"Yes." Zhang Hongbo nodded. "I promised Yuan Chenyang I'd alter his records within the next year."
Yang Yan closed the dossier. Falsifying backgrounds was nothing new to him.
The quiet, persistent marginalization of refugees was an open secret. But so leaders had sharp eyes and would pluck talent from the refugee ranks.
To preempt potential discrimination, altering their records was a standard practice.
Give it seven or eight years, and who'd rember soone's old refugee status? Whatever the official records said — that was reality.
"Do you have a plan?" Yang Yan set the file aside.
"He's assigned to a patrol squad. By regulation, he should be patrolling at least once every three days." Zhang Hongbo spoke quietly. "But he hasn't been going out at all lately. I can have a talk with him."
"He's still a 1st-tier professional. He can't refuse."
"Since it's within his duties, let's proceed." Yang Yan suppressed his hesitation.
"Consider it a test of character. If he refuses, then he lacks the spirit of self-sacrifice — and there's no need to alter his records."
"That's the only way, I suppose. He should understand." Zhang Hongbo sighed. "After all, it's not like we'd let him take the risk alone. Our people will have his back."
Yang Yan said nothing to that. He turned and left with Gu Bing.
Only once they were in the elevator did Gu Bing — who had been silent throughout — push her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "He's using you."
"His own son has Brilliant Silver talent. After cultivation and reassignnt to Nanfeng City, there's a high chance the boy inherits the City Lord's position. An extra Su Chen ans an extra variable."
"Let us make the call, and afterward, even Yuan Chenyang won't have grounds to object."
"I know." Yang Yan was unbothered. "As long his thod gets results."
............
An eager Fatty Sun dragged Su Chen to the top floor and knocked on the office door. They entered after receiving permission.
"Oh, you two?" Zhang Hongbo was genuinely surprised. He hadn't even issued the summons for Su Chen yet.
Well, this saves ti.
"Please, sit." He smiled warmly — the picture of hospitality.
Before Zhang Hongbo could speak, Fatty Sun beat him to it, his face blooming into a chrysanthemum-like grin. "Congratulations, Lord City Lord!"
"Congratulations to ?" Zhang Hongbo, who'd been rehearsing his talking points, paused. Confusion flickered in his eyes. "For what?"
"The Supervision Departnt has just produced a new 2nd-tier professional — a pillar of our great Nanfeng City! Surely that calls for congratulations." Fatty Sun jumped in smoothly.
"A 2nd-tier... professional?" Zhang Hongbo's eyelid twitched. His gaze drifted slowly to Su Chen, who stood with a look of modest composure.
"That's right — Su Chen himself." Fatty Sun confird the guess, adding with feeling, "And it happened right under your watch over the Supervision Departnt. Clearly, you and Su Chen share fate."
Su Chen's sharp senses caught a split-second shift in Zhang Hongbo's expression, but the City Lord recovered almost instantly. His face settled into one of warm admiration. "I never would have guessed. Old Yuan really struck gold this ti — you're already a 2nd-tier professional."
Su Chen quietly raised his guard, putting on a self-effacing smile. "Ever since my teacher was kind enough to take on, I've treasured the opportunity. I've trained diligently every day without slacking."
"To advance, I haven't even gone out on patrol during this stretch."
"A small matter! The Director's own student — of course you'd get so privileges." Zhang Hongbo waved it away with a generous hand, looking genuinely pleased. "Truly a pillar of our Nanfeng City."
"A 2nd-tier professional shouldn't be an ordinary patrol squad mber anymore — the rank of squad leader barely suits your strength. However, there are no openings within the Supervision Departnt at the mont."
At those words, Fatty Sun's grin wavered slightly.
But Zhang Hongbo thought for a mont and continued, "How about this — for now, we'll assign you the honorary rank of Deputy Division Chief within the Patrol Division."
Fatty Sun's face lit up like a fireworks display. He kept shooting glances at Su Chen, practically willing him to accept on the spot.
