I slay evil in the Department of the Supernatural

Chapter 136, Section 135: The World is at Peace! With the permission of fellow cultivators of the Three Paths, the Heavenly Pride Token (Two-in-one, a must-read, please subscribe)

The impact of the opening of the Federation's Demon Realm seems to be more intense than Xu Lindong had anticipated.

Or rather, some of the situations that Director Zheng mentioned at yesterday's morning meeting may actually come to pass.

Powerful monsters in the Demon Realm, driven by evil gods, are attempting to tear open more dangerous sinkholes.

"At sea—could it be that the Bermuda Triangle sinkhole has been opened?"

Xu Lindong felt a sense of unease, so he left his room and went to the living room on the first floor.

Seeing him come downstairs, Yi Guoqiang immediately hung up the phone, grinned, and said, "Adong, going to work? It's almost nine o'clock, the staff canteen in the residential compound is probably closing down. Should I ask Aunt Zhou to fry you a few eggs?"

"Need not."

Xu Lindong shook his head, then asked, "Uncle Yi, were you talking to Aunt Luo in Shanghai just now? I overheard some parts; did something happen in Shanghai?"

Yi Guoqiang was taken aback, his face darkened, and he waved his hand, saying, "Don't worry about this. You know what kind of person your Aunt Luo is."

Over the years, no matter how well she's doing outside, I haven't contacted her, and she's never asked us a single question.

Now look what's happened! They've gotten themselves into trouble, and now they're remembering us. Ha!

He shook his head, his expression disdainful yet revealing a hint of satisfaction.

It's heartening to see that Ah Dong has really made something of himself now.

The relatives who looked down on them back then are now coming to them on their own initiative.

Unfortunately, no way!

"Uncle Yi, it's up to you. If you really need help, just let me know anytime."

Xu Lindong nodded and said.

He didn't want to get involved in the affairs of his elders.

But if Uncle Yi changes his mind, he won't refuse.

"Go away, go do your own thing. I said I won't help, and I mean it."

Yi Guoqiang urged him repeatedly.

Xu Lindong shrugged, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and walked out of the house.

He glanced at the weather, which had become somewhat gloomy, and frowned slightly.

It's May now, and the weather should be a bit hot.

But recently it feels like the temperature has dropped, and it's a bit chilly.

There was even a faint sense that the extraordinary energy fluctuations in the air seemed to have become somewhat restless.

"Does it really have a global impact?"

With doubts in his heart, he hurried towards the silo ahead.

He took out his extraordinary phone, opened the internal group, and browsed the latest news.

.——

"Old Yi, with your stubborn temper, are you really not going to help Luo Juan's family?"

After Xu Lindong left, Zhou Hui came out from the inner room, pulled Yi Guoqiang to sit down on the sofa, and looked hesitant.

Yi Guoqiang scoffed, crossed his legs, and laughed, "What did Luo Juan say back then? Huh? At that time, we couldn't afford Adong's tuition, so we thought of asking her, our cousin, for a loan."

Why does she look down on us?

They say I, Lao Yi, can't become a superhuman, and neither do my two kids have that talent, so why waste money?

"Look at our family now! I won't even mention Ah Dong, but even Xun Xun, who seemed like a good-for-nothing, has become a superhuman!"

"How can you talk about your own daughter like that?" Zhou Hui immediately scolded.

Yi Guoqiang snorted: "I think Luo Juan's two children are really talentless. They hooked up with a rich second-generation and ran off to Shanghai, and neither of them has become a superhuman yet."

Last year, I wanted to raise money to buy some supernatural items for Adong. Everyone in the family group chat offered to help out, but did she say a word?

He shook his head: "The fickleness of human relationships... In the end, I didn't ask anyone for anything and went to get the Extraordinary Loan myself. Fortunately, Ah Dong is doing well now."

"Sigh, whatever you want. If it really gets dangerous in Shanghai, and Luo Juan calls again—you should still ask A-Dong what he thinks."

