Chapter 41: Planting a Flag?

Nanyun City, Civil Affairs Bureau branch.

Branch chief Jiang Hua looked at the ground and could say that, apart from that face, Huang Yu's lower half was almost rotten mud.

There was not the slightest sympathy in his mind, even if it weren't because this fellow was to be handed over to Yu Lin and the others as a mission.

He now wanted to send Huang Yu straight down.

During the capture, if a criminal poses a threat to Civil Affairs Bureau members or ordinary citizens, they have the Authority to execute on the spot.

Afterwards, they only need to file a report.

What a pity.

Jiang Hua sighed inwardly, looked up at Yu Lin and the three others, and gave a slight smile:

"You four did well; from taking the task to completing it, finishing within half a day is already remarkable!"

"As for that innocent citizen... no one wants to see such a situation."

"This is not your fault; if anyone is to be blamed, it is us for dereliction of duty."

"Time is getting late; you may return to rest. We'll handle the rest and arrange for someone to send him to Headquarters."

"Understood, then we'll first..." Yu Lin nodded, about to stand up and leave with Qin Zhao and the three others.

Footsteps arrived; a person entered and spoke to Jiang Hua:

"Chief Jiang, a 'ghost' has appeared in Six Ox Village!"

"Preliminary estimate puts its strength at roughly mid to late Chain Formation!"

"Two people have already been killed in Six Ox Village!"

"Hm?!" Jiang Hua frowned, thought for a moment, then ordered:

"Tang Hu and his team are on standby today; go tell them to set out now!"

"Yes!"

The person, having received the order, was about to leave when Yu Lin suddenly spoke: "Wait."

"Can you take me as well?"

It wasn't his own idea; it was the moment he heard the word 'ghost'.

The Dragon Lord said, "You, kid, you go too."

"If there truly is a ghost... when the time comes I'll capture it, then use the Cauldron to brew some soul liquid; you get half, I get half."

Yu Lin kept his mouth still, and asked inwardly:

"Is this useful to you, Dragon Lord?"

"Of course. What enhancement soul medicine is more useful than directly consuming souls? Moreover, ghosts are formed from countless soul fragments combined with Qi, useful to both you and me! No idle talk—just take it."

"Fine."

That's why Yu Lin spoke now.

Jiang Hua, surprised, asked: "Why?"

Yu Lin casually fabricated an excuse:

"I've never seen a ghost; seeing one now will help me know how to deal with it later."

"Is that allowed?"

Hearing that, Jiang Hua nodded, smiling: "Truly a genius from Headquarters! This insight surpasses many!"

"Fine!"

"But is it just you, or do they all have to go?"

He looked at Qin Zhao and the two others.

Yu Lin turned back and signaled that he would go alone.

After all, the waiting was for the Dragon Lord to act.

Seeing this, Qin Zhao and the two others shook their heads: "I won't go either."

"Hmm, I'm a bit hungry, going to get something to eat; if you've seen it, Yu Lin brother, it's as if I've seen it!"

"I've used Authority; I'm too tired and won't go, but... here's something for you."

ZhouYi stood up, removed the talisman hanging at his chest, and handed it to Yu Lin.

The talisman is made by stacking Talisman Paper.

"This is an 'Exorcism Talisman', highly effective against ghostly entities."

"Be careful."

Yu Lin did not decline his kindness, reached out to take the talisman, felt the warm breath emanating from the Talisman Paper, and nodded:

"Thanks."

Jiang Hua, seeing this, said to the staff member:

"Take him along, and have Tang Hu's team look after him more closely."

"Understood!" the staff replied respectfully, then gestured to Yu Lin:

"Please follow me."

"Alright."

Yu Lin followed the staff out of the office, through the long corridor.

Soon after.

In the underground garage, the dim yellow light fell on four silhouettes.

Tang Hu stood beside the off‑road vehicle, towering and steady‑faced, his eyes sharp as a hawk's.

Next to him stood a middle‑aged woman, short‑haired and efficient, her ring on the ring finger matching Tang Hu's.

The other two men were at the rear of the vehicle; one bent over checking equipment, the other stood with arms crossed, looking bored while scrolling short videos.

Seeing Yu Lin walk over, Tang Hu slightly nodded: "Hello."

Tonight stick close to us, don't wander off.

His gaze lingered on Yu Lin for a moment, his tone solemn:

"Ghosts aren't like people; they're not easy to deal with."

Although the data shows Yu Lin is only at Qi Drawing Perfection, being able to cooperate with teammates to resolve Huang Yu shows he's no novice.

However, Tang Hu had no intention of letting him take risks— a person who might one day become captain of the General Bureau, if lost in such a mission, the loss would be more than just one person.

A strong expert can often suppress a city single-handedly.

Yu Lin nodded, smiling: "I understand, I'll trouble you from now on."

"Hmm." Tang Hu said no more, just pulling open the off-road vehicle's door:

"Get in."

The engine roared, the off-road vehicle drove out of the garage, quickly merging into the night.

Inside the car, Tang Hu gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the winding mountain road ahead.

The middle-aged woman in the passenger seat—Tang Hu's wife Lin Lan—was reviewing the mission documents.

In the back seat, Yu Lin sat in the middle, with Zhao Yi and Sun Hao on either side.

Sun Hao, who had been scrolling through videos, suddenly turned his head to look at Yu Lin and said:

"Yu Lin, may I ask, what sequence is your Heavenly Authority?"

"Is it very strong?"

Yu Lin shrugged: "Second sequence, possibly strong."

"Hiss." Sun Hao inhaled: "What do you mean 'possibly strong'?"

"There's no weak one in the second sequence!"

"Even our Captain Tang is only fourth sequence, and we don't even have Heavenly Authority!"

"Not mentioning the second sequence, if we could awaken a fourth sequence, we'd wake up laughing in our dreams!"

Seeing his exaggerated expression, Yu Lin smiled: "Who knows?"

"Aren't there many examples in our Civil Affairs Bureau of people in their fifties or sixties about to retire, who awakened Heavenly Authority and were rehired to keep working?"

"Ah, forget it." Sun Hao waved his hand.

"After working hard half a lifetime, one should rest when it's time; a person can't be a beast of burden forever."

"Captain Tang's fine; he and his sister-in-law are both in the Civil Affairs Bureau, loving each other, unlike me—I only see my wife once every two weeks, and by the time she runs off with someone else I wouldn't even know."

"How tragic."

"After finishing today's work, I'll go back to keep her company."

Although he said that, his face showed no complaint at all, as if he were just teasing himself.

"Come on." At that moment, Zhao Yi also raised his head, joining the conversation:

"Isn't there twenty days of leave each year for you to pick any day off? Your after-tax annual salary is no less than five hundred thousand!"

"And there are other family benefits; the welfare is all set."

Sun Hao leaned against the car seat: "This is what I exchanged my life for! Who knows when I'll die—I deserve it!"

"And you—when is your little girlfriend's wedding? Don't die still a virgin!"

"...... It's not like you're organizing it, why the rush?" Zhao Yi put down his phone, but his gaze fell on the outside:

"Save a bit more money, save a bit more and I'll marry her."

".........." Yu Lin, sitting in the middle listening, twitched the corner of his mouth.

"These two, why are they planting flags everywhere?"

"Were you guys like this before?"

"At this moment."

"Lin Lan suddenly spoke:"

"We have seven minutes to reach Liuniu Village; everyone, check the intel again."

"Get ready!"