I Cultivate in a Government Office

The Flying Shuttle departed from the precinct, gracefully merging into the busy yet orderly flight lanes above the city.

Looking down through the large glass windows, Yang Wenqing quickly noticed more security patrols on the streets than usual. At regular intervals, he could see temporary checkpoints set up in front of shops, residences, or at intersections, inspecting passing pedestrians and vehicles. Occasionally, he even saw people being led onto special hover buses.

In some of the more crowded squares and intersections, Civil Affairs Bureau officials held amplifying talismans, loudly making announcements to the gathered crowds. Their speeches were all along the lines of "Strictly crack down on unscrupulous merchants colluding with evil cultivators," "Purge corruption from the government to protect the peace of the people," and "We ask the public to trust the Civil Affairs Bureau, cooperate actively, and not believe in rumors."

The entire city district was filled with a unique atmosphere, a mixture of tension and a city-wide purge.

Wang Ren noticed Yang Wenqing’s gaze. While skillfully maneuvering the Flying Shuttle to avoid other aircraft in the flight lane, he said in a somewhat reflective tone:

"The city’s been like this almost every day while you were in seclusion to recuperate. Anyone even remotely connected to Zhenyuan Mining, or anyone with a bad reputation, is being detained first, no questions asked. The Civil Affairs Bureau is in a panic, too. Between their internal investigations and the Inspectorate stepping in, a lot of people have been arrested."

He paused, his tone shifting slightly. "Maybe it’s because of the attack during the last assessment, but the higher-ups are dead set on using this as an excuse to clean house in Qianjiao County from top to bottom. Anyone suspected of anything is being arrested first and will only be released after they’re vetted and cleared."

Yang Wenqing listened in silence, pulling his gaze away from the streets below. Without responding to Wang Ren, he changed the subject to his friend’s recent transfer to the General Affairs Department.

Shortly after, hearty laughter filled the Flying Shuttle.

The Flying Shuttle continued its steady flight, quickly leaving the streetscape of arrests, public announcements, and unease far behind as it headed toward Joy Pavilion in East City.

In just a few minutes, the Flying Shuttle landed on a relatively quiet but elegant street in the East City District. Nearby, the classic and impressive sign of the Joy Pavilion marked the location of their gathering.

As they stepped out of the Flying Shuttle, Wang Ren stared at the Joy Pavilion’s sign and said to Yang Wenqing, "Jianchao got his wish this time. Xiaoqiao Town may be remote, but ’the heavens are high, and the emperor is far away’—it’s the perfect place for him to make his mark. Xiao Liang did well for himself, too. The East City Public Security Office is a fat prize, and for him to get it, Vice Director Gao must have pulled a lot of strings."

"And I’m perfectly placed in the General Affairs Department to provide you all with support. From now on, between us brothers, we’ll have one person coordinating on the administrative side, one holding down an outer town, and one handling security in the city. Add you to that, Wenqing, on the Major Case Team... well, we’ll finally have some real say in the affairs of Qianjiao County, inside and out."

His words were blunt, but they were true.

After this latest personnel reshuffle, the circle centered on Vice Director Gao had successfully placed their own people in key positions throughout Qianjiao County. With Director Zhou as an ally and their connections to various section chiefs, they had already formed a considerable network of influence in Qianjiao County.

If they could win over another one or two colleagues from the Civil Affairs Bureau, they could even dictate the outcome of many matters in Qianjiao County!

Yang Wenqing simply smiled, offering no comment.

Wang Ren didn’t press the subject. Chatting and laughing, he walked toward the restaurant with Yang Wenqing. Upon entering, a waiter who clearly recognized Wang Ren greeted them with a wide smile and led the two upstairs to a private room overlooking the street.

As the door to the private room opened, the sound of lively chatter and laughter spilled out.

Wang Jianchao and Xiao Liang were already there, as expected. Both were wearing the uniforms for their new positions and were sitting at the table, sipping tea and chatting. When they saw Wang Ren and Yang Wenqing enter, they both stood up with smiles to welcome them.

"Wenqing, congratulations, congratulations!" Wang Jianchao was the first to speak, stepping forward to clap Yang Wenqing firmly on the shoulder. "That was a beautiful fight in the arena! With you holding down the fort for us in the Major Case Team, I’ll be able to rest a lot easier!"

Xiao Liang also smiled and clasped his hands in greeting. "Group Leader Yang, I’ll be counting on your support!"

"You two, please stop teasing me. I’m the one who’ll be relying on your support," Yang Wenqing said, waving his hands dismissively, his attitude as humble as ever.

Wang Ren interjected, "Come on, let’s sit. No need to stand on ceremony."

The four sat down, and the waiter quickly began to serve the food. It was a spread of Joy Pavilion’s signature dishes: Spiritual Birds and Rare Beasts, fresh seasonal seafood, all accompanied by a fine wine brewed from high-grade spirit grain. The meal was lavish but not extravagant.

After several rounds of drinks and numerous courses, the atmosphere grew even more congenial.

The four of them drank and toasted, reminiscing about their days at the North City Public Security Office. They discussed the plans and challenges of their new posts and spoke enthusiastically about future cooperation and prospects. It was as much a banquet celebrating their success as it was a meeting for the core members to reaffirm their bonds and align themselves within the new power structure.

Yang Wenqing didn’t say much, spending most of his time listening. He would occasionally chime in with agreement or offer an opinion, but every word was perfectly judged. He could feel himself being fully accepted into their circle, becoming not just an equal, but a highly anticipated member.

As the wine flowed and spirits rose, the conversation inevitably turned to more practical matters.

Wang Jianchao was the first to broach the subject, his voice tinged with wine and emotion. "Brothers, let me speak from the heart. We risk our lives, we work ourselves to the bone to get promoted and gain power—what for? Besides fulfilling our ambitions, isn’t it to make life a little more comfortable for ourselves and our families? To face fewer obstacles on our cultivation paths?"