Zhou Hui, being soft-hearted, said softly, "She's a relative after all. She also got divorced a couple of years ago, and it hasn't been easy for her. We'll help if we can, but there's nothing we can do if we really can't."

"Why are you bringing this up now? We should be going out and stock up on supplies. I saw some neighbors already out this morning."

Yi Guoqiang stood up and said.

"This—" Zhou Hui exclaimed in surprise, "Is this really necessary? We're in the central region, no matter how chaotic things are outside, it shouldn't affect us here, right?"

"What do you know—"

As soon as Yi Guoqiang raised his hand, he saw Zhou Hui frown and immediately changed his tune, laughing, "You don't understand, it's always good to stock up on some first."

My neighbor told me that there's a risk across the whole country this time, possibly related to sinkholes in various places. Didn't you notice that our lights were having some connection problems last night?

Zhou Hui thought about it and agreed.

Ten years ago, when the sinkhole invaded the city, many areas of the city suddenly lost power.

She got up, picked up her bag, and said, "The neighbors in the residential compound seem to be very resourceful and well-informed. Let's go buy some more."

""

Yi Guoqiang put on his coat. "I'll make a call and get a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi."

In just one day, the situation across the country became much more tense.

Xu Lindong saw a lot of messages in the internal group.

There are reports from the border region of Daxing that several coastal cities have been attacked by tsunamis and sea monsters.

However, this intelligence is currently only circulating internally and has not spread widely on the internet.

Clearly, a mysterious force was preventing the rapid spread of these messages and thus avoiding the spread of panic.

Xu Lindong knew that the country had already activated its response mechanism.

According to the reports in the group, both the situation at the border and the tsunami and sea monster attacks along the coast have been brought under control in the first instance.

"It seems that the contingency plan was prepared long ago."

He pondered for a moment, then went to the dining hall inside the Department of Mysteries.

The atmosphere in the cafeteria was more somber than usual.

Team leader Fan Jun and several team members hurriedly ate a meal, seemingly having a mission to complete.

He saw Xiao Mufeng and the other team members eating at the other end of the cafeteria.

"Captain Xu, over here!"

Li Yunfan greeted him.

Xu Lindong got some breakfast and didn't rush over.

Instead, they headed towards Fan Jun and his group.

After asking a question, I learned that Fan Jun was going to investigate any anomalies around the Jiangtan Wharf and Shuifu.

"The situation is not simple right now."

Fan Jun lit a cigarette after the meal, took a deep drag, and reminded everyone: "The days ahead are probably not going to be peaceful—be prepared."

He glanced at Xu Lindong and said, "The director will probably be summoning us in the next couple of days."

Xu Lindong nodded.

He himself has not received any formal notification.

After clarifying the situation, he immediately went to the team members.

After giving some instructions...

Nothing to do.

After finishing breakfast, he returned to the company's rest room, tilted his head back, drank a vial of extraordinary potion, and began to cultivate cross-legged.

Over the next two days, the atmosphere in the city became more and more tense.

Rumors have spread from an unknown source that the seals on sinkholes across the country are about to be loosened.

Many residents in the city also panicked and began to rush to buy and hoard supplies.

Some lunatics even started shouting in the city that they wanted to welcome the opening of the sinkhole, and that it was better to guide than to block.

Those who clamored these evil remarks, including merchants who bought and sold goods illegally, were quickly arrested and severely punished.

Following this, even the municipal government issued a notice reminding residents that "even if trouble arises in the future, it will be under control."

"Hoarding of supplies is prohibited. The national reserves are sufficient and will be allocated in a unified manner if necessary."

Inside the villa.

Xu Lindong looked at the rice, flour, oil, and salt that Uncle Yi and Aunt Zhou had brought back.

There were even several boxes of canned food that Lin Xiao had taken the opportunity to slip over yesterday, filling the entire basement room to the brim. I shook my head speechlessly.

