Chapter 83: Chapter 78: Patrol Promotion, a Crisis Appears

「Two days later.」

After the festival holiday, Lu Chao changed into a patrol uniform, had breakfast with Zhao Yuanqing, and they went their separate ways.

As he strode toward the nearby Patrol Department’s Second Division building, he had a healthy complexion and his breathing was steady; he had already returned to peak condition.

’[Basic Resilience] is really useful. It perfectly complements my Frenzy State.’

Lu Chao thought to himself as he walked, ’It only took one night to fully recover.’

’But that was just the strain from a thirty-second frenzy. I wonder how long it will take to shake off the weakness after using it for the maximum duration.’

Lost in thought, he walked into the Patrol Department.

Unusually, several other vehicles were parked outside the first-floor lobby of the Patrol Department today.

Some were camouflage off-roaders, while others were solid blue, bearing a logo with a ring and a shield.

’Cars from the City Defense Department?’

Lu Chao was a little puzzled. He had rarely seen anyone from the City Defense Department here before.

Unlike the Patrol Department, the City Defense Department was primarily responsible for security along the defensive line between the city and the wilderness. Their duties involved manning the high city walls, periodically venturing out to conduct sweeps, and exterminating Mutant Beasts.

"You’re here pretty early today."

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out.

Lu Chao turned to see Chen Xiao striding in through the doorway, calling out a casual greeting.

"You’re pretty early, too."

Lu Chao replied casually with a smile and a nod.

The two chatted as they headed up to the second floor, and the conversation soon turned to the City Defense Department.

"Eh, it’s probably about the supply aid mission."

Chen Xiao entered the squad office ahead of him. He placed his briefcase on his desk, picked up his thermos, and said, "You took the day off before the Spring Festival, right? Word was already going around the department back then."

"My guess is we’ll have to leave the city with the Superpower Bureau to help the City Defense Department escort the supply aid. They’ll probably select a few squads for it, and the Mechanical Violence Team will participate too."

Oh?

Slightly surprised, Lu Chao quickly composed himself.

He had seen the announcement from the Political Affairs Department on the news that day—the council had voted to approve the aid request from the wilderness settlements.

"So, which settlements are we providing aid to?"

Lu Chao asked as he headed toward his workstation.

Chen Xiao poured himself a cup of hot water. Since it was just the two of them in the office for the moment, he walked over to the wall and turned on the projector. "I heard there are two places: Black Water Town and Shady Valley."

"Both are small settlements, not too far from us—only about fifty kilometers outside the city."

As he spoke, he noticed Lu Chao’s expression turn grim.

Guessing what was on his mind, Chen Xiao smiled and said, "Don’t worry. The wilderness is dangerous, but it’s not as bad as people make it out to be."

"We’ll have guns and satellite phones, not to mention drones and armored vehicles. The Superpower Bureau is sending a few elites to accompany us, so we won’t have to worry even if we run into a pack of Mutant Beasts... Besides, there’s no guarantee we’ll even be picked."

Lu Chao gave a slight nod.

He couldn’t help but think of the hunting party from the boxing hall.

He’d heard that Senior Brother Zheng and the others had set out the day before yesterday. He wondered how they were doing, and if they were safe.

TAP! TAP!

Then, amidst the sound of footsteps, Yang Wangtao finally arrived.

"Captain Yang!"

The two men greeted him. As always, their captain’s posture was ramrod straight, and his side-parted hair was impeccably styled.

Giving a slight nod, Yang Wangtao was about to walk into the captain’s office.

But then...

"Hm?"

He stopped short and looked at Lu Chao, a rare flicker of stunned surprise in his eyes.

"You..."

Lu Chao simply nodded, a smile on his face.

Though he hadn’t said a word, his expression seemed to confirm the other man’s suspicion.

...

"Professional Level..."

"To be honest, I truly didn’t expect you to break through so quickly."

A few minutes later, after confirming that Lu Chao had broken through to Professional Level.

Yang Wangtao had a complicated look on his face as he led him into the squad leader’s office, his tone tinged with emotion.

The bottleneck to Professional Level wasn’t something that could be broken just by having enough resources.

A breakthrough at this speed was on par with those of superior aptitude, even faster than many scions of wealthy families.

"It was just a stroke of luck. I only managed to break through thanks to Master Luo’s and Senior Brother Zheng’s guidance."

Lu Chao said with a smile, offering a modest excuse.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow move by the window. It was Chen Xiao, his face a mask of utter astonishment as he pressed against the glass to eavesdrop.

"A breakthrough is a breakthrough. There’s no such thing as luck."

Snapping out of his surprise, Yang Wangtao’s expression became serious again. He shook his head, correcting Lu Chao’s modest claim.

"This is your innate talent, a gift unique to you. The fact that you’re a late bloomer just proves you’re anything but ordinary."

"Still, that guy Zheng Wu didn’t mention a word last time we had dinner. Looks like he wanted it to be a surprise for me, too."

As he spoke, he shook his head with a smile and sat down behind his mahogany desk.

After a moment of small talk, he chose his words carefully and asked Lu Chao about his plans.

"I’m only where I am today thanks to your support, Captain Yang."

Lu Chao’s gaze was bright as he answered frankly, "If possible, I’d like to stay here."

He stated his intentions tactfully, without hiding his thoughts.

In the Iron Ring District, someone at the Professional Level was already considered an expert.

They were strong enough to become a Hall Master in a large gang, or a security consultant for a small to medium-sized company like Hengjia Security.

As for compensation, that went without saying. It would be at least two or three times that of a regular Fighting Level practitioner.

"Heh, you’re certainly direct."

Yang Wangtao cracked a smile, naturally understanding what Lu Chao was getting at.

