"Who are you?"
Zhang Xiu’ai looked at Song Chiling, a trace of astonishment on her face.
Song Chiling’s uniform was extraordinary, and the three flowers on her shoulder indicated a mid-to-high level rank even within the official sequence.
Although the Security Association was equivalent to an official entity, it was not part of the formal hierarchy.
The Security Association members usually wore casual clothes for external tasks, and even their internal uniforms couldn’t display formal badges.
This woman was clearly someone significant!
Song Chiling turned back to look at Zhang Xiu’ai and took out a document from her bag.
"I am Song Chiling from the Northern Special Warfare Staff Department, and also Lin Beichen’s personal assistant."
Song Chiling said neither humbly nor arrogantly, producing an identity document from the file.
The ID was simple, a personal certificate, along with the special mark of the Northern Staff Department.
After glancing through it, Zhang Xiu’ai’s face changed slightly.
This tall woman, barely over thirty, had already risen to a mid-to-high level position in the official hierarchy. It was simply incredible.
"Are you saying... you are just Lin Beichen’s personal assistant, not his superior?"
Zhang Xiu’ai suddenly realized something and quickly asked.
"Mr. Lin is the chief instructor of my Xuanhuang Special Warfare team. Although he’s not in the formal sequence, it’s only because he doesn’t want to be restrained. But that doesn’t mean he’s just a nobody."
Song Chiling said coldly, glancing at Lin Beichen with an apologetic look.
"Mr. Lin, we already know what happened yesterday. Before I came, Chief Staff Wang signed a special order, and it was unanimously approved by the entire Northern Special Warfare department.
From today onward, your status in the formal hierarchy is equivalent to that of a general. The order has been issued to all operational departments, so if you encounter trouble in the future, you only need to state your name, and all operational departments will follow your commands."
Zhang Xiu’ai stood aside, dumbstruck by Song Chiling’s words.
The three young men he had brought were almost stunned, shocked expressions on their faces.
This young man in his twenties was actually the chief instructor of the operational department and had the right to mobilize all operational departments?
This power was simply too immense!
But the people from Zhongcheng Hall were not shocked. Instead, they wore smiles, looking proud and content.
Qin Wenwu was an incredible threat, yet Lin Beichen was able to kill him.
Just this feat alone was enough to make Lin Beichen a key talent for the officials to recruit!
This assassination wasn’t so much an act of revenge by the Golden Mountain Sect against Lin Beichen as it was a foreign force trying to eliminate a national talent.
Zhang Xiu’ai, not discerning the situation accurately, arrested Lin Beichen; she was the one in the wrong.
Zhang Xiu’ai and his men left Zhongcheng Hall and had not regained their composure even after leaving Dragon Sleep River.
The murder case last night caused an uproar throughout the city. By all rights, Lin Beichen should have been arrested, both for investigation and protection.
But now, with someone from above personally sent to testify for him, it was clear that they intended to protect Lin Beichen at all costs. This sent an internal signal, even though the outside wouldn’t be peaceful.
No one is allowed to harm Lin Beichen. Hurting him is tantamount to treason.
"Mr. Lin, you were too reckless this time. You should have let us handle it."
After Zhang Xiu’ai left, Song Chiling said with a wry smile.
"We don’t fear the external turmoil, but internally there’s dissatisfaction. They say you were too brazen, causing such a huge commotion in the Imperial Capital. If it wasn’t for Old Man Wang stepping in, you’d likely have to lay low for a while."
"Please thank Old Man Wang for me,"
Lin Beichen said.
Ever since he took over Zhongcheng Hall, he had been deliberately showcasing his strength and value.
After taking control of the Medicine Immortal Pavilion, he handed over numerous elixirs to the officials and, coupled with his cultivation notes post-Celestial Gate breakthrough, he had shown sufficient value.
Under these circumstances, anyone daring to touch him would have to weigh the consequences heavily.
So Song Chiling’s words were just something to listen to, nothing to take too seriously.
"This time, indeed, the uproar was too big. It’s time to lay low for a while and then go see that young lady."
Lin Beichen’s thoughts shifted as he looked towards Imperial Capital University.
Students were on a leisurely break. With two months of vacation and the peak of summer, many went traveling.
Lin Beichen left Dragon Sleep River before the school term started.
When he first visited Zhongcheng Hall, he was just an unknown figure with only Zhao Weinan accompanying him.
When he left Zhongcheng Hall, all the top brass of Dragon Sleep River came to the riverbank to see him off.
The Imperial Capital is small, just a city. But it’s also huge, as this city is comparable to a medium-sized country.
The people from the Medicine Immortal Pavilion finally arrived at Zhongcheng Hall before Lin Beichen left, along with the Wooden Man.
The Wooden Man had been rebuilt by Lin Beichen, and his strength was now entirely different.
However, though the Wooden Man’s power had grown much, his physique still resembled a small mountain.
So an ordinary car couldn’t accommodate him; only specialized operational vehicles dispatched by Song Chiling would do.
These operational vehicles, modified from the third generation of limited edition Hummers, were even larger than the RVs on the market.
Lin Beichen sat in the back of the vehicle, enjoying the breeze, while countless people turned their heads to look as they passed by.
Who was this big shot, traveling in such a formidable vehicle?
It wasn’t until Lin Beichen left that the crowd at Dragon Sleep River dispersed.
After Qin Wenwu’s death, the Celestial Gate opened.
In just one month, the martial world was in upheaval. The cultivation realm surged with new energy, thoroughly disrupting the stagnation of the past millennium and entering a rapid development phase of a new era.