Black Silk Female Police Detective Exorcist

. . . . .

More than half an hour later, an administrative staff member from the Investigation Bureau headquarters came to inform them that the patrol officers and investigators near the capital had already assembled in the conference room and were waiting for Wu Xiqun to start the meeting.

Wu Xiqun then led Qin Huanyu away from the office and headed to the conference room.

The main conference room at the headquarters of the Bureau of Investigation is quite large, and it is structurally divided into two parts.

The first part is a large rectangular table. During formal meetings, the royal family member who serves as the director sits at the head of the table, with two deputy directors seated at the head of the table on either side, followed by the inspectors. The deputy director codenamed Sword Saint is stationed at the Royal Treasury and will not leave unless the Holy Zhou Kingdom faces a life-or-death crisis; naturally, he will not attend headquarters meetings.

The second section consisted of seats similar to those in a movie theater, numbering in the hundreds, located opposite a large rectangular table. Those seated here were investigators and alternate investigators; they generally did not have the right to speak directly at such large meetings and could only listen in.

Qin Huanyu is currently just an investigator, and she should be sitting in the investigator's seat. In fact, Bai Ling and Yuan Baixue have already reserved a seat for her, just waiting for her to come over so they can whisper to each other during the meeting.

Unexpectedly, just as Qin Huanyu was about to sit down with the investigator, Wu Xiqun reached out and grabbed her leg, indicating that Qin Huanyu could simply stand behind her during the meeting.

The inspectors on both sides of the conference table glanced at Qin Huanyu thoughtfully upon hearing this, but no one said anything more. Ling even winked at Qin Huanyu.

"Wow, Sister Yu is going to get promoted!"

Seeing this, Bai Ling whispered to Yuan Baixue:

"Although I had already guessed that Sister Yu would be the fastest to be promoted among our group of investigators, it was still a bit of a surprise that it happened so quickly... She truly lives up to her reputation as Sister Yu."

"Well……"

Yuan Baixue made no attempt to hide the jealousy in her eyes. She had always craved credit and fame, and at this moment, she wished she were the one standing next to Wu Xiqun.

“Ayu is indeed quite capable, but I think I’m not bad either, it’s just that I’m unlucky…Ayu always seems to encounter big cases, and the only two big cases I’ve ever encountered were both related to her.”

"Luck is also a kind of strength."

Bai Ling was very open-minded, and even started making plans for Qin Huanyu's promotion:

“Once Sister Yu becomes an inspector, she won’t be able to team up with me and Monk Hua for long anymore… Sister Baixue, why don’t you switch teams and join our squad? You saw it in yesterday’s battle, right? The two of us are really strong when we work together, and with Monk Hua tanking the damage, we’re absolutely unstoppable!”

"This……"

Yuan Baixue was genuinely tempted.

She had previously reviewed the case files of Yizhou County over the years and knew that the incidence of supernatural cases in Yizhou County was several times higher than in the area she was in charge of. It was a good place to make a name for herself, and she and Bai Ling were really good at working together!

"Cough cough..."

Just then, Wu Xiqun coughed twice into the microphone and announced the start of the meeting.

For the first hour or so, Wu Xiqun was the only one talking.

Her speech was nothing new; it started by reviewing the history of the 404 Investigation Bureau, and then she said that as the new director, she would work hard to lead everyone in protecting the people of Saint Zhou from supernatural forces as much as possible.

Next was a summary of yesterday's incident. Based on the subsequent investigation report, the casualties and financial losses were read out. Condolences were expressed for those who tragically lost their lives, and it was stated that various forms of compensation would be made to the families of the victims. The substantial material and monetary rewards were just the beginning. The immediate family members within three generations of the victims would also receive preferential treatment in various aspects, such as extra points in the college entrance examination, priority in recruitment when scores were similar, and even leniency in cases of illegal acts.

Finally, the real highlight of the meeting came – due to Lei Mingming's 'betrayal,' the position of deputy director has now become vacant, and it is now the most important one.

The three deputy directors of the 404 Investigation Bureau have different responsibilities and different requirements.

A deputy director is responsible for guarding the royal vault, and is required to be absolutely loyal, highly capable in combat, and able to endure loneliness.

A deputy director is responsible for the daily operation and administration of the investigation bureau. This deputy director is not required to be combat-ready, but must be good at management and interpersonal relationships, and must also have some professional knowledge in various fields, at least enough to understand the reports of investigators and inspectors.

