Star Martial Police Bureau. Conference Room.
The spacious conference room was bright and tidy, but the atmosphere was incredibly oppressive.
Dozens of high-ranking officials from the bureau were gathered around the conference table.
Each of them was dressed in a crisp, formal uniform, with gleaming gold stars signifying their rank adorning their shoulders. They were all elites in the defense against Star Beasts, individuals whose every move could send shockwaves through their field.
But now, their normally stern faces were etched with deep worry.
"Commander, we just received word. We've lost another brother."
An older district police chief sighed and addressed the Commander at the head of the table. "This is the seventh case already. We can't let this go on."
With another sigh, he took out a remote and activated the holographic projector on the table.
Soon.
Blue light-fibers wove together, forming a miniature map of Jianghai City. Several red dots were scattered across it, marking the locations of the incidents.
In just the last three days, several more murders had occurred within Jianghai City.
The timing of some of these crimes even indicated they had happened simultaneously.
From this, the Star Martial Police Bureau could already confirm one fact.
These Bloodthirsty Demons... there was more than one.
It was highly likely they were a group working together!
The Demon the bureau had captured might just be the tip of the iceberg!
"I understand what you're all saying."
The Commander propped his chin on his hands, his eyes glinting and his expression incomparably grim.
Following the previous capture of that Bloodthirsty Demon,
peace had still not returned to the Jianghai City District in the last three days.
On the surface, it seemed as if everything was over. But in reality, an undercurrent was surging, and it was still extremely dangerous!
Ever since the Demon's capture,
the bureau's arrest operation had enraged the culprit's accomplices, causing them to escalate their killing spree!
Their targets were no longer limited to ordinary citizens.
Instead, they had all turned to attacking members of the Star Martial Police Bureau!
"This is blatant revenge!"
A hot-headed, high-ranking bureau official slammed his hand on the table and roared, "These bastards have no respect for the Star Martial Police Bureau at all! All of you, take a good look... at the brothers they tortured to death!"
The moment he finished speaking,
the officer in charge of the display didn't hesitate, quickly pressing the remote.
The next moment,
the holographic projection on the table shifted. The city map dissolved, replaced by images of corpses in Star Martial Police Bureau uniforms.
The faces of the dead officers were withered, their flesh shrunken. Their deaths had been horrific—all of them had been drained of their blood while still alive by the Bloodthirsty Demons.
The sight of such gruesome, terrifying deaths was so unbearable that even veteran officers, with their years of service, had to turn their heads away, unable to watch any longer.
"Don't panic. All of you, calm down."
The Chief Commander's face was dark, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
Hearing his order, the others fell silent, awaiting his next command.
The conference room fell into silence.
The Commander's gaze shifted, sweeping over the images of the dead officers on the projection.
He, of course, understood as well.
'The situation is critical now.'
'Letting these Bloodthirsty Demons run rampant isn't a solution.'
'If we don't eradicate them completely, my bureau won't be able to face the citizens.'
"How many citizens know about this right now?"
The Commander asked a high-ranking official nearby.
"None, sir. Not a single one," the high-ranking official explained. "Rest assured, Commander. We implemented a complete information blackout the moment this began."
"Good. Maintain the blackout and increase the manpower for patrols."
The Commander said in a low voice, "From the looks of it, that group of fiends has clearly shifted the focus of their slaughter entirely onto our bureau.
We just told the public that the Bloodthirsty Demon was dealt with. They've only just settled down; we can't let them be frightened again."
"Yes, sir. I'll see to it immediately."
After some discussion,
the emergency meeting was adjourned.
Over the next few days, the police presence on patrol throughout the Jianghai City districts quietly doubled.
However, to the Commander's relief, it seemed the Demons had caught wind of the changes and gotten scared.
After the meeting, there were no more reports of crimes committed by Bloodthirsty Demons.
The storm seemed to have passed....
...
But while the manhunt was in full swing...
「In the Star Martial Police Bureau's prison, the midday sun shone brightly, casting its light through a window and into a cell.」
A gaunt prisoner facing the bright sun suddenly began to convulse, his face completely drained of color.
He stopped breathing and dropped dead right there in his cell....
"Damn it, another one's dead!"
The prison guard on his rounds heard the sound and rushed over, cursing angrily.
In the Star Martial Police Bureau's prison, death was a common occurrence.
Most of the prisoners locked up here were vile and wicked individuals who practiced all sorts of strange, life-shortening Demon Skills.
Sometimes, they'd only be here a few days—barely enough time to warm their seats—before they'd get themselves killed.
The guard spat on the corpse, and without a second thought, he started moving the body to be taken for incineration.
This was just another day in prison.
......
「Meanwhile, on the first floor of the library.」
A few people borrowing books walked past the shelves and suddenly noticed Qin Yang in a corner, resting with his eyes closed.
"Hey, look. The administrator is slacking off again."
"Don't bother. Someone like him has mediocre talent. He'll never become a Cultivator. He's probably fated to be an administrator for the rest of his life."
"Ah, he opened his eyes! Let's go, let's go."
The group pushed at each other and scurried away with their heads down.
Hearing this, Qin Yang, who had been comprehending Martial Arts, opened his eyes, feeling rather helpless.
'What's wrong with me slacking off?'
'It's not like my slacking off is costing you anything!'
Qin Yang rolled his eyes.
Just as he was feeling annoyed...
"Old Qin!"
A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind him.
Qin Yang turned his head to see Xia He scurrying over excitedly.
"What's up? What's the rush?"
"A beauty! There's a beauty! Come on!"
Xia He impatiently grabbed Qin Yang, pulling him toward the entrance. "This one's an absolute knockout! Hundreds of times better than those trashy sluts in black stockings!"
"Oh? Something that good?"
Qin Yang shook off his hand and immediately took off, walking even faster than Xia He.
Xia He: "..."
Soon.
The two of them arrived at their target area.
There, in the library's lounge area, a girl of about seventeen or eighteen was reading quietly.
Warm sunlight spilled onto her shoulders. Her face was pure and stunningly beautiful. She wore a simple, elegant white dress, and her long, waterfall-like black hair only enhanced her grace.
This was none other than...
the young woman who had been with the Dean of the Jianghai Martial Arts Academy after the One Sword Breaks the Peak incident!
And at that very moment!
A notification from the system suddenly sounded in Qin Yang's mind!
"DING! Empress detected. Host is requested to kowtow and accept her as his master immediately!"