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

"Xiao Ji, according to the information we just obtained, this kidnapping gang consists of seven people."

As they walked, Deputy Director Liu briefed Ji Zuodao on the situation.

"The leader is called Wu Wen. He is at the seventh level of the Spirit Sea Realm. His cultivation level is not high, but he is extremely ruthless."

"The hardest part of this mission is not taking them down, but ensuring the safety of the Zhao family's youngest daughter, lest these desperate criminals become desperate and harm the hostage."

"Don't worry, Uncle Liu, I've got your back."

Ji Zuodao patted his chest, full of confidence.

As the two walked out of the building, Ji Zuodao looked back and realized that the building was also "Seven Colors Media Co., Ltd."

Unable to contain his curiosity, Ji Zuodao lowered his voice and asked:

"Hey, Uncle Liu, I understand that 749 needs to keep things secret from ordinary people. But why do you insist on pretending to be a media company?"

Upon hearing this, Deputy Director Liu chuckled, a sly glint in his eyes.

"You don't understand, do you? Pretending to be a media company has huge benefits! We have the most plausible excuse to temporarily block off the streets and clear the venue—and publicly declare, 'Film crew is shooting a movie, please cooperate.'"

"This works?"

Ji Zuodao was speechless.

"Of course!"

Deputy Director Liu raised his eyebrows smugly.

"We've got all the equipment, and we're putting on a great show!"

"On several occasions during multi-person missions, the criminals we were trying to catch would see our investigators dressed in ancient costumes, carrying magical artifacts, and surrounded by cameras with long lenses and microphones from afar. They would really think that some film crew was shooting a fantasy drama."

"They came over hoping to see what was going on, or maybe even join the crowd as extras, but they were immediately pinned to the ground! They were still dazed when they were arrested, thinking it was some kind of immersive interactive experience!"

"Goodness..."

Ji Zuodao's lips twitched, and he finally began to understand what his master meant when he often said, "These days, evil cultivators have no way to survive."

The strategies employed in these 749 rounds are simply unfathomable, and their methods are incredibly unconventional!

Upon arriving at the building entrance, a black van bearing the "Seven Colors Media" logo was already waiting nearby.

As the car door slid open, Ji Zuodao saw that several colleagues were already sitting inside.

Each of them wore wide robes and sleeves, exuding an ethereal aura.

There were also professional Steadicams, camera tripods, and reflectors piled up next to it.

At first glance, it really looks like a proper film crew.

Deputy Director Liu patted Ji Zuodao on the shoulder one last time and whispered his instructions:

"And most importantly, in case the operation gets a bit too loud, we need to maintain a consistent story – say we're filming a large-scale live-action action scene with realistic special effects!"

Ji Zuodao didn't understand, but he was deeply shocked.

The vehicle drove smoothly on its way to the destination.

Inside the car, the actors, who had just looked like ethereal immortals, now had sharp eyes and quick movements as they checked their personal magical artifacts and walkie-talkies.

In an instant, they switched from being members of the film crew to elite action team members.

A young investigator wearing glasses, who was in charge of intelligence analysis, handed a tablet computer to Ji Zuodao.

The diagram above shows the layout of an old residential area and several red dots.

"Comrade Zuodao, this is the structural diagram of the target building. According to intelligence, the hostages are being held in Unit 2, Room 104 of Building 3."

"There are still six kidnappers left. These are their physical characteristics. The leader, Wu Wenling, is at the seventh level of the Sea Realm, skilled in fire magic, and has a suspicious personality."

Ji Zuodao quickly scanned the information; his photographic memory allowed him to instantly grasp its meaning.

Deputy Director Liu made his final instructions in a deep voice:

"The core of the operation is the left path. You will use disguise to infiltrate first, and your primary task is to confirm the safety of the hostages and find a way to protect them."

"We will disguise ourselves as a film crew and set up a perimeter. Once you send a signal or confirm that the hostages are safe, we will storm in and finish the job quickly."

He surveyed the passengers in the car, his tone carrying an undeniable authority:

"Everyone understands! The safety of the hostages is the top priority! Anyone who messes up will go back and clean toilets in logistics for three months!"

