「The next morning.」

An autumn wind swept through, causing the withered leaves on both sides of the street to rustle as they fell.

As the northwesternmost city in the Alliance Country, the weather in Ring City began to cool every October. Many people on the streets had already donned long sleeves and jackets to ward off the faint morning chill.

"I’m off, Ah Chao."

"See you tonight."

With a small smile, Lu Chao, having finished breakfast, parted ways with Zhao Yuanqing, watching him walk onto the platform.

Then, he set off, striding forward in his crisp, blue patrol uniform.

Many passersby on either side cast looks of envy and awe, watching him walk toward the Patrol Department’s Second Division.

’Oh, right.’

He paused in his tracks and ducked into a nearby supermarket.

From the shelf, he routinely grabbed two high-protein energy bars in brown wrappers. They were his go-to energy boost during daily patrols and breaks.

But when he went to scan the items,

the owner wrung his hands and said apologetically, "O-Officer, my apologies. The price of the energy bars has gone up recently."

"Oh?"

Slightly surprised, Lu Chao glanced at the price tag. Each bar was five coins higher than the last time he was here.

’It really did go up.’

The high-protein energy bars were a product of the Biotechnology Company. In terms of nutrition alone, they were on par with common Exotic Beast Meat, such as that from a Black-Horned Ox.

Not paying it much mind, he then scanned the code and paid the difference under the owner’s reserved gaze.

[Alliance Morning Post: Red Maple Shelter City has recently applied to join the Alliance Country. The Alliance Council will hold a three-day deliberation and vote. If the motion passes, the city will undergo an inspection and review period lasting no less than one year!]

As he paid, several news items came from the supermarket TV. Lu Chao paused and watched for a moment.

[Patrol Department Reminder: There has been a recent spike in missing persons cases. The public is urged not to listen to rumors and to refrain from illegal activities such as believing in, worshiping, or spreading religion. The Patrol Department has already launched a special investigation into the matter....]

[Wilderness Daily: Wilderness Warlords Lu Shan and Ogrin recently clashed in the Red River Region, one hundred kilometers outside the city, in a dispute over water sources. Lianwei Heavy Industry has issued a statement on the matter, declaring that it has not sold any military weapons to outside parties....]

"So another shelter city wants to join the Alliance Country, huh."

"Isn’t that the truth. Life is so hard for people in those wilderness settlements. Only the Alliance Country can make sure they have food to eat."

"True. And look at those warlords, still fighting each other..."

The old men and women sitting at the supermarket entrance saw the news and started discussing it amongst themselves.

Lu Chao looked away, stuffed the high-protein energy bars into his pocket, and left the supermarket.

’The missing persons cases still haven’t been solved. That group, the suspected God-Worshipping Church, is still lurking somewhere in Ring City.’

Subconsciously, he scanned the street from left to right.

Figures came and went, mostly office workers with hurried steps. He didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.

BEEP! BEEP!

Just then, a car horn sounded.

Slightly startled, Lu Chao turned to look.

He saw a blue-and-white patrol car slowly pull up and stop in the middle of the road.

The patrol officer in the driver’s seat rolled down the window. It was a young man, who smiled and called out to him, "Get in, Lu Chao."

"Chen Xiao."

Coming back to his senses, Lu Chao gave a resigned smile.

He then walked over to the patrol car, pulled open the passenger-side door, and got in.

"I knew I’d find you on the way."

Chen Xiao skillfully handled the steering wheel as he drove, saying with a smile, "Same as usual today. We have to process a scene, so I figured I’d just come and pick you up directly."

"Sorry to trouble you again."

"Tsk, it’s no trouble at all. It’s on the way."

The driver’s name was Chen Xiao. He was the same young man who had helped Lu Chao with his induction process.

He had shaggy, longish hair, a slender build, and rather handsome features. He was also a martial artist, and a formal Second-Level Patrol Officer.

After a month of patrolling the streets together, the two had gradually become familiar with each other.

As they spoke, Lu Chao smiled his thanks, then turned to look at the back seat.

"Captain Yang."

"Mm. Have you eaten breakfast?"

Yang Wangtao sat alone in the back, dressed in a blue, captain-level patrol uniform. His hair was impeccably parted seventy-thirty, and his square face was quite stern.