"Uncle Yi, this should be enough to eat for half a year, right?

Yi Guoqiang smiled awkwardly, "It's better to be prepared. After all, there are four people in our family. I heard that the price of gold is rising, but it's too expensive."

""

"Okay, let's not hoard any more, they might expire soon."

Xu Lindong gave a reminder and then went upstairs.

Sister Xun has been so busy these past few days that she's nowhere to be seen. When she does come back, she doesn't say much, just puts on her headphones and plays games, occasionally letting out a long sigh, in a "I'm tired, whatever, I don't care if the world ends" kind of relaxed state.

He continued his cultivation as usual and had already begun to grasp the ability of "ghosts knocking on the door".

With the help of two bottles of Level 2 Extraordinary Potions, his energy and spirit steadily climbed to 174.

However, the promotion resources that the Extraordinary Research Institute promised to send have not yet arrived.

Xu Lindong was already feeling somewhat anxious.

That night, he made a phone call to Mr. Qu.

The other party explained that there was a problem with the shipping route towards the capital, and then advised him not to worry, saying that they would discuss a solution with their director, Zheng Feng.

"Why is our director being dragged into this transportation of supplies?"

Xu Lindong felt a little confused, picked up his phone, and glanced out the window.

This May, the sky was actually more gloomy than in previous years.

The streetlights came on early, their light flickering frequently and appearing somewhat unstable in the deepening twilight.

The extraordinary energy permeating the air seemed to become even more restless, causing frequent problems with the city's electrical circuits.

On a distant street corner, two electricians are climbing onto a transformer to perform maintenance.

"never mind."

He looked away and put down his phone.

The situation is complicated right now, so it's better to avoid trouble and wait for further instructions.

"Snapped!"

With a casual flick of his wrist, he swatted a mosquito buzzing in his ear to death.

Xu Lindong raised an eyebrow as he opened his palm.

It's only May, and the mosquitoes have not only emerged, but they've also grown considerably larger, with thick, hard legs and swollen bellies.

Within the dark red blood, there was even a faint trace of extraordinary energy.

His inner demons stirred instinctively for a moment, but he immediately suppressed them.

"Which superhuman in the family compound is so careless as to get bitten by a mosquito?!"

With a thought, a flame shot up from his palm, instantly burning and purifying the mosquito with a soft "boom".

He sensed that this mosquito was unusual, so he immediately reached out and knocked on the window.

The essence of the ghostly howl is the vibration of the corpse's heart, which is transmitted to the vocal cords, triggering sound waves that kill.

Since the power originates from the corpse's heart, it doesn't necessarily have to be emitted from the mouth.

"Knock, knock, knock—"

The sound of fingers tapping on the window echoed in the room.

It sounded like a ghost knocking on the door, or perhaps like a door god asking a question.

An eerie sound echoed in the room.

Through his contact with the door, the energy was transmitted to the walls and floors around the villa, and even to other doors.

A ring of pale ripples, imbued with the fiery power of the door gods and their power to ward off evil, dispel malevolent influences, and protect the home, spread outwards.

Instantly, the mosquitoes buzzing around the villa, inside and outside the doors, all trembled, their buzzing disrupted by the continuous knocking.

They died instantly, then were blasted into dust.

"The world is peaceful now!"

Xu Lindong withdrew his hand.

This is much more efficient than laser mosquito killers.

Moreover, his protective power has spread to safeguard the house, so no mosquitoes will be able to enter the house this summer.

The following morning.

As soon as Xu Lindong entered the company, he ran into Fan Jun leading his team back.

Several team members sustained injuries.

He Shaojun had abrasions on his arm.

Fan Jun had one hand wrapped in bandages, which were seeping dark red.

Xu Lindong's heart tightened, and he quickly stepped forward: "Captain Fan, what happened?"

Fan Jun wiped the dust off his face and spat, "Something happened at the Jiangtan Water Mansion. There was a fluctuation in the field, and something down there was trying to rush out, almost breaking through the blockade."

He Shaojun said in a heavy tone: "Fortunately, the scene had been cleared and sealed off in advance. We gave it our all and finally managed to bring it under control without affecting the civilians."

"Is it that serious? This is inside the city."

Xu Lindong felt a heavy weight in his heart.

As he was speaking, he felt his phone vibrate.

Director Zheng sent a notice asking him to go to his office immediately.

Seeing this, Fan Jun shook his head and smiled, "Looks like your mission is coming soon. Be careful. I can't even rest now that I'm back. Deputy Director Tan is looking for me."

Xu Lindong nodded, "You should go see Dr. Lei for treatment first."

He turned around, went to the director's office, knocked on the door, and went in.

"Director, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, please sit down!"

Zheng Feng looked slightly tired, as if he hadn't slept well for several nights.

He casually poured himself a cup of tea, then pressed a remote control to turn on a holographic projection screen.

The moment the screen lit up, a blinding white light enveloped the opposite wall.

Live footage of the headquarters of the Department of the Supernatural appeared.

The screen is facing a task screen.

The headquarters captain and a security consultant were sitting behind him; the consultant was none other than Xie Yun, who was known as the Judge of a Hundred Ghosts.

The image is currently still.

The mission notification text is displayed in the center of the screen.

Below it hangs a [Heavenly Pride Token] with a flowing, dark blue luster.

"Director, what's this?" Xu Lindong asked Zheng Feng.

Zheng Feng's expression turned solemn: "Now all the districts are watching the headquarters' actions and waiting for the announcement."

The National Headquarters has issued an order requiring all major city-level supernatural departments to immediately launch a comprehensive regional risk assessment.

Tasks are assigned from the low sequence to the medium sequence.

This time, headquarters will organize a joint operation across regions.

"The other teams are all arranged by Deputy Commander Tan. Now the focus is on you. You have been included in the Tianjiao Project."

Besides you, He Shaojun is also on the list from our company.

The competition for prodigies has now begun, but I have even higher expectations for you.

"That's why I'm speaking to you privately, to make you understand the seriousness of this mission."

Zheng Feng's expression was solemn. "You will be competing not only with the top talents from other regions of headquarters, but also with all the candidates included in the plan from all headquarters and even the head office across the country."

Xu Lindong was taken aback: "Is the competition conducted through cleaning tasks and area inspections?"

"good!"

Zheng Feng nodded. "This is also a rare opportunity."

The "Tianjiao Project" has officially launched, with massive resources allocated to the winners. The opportunities this year may far exceed those of the previous three.

He laughed again. "I just hope you can rank among the top three talents in our Jiangcheng region. Are you confident?"

"You think highly of me?"

Xu Lindong was surprised, then nodded without hesitation: "Yes!"

"Good! That's the spirit we've been looking for!"

Zheng Feng laughed loudly, glanced at the screen, and then said with a serious expression, "We are currently in a critical period. I have a suggestion, but there may be risks involved. I would like to ask for your opinion first."

"Director, please speak," Xu Lindong said earnestly.

Zheng Feng said in a deep voice, "Your extraordinary talent is top-tier, and you are almost unaffected by the backlash from extraordinary substances. This is comparable to the top seven people in the country. Your only shortcoming is that your talent for cultivation is slightly inferior."

"But cultivation talent can be built up with resources. After discussing with Mr. Qu yesterday, I hope you can join the Extraordinary Research Institute's top-tier 'Transcendence Project'."

This plan, in conjunction with the "Tianjiao Project," can complement each other.

"The Transcendence Plan?" Xu Lindong looked surprised, only then realizing why Mr. Qu had said he wanted to contact the director.

It turns out that the two of them had been discussing his affairs for some time.

Zheng Feng nodded and said, "You should have heard the ancient legend that if you can cultivate the three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Man at the same time, you can transcend and become an immortal."

