Inside the parlor of a private club, Gan Dayao, an officer from the Foreign Affairs Bureau, sat holding a teacup. In his thirties, with square-framed spectacles and slightly rumpled hair, he glanced nervously around the room, shuffling his feet with subtle anxiety.
Even though no one had appeared for a long time and his cup had already been refilled three times, he remained glued to his seat, as if bound by invisible ropes.
Anyone who had worked in civil governance could tell at a glance that he was a routine clerk, accustomed to years of swallowing grievances and quietly following orders in an office.
The door swung open from the outside. Wei Jun strode in, flanked by a butler and several security guards. Seeing people arrive, Gan Dayao hurriedly set his cup down, half-lifted himself off the cushions, and then rose with stiff awkwardness.
Wei Jun barely gave him a look as he walked over to the head seat, sank back into the sofa, and pressed his fingers against his temples to massage them.
Gan Dayao stood there in nervous silence.
After a short pause, Wei Jun turned his head. "Well? You said your department issued a recommendation for a Wuyi student. When did this happen, and to whom?"
Gan Dayao fidgeted and stammered, "I heard that... so long as I provide information, you could... could help me out in certain areas."
Wei Jun glanced at him. A dry post like the Foreign Affairs Bureau carried zero prestige; its officials usually stayed buried in their chairs until they died. Had this matter not involved a departmental recommendation—a topic touching sensitive nerves—he would never have bothered to meet a lowly officer like this in person, nor even the bureau's director.
He raised a hand in a brief gesture. The butler stepped forward right on cue, fixing Gan Dayao with a gentle, amiable tone. "Mr. Gan, are you seeking a promotion?"
Gan Dayao nodded earnestly, then quickly shook his head. "I don't want to stay in Foreign Affairs. Can you help transfer me to another department?" He looked at the butler with desperate hope, then stole a glance at Wei Jun, who sat motionless.
The butler maintained an immaculate smile. "Of course. So long as the intelligence proves valuable. How about the Water Affairs Bureau? Quite a few positions opened up there recently. Arranging that shouldn't be difficult."
"The Water Affairs Bureau..." Gan Dayao hesitated.
"If Mr. Gan isn't satisfied with that and prefers another department, we can discuss it. However, you would have to wait, and there is no telling how long. As Mr. Gan surely knows, countless eyes are fixed on administrative posts. The moment a vacancy appears, someone snaps it up immediately..."
"I'm satisfied! Of course I am! The Water Affairs Bureau will do just fine." Alarmed that he might lose his chance, Gan Dayao agreed without further hesitation.
The butler smiled. "Then, Mr. Gan, may we get to business?"
Gan Dayao paused briefly before saying, "Back in February, Director Liu drafted a recommendation evaluation for a Wuyi student in the name of the Foreign Affairs Bureau. I was the one who personally wrote the document and delivered the dossier. Director... Director Liu told me never to disclose this to anyone."
"February. That's nearly half a year ago."
The butler glanced at Wei Jun, then turned back to press further. "It seems Mr. Gan obeyed Director Liu's orders and kept quiet all this time. Why come forward now? Have you run into some sort of trouble?"
Gan Dayao's face twisted with anxiety and guilt. "Because Director Liu is being transferred away. Director Cao doesn't like me... he might fire me..." He suddenly looked up. "I have a wife and children to feed at home! I can't... I can't lose this job! It's just that I feel guilty toward Director Liu. I've let him down..." By the end, his head drooped once more.
The butler sharply caught the crucial detail: Liu Zhan was about to be transferred. Once the man stepped down, the secret could never stay buried for long. Knowing full well what the officials of Yangzhi's Municipal Administration were like, he suspected Liu Zhan intended to exploit the matter for his own gain anyway.
Seen in that light, even if Gan Dayao had not come forward today, Liu Zhan himself would likely have leaked the information soon enough.
Far from feeling disdain toward Gan Dayao, the butler found dealing with an ordinary clerk infinitely easier than dealing with a bureau director. A subordinate was far simpler to control, and the cost was negligible.
Fixing his gaze on Gan Dayao, the butler kept his tone deliberately casual. "There is no need for guilt, Mr. Gan. You have made the right choice. We always treat friendly administrative staff well. By the way, what was the student's name?"
Gan Dayao looked at him, then at Wei Jun, who still had not moved. His throat bobbed, and he looked up. "That student... his name is Chen Chuan."
***
Inside the Nian residence in the constabulary residential compound, Chen Chuan walked into the living room and took the telephone receiver from Yu Wan. "Teacher?"
Cheng Zitong's voice came through the line, laced with unusual gravity. "Yesterday, while you were still on the bus, He Nan called me. Liu Zhan's matter has pretty much been settled over the past couple of days; the transfer letter has likely already been issued. Xiao Chuan, get ready... A heavy wind might start blowing soon."
Chen Chuan glanced outside. It was already August. The buzz of cicadas hung in the air, and beneath the scorching sunlight, the tree branches stayed dead still. Looking out the window, he said, "Teacher, wind is a good thing. Once the wind passes, it won't be so stifling."
After finishing the call, he hung up and thought for a moment. Turning around, he called out, "Aunt, I'm heading out for a bit. I'll be back shortly."
Having said goodbye, he stepped outside and walked straight down the street until he reached a nearby telephone booth. Picking up the receiver, he dropped in a coin and dialed a number.
After a few rings, the line connected. "Gao Ming, it's me. Liu Zhan's transfer letter is confirmed. I'll wait for you at the training hall in a bit."
Gao Ming replied, "Understood, cousin. I'll head out right away."
***
Back in the private club, the recommendation file on Chen Chuan brought by Gan Dayao lay open before Wei Jun. It documented the recommendation process in meticulous detail, clearly laying out what Chen Chuan had done, the justification for the evaluation, and the origins and course of the entire incident.
Alongside it were comprehensive dossiers and records regarding Chen Chuan obtained from the Mutual Aid Society, covering his performance since admission, his general grades and background, his verifiable deeds, and his assessed tier. Everything that had occurred within the academy was laid bare in black and white.
Wei Jun picked up the papers. His casual demeanor gradually hardened into sternness, which then shifted into sheer astonishment.
Any single deed Chen Chuan had accomplished within the academy was beyond what ordinary students could pull off; even among upperclassmen, such achievements would be considered dazzling.
Wei Jun had never imagined that right under the nose of the Mutual Aid Society, there existed such a student—one who had reached this point without making a whisper of noise.
By rights, someone of such caliber ought to have shone with blinding radiance, yet the reality was the exact opposite. The young man had kept so low a profile that he was virtually invisible.
Thinking back, it was Chen Chuan's involvement that had driven Tan Wang out of the academy, forcing Wei Jun himself to lie low outside. Why had he never taken this person seriously before?
Fortunately, there was still time.
Gripping the folder, he rose, walked out of the parlor, and headed straight to the poolside. Jiang Wei, Qiao Rong, and Shao Xiaobie were still waiting there. Wei Jun settled into his lounge chair and looked at the three of them. "Have you reached a decision?"
Qiao Rong gave a cold scoff. Folding her arms, she leaned back against her chair. "We've discussed it. I can yield my quota, but my word alone doesn't settle it, nor am I obligated to deliver messages for you. Go talk to my family yourself."
Wei Jun looked at her. "So long as you agree, you won't need to concern yourself with the rest. Whether it works out or not, I will owe you a favor."
"Fine. Is there anything else? If not, I'm leaving."
"Wait."
Seeing her move to depart, Wei Jun motioned for her to sit back down. "There is one more matter I need to discuss with you all first." He tossed the dossier onto the side table and tapped it twice with his finger. "I suspect that if this isn't handled properly beforehand, even the quota we just freed up might run into trouble."
All three looked surprised. Shao Xiaobie could not help asking, "Brother Wei, what happened?"
"What happened?" Wei Jun chuckled coldly and swept his eyes over them. "A Wuyi student has officially obtained a departmental recommendation from the Foreign Affairs Bureau. What's more, it was deliberately concealed, and half a year has already passed since then. I trust you know what that means."
Shao Xiaobie froze for a beat before sitting bolt upright. "Who? Who is it?"
Wei Jun snatched the dossier and flung it straight into his chest. "Here is the file. Read it for yourselves, and think carefully about how to deal with it."
"Chen Chuan? A first-year student?" Shao Xiaobie opened the folder, stunned. "Are you kidding me? There must be a mistake!"
Wei Jun replied with an icy look, "He is indeed a first-year. Look at what he has done, and then imagine what will happen when he reaches his second and third years."
Shao Xiaobie hastily flipped through the pages, his heart sinking with every turn.
Qiao Rong took a look as well and sneered, "Heh. You run the Mutual Aid Society so well, yet you couldn't even keep tabs on a first-year student."
Shao Xiaobie snapped irritably, "Cut the fucking sarcasm! Who could have known this kid pulled off so much without making a sound? Dammit, the brat really has some nerve. Stirring up this much trouble in his first year, and I didn't even notice."
Jiang Wei smiled faintly. "Indeed. This student is quite remarkable."
Wei Jun said coldly, "I don't care how remarkable he is, nor what he has done. I am telling you plainly: I will not permit another Shen Zheng."
At the mention of Shen Zheng, the faces of everyone present darkened slightly.
They all remembered that man. Back then, not a single recommended student across the entire academy had been his match. No matter what unfavorable conditions were orchestrated against him, he had overcome them one by one, using their failures as stepping stones to forge ahead. During that period, the Mutual Aid Society had been thoroughly humiliated.
Shen Zheng had eventually obtained an unlimited defense license, placing him just one step away from Center City.
That was something they could never tolerate. More crucially, given the man's uncompromising nature, once he established a firm footing in Center City, he would inevitably return to unearth their roots, thereby shaking the very power structure of Yangzhi City. Fortunately, the families behind them had recognized the threat early on and decisively intervened to remove him in time.
Jiang Wei took the file, looked it over, and offered a calm analysis. "He already possesses a recommendation from the Foreign Affairs Bureau. Add to that the recommendation from the Disposal Bureau, and once the semester begins, he will likely apply for the unlimited defense license exam. Judging by his strength, the chances of him passing are very high.
"Once he holds the defense license, his next step will be applying for a Center City quota. It is fortunate this news leaked ahead of time; otherwise, he might truly have pulled it off, and stopping him then would have been far more troublesome."
Wei Jun's expression turned grim. "There cannot be any mishaps regarding the quotas. Even the slimmest possibility cannot be left to chance. Whatever means it takes, this must be handled."
Shao Xiaobie cursed, "Fuck it. Where is the kid right now? I'll find someone to take care of him immediately."
Wei Jun's butler chimed in from the side, "Mr. Shao, the academy is currently on recess. That student spends most of his time staying at a private training hall on Xiuyi Street in the south part of the city. That is Supervisor Cheng's property."
"Supervisor Cheng?" Shao Xiaobie paused.
Qiao Rong cast him a disdainful glare. "Where are your eyes? Didn't you see it written in the dossier? Cheng Zitong is his mentor."
"Cheng Zitong? That makes things a bit tricky." Shao Xiaobie hesitated. Well aware of Cheng Zitong's background, he harbored genuine reservations.
Jiang Wei smiled. "He's merely an instructor. Once the person is gone, what can he do?"
Shao Xiaobie thought about it and realized it made sense. Back when Shen Zheng died, they had fretted anxiously for quite a while, terrified that He Xiaoxing would refuse to let it go. The companies and families had even made special preparations, yet in the end, hadn't everything remained quiet?
He stood up from his lounge chair, his voice turning vicious. "Leave it to me. I'll arrange the men." With that, he turned to walk away.
"Xiao Bie," Wei Jun called out from behind.
Shao Xiaobie looked back.
Wei Jun raised his gaze, speaking with measured calm. "If you're going to strike, clean it up thoroughly. Leave no loose ends."
Shao Xiaobie gave a confident nod. "Don't worry, Brother Wei. I'll hire outsiders for the job. It won't trace back to the Society under any circumstances."
Chapter 174