Chapter 7

The new captain, Xiao Peidong, had finished his speech.

He had thought the new official would start with three fires, burning from Lin Qing over to Captain Chen, but the final result was exactly the opposite.

In the end, only a few temporary inspectors who had slipped in through the back door were expelled.

However, this also made the inspectors of the Xiaoshan District Branch understand that Lin Qing, who seemed to have used Captain Chen's back door, must have successfully mastered the training method.

Otherwise, he could not be called an "excellent talent."

Ever since the Chaoyang Martial Arts Hall received investment from the Wisdom Star Group and its founder was placed on a pedestal, countless people had tried the Chaoyang training method passed down from the hall.

But even the simplest 4-6 version of the training method was mastered by only a tiny handful.

In the entire Xiaoshan District Branch, with nearly a hundred formal and temporary inspectors combined, those who successfully mastered the method were few and far between.

Once one succeeded, their status naturally changed immediately.

"Lin Qing, you have just become formal; your experience is too shallow, and you are not yet able to lead a patrol team."

Xiao Peidong said, "You will first learn by joining a team. Once you have experience, pass the patrol assessment, and earn one or two merits, you will be able to stand on your own. At that time, I will let you lead a team."

Lin Qing did not want to lead a team anyway, so he nodded immediately.

"As for which team to join..."

Xiao Peidong's gaze swept over the team leaders. After pondering for a moment, his final gaze stopped on one person. He said, "Team Leader Han, you have rich experience and are rigorous in your work. You will take Lin Qing under your wing."

Although Team Leader Han was nearly forty with a high hairline, it was clear he must have been a handsome man in his youth. His expression remained stern, his posture upright as he stood at the front of the formation. He was taciturn, made no fidgeting movements, and his uniform was crisp and tidy, without a single wrinkle.

Upon hearing Captain Xiao's arrangement, he merely nodded with no expression.

Lin Qing could not help but glance at this Team Leader Han.

He looked like someone difficult to get along with.

He only knew that this Team Leader Han was the leader of Team Two and had almost never interacted with him, so he did not know the specifics.

However, he would find out later when he asked his cousin at the hospital.

After the dismissal, Lin Qing followed Team Leader Han to the office of Team Two to get to know the other four members of Team Two.

Walking into the spacious and bright office, Lin Qing found that all items and furnishings were arranged with extreme neatness and order.

Team Leader Han surveyed the office, seemingly considering where to place Lin Qing's desk, and soon said to Lin Qing, "You will sit opposite Xiao Qin. I will have logistics bring a new desk over later."

Lin Qing nodded.

A short-haired girl with a delicate face beside him smiled and waved at him; obviously, she was Xiao Qin.

"Additionally, logistics will make a new uniform tailored to your measurements. You just need to send them your size data, and you can collect the new uniform and shoulder boards tomorrow," Team Leader Han said.

Lin Qing nodded and said, "Good."

"As for duty shifts... at your age, you should prioritize martial arts training, right?"

Team Leader Han looked Lin Qing over, suddenly frowned slightly, reached out to straighten Lin Qing's uniform collar, aligned it, and only then relaxed his brows with a hint of satisfaction.

OCD, huh... Lin Qing was stunned. No wonder the office was as neat as if measured by a ruler.

Team Leader Han withdrew his hand and continued, "Normally, you do not need to come to the branch for duty shifts. When there is a mission, I will notify you, but you must keep your phone accessible, work hard on your martial arts training, and do not waste your talent."

Lin Qing's eyes brightened slightly, and he immediately said, "Thank you, Team Leader."

It seemed this Team Leader Han was not as difficult to get along with as he appeared.

Team Leader Han thought for a moment and added, "If you do not understand anything regarding work, just ask Xiao Qin."

Lin Qing nodded and added, "Team Leader, I heard that after a patrol inspector becomes formal, as long as they master the 4-6 version of the training method, they can learn the 7-7 version for free?"

Team Leader Han looked at him and said, "I will apply for it for you later. The bureau will assign a suitable instructor to you then."

"Thank you, Team Leader," Lin Qing immediately expressed his gratitude.

Upon hearing this, the other members could not help but feel a hint of envy in their eyes.

All formal inspectors have this privilege, but it can only be used after mastering the 4-6 version of the training method; otherwise, it is equivalent to having nothing.

"By the way, Team Leader."