"Understood!" the crowd responded in low voices.

Ji Zuodao looked in the rearview mirror and made final adjustments to his expression and demeanor.

Make sure that every subtle movement is exactly the same as the woman in your memory.

He took a deep breath, pushed open the car door, swayed his hips, and walked towards the neighborhood with a dusty gait that seemed out of place with the dilapidated surroundings.

There was an old man dozing off at the entrance of Building 3.

Ji Zuodao led Gouye over and greeted him familiarly, "Uncle Wang, aren't you taking a break at noon?"

When Grandpa Wang opened his eyes and saw "her," a barely perceptible fear flashed in his cloudy eyes. He mumbled a response and quickly opened the side door.

Ji Zuodao sneered inwardly; the gatekeeper was indeed one of their informants.

Following his memory, he headed straight for Building No. 3.

Meanwhile, the "film crew" outside had also quickly taken their positions.

The lighting, camera, and stagehands each performed their duties, seemingly casually but actually meticulously controlling the area around Building 3.

Deputy Director Liu sat in the command vehicle disguised as a broadcast van, staring intently at several monitoring screens.

One of them is an aerial view taken by a drone.

The other clearly shows the real-time footage transmitted from the camera on Ji Zuodao's chest button.

Liu Ming leaned closer and couldn't help but whisper to his father:

"Dad, is Brother Ji... really okay? That 'skin' of his makes me feel creeped out."

Deputy Director Liu, without taking his eyes off the screen, said calmly:

"Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. Little Ji may be a bit wicked, but she knows how to handle things much better than you greenhorns."

"Just watch, this kid is going to teach us a lesson today, showing us what it means to 'fight evil with evil.'"

Ji Zuodao had already reached the entrance of the building.

He could sense that someone was watching him from inside the door.

He imitated a woman's habit, impatiently stomping his foot, muttering a curse under his breath that the hallway light was broken, before banging on the door.

The sound of pounding on the door echoed in the old stairwell, carrying a hint of impatient irritation.

That's exactly what that woman's habit is—

She never knocks properly.

The peephole in the door dimmed slightly, indicating that the person inside was scrutinizing the outside.

Ji Zuodao knew perfectly well what was going on, but he pretended not to, instead putting his hands on his hips and cursing in a shrill voice:

"What are you looking at! It's me! Open the door right now, it's scorching hot outside! If you dawdle any longer, believe me, I'll gouge your eyes out and stomp on them!"

This behavior was exactly the same as when that woman came home on other days.

The sound of chains sliding came from inside the door, followed by a click as the door opened a crack.

A scarred man with wary eyes leaned out and quickly glanced behind Ji Zuodao.

Only after confirming that it was the lazy, big black dog did he say in a muffled voice:

"Third Sister, where have you been gallivanting off to again? You even brought a dog back. Is this a midnight snack for your brothers?"

"An extra meal? Dream on!"

Ji Zuodao imitated the woman's shrewishness, rolled his eyes, and twisted his waist to squeeze through the crack in the door.

Dog-Grandpa followed slowly at his feet, his eyelids drooping.

"This is my new favorite treasure, it's incredibly intelligent, much better than you bunch of useless good-for-nothings!"

He was cursing and swearing, but his eyes seemed to be casually scanning the entire room quickly.

This is an old-style two-bedroom apartment. The living room is dark, the curtains are drawn tightly, and the air is filled with the smell of smoke, instant noodles, and a strong stench of blood.

Including the scarred man who opened the door, there were five people in the living room, some sitting and some standing, their atmospheres mixed together.

The one with the highest cultivation level was a tall, thin man leaning against the window in the shadows, who looked to be at the seventh level of the Spirit Sea Realm. He was Wu Wen, according to the information.

Ji Zuodao mentally called out names one by one. Hmm, five people, plus "himself," six, plus the guard at the entrance of the building, seven.

Great, the small group of seven, not one missing!

Ji Zuodao licked his lips, his gaze burning as if he wanted to devour them alive.