Chapter 923: After Binding the Child-Bearing System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 924: Survival Instance Loading (14)

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

"The survival rate for this Jinghua University Instance is higher than other Instances," but Jinghua University is one of the top universities in the country, and its faculty and students count as one-in-ten-thousand talents; factoring in all other conditions, this Instance's survival rate can only be called unqualified.

As Special Investigation Bureau personnel participating in the Jinghua University Instance rescue, Huo Xunqi knows best what the situation inside actually is.

Raising a hand to rub his eyebrows, Huo Xunqi's mental exhaustion these past few days stems entirely from this; although those who survived are all players with potential, compared to those who couldn't make it out, neither the Official side nor the University can accept it.

"Not accepting it doesn't help either; facing unknown Instance dangers, ordinary people's physiques just aren't very suitable," Shen Yao laughed and tapped Huo Xunqi, then said the Special Investigation Bureau should hurry up and develop detection machines that can judge the strength of Spiritual Qi Revival; this way, weaker Instances can be used to cultivate more players, thereby reducing the high death rate and the tight player numbers.

Huo Xunqi replied helplessly, "The Official-developed detection machines can't be said to have no use; they're just better than nothing; their effect isn't even as good as certain artifacts."

In reality, the detection machines the Special Investigation Bureau currently uses are treasures fused with quite a few artifacts; don't look at how inconspicuous they seem — individually, each one could spark a scramble if brought out.

Hearing this, Shen Yao felt some sympathy for Huo Xunqi; tsk, no way around it being high — all roads are blocked; it's not that other strategies can't be thought of, it's just that spending money and effort on these aspects isn't cost-effective; when input and return aren't proportional, no one is willing to keep being the sucker.

"Alright, let's not talk about your Special Investigation Bureau's difficulties; I came this time to discuss benefits," Shen Yao's beautiful eyes turned slightly, looking at Huo Xunqi with a smile, "Just because we divorced, Bureau Chief Huo shouldn't speak dishonestly."

Hearing this, Huo Xunqi smiled even more brilliantly than Shen Yao; "You really misunderstand me," he shook his head, indicating he was the most principled type of person; having promised to discuss benefits, he definitely wouldn't play tricks on that front; "But you also want to join the Special Investigation Bureau?"

That really isn't Shen Yao's personality; back then, their divorce had many reasons, but the most important was still that Huo Xunqi was too busy, and the two's time could never align.

Neither side was the type to compromise too much for the other; in the end, choosing to go separate ways was also within expectations.

Shen Yao waved her hand; "I've long been used to being free and unrestrained; your Special Investigation Bureau's set of rules doesn't suit me"; she says what she has to say — today she came mainly for Shen Xi's matter.

The Special Investigation Bureau requires restraint; gaining something means paying corresponding responsibility; Shen Yao indicates she isn't someone who likes bearing responsibility; normally when encountering trouble, she might go with the flow, but making her constantly play the savior role — that she cannot comply with.

Huo Xunqi wasn't surprised by this; he raised his hand, took a document from his desk, and handed it over; "This is the announcement the Special Investigation Bureau plans to release publicly; it includes the requirements and treatment for joining the Special Investigation Bureau."

Shen Yao took it and raised an eyebrow; "Not just that, right?" The content above was all very basic, like Official staff.

Special Investigation Bureau members are all players, already fundamentally different from ordinary people; if they only complete the basic work above, then joining the Special Investigation Bureau has little use, far inferior to working for certain private forces.

Oh

There are already players working for private forces; although this is only a small portion, most are also because they have flaws preventing them from entering legitimate departments like the Special Investigation Bureau; but player abilities will tempt certain ambitious forces; by the time players grow more numerous, the whole society will also be shaken into turmoil.

This isn't Shen Yao alarmist talk; this is a problem even the High Level of the Country, included, can perceive.

Right now the Country is doing its utmost to control the situation, including but not limited to having the military and Official side participate more in Instances, to increase the number of Official players; these Official players will also become the backbone force stabilizing society in the future, and are the Official side's own trump card.

Huo Xunqi nodded; "The deeper stuff is in here."

He pulled out another document from under the desk; compared to the one in Shen Yao's hand, the latter one clearly carried more persuasive power.

Looking at the stipulated number of completed Instances and the artifact submission requirements, as well as the fixed Instance clearance guides obtainable, Shen Yao felt the Official side was quite smart; they knew equivalent exchange was needed to gain cooperation, and didn't play tricks on these points.

"The uncontrollability of players, we know full well in our hearts"; the Official side mainly considers the ordinary masses, and definitely won't deliberately target the player group.

Moreover, once the Official side suppresses too harshly, if the player group fails to develop, then when internal and external troubles peak, they themselves will lose effective resistance force.

