84: Chapter 84 S-Level Alert: Beast Tide Approaching!

The armored vehicle finished its fourth lap.

Su Ming patted the back of the front seat.

"Let's go, head back."

Ghost Blade looked at him through the rearview mirror.

"Brother Ming, we're not going in?"

"Why go in?"

Su Ming leaned back against the seat and propped his feet up on the armrest.

"The Lu Family was wiped out because there was evidence. These two families don't have any dirt on them right now, so we can't move against them."

He paused, his lips curling slightly.

"Just giving them a warning is enough."

Ghost Blade chuckled, made a turn, and the convoy turned around, heading toward the Wilderness Suppression Bureau.

The convoy behind followed suit.

Su Ming closed his eyes, then opened them a moment later.

"Qingluan."

Ye Qingluan responded.

"Have you registered those people who caused trouble last night?"

Ye Qingluan nodded.

"The Public Security Bureau has records, and we've pulled the surveillance footage from the scene. We can confirm the identities of one hundred and thirty-seven people."

Su Ming grunted in acknowledgment.

"How many Martial Artists are among them?"

Ye Qingluan scrolled through the data on her watch.

"Twenty-three. They're all quasi-Martial Artists and in the Body Tempering Realm; no real Martial Artists. Eleven of them are thugs the Lu Family paid to cause trouble, and the ones leading the charge are all among them."

"Pick them out and send them all to the Alien Disaster Division."

Ye Qingluan was taken aback.

"The Alien Disaster Division?"

"Yes."

Su Ming crossed his legs, his tone casual.

"The Alien Disaster Division happens to be short on manpower. Let this bunch fill the gap. Obstructing the Wilderness Suppression Bureau from performing official duties and besieging law enforcement officers—according to regulations, they can be detained immediately."

He closed his eyes.

"Sending them to the Alien Disaster Division is letting them off easy. Let Brother Biao train them well; I think he'll like that."

Ye Qingluan didn't ask any further questions.

"Alright, I'll go arrange it."

The cabin fell silent.

Amid the low rumble of the engine, the armored vehicle drove back to the Wilderness Suppression Bureau.

10:00 AM.

The head of the Zhao Family personally visited the Wilderness Suppression Bureau.

He brought three full trucks of 'consolation supplies.'

Weapons, equipment, Ore, potions, and Wicked Beast Materials were piled up like a small mountain.

The Zhao Family had just left when the Sun Family arrived. Their offering was even higher spec: four trucks.

They even included a handwritten 'Letter of Intent for Cooperation,' with wording that was humble to the core.

The news spread, and the small and medium-sized families in Pingan City couldn't sit still.

In just one morning, a long line formed at the entrance of the Wilderness Suppression Bureau's General Affairs Hall.

People bringing gifts, showing loyalty, and proactively confessing their wrongdoings came in an endless stream.

Old Zhou from the General Affairs Department was so busy he barely had time to touch the ground, and his tactical watch wouldn't stop ringing.

"Officer Su, the Zhang Family sent over three crates of coagulants..."

"Officer Su, the Li Family proactively handed over a batch of 'illicitly sourced' Wicked Beast Materials..."

"Officer Su, the Wang Family says they are willing to provide three warehouses in the east of the city as a logistics transit station for free..."

"Officer Su, the Lin Family sent over a wild Cultivation Technique..."

Su Ming sat on a bench by the Martial Arts Plaza, legs crossed, holding a can of iced cola.

"Accept it."

"Accept all of it."

"There's no reason to turn away things that are delivered to our doorstep."

Old Zhou looked at Su Ming with eyes full of awe.

Officer Su... he was simply god-like! He went out for a stroll, and the Wilderness Suppression Bureau's warehouse was already nearly full!

He rubbed his hands together, wanting to say something but hesitating.

Su Ming glanced at him.

"Speak up."

"Um... according to regulations, gifts exceeding a certain amount need to be reported..."

"Report them." Su Ming took a swig of his cola, "Accept them in the name of the Wilderness Suppression Bureau, deposit them into the public account, and make sure not a single step of the process is missed."

Old Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and trotted off to make arrangements.

Su Ming stood up and crushed the soda can.

The public order in Pingan City reached an unprecedented level of harmony that morning.

There wasn't even anyone spitting on the streets. Fear. It really was the best form of order.

Villa B9.

Two long, rectangular metal cases appeared in the yard. The weapons and equipment had been delivered.

Su Ming shuffled over in his flip-flops, crouched down, and popped the latches on the first case.

"Hiss—" The lid popped open.

A matte-black combat suit lay quietly in the black lining. Night Raven.

Su Ming reached out and touched the fabric. Light, thin, weightless. Not bad.

