Chapter 239: Gathering Clouds (Three more updates, seeking monthly passes)
Xue Lingxue crawled out of the sleeping pod, her whole body icy cold.
Her Celestial Polar Star extraterrestrial body had waited outside the yamen in Wang City until the small hours of the night.
Xue Lingxue still wanted to try to persuade Lin Twelve, asking him for another chance to meet, but she had not succeeded.
Although Xue Lingxue had bribed the gatekeeper heavily twice to deliver her message, there had been no results.
Instead, the gatekeeper was scolded by someone inside the yamen and afterwards, dared not speak to her again.
She could only terminate the mission, place her extraterrestrial body at a safe location, and then her main consciousness returned to the Celestial Polar Star.
Upon returning, Xue Lingxue's eyes were red, and she felt like crying from being wronged.
Even though she was covered in sticky nutrient fluid, she had no desire to bathe, instead squatting next to the sleeping pod, curling her delicate body into a ball.
Xue Lingxue also believed that it was her own fault that the mission had failed.
If another extraterrestrial agent had gone to contact Lin Twelve, the situation would definitely have been different.
This mission had been very important to Minister Zhou, yet she had botched it.
Moreover, her experiences over the past months had greatly disheartened her.
Three months ago, when Xue Lingxue learned of the tragic death of her entire family, she nearly collapsed.
It was only the thought of revenge that kept her going, yet in the three months since her reassignment, Xue Lingxue's work and life had been far from smooth.
She was alienated by her colleagues at the East District Police and experienced problems in her surveillance of the Lin family, repeatedly being made a fool of by that scoundrel Lin Rui.
She also made no progress in avenging them; her attempts to investigate the Blood Lizard Gang and the Wicked Pirates were repeatedly thwarted by senior officials at the East District Police, never bearing fruit.
Thinking of her parents and the two brothers who died alongside them, Xue Lingxue felt an ever-growing chill enveloping her, a mix of indescribable solitude and guilt surrounding her.
It was then that Xue Lingxue received a message from Zhou Yunfei.
Zhou Yunfei: Lingxue, given the change in the situation, the task of monitoring the Lin family and Despair Heavenly Girl is officially over. You do not need to go to the police station tomorrow. Effective immediately, you are reassigned to the Third Special Operations Branch of the Confidential Department to serve as the assistant to the head of department.
Upon reading the message, Xue Lingxue hastily wiped her tears and responded.
Xue Lingxue: Understood, Minister!
Simultaneously, doubts arose in Xue Lingxue's mind.
Had Minister Zhou given up on monitoring Lin Rui and Despair Heavenly Girl?
Also, wasn't there no Third Special Operations Branch in the Confidential Department?
As far as she knew, the minister-controlled Confidential Department had only two Special Operations Branches and three Operations Branches; there was no Third Special Operations Branch.
Zhou Yunfei: The Third Special Operations Branch is a new division created by the Ninth Division, the head of department is personally recruited by me, and he is an old friend of yours. Prepare yourself and go to this location to meet your head of department tomorrow. Your task will be to fully assist him in building up the Third Special Operations Branch in the shortest possible time.
Zhou Yunfei also sent a location to her.
Xue Lingxue opened the location and saw it was near Mingde University.
Zhou Yunfei: Go for it, Lingxue. I have high expectations for the formation of this Third Special Operations Branch. Make sure to do your work well, thoroughly, and meticulously!
Xue Lingxue's expression solemnly registered.
Xue Lingxue: I understand, Minister!
She immediately logged into her account on the Security Bureau's internal website to look up information on the Third Special Operations Branch.
The department was indeed newly established, with many of its details yet unfilled.
However, the limited information available caused Xue Lingxue's pupils to dilate slightly.
"Security level 3S, equipped with one 6A action group, four 5A action groups, two 5A extraterrestrial agent groups, nine 'Annihilator' Model 6 combat robots, plus three 'Annihilator' Model 7—"
Xue Lingxue thought to herself, what kind of mythical department is this?
Judging solely by the data on paper, the combat strength of this entire Third Special Operations Department was comparable to any division-level action unit within the Ninth Division, and they had very extensive authorities.
