Chapter 38: The Division of the Three Departments

Gu Xueling, who was to the side, couldn't help but let out a "pfft" of laughter.

This Jiang Jin'an, relying on being a few years older, had been the "big brother" among their little group of friends since they were small. When their parents were busy and rarely had time to look after them, it was he who taught everyone many things. Even when they were bullied at school, he would help stand up for them, and because of this, he was worshipped by everyone like an older brother.

Although their friendship had always been good, in recent years, the bureaucratic air about Jiang Jin'an had grown heavier. His speech and actions always carried traces of imitating his elders, yet he could never achieve that effortless, understated grace. As his persona slowly collapsed, it also made everyone feel that they had grown quite distant from one another.

He was clearly still a young man who had just entered university, yet he put on an old-fashioned, pretentious air, saying things like "heroic youth" to a junior only one year his junior. It was no wonder Zhang Wei sarcastically dubbed him "middle-aged."

Jiang Jin'an glared at Gu Xueling, and only after she turned away to stifle her laughter did he say helplessly, "Little Zhang, I've asked you here this time because I have a proposal I'd like to discuss with you."

Zhang Wei nodded: "Old Jiang, go ahead."

... You really refuse to take a loss, don't you? Jiang Jin'an was caught between laughter and tears, finally understanding how Hong Bayi felt.

Being called "Old Jiang" was likely the first time in his life.

"You also know the current situation. If my predictions are correct, we are currently standing on the threshold of a great era. Ahead lie countless Heavenly Ladders; for every step you take upward, you rise higher, until you are far removed from the mortal world. But this path is destined to be difficult—even harder to walk than any path before it!"

As he spoke, Jiang Jin'an gazed intently at Zhang Wei, saying with a hint of fervor: "The difficulty of the road to Shu is already as hard as ascending to heaven. How much more so when what lies before us is a true path to ascend to heaven!"

Zhang Wei nodded, his face full of longing: "Yes, that is a miraculous Heavenly Road."

Jiang Jin'an:...

Hong Bayi covered his face, and Gu Xueling snickered again.

Absorbed Jiang Jin'an's Resentment, +566.

However, Jiang Jin'an was indeed a talent; he quickly adjusted his emotions and said with a solemn expression: "I might as well reveal a plan currently in preparation to you. Three new organizations will be established in the country, and all Awakened will be incorporated into them. That day is not far off!"

Zhang Wei pondered: "Why three?"

In his heart, he thought, it really is easier to cultivate within the Six Fan Gate; if nothing else, just the flow of information alone is something ordinary people cannot compare to.

Jiang Jin'an smiled faintly: "There will certainly be different departments divided to undertake different functions. The Awakened are humans who have evolved again; they are Superhuman, possessing infinite potential to be tapped. There are also too many unknowns waiting to be solved on the path of cultivation. Therefore, a department dedicated to researching this aspect will be set up to clarify the levels of power, unearth the mysteries in ancient texts, and handle inheritances from beyond the heavens..."

"This department is named 'Tang', taking the meaning of being all-encompassing and inheriting the past to open the future."

"However, this department is primarily for research, and the personnel selected will certainly be chosen from the Awakened among our country's scientific researchers, religious sects, and scholars."

Zhang Wei pondered: "Since there is a department for research, there must be a department specialized in combat, right?"

Jiang Jin'an nodded.

"Correct. The combat department is divided into two. The first is named 'Han', taking the meaning of defending the national gates and conquering in all directions. The people here are basically selected only from the Awakened in the military, with the mission of guarding vital departments, infiltrating overseas, and so on."

"The other is named 'Qin', taking the meaning of purging the universe and upholding the rule of law, specializing in hunting down malevolent monsters and Awakened who act with violence and lawlessness."

Hearing this, Zhang Wei realized: "The requirements for 'Tang' are fixed in certain specific fields, while the requirements for 'Han' need more soldier-like Awakened. In that case, the final destination for us Transcendence individuals scattered among the people is this 'Qin' department?"

Jiang Jin'an said: "Exactly. This is also the reason we asked you here... Zhang Wei, are you willing to join our 'Qin Wind' squad?"

Zhang Wei was stunned: Why did you come up with a 'Qin Wind' now?

Hong Bayi, to the side, said gloomily: "According to the internal information we obtained, personnel within the Qin department will carry out missions in squad formations. After all, the situations we face are very dangerous; if we fight alone, the chance of losing our lives is very high."

Gu Xueling expressed agreement: "In the realm of Awakening, animals seem to move faster than us humans, just like the ape that night; you should understand its ferocity well. If we don't form a team, or if the teammates aren't capable, the possibility of becoming a martyr is very high. So, we few have pre-established a squad, and we will be assigned together when the time comes."

Put this way, Zhang Wei understood: it turned out that through his performance that night, these people felt he belonged to the "capable" kind, which is why they were sparing no effort to recruit him.

Recalling the danger of that night, Zhang Wei sighed slightly: "Capable comrades are indeed very important; at the very least, one cannot be a bystander."

Once these pointed words were out, Hong Bayi's face instantly flushed red, and Gu Xueling's expression became unnatural as she averted her gaze in an evasive manner.

Absorbed Gu Xueling's Resentment, +79.

Absorbed...

Jiang Jin'an glared at the two of them, then said to Zhang Wei with a straight face: "I understand the situation that night. Please forgive their momentary cowardice; after all, before this, everyone was just an ordinary middle school student without any tempering."

"If you can join our Qin Wind squad, I won't dare say anything else, but I can guarantee that such things as abandoning teammates will absolutely never happen again, and you will be able to get more resources tilted your way. How about it?"

Zhang Wei pondered: "Whether it's Qin or Qin Wind, in other words, it's just the police of the new era, right? Bearing the heavy responsibility of putting out fires and maintaining stability, protecting the lives and safety of the people—is that what it means?"

Jiang Jin'an was taken aback, then nodded: "Correct, but it is by no means a punching bag like the police, and the treatment cannot be mentioned in the same breath. If ordinary police are the Yamen Runners of ancient times, then the people of the Qin department are the Brocade Guard; the status of the two is absolutely not equal."

Zhang Wei thought for a moment, and in the end, he "politely" declined: "Sorry, the Qin department shouldn't force others to join, right? I'm still a middle school student. I haven't even chased the pretty girls at university yet, and you're asking me to run around for the safety of the world. I can't do that."

Jiang Jin'an was dumbfounded. Can you have a little ambition? Where is the hot-bloodedness of a youth?

He thought for a moment and, not hesitating to reveal some of his trump cards, said: "Rest assured, missions that are truly suicidal won't fall to us, and the cultivation techniques, solutions to difficulties, and resources will be quite generous. You should know the saying that it is easier to cultivate within the Six Fan Gate."

Gu Xueling said faintly: "If you stay among the common people and don't join any department, it's like one person crossing the river by feeling for stones, while another is galloping on an aircraft carrier. The gap between these is by no means an exaggeration."

Zhang Wei thought to himself, I can get by just relying on Qi; why bother getting involved in those life-and-death matters?

His outlook had never been large, and there was no typical youthful hot-bloodedness in his chest. He never yearned for days of fighting heaven and earth. Even for cultivation, he yearned for the carefree life of "a green lamp illuminating turbid wine, wandering the world for ninety thousand miles"—if not for Bai Guagua.

Of course, it wasn't that Zhang Wei wouldn't compromise for reality; his mind was quite flexible in this regard, and he wouldn't pretend to be aloof. But the key was that, right now, he didn't feel he needed to get anything from anyone else's hands.

Since there is nothing to seek, why risk one's life?