I changed the world.

Page 190

Yan Jishen stared at the chaotic fog in front of him with a grim expression. Before this, they had released several drones to try to enter the fog area to search for the soldiers who were trapped inside. However, every time the drones entered the fog, they would lose contact shortly afterward, just like the soldiers who had disappeared without a trace.

The experts are still holding differing opinions and arguing endlessly, unable to come up with a reliable solution. In fact, what troubles him most so far is the extremely limited understanding of this strange fog. Scientists are still unable to determine what kind of phenomenon it is, and as a military commander, he really doesn't want to face such an uncertain situation.

However, he also knew that at this moment, he had to do something...

A wind had picked up around them sometime earlier, making the canopies of the roadside trees rustle. Yan Jishen looked up at the sky, which was dark and the moonlight had disappeared, as if it had been obscured by clouds.

The gray fog in front of them remained completely still, unlike ordinary fog which would be dispersed by the wind.

With a sigh, Yan Jishen suddenly heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Senior Detective Yuan Shen walking over.

"Detective Yuan, how are the experts' discussions going?" Yan Jishen asked directly, somewhat anxiously.

"There are still no definitive results. The data has been sent to headquarters, but it seems it won't be a matter of time before we get results. Based on the current research progress, experts tend to believe that this fog is not a typical cloud or fog, nor is it composed of a single substance. The reason it forms this cloud-like structure is because..."

"Alright, alright..." Yan Jishen rubbed his temples and reached out to stop Yuan Shen from speaking: "I've heard enough of these theories. What I want to know is, do they have any good suggestions?"

Yuan Shen wasn't annoyed by Yan Jishen's somewhat unreasonable behavior. He sighed and said, "Experts prefer to understand the formation mechanism of this fog before making a judgment..."

“By the time they figure it out, everyone will be dead…” Yan Jishen couldn’t help but swear. Then he noticed that Yuan Shen looked hesitant, as if he had something to say.

“Detective Yuan, have you thought of any solutions? Please feel free to speak your mind…” Yan Jishen hurriedly said.

"Given the current situation, we can't ascertain the specifics of what's happening inside the gray fog. Sending personnel in rashly would be too risky. Furthermore, with people trapped inside, it's not suitable to use high-powered weapons for test bombardments, especially since this is an urban area. Under these circumstances, I think... perhaps we should... seek more professional advice..."

“A more professional opinion…you mean…” Yan Jishen was stunned, not quite understanding yet.

"It's said that the Religious Affairs Bureau has also been working on this recently..." Yuan Shen said meaningfully, then hesitated for a moment before saying something that seemed completely unrelated:

"If we provide transportation... it should be possible to travel from Dinghai to Wuxing and back within an hour."

Yan Jishen immediately understood Yuan Shen's meaning. Yuan Shen's suggestion was actually to communicate with the Religious Affairs Bureau and contact Yunxiao Mountain to see if the Xuanmen had a better solution.

The reason for this veiled expression is that it reflects certain complex and difficult-to-explain psychological states:

The Department of Justice's Special Crime Investigation Bureau's Fourth Division was recently established, and there are rumors that higher-ups are planning to spin it off into a powerful, independent department with extremely high security and authority. Under these circumstances, a sense of urgency to "prove themselves" inevitably arises within the Fourth Division, especially at the higher levels. Successfully handling several important cases independently would not only demonstrate the Division's value to senior officials but, more importantly, provide leverage in personnel appointments for key positions when the new department is established, giving them a competitive edge.

Chapter 325 Hidden Mindset

Beyond this, there's a more subtle underlying mentality: whether from the perspective of the Fourth Division or at a higher official level, there's a certain degree of wariness towards certain religious forces, such as Xuanmen or Futujiao. Especially after these religious forces displayed previously unknown and powerful mystical abilities, the state is eager to find a more controllable force to counterbalance them. This is why, shortly after its establishment, there were rumors that the Fourth Division would be spun off into a new, powerful department. Yuan Shen's previous search for influential "masters" like Chaba Aose was, in essence, an attempt to find more controllable extraordinary individuals outside the mainstream systems of Xuanmen or Futujiao to bolster the department's power.

Ultimately, the biggest weakness of the authorities in dealing with the fourth category of incidents is their limited understanding of these events, often leaving them unsure where to begin. If religious forces are hastily introduced in this situation, some high-ranking officials may worry that religious groups will gain too much influence. After all, when you understand nothing, you can only accept whatever others say.

This is also why, although the Religious Affairs Bureau has been making frequent moves recently, they have always been limited to the level of "understanding", "communication" and "winning over".

After all, since ancient times, the regions of the Central Plains have had a strong attachment to secular politics, and both the government high-ranking officials and the so-called scholar-official class have held complex attitudes toward the boundaries of religious power.

As an official, even as the commander of a powerful department, Yan Jishen was not unaware of this. He immediately realized Yuan Shen's concerns and fell silent.

Indeed, considering all the options available, Yuan Shen's idea is a good one.

It's highly likely that Yunxiao Mountain possesses a solution to this problem. Based on the extensive information gathered from the fourth location, Yunxiao Mountain in Dinghai, as a long-established and powerful Xuanmen sect, possesses a wealth of secret knowledge. Furthermore, it's rumored that the previous abbot of Yunxiao Mountain, Master Xiao, was a "celestial being" who had achieved ascension to immortality. Even the question of whether Master Xiao is truly "dead" in the common understanding is still a matter of speculation within the fourth location.

However, if this solution is chosen, then... even if the problem is ultimately solved, in the eyes of some experts, the result might not be so "perfect"...

But... those young faces flashed before Yan Jishen's eyes again...