26: Chapter 26 Official Intervention: Preliminary Investigation by Special Departments

Silent Cordon

The glass doors of the Shanghai Public Welfare Foundation were dampened by morning dew, reflecting the pale white of the dawn sky. Chen Wu was practicing martial arts in the courtyard. A simplified version of the Chen family's ancestral fist technique flowed from him like running water. The force of his punches swept across the bluestone slabs, stirring up fine water droplets—remnants of last night's storm—that, under the guidance of his "Qi," formed tiny whirlpools following the momentum of his strikes.

"Brother Wu, three black sedans have arrived at the gate." Xu Hao held up a pair of binoculars, his eyes wide behind the lenses. "The license plates start with 'Jing A - Special,' and they have snow chains on the tires. Using snow chains in this weather... something's not right!"

Chen Wu finished his set and stood still, the moisture at his fingertips condensing into tiny beads of water. His "Listening Energy" had long since captured the anomaly—the engines of those sedans were too smooth, unlike ordinary vehicles, and there was almost no friction sound when they braked; they were clearly specially modified. What was even more peculiar was that the breathing rhythm of the people inside the cars was uniform, exactly 18 times per minute, a state achievable only through long-term training.

"Let them in." Chen Wu picked up a towel to wipe off his sweat, his gaze sweeping over the bronze tripod in the corner of the courtyard. The taotie patterns on the tripod's body shimmered faintly in the morning light. "What is meant to come will come."

Five minutes later, the doors of the foundation were pushed open. Six people in black suits filed in. The woman leading them had short, sharp hair, and eyes as keen as blades. A silver badge was pinned to her left chest, depicting crossed olive branches and scales—the emblem of the Special Department's "Bureau of Abnormal Incident Management," which ordinary people might only have heard of in urban legends.

"Mr. Chen Wu, hello." The woman extended a hand, her palm dry and firm. "I am Lin Xue from the East China Branch of the Bureau of Abnormal Incident Management. I am here under orders to conduct a routine investigation."

Behind her followed two technicians wearing white gloves, who were using miniature scanners to scan the plants in the courtyard. Wherever the green light beams passed, the dew on the leaves suddenly stopped rolling.

The live stream had started automatically at some point, titled "Official Intervention? Special Department Visits Chen Wu's Foundation." The number of viewers surged from one hundred thousand to over a million, and the chat screen was instantly flooded:

• "Holy crap! The legendary 'relevant departments' are finally here!"

• "That woman has such a strong aura! Is this the legendary Dragon Unit?"

• "What are those technicians holding? A lie detector or a radiation detector?"

• "The person above is overthinking it. Looking at the badge, it's for handling supernatural events. Is Brother Wu about to be taken away for dissection?"

Dialogue Behind the Glass Curtain

Lin Xue was invited into the foundation's reception room. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Awakened were practicing their morning routine. Zhao Mengmeng was teaching several elderly people how to control their breathing using "Qi." The white hair on their heads vibrated slightly with the rhythm of their breathing, like willow branches sprouting in early spring.

"I've watched every one of Mr. Chen's live streams." Lin Xue's gaze fell outside the window, her tone unreadable. "From the initial Awakening at the convenience store to the deep-sea Body Tempering, and then yesterday's 'water flowing into characters' at the science museum—I must say, it was very impressive."

Chen Wu poured her a cup of tea, the temperature controlled to perfection—not too hot to burn her mouth, yet enough to bring out the fragrance of the tea leaves. "Is Bureau Chief Lin here to 'expose a fraud,' or to 'recruit' me?"

"Neither." Lin Xue set down her teacup, which made no sound as it met the table. "We are here to assess the risks. According to our monitoring, the number of people who have awakened their 'Qi Sense' due to your live streams has exceeded 150,000. Among them, 37 have experienced energy loss of control. The most serious case involved someone who shattered the load-bearing wall of their bedroom with 'Qi' while dreaming."

She pushed a document folder across the table. Inside were 37 case reports. In the photos, faint golden specks remained in the cracks of the load-bearing walls—the traces left behind by uncontrolled "Qi."

"Is this the reason for the official intervention?" Chen Wu flipped through the reports, the "Qi" at his fingertips causing the pages to turn automatically. "Are you worried about more people losing control?"

"We are more worried about someone exploiting this power." Lin Xue's tone turned serious. "We have detected on the dark web that the 'Grey Shadow' organization has started offering bounties to acquire genetic samples from the Awakened, with offers as high as ten million dollars. Meanwhile, the remnants of Rex's forces are researching jammers that can block 'Qi Sense'—Mr. Chen, do you think these situations don't require official intervention?"

The glass curtain wall of the reception room suddenly turned into a one-way mirror. The Awakened outside could not see inside and could only see their own reflections. The technicians were adjusting equipment, and the nano-coating on the wall made it impossible for the live stream camera to penetrate.

"What does Bureau Chief Lin want me to do?" Chen Wu put down the report and looked directly at Lin Xue. "Stop the live stream? Hand over the list of all the Awakened to you?"

"We need to establish a communication mechanism." Lin Xue handed over a silver metal badge engraved with complex patterns. "This is an 'Abnormal Incident Emergency Responder.' You can use it to contact us when you encounter energy loss of control incidents that you cannot handle. In exchange, we will provide technical support for 'Qi Sense Stabilizers'—the same technical principle you saw yesterday at the science museum, which allows water molecules to move in an orderly fashion."

The view of the live stream was blocked by the glass curtain wall, and only muffled dialogue could be heard. The speculation in the chat became even wilder:

• "They're definitely negotiating terms! Brother Wu, don't agree!"

• "The authorities have more technology than we imagined! They even have Qi Sense Stabilizers?"

• "I bet five cents that this is recruitment! Is Brother Wu becoming an official?"

• "The person above is dreaming! Didn't you hear Bureau Chief Lin say that terrorist organizations are snatching people? This is about cooperating to fight the enemy!"

The Out-of-Control Potted Plant and the Establishment of Trust

Just as the conversation reached a stalemate, a potted plant in the corner of the reception room suddenly began to shake violently. The once lush pothos began to yellow and wither at a speed visible to the naked eye, and its roots drilled out from the bottom of the pot, crawling on the floor like venomous snakes—this was a 'resonance reaction' to an Awakened person nearby losing control of their energy.

"It's Auntie Zhang who lives in the next block." Chen Wu's 'Listening Energy' instantly locked onto the source. "She just awakened her 'Qi Sense' yesterday and has a history of heart disease. Now, emotional agitation has triggered a backflow of 'Qi.'"

Lin Xue's technicians immediately took out instruments to test it. The energy curve on the screen looked like a steep mountain peak: "The energy intensity is climbing! It will trigger a small explosion!"

Chen Wu did not stand up; he simply waved his hand toward the window. Zhao Mengmeng, who was practicing, understood immediately. She raised her rabbit doll and aimed it toward the next block, and a red beam of light shot out from the doll's ears.

A few seconds later, the potted plant stopped shaking, the withered leaves turned green again, and the roots automatically retracted back into the flowerpot, as if nothing had happened.

"This is... remote guidance?" Lin Xue's pupils contracted slightly. Her instruments showed that at that very moment, a gentle stream of energy had originated from the foundation and was precisely injected into the next block. "Without any equipment assistance, just by willpower?"

"This is the characteristic of 'Qi'." Chen Wu's tone carried a hint of pride. "It can resonate across space, just like radio waves, only more precise and... more humanized."

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and pressed a button to lift the one-way mirror effect. The Awakened outside were cheering, and Zhao Mengmeng was waving her rabbit doll at the reception room, the doll's electronic screen displaying "Guidance Successful."

"I am more aware of the risks that Bureau Chief Lin is worried about than anyone else." Chen Wu's gaze returned to Lin Xue. "From the first day of the live stream, I have been teaching everyone how to control 'Qi' and how to avoid losing control. But my individual strength is limited, and I do need official support."

He picked up the silver emergency responder, and the 'Qi' at his fingertips caused the patterns to light up with a faint glow. "Cooperation is possible, but I have three conditions."

Three Conditions and a Blueprint for the Future

"Speak." Lin Xue's tone softened significantly. The remote guidance just now had made her re-evaluate Chen Wu's ability and Heart-Nature.

"First, the authorities must not forcibly detain the Awakened, and all technology for 'Qi Sense Stabilizers' must be provided to the public for free." Chen Wu's first point went straight to the core. "The essence of the Dao of martial arts is freedom, not captivity."

Lin Xue nodded. "Agreed. Our original intention is protection, not control."

"Second, allow me to live stream the process of handling abnormal incidents. Of course, I will avoid classified information." Chen Wu's second point made Lin Xue frown. "The public has a right to know and also needs to learn how to deal with crises through real-life cases."

"That requires approval and reporting." Lin Xue did not agree immediately. "But I personally tend to agree. Transparency helps eliminate panic."

"Third," Chen Wu's gaze became profound, "Establish a 'Global Qi Sense Research Center.' The authorities will provide the venue and equipment, and I will provide technical support. We will unite scientists from around the world to truly understand what 'Qi' is, rather than treating it as an 'abnormal incident.'"

This condition exceeded Lin Xue's expectations. She looked at the light in Chen Wu's eyes—it wasn't ambition, but a desire to explore the unknown, which coincided with her original intention for joining the Special Department.

"I will apply to headquarters." Lin Xue stood up and took the initiative to extend her hand. "I hope our cooperation can make this power truly benefit humanity, rather than bringing disaster."

Chen Wu shook her hand, and two gentle streams of energy converged at the point of contact, like two streams merging into a river. He could "listen" to the faint "Qi" flowing inside Lin Xue, though it was suppressed by some technical means and could not move freely.

"Bureau Chief Lin is actually an Awakened too, right?" Chen Wu's smile was meaningful. "It's just that you haven't found the right way to guide it yet."

Lin Xue's body stiffened for a moment, then returned to its natural state. "Perhaps. I look forward to Mr. Chen's next live stream; I hope to learn the 'Introductory Mind-Cultivation Technique'."

The Cordon in the Sunshine

When the Special Department's motorcade left, the Awakened spontaneously stood in two rows, like an honor guard welcoming a hero. Zhao Mengmeng's grandfather held up a plaque inscribed with "Martial Arts Revitalizes the Nation," and his bronze cane tapped out a steady rhythm on the ground.

When Lin Xue's car passed, she rolled down the window and waved at Chen Wu. The scanner in the technician's hand suddenly made a "beep" sound, and a line of text appeared on the screen: "Detected high-intensity energy field, Nature: Benign, Coverage: Entire foundation."

The number of viewers in the live stream surpassed 5 million, and the chat was filled with expectations for the future:

• "I knew the authorities would support it! Now I don't have to worry about being dissected!"

• "Bureau Chief Lin is also an Awakened? This is a lot of information!"

• "Get the Global Research Center running! Pin Grey Shadow and Rex to the ground and rub them in the dirt!"

• "5 million viewers! Brother Wu, tell us the next step!"

Chen Wu stood in the courtyard, watching the motorcade disappear around the street corner. The sunlight passed through the patterns of the bronze tripod, casting complex shadows on the ground like a giant net.

"Brother Wu, System prompt!" Xu Hao ran over with a tablet, the task panel on the screen flashing with golden light. "[Triggered Main Quest: Establish a Global Martial Arts Security Network], Reward: 10 million points, unlock 'Qi Energy Weapon Defense' permission!"

Chen Wu's gaze swept over the Awakened practicing in the morning. Their "Qi" was interwoven into a golden net under the sunlight, both soft and tough. He knew that the official intervention was not a shackle, but a new beginning—when individual power combined with national resources, and when the mysteries of "Qi" were unlocked by science, the revival of the martial arts would truly have the spark to start a prairie fire.

"In the next live stream," Chen Wu smiled at the camera, the bronze tripod behind him humming as if responding to his words, "we will go to the Bureau of Abnormal Incident Management and teach them how to correctly guide 'Qi Sense'."

Sunlight bathed the entire courtyard, stretching the shadow of the cordon line long. But this time, the cordon was no longer a cold isolation, but a symbol of protection—protecting this hard-won Awakening, and protecting humanity's brand-new understanding of its own potential.

The last frame of the live stream was a golden chat message sent by 5 million viewers simultaneously:

"Win-win cooperation!"