Chapter 74: The 98th Adjutant

Inside the largest fortress of the fortress complex.

Walking through the cold metal corridor, a chilling wind blew in from the end of the corridor at every moment.

Until he reached the third floor and stopped in front of an office.

"The Bureau Chief is waiting inside. Go on in."

"Sorry to trouble you two."

Jiang Qin thanked them, then stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Receiving permission, he pushed open the door and walked into the Bureau Chief's office.

Yue Beishan, who was handling official business behind his desk, looked up. Seeing it was Jiang Qin, he smiled and pointed to the sofa beside him.

"Sorry, I should have let you rest for two more days, but a sudden incident came up and the headquarters is short on hands right now, so I had to urgently call you back to duty."

"Bureau Chief Yue, no need for such courtesy. This is simply my duty."

"Mm... on the way here, did you learn about your job duties?"

"I learned a little. In short, it's being someone's lackey, hitting wherever they point, right?"

Hearing this explanation, Yue Beishan was stunned for a moment, then laughed freely: "Your way of putting it isn't wrong. Then let me briefly tell you what you're going to next..."

Before he could finish.

The office door suddenly opened, and a young woman in uniform walked in.

Her entire being was as cold as... a machine.

"Yue Beishan, I've told you, I don't need any adjutant. That would only become a burden to me."

Yue Beishan was already used to her tone. After all, if one really got down to it, this one's seniority far surpassed his own.

He said helplessly: "Cang Ling, this is also the bureau's regulation."

"And this time the adjutant assigned to you is different from the previous ones. I'm sure you'll be satisfied."

Then Yue Beishan looked at Jiang Qin sitting on the sofa and introduced the woman.

"This is your superior from now on, Law Enforcement Officer Cang Ling."

"Cang Ling is the most senior Law Enforcement Officer of the East China Headquarters, and she bears the heaviest mission load. Just yesterday, during an attack, her 98th adjutant died at the hands of cultists. That's why I called you here in such a hurry."

"If I had to pick the person among all the Divine Image Realm Realm cultivators in Huaguo most suited to be Cang Ling's adjutant, I think no one fits the bill better than you."

Jiang Qin looked completely surprised. He hadn't expected he held such a high place in this Bureau Chief's heart.

Cang Ling, standing to the side, crossed her arms and snorted coldly, ruthlessly exposing him: "This should be your 63rd time saying that."

"..."

The atmosphere in the office instantly turned a little awkward. Yue Beishan wiped the cold sweat that didn't exist on his forehead.

"Trust me, I'm absolutely serious this time!"

Cang Ling's gaze turned to Jiang Qin. Even though Jiang Qin had broken through to the Divine Image Realm at such a young age, it couldn't stir even a ripple in her heart. She spoke: "To become my adjutant, you must first pass a test of mine."

The words fell.

Jiang Qin immediately sensed a dangerous aura shrouding his heart, and instinctively activated his Slash Domain, slashing it toward Cang Ling.

This slash seemed to collide with some kind of attack, and both dissipated simultaneously.

The calm in Cang Ling's eyes finally broke. Her gaze flickered slightly. "A power just like mine?"

The invisible slash was her method of attack.

She had just wanted to use it to test Jiang Qin's strength.

But she hadn't expected this young man to actually unleash an invisible slash identical to hers.

Yue Beishan sat behind his desk, smiling cheerfully: "The test should count as passed, right? Then hurry up and set off. This kid is a rare treasure of our East China Headquarters. You must cherish him."

Cang Ling didn't respond, turned around, and walked out of the office.

Jiang Qin hesitated for a moment, then followed her out.

After the two left, a woman wearing a heavy ancient robe suddenly appeared in the office.

She had her entire body shrouded within the ancient robe, the brim of her hood hanging low, making it impossible to see her appearance.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I want to pair these two together?"

The woman's voice was clear and crisp.

Yue Beishan smiled and shook his head: "Since Elder Qiu has instructed so, there must be a deeper meaning. And... even without your special instructions, I would still assign the two of them together."

"Oh, why is that?" The woman cast her gaze over.

Yue Beishan's gaze was deep, and he spoke in a heavy tone: "Because they are the same kind, whether Cang Ling or Jiang Qin."

"These two give me the feeling of living for some kind of purpose. Once they lose that purpose, they seem as if they would become walking corpses. They appear to blend in with their surroundings, yet deliberately keep their distance—like two beasts destined to be alone."

"Your guess is correct."

The woman affirmed his thoughts, saying with an emotional tone: "Cang Ling is the last hero of Cangling Jie. She has already lived for over a hundred years. Even after living in this world for a century, she still hasn't formed a single attachment to it until now."

"As for Jiang Qin... he carries an immense mission on his shoulders."

"His past cannot be inferred."

"His future is ever-changing."

"His present is even more like shrouded in a fog. Even though I was separated by such a close distance just now, I couldn't see through him. The moment I try to touch and analyze his soul, my intuition tells me I might die."

Hearing these words, Yue Beishan was greatly surprised.

The person before him was one of the strongest among the human race, a stabilizing pillar against Fierce Beasts. If even she said this, then just what kind of secret did this Jiang Qin carry on his shoulders...

At this time, outside the fortress.

A flying craft lifted off vertically, erupting with raging winds, and sped rapidly toward the Frontier.

This was Cang Ling's personal flying craft, its speed considerably faster than ordinary flying craft.

Cangling tossed a stack of documents to Jiang Qin and said casually, "These are the missions we're about to carry out, SS-rank."

S-rank corresponds to the Divine Image Realm Realm, so SS-rank naturally corresponds to the Earth Martial Realm.

Jiang Qin's mouth twitched. His very first mission already required dealing with an Earth Martial Realm practitioner—Long Lao was right; the danger level of missions at the East China Headquarters really was extraordinary.

He flipped open the documents and began reading them in detail.

"The Ge Family on the Frontier… secretly colluding with Fierce Beasts… trafficking in people… over a thousand people all sentenced to—death!"

Cangling nodded calmly and said, "The Ge Family's patriarch is at the Earth Martial Realm. I'll go deal with him."

"Personnel from the surrounding Zhenling Bureau and Military Department will also assist in the execution, but only Martial Artists below the Spirit Sea Realm, so those ten Divine Image Realm Realm Martial Artists of the Ge Family will be left to you."

Jiang Qin swallowed hard. "Can… Law Enforcement Officer, may I ask if the intensity of our missions has always been this high?"

"No. In the past, I would have called in some Divine Image Realm Realm Martial Artists from headquarters for support, but from now on, there's no need for that trouble." Cangling shook her head, stared at Jiang Qin, and said, "Given your strength, I think dealing with ten cultivators of the same realm should be no problem."

"Also, from now on, just call me Cangling."

The moment those words left her mouth, Jiang Qin understood exactly why she had been the 98th adjutant.

"Can…gling, have the previous adjutants ever complained to you?"

"No."

"Hm?"

"Never. Because they knew that every extra enemy they killed meant one more measure of safety for this nation. Holding fast to that conviction, they pressed forward one after another, and in the end… all of them laid down their lives for their beliefs."