Chapter 85: The Chaos of the Night Approaches

"Little Lin, you can't keep avoiding cultivation like this. You have to listen to me," the elderly woman reprimanded, quickly tensing up the harmonious atmosphere. "Now that the world's primal qi has returned, if you don't cultivate, you'll be wasting an amazing opportunity."

Shen Qianlin's expression darkened as she gazed out the window, lost in thought.

"After all, you're—"

"According to sect traditions, I should have the freedom to choose my own path in life," Shen Qianlin softly replied, her eyes glimmering. "We were all just ordinary people to begin with. I want to stay normal, find a partner who also doesn't cultivate, get married, have children, and live an ordinary life with a stable job that can support me. As long as I stay safe and healthy, that should be enough."

"Are you still holding on to what happened back then? Even the sect master had his difficulties."

"Take me back to school, Third Grandma. Please don't try to persuade me anymore. I'm happy with my life right now," Shen Qianlin said with a gentle smile.

The elderly woman sighed helplessly but dared not push further. Instead, she cautioned, "There will likely be some chaos tonight, so don't go out. We'll be keeping watch from the shadows."

"You don't have to protect me. I'll just stay in my dorm," Shen Qianlin replied. She hesitated for a moment but ultimately left it at that.

The elderly woman lowered her voice. "Little Lin, if you truly have feelings for that sword cultivator, why not walk the path of cultivation together? You could retreat from the mortal world and become a pair of Daoist couples even the gods would envy. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"It wouldn't. "Shen Qianlin rolled her eyes and huffed. "Third Grandma, if you keep bringing this up, I'm getting out of the car."

"Alright, alright, I'll drop it. After three years, I've finally left seclusion and gotten to see you. How could I let you leave so soon?"

Although Shen Qianlin had dismissed the idea outright, contemplation still flickered in the old woman's eyes.

Shen Qianlin noticed the look but remained silent. Resting her chin on her hand, she watched the passing cityscape as she got lost in thought, her mind was a jumbled mess.

***

Some would remember the coming night vividly, while others would do their best to forget it.

The auction for the Celestial Master Secret Scroll was scheduled to begin at midnight. Since the news about the auction was posted at noon, countless cultivators had received word. Within just half a day, many had made their way into the prosperous riverside city through various channels.

As night fell, the city gradually quieted down.

By 9:00 PM, police units had taken their positions at major intersections. Near key buildings, groups of soldiers in camouflage combat uniforms sat on the ground as still and silently as statues.

The cultivators who had been wandering around the city for the past two days had now seemingly vanished. However, forces were lurking beneath the surface, ready to strike.

Having learned that over a hundred copies of the Longhu Celestial Master Sect's Daoist heritage were on public auction, all the cultivators who coveted it naturally felt excited.

The four essentials of cultivation were methods, wealth, companions, and location. Among them, methods formed the foundation of everything. Even without the third volume, the Celestial Master Secret Scroll was immensely alluring to those lacking profound techniques.

Whether they followed the righteous path or strayed into the unorthodox way, no cultivator could resist a high-level Daoist heritage scroll that had not only been openly priced but was also not outrageously expensive.

At 10:00 PM, over a hundred Longhu cultivators boarded the convoy waiting at the Special Investigation Unit's temporary headquarters. They were all dressed in Daoist robes.

Among them were over twenty second-generation Dao masters and over eighty third-generation disciples. Every one of them was skilled in Daoist arts and proficient in talismans.

Once they started heading to the locations where the Fire Sage was most likely to appear, another group of over ten elderly Daoists stepped forward, clad in robes of various colors. Some were from the Longhu Mountains, while others were experts invited to lend their aid. The Special Investigation Unit had also specially recruited a few of them.

They, too, hopped into vehicles and headed to their prearranged posts.

Their plan was simple: at each place that the Fire Sage could designate as the auction site, formidable experts had to be present to immediately seize control of the situation.

Inside the command center, Chi Ling sat alongside several middle-aged officers in military uniforms. Large screens on the walls displayed live footage from different parts of the city.

The room was sweltering, with over a hundred computers running simultaneously and consuming enormous amounts of electricity.

Dozens of technical specialists monitored the screens, while cyber police, temporarily assembled for the mission, prepared for an all-night operation. They remained silent, focused entirely on tracking movements online.

A dozen or so young women were positioned closest to Chi Ling, serving as communication officers. Their role was to consolidate intelligence from various sources and relay updates to the captain while promptly passing on her commands to different teams.

"The Dao masters have begun moving into their designated areas. Emergency lanes on all major roads have been cleared."

"Captain, fifteen helicopters and six emergency rescue aircraft have been deployed."

