[Orange Typhoon Warning! Imminent Coastal Landfall!]
"According to our reports, this year’s 17th, 20th, and 21st typhoons have formed in the East Sea and South Sea. They are currently 300 to 500 kilometers away from our coastline and are moving toward it.
"Typhoon Muxiong, the 17th of the season, is located 320 kilometers off the coast of Wu Province. With maximum winds reaching Level 14, it is moving southwest at 18 kilometers per hour and is expected to make landfall around Shanghai and Ning City in eighteen hours.
"Typhoon Huangyu, the 20th, is 390 kilometers off the coast of Min Province. With a maximum wind force of Level 15, it is moving southwest at 20 kilometers per hour and is expected to make landfall on Bailu Island in twenty hours.
"Typhoon Hongliu, the 21st, is situated 460 kilometers off the southern coast of Yue Province. Packing a maximum wind force of Level 17, it is tracking northwest at approximately 25 kilometers per hour and is expected to hit the Peng City and Yangcheng area in nineteen hours."
Before Gu Zhao communicated with Taoist Qing Ye and the others via Divine Sense, he had just returned home for dinner. On the TV news, he saw the reports on Typhoon Hongliu, which was about to affect Yangcheng, and incidentally learned about the other two typhoons.
Then, he received a transmission from Yunyang, asking if they should step in to disperse the typhoons, or...
"I could change their directions, make Muxiong and Huangyu veer northeast, and send them for a spin around Sakura Paste," Yunyang chuckled.
"Why don’t you just lure both typhoons to Mount Fuji and trigger an eruption while you’re at it?" Gu Zhao said, speechless. "An erupting volcano combined with powerful typhoons, raining volcanic ash and acid rain directly over all of Sakura Paste—wouldn’t that be an even more beautiful sight?"
Yunyang gasped, drawing in a sharp breath. "Are you really that ruthless?"
"You’re the one with the real ideas, Sect Leader!" Yunyang was already considering the feasibility but asked with some concern, "But isn’t that a bit too extreme? A lot of people might die."
"Holy crap!" Gu Zhao couldn’t help but exclaim. "You were actually going to do it!"
"Hahaha!" Yunyang laughed heartily, teasing, "I was just playing along with you, wasn’t I?"
"Jokes aside, can you handle Muxiong by yourself?" Gu Zhao asked.
"Piece of cake!" Yunyang patted his chest, guaranteeing it. "I can even fly up to the Moon. Tearing apart a mere typhoon will be an absolute breeze."
"Alright then." Gu Zhao nodded. "Leave Huangyu to Martial Uncle Qing Ye, and Hongliu to Martial Uncle Fang De and Martial Uncle Wu Zhi."
"You’re not going to act?" Yunyang asked.
"Does a trivial matter like this require the Sect Leader of Daluo Palace to step in?" Gu Zhao countered.
Yunyang and Gu Zhao shared a laugh and were about to set off.
"What’s the rush? I’ll stay home for the night, and tomorrow morning I’ll head back to the Taoist Research Institute to pick up Martial Uncle Qing Ye and the others. You can all head out together."
Early the next morning, there were less than ten hours before the typhoons made landfall.
Typhoon Muxiong, approaching the Shanghai area, and Typhoon Huangyu, heading for Min Province, had both strengthened by one level. Their maximum wind forces reached Level 15 and Level 16, respectively, with wind speeds at their centers hitting fifty meters per second.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Hongliu, which was nearing Yangcheng, escalated even further from its already super typhoon status, surpassing Level 17 with center winds approaching sixty-two meters per second.
Coastal regions had mostly issued orange warnings, while the cities in the direct path of the landfalls escalated straight to red alerts.
Across these cities, work and classes were suspended, and transportation came to a halt. Aside from flood control departments standing by in full readiness, everyone was instructed to return home, rest, and ensure their own safety.
Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi had originally scheduled a rehearsal for today, but they too were notified of the day off. Having hoarded a pile of snacks and drinks, they were now snuggled up together on the sofa, binge-watching a TV show.
Gu Zhao gave the two girls a call, then went to the Taoist Research Institute and brought Taoist Qing Ye and the other two over.
He invited Yunyang and the three old Taoists to take a seat, casually setting out a pot of tea, four teacups, and a few plates of pastries, shortbread, sunflower seeds, and peanuts made by Silk Embroideress.
"Aren’t we planning to disperse the typhoons?" Yunyang asked Gu Zhao. "Why did you specifically instruct me not to send a message to the Taoist Office to cancel the typhoon warnings?"
Gu Zhao looked at Yunyang and tutted. "I didn’t expect you to be so heartless."
Yunyang’s head was full of question marks. "What do you mean?"
"Workers and students have it hard enough. It’s rare that they get a typhoon day to legitimately enjoy an extra day off."
Gu Zhao picked up a piece of brown sugar mille-feuille, took a sip of Wuyi Dahongpao tea, and said mildly, "They’ve probably been looking forward to this day off for the past two days. Do you really have the nerve to shatter their expectations?"
Yunyang was speechless.
Taoist Fang De also grabbed a pastry and said with a smile, "The Sect Leader empathizes with the common people. What a compassionate heart!"
Taoist Wu Zhi started cracking sunflower seeds. "Not bad, not bad at all. Let’s step in a little later and let them properly enjoy their day off."
Taoist Qing Ye took a small sip of hot tea, thought for a moment, and said, "Will there be people in the future who ignore typhoon conditions and demand that their employees still go to work?"
Yunyang caught on as well. Smiling, he picked up a few peanuts and tossed them into his mouth. "The authorities wouldn’t dare gamble on those odds. And if there really are any black-hearted companies that try to pull that, I wouldn’t mind teaching them a lesson."
Gu Zhao nodded. "Human lives are at stake. If anyone dares to disregard human life, then we’ll let them experience the consequences of doing so."
While Gu Zhao, Yunyang, and the three old Taoists sat in the pavilion drinking tea and chatting, a few cleaners and security guards observed them from a distance. Then, they quietly huddled together inside the security booth.
"Brother Li, why did Mr. Gu bring so many people back today?" an older male cleaner asked softly, his face etched with worry. "Are they planning to make a move against someone?"
"I have no idea!" The security captain shook his head. "If you’re asking me, who am I supposed to ask?"
Another elderly security guard frowned in thought. "I haven’t heard of any new factions popping up recently. After the big bosses of those telecom fraud syndicates were taken down, the scattered, insignificant remnants only dare to scam a little money—they’d never dare actually harm people anymore."
A nearby cleaner’s eyes gleamed brightly. "Recently, Sakura Paste and Lü Zon have been clinging like leeches and deliberately provoking us. You don’t think they’re going to strike at them, do you?"
The security captain waved his hand. "Definitely not. The Taoist Masters don’t meddle in that sort of mess."
A younger security guard beside him pondered for a moment. "Could it be about the typhoons? The very first time the Taoist Masters from the Taoist Research Institute revealed their divine powers to the public was because of the nationwide rainstorm crisis."
"But if it’s because of the typhoons, why didn’t they notify the Taoist Office?"
The older cleaner asked, "All the cities have issued warnings and made extensive preparations. It’s cost a lot of money and effort. If the authorities knew in advance, wouldn’t all that money have been saved?"
The young guard shook his head. "That, I don’t know."
The group of security guards and cleaners gathered in the booth and debated for a long time, but they couldn’t come to any conclusion. Ultimately, they had no choice but to report the matter to the Taoist Office and let them figure it out.
The Taoist Office: ???
"Wait, if you didn’t know, couldn’t you have just asked them?!"