He said with a touch of emotion, "I always thought it was just a legend, something no one could do. It wasn't until I had a deep conversation with Mr. Qu that I learned the Extraordinary Research Institute had already made initial progress in this field."

"Among those seven top geniuses, some have already begun to cultivate three paths simultaneously. This matter has not yet spread widely. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known."

Xu Lindong was startled.

I never imagined that someone would have already taken this path.

Zheng Feng continued, "But cultivating all three paths simultaneously is destined to be difficult, and it will become increasingly dangerous as you go on."

However, once mastered, it becomes virtually invincible within its own realm, and even in battles against opponents of higher levels, it can maintain a decisive advantage—this is what makes it truly terrifying.

"More importantly, this plan has always received the full support of His Majesty the God of Man."

In its early years, due to resource shortages and a lack of talent, it was difficult to achieve any breakthroughs.

Now, with the emergence of domestic geniuses, things are finally turning around.

"Therefore, although your talent for cultivation is slightly weaker, I still hope that you can join us."

"Lack of talent can be compensated for with resources, and as long as you maintain your advantage in the Prodigy Program, resources will never run out."

Zheng Feng said in a solemn and meaningful tone, "Once you cultivate all three paths and master the power of the three methods, you can remain invincible for a long time and compete for resources. It is a perfect closed loop."

Xu Lindong's eyes flickered.

This is indeed a perfect closed loop.

He was originally considering how to legitimately cultivate the Earthly Path after cultivating the Human Path.

Now the plan has been delivered right to our doorstep.

It's like someone's handing you a pillow whenever you want to sleep.

Zheng Feng's tone turned somber: "The only danger of this plan is that once you embark on this path, there is no turning back."

Although you are not currently experiencing any backlash from extraordinary matter, as your cultivation level increases and your matter becomes stronger, it's uncertain whether you will be able to withstand it in the future. Therefore, there are risks involved—”

"Director, there's no need to say any more."

Xu Lindong stood up abruptly and said decisively, "I'm willing to join."

He calmly replied, "How can the path of cultivation be without risk? With the global situation tense and crises looming ever closer, the greatest danger lies in lacking strength. I would rather wield power and proactively control the danger!"

Zheng Feng was taken aback, then stood up and shook hands firmly with Xu Lindong.

"Good! Very good!"

His eyes gleamed with admiration: "I knew I hadn't misjudged you; you have guts!"

"Take these few days to prepare, then go to the branch of the Extraordinary Research Institute to begin preparing for the village head and the zombie's promotion."

He pondered for a moment and said, "The timing can be arranged before or after the mission, it won't have any impact."

"I'll secure the extraordinary materials needed for your promotion from the department first, and then supply the rest once the research institute's supplies arrive."

Xu Lindong thought for a moment and said, "Director, I'm ready. The promotion requirements for village head and zombie aren't too demanding, and I meet them all. Now, all I need is the extraordinary material."

"As for going to the research institute branch—I don't think it's necessary. I plan to break through at home and don't want to be disturbed."

Zheng Feng was taken aback upon hearing this, but after a moment's thought, he also found it reasonable.

The promotion of a village head only requires sufficient influence and a certain understanding of the hierarchy.

Advancing as a zombie is simple; all you need to do is come into contact with underground zombies or related evil entities and understand their habits.

With Xu Lindong's current experience and reputation, as long as he has extraordinary materials, a breakthrough will be a natural outcome.

"Okay, we'll do it your way."

Zheng Feng waved his hand and approved it directly.

He sincerely hoped that Xu Lindong could make a name for himself.

These are the people he personally trained.

If he can truly stand out in the national elite program, it will not only fulfill his long-held expectations, but also secure resources for his advancement to the sixth rank.

This is a win-win situation.

The two then discussed some specific details.

Not long after, the previously static screen on the other side suddenly started moving.

Sitting in the light screen, the headquarters captain, Wan Ting, spoke in a deep voice: "Now, issue an emergency cleanup mission to the elites in each region."

