Chapter 24: Team Seven

January 13, Monday.

Today was the official founding day of Division Patrol Team Seven, and the patrol system had already sent the reporting time to the seven members selected by the Patrol Bureau.

Lin Qing arrived on time at the division, ready to meet his new team members.

The Team Seven office was empty; he was still the only one there.

“If I want to earn enough merit to learn new combat techniques, I’ll probably have to rely on these new members…”

Lin Qing sat behind the team leader’s desk, idly peeling an orange he’d just bought, eating as he thought.

Recent patrol missions had been smooth and dull, with not even a single Third-Class Merit awarded—just one routine arrest of a known thief on file with the Gongan Bureau.

He received only a personal commendation, worth two thousand yuan—better than nothing.

He merely hoped this new member was truly a spoiled second-generation heir with some connections, so he could share in the credit.

“Knock knock knock.”

A sudden knock came at the door, followed by a timid female voice from outside: “Anyone here?”

Finally?

Since the office had no surveillance, Lin Qing’s hands blurred into illusions, clearing all the orange peels from his desk into a bag within a second to preserve his authority.

Only then did he say: “Enter.”

A girl, roughly eighteen or nineteen, pushed the door open. She was petite, barely over 1.6 meters tall, with jet-black hair tied in a bun and a vintage-style headband on her forehead. Her features were delicate, her eyes the color of a deep blue sea, her nose small and upturned.

“You’re Team Leader Lin?”

She glanced at Lin Qing cautiously before asking timidly.

“Yes.” Lin Qing nodded. “You’re Zhao Jiayi, right?”

He’d reviewed her file last night—this new member had high looks and was unforgettable.

But in this era, plastic surgery was advanced; even so-called “natural” faces were hard to verify.

This new member might have had work done, going for a mixed-race look—truly natural beauty like hers was rare.

“Yes, that’s me.”

Zhao Jiayi nodded shyly.

“Don’t be nervous. Pick any seat.” Lin Qing waved casually.

Zhao Jiayi looked around, then sat down at the desk opposite Lin Qing.

Lin Qing didn’t care.

As a young patrol officer, he was used to this treatment.

“Didn’t go to college?” Lin Qing asked offhandedly.

“No, my grades weren’t good,” Zhao Jiayi replied, blushing slightly.

Lin Qing frowned. “The patrol professional qualifying exam is tough. How did you pass it if your high school grades were poor?”

Zhao Jiayi’s file said she was only nineteen. At this age, skipping college meant her family background and Gaokao scores were average.

But the patrol qualifying exam was harder than the liberal arts Gaokao—yet she passed. That was odd.

“My uncle was a patrol officer, so I’ve understood the job since childhood,” Zhao Jiayi said, embarrassed.

“Oh, I see…” Lin Qing feigned belief.

The patrol qualifying exam was too complex and demanding for mere childhood familiarity to explain.

Still, he didn’t care about her little secret.

He waited a few more moments.

The remaining three team members arrived: one woman and two men.

A standard team consisted of one patrol officer as team leader and four patrol members as staff; temporary patrol officers could be called in during shortages.

Zhao Jiayi, Han Ying, Ruan Bing, Teng Feiyu.

These four were Lin Qing’s team members for the foreseeable future.

Zhao Jiayi at least had looks and youth on her side; Han Ying and Ruan Bing were just ordinary formal patrol officers, though they had prior experience.

As for the last one…

“Teng Feiyu, your file says you’ve already mastered the 4-6 Version Training Method?”

Lin Qing looked at the twenty-two-year-old across from him. “And you graduated from Jiangnan Public Security University—why become a patrol officer?”

Teng Feiyu was fairly handsome and sunny, and in front of his superior, he was utterly calm, relaxed, with no trace of nervousness.

He didn’t even need to meet the man in person—just from the file, Lin Qing could tell at a glance: Teng Feiyu was definitely a second-generation here to gain experience.

A graduate of Jiangnan Public Security University, who’d mastered the 4-6 Version Training Method, could have been directly assigned to the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Why deliberately come here as a patrol officer?

Likely to gain experience.

After all, the patrol system made earning merit easy—any merit meant access to combat techniques.

Later, if transferred back to Public Security, he’d at least become a Senior Police Officer—far faster than climbing the Public Security ladder.

“Report, Team Leader.”

Teng Feiyu said calmly: “Patrol Bureau regulations do not prohibit graduates of Public Security University from becoming patrol officers.”

Lin Qing nodded slightly. “Fair point.”

Such an open retort confirmed his suspicion: this young man’s background was significant. He didn’t care—he just wanted more merit.

“Tonight is our Team Seven’s first mission.”

