When the armed forces of the Patrol Department arrived, Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yue Jincheng all ceased their actions, even raising their hands to show they had no intention of continuing to fight.

Around the three, beams of sword light moved back and forth. These lights resembled streaks of lightning rapidly stirring the air, and the chilling sword intent they emitted caused a sharp prickling sensation on Zhang Yu’s hands and face.

“Are those military-grade flying swords?” Zhang Yu wondered inwardly. He knew that unlike the civilian-grade flying swords he had seen before, these military-grade ones, used exclusively by armed patrol officers, could transform sword energy into a rainbow, forming beams of light that could expand or contract at will.

“If these military-grade flying swords were to unleash their power,” Zhang Yu thought, “they’d probably cut us down like chopping vegetables.”

At the same time, four individuals dressed in the Patrol Department’s combat uniforms stood above Zhang Yu and the others. Zhang Yu quickly scanned them and felt waves of surging vital energy pressing down, as if four large furnaces were floating above their heads.

“This must be military-grade combat cultivation,” Zhang Yu mused. “Military-grade flying swords combined with military-grade combat cultivation—even Qi Refinement peak cultivators who graduated decades ago, like teachers Lei Jun and Wang Hai, would probably collapse instantly in front of them, dying in a single encounter.” Zhang Yu also knew that this was merely the armed force of the Patrol Department, one of the eight divine professional departments under the Heavenly Court, operating in the suburbs of Songyang City on Kunxu’s first layer.

He sighed inwardly, “It’s precisely because the Ten Great Sects strictly control cultivation methods, Dharma remains, and magic artifacts above military-grade… that high school students, university students, corporate drones, and even the wealthy all abide by the rules established by the Ten Great Sects.”

“Ultimately, force is one of the most fundamental cornerstones behind all social rules.”

Meanwhile, Yue Jincheng on the other side remained utterly still, not daring to make any movement.

After becoming a security guard for the company, Yue Jincheng’s very first lesson in orientation was to avoid armed conflict with any government or divine professional department. Especially with their armed personnel; their various military-grade powers were definitely not something company employees like them could contend with.

If injured or even killed in such a conflict, they would receive no compensation, nor would the company provide any benefits. Thus, Yue Jincheng was extremely careful at this moment, not daring to make any movement that could cause a misunderstanding.

He had heard numerous stories of people making a gesture or reaching into a pocket, only to be suspected of retaliation by armed personnel and then immediately impaled by flying swords.

The next moment, Zhang Yu and the other two felt a silver light emanate from one of the armed officers’ eyes, sweeping over them. Then, the officer looked at Zhang Yu and asked, “Did you use the Thunderbolt Talisman?”

Zhang Yu quickly pointed at Yue Jincheng and said, “He stole my…” The officer waved a hand. “I’m not asking about that. The details of the case can wait. I’m telling you to settle the service fee first.”

“Huh?” What did that mean? After calling the police, they had to pay first before law enforcement took action?

Even though he had lived in Kunxu for a year, Zhang Yu was still shocked.

The officer, named Gong Zhe, snorted coldly upon hearing this. “What ‘huh’? If you can’t even afford the service fee, we’ll turn around and leave immediately. Call the constables yourself and wait slowly.”

Ever since an incident where a complainant’s balance was insufficient and they defaulted on the premium enforcement service fee for the Thunderbolt Talisman after the Patrol Department had already acted, the department began requiring payment upfront before responding to any calls made via the Thunderbolt Talisman.

Yue Jincheng, standing nearby, looked at Zhang Yu hopefully, secretly praying that he wouldn’t be able to pay. “This Zhang Yu is a pauper,” Yue Jincheng thought to himself, “What if he really can’t afford it?”

Under everyone’s gaze, Zhang Yu took out his phone and said, “I’ll pay.” The minimum charge for a single deployment of the Thunderbolt Talisman was a ten-thousand-yuan service fee. Zhang Yu had naturally been prepared for this and obediently paid with his phone.

Seeing the 10,000 yuan service fee credited, Gong Zhe nodded in satisfaction, and his gaze towards Zhang Yu immediately filled with goodwill.

And whether it was Zhang Yu’s imagination or not, he felt that after he paid, the four armed officers from the Patrol Department above seemed more spirited and imposing.

Gong Zhe puffed out his chest and said to Zhang Yu, “Greetings, esteemed premium client of the Thunderbolt Talisman. This is Officer Gong Zhe from the Songyang City Sector Seven Patrol Department.” “Please describe the specific details of the case.”

At this moment, Gong Zhe and the other three officers looked at Zhang Yu with expectant and excited expressions. They thought, “Kidnapping! Homicide! Commercial dispute? A tax evasion case would be best!” “How long has it been since we had a good case, brothers?” “It better be a major incident worth tens of millions or more.”

It was no wonder Gong Zhe and his three colleagues looked so famished and eager; as armed officers of the Patrol Department, their income had been steadily declining over the years. Gong Zhe often sighed inwardly, “Sigh, public safety is getting better and better. Everyone prefers to play dirty tricks instead of resorting to knives. How are we combat personnel supposed to achieve performance targets? We clock out on time after eight hours every day, damn it, we can’t even get overtime. We’re just helping other departments with logistics or writing reports for extra money, barely making a living…”

Now, Gong Zhe and his three colleagues looked at Zhang Yu, hoping he could give them a big one.

Zhang Yu pointed at Yue Jincheng and said, “He tried to steal my phone, and when I caught him, he tried to run. My classmate and I tried to stop him, but he hit us instead.”

Gong Zhe was silent for a moment, then asked again, “That’s it?” You used a Thunderbolt Talisman to call us all here for such a minor issue? In that instant, the previously uplifted spirits of Gong Zhe and his three colleagues immediately deflated.

Gong Zhe blandly stated, “Time to settle the bill.” Zhang Yu looked at the 8,000 yuan fee on the bill and couldn’t help but ask, “Why is it 8,000 yuan? You just flew over, didn’t you? There wasn’t even a fight.”

Gong Zhe glanced at him and replied indifferently, “This is a protected area. Do you think we don’t need tickets, breathing fees, or cultivation fees to enter? And later, we’ll take you back to process the case, collect statements, investigate evidence… Don’t these require man-hours? Isn’t that workload?”

Helpless, Zhang Yu paid 5,000 yuan, then turned to Bai Zhenzhen and said, “Zhenzhen, I’m out of money. Can you pay the remaining 3,000 yuan for me?” Watching this scene, Gong Zhe and his three colleagues grew even more disappointed. Damn it, so poor and still using a Thunderbolt Talisman? Couldn’t they just call the constables like normal?

After receiving the payment, Gong Zhe said, “Alright, all three of you come with us.”

A short while later, Zhang Yu and the others arrived at a Patrol Bureau located in the distant suburbs of Songyang City. Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, as the complainants, were taken to an office in the case handling area.

Gong Zhe said blandly, “Wait here. Someone will come to take your statements later.”

Zhang Yu said, “Oh, by the way, that person had an accomplice who ran away before you arrived. Maybe you can check nearby surveillance footage or ticket purchase records…” Gong Zhe frowned and interrupted, “Alright, we have our own methods for handling cases. We don’t need you to tell us what to do.”

Gong Zhe genuinely had no interest in such a minor case of phone snatching. He’d rather use that time to work a part-time job and earn some extra money.

After Gong Zhe left, Bai Zhenzhen glanced at the camera in the office and didn’t speak to Zhang Yu. Zhang Yu, meanwhile, opened his phone and informed Deng Bingding, the Roaming God of the Four Directions, about the situation.

Of course, unlike the simple phone theft story he told Gong Zhe and the others, Zhang Yu added his own suspicions when speaking with Deng Bingding. For example, he suspected the other party had been following him recently, secretly filming his cultivation, perhaps investigating his participation in the Foundation Establishment exam.

After all, Zhang Yu couldn’t disclose information about the Foundation Establishment exam to the Patrol Department.

In response to Zhang Yu’s message, Deng Bingding only sent three thumb-up emojis. Zhang Yu wondered, “What does that mean? Is she going to help or not?”

Fu Ji chuckled, speaking in Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s minds, “From what I know of true deities, three thumbs-up is a relatively high rating. The next level up from that would be three fireworks emojis.” “These are all true deities’ slang; you’ll naturally understand more as you see them often.”

Next, Zhang Yu sent a message to Yun Ni, describing how his phone was stolen and he was brought to the Patrol Bureau. Yun Ni replied: “Which Patrol Bureau?”

Yun Ni: “I’ll find someone I know there for you.” Yun Ni: “By the way, have you had your injuries examined?” Yun Ni: “If it goes to mediation, what’s your desired compensation?”

Zhang Yu looked at Yun Ni’s messages, realizing she was treating this as a simple case of theft and fighting, and was teaching him how to get more compensation from the other party.

About ten minutes later, as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen waited and cultivated, Gong Zhe returned to the office.

Only this time, Gong Zhe had a slight smile on his face. “If your Captain Yun hadn’t contacted me, I wouldn’t have known you two are also from the Patrol Department. Why didn’t you say so earlier?” “Captain Yun Ni and I are very familiar; we even had dinner together last month.”

After being greeted by Yun Ni, Gong Zhe’s gaze towards Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen seemed to soften, as if looking at his own people.

He said, “Don’t worry, you two are completely the victims in this matter.” “I’ll have someone come to take your statements in a moment, and then you can leave.”

“As for that guy, he’s truly audacious, daring to attack a Divine Auxiliary in broad daylight. This time, he’ll have to pay dearly.”

With that, Gong Zhe left again. His behavior surprised Zhang Yu, who thought, “It seems Yun Ni has quite a lot of influence in Songyang City.”

But Gong Zhe didn’t return for over half an hour. Zhang Yu grew impatient waiting and felt like going out to inquire about the situation, but he found the office door locked at some point.

At the same time, Bai Zhenzhen on the other side exclaimed, “Yuzi! Look!” Zhang Yu followed Bai Zhenzhen’s gaze and, through the office’s glass window, saw Yue Jincheng confidently walking out of the case handling area, accompanied by several patrol officers.

Bai Zhenzhen asked in surprise, “He’s being released already?”

As if noticing Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu looking through the window, Yue Jincheng smiled faintly at them, then turned and left.