"No unusual activity detected on the streets so far. The key suspect areas have been sealed off, but we have yet to detect any server signals."

"We have completed security checks on all corporate networks within the city. The enemy should have trouble breaching any of these firewalls now. We're also prepared to forcibly shut down servers if necessary, though some backup circuits remain a concern."

Amid the rapid-fire reports, Chi Ling continuously issued instructions and approvals, operating with machine-like efficiency.

However, as the clock ticked closer to midnight, she began to feel a little uneasy. It was as if she had overlooked something crucial.

"Alert all teams. The moment the Fire Sage appears, eliminate him on sight."

"Understood."

Leaning back in her chair, Chi Ling rubbed her temples. The middle-aged men and women sitting nearby remained silent, quietly awaiting her next order.

That night, the Special Warfare Unit members stationed throughout the city only followed orders from the officers in command.

What had been overlooked?

For the Fire Sage to conduct the auction through a private network, three key elements were necessary: a server, terminals, and network connectivity.

The Fire Sage's foreign team would likely infiltrate an existing internal network to set up their system. At the very least, that was the conclusion that the investigation unit had reached after multiple meetings.

A middle-aged officer beside Chi Ling asked in a low voice, "Captain, is it possible that the enemy is deliberately drawing our attention here while the real auction is happening elsewhere? Or maybe they're simply conducting transactions through email?"

"Our undercover agents have already transferred money and been verified as potential buyers," another officer countered. "Since the sellers have no way of distinguishing our people from other customers, the intelligence they've provided should be reliable for now..."

Chi Ling shook her head slightly. "Judging from the situation, the Fire Sage likely wants to gather as many cultivators as possible. Otherwise, they wouldn't be holding an in-person auction."

"Then what exactly is his goal?"

"This world has never lacked lunatics and deranged criminals," Chi Ling replied as she crossed her arms. She sounded as composed as ever. "These self-proclaimed saints, who in reality do nothing but endanger the public, are just narcissistic psychopaths driven by their own delusions."

The officers nodded in agreement, dropping the discussion.

As they completed their final preparations, the reports gradually died down. A heavy silence then settled over the command center.

A storm was brewing.

Throughout the city, countless pairs of eyes watched the increasingly empty streets. Many people sat by their phones, waiting for the message that would arrive in an hour.

Those who had managed to transfer funds to foreign bank accounts through various channels and met the required deposit had all left their contact information.

If everything went smoothly tonight and they successfully submitted their prepared cultivation techniques, they would stand a high chance of acquiring the first and second volumes of the Celestial Master Secret Scroll.

In a secluded parking lot, a young man sitting in a driver's seat glanced around warily. Three Daoist Masters were in the car with him, their eyes closed in meditation.

"Martial Uncle, what if the six scrolls we prepared aren't enough? Since it's an auction, someone is bound to outbid us."

"If that happens, we'll borrow a few more."

The young man was taken aback. "Borrow? Who would lend us cultivation techniques? Isn't everyone..." The young man trailed off as he caught sight of his martial uncle's cold smile, immediately understanding what his martial uncle meant.

If they didn't have enough, they would simply take what they needed.

***

In a private room in the city hospital's inpatient ward, Wang Sheng sat on his bed with his eyes closed. Though he couldn't sit cross-legged yet, it didn't stop him from cultivating.

To speed up his recovery, he had already begun refining the bones in his lower legs and feet. Technically, he no longer needed a cast, but he still couldn't walk freely.

Tonight should have been an exceptionally busy night for Mou Yue. However, thanks to Wang Sheng, she was able to sit comfortably by his bedside, flipping through a beauty magazine.

Bulldozer, on the other hand, was visibly restless. He kept checking the task force group chat, worried about what could unfold next.

"What time is it?" Wang Sheng asked. Before Mou Yue could respond, he had already opened his eyes.

The wall clock read 11:15 PM.

Mou Yue softly said, "The auction starts in forty-five minutes. You should just focus on resting. There's no need to worry about all that."

Wang Sheng nodded calmly. "

Mm.

"

He could have gone to help if only he weren't injured. Unfortunately, he still required someone to push him around just to move. With his combat abilities severely limited, he would only be a burden.

Bulldozer chuckled. "How about I peel an orange for you? Since we're just sitting around, why don't you teach me a few moves?"

Wang Sheng was about to agree when Bulldozer eagerly rubbed his hands together and moved closer. Mou Yue rolled her eyes.

Bzz!

Wang Sheng's phone vibrated. The screen showed an unfamiliar number, but when he answered, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Brother Sheng? Are you free? I think someone's following me... Can you help me out?"