He wasn’t the least bit displeased. On the contrary, he nodded with satisfaction.

The young man had plenty of options now, but he was still prioritizing the Patrol Department, clearly out of a sense of personal connection.

For that very reason, he couldn’t take it for granted and had to treat him with even greater sincerity.

"Alright, I’ll report this to Vice Director Liu in a bit."

Yang Wangtao considered for a moment, then leaned his elbows on the desk and said seriously, "Regarding your rank, you don’t necessarily have to take the assessment to be promoted to a Second-Class Patrol Officer. The department actually has special recommendation slots."

"The benefits are easy to discuss. We’ll definitely give you the package for a Professional Level. The monthly salary and subsidies will be close to 30,000, plus forty kilograms of Exotic Beast Meat. You’ll also be able to claim a free medium-grade Nutritional Potion each month."

"As for housing, we’ll definitely assign you an apartment. Alternatively, we can reimburse your rent, up to 3,000 a month."

"However..." Yang Wangtao paused, a slight frown creasing his brow as if he’d just remembered something. "It’s just a shame that there are no squad leader vacancies in our division right now. If you stay, you’ll most likely have to remain in Squad Three."

"I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with that for the time being."

Hearing this, Lu Chao nodded, not particularly surprised.

The benefits package was comparable to what other companies offered, and that wasn’t even counting the other perks of being a Second-Class Patrol Officer, like a temporary firearm permit and access to higher-level resource exchanges on the internal network.

As for the squad leader position...

"You think too highly of me, Captain Yang. Besides, I’d be more than happy to stay with our squad."

Lu Chao said with a smile, knowing the captain was just trying to spare his feelings.

Positions in the Patrol Department were highly coveted. With too many candidates and too few openings, the internal competition was naturally fierce.

To secure a position as squad leader, one needed a Life Energy of at least fifty points and the strength of a seasoned Professional Level practitioner.

Furthermore, as far as he knew, some of the more formidable squads had other Professional Level members besides their leader.

They simply couldn’t be promoted due to a lack of open positions.

"Well... I’m glad you see it that way."

Yang Wangtao nodded, pleased with his response.

After a flurry of activity, things went more smoothly than Lu Chao had imagined.

After Captain Yang submitted the report, Lu Chao went to the personnel department.

With the certification issued by Jinshi Boxing Hall, he only had to undergo a few simple tests of his strength, speed, and nerve response before easily completing all the procedures.

By the time he left the Patrol Department that day...

’Second-Class Patrol Officer.’

Walking out the main gate of the Patrol Department, Lu Chao looked at the new Second-Class Patrol Officer ID in his hand, a hint of a smile touching his lips.

’Strength really is the ultimate key.’

He was once again struck by the profound meaning of that saying.

’As for housing, the assigned apartment is near this Number Two block. All things considered, it’s not much different, and moving is a hassle.’

’I might as well just take the rent subsidy. It’s more convenient that way.’

Putting away his patrol ID, Lu Chao’s mind was already turning over his plans.

He then turned and walked toward his apartment building.

It was dusk. He planned to change his clothes and then head to the boxing hall to train some more.

"Daddy, I want that doll."

"Mom, relax, I’m doing fine now. Don’t worry."

"[According to the latest reports, Red Maple Shelter City’s application to join the Alliance Country has passed the preliminary review. The Alliance’s general assembly in the capital, Yao Capital, will subsequently conduct a second review and vote...]"

People milled about on the street, their voices creating a constant clamor. Amidst the noise, the sound of a news broadcast drifted from a supermarket to the side.

Lu Chao brushed past one person after another, the aroma of food from nearby restaurants occasionally wafting to his nose.

For some reason, a sense of peace settled over him. He rather enjoyed this feeling, this immersion in the lively atmosphere of daily life.

The warm afterglow of dusk washed over the street as white-painted lampposts flickered on, their light gradually intensifying, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

’Red Maple Shelter City? Looks like the Alliance Country is about to get a new city.’

As his thoughts drifted, Lu Chao walked at a steady pace, his mind feeling exceptionally clear. He found himself subconsciously distinguishing and processing the many sounds around him.

Hm?

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened.

Lu Chao stopped abruptly outside the supermarket.

The voice from the news broadcast reached him again. Through the storefront window, he could clearly see the LCD screen mounted on the interior wall, its picture currently changing.

He could also see metal shelves standing on the tiled floor, piled high with all sorts of snacks and merchandise...

All these different items inside the store entered his vision, but Lu Chao’s gaze wasn’t focused on any of them.

Instead, it was fixed on the reflection of the bustling street in the window pane.

People bustled past, but he stood motionless in the twilight glow.

His five senses had been slightly enhanced since his breakthrough to Professional Level, which was precisely why he suddenly detected the subtle feeling of being watched.

Staring at the reflection in the window, Lu Chao’s gaze swept across it, flicking through the images in his mind as if they were a slideshow.

Soon.

His eyes narrowed, focusing on the reflection of the opposite side of the street.

A figure stood beneath a lamppost, hands tucked in their pockets. It was just a blurry silhouette, impossible to tell if it was a man or a woman.

A sudden chill crept into his heart, and Lu Chao spun around to look.

His gaze cut through the crowd to look at the figure.

They were nearly ten meters apart, separated by a busy street with a constant flow of traffic and pedestrians that obstructed his line of sight.

And yet.

He looked at the sturdy frame clad in a black hoodie and pants, the face covered by a black mask.

And then he saw the cold, faintly bloodshot eyes—eyes that felt disturbingly familiar, that looked as if they were sizing up prey.

Lu Chao slowly planted his feet, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"So, you’ve finally decided to show yourself."