A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

"The auspicious time has arrived!"

A powerful, resounding call that pierced through the clouds echoed across the back of the Kunpeng.

The square, which was originally a bit noisy, instantly fell silent.

All the laughter, conversations, and even the sizzling of grease on the grill seemed to have been paused by an invisible hand.

All eyes turned to the stone platform at the front of the square, a temporary structure that exuded a solemn atmosphere.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, an old man, with his hands behind his back, strolled leisurely onto the stage.

The old man was unremarkable in appearance, and one could even say he was overly down-to-earth.

He was wearing an old Lei Feng hat that had been washed until it was faded and had pilling on the edges.

He was wearing a slightly worn, military-green cotton overcoat with worn cuffs, and a pair of old Beijing cloth shoes.

Standing there, he looked exactly like a retired old man who had strolled over from the gatehouse of an old state-owned enterprise or a chess stall at the entrance of an alley.

however--

The moment he appeared and stepped onto the platform.

"Whoosh—!"

Around the square, all the directors and deputy directors of the various branches of the 749 Bureau, regardless of their original posture, instantly straightened their bodies!

At ease! Attention!

Their movements were synchronized and clean, as if they had practiced a thousand times.

On faces that were usually dignified, refined, rugged, or smiling, only absolute solemnity and heartfelt respect remained at this moment.

Even Old Man Li, who had been nestled in his rocking chair, dozing with his face covered by a tattered palm-leaf fan, had quietly sat up straight at some point. Although he still had his hands tucked in and his eyes half-closed, his lazy demeanor had vanished without a trace.

On the other side of the square, the representatives of various sects and aristocratic families who had been invited to witness the ceremony reacted even more directly.

Regardless of age or status, almost simultaneously, they all bowed and cupped their hands, performing a very standard, even somewhat ancient, salute.

Many people bowed even more deeply than when facing their own sect leader or family head.

The square was so large you could hear a pin drop.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

All that remained was the howling wind high above and the faint hum of the churning sea of ​​clouds below.

The unassuming old man in front of me, dressed in a rather shabby manner, was not some village farmer.

He was one of the founders of the Great Han 749 Bureau.

They are living fossils that have truly survived the turbulent times of war, demons and monsters, and the bloodshed of the nation.

By flipping through old documents, one can even find his name and deeds in proper Ming Dynasty history books.

That is truly "living history".

It is a true pillar of stability that can make the entire cultivation world of the Han Dynasty tremble with a single stomp of its foot.

The old man seemed used to this scene, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his eyes squinting as he slowly surveyed the dark mass of people below the stage.

Wherever their eyes fell, everyone felt a gentle, peaceful, yet vast, invisible pressure wash over them, leaving them without a trace of resistance or distraction.

"Alright, alright, stop being so tense."

The old man finally spoke. His voice was not loud, and slightly hoarse, but strangely clear enough to reach everyone's ears, carrying a hint of the kindness and casualness of an elder looking at a younger generation.

"I'm just here to join in the fun and say a few words of nonsense. Do whatever makes you comfortable. Sit down if you're comfortable, lean back if you're comfortable. Don't bother with all that fancy formality, it's exhausting."

He paused, his gaze slowly moving over the young faces below the stage, and a hint of gratified smile gradually appeared in his cloudy old eyes.

"Wow, our 749 team has produced quite a few promising talents this year."

"Excellent, all of them are excellent. Each one is full of vigor and vitality, with a sparkle in their eyes—they are fine sons and daughters of our great Han!"

This simple praise made many young investigators in the audience subconsciously straighten their chests, a surge of pride welling up inside them.

The old man's gaze shifted, seemingly casually, and landed on Zhang Yucheng, a mocking smile spreading across his lips:

"Um... Xiao Zhang."

Zhang Yucheng immediately bowed slightly: "Elder Zhang, please give your orders."

"What are your orders? Just chatting. Look at the scale of things in Jinghai this year... What, did you guys reserve the title of number one in martial arts combat ahead of time again?"

Swish!

Countless gazes instantly focused on Zhang Yucheng.

Zhang Yucheng's usual gentle and refined smile remained unchanged.

But observant people could notice that the arrogance he usually exuded, which was usually subtle and dismissive of everyone, had been greatly reduced at this moment, replaced by a greater degree of respect that should be shown to elders.

He bowed slightly, his tone sincere, but what he said made many people present jump:

"Mr. Zhang, you flatter me. As for the fighting, it's a sure thing that it will fall into Jinghai's hands."

"However..."

He raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire audience before finally settling on the old man's face on the stage, a faint yet subtly sharp smile curving his lips:

"This year, Jinghai's appetite might be a little bit bigger than in previous years."

"Just being number one in martial arts might not be enough to satisfy our cravings."

hiss--

Although it was expected, a suppressed gasp still rose in the square when Zhang Yucheng said it himself.

This is no longer a hint, it's practically an open secret!

A battle of wits! Jinghai actually dares to resort to a battle of wits this year?!

That Jinghai branch of the Public Security Bureau that has been "not found" on the online debate rankings for over a decade, and whose presence is even restricted by rules to "protect enthusiasm"?!

Was Zhang Yucheng drunk on fake alcohol, or was he blinded by the four Dharma Aspect Realm experts?

Even Old Zhang on the stage, a hint of surprise flashed in his cloudy old eyes, which quickly turned into even greater interest. He laughed heartily, his voice booming:

"Good! That's bold! This old man loves the fearless and domineering spirit of you Jinghai people!"

"Talk is cheap. Come on, Xiao Zhang, come up here and say a few words to everyone! Encourage our 749 guys, and let all the friends in the martial arts world hear what kind of big plans Jinghai has in store!"