Lin Qing took the opportunity to ask, "It is said that formal inspectors can learn combat techniques? What conditions are required?"

He had long heard too many times about the immense power of combat techniques. In various rumors, combat techniques could almost turn a person into a half-superman, which was also the key reason he entered the patrol system.

Although his physical fitness had improved significantly now, if attacked by a group of armed people, he would still have to flee.

The training method is ultimately only for improving basic fitness; combat techniques are truly for fighting. "Want to learn combat techniques?"

Team Leader Han looked at him and said, "The requirements are two points: first, master the 4-6 version of the training method; second, earn merit. As long as these two points are met, you can attempt to learn combat techniques."

"Earn merit?" Lin Qing looked at Team Leader Han.

"Accumulating three Third-Class Merits allows you to attempt learning one combat technique, or earning one Second-Class Merit allows you to attempt learning two combat techniques," Team Leader Han said.

After speaking, he added, "If you earn a First-Class Merit, you can attempt to learn all the combat techniques in the Patrol Bureau's inventory."

Lin Qing raised his eyebrows slightly.

First-Class, Second-Class, and Third-Class merits cannot be converted into one another.

However, converted into opportunities to learn combat techniques, one Second-Class Merit is equivalent to six Third-Class Merits?

A First-Class Merit was out of the question; the entire city patrol bureau issued such a merit only once in a long while.

Either by performing a miraculous feat during a major disaster to avert huge losses, or by uncovering key evidence against a major criminal syndicate, or by capturing those desperately evil wanted fugitives...

Only then would it be possible to be a First-Class Merit.

With his current level of ability, even a Second-Class Merit was very difficult, so he should not be so high-flying.

It was more reliable to think about how to accumulate three Third-Class Merits.

Since no duty shifts were required, after adding Team Leader Han and the four fellow inspectors of his team as WeChat friends, Lin Qing left the branch and went to the Xiaoshan District People's Hospital to visit his cousin.

"You became formal?"

Just as he stepped into the ward, before he could speak, Chen Yanan on the hospital bed had already opened her mouth.

"Sister, you knew?" Lin Qing was not surprised.

After all, Chen Yanan was still the Captain, not unconscious; how could she not know any movement within the Patrol Team? "You still wanted to hide it from me?" Chen Yanan sized him up and said, "Not bad, when did you master it?"

"It's been a while." Lin Qing stuck to his story.

Anyway, unless one deliberately displayed it, it was hard to tell from the outside whether one had mastered it; a detector was needed to confirm.

"Then why didn't you tell me before? Didn't you say last night you were resigning? Today you suddenly became regular without a word?" Chen Yanan frowned at him.

"Because I never thought of entering the Patrol system before."

Lin Qing brought out the excuse he had prepared long ago. "If I had said last night that I planned to become regular, Sister, you might not have agreed anyway?"

Chen Yanan glanced at her missing right leg and fell silent immediately.

Indeed.

She had been injured so badly by last night's mission; facing such life-or-death danger, she still felt fear now.

If Lin Qing had said last night he wanted to take the Patrol path, she likely would not have agreed.

Chen Yanan sighed and said, "Since you didn't want to take this path before, why do you suddenly want to take it now?"

"A sense of crisis."

Lin Qing said seriously, "I want to learn Combat Arts, but I can't get into the Martial Arts Hall; climbing up in the Military or Public Security systems takes too long, making it hard to learn Combat Arts. I thought and thought, and only the Patrol system might allow me to learn Combat Arts in a short time."

Chen Yanan fell silent.

A sense of crisis? Yes, in the past she had protected Lin Qing too well, so that he had never experienced any real danger.

Being stimulated by her severe injury last night was also normal.

Perhaps... this child still wanted to help her take revenge deep down?

"Fine, since you have decided, I won't stop you."

Chen Yanan took a deep breath, looked at Lin Qing, and said in a low voice, "But you must remember, no matter how important a mission is, life is more important; you must always be alert to the scent of danger."

"I know." Lin Qing nodded.

His alertness to danger was something no matter how battle-hardened a person could not compare to.

It was not only because he had experience surviving in the Apocalypse, but also because the 【Current Order Level】 item on the Entropy-Reverser Panel could provide early warning.

He, an ordinary person, was able to survive in the Apocalypse for so many years, mainly because of this point.

(End of this chapter)