"An unusually loud noise was reported in a city in Anhui Province. Relevant departments of the State Council will travel to Anhui to investigate. According to preliminary expert speculation, the noise was caused by..."
The morning news was broadcasting news that piqued everyone's curiosity. Online, netizens were discussing and speculating about the cause of the loud noise. Xu Chen, who was eating breakfast, glanced at the TV and was about to get up to wake Wang Li, who was still in bed, when the phone suddenly rang.
"An unknown number? Calling from Anhui Province? Telecom fraud?" Xu Chen glanced at the number. He then hung up and went upstairs to wake Wang Li, but his phone suddenly rang again. It was still from Anhui Province, the same number as before. Reluctantly, he answered.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Xu...Xu Chen...it's me...Qin Ziyue," Qin Ziyue said weakly.
"Senior? Senior, what's wrong?"
"I'm not feeling well... cough... cough, you need to come to XX City, Anhui Province quickly, something terrible has happened."
"Okay, senior, I'll be right there."
After hanging up the phone, Xu Chen quickly went into the bedroom and saw Wang Li lying on the bed playing on her phone. He said helplessly, "Lili, are you staying in bed again?"
"I'm sorry, Chenchen, I stayed up a bit late watching dramas last night."
"Little sleepyhead, wake up! Breakfast is ready."
"Thanks, you lazy pig." Wang Li got up and stretched.
"Lili, I'm going to Anhui Province. I'll be back as soon as possible, don't worry." Xu Chen handed the clothes to Wang Li.
Is something wrong over there?
"Some tricky situations have arisen. I'll be back after I've dealt with them." He checked the time, told Wang Li to finish breakfast as soon as possible, then went downstairs, took off from the courtyard, and headed towards Qin Ziyue's destination.
Upon arriving in XX City, Xu Chen immediately sensed that something was wrong. The army had taken control of the entire city and imposed martial law. There were no pedestrians on the streets, and citizens were curiously looking down from their windows. Every now and then, police officers would knock on the doors of some residents' homes. Just as Xu Chen was about to extend his divine sense to search for Qin Ziyue outside the police cordon, the phone rang again.
"Xu Chen, where are you now?"
"Mr. Tang? I'm currently in XX City, Anhui Province. What are your instructions?"
"You've already gone? Good. From now on, you're in charge of the operation on-site. Two requirements: First, do everything in your power to quell this public outcry. Second, make sure to find out if extraterrestrials exist and submit a report to me."
"Okay, Mr. Tang." Xu Chen agreed, then hung up the phone and looked at the situation in the city. Twenty minutes later, the person in charge on site received a call from the province and Beijing and found Xu Chen. "Colonel Xu, hello, I am Li Shengli, the director of the XX City Police Bureau."
"Colonel Xu, this is Wang Qiang from the Eastern Military Region."
"Thank you both for your hard work. How's the situation on site?"
The two officials looked at each other, and finally Wang Qiang spoke first: "Colonel, the citizens are not cooperating with our work at all, and progress is very slow."
"Tell me the whole story. I just arrived and don't know the details yet."
"Colonel, here are the documents." Li Shengli took out a report from his briefcase and handed it to Xu Chen. As soon as Xu Chen looked at it, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper. The thorniness of the matter was beyond his imagination.
Have you identified who filmed the video?
"The matter has been investigated and is under control. The platform promptly reported to us and prevented the video from being uploaded, but it is rapidly spreading in WeChat groups and on some small forums and websites. The cyber police are handling it."
"What about the eyewitnesses? Have they been identified?"
"It's difficult. Many citizens don't admit it, and a significant number still have the video on their phones. Word has spread, and the incident has become the talk of the town; everyone knows about it," Li Shengli said with great difficulty.
"The citizens don't admit it?" Xu Chen took out cigarettes, offered one to each of the two officials, lit one, and began puffing away. A short while later, a soldier carrying a laptop walked up to Xu Chen and started playing a video. The video clearly showed and heard the clouds in the sky shimmering with light, accompanied by occasional loud bangs. Several tens of minutes later, two people fell from the clouds. Xu Chen immediately recognized one of them as Qin Ziyue.
"Have you found them?"
"Not yet. Perhaps they used some means. Our soldiers searched for a long time but still couldn't find the two of them."
"We need to speed up the handling of the situation online and prevent it from spreading nationwide. As for these two people, I will lead the search team."
"Yes, Colonel Xu."
"Thank you for your help, Colonel Xu."
"Notify mobile phone manufacturers and telecommunications operators to see if they can remotely delete videos from citizens' mobile phones through some technical means. If not, ask them for a list so that you can monitor people based on the list and deal with them when I get back. If the surveillance force is not enough, mobilize police forces from surrounding counties and cities, and the military region should send reinforcements as soon as possible."
"Okay."
"Arrange personnel to be on duty at all exits, including the XX City Railway Station, highway exits, and airport. Please have relevant departments assist. Those leaving the city must have their mobile phones and other recording devices checked."
"Okay."
After making the arrangements, Xu Chen led a squad of soldiers out of the city to search for Qin Ziyue and another person in possible locations. In a cave, Xu Chen's divine sense detected Qin Ziyue, who was breathing weakly. She was in pain, her clothes were torn to shreds, and she was covered in blood. Xu Chen knew something was wrong and quickly led his soldiers to the vicinity of the cave.
"Let's rest for a bit, and catch some fish in the stream to grill and eat." Xu Chen looked at the stream below the cave and thought to himself, "It's like a pillow being delivered when I'm sleepy."
"Yes, Colonel."
"I'll go check the surroundings and keep a close watch!"
"yes!"
Xu Chen left the group and flew along the mountainside to the cave above, out of the soldiers' blind spot. As soon as he entered the cave, a strong smell of blood hit him. Xu Chen waved his hand, and the smell of blood dissipated. He quickly went forward and placed spirit stones around Qin Ziyue to form a small spirit-gathering array. He activated the array and let the spiritual power envelop Qin Ziyue to heal her wounds.
A short while later, Qin Ziyue slowly woke up. When she saw Xu Chen arrive, her beautiful eyes filled with tears. Overwhelmed by grief, she became depressed and hugged Xu Chen tightly, crying in his arms. Xu Chen patted her back and said, "It's alright, it's nothing now, senior. You should heal your wounds first. I'll go find someone else."
"Don't go. Wait until I've recovered a bit, then I'll go find her. You're no match for her."
"Senior, your injuries are too severe. I'm worried about you going. By the way, where is Miss Ying'er?"
"Ying'er... Ying'er is also seriously injured. She's in Yuexing... You must go and find her. I beg you, Xu Chen!" Qin Ziyue was overcome with grief at the thought of Ying'er's tragic condition.
"Senior, I will. Please heal your injuries first. I only have half an hour. Once you are feeling better, I will take you back to the capital."
"Okay, you need to be careful." Qin Ziyue wanted to fight again, but her physical condition no longer allowed it; she even had difficulty walking.
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