What were we just saying? Even though we didn’t find the shadow mastermind, confiscating so many Soul Beads means we’ve already achieved our goal. But in the blink of an eye, you tell me the shadow mastermind has also been found? Does it have to be this stimulating? And the problem is, we don’t know how you retrieved the Soul Beads, and I damn well don’t know how you found the shadow mastermind either! You, all by yourself and without a peep, managed to solve in two days what we couldn’t in two months? You’re such a prodigy; it’s a real blow to our pride! Wang Lan’s news had come without any warning, leaving Ming Baiye momentarily at a loss for what to say. "Who is the shadow mastermind?" "His name is Xiao Qing, a jewelry tycoon in Modu City. But in fact, he is the real controller behind all the black-market Soul Bead transactions in Modu City. I’m sending you the evidence related to him right now. He’s currently at a seaside villa in the Bund, Villa Number Eight." After hanging up, Wang Lan turned and walked back to the school, sending all the information about Xiao Qing to Ming Baiye via his mobile phone. FLAP, FLAP, FLAP—the sound of wings beating echoed above Wang Lan’s head as Qingniao, a spider in its beak, slowly landed on his shoulder. Wang Lan reached out and took the spider. Carefully returning to the dormitory, he intended not to disturb his two roommates. But to his surprise, as soon as he entered the living room, he heard the intense sounds of battle coming from their rooms. It’s already three in the morning, and they’re still gaming. Hopeless! "Action Department, assemble—" Following Ming Baiye’s order, three squad leaders instantly issued the assembly command. Within three minutes, two hundred fully armed members of the Action Department were gathered. "Our target is Villa Number Eight at the Bund. Move out!" Xiao Qing had been lying in bed for an hour, but he still couldn’t fall asleep. The unease in his heart felt like a sword poised at his neck, startling him awake with sudden fear each time he drifted off. It had been many years since he’d felt this kind of terror. Unable to sleep, Xiao Qing got up once more and lit a cigarette by the window of his study. Suddenly, a disturbance was heard outside the study. "Unknown individuals have been spotted nearby; a situation may be developing." "Are they coming for us?" Suddenly, a shrill alarm blared. Xiao Qing’s expression changed drastically. He swung his palm, sending out a purple flame that shattered the computer on the desk. Xiao Qing led the way, and twenty mysterious figures wearing silver-white masks emerged from all directions of the villa, converging beside him into a wedge formation like phantoms. "Earth Dragon Mountain—" Without any probing attacks or exchanged words, the battle erupted instantly. Although Xiao Qing’s side numbered only twenty, they were all elite fighters. Xiao Qing was at the peak of the Galaxy Stage. Among the silver-white masked figures were four at the mid-Galaxy Stage, and the rest were either at the peak or late Star Cloud Stage. Among Ming Baiye’s people, only three were at the Galaxy Stage, while all others were at the Star Cloud Stage. In terms of strength, even the two hundred members of the Action Department might not be able to stop Xiao Qing if he was determined to break through. However, the presence of just one Ming Baiye from the Tianjian Bureau meant that no matter how desperately Xiao Qing fought, it was in vain. The power of the Star Cloud Stage couldn’t compare to that of the Galaxy Stage, and likewise, the power of the Galaxy Stage was incomparable to that of the Star Sea Stage. Xiao Qing and his group charged forward, initially as unstoppable as a torrent, but they came to an abrupt halt upon encountering Ming Baiye. "Fire Dragon Pillar—" Ming Baiye stood quietly at the intersection, facing Xiao Qing’s twenty-man team that had just broken through two lines of defense. Xiao Qing’s team charged with lightning speed, appearing ten meters away from Ming Baiye in the blink of an eye. In that instant, Ming Baiye’s body seemed to turn to magma, flowing around him, the ground beneath his feet transforming into Hellfire. A magma dragon coiled around him, then suddenly, like an exploding shockwave, it morphed into a tsunami of magma, rushing towards Xiao Qing and his men. "Ice Crystal Dark Flower—" Two masked figures instantly appeared in front of Xiao Qing’s squad. They jointly unleashed a Star Martial Skill, creating a flower-like bloom of frost before them, which rapidly extended vines to envelop them all. Thick smoke rose, and the faces of the two Galaxy Stage Star Martial Warriors executing Ice Crystal Dark Flower changed drastically. A profound fear crept into their hearts. "Boss, the temperature is too high! We can’t hold it!" "I’ll handle it—" Xiao Qing suddenly stepped forward, his body thrumming with power. "Shock Wave—" A ray of white light emanated from his palm. With a palm strike, the entire three-dimensional space filled with a buzzing sound. The oncoming magma tsunami was shattered by the tremendous vibrational force, instantly dispersing into the distance. One palm strike had carved an escape route for them, but Ming Baiye was nowhere to be seen at the end of it. "Resonance ability? Are you Bai Xiaoyun?" a voice called from the sky. Ming Baiye floated in the void, emitting a red light. "To betray Jade Country! Death is too good for you!" As his words fell, a rain of countless magma arrows descended from the sky. They were unimaginably fast; before Xiao Qing and the others could mount a defense, the attack had already overwhelmed them. Screams rang out as Xiao Qing watched helplessly while his men were struck down one by one by the rain of fire. Just as he was about to counterattack, a Fire Arrow suddenly bombarded his chest. A terrifying explosive force struck him, and Xiao Qing’s body was immediately thrown