After leaving the operations briefing room, Old Feng took Chen Chuan to the action team’s logistics and supply office. He walked up to the grated window of the application counter and slid the request form straight through.

The person inside glanced at the signature and official seal on the form. Without a word, they immediately handed it to the staff behind them, telling them to open the storeroom and retrieve the items.

They were efficient. After waiting less than ten minutes, the items were wheeled out on a cart.

Old Feng inspected everything. Seeing that nothing was missing or swapped out, he had the staff member place all the items into a partitioned metal case and handed it to Chen Chuan.

Chen Chuan easily took the heavy case and said, "Thank you, Special Envoy Feng."

Old Feng waved his hand. "Nothing to thank me for. You’ve earned this."

After they both signed the necessary paperwork, Old Feng led Chen Chuan out, saying, "Chen, our work here is more or less done. The rest will be handled by the Yangzhi City Administrative Affairs Hall and the other departments. We’ll be heading back in a couple of days." When they reached the entrance, he turned around again. "A sum of money has been deposited into your personal account."

Chen Chuan was a little surprised. "What’s this for?"

Old Feng said, "From taking down Molan and raiding the various companies, the action team gets to distribute what’s left after turning over the main share. As a member of the team, you’re naturally entitled to a portion.

"Don’t worry, it’s all above board. The boys who do the dirty work are the ones risking their lives on the front lines. If we don’t pay them well, who’s going to be willing to put in the effort next time?

"On top of that, there’s the commission bonus. It’s all been paid out together. We won’t write out a detailed statement; it’s enough that you know."

’The action team seized a lot of Molan Company’s assets this time,’ Chen Chuan thought. ’A lot of people must have gotten a piece of the pie. A hands-on department like the General Affairs Bureau would definitely take its cut. The amount I received is probably just a tiny fraction.’

Old Feng continued, "You’ve probably applied for a spot in Central City by now, right? In a place like Central City, you need money for everything. Don’t be fooled, the amount you were given might seem like a lot, but it can vanish in the blink of an eye. Of course, there are plenty of opportunities there too. With your abilities, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble establishing yourself."

He fumbled in his pocket and took out a small card with a handwritten phone number on it. "As people from the General Affairs Bureau, you can’t contact us directly. If you need something, you can call this number."

Chen Chuan took it, looked at it, then put it away carefully. "Thank you, Special Envoy Feng."

Old Feng raised a hand and patted his shoulder. "Come on, I’ve got another errand to run. I’ll give you a ride back on the way."

Chen Chuan thanked him and got into his car. They left the Patrol Bureau and drove to the academy. After bidding farewell to Old Feng at the gate, Chen Chuan went straight to the logistics office in the administration building to find Cheng Zitong. He updated his personal file, mainly adding his participation in the national conscription to his record.

Originally, it only listed his work with the General Affairs Bureau. Now, he added the commission from the Esoteric Review Bureau. The specifics of the job couldn’t be written down, only a general summary, but it could be cross-referenced with the national archives.

That rounded things out nicely.

Cheng Zitong looked over the file, feeling quite satisfied. "Alright, now we just need the new Civil Affairs Chief’s signature, and then we can submit it all together. Mm, this part is usually just a formality."

Chen Chuan said, "Teacher, now that I have a national conscription mission on my record, can I apply for an Armor Certificate?"

Cheng Zitong smiled. "Of course, that’s not a problem. There’s no commission more solid than this one. Even if you hadn’t brought it up, I would have remembered for you." He took a form from his drawer. "Fill this out. I’ll submit it for you."

Chen Chuan took it and began filling it out, asking, "Teacher, how long will it take to get a result on this application?"

Cheng Zitong said, "There are still over two months until the end of the year. If we submit it now, you’ll definitely have an answer within two months if it’s fast. If it’s slower, you’ll hear back before February."

Chen Chuan pondered this. "If that’s the case, does that mean I’ll have to wait until the end of the second semester to go to the Central Hospital?"

Cheng Zitong shook his head. "Theoretically, you can go to the Central Hospital as soon as your spot is approved. In the past, Recommended Students chose to go after their third year because they weren’t capable enough. But with your ability—earning an Unlimited Defense Certificate in your first year—staying in Yangzhi City will only hold you back. The sooner you go, the better.

"I reckon you’ll be able to go to the Central Hospital right after the New Year. That’s three or four months at most."

Chen Chuan nodded. ’In that case, it’s not too late. I’ll have time to take care of a few things beforehand.’

After leaving the administration building, he returned to his dorm for his daily cultivation and training.

The next day, a package arrived for him. After signing for it and opening it, he found that it was the Esoteric Materials Director Lei had promised to give him.

He flipped through it. The contents were roughly divided into three parts.

The first part detailed the most common Esoteric Rituals, including an analysis of their origins, a brief background introduction, the necessary conditions to perform them, and which Esoteric Materials were required.