The last deputy director was the same deputy director Lei Mingming had been. The only requirement for this deputy director was that he could fight, fight, and fight. He was also called the executive deputy director, whose main responsibility was to take the lead in the charge whenever a Class A case occurred.

One of the most important objectives of this Bureau of Investigation conference was to appoint a new executive deputy director to succeed Lei Mingming.

"I propose that investigator Qin Huanyu replace deputy director Lei Mingming."

Ignoring the somewhat distorted expressions on the patrolmen's faces, Wu Xiqun, with a hint of excitement, was the first to speak up and offer her suggestion:

"Who is in favor? Who is against?"

It was clear that, apart from Zero, who had a look of schadenfreude on his face, all the inspectors opposed the suggestion, but no one dared to say it.

—You opposed your new boss on her very first day in office. Do you still want to work there?

People who can become inspectors may also dislike playing politics, but they are not so lacking in emotional intelligence.

The inspectors looked at each other, knowing they couldn't agree to the suggestion, but none of them wanted to be the first to object. In the end, the pressure fell on the bald man sitting to Wu Xi's left.

This bald man, who looked to be in his fifties and wore black-rimmed glasses, seemed to lack any fighting ability and stood out somewhat among the patrolmen who could at least dismantle tanks with their bare hands.

No one dared to underestimate him. He was the deputy director in charge of the daily operations and management of the Investigation Bureau. Although he didn't have any particularly outstanding skills, there was nothing he couldn't do. Whether it was the latest technical report written by Qin Huanyu or the analysis of Xuanmen formations written by ancient practitioners, he could understand it.

Zhou Zhengqing, the bald man who was entrusted with high hopes by everyone, felt somewhat helpless, but at this moment he really couldn't back down.

"Director, please reconsider."

This is the headquarters of the Investigation Bureau, so Zhou Zhengqing did not address Wu Xiqun as "Your Highness":

"Investigator Qin Huanyu is indeed very outstanding, with the talent of a deputy director, and she will definitely become an excellent deputy director in the future. However, she is too young; she has only been with the Investigation Bureau for less than three years."

Wu Xiqun understood this principle, of course. In fact, she didn't expect the suggestion to be approved, so she nodded slightly in agreement.

“Deputy Director Zhou is right… Do you have any suitable candidates to recommend? You have been in charge of managing and operating the Investigation Bureau for over 20 years, and no one knows the people in the Investigation Bureau better than you.”

"You flatter me, Director."

Zhou Zhengqing said modestly, but at the same time he breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that Wu Xiqun would throw a tantrum and insist on making Qin Huanyu the deputy director, which would be difficult to handle.

Now that Wu Xiqun is asking Zhou Zhengqing to recommend someone, Zhou Zhengqing, worried that things might get complicated, directly named the most suitable person:

“Inspector Lü Meng is qualified for this position.”

"Inspector Lü Meng..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Xiqun looked at the cybernetic man and nodded slightly:

“Indeed, I heard about Inspector Lü Meng’s achievements when I was still an idol. He had single-handedly defeated the Lord of the Ghost Realm many times and was known as the strongest inspector. In yesterday’s battle, he single-handedly repelled more than 10 elites from the Truth Society. He is capable enough… What do you all think?”

This time, none of the inspectors objected, and even many of the investigators who were observing the meeting showed expressions of support.

Lu Meng is strong, highly qualified, has made many contributions, and is also righteous, generous, and decisive. All the members of the Investigation Bureau who have worked with him have a very good impression of him, so he is the popular choice.

Everyone agreed with the proposal.

"What do you think, Sister Yu?"

Wu Xiqun's expression remained unchanged, but she consulted Qin Huanyu's opinion again, using a clearly personal form of address.

Many members of the Investigation Bureau looked at Qin Huanyu with complicated expressions.

Clearly, regardless of whether Qin Huanyu succeeds in getting promoted today, she will become Wu Xiqun's closest and most favored confidante in the Investigation Bureau, with a bright future ahead of her.

"I also support Senior Lü taking over as deputy director."

Qin Huanyu answered very seriously:

"I once worked with Senior Lü on a case involving the Lord of the Ghost Realm, and I have great respect for his abilities and character."

"Then let's settle this matter."

Wu Xiqun nodded in agreement and instructed Zhou Zhengqing to discuss with the Inner Guard the arrangements for Lü Meng's appointment as deputy director after the meeting.

