang Wenqing rapidly weighed his options, in that split second, the Golden Core within him suddenly pulsed, sending out a sharp warning of imminent danger!
On pure instinct, Yang Wenqing looked up and saw a cold glint streak overhead. "Watch out!" He shouted, simultaneously infusing his arms with Spiritual Qi and violently shoving Wu Yan and Fang Che away from him!
"SWOOSH—!"
An icy glint of light grazed Wu Yan’s back and, with a solid THUNK, embedded itself deep into the bulkhead of the Flying Shuttle right where they had been standing. It was a short-hilted flying sword of ancient design, its pommel still vibrating faintly as it radiated a chilling killing intent.
If not for Yang Wenqing’s lightning-fast reflexes in shouting a warning and pushing them aside, that sword would have gravely wounded at least one of them.
"Ambush!"
Wu Yan’s reaction was instantaneous. The moment he was shoved, he drew the runic pistol at his hip and rolled for cover. Fang Che, his face deathly pale, nonetheless dropped to the ground with practiced discipline, his hand gripping a communicator.
Yang Wenqing had already spun around, a military-issue Type 1 pistol now in his hand. His eagle-sharp gaze instantly locked onto the source: the roof of a three-story residence diagonally ahead. A Qi Cultivator in gray combat attire was standing there, staring back at him coldly.
At that very moment, from an alley to Yang Wenqing’s right, several sharp ice spikes shot out in a fan-like spread, carrying a bone-chilling cold. Simultaneously, the air directly behind him distorted as a scorching heatwave materialized from nowhere, cutting off his retreat!
Three assailants, three directions—a classic triangular ambush.
They were using the layout of the street to create a fatal crossfire, aiming for a one-hit kill.
Yang Wenqing remained perfectly calm. With a glance at Wu Yan and Fang Che, who were now in cover, he relied on the enhanced perception granted by his Golden Core, raised his pistol, and instantly pulled the trigger.
"BANG! BANG!"
He fired twice at the heatwave directly behind him—the most immediate threat. The bullets, inscribed with the Anti-Demon Spell, tore through the air with a trail of Spiritual Light as they plunged into the core of the fiery blast!
"BOOM! BOOM!"
The violent explosions not only instantly dissipated the heatwave, forcing the Fire Cultivator hidden within it to scramble out of the way, but the resulting shockwave also disrupted the flying sword’s trajectory and broke the tight formation of the ice spikes.
"Golden Light Body Protection Spell!"
As the bullets left the barrel, Yang Wenqing formed a hand seal with his left hand. A solid membrane of golden light instantly enveloped him, Wu Yan, and Fang Che.
"THUD! THUD! THUD!"
The volley of ice spikes from the right hammered against the Golden Light Body Protection Spell, creating a series of dull thuds. The golden light rippled violently and ice shards flew everywhere, but the barrier held strong, refusing to shatter!
Meanwhile, the enemy in the window to the left, who was controlling the flying sword, tried to maneuver it around the shield for a better angle, but was forced back by well-aimed shots from Wu Yan’s pistol.
It was only then that Yang Wenqing noticed a chaotic fluctuation from the Spirit-Link Core on his chest.
The communication link was dead!
His heart sank. The core Communication Array was located inside the precinct headquarters, protected by multiple safeguards and backup systems. In theory, it should have been impossible to sever the connection so easily.
The only explanation was that the communications hub within the precinct itself had been deliberately destroyed or shut down.
There was a problem inside the precinct!
The thought hit him like a bucket of ice water, sending a chill through his entire body. If even the command center was compromised, then this was no longer a simple matter of public disturbance or a rogue cultivator attack. The forces and schemes behind this were likely far beyond what a mere captain like him could handle.
In a flash, Yang Wenqing made his decision. His lips barely moved as a faint but clear spirit-voice message was sent directly into Wu Yan’s ear:
"Old Wu, the signal was cut from the inside! Break out of here, now! Go to the other districts and relay my command: all patrol teams are to abandon their current assignments and make civilian evacuation and protection their top priority! Go!"
Upon hearing the message, Wu Yan’s pupils contracted. He exchanged a single, grim look with Yang Wenqing before sprinting unhesitatingly toward the other end of the street. Fang Che saw this and immediately followed.
"Trying to run?!"
The gray-robed Cultivator on the roof obviously sensed their intent. With a cold shout, the hovering flying sword let out a piercing shriek and shot off like a meteor, aiming straight for Wu Yan as he tried to escape.
The other two assailants intensified their attacks at the same time, pinning Yang Wenqing down with a barrage of ice spikes and fireballs to prevent him from interfering.
A sharp glint appeared in Yang Wenqing’s eyes. His left hand formed a Spell, activating the Spirit Gathering bracelet on his wrist. Immediately, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from dozens of meters around was pulled toward him as if by an immense, invisible force, converging so madly that it formed a visible vortex of energy around his body!
At the same time, the Golden Core within him acted like an efficient furnace, instantly refining and absorbing the massive torrent of Spiritual Qi.
Three Golden Light Body Protection Spells materialized instantly, enveloping Yang Wenqing, Wu Yan, and Fang Che and blocking the next wave of attacks. Immediately after, Yang Wenqing’s left hand etched five Anti-Demon Spells into the air in a single moment.
The expressions of the three assailants shifted. An Anti-Demon Spell-enchanted bullet packed the punch of a small-caliber Energy Cannon shell. They hadn’t expected Yang Wenqing to cast them so recklessly, without any regard for the energy cost. But how could they possibly know that with the help of his Golden Core and the Spirit Gathering Array, Yang Wenqing’s supply of Spiritual Qi was practically endless at that moment?