In emergency situations, they even had the authority to mobilize four heavily armed police brigades. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire
Xue Lingxue was both surprised and touched—surprised that Minister Zhou, in such difficult times, still had the resources to set up such a powerful department, and grateful for Minister Zhou's trust in her, allowing her to take on such an important role even after her mission had failed.
Xue Lingxue then tried to open the section chief's information tab, but the system informed her that she couldn't access it.
The section chief's security clearance had reached SSS+.
Below this level, no information could be viewed.
"So impressive!"
While Xue Lingxue secretly marveled, her anticipation for their meeting tomorrow grew even more.
What kind of person was this security bureau major-general personally recruited by the minister?
※※※※
Meanwhile, at the second base city, having coffee in the lounge, Zhang Long had also received an email marked in red.
Upon opening the email, his expression gradually turned into one of surprise.
"Reassigned to the Ninth Base City? To serve as the deputy head of the Third Special Operations Department and the leader of the First Action Group?"
Soon after, his assistant, Fei Aibi, hurried over: "Did you see the email that just came? Our action group has been entirely relocated from the security bureau headquarters to the Ninth Division."
"I'm looking at it now," Zhang Long replied, sipping his coffee while flipping through the information on the Third Special Operations Department, his surprise becoming more evident.
"I really don't know what the higher-ups are thinking." Fei Aibi spoke up on behalf of Zhang Long: "Group leader, having been promoted to a sixth-level dragon shifter with your accomplishments, you totally deserve a higher-ranking position at our Special Service Center. Why the sudden transfer to this Third Special Operations Department of the Ninth Division?"
"Don't rush," Zhang Long replied with a slight smile: "Take a close look at the information on the Third Special Operations Department. It's very interesting."
Although puzzled, Fei Aibi still opened the department's information to take a look.
A look of astonishment appeared in his eyes: "Such high authority, such powerful equipment! They even have three J-7 Dragon annihilators. General, I checked—the decision to establish the Third Special Operations Department was issued by the second commander-in-chief. But the second commander-in-chief is in hibernation. Could it be the work of General Zhou? Has he gone mad?"
"Yes, I even suspect Zhou Yunfei has gone mad, or is cornered like a desperate dog. Undertaking such an action, isn't he afraid the chief will completely disavow him once he awakens?"
As he spoke, Zhang Long put down his coffee cup, stood up from his seat, and said, "You get ready too. I've already contacted the logistics office to arrange a transport ship. We will be leaving for the Ninth Base City in an hour!"
Although Zhang Long was not satisfied with the level of the Third Special Operations Department, he was very interested in the department's strength and authority.
In terms of actual power, this was much stronger than his current position as the leader of the 6A action group under the headquarters' Special Service Center.
Moreover, in the Ninth Base, there was a case that had occupied his attention for a long time.
Three months ago, the extermination of the Xue family had just begun to be investigated by Zhang Long when he was suddenly transferred by a document order.
Zhang Long speculated that someone higher up did not want him to dig deeper, but unfortunately, he was not affiliated with the Ninth Division at the time, and his objections led nowhere.
But now, he could go examine what really happened in that case.
Zhang Long estimated that the department might not last long, and Zhou Yunfei was bound to meet his end eventually, but by then, he would have to return to the Special Service Center. However, this period was already enough for him to deal with the case.
Meanwhile, in the office of a deputy minister at the security bureau's Ninth Division, a white-haired old man with the rank of general also saw the directive issued by the second commander-in-chief.
"Establishing the Third Special Operations Department? Mobilizing so much power, is he trying to make a desperate move?"
The white-haired old man lay back in his office chair with a disdainful expression, casually watching the night scene of the Ninth Base City through the floor-to-ceiling window.
"The second commander-in-chief will wake up in five months. I'm curious how you're going to explain this to him then. What authority do you have to establish the Third Special Operations Department? And under what pretense? When your commander-in-chief awakens, how will you face the interrogation of the National Security Committee? Are you going to admit he granted his powers privately to his old acquaintances? Interesting."
The white-haired old man twisted his neck, causing a series of 'cracking' sounds: "But, speaking of my personality, it has its flaws—no patience at all—"
Curious as the white-haired old man was, he had no interest in waiting five more months.
The security bureau's Ninth Division was his in the past, it was his now, and it would still be his in the future!