682: Chapter 682 Forced Arrest

But neither the doubts of the grassroots clerks, the discussions of the onlookers, nor the panicked commotion could make the marching Soldiers, officers, and Inspection Team members stop their pace or even spare a glance.

They were clear-headed; the objective of this operation was definite and the list was precise. These low-level workers were not within the scope of the case and were, at most, bystanders in this storm, completely unworthy of distraction.

With eyes like torches, the team headed straight for the various department offices with a single goal: to lock onto and arrest every corrupt parasite on the list.

Meanwhile, inside the office of a certain Deputy Director of the Ministry of Finance, there was a completely different, relaxed atmosphere.

The Deputy Director leaned back in his large office chair, his fingertips carelessly playing with a valuable private collectible, his face filled with a sense of luck and peace of mind.

When the Inspection Team made a surprise visit to arrest people in the last round, their Director had been taken away on the spot. At that time, his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and he had been restless all day.

After all, he knew well that he had handled many illegal fund allocations, falsified accounts, and benefit transfers alongside the Director. He was involved in every single case and thought he would surely be taken away for investigation as well, even preparing himself for detention and interrogation.

But to his utter surprise, the Inspection Team only took the Director at that time and ignored him, the Deputy Director, as if they hadn't noticed his existence at all.

Up until now, everything had remained calm, with no inquiries or summons.

Thus, this Deputy Director gradually let down his guard, breathed a secret sigh of relief, and constantly comforted himself in his heart.

The Inspection Team must have only found evidence against the Director, with the proof only pointing to the head Official. He must have hidden deeply enough not to be implicated.

He had even begun to secretly calculate whether he would have the chance to rise and take the Director's position now that the man had fallen.

He completely failed to realize that he wasn't safe; he was merely a target in Li Yang's net-closing plan that would only be uprooted once all the evidence was closed-loop for a unified arrest.

This brief peace was nothing more than the most lethal illusion before the storm.

Just as this Deputy Director was still immersed in his luck and secret joy, even starting to silently plan his future promotion path, the office door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

There was no prior announcement, no warning whatsoever.

Several tall, cold-faced Security Assurance Division Soldiers filed in, their steps steady and powerful. Upon entering, they quietly blocked all exits, and the sense of oppression radiating from them instantly filled the room.

The Deputy Director's heart skipped a beat, the relaxation on his face instantly freezing, and the object he was playing with fell onto the desk with a 'clack'.

He looked up, his face turning deathly pale in an instant, and the blood in his body seemed to freeze.

He would never forget the uniforms, badges, and aura of this team for the rest of his life.

Last time, it was this group of people who had rushed into the Director's office without warning and forcibly took him away, after which there was no more news of him.

How could they have found their way to him?!

"You... who are you? What do you want? This is the office area of the Administrative Center Department; you can't just barge in!"

The Deputy Director feigned composure, but his voice couldn't stop trembling. His legs had already begun to go soft, and the previous sense of luck vanished in an instant, replaced by a fear that penetrated to his very marrow.

The leading Soldier remained expressionless, completely ignoring his bluster, and simply raised his hand to light up the holographic light screen on his wrist.

The light screen clearly displayed the detailed list, photos, positions, and case numbers for this round of unified arrests. His gaze quickly compared the Deputy Director's face with the information on the light screen, confirming it twice to ensure the person before him was indeed the target on the list.

After confirming there were no errors, the leading Soldier nodded slightly, closed the light screen, and waved his hand with a cold, indisputable tone.

"Confirmation complete. Personnel involved in the case, take him away immediately!"

The order was given, and two Soldiers immediately stepped forward.

The Deputy Director's Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering; he instinctively wanted to retreat, resist, and argue, but his meager strength was pathetic before the well-trained Soldiers.

The Soldiers' movements were crisp and efficient. They stepped forward and grabbed his arms, and the cold, standard-issue alloy handcuffs locked firmly onto his wrists with a 'click'. Without giving him any chance to struggle or delay, they half-carried and half-dragged him forcibly out of the office.

The entire arrest process—from entering, verifying, and ordering to taking the person—took less than a minute. It was swift, decisive, and seamless, with the speed pushed to the limit.

In this operation by the Inspection Team and the Security Assurance Division, there were no extra questions, no extra nonsense, and no regard for rank, background, or pleas for mercy.

As long as one was on the legally fixed arrest list, once their identity was confirmed, they were immediately forcibly removed without any hesitation.

This Deputy Director of the Ministry of Finance, who a second ago had been secretly congratulating himself and even dreaming of a promotion, became a prisoner the next second, escorted to the Inspection Team's temporary detention point, where the Empire's laws and a merciless trial awaited him.

Of course, in this thunderous sweep of arrests, not all Officials involved were willing to be captured without a fight.

Long periods of holding high positions, wielding real power, and acting willfully had caused some to develop arrogant and overbearing temperaments. Even when cornered, they still refused to recognize reality and attempted to put up a desperate struggle.

In an office of a certain Administrative Center Department, an Official of no small rank was surrounded by Soldiers. Seeing that they were about to take him away, he instantly lost control of his emotions, his face flushing red as he retreated frantically while screaming and resisting with all his might.

"No! I won't let you arrest me! On what grounds are you arresting me? I am an Official formally appointed by the Empire! You have no solid evidence and no legal arrest warrant; you have no right to touch me!"

A long life of smooth sailing where no one dared to defy him had long since eroded his awe of rules and laws, leaving him completely unable to see the grim, hair-trigger situation before him.

He knew very well how serious his crimes were; once he was taken away for investigation, his life would be completely over.

In his desperation, he actually took a risk, tremblingly pulling out a standard-issue small self-defense energy gun from his coat, intending to use force to threaten and scare off the Soldiers before him.

But he had vastly underestimated the reaction speed of the Security Assurance Division, and even more so, the determination of the orders Li Yang had previously issued.

Long before the operation, all Soldiers had received a death order.

In the event of armed resistance or threats with weapons, there was no need to ask for instructions; dispose of them on the spot.

The Official's hand had just touched the firearm and he hadn't even had time to fully raise it, let alone aim at a target, when the sharp-eyed Soldiers standing ready nearby reacted first.

Almost at the same instant, several short and lethal energy beams shot through the air, accurately hitting his torso.