"Rest assured, this time both the Special Investigation Bureau and the Official side are very sincere in broadly inviting players to join.

For this, we will also establish a new department, the Special Affairs Bureau; the Special Affairs Bureau and Special Investigation Bureau will adopt a dual-track parallel strategy; I will be transferred to the Special Affairs Bureau before long, mainly responsible for these affairs."

Huo Xunqi hid nothing from Shen Yao, even revealing internal inside information that hadn't yet spread.

Shen Yao propped her chin, eyes curiously scanning Huo Xunqi up and down, thinking: what kind of workhorse is this? Busy here, busy there — truly not afraid of working himself to death.

Perhaps her hesitant expression was too obvious; Huo Xunqi thought a bit and felt it necessary to explain a couple sentences for the Official side; otherwise this person tends to wild speculation, and might even affect Shen Xi joining the Special Affairs Bureau.

"It's just that the Special Affairs Bureau suits me more; the Special Investigation Bureau will integrate all personnel; the Country intends for it to only accept Official and military players for cultivation in the future," because there is an obvious gap between social players and Official players; putting them together would cause friction.

The Country's original intention is certainly good, but people aren't objects; they have their own thoughts; certain things won't always follow a preset trajectory; timely adjusting unstable routes, then optimizing management — social progress relies on these strategies of constant trial, error-correction, and improvement.

Shen Yao handed the document in her hand back to Huo Xunqi; she figured she understood his meaning; Shen Xi joining the Special Affairs Bureau at this time is indeed good; an Apprentice Player has many shortcomings compared to an Official Player; with Huo Xunqi at the Special Affairs Bureau, no need to worry Shen Xi will be deliberately targeted; and the Special Affairs Bureau has its own operating principles and rules; a newly sprouted seedling needs careful cultivation; future achievements belong to the future; right now, stepping solidly on the ground is the only way to welcome a brilliant future.

"I'll have Shen Xi join the Special Affairs Bureau on her behalf; pleasant cooperation."

"Pleasant cooperation."

Finished with business, the two stood up to find the three kids who were already playing wildly.

In front of Shen Xi, Huo Xunqi and Shen Yao explained the content just discussed; regarding the newly established Special Affairs Bureau matters, Shen Yao did not choose to listen in on the side.

"Mommy"

Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue grabbed Shen Yao's arms; the little ones couldn't wait to go out and play; unfortunately, their bio-dad never gives them space; now that they've finally run into their bio-mom, they're definitely going to plead a bit.

"It's chaotic outside; aren't you two afraid?" Shen Yao raised a hand and tapped their little heads; "Whether it's the news or the internet, I'm afraid home has also told you quite a lot."

The Huo Family won't raise children to be lazy and ignorant good-for-nothings; but if a child truly has no talent, they also won't force them.

Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue are the two most outstanding children among the Huo Family's younger generation; whether Huo Family elders or whatever, all hold extremely high expectations for them.

While still in the seedling stage they definitely can't venture into danger zones; but her Shen Yao's children aren't that fragile either.

Before Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue could say anything more, Shen Yao preemptively interrupted their spellcasting, indicating she'd discuss with Huo Xunqi later; whether they can go out depends on Huo Xunqi's attitude.

"What needs to depend on my attitude?" Huo Xunqi and Shen Xi walked over from the side, a pair of eyes looking at Shen Yao with slight puzzlement.

To tell the truth, whether before the divorce or after, he could never quite call the shots for Shen Yao; it's always been Shen Yao finding excuses to pin the blame on him, not giving any chance to refute.

Shen Yao didn't pick up the thread, just said, "You two talked it out?"

Shen Xi hummed in agreement; "Uncle Huo spoke very sincerely; I'm just an Apprentice Player; joining the Special Affairs Bureau is advantageous for leveling up; still need to reach Official Player as soon as possible."

Shen Xi's expression was serious, her face solemn; seeing this, Shen Yao just silently turned her head and glared at Huo Xunqi; this guy is definitely exaggerating again, fooling the kid daily; hmph! So this is the new Bureau Chief of the Special Affairs Bureau.

Huo Xunqi: ……

Huo Xunqi, with an embarrassed face, raised a hand to touch his nose tip; embarrassed yet also helpless; no wonder they could get married — both sides understand each other too well; the tacit understanding where a single glance suffices is, in a certain sense, still quite terrifying.

"Juxian Garden? Where did you hear that from?" Huo Xunqi's expression was strange, not like someone whose secret was discovered.

"Naturally the Entertainment Industry; my works are being adapted, so gatherings are needed," Shen Yao shrugged her shoulders.

"Your circle," Huo Xunqi sneered; "More fake news than the internet."

Shen Yao: ……

"Little Two, Little Three, how do you want to arrange them?" Shen Yao turned her head to look at the child being led around to play by Shen Xi, thinking to herself that Fixed Dungeons had age restrictions for selection, but Random Dungeons didn't have this thing.

Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue ate well and grew tall; at twelve years old they stood one meter seventy-eight, and if it weren't for the two of them having childish faces and still wearing positioning phone watches on their wrists, they might have been mistaken for handsome men and asked for contact information.

Huo Xunqi rested his hand on Shen Yao's shoulder, "You want to take them to Juxian Garden?"

"Mm, Dungeons have no time limit; even if they become Apprentice Players, as long as they don't actively enter a Fixed Dungeon themselves, there's no need to worry about danger."

Shen Yao's gaze was calm, "Huo Xunqi, the two of us can't protect them for long."

The shadows of Dungeons bring danger that follows like a shadow; ordinary people fundamentally have no power of self-preservation, and even if Shen Yao could give her own items to the two children, they would be unable to unleash the items' full effect.

Better that under their guardianship they become Apprentice Players; even if they don't enter Dungeons for the next few years, they can still rely on good items to protect themselves.

Huo Xunqi fell silent for a long while, then let out a light laugh, "You're crazier than me."

Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue are only twelve years old; even with the Huo Family's meticulous cultivation, they still can't compare to adults with mature minds.

"Crazy?" In this world, those who aren't crazy can only suffer stifled and wait for death.

Turning around and lifting her eyes to meet Huo Xunqi's gaze, the seriousness in Shen Yao's eyes was moving.

Huo Xunqi nodded, "Good, Juxian Garden is a good place; the degree of Spiritual Qi Revival there is very low, and with me there, I'll definitely be able to protect them."

Hearing that the family was going out to play this weekend, Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue jumped up and down with joy; the two of them hated that they couldn't tell this news to everyone they knew. Although the Huo Family residence was very large, they had lived here from childhood to adulthood, and Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue had long since grown bored; go out, go out, this time they absolutely had to have a thoroughly good time.

…………

Having promised the two little ones, the three adults couldn't not prepare in advance.

Shen Xi was already an Apprentice Player; Shen Yao and Huo Xunqi's plan wasn't concealed from her, and surprisingly Shen Xi's acceptance ability was much faster than Shen Yao had imagined — there wasn't any questioning phase at all.

"Mom, the Dungeon at Jinghua University let me know this world fundamentally has no absolutely safe place.

Since Uncle Huo has the confidence, letting Mingze and Mingjue become Players in advance isn't bad at all."

Both times they returned they had given the items they carried on their own bodies to Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue, plus those Huo Xunqi himself gave; it could be said that ordinary Players couldn't hurt them at all.

After returning from the Huo Family, Shen Xi packed her things; during this period she also went out a few trips. Jinghua University had temporarily closed the campus because of the Dungeon matter and didn't let teachers and students return, but some Laboratory data couldn't be lost, so reluctantly Shen Xi could only go through internal channels to continue working. Fortunately she had become a Player and possessed self-preservation ability. When the Laboratory side's busy period came to a close, the family of five (mainly the two little ones)'s long-awaited weekend trip quietly arrived.

In the morning, after getting up and finishing breakfast, Shen Yao drove carrying Shen Xi to the Huo Family to rendezvous with Huo Xunqi and the two sons.

Huo Mingze and Huo Mingjue had tidied themselves up early; suitcases sat at their feet, and they wore all kinds of usable items on their backs — they looked not like a countryside outing, but more like field training.

Shen Yao and Huo Xunqi exchanged a glance; the (former) husband and wife were helpless — the children were young but acted like old hands, and had actually actively seen through their arrangement.

"Don't know who they got their guts from," Shen Yao couldn't help muttering, sitting in the passenger seat and straightening her seatbelt.

By now the family of five had long since switched to a specially modified vehicle, with Huo Xunqi as driver, Shen Xi and the other two queued in the back row, and a table could even extend out in the middle for simple eating and drinking.

"Weekend trip to Juxian Garden — you, the new Bureau Chief of the Special Affairs Bureau, aren't busy?" Shen Yao looked at Huo Xunqi with a mocking gaze.

"No matter how busy, I'm not a solitary ruler; besides, the Leaders wish I weren't in the Special Affairs Bureau. After all, Huo Xunqi has strong capability and hard wrists; encountering selective problems he gives no one face. The Special Affairs Bureau was just established, and inside there's no shortage of personal connections and worldly wisdom — Huo Xunqi staying would instead make things hard to handle."

Tsk

Shen Yao's tone was cold/indifferent, "So you were exiled after all; no wonder you agreed so readily back then."

Cheerful laughter came from the back seat; Huo Xunqi, seeing this, expression unchanged, started the vehicle beneath him, then stepped on the gas and accelerated directly, leaving behind a string of screams as the car departed.