The wail of police sirens faded into the night. A large crowd, including the fugitive Jiang Chengwu, the Blue Scarf Gang leader Camel, and a slew of minor thugs, had all been hauled away by the police.
[Order Level increased by 0.1]
As Lin Qing watched the police cars disappear, the notification that appeared before his eyes left him feeling both pleased and slightly perplexed.
Why only 0.1?
"Team Leader," Lin Qing mused for a moment before speaking. "The Blue Scarf Gang is tied up with such a major criminal. Harboring fugitives and assisting in their escape—those aren't minor charges. They’re surely finished, right?"
"Mhm, absolutely," Team Leader Han nodded slightly. "Since the police have rounded up most of the gang, they’ve lost their footing here. Dissolution is inevitable."
"And what about Camel?" Lin Qing asked.
"If the charges are confirmed, he’s the prime culprit. With multiple offenses added together, he'll likely be sentenced to at least a few years, maybe more."
During the exchange, Team Leader Han glanced at him and asked, "Is something wrong?"
Lin Qing shook his head. "Nothing. I just feel that Tieshi Street can finally return to peace."
But his mind was full of doubt.
It was said that Camel, the founder of the Blue Scarf Gang, had real skills. He had successfully mastered the 46th Edition Practice Method and had even fought in underground boxing matches; his strength likely wasn't inferior to that of the fugitive Jiang Chengwu.
Moreover, in terms of threat level, wouldn't a flamboyant gang leader be more dangerous than a fugitive hiding in the shadows?
When Jiang Chengwu was captured, the Order Level had increased by 0.2.
Yet, after the Blue Scarf Gang—a much greater threat—was collectively apprehended, the Order Level only rose by 0.1? Based on his understanding of the Order Level, this was clearly abnormal.
Unless...
That 0.1 increase was only because the Blue Scarf Gang had disbanded, but since the mastermind, Camel, would not be caught, the threat hadn't truly vanished.
That was the only explanation for why the Order Level had only risen by 0.1.
"I hope my guess is wrong..."
Lin Qing frowned slightly.
He wasn't a man driven by a sense of justice; his warm heart had long since been frozen by the cold apocalypse. He kept only a basic bottom line: as long as others didn't provoke him, he wouldn't provoke them.
However, an increase in the Order Level was hugely beneficial to him, and he genuinely yearned for a stable, peaceful life.
If raising the banner of justice helped him achieve that, he certainly wouldn't refuse. Even if his methods were extreme, he didn't care.
***
The next day.
Lin Qing woke up early and received a WeChat message from Team Leader Han.
[The two sets of High-Energy Sustained-Release Fluid you wanted have arrived at the branch warehouse. Come and take it within twenty minutes of finishing your practice.]
"That was fast."
Surprised, Lin Qing immediately replied.
[Thank you, Team Leader. I’ll transfer the money to you as soon as the reward money hits my account. (Crying) (Crying)]
Team Leader Han sent back an "OK" emoji.
Lin Qing couldn't help but sigh to himself, "Team Leader Han is just like my cousin said—he really is a good person."
His reward money hadn't even arrived yet, but Team Leader Han had already paid out of his own pocket to help him secure the High-Energy Sustained-Release Fluid.
Lin Qing put down his phone, making a mental note of the favor.
After finishing breakfast, he spent two hours studying for his exam. Gauging the time, he began his first practice session of the day.
As always, once he finished, his body reached a state of "saturation."
Perhaps the rate of progress varied from person to person, but generally, the body reached saturation after a single session. This was because the total amount of Mysterious Energy absorbed during practice differed for everyone.
Rumor had it that some geniuses reached the First Human Limit using the 46th Edition Practice Method in as little as ten days or half a month; such was the gap in natural talent.
After showering, Lin Qing headed to the Patrol Bureau.
***
Xiaoshan District Branch Inspector Bureau.
"Done with today's practice? Follow me."
Upon seeing Lin Qing, Team Leader Han didn't waste any time, taking him directly to the third-floor warehouse.
The warehouse was next to the armory, and both were guarded twenty-four hours a day by several officers, requiring a two-person, two-lock verification system.
"Old Han."
Behind the bulletproof glass window of the warehouse guard office, a bald, middle-aged man in uniform smiled cheerfully. "What made you decide to buy High-Energy Sustained-Release Fluid? Feeling generous?"
"It's for my team member," Team Leader Han shook his head slightly. "He mastered the practice method. That’s not against the rules, right?"
"Oh, Captain Chen's cousin, right? Then it’s not against the rules."
The bald man glanced at Lin Qing and sighed, "You’re quite generous. The 150,000 reward isn't small, but this luxury stuff burns through cash fast."
Team Leader Han shook his head slightly and said, "From now on, he can come to you himself. Just verify his identity, and you can issue the fluid."
Lin Qing understood the reason for the hassle.
A set of this fluid cost 89,999 yuan on the market, but at the Patrol Bureau, it was 69,999—clearly an internal welfare price. Verifying identities and requiring on-the-spot consumption were measures meant to prevent internal reselling.
The bald man looked at Lin Qing and asked, "Finished your practice for the day? The effect is best if you consume it within half an hour of finishing."
"It hasn't been twenty minutes yet," Lin Qing nodded.
"Alright, go through the identification system, and I'll get it for you."
After quickly completing the procedure, the man retrieved a thin, long, silver metal tube from the warehouse. Its sealed, smooth surface was cold and coated with water vapor, with a tamper-evident film on the exterior.
"Take it now."
The man handed the cold silver tube to Lin Qing and instructed, "Don't peel the film. Just hold the top and rotate it once. It’s clean; you can drink it straight. It tastes pretty good."
Lin Qing followed the instructions, and the film automatically split open, revealing the translucent, pale white liquid inside.
This tiny tube, barely more than ten milliliters, was worth seven thousand yuan.
Lin Qing didn't dare waste a drop, tilting his head back to drain the contents. He even tipped it to ensure nothing remained before stopping.
"Not bad, very thrifty," the man said with a smile. "The effect will kick in after about an hour. Start your next practice session an hour from now. Do one session, rest for another hour, and once the remaining half of the effect kicks in, you can practice again."
Lin Qing nodded.
He had already looked up the instructions for such expensive items online.
It allowed him to practice twice more each day.
At this rate, he would complete the pre-drawn 46th Edition Chaoyang Practice Method in twenty-four days. By then, he should have learned a Combat Technique, which he could use for his next advance.
As Lin Qing and Team Leader Han left the warehouse and headed downstairs, Han spoke up. "Right, your new uniform and shoulder patches have arrived. You should go pick them up."
"Alright."
Lin Qing nodded and asked, "Also, Team Leader, when will I be able to learn the Combat Technique and the 77th Edition Chaoyang Practice Method?"
Team Leader Han thought for a moment. "The Third-Class Merit review takes time—at least a week or two. Once the merit is approved, you can go learn the Combat Technique. As for the 77th Edition Practice Method..."
He paused, then added uncertainly, "I'm not sure. It mainly depends on the schedule of the coach assigned to you. You're not in a rush, right?"
"Not at all," Lin Qing replied. "Just asking."
Once he finished paying back the 46th Edition progress, even if he learned the 77th Edition, he would prioritize the Combat Technique. According to his cousin, even if one mastered the 77th Edition, the strength boost wasn't as great as a Combat Technique, which was, after all, purely designed for fighting.
He needed to maximize his strength to ensure his own survival; thus, Combat Techniques were the priority. Once he mastered those, he would be safer on missions. The 77th Edition could wait until he finished the Combat Technique or until he was eligible to advance two skills at once.
"Just wait, then," Team Leader Han said. "The main thing is that we have to find someone who has perfectly mastered the 77th Edition and signed a training agreement with the Patrol Bureau. There are only a few such people, and it depends on their availability."
Lin Qing nodded. That was the price of free training, but he wasn't in a hurry.
"Anyway, it'll be a month at most."
Team Leader Han said this, then suddenly asked, "You've already earned a Third-Class Merit. Can you pass the professional exam at the end of the month? If you pass, you can be promoted to a Level 3 Inspector."
"I should be able to," Lin Qing smiled.