"become."

Zhang Yucheng no longer declined, responded, straightened his spotless black trench coat, and walked unhurriedly onto the platform.

He stopped, first giving a slight nod of greeting to Old Zhang on the stage, then turning his gaze to the audience below.

The usual gentle smile on his face hadn't completely disappeared, but his eyes had changed.

It has lost some of its refined elegance but gained more composure. It's not arrogance, but a restrained sharpness based on strong strength and unwavering conviction.

"Fellow colleagues, fellow travelers in the martial arts world."

Zhang Yucheng spoke, his voice not loud, but it possessed a strange penetrating power and magnetism, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Old Zhang just asked me to say a few words to boost morale. Actually, we all understand the big principles. Serving the country and the people and protecting our land are things ingrained in the bones of our 749th unit. I don't need to waste my breath."

"Today, I'm going to talk about something practical, some of the down-to-earth principles that we at Jinghai have figured out ourselves."

He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over the young, energetic faces below the stage.

"I know that many people feel that we in 749 have too many rules, are too controlling, and sometimes even inhumane. They feel that we are like a sword hanging over our heads, too tense, and living too tiring a life."

"That's right, the sword must be held high, and the rules must be followed. Why?"

"Because this land beneath our feet is too precious! So precious that it cannot tolerate even the slightest demon or monster, nor can it withstand the slightest evil wind or miasma!"

"Why do we wear this uniform, carry these epaulets, and receive this salary? On a small scale, it's a job, a way to support our families. On a larger scale..."

His voice suddenly rose a notch, his gaze like lightning sweeping across the area where the representatives of those sects and families were located. Although he did not name names, the implied pressure made many people feel a chill.

"It's so that those江湖豪杰 (jianghu heroes) who think they have some heritage or background and therefore want to roam free and treat human life like dirt, will have to sleep with one eye open! They'll have to consider whether there's anyone in this world who can, dares to, and is capable of controlling them!"

These words went beyond simply boosting morale; they were practically a direct attack!

The expressions of some sect representatives instantly became somewhat unnatural.

Zhang Yucheng abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming calm again, even carrying a hint of a smile, but that smile, no matter how you looked at it, revealed a ruthless and unyielding nature:

"Of course, we in 749 are not unreasonable bandit dens."

"Those who follow the rules are friends. We have good wine, barbecue, and brothers from all over the country. We can drink from big bowls, eat big chunks of meat, talk about spiritual practice, and chat about anything and everything."

"But what if someone thinks their own heritage is greater than the law of the land, or that their own mountain is higher than the sky above us..."

The curve of his lips widened, revealing a set of white teeth that looked somewhat sinister under the clouds and sunlight.

"Our investigators from Jinghai are itching to get their hands dirty, and their cultivation is passable. They can keep these martial arts heroes company and have a good discussion on the Dao and reasoning."

"Let's use the simplest method in Jinghai—might makes right!"

"Buzz—"

The investigators from 749 in the audience, especially the young people from the Jinghai branch, felt a surge of excitement, their eyes lit up, and their fists clenched involuntarily.

That's domineering! That's fucking domineering!

But this domineering attitude is not annoying; on the contrary, it stirs people's hearts! Because this domineering attitude is protecting the bottom line and order that they all agree on!

Zhang Yucheng's gaze swept across the entire room again, finally landing on the three clowns from his own branch, as well as Dog Master and Qiqi at their feet. A barely perceptible hint of pride and certainty flashed deep in his eyes.

"As for the grand martial arts exercise..."

He looked away, his tone becoming relaxed again, even a little teasing.

"Whether it's a battle of wits or a fight, it's simply a sparring match, a demonstration. Winning is a test of skill and an honor, something to be happy about. Losing isn't shameful either; you'll know where the gap lies, go back and train like crazy, and you'll win next time!"

"In our 749 unit, we don't follow seniority or social status. As long as you have the ability, the courage, and are willing to sweat and bleed for this land, there will be a place for you here, and a future for you!"

"Finally, I'd like to offer you all a piece of advice, which is also an old saying from our Jinghai school—"

Zhang Yucheng took a deep breath, and his voice suddenly became powerful and resonant, like the clang of metal on metal, echoing loudly above the sea of ​​clouds:

"If you're a dragon, then soar through the clouds! If you're a tiger, then roar through the mountains and forests!"

"But don't forget, what you soar over are the clouds of my great Han! What you roar over are the mountains of my great Han!"

"Guard this cloud, protect this mountain. Let demons and monsters flee, let ghosts and spirits scatter!"

"This is our 749!"

"This is the meaning of our existence!"

The words fell.

A brief silence.

immediately--

"roar--!!!"

A deafening roar, like a long-suppressed volcano, erupted from the mouths of all the 749 investigators below the stage! It shot straight into the sky, causing the sea of ​​clouds below to churn!

Blood is boiling, fighting spirit is soaring!

Even the sect representatives who had been subtly warned and felt somewhat uneasy felt a complex sense of awe as they looked at the imposing and domineering figure on the stage and the group of passionate and energetic young investigators below.

Zhang Yucheng's "bandit-like" speech...

It's true that they wanted to boost morale, but it's also true that they wanted to give them a warning.

This year, the Jinghai branch is likely to make a truly earth-shattering move.

On the stage, Old Zhang, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, squinted as he listened to the thunderous roar. He looked at the young people below the stage, their spirits renewed, and then glanced at Zhang Yucheng, who stood beside him with his hands behind his back, his expression calm yet exuding a sense of dignified power.

He smacked his lips lightly and muttered something only he could hear:

"This kid... he's really good at leading troops."

"This bandit leader has that authentic vibe."