Chapter 31: Special Operations Unit

The capital of the autonomous region.

The top‑specification classified conference room.

The air here feels like solid lead, heavy and pressing down on everyone's shoulders.

On both sides of the long conference table sit a dozen‑plus leaders bearing the star on their shoulders, each with a solemn expression, even their breaths deliberately light.

The atmosphere is chillingly oppressive.

Besides the top leader of the autonomous region, the main seat also holds an elderly man in a Zhongshan suit, his hair silver, his back straight, his demeanor as solemn as a mountain.

He does not look at anyone, merely calmly gazing at the clear tea before him, its steam hazy.

Yet his presence there is the absolute fulcrum of the entire conference room.

He is the chief of the central inspection team, known only by the codename "Wei Gong", a formidable figure whose authority need not be angered.

Jiang Hai City Public Security Bureau Director Qin Yongchang, representing Jiang Hai City, stands at the podium under a gaze that could almost crush a person.

He straightens his back like a spear.

"All chiefs, the situation has already spiraled out of control."

Qin Yongchang's voice is steady, yet carries an unmaskable hoarseness.

He skips any small talk and directly activates the encrypted projection device before him.

The first item displayed is the case file codenamed "Jian Xie".

He does not read the cold report word for word; after a brief introduction, he directly opens an audio file.

The next second.

After a burst of chaotic electrical noise, a gut‑wrenching scream erupts without warning in the conference room so quiet one could hear a pin drop!

"Ghost! There's a ghost! Stay back! Stay back!"

"What is that! Open fire! Open fire!"

"Monster! Bullets are useless against it!"

The thud of bullets passing uselessly, the police's incoherent wails born of terror, and the final, utterly shattered cries...

These are the sounds recorded by the law‑enforcement body cams inside Li Zhenhu's villa, where battle‑hardened special police faced an unknown monster.

Each sentence is like a poisoned dagger, stabbing into the nerves of every materialist present.

The audio is brief, only thirty seconds long.

When playback ends, the conference room falls into a death‑like silence.

The autonomous region's governor's complexion has turned ashen, his hand holding the tea cup trembling slightly uncontrollably.

At that moment.

Buzz—

The encrypted Communicator in Qin Yongchang's pocket suddenly vibrated.

He glances at the short message on the screen, his pupils snapping shut.

He lifts his head, looks toward Wei Gong on the main seat, and reports, "Report, chief, an emergency situation."

Wei Gong raises his eyes, his gaze calm and steady: "Speak."

Qin Yongchang's voice carries an unprecedented heaviness.

"Just ten minutes ago, the 'Ghost Hitting the Wall' case produced a new victim."

"Director Li of the Han De Group vanished out of thin air in the hallway of the 29th floor of Han De Building, despite heavy police protection."

"Three minutes later, he reappeared out of thin air on the rooftop, and in front of a dozen special police officers, fell to his death."

At those words, the conference room erupts with a collective gasp.

"Under the heavy police protection!"

"In front of the police!"

"Appearing out of nowhere, then falling!"

This is already the most ruthless mockery of the entire public‑authority system!

Qin Yongchang ignores the crowd's horror, flicks a finger across the console, and the projection switches instantly.

It is a real‑time updated online public‑opinion monitoring page.

A few scarlet entries scorch the retinas of everyone like branding irons.

#Jiang Hai Ghost Hitting the Wall#

#Han De Building Hundred‑Meter Flyer#

#Who Will Be Next#

Countless edited, multi‑angle, blurry fall‑to‑death videos are spreading across the internet like a virus!

Various so‑called "insiders" and "informed sources" are flooding the web with terrifying leaks.

"WTF! Is this really something a person could do? Teleport from inside the building to the roof and then jump?"

"My friend works on the floor opposite Han De Building; he says he saw it with his own eyes, that person just appeared out of thin air! So scared I peed myself!"

"What the hell is happening to this world? Can we still stay in Jiang Hai City? I'm buying a ticket home tomorrow!"