The deputy director of the Investigation Bureau was formerly a top-ranking demon-slaying guard at the photo studio. The prestige of this top-ranking position was no less than that of a top-ranking official in the imperial court; it was equivalent to a grand marshal or prime minister in the supernatural world.

Formal appointment to this position is not something that can be accomplished simply by issuing a document. The appointee must also swear allegiance to the royal family in a specific ceremony and sign an extraordinary contract, completely binding their own interests and honor to the royal family.

After the new deputy director was selected, the meeting should have ended, but Wu Xiqun showed no sign of ending it.

She pulled Qin Huanyu directly from behind her to her side:

“Many of you are well aware of Sister Yu’s abilities and contributions. Even if you are not, you can check the database files to find out… I agree with your previous opinion that she was too young to be a deputy director. So, is it no problem to promote her to inspector?”

"This……"

The inspectors looked at each other in bewilderment.

Objectively speaking, there's really nothing wrong with this proposal. Qin Huanyu is capable enough to serve as the inspector, and she's also beautiful and likable... If there's any flaw, it's that her qualifications and experience are still a bit lacking.

Besides, I've already refused the new boss's suggestion once, so I can't refuse again, can I?

After exchanging glances, the inspectors were about to express their agreement.

"Please reconsider, Director."

Unexpectedly, Zhou Zhengqing spoke up again at this moment:

"Investigator Qin Huanyu's abilities and contributions are beyond reproach, and I personally admire her greatly. I believe she could become an excellent inspector right now. However, the rule that any investigator must serve for six years before being promoted to inspector was personally established by His Majesty when he founded the Investigation Bureau..."

The subtext is—you overturned your grandmother's rules as soon as you took office, isn't that a bit inappropriate?

"Hmmmmmm..."

Wu Xiqun immediately realized this, and a conflicted expression appeared on her face.

However, after hesitating for a while, Wu Xiqun still did not intend to change her mind, but she also decided to give face to her imperial grandmother's rules:

"How about this: Sister Yu will be promoted to Special Inspector. All her benefits and intelligence authority will be the same as those of a regular Inspector, except that her mission priority will be lower—Sister Yu will only take on Class B cases as Inspector when all the other Inspectors are busy with their own missions. On other days, she will still work as an investigator in Baiguang City. After Sister Yu completes her 6-year term, she will be automatically promoted to a regular Inspector without any conditions. What do you all think?"

The other inspectors had no objection to Qin Huanyu's promotion to the first place, and now that the Empress's face issue had been perfectly resolved, Zhou Zhengqing naturally had no further objections.

With this, the first general meeting of the 404 Investigation Bureau in the new era officially came to an end.

Chapter 183 Jade Acid and Jade Alloy

After the meeting convened by Wu Xiqun in her capacity as the newly appointed director of the 404 Investigation Bureau, the inspectors and investigators of the capital city left one by one over the next few days. The inspectors continued to handle previous cases, while the investigators returned to their respective areas of responsibility.

However, before leaving, most of the inspectors and investigators went to the Royal Treasury and selected their favorite divine weapons or magical artifacts.

This incident, recorded by the Investigation Bureau as the "Escape of the Black Tortoise," was undoubtedly a Class A case. All members of the Investigation Bureau who participated in the case received rewards—as long as they did not desert, they were guaranteed at least a Class B reward, and if they showed a little bravery, they would receive a Class A reward.

Although extraordinary individuals like Yi Youyou and Yuan Tingxue, who belong to the Treasure Pavilion, did not follow the reward process of the Investigation Bureau, the Treasure Pavilion is also loyal to the royal family, and they also received the opportunity to enter the royal secret vault to select treasures.

Qin Huanyu was no exception, but this time she gave up the opportunity to enter the royal treasury and instead took the initiative to request another trophy.

She wanted the corpse of the octopus archbishop of the Church of the Apocalypse.

The value of this corpse is significantly higher than one or two treasures in the royal treasury. Not to mention that its body contains 80% pure iron, which can be extracted to yield about 400 kilograms, more than the entire Holy Zhou Kingdom's production in three years, its extraterrestrial origin alone makes it very valuable for research.

The royal family was certainly aware of this, and many well-informed research institutions were also eyeing the corpse, eager to obtain a piece for their own research.

If anyone else had made such a request, the royal family would have refused without a second thought. However, Qin Huanyu was, after all, the other mother of Wu Xiqun's unborn child and had made significant contributions to the incident.