Even while sitting, his posture was ramrod straight. He held a newspaper in his hands, seeming to be looking something up.

"I have. And you, sir?"

"Same."

He replied calmly and said no more.

For a moment, the only sound in the car was the rustling of the newspaper. Lu Chao subconsciously glanced over. It was just an ordinary copy of the Ring Daily, nothing special.

"Stop staring. Captain Yang is looking for clues."

"Even though Qiu Shan’s gang of thugs is hiding all over the place, they haven’t stopped causing trouble..."

Chen Xiao lowered his voice and jutted his chin, his tone half-explanatory, half-warning.

Understanding now, Lu Chao didn’t say anything else to disturb him.

’That gang of wanted criminals was vicious and ruthless, having committed multiple offenses.’

’The Patrol Department was taking this very seriously. Many squads were falling over themselves to be the ones to claim the credit.’

The vehicle then started up and drove forward.

Lu Chao gazed out the window as the streets on both sides flew past.

’A patrol officer’s duties aren’t too strenuous. It’s mostly patrolling the streets, maintaining order, and handling emergencies... I’ve gotten used to it over the past month.’

...

「Half an hour later.」

「Iron Ring District, Little Stone Street.」

Below the apartment building, shards of broken glass were scattered onto the street.

A blue-and-white patrol car with flashing red-and-blue lights was parked on the side of the road. Bright yellow police tape had been quickly put up, cordoning off a large pharmacy on the ground floor of the building.

A crowd of curious onlookers stood on the roadside, pointing and murmuring.

Looking over, one could see that one of the pharmacy’s display windows was completely shattered. Several metal cabinets were toppled over, and numerous medicines were scattered about.

The body of a person in a white lab coat was slumped by the window, eyes wide open, staring blankly at the sky. Half of the white coat was stained red with blood.

There were three other bodies in similarly gruesome states—sprawled horizontally or vertically, one even slumped directly over the cash register. The surrounding floor was a pool of blood.

The patrol officers who entered the scene conducted a survey, first clearing any danger and then documenting the scene.

Only when the order was given

did the fully-equipped cleaners finally move, hurrying inside.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Stop dawdling! This has to be cleaned up before midnight tonight."

Fatty Cui’s cursing voice rang out again.

The cleaners, heads bowed as they worked, wore numb expressions as they expertly moved the bodies and washed down the floor.

"That bastard Fatty Cui... he only knows how to boss us around."

"Sigh, let’s just get back to work. It’s not bad, having this job."

"You call this ’not bad’? I’ve been thinking about finding a new job."

"New job? What kind of education do you have? You really think it’s that easy to find a meal ticket in Ring City? A lot of companies have been laying people off lately..."

The new cleaner, having been lectured a bit, lowered his head and irritably ran his hands through his hair.

He couldn’t understand how his colleagues could stand this line of work.

"Oh, by the way."

As if remembering something, he turned his head toward the others and asked in a low, questioning voice, "Didn’t you guys say before that one of the guys got into the Patrol Department? Is that really true?"

However, his question was met with total silence.

His colleagues, who had just been grumbling under their breath, now fell eerily silent, as if someone had hit a mute button.

"Why aren’t you guys talking?"

Confused, he instinctively turned his head to look.

He froze, seeing that his seven or eight colleagues had all stopped what they were doing and were staring in unison at the pharmacy entrance.

Three patrol officers in blue uniforms were walking in from outside.

One of them was quite young, a youth with a short buzz cut. He easily passed through the police tape and came inside.

Fatty Cui, who was always bossing them around, spotted them with his sharp eyes. A fawning, enthusiastic smile spread across his face as he hurried forward to greet them.

"So... the news was true."

"Lu Chao actually made it."

"Get outta here, what ’Lu Chao’? You have to call him Lu Patrol from now on."

"No wonder Old Cheng got transferred to the logistics team..."

His colleagues erupted into conversation, the cleaners speaking one after another, their voices laced with complex emotions.

Their numb expressions were now filled with envy, mixed with a hint of bitterness.

’Doesn’t everyone say that practicing martial arts is just a drain on money and resources?’

’So how did he manage to succeed so quietly?’