The citizens' panic and anxiety almost spill out of the screen.

Qin Yongchang turns off the projection, his gaze sweeping over every pallid leader present.

He says gravely, "Social order is on the brink of collapse."

Finishing, he inhales deeply, his body snapping upright, and stands at attention to salute Wei Gong at the main seat.

He uses every ounce of his strength, almost shouting:

"Report, chief!"

"Jiang Hai City police have exhausted all conventional methods!"

"Facing these 'unintelligible, unassailable, untouchable' criminals, we are powerless!"

"In my capacity as Director of the Jiang Hai City Public Security Bureau, I request the activation—"

"Special Event Handling Contingency!"

His voice echoed in the conference room, bearing a desperate resolve.

Everyone was silenced by his words.

Activating that plan would mean admitting to the entire system that they have encountered an enemy that cannot be explained by existing science and methods.

The impact is too great.

"Director Qin, calm down!"

The district chief of the autonomous region finally could not hold back, furrowing his brows as he spoke.

"Activating the plan could spark greater social unrest. In my view, it would be better to first 'cold‑handle' it, strictly control public opinion, and then…"

Under Lord Wei's indifferent gaze, his voice grew ever softer, sounding pale and feeble.

Everyone fell silent, the atmosphere oppressive to the extreme.

Thud.

Thud.

The ever‑silent Lord Wei extended a finger and tapped the tabletop twice, lightly.

The muffled sound made everyone's heart jump.

He did not look at the embarrassed district chief, but directed his sharp gaze toward Qin Yongchang.

"You have done well."

Lord Wei spoke slowly, his voice modest yet carrying a penetrating force.

"Daring to confront problems you cannot solve, rather than glossing over them, requires courage."

Those words made Qin Yongchang's tense body relax slightly.

He knew he had bet correctly!

Lord Wei's gaze swept the room, finally lingering a second on that district chief.

"As for the unrest?"

A cold, hard curve lifted at the corner of his mouth.

"Now is the time for bone‑scraping detox; hesitating will only let the toxin spread throughout the body, leaving no cure!"

Having said that, he said no more.

"I approve!"

"Activate the plan immediately!"

Lord Wei slammed the gavel on the spot, decisive and swift!

"I will order the National Security Department, the 'Ninth Division', to dispatch an action team to Jiang Hai City at once!"

"You!" he pointed at the district chief, "cooperate fully with the action team's operation! Their demand is the highest directive! It must be executed without compromise! There is only one purpose!"

"Contain the spread of the situation! Root out whatever lies behind all this!"

Ninth Division!

At the utterance of that name, many present turned pale.

It is a legendary department, a Shadow unit independent of all conventional systems, dedicated to handling the most Weird, most thorny incidents.

Finally, Lord Wei's gaze returned to Qin Yongchang, his tone becoming profound.

"Comrade Qin Yongchang, this incident is both a crisis and an opportunity."

"At next week's Federation Supreme Conference, I will, based on feedback from the National Security Special Event Handling Division, formally propose establishing a permanent institution independent of the current system, dedicated to handling such 'Special Events'."

"The old era has passed; a new challenge has already arrived."

The meeting adjourned.

Qin Yongchang walked out of the conference room doors, and the mountain that had weighed on his heart was finally lifted a few steps.

Hope finally arrived.

However.

Just as he exhaled a long breath.

His pocket's private phone suddenly rang urgently!

It was Lao Liang, the branch chief he trusted most at the City Bureau.

Qin Yongchang pressed the answer button.

As soon as the call connected, before he could speak, Lao Liang's voice, trembling with unprecedented fear, came through the receiver.

"Chief..."

"Something big has happened."

"It's Xiao Yu."

"He…"

Lao Liang seemed to exhaust all his strength before squeezing out the final three words.

"He murdered someone!"

The color drained from Qin Yongchang's face in an instant, leaving it completely pallid.

He froze on the spot, like a statue instantly encased in ice.