Mission ID: TX-041

"Task area: All stations on the old Line 3 and Line 5 branch of Jiangcheng Metro."

"Mission nature: Reinforce the seal on the evil creatures in the subway, plus area clearing."

"Reward Rules: Prodigy Competition Mode".

Rankings are based on individual contribution, number of anomalies cleared, and mission team survival rate.

"National Elite Ranking, updated in real time."

Important reminder!

"The top ten geniuses in the country will be given all materials that allow them to break through and advance to the extraordinary level below Sequence 5, and will have the right to choose any B-grade artifact."

"The remaining prodigies will be awarded large amounts of merit points and cultivation resources according to their ranking."

"In addition, Jiangcheng offers extra rewards to the top talents in this region: those who rank in the top three in Jiangcheng will receive all materials below the middle rank that will be upgraded to extraordinary levels, as well as the right to choose any C-grade artifact."

As soon as the announcement was made, all the geniuses in Jiangcheng's four districts and headquarters who were watching the video were instantly in an uproar.

The elites exchanged glances, many with excitement mixed with apprehension.

"How is it?"

Zheng Feng looked at Xu Lindong and smiled, "As long as you maintain your advantage in the competition and rank among the top three in the headquarters, resources will naturally flow in continuously."

"Others who get the top three spots can only get a promotion resource in the middle or lower ranks."

"Since you cultivate three paths simultaneously, you can receive three portions. As long as your cultivation speed keeps up, resources will never be a problem."

Xu Lindong was taken aback at first, but then he realized the key point and his eyes immediately lit up with a sharp light.

This is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He must fight for it!

"Announcement Supplement: Before the mission begins, each player can reorganize and match their team."

If no adjustments are made, an elimination mechanism will be implemented.

Team members who fail to meet the contribution standards during the mission will be eliminated after the mission ends.

At that time, the team captains can select replacements from various regions on their own, or the headquarters can coordinate and arrange them uniformly.

At this moment, the information on the light screen was updated again.

"Reorganize and match team members?" Xu Lindong frowned slightly.

Zheng Feng explained, "The cleaning mission is inherently dangerous, especially when you're following a prodigy like yourself."

Some members of your team are already falling behind the pace. Forcing them to act together might actually hinder the team as a whole, and could even endanger them personally.

"Even if headquarters didn't remind you, I would still suggest you reorganize. My personal opinion is: transfer team members with insufficient combat potential, such as Li Yunfan, to logistics, and only keep a few main combat team members with you."

"If a key member performs poorly during a mission, they will also be eliminated. In that case, personnel will be transferred from our company or other companies to be reassigned to you."

Xu Lindong pondered for a moment, considering the risks involved in the mission, and slowly nodded: "Okay, I will communicate with them and listen to their opinions."

If someone is aware of the risks but still willing to participate in the experience, I will not forcibly exclude them; I am willing to give them a chance to grow.

The path is one's own choice.

If someone is willing to face risks and accept challenges, they can certainly be given opportunities, but they still need to have self-awareness.

"Okay!" Zheng Feng agreed. "I'll give you two days to prepare for your promotion. You'll be in charge of the Shibei Road station area on Line 5. You can relax there for a couple of days."

"You can go and collect the extraordinary materials needed for your advancement now."

Zheng Feng acted swiftly and decisively.

He took a glowing token and a slip of paper from the drawer and handed them to Xu Lindong, saying simply, "I'll approve the slip, you write the report!"

"yes!"

Xu Lindong accepted the gifts, turned and left the office, looking at the Heavenly Pride Token in his hand, his heart surging with emotion.

Cultivating the three paths simultaneously!

This opportunity has finally arrived!

He originally thought it would take a long time before he could gradually reveal his plan to practice the three paths together and gain more attention and resources.

Unexpectedly, the Xia Kingdom's General Command has now launched the Prodigy Competition Plan, and the opportunity has arrived.

"I wonder if this counts as the upheaval that Your Majesty spoke of?"