Not to mention her key role in killing the Octopus Archbishop and helping Wu Xiqun awaken her bloodline, her ability to discover Erica's plot to leave a backdoor in the mechanical spider and control the more than 300 arrogant cultists to fight bravely and buy others a chance to escape greatly reduced the losses of the Holy Zhou Kingdom.

Now that Qin Huanyu says she wants the best of the spoils, no one can refuse.

Of course, it's impossible to exchange the entire corpse of the Octopus Archbishop for a single opportunity to choose a treasure from the Royal Treasury; the difference in value is too great, at least five times or more.

Finally, after some discussion, the royal family and Qin Huanyu reached an agreement.

Qin Huanyu can take away the Octopus Archbishop's corpse for her own research, but she must hand over 100 kilograms of the Exquisite Iron she extracted, and share any technological discoveries she makes.

Someone else might not have agreed to the condition of sharing technology, but Qin Huanyu did. She has always been a proponent of technology sharing and has never kept her achievements to herself since childhood.

After the agreement was reached, Qin Huanyu quickly embarked on her return journey to Baiguang City. She had been in Shendu for more than two months... When she arrived, the students had just started their summer vacation, but now many students had been back in school for almost a month.

Because she also needed to transport the treasure—the body of the Octopus Archbishop—Qin Huanyu didn't take a civilian flight back to Baiguang City. Instead, she took a military transport plane, along with Bai Ling and Shirley.

Upon arriving at the military base not far from the Lingsu Research Institute on the eastern outskirts of Baiguang City, Qin Huanyu saw her father, Qin Hai, as soon as she got off the plane. Qin Hai had already learned that his daughter would be returning and couldn't wait to personally come to the military airport to pick her up.

However, Qin Huanyu was only happy for two minutes after hugging her father when she was speechless to find that Qin Hai hadn't come to pick her up at all... Qin Hai was obviously also very interested in the alien's corpse. Apart from asking about Qin Huanyu's situation in the capital at the beginning, the next three sentences he spoke were all about the corpse.

Qin Huanyu had no choice but to patiently satisfy her father's curiosity on the way, while also inquiring about the situation in Baiguang City over the past two months.

When Qin Huanyu was in Baiguang City, there were many extraordinary cases, ranging from minor ghosts that frightened people to bizarre events at the level of the Lord of the Ghost Realm.

Qin Huanyu and Bai Ling have been gone for more than two months now. During this time, Hua and Shang Chenghai have been handling all the extraordinary cases in the three cities of Baiguang, Shanbei and Nanhu. Is he able to manage it all?

Qin Hai's answer was slightly unexpected by Qin Huanyu.

The cities of Baiguang, Nanhu, and Shanbei have also been quite turbulent for the past two months, with an average of two to three cases involving supernatural powers every week. One would think that Hua Heshang should be extremely busy.

The truth is that the Flower Monk had it quite easy; a large portion of the extraordinary cases were already resolved by the time he received the news.

The one who took action was Miss Zhe Yuan, the dancer skilled in the Flying Dance.

She said she had a grudge against all non-human beings, and she wasn't joking at all. Apart from the fixed time when she performed dances at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Miss Zheyuan had always been actively searching for and hunting non-human beings hidden among the people.

Miss Zheyuan has her own network of intelligence in the underworld, and she also possesses considerable extraordinary combat power. Unlike the police, she doesn't need to rely on reasoning and evidence when solving cases... She only cares whether the other party is human.

In such cases, many ghosts and monsters are barely out of sight, and before the police have even found any victims, Miss Zheyuan has already taken the initiative to come and eliminate the targets.

Even when Cheng Hai was investigating a case, Miss Zhe Yuan stole his life several times... She had no interest in merit or anything like that; she was only pursuing the satisfaction of revenge by personally killing non-human beings.

Regardless, Miss Zheyuan's actions helped the Investigation Bureau protect local residents from supernatural disasters, and Qin Huanyu immediately decided to find an opportunity to visit and express her gratitude after learning about the situation.

At one of the entrances to the Lingsu Research Institute, Bai Ling bid farewell to Qin Huanyu and her group. She still had a lot of backlogged work to deal with in Nanhu City and had to rush back as soon as possible.

Although Qin Huanyu also had a lot of work to do, she was more curious about the secret of the Octopus Archbishop's corpse, so she decided to stay at the Lingsu Research Institute for a few days.