Lin Qing said: “By protocol, newly formed patrol teams may choose any area in Xiaoshan District as their primary patrol zone. Additionally, if any formal patrol officer resides in Xiaoshan District, they may conduct regular patrols near their residence.”

He scanned his four team members. “Who lives in Xiaoshan District?”

From their files, all four were transferred from other districts—none were from Xiaoshan.

After all, unmanned transport was advanced; travel across Lin’an City took little time, and Xiaoshan wasn’t remote.

But if someone deliberately rented an apartment in Xiaoshan, they could use that to apply for patrols.

Like when he passed his qualifying exam—Team Leader Han had specifically taken him on a patrol demonstration on Tieshi Street, to ensure patrol officer safety.

Hearing this, Ruan Bing and Han Ying both shook their heads.

“Report, Team Leader.”

“Team Leader, I live in Xiaoshan District.”

Teng Feiyu and Zhao Jiayi spoke simultaneously.

Lin Qing glanced at both. “You both live in Xiaoshan District? Tell me your addresses—I’ll check for any nearby missions.”

Teng Feiyu spoke first: “Report: I live in Xintian Century City, Changshui Street, Xiaoshan District.”

Then Zhao Jiayi added: “Uh… I live in Shidai Square, Xin’an Road, Xiaoshan District.”

Lin Qing searched his work computer for patrol tasks near both locations. “No special missions nearby. Tonight, you two lead the way—freedom patrol.”

He was giving Teng Feiyu a chance.

If Teng Feiyu truly knew of a merit opportunity, he wouldn’t miss it.

If he’d deliberately moved to Xiaoshan, it was likely to exploit this new-member advantage and earn merit.

“Alright, your team doesn’t need to be on duty this month. Dismissed. Keep your phones open, watch the work group. I’ll notify you to regroup here tonight.”

After submitting the patrol mission application on his work computer, Lin Qing said nothing more, closed the laptop, and stood to leave.

Before exiting, his peripheral vision flicked to Teng Feiyu. He silently hoped: “Don’t let me down…”

After Lin Qing left, the others began tidying their desks.

They also introduced themselves, getting to know each other.

“Jiayi, you’re sitting right across from the Team Leader?”

Han Ying smiled at Zhao Jiayi, teasing: “Makes sense—our Team Leader’s pretty handsome.”

Women bonded quickly, acting as affectionate as sisters.

At least on the surface.

“No…,” Zhao Jiayi’s face flushed.

“It’s nothing,” Han Ying chuckled, leaning close. “The Team Leader may seem mature and steady, but he’s actually a year younger than you, right? You two are actually quite compatible.”

Zhao Jiayi kept her head down. “I didn’t mean it like that…”

“Haha, why are you so shy?”

Han Ying laughed, then noticed Ruan Bing hadn’t touched his desk. “Ruan Bing, aren’t you cleaning up?”

“No need.”

Ruan Bing shook his head flatly. “I’m transferring to Team Three on Wednesday. If it weren’t for the hassle of moving right after arriving at Xiaoshan Division, I’d have gone straight to Team Three.”

Han Ying was surprised.

She knew this trick: transferring from another division to a specific team was difficult; usually, you first applied to join a new team, then used it as a stepping stone for easier internal transfers within the division.

“Looks like you’ve got connections here.”

Han Ying said: “But Team Leader Lin isn’t bad—he’s young with potential. I heard his sister was a former Team Captain.”

“He has potential, but I’ve been working for years.”

Ruan Bing shook his head. “I can’t wait for a new team leader to grow slowly. In experience and strength, Team Leader Lin is the weakest among all seven team leaders in the division. And if the team leader’s weak, patrols aren’t safe—and… I want to make more money.”

Teng Feiyu glanced at him, frowned slightly, but said nothing.

Han Ying understood Ruan Bing’s meaning.

In short: the new team leader was too weak, patrols weren’t safe, and with no connections or influence, there was no way to skim extra profit.

“True,” Han Ying nodded. “I heard Team Leader Lin only mastered the 4-6 Version Training Method a month ago. He learned one combat technique, but he’s barely started. In strength, he’s definitely the lowest of the seven team leaders.”

Since Team Leader Lin wasn’t here, the members spoke freely—nothing but the truth.

"You mean Senior Lin just joined the combat techniques class?"

Zhao Jia yi couldn't help asking: "Really? Did he just learn the combat techniques?"

"Yeah," Han Ying glanced at her strangely. "It's only been a little over half a month."

Zhao Jia yi murmured "Oh," fell silent, and continued packing her things with her head down.

But in her eyes lay a flicker of shock.

"How is that possible... he clearly..."

(End of Chapter)