backward. The scorching star power surged through his body like a truck, wreaking havoc on his insides. Xiao Qing struggled to stand, but Ming Baiye was already standing before him. "Still want to struggle?" Facing the powerful Ming Baiye, Xiao Qing couldn’t muster any will to resist. He didn’t want to die; even if it meant losing his freedom for life, at least he would still be alive. Members of the Tianjian Bureau quickly converged. Two of them swiftly sealed Xiao En’s star palace and the meridians through which his star power flowed. Xiao En was apprehended. "Take him back! Search carefully!" Even though there was a considerable distance between villas, the commotion from the battle still woke the distant neighbors. Lights in various villas turned on, and many people stepped out to look in the direction of Villa Number Eight. "Hello, the Tianjian Bureau is apprehending a criminal. It’s dangerous outside. Please return to your homes and do not come out." "Hello, quickly take your child inside. It’s not safe out here." Soon, the lights in the villas went out one by one, leaving only the top of the mountain where the Tianjian Bureau was diligently searching for every possible clue. "Chief, we found some computer fragments. They seem to have been destroyed by Xiao Qing before he left, possibly hiding classified data." "Take them back. See if we can recover anything." From four in the morning until the sun was high in the sky, after ensuring that every trace had been thoroughly searched, Ming Baiye finally departed the scene. 「It was another weekend morning.」 Wang Lan didn’t get home until three in the morning, and he slept very soundly. If his phone hadn’t woken him, he felt he could have slept until evening. "Hello, Mr. Ming? Was the operation successful?" "Ha ha ha... I finally understand why they call you a lucky charm in Jiang Province. You really are a lucky charm! "At the beginning of the year, I heard that Suzhou City cracked a Demon Clan spy case one day, discovered Demonic Transformation Potions the next, and then found a production workshop for the potion on the third day. I thought it was unbelievable. I always felt that Suzhou City was exaggerating your achievements to build you up. "Now I’ve seen it with my own eyes: you found the Soul Bead warehouse during the day, and by that same evening, the mastermind was apprehended. I’m genuinely impressed by your efficiency." "Did they catch everyone?" "We captured the main culprit, Xiao Qing. The others were all taken care of. Are you well-rested? If so, come to the bureau. The Director wants to hear how you found the clues so it can be documented as a precedent." "Okay, I’ll head over." After Wang Lan hung up, he quickly delved into his Spiritual Sea of Consciousness, but there was no system notification about experience points or skill points being credited. What’s going on? Is this matter not over yet? Wang Lan hesitated, then dressed and left the dormitory. He didn’t have to wait long at the school gate before the car sent to pick him up arrived. Upon reaching the Tianjian Bureau, Ming Baiye came to meet him. "Wang Lan, shouldn’t the bureau assign you a car? Every time you come here, we have to send someone to pick you up." "Isn’t a car too high-profile? How about a motorcycle?" "Yes, the kind of motorcycle from ’Flying Eagle,’ the one that can fly and transform..." "That’s just in movies, okay? You think that’s real? Even if the bureau had one, Modu City doesn’t allow motorcycles. How about this... we do have custom Tianjian Bureau electric bikes, but they’re quite power-hungry. A single recharge costs twenty." "Sounds good. There’s a charging station at the school. An electric bike it is then." "Fine, I’ll put in an application for you. Let’s go, the Director is waiting." The Tianjian Bureau in Modu City was much larger than the one in Suzhou City, occupying more than three times the area. It was quite a walk to the conference room. Cheng Jianlong, the Director of the Modu City Tianjian Bureau and one of Jade Country’s Titled Strongmen, oversaw seven departments. Four of these were led by Star Sea Stage experts, and the remaining three by peak Galaxy Stage masters. The Modu City Tianjian Bureau alone boasted ten Star Sea Stage masters and dozens at the Galaxy Stage. Although it couldn’t compare to the Star Martial Academy, it was more than enough to maintain order in Modu City. Furthermore, with the Southeast Military Region to the west, the Pioneer Space of the East Sea to the east, and the Star Martial Academy garrisoned in Modu City, one-third of Jade Country’s combat power could be mobilized in the shortest possible time if any crisis occurred in Modu City. Therefore, although Modu City had always been coveted by the Demon Clan, their activities there were minimal, and its public safety rivaled that of the Imperial Capital. "Special Agent Wang Lan of the Tianjian Bureau’s Action Department, paying respects to the Director and all senior officers." "Wang Lan! Before you even came to Modu City, your reputation already preceded you. How is it, getting used to Modu City?" "You jest, Director. The straight-line distance between Modu City and Suzhou City is only a hundred and twenty kilometers. How could I not be accustomed?" "Good that you’re accustomed. If so, why not stay in Modu City?" "Uh..." A wry smile appeared on Wang Lan’s face. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⚑𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥 "Ha ha ha... I’m just kidding, but it’s also a serious suggestion. How did you find the Soul Bead warehouse, and how did you find Xiao Qing? Share your methods so we can all learn from your experience." "This... it was all luck." "Although they call you a lucky charm, that’s just in jest. Could luck alone earn you the Glory of the Sun Medal? I believe this was all the result of your careful planning and execution. Tell us!"