Entered into the Register

“Good day, Head Runner Zheng.” “Head Runner Yan.” “Head Runner Li.” “. . . .” One after another, the head runners kept arriving inside the Nanquan Lane Suppression Office. In only a short while, all five head runners were present. That made the runners below even quieter. “Looks like today is different,” Monkey said softly to the others. “Yeah.” Chen Ping’an and Dashan nodded slightly. “Master Tian!” Another figure appeared at the doorway of the Suppression Office—none other than Tian Fuliang, deputy office chief of the Nanquan Lane Suppression Office. The runners all offered their greetings, and even the head runners up on the platform responded with smiles and respectful courtesy. Just when everyone assumed the pre-shift assembly was about to begin, Tian Fuliang climbed the platform and, unexpectedly, did not step forward to speak either. “Could it be . . .” Chen Ping’an and Monkey exchanged a glance, the same guess rising in both their minds. Even someone as slow as Dashan caught on. “The office chief is coming today?” “Yeah. Must be.” “Makes sense. Here in Nanquan Lane, the only one Master Tian would wait for is the office chief.” Watching Tian Fuliang’s behavior up on the platform, all sorts of thoughts flashed through the runners’ minds. They all knew today’s pre-shift assembly would be no simple affair. Unlike the nervous runners around him, Zheng Shiyong felt a stir of excitement. The office chief was coming! Maybe today, through Head Runner Zheng and Master Tian, he could get himself remembered by the office chief! If he managed to make that connection smoothly, his path to head runner would be a great deal smoother. Under the eyes of the crowd, a middle-aged man in a fish-scale uniform walked in through the great doors of the Suppression Office, his pace steady and unhurried. The man was powerfully built, with a square, stubborn-looking face and an air of authority that came without anger. Office chief of the Nanquan Lane Suppression Office, Shen Shikang! Every gang in Nanquan Lane lived at the mercy of his breath. This was a man of real consequence. “Office Chief!” The runners shouted in unison. Up on the platform, both Tian Fuliang and the head runners came down to welcome Shen Shikang’s arrival. “Mm.” Shen Shikang gave a slight nod and, amid the greetings of Tian Fuliang and the others and the awed gazes of the runners, walked up onto the platform. His eyes swept across the hall, and he spoke in a low voice. “I trust you have all heard about the matter from two days ago. Each of you has been assigned your duties. Members of the Ten Thousand Demons Cult appearing in Nanquan Lane—the grand office chief was furious. Early yesterday morning, I was summoned to the district Suppression Office and thoroughly dressed down! The grand office chief crossed blades with the Ten Thousand Demons Cult himself right here in Nanquan Lane, and we could not provide timely support. I am truly ashamed!” The grand office chief was there that night? Shen Shikang’s words left a number of the runners startled. A few, however, seemed to have already known. Taking that as his opening, Shen Shikang went on for a good while more, most of it about the situation with the Ten Thousand Demons Cult. The matter weighed heavily on him, and he hoped the Nanquan Lane Suppression Office would stand together from top to bottom and drag the cult members out into the open as soon as possible. To this, the head runners and runners answered in unison, vowing not to fail the office chief’s expectations. Just when everyone assumed the pre-shift assembly was about to end, Shen Shikang changed tack and said slowly, “Temporary runner Chen Ping’an performed meritoriously by sounding the warning. By special approval of the district Suppression Office, his name is entered into the register, and he is promoted to registered runner of the Nanquan Lane Suppression Office!” With that, Shen Shikang’s gaze swept the hall. “Runner Chen Ping’an, come up!” The moment the words landed, the runners below erupted. Chen Ping’an performed meritoriously by sounding the warning?! What was going on! For a temporary runner to be promoted to registered runner was desperately hard—who among them hadn’t needed long years of accumulation? First it had been Zheng Shiyong, and now Chen Ping’an as well? What was going on! Hearing office chief Shen Shikang’s words, Zheng Shiyong froze, unable to take it in for a moment. Chen Ping’an . . . had earned merit? “Ping’an, Ping’an, the office chief is calling you!” Monkey was overjoyed, shaking Chen Ping’an’s arm. Beside them, Old Qin and Dashan both stared wide-eyed, never expecting anything of the sort. This was just too sudden. . . . A registered runner! His face bright with delight, Chen Ping’an walked toward the platform. He had guessed right that night, after all. Countless eyes fixed on Chen Ping’an at once, full of envy, shock, disbelief, and jealousy. “Good! Very good—truly a fine young man!” Shen Shikang looked Chen Ping’an up and down and clapped a hand onto his shoulder. Chen Ping’an felt his shoulder sink under the weight, but luckily Shen Shikang had held back his strength, and he was none the worse for it. “Chen Ping’an, you’ve done very well. I have high hopes for you! This promotion to registered runner was specially approved by the grand office chief. I hope you will work hard from here on and not disappoint the grand office chief’s expectations—or mine.” Specially approved by the grand office chief! Better if Shen Shikang had said nothing. Those words drove the runners below into an even wilder jealousy. Chen Ping’an had . . . been remembered by the grand office chief himself! The quicker-witted runners caught on almost at once. Clearly, the runner who had struck the sounding gong that night was Chen Ping’an. And the grand office chief had taken note of it. What incredible luck! “Work hard,” Tian Fuliang encouraged him as well. “Thank you, Office Chief, Master Tian. This subordinate will certainly not fail your expectations.” Chen Ping’an bowed respectfully, fist to palm. For a single instant, a shadow passed over Head Runner Zheng’s face, but he hid it well. Chen Ping’an happened to catch it. Just you wait. A cold smile flickered through Chen Ping’an’s heart. He had not forgotten that old grudge. Before the eyes of the office chief, the deputy office chief, and the head runners, Chen Ping’an received his saber and waist token. He was even granted the Thirteen Yamen Sabers to practice with diligence, in hopes that he might soon set foot on the martial path. Amid the envy, jealousy, and resentment of the other runners, Chen Ping’an walked back down from the platform. Zheng Shiyong’s eyes were full of envy. “Damn it! How does this brat have such luck! If only it had been me who found out!” There were plenty of runners who thought the same as Zheng Shiyong, each envying Chen Ping’an’s luck and imagining whether they too might have been so fortunate in his place. What many of them failed to understand was this: in ordinary times, people always think highly of themselves and picture how they would handle things. But in reality, once most of them were actually in that situation, they would find everything nothing like they imagined. Some things, only when you truly face them, do you learn you’re a coward. “Ping’an, congratulations!” Monkey offered his congratulations from the bottom of his heart. If it had been anyone else, he would have been jealous. But with Chen Ping’an, he simply couldn’t be. “Ping’an, congratulations.” Dashan and Old Qin, beside them, offered theirs as well. Old Qin in particular wore a good deal of feeling in his expression. He never would have thought this kid Chen Ping’an could cross that step so easily. He didn’t know whether to call it good luck or something else. “Come on, lunch is on me today. Where do you all want to eat?” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.