Deputy Division Chief? Su Chen felt a strange twinge. He instinctively demurred: "I couldn't possibly. I've only just joined the Supervision Departnt. I haven't accomplished a single rit. How could I accept a promotion? What would my colleagues think?"
"Extraordinary tis call for extraordinary asures. Nanfeng City needs every capable person it can get." Zhang Hongbo left no room for refusal. "Have Section Chief Sun file the paperwork, a deputy will countersign, and I'll stamp it."
"Oh, and as a Deputy Division Chief, you'll be entitled to select a 2nd-tier weapon from Logistics."
Su Chen opened his mouth to protest.
"Also — one annual allotnt of Glazed Blood, three doses of 2nd-tier Mist Fiend Potion per week... and authorization to requisition a 2nd-tier body forging thod."
Su Chen swallowed whatever he'd been about to say.
"Off you go, then..."
In the end, Su Chen waited in vain for the other shoe to drop. He left the office baffled.
'It was genuinely just a reward?'
Even in the elevator, he was still muttering, while Fatty Sun practically vibrated with excitent. "I never imagined the City Lord would be this generous. I misjudged the man — thinking the worst when he's clearly a gentleman."
'That fast, truly... just locking himself in his room and training day and night without rest? Seizing every last scrap of ti and opportunity... that kind of willpower...'
Back in his office, Zhang Hongbo's brow furrowed. His gaze lingered on the word "Brilliant Silver" on the dossier. For the first ti, genuine hesitation crossed his face.
............
The promotion ca through at a speed that stunned Su Chen. Fatty Sun happily went off to process the paperwork and returned in under thirty minutes.
"Ha ha..." He was grinning from ear to ear, holding up an elegant cyan hurricane insignia. "Deputy Division Chief, would you look at that... the City Lord really is magnanimous. It hasn't been long at all, and already, little bro, you're nearly at my level."
"If the Director had handled this, there'd be grumbling. But coming from the City Lord — different story entirely. Now then, little bro, pack your things and get ready for your new post."
"New post?" Su Chen had been turning the hurricane insignia over in his fingers. At those words, a strong premonition struck. "Where?"
Fatty Sun was still beaming with envy. "The Northern District Supervision Branch. You'll serve concurrently as Deputy Branch Director. You're a 2nd-tier professional now — you can't just sit around collecting a paycheck."
"Once you co back, Qin Cheng's position might not be his much longer."
"I see..." Su Chen lowered his head, eyes turning cold. So that was the ga — they were dangling him as bait.
Yuan Chenyang had used him once. Zhang Hongbo must have co up empty in his own investigation, so now he'd resorted to this gambit.
Fatty Sun, reading Su Chen's expression as reluctance to relocate, tried to reassure him. "Don't worry — the Northern District is fairly prosperous. The branch office has everything you need. Even the Gravity Room is five-tis gravity. Aside from the Branch Director, you'll be the top authority."
"Let the underlings handle the actual work. You'll live the sa way you do here."
"Honestly..." Su Chen shook his head. Old Sun knew too little of the bigger picture. He still thought this was a promotion.
But then another realization struck — this didn't seem like a spur-of-the-mont idea from Zhang Hongbo. It seed preditated.
He recalled that on the very first day of the City Lord's arrival, Zhang Hongbo had specifically called Fatty Sun in to drop hints.
Su Chen's mind turned. 'Good thing I'd already advanced to 2nd-tier. Otherwise, Zhang Hongbo probably would have just ordered out on routine patrols.'
What's done was done. He collected himself and said, "Let's hit Logistics first. The City Lord promised quite a list."
Collect the benefits first.
"Let's go — I'll co along." Fatty Sun's beady eyes spun with calculation, a devious chuckle escaping. "Section Chief Qian in Logistics is an old friend of mine. Word is he recently got his hands on sothing special. We're going to pry it out of him."
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