A Divine Farmer

Chapter 273 - This Thing Is Useless to Me!

Jiang Tao issued commands in a rush, “Hold your positions, do not return fire…”

He was astounded that Liu Zhongjun would dare to order his troops to shoot amidst such tension. What if someone got killed? What if the snipers fired back on instinct?

But it turned out his concerns were unfounded. The soldiers from the two squads who had fired were all sharpshooters, effortlessly pinning down the enemy snipers.

Any sniper intent on survival would immediately take cover, knowing better than to expose themselves at such a time.

Jiang Tao had encountered his fair share of skilled marksmen, typically the designated snipers within a company, but he had never witnessed such seamless coordination where entire squads were composed of sharpshooters.

Without even thinking, he could tell that these troops were no ordinary garrison. Despite wearing standard uniforms, their actions spoke volumes with a single shot.

“Who exactly are you, and who are you trying to take away?” Jiang Tao's confusion deepened.

He had never personally encountered soldiers of such caliber, but several names swiftly crossed his mind. Surely, such individuals couldn't exist outside of a few exceptional units.

“It's likely one of the ones you're thinking of. I won't divulge more, but I hope you'll stay out of this. Should anything arise, I'll report to my superiors. This doesn't concern you,” Liu Zhongjun stated earnestly.

Jiang Tao couldn't help but smile wryly. Was it really possible for this to have nothing to do with them?

Their responsibility was to safeguard this area, yet facing such a significant incident within their jurisdiction, ignoring it would be more humiliating than a direct insult.

However, if these individuals were indeed from one of those elite units, then they were indeed out of their league. That much was clear.

Observing the female military doctor's brazen confidence, he was inclined to believe her.

“I'll have a word with Bureau Director Zheng. He should extend me this courtesy.” Jiang Tao recognized that these people would not back down until their mission was accomplished, leaving him no choice but to smooth things over.

“Thank you, that would be most appreciated,” Liu Zhongjun responded with a grateful smile, having anticipated just such an offer.

He was reluctant to resort to military force unless absolutely necessary. But as Qu Moyao had pointed out, Zhang Xiaolong was of critical importance to them. Should any harm befall him, or if he harbored any resentment, the opportunity for Healing Medicine would be lost forever—a tremendous loss for the nation.

Upon arriving at the police station, Jiang Tao promptly met with Zheng Ming.

“Captain Jiang, I can't thank you enough,” Zheng Ming said with a smile. “Without your timely arrival, I wouldn't have known how to handle this situation.”

“Bureau Director Zheng, hold off on the thanks. I'm afraid I haven't been much help,” Jiang Tao replied with a wry smile. “Who exactly have you detained that they're so desperate to get back? If it doesn't compromise your principles, you might want to release them quickly. We can't provoke those people, and did you hear that gunshot earlier? They're at their breaking point and are willing to fire. Whether they wound someone or not, it won't end well for anyone. And let's face it, even combined, our forces are no match for theirs.”

“What?” Zheng Ming's face turned pale. “Who are they?”

“They're authorized to use firearms. You've worked in that environment before, Bureau Director Zheng. You must have some idea,” Jiang Tao hinted without revealing too much.

Realization dawned on Zheng Ming. “They're from that place? That explains it…”

“So, regarding this issue…” Jiang Tao glanced at him.

“I'll release the detainee right away, but…” Zheng Ming hesitated, “Releasing him just like that could stir up rumors, damaging the police station's reputation.”

Jiang Tao thought to himself that it wasn't just the police station's reputation at stake; their own reputation wasn't exactly stellar either. It felt like a defeat, which was incredibly frustrating.

“Who is the person you've captured? Given his importance, could we have him speak to the crowd outside, asking them to disperse before we release him?” Jiang Tao proposed.

This approach would at least save face. It was a makeshift solution, but under the circumstances, maintaining a semblance of dignity was better than nothing.

Two individuals made their way to Zhang Xiaolong's interrogation room. Upon entering, they found him resting in a chair, eyes closed, seemingly at ease.

“Are you Zhang Xiaolong?” Jiang Tao asked, taken aback by the youthfulness of the man before him.

Zhang Xiaolong, aware of their arrival, slowly opened his eyes. “And you are?” he inquired.

“This is Captain Jiang Tao of the Qingyuan County Armed Police Squad. This time, it's…” Zheng Ming trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

Feeling slightly awkward, Jiang Tao took it upon himself to recount the events that had transpired.

“I see. My apologies,” Zhang Xiaolong expressed with regret. “I never intended for things to escalate to this extent.”

His sincerity was evident. While he was confident the situation would eventually be resolved, he hadn't anticipated Liu Zhongjun and his men would go to the lengths of encircling the police station.

Their bold move, though somewhat impulsive, touched him deeply; it was clear they genuinely valued his friendship.

“Could you perhaps intervene and request Commander Liu to withdraw his men for now? Otherwise, we're in a bit of a bind here…” Jiang Tao interjected, seeing Zheng Ming hesitate.

Zhang Xiaolong chuckled, “Of course, that's no issue. But since you've all been through quite the ordeal, how about I offer you a gift? It might also serve as a more fitting justification for the police station being surrounded. What do you think?”

Jiang Tao sensed an opportunity, though he couldn't quite grasp the specifics.

“Captain Jiang, would you mind securing the perimeter? There are certain matters that should remain confidential,” Zhang Xiaolong advised, then added specifically, “And have Officer Chang assist with the security detail. There are things he shouldn't see either.”

Zheng Ming caught on immediately. He had intended to handle Chang Tian's case, but it now seemed clear that Chang was no longer fit for the police station environment.

The extent of this young man's influence was still a mystery to Zheng Ming, but the fact that he could command a military unit to besiege the station—and that even Jiang Tao couldn't manage the situation—spoke volumes about his capabilities.

The group made their way out of the station. Upon spotting Zhang Xiaolong, Qu Moyao dashed over, her voice laced with concern, “How did it go? They didn't mistreat you in there, did they?”

Zhang Xiaolong couldn't help but chuckle, momentarily at a loss for words. “Don't worry, I'm not someone who can be easily pushed around.”

“Aren't you going to unlock the handcuffs?” Qu Moyao turned, her tone now edged with annoyance.

Zheng Ming snapped to attention, his voice tinged with regret, “I completely forgot just now. Let's get those handcuffs off Mr. Zhang, quick.”

“No need,” Zhang Xiaolong said with a smile. With a swift motion, he slipped his wrists out of the handcuffs with ease. “These things don't really do much to hold me back.”