Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Spiritual Artifact, Forbidden Artifact

From the looks of it, the proportion of high-level Transcendents wasn’t very high—but they certainly had ways to protect themselves.

As if remembering something, Wall Announcements glanced at Chu Bamboo. "Ah Zhu, aren’t you and Governor Lu’s daughter..."

"That won’t work!" Li Kang cut Wall Announcements off. "The principle of Extraordinary separation! In theory, not even Governor Su has the authority to directly issue orders to the Captain’s Office."

"To mobilize the Captain’s Office, he would have to call the Celestial Capital and get their approval and authorization!"

"This whole thing is far more complicated than you imagine! It’s a situation where one wrong move could unravel everything."

"...But you said before!" Wall Announcements was starting to lose it.

"That’s why he said ’in theory’!" Ning Linglong scoffed at her subordinate’s naivete.

"Right now," Li Kang said, ignoring Wall Announcements, his expression growing more conflicted, "we can get involved because we’re closest to the origin point, the incident has blown up, and it does involve the Extraordinary... but we’re likely the only ones who can."

"What if I told you," Chu Bamboo began, his voice slow and deliberate, "that barring any surprises, the guy is coming to assassinate me tonight?"

’He had originally planned to find Zhang Hai, but now... maybe this was a good opportunity to test what cards the Captain’s Office had up its sleeve?’

Li Kang’s expression changed. He gave Chu Bamboo a deep look. ’An exact time? How could he possibly know something so specific?’

He didn’t press the issue. Li Kang had long since grown accustomed to Chu Bamboo’s inexplicable actions and his uncanny ability to acquire information from unknown sources. He just nodded. "Then we have some room to maneuver."

’With the time confirmed, we won’t have to guard Chu Bamboo indefinitely. That’s a relief.’

"Vice Captain Ning," Li Kang said, his voice deliberate.

"Sir." Ning Linglong’s body went rigid.

"Draft a request! I’ll sign off on the slip. Then, deliver it to the Chief of the First District Captain’s Office. We’re applying to open the Jinghai Treasury to requisition..."

Li Kang hesitated. "...requisition a Tier Three Spiritual... no, forget it. A Forbidden Artifact. Preferably one that can counter an assassin with Concealment Divine Techniques..."

Ning Linglong nodded hastily, tore a sheet from her notebook, and scribbled down the request. Once finished, she handed it to Li Kang.

After reading it, Li Kang signed his name. He hesitated for a moment, then added a note at the bottom: "Strongly recommend allocating Forbidden Artifact, codename 3-181. Additionally, considering the life and safety of Chu Bamboo—the core figure maintaining order in the shantytown redevelopment area and a consultant to our Third District Captain’s Office—please approve one set of Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts with a Defense Attribute!"

Rubbing his temples, Li Kang handed the note to Wall Announcements. "Leave immediately. Drive to the First District and get this approved by the Chief of the Jinghai Captain’s Office!"

"Yes, sir." Wall Announcements saluted, took the slip, and left in a hurry.

"...Pardon my asking," Chu Bamboo said, his interest piqued. He watched Wall Announcements depart and then inquired, "What exactly are these Forbidden Artifacts and Spiritual Artifacts? Are they also some kind of Ancient Relics?"

Chu Bamboo remembered that even a cell phone could be an Ancient Relic, and his mind raced with possibilities. ’Could it be a miniaturized Super Electromagnetic Cannon? Or some other miraculous piece of technology?’

"In theory, a very small number of Ancient Relics can be classified as Spiritual Artifacts," Li Kang said, his expression complex.

Then, he said something that Chu Bamboo would find unforgettable. "Spiritual Artifacts and Forbidden Artifacts are, in essence, the same thing. They’re anything that can counter the power of a Transcendent, or serve as a fitting weapon for one... It doesn’t matter if it’s an excavated Ancient Relic. As long as it has that power, it earns the name."

"However, if I were to die... the Treasury might gain a new Level 2 Spiritual Artifact. Of course, if my luck is bad, it would be a Level 2 Forbidden Artifact."

Chu Bamboo: "...?"

’What the hell? What does your death have to do with there being more Spiritual and Forbidden Artifacts... Unless?’

As he processed this, Chu Bamboo’s expression shifted. ’These things... are they forged from the corpses of Transcendents?!’

’Wait, are you serious? You guys do that? That’s completely insane!’

Noticing Chu Bamboo’s look of utter shock, Li Kang’s expression didn’t flicker. He understood exactly what was going through Chu Bamboo’s mind, because he had gone through the same process himself.

He only said, "The only things that can stand against a Transcendent are another Transcendent or a creation of a Divine Being."

"I have a good idea of what you’re thinking, but we have no other choice! Everything is for the continuation of civilization, for future generations!"

"..." Hearing Li Kang put it so starkly, Chu Bamboo didn’t dwell on it and continued, "Then what’s the difference between the two types of Artifacts, Spiritual and Forbidden? And from what you said, it sounds like Forbidden Artifacts are easier to request?"

"Spiritual Artifacts don’t have much of a cost to use. But Forbidden Artifacts... it’s hard to say," Ning Linglong chimed in. She then added, "And don’t be so morbid... even if the captain really died, the most you could make from his body would be an extremely hard knife or sword or something!"

"It probably wouldn’t even qualify for the Treasury... The ones that make it into the Treasury have to be Spiritual Forbidden Artifacts refined from the corpses of Cultivators, the kind who developed Divine Techniques, right?"

Chu Bamboo: "!!!"

’Good grief, that’s really something! Is there such a strict class hierarchy, a pecking order, even for corpses?’

"Uh, Captain!" Guan Fei blinked, then asked cautiously, "Did you forget something very important?"

"Forgot? I’m dealing with it right... oh!" Li Kang started, then slapped his forehead with a wry smile. "Look at my memory!"

"Mr. Zhu."

The moment Chu Bamboo heard the change in address, he knew Li Kang was now speaking to "Mr. Zhu," the leader of the shantytown redevelopment area, in an official capacity.

His own expression turned serious as he said, "Go on."

"I’ve been tasked by Governor Su to ask you a question." Li Kang looked directly into Chu Bamboo’s eyes. "How far are you planning to take this before you stop?"

Chu Bamboo understood immediately. He answered with gravity, "I wish to hold a face-to-face union meeting with the Factory Directors of the various major factories."

"...That’s it?" Ning Linglong was completely bewildered, unable to figure out what Chu Bamboo was implying.

’You want to talk with the Factory Directors?’

’What does that have to do with resolving this situation...?’

"...Let me ask," Li Kang said, a strange look on his face. Realizing something, he quickly stepped out of the room and pulled out his phone.

"Is there some inside story?" Ning Linglong was starting to sense there was more to it.

"It’s not exactly that..." Guan Fei chimed in from the side. He had a strange, conflicted expression, as if he were trying to suppress a laugh, but at the same time, a trace of melancholy showed he still hadn’t moved on from Zhou Ze’s death.

"It’s complicated, but to put it simply... Mr. Zhu is looking to shake the Factory Directors down for all they’re worth!"

Ning Linglong: "!!!"

’Wait, that’s a bit too simplistic! Besides, how did you guys make that mental leap from what Chu Bamboo said?’