The middle section taught the reader how to identify specific types of Esoteric Buddhism through their symbols and ritual steps. The final part explained how to disrupt and even establish Esoteric Rituals that were beneficial to oneself.

’This must be an internal manual from the Esoteric Review Bureau.’ To put it bluntly, if an ordinary person had a book like this and a channel to acquire the materials, they could perform an Esoteric Ritual with the help of a professional.

The need for a professional stemmed from the fact that the esoteric diagrams weren’t just random drawings. Achieving the desired effect of the ritual required extremely precise execution, or its power would be greatly diminished.

The artist needed to understand the specific function of the ritual they were depicting and be filled with powerful emotions, because they had to not only immerse themselves but also use their art to influence others.

This was not a task an ordinary person could handle. The artists were either trained by the esoteric sects themselves or were professionals who specialized in this line of work. The latter were a primary target for the Esoteric Review Bureau’s crackdowns. By controlling such individuals, they could prevent the vast majority of Esoteric Rituals, or at the very least, drastically increase the cost and reduce the impact of performing them.

Chen Chuan had always been interested in such mystical things, especially the last part about performing simple rituals to help himself.

Of course, individuals were not permitted to do so without authorization from the Esoteric Review Bureau, but that didn’t stop him from learning about it.

The manual was thick, its pages dense with information. He could take his time looking through it in the days to come.

Just then, a news report came from the radio he had on. "The Xieshan section of the railway has been repaired after days of effort by the maintenance department. Service has now been restored..."

Chen Chuan’s hand, about to turn a page, involuntarily paused. ’Service is finally restored. With Molan Company gone, it seems a lot of things can get back to normal.’

At that very moment, aboard a private train bound for Yangzhi City, the new Civil Affairs Chief, Zhu Xian, was sitting in a VIP cabin. Seated across from him was a man in a high-end uniform who looked like a salesman.

"Mayor Zhu, you must have familiarized yourself with the situation in Yangzhi City before coming. When Molan Company was around, our company had no way to expand our business. Now that Molan Company has fallen, we hope to sell our company’s Implants here. This is an untapped market with a great deal of potential to be developed."

Zhu Xian leaned back in his seat and asked, "There are so many cities around Central City, and most of them haven’t promoted Implants. Why has your company set its sights on Yangzhi?"

The man simply smiled and countered with a question, "Why did Molan set its sights on Yangzhi?"

Zhu Xian understood. He nodded and said, "It seems Yangzhi City has its own unique qualities." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The man smiled. "Mayor Zhu, after Molan Company’s exit, we certainly aren’t the only company interested in moving in here. But the choice of who to work with depends on you. Your support is crucial to us. If our company can establish its business here, we will, in turn, support you, Mayor, in various matters.

"And if you retire in the future, we can also find a satisfactory position for you within our company. That is our corporate promise."

Zhu Xian didn’t answer. An aide beside him reminded him in a low voice, "Mayor, it’s time for your meal."

The man smiled, knowing it was his cue to leave. He stood up, took his hat from a nearby rack, and held it to his chest, giving Zhu Xian a slight bow. "Mayor Zhu, it was a pleasure speaking with you today. Well, I wish you a pleasant meal. We look forward to your reply."

After speaking, he put on his hat and was guided out by an attendant.

Watching him leave, Zhu Xian sighed. "Getting a foothold here will be no easy task."

With the fall of Molan Company, a large number of Yangzhi City’s Upper Layer officials were implicated. Now, many officials have been transferred in from the outside to take up posts, but the original local factions still hold considerable power. The General Affairs Bureau has likely planted its own hidden agents after its visit, and now these companies have their eyes on the city as well. The situation was incredibly complex, and sorting it out would be anything but easy.

Just then, an assistant from outside came in and placed several telegrams on his desk. Although he hadn’t officially taken office yet, some applications were already being sent to him.

The purpose of most was simply to probe his intentions or declare their allegiance early. The actual content wasn’t very important. He flipped through them, taking note of the names and departments that appeared. When he got to the last one, he picked it up and asked, "What’s this?"

The assistant looked at it and replied, "Sir, that’s an application form from Wuyi Academy for a spot in Central City. A student’s performance was particularly outstanding, so it was sent to you for your signature.

"An application for a spot in Central City..."

Zhu Xian thought for a moment, then frowned. "This is a trivial matter. Let it wait."

He came from a background as a Civil Servant and had an instinctive aversion to military or force-related organizations. Besides, compared to this, he felt that matters concerning other administrative bodies were more important, so he casually placed the form at the very bottom of the pile.

Just then, he sensed something. He looked up to see a person sitting opposite him. He had no idea when they had arrived, and the security personnel outside seemed to have given no warning.

His composure was excellent. He asked calmly, "And who might you be?"

...

...