Promotion! Transfer!

In truth, from the very moment he acquired the Aurora Stone, Qiu Tu had already considered how to handle this Cataclysm material. Even just reading its description made it clear how precious it was. Yet no matter how valuable, Qiu Tu had no use for it right now. Looking at the stone's description—"one of the Cataclysm materials," "used in compounding potions," "crafting Cataclysm items"—were any of those things he could accomplish right now? It was completely unrealistic. To someone with Qiu Tu's pragmatic disposition, anything he couldn't use at the moment was essentially garbage. Coincidentally, this "garbage" happened to be exceptionally valuable, so Qiu Tu naturally considