In the name of supernatural powers

Chapter 242 Martial Law
A samurai with a shaved head flees through a narrow, sewage-filled alley.

Yutaka Inoue, the leader of the Inoue Group, is a third-order superhuman.

The source of power is not the divine power of China, but the extraordinary power passed down from ancient times in Japan, which they call divine power.

It is said to originate from the power of eight million gods.

In reality, it is a supernatural power that is even worse than the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends sequence, but it can still be evaluated using the Federation's system for assessing supernatural powers.

Yu Inoue's ability is to wield a demon sword, which belongs to the neutral-level natural category.

Natural supernatural powers can refer to all non-living supernatural beings, meaning they are born and nurtured by nature.

It would be impossible for a third-tier superhuman to use a moderate-level supernatural power within the Federation; at the very least, it would require a powerful level of skill.

However, most wild superhumans live a miserable life; they are already struggling to afford life-sustaining supplements, let alone supernatural powers.

Behind me, heavy footsteps continued to press close.

Ta-ta-ta-ta!

The bullet flew toward Inoue Yu with an eerie arc. As a third-tier superhuman, he possessed a sixth sense and could foresee danger.

Similar to a slight itching sensation on the skin.

Yutaka Inoue suddenly turned around, black smoke emanating from his katana, and he let out a low growl like a fox.

"drink!"

A series of flashes of light appeared, accompanied by a rapid and ear-piercing clang of metal on metal, and all four bullets were cut down without exception.

Immediately afterward, Cao Yang caught up around the corner in the distance.

The moment they saw him, they immediately raised their machine guns and opened fire.

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

Sparks flew in the dimly lit alleyway.

The demon sword's ability lies in its slashing, allowing it to perform slashes at near-sonic speeds, creating an impenetrable barrage of blade light.

In close combat, very few can defeat the Demon Blade.

It was a renowned supernatural power in ancient Japan, but with the upgrading of firearms and the emergence of fully automatic weapons, the demon sword fell into decline.

No matter how fast you swing your sword, you can only stand still in the same spot.

Modern weapons have changed the way superhumans fight, much like a game update. What was once a relatively useless ability can immediately become a high-risk supernatural power with the support of firearms, while some abilities have plummeted in value.

In ancient times, Lu Zhao's abilities would only be considered supportive, but in modern times, they are high-risk supernatural powers.

We fired shots from two kilometers away, retreating when the enemy advanced and advancing when the enemy retreated.

At that moment, a helicopter arrived from the sky, its heavy machine gun aimed at Inoue Yutaka below.

He had no choice but to turn around, kick open the door of a house in the alley, and crawl inside.

Upon seeing this, Cao Yang originally intended to rush in.

"Cao Yang, don't pursue him. He should be an extraordinary person with extremely strong close combat skills."

When Lu Zhao's voice came through the walkie-talkie, he had no choice but to give up.

In the past, Cao Yang would have definitely chased after them. The opponent had already exhausted a lot of energy and didn't seem that strong anymore.

If Inoue Yu had four or five hundred points of vitality, Cao Yang definitely wouldn't be able to catch up.

Being able to catch up means that the opponent is most likely in the early 200s, and their physical strength may not even be as good as that of a physical superhuman like myself.

Even a third-tier transcendent being is still made of flesh and blood.
Large-caliber bullets can still cause some damage; hitting the eye or brain can easily lead to sudden death.

Inside the room, a Japanese couple trembled with fear.

Not everyone participates in the riots. Ping Khai State has a population of over one million, but less than one hundred thousand actually participate in the riots.

A significant portion of them are involved with gangs; ordinary citizens just want to get by.

This is why the federal government is very wary of religion; so far, only religion has been able to mobilize ordinary people.

Beyond the fierce gunfights and armed clashes, beneath the circling helicopters, countless ordinary people trembled in fear inside their homes.

"Is there a back door here?"

The couple huddled together in a corner, embracing each other and not daring to utter a sound.

"You bastards! You don't deserve to be Japanese!"

Inoue Yu's katana glowed purple as he raised his hand and swung it, the blade flashing and blood splattering across half the room, staining the gray walls and tatami mats red.

In Ping Kai State, warriors consider it an honor to fight against the Federation and believe that anyone who fears the Federation deserves to die.

But they don't dare to actually go to Chinese-speaking areas to commit crimes; they only seek a sense of superiority by persecuting their fellow countrymen.

It seems that they are still upholding the Bushido spirit.

As heavy footsteps approached, Yu Inoue slashed open the kitchen window and continued his escape.

Under Lu Zhao's mental probing, Inoue Yu's actions were exposed, and he immediately changed his route to launch a flanking maneuver.

For the next half hour, under Lu Zhao's command, the special operations soldiers worked in groups of three, constantly taking turns firing, flanking and encircling the enemy, and setting up firing positions in advance.

Inoue Yu tried to hide or attack, but Lu Zhao saw through his attempts without giving him any chance.

A third-tier superhuman is extremely dangerous; if a special anti-warrior gets too close, he could be beheaded.

Strategically, Lu Zhao acted boldly, not caring about offending anyone, not even his superior Liu Hanwen.

Tactically, Lu Zhao is very steady and never acts rashly, preferring to proceed step by step.

Now, all twenty of their special counter-insurgency warriors are second-tier superhumans. They are steadily and methodically attacking a third-tier superhuman, giving the opponent no chance whatsoever.

Finally, Yutaka Inoue was forced to a deserted construction site.

He was surrounded by special agents in groups of three, with twenty machine guns aimed at him, their dark muzzles ready to fire bullets at any moment.

He knelt on the ground, threw away the demon sword in his hand, and begged for mercy: "I surrender, I surrender! Don't shoot, I'll tell you everything!"

Lu Zhao remained unmoved and coldly said, "Fire."

Capturing him alive would undoubtedly be more valuable, and might even earn him a third-class merit, but that would be too dangerous.

A third-tier superhuman, without knowing the other party's abilities, may suddenly kill in any situation.

The special operations manual states that, unless there are special orders, capturing a superhuman with direct lethality is not required.

The existence of such a regulation indicates that many soldiers died in battle because of it.

Do not be greedy for credit, and do not act rashly.

Lu Zhao doesn't lack a third-class merit award; there will be plenty of opportunities for one in the future.

This isn't some ancient god's power in a production workshop, where it could cause an irreparable disaster at any moment.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the soldiers pulled the trigger.

Inoue Yu clenched his fist, and the demon sword flew back. He unleashed another barrage of impenetrable sword light.

He swung his sword as he charged toward Lu Zhao.

Seeing this, Cao Yang shouted, "You're at your last gasp! Let's see how much Qi you have left!"

As he spoke, he stood still and began firing the machine gun from his waist.

He possesses physical supernatural abilities and is confident that he can withstand the opponent's attacks. If he successfully kills the opponent, he can at least earn a third-class merit.

"You idiot, get back right now."

Lu Zhao patted him on the shoulder, then turned and ran with his men.

They retreated, pursued by Yutaka Inoue.

The special agents on both sides do not need to retreat; they will take turns firing.

Inoue Yu turned to chase after the others, but immediately retreated as soon as he got close enough to them.

He was so angry he felt dizzy; he had never felt so frustrated as he did today.

They couldn't hit him, and they couldn't outrun him.

He originally had a pistol on him, but the bullets from the pistol did not cause any damage to these metal lumps.

"Cowards, you cowards!!"

Inoue Yu's roar was quickly drowned out by the gunfire, eventually disappearing completely into the hail of bullets.

The bullets rained down for more than ten seconds, and Lu Zhao precisely controlled the bullets to shoot into his brain from his eye socket.

Inoue Yu fell to the ground, lifeless.

Lu Zhao used his mental power to investigate and confirmed that the person was completely dead before leading his men closer.

He had someone report to the command center, then looked at Cao Yang with a sour expression.

"You think you're so tough, huh? Go back and write me a 3,000-word self-criticism, or you'll get a warning." "...Yes."

Cao Yang was completely speechless.

He didn't think he would definitely lose to the Japanese pirates, but there were some risks involved.

But Lu Zhao is the squad leader. The other party has connections, ability, and strength. Only a fool would continue to oppose him.

Lu Zhao looked up at the sky, where a helicopter was circling in the distance, strafing the ground.

Gunshots and explosions rang out from all directions, turning the entire district into a battlefield.

After reporting the situation, Lu Zhao immediately received a new mission to support other regions.

This process continued indefinitely until it became completely dark.

The entire Ping Kai region was almost entirely one-sided, with various gangs facing the sudden crackdown without any preparation.

Lu Zhao was certain that the Chen family had not resisted, nor had they allowed the Kyoto Gang to escape beforehand.

The Kyoto gang became the victims.

This situation is easy to understand. If Kyoto State had fled earlier, then Pingkai State would still have fallen into the hands of the Liu faction.

At the same time, it's impossible for such a large industry to transfer and destroy evidence within two days. If Chen Yunming reneges on the bet and refuses to accept defeat, Chief Liu can certainly take further action.

The two have communicated privately, or there may be some kind of tacit understanding between them.

This was clearly not the situation Lu Zhao wanted to see. He hoped to see a fierce confrontation, as only in this way could the situation completely spiral out of control.

Unfortunately, things didn't always go as he wished, and the two marquises weren't fools either, because they completely broke off relations over this matter.

Those who aim high will achieve something in the middle; at least now that he has entered Pingbang District, there must still be evidence left here.

Six twelve.

Taking advantage of a break in the mission, Lu Zhao took out his hidden phone and dialed Li Dongxue's number.

"Martial law can be declared now."

"Okay, give me an hour."

One person secretly kept a mobile phone while on a mission, while another violated regulations by imposing martial law.

If this is discovered, it will definitely lead to a military court-martial.

Meanwhile, inside the old house.

Horikita Tao and a group of remnants of the shogunate gathered together. Apart from him, they were all third-tier superhumans, generally over forty years old, and none of them could come out into the open.

"Tao Jun, you've gone a bit too far this time."

An elderly samurai questioned, "The Kyoto Gang doesn't belong to you alone; it needs others to manage it as well. If half of the gang leaders are eliminated this time, it will take at least five years, or even ten, to rebuild them."

Even the royal guards can't be relied on!
Horikita felt slightly annoyed, but he didn't show it on the surface. He knelt down with a thud, revealing a pained expression.

"Chen Wuhou didn't inform us in advance, which means he needs us to be scapegoats. I don't want to sacrifice so many brothers, but we need to rely on the Chen family more."

"Then you can't selectively not notify certain people."

“If everyone runs away, then no one can escape. The Federation will definitely investigate. It’s better to preserve some important talents. But this matter is indeed my fault.”

Horikita took out a small knife, placed his left hand flat on the ground, and cut off his little finger.

There was no pause or hesitation in between.

Blood splattered on the old tatami, and a severed finger fell to the ground.

The scene fell silent immediately, and the remaining members of the shogunate who had been somewhat dissatisfied shut their mouths.

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Cangwu City, within the South China Sea Administration Bureau.

In a temporarily requisitioned meeting room, the crackdown team is directing the overall operation.

Liu Hanwen sat in the main seat, and the officials of the first rank present included the Director of the Public Security Bureau, Tu Bin, the Commander of the Special Counter-Strike Force, and Ding Shoujin, the Director of the Supervisory Bureau.

The liaison officer maintained constant communication with the front lines and continuously reported on the overall situation.

The overall situation is under control. Chen Yunming did not launch a fierce resistance in Pingbang District because he was afraid that the financial supplements would be investigated.

It was by grasping this point that Liu Hanwen was confident he wouldn't be disappointed; he was certain Chen Yunming wouldn't dare to gamble.

Normally, a force like the Kyoto State would scatter like birds and beasts at the slightest hint of trouble, making it difficult to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

As long as the majority of the population in Heilongjiang Province are Japanese, the Kyoto gang can easily make a comeback and re-establish its rule.

Liu Hanwen couldn't possibly drive all these Japanese away, nor did he have a suitable place to settle them.

Ten years ago, during the federal reforms, he, as the victor, did not recognize the human rights of his citizens, but that does not mean he was an extreme populist.

Killing cannot resolve conflicts, and massacres will not alleviate problems.

Ordinary people can find joy in hardship and seek a sense of superiority, and the same applies to people of different ethnicities. But officials should not have such emotional thoughts.

Secretary Liu laughed and said, "Little Lu, you've really scared the Chen family this time. You should admit defeat."

“If it were me, I wouldn’t gamble either.” Liu Hanwen smiled slightly. “Losing a district is just a matter of making less money. If the black supplement issue continues to be exposed, no one can guarantee that Chief Wang won’t take further action.”

Ding Shoujin then suggested, "Chief, since you're so satisfied, why not hold the wedding this year? The formalities of marriage and betrothal are always necessary; their current behavior is simply outrageous."

"Haste makes waste, and it's only been less than four months, so we need to wait and see."

Liu Hanwen waved his hand in refusal.

He is indeed quite satisfied with Lu Zhao's abilities, but he still feels it's not safe enough.

Just then, a liaison officer spoke up: "Report, Tuen Mun Island is under martial law."

Upon hearing this, everyone present immediately became serious.

Martial law on Tuen Mun Island often signifies riots within the ancient pantheon.

Didn't the riots just end at the end of the year? It's not even July or August yet.

Liu Hanwen immediately asked, "What happened?"

The liaison officer replied, "The Tuen Mun Island command has reported that fourth-tier monsters are appearing frequently, and there may be a sudden beast tide."

Liu Hanwen's brows relaxed as he recalled a related report from a couple of days ago.

Li Dongxue reported that the aura of a fourth-tier beast king was frequently appearing.

It shouldn't be a big problem. Even if the Beast King leads a beast tide to attack Tuen Mun Island, the firepower there is enough to deal with it.

Moreover, Tuen Mun Island is guarded by two fourth-rank major generals, who are the actual commanders. If a problem really occurs, they certainly won't leave it to Li Dongxue to solve.

Before Liu Hanwen could express his opinion, the liaison officer reported again, "Chief, some religious sects in other states have started to cause trouble, and factories in many places are being besieged and vandalized."

Liu Hanwen looked at Tu Bin and asked, "Have the special counter-terrorism units transferred from other places been deployed yet?"

Tu Bin replied, "We are ready and can depart at any time."

"You lead the team on this mission. If you encounter fierce resistance, you are allowed to shoot them."

Liu Hanwen didn't think much about this.

Because cracking down on extremist religious forces benefits everyone, it doesn't matter if Chen Yunming uses this as an excuse.

Where struggle is necessary, we must fight to the bitter end; where cooperation is necessary, we must not slack off.

------------

General Office of Finance, Taxation and Household Registration.

Chen Yunming is also involved in matters within the Synchronous Alliance.

Secretary Wang reported, "Sir, the special counter-terrorism unit transferred from other areas has already set off."

Chen Yunming said, "We should have the local finance and taxation bureau cooperate with the operation and take this opportunity to crack down on extremist religious forces."

The Department of Finance, Taxation and Household Registration is, in theory, the official administrative unit of a state, responsible for managing the entire state.

However, in practice, the Finance and Taxation Household Registration Department is only responsible for liaising with enterprises and ensuring factory production, and does nothing else.

As long as industrial production is not affected and sufficient taxes are paid to them, the General Administration of Finance and Taxation can turn a blind eye.

In any case, the federal government doesn't care much about the order of the states; it only cares about whether industrial production has declined.

The biggest enemy of the General Administration of Finance, Taxation and Household Registration is not the mafia, but the religious forces that can mobilize the grassroots population.

They not only disrupted production, but also constantly raised donations, sucking up the people's money, which in a sense was also a form of taxation.

This money belongs to the General Administration of Finance, Taxation and Household Registration.

Having suffered a loss at Liu Hanwen's hands this time, Chen Yunming must make up for it in other ways.

(End of this chapter)