He pulled it out and gave it a shake; the entire garment felt almost weightless when unfolded.

His fingertips felt a slight rebound when he pressed into it. He put it on.

He zipped it up from his waist to his collarbone. The fabric conformed to his muscle lines—neither tight nor loose—and there was no resistance when he moved.

Su Ming threw two punches on the spot. The air exploded with sound. The fabric didn't budge.

"Not bad."

The second case. The latches popped open.

ZHS-X7 · ink dragon spear.

The pitch-black spear body lay in the case, the dark silver cold gleam at the spearhead flickering in the sunlight.

Su Ming lifted the spear with one hand. The moment he held it, he raised an eyebrow.

It was thirty percent heavier than the previous spear, but the center of gravity was evenly distributed. It didn't feel heavy in his hand; rather, it felt like an integrated part of him.

He flicked his wrist. The spear body hummed.

The vibration traveled from the shaft into his palm and fed back into the shaft, forming a faint resonant cycle.

Su Ming held the spear with one hand and thrust it casually.

"Shhh—"

The spearhead tore through the air, leaving a white streak, and the teacup on the stone table was overturned by the shockwave. Tea spilled everywhere.

Su Ming retracted the spear. It was handy. It was more than a grade better than that previous 'iron rod.'

He swung the ink dragon spear onto his back; the strap tightened automatically, and the spear hung diagonally across his spine, point facing up.

He changed into the Night Raven combat suit and shouldered the ink dragon spear. It was time to get down to business.

Wilderness Suppression Bureau building. Top floor. Deputy Director's office.

When Su Ming pushed the door open, Chen Zhan was leaning back in his chair, flipping through documents.

A thick stack of files sat on the table, all liquidation reports of the Lu Family.

Chen Zhan looked up and scanned Su Ming. His gaze lingered for a moment on the Night Raven combat suit and the ink dragon spear on his back.

"Spent quite a few points."

"Money well spent." Su Ming didn't stand on ceremony. He pulled out a chair and sat down.

Chen Zhan put down the files, leaned back, and crossed his hands in front of his abdomen.

"Speak up. What do you need me for?"

Su Ming didn't beat around the bush.

"Qin Yaotian."

Chen Zhan's fingers paused for a moment, then returned to normal.

"How do you know that name?"

"The Lu Family's butler spat it out before he died."

Chen Zhan was silent for two seconds.

"So you silenced him."

Su Ming didn't deny it.

"With thousands of people watching, words like that can't get out."

Chen Zhan stared at Su Ming for a long while. This kid... seventeen years old.

He didn't even blink when silencing someone. Even more frightening was that his judgment was completely correct.

If the name Qin Yaotian spread within the Wilderness Suppression Bureau, alerting the enemy would be a minor issue; causing panic would be the real problem.

The former Director secretly supporting Wicked Beast research. If that news got out, the entire credibility of the Wilderness Suppression Bureau would collapse.

"You did the right thing."

Su Ming didn't respond.

Chen Zhan stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Su Ming.

"Qin Yaotian, the former Director of the Wilderness Suppression Bureau, stepped down and left Pingan City twelve years ago. He currently holds the position of Prefect of Longjiang Prefecture..."

Su Ming leaned against the back of his chair.

"What is his Realm?"

"Twelve years ago, he was at the Peak of Level 5."

Chen Zhan turned around.

"Now? Hard to say. Sixth Realm, or even higher, is possible."

Sixth Realm. Divine Treasure... excavating the hidden treasures deep within the human body, infusing Protective Aura into them, causing the body to transform from the inside out.

Su Ming tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.

From the Sixth Realm and up, every Realm is a chasm.

He was currently in the early stages of the Third Realm. No matter how high his stats were, facing the Sixth Realm... it wasn't a question of whether he could win or not. It was a question of whether he was even in the same league.

"Why did he support the Lu Family in researching Wicked Beasts?"

Chen Zhan shook his head.

"I don't know. There was nothing unusual when he left twelve years ago. The Lu Family's Wicked Beast research was a clue found later. The only link between the two was the butler..."

Before he could finish, "Woo—woo—woo—!!!" A piercing siren suddenly erupted!

The lights in the entire building switched to emergency red mode, and the sounds of heavy footsteps and shouting echoed in the hallway.

Chen Zhan's expression changed drastically. He slammed the tactical terminal on his desk. A red light screen popped up.

On it was only one line of text, each character flashing: [S-Level Alert, Beast Tide Incoming!]

Chen Zhan looked up sharply. Su Ming had already stood up.

The ink dragon spear slid from his back into his palm, point facing down, tapping lightly against the floor.

"Click." A crisp sound. Su Ming licked his lips. "Beast Tide?"