The Bureau moved twelve hours before the Council vote.
Not Direct Action this time. Legal action — Director Cai filed an emergency injunction with the Council legal office at midnight, citing imminent security risk from unregistered cultivation activity. The injunction requested immediate suspension of the Dragon Warden Council alert and restoration of Bureau operational authority.
Fang woke Xin at two in the morning.
"Cai filed it directly with Hao's office," Fang said. He was holding a document copy. "Hao countersigned it within an hour. They are requesting the Council convene at dawn instead of midday."
"Dawn is six hours away," Xin said.
"Yes."
"Ren," Xin said.
Ren was already awake. He had been awake for most of the previous thirty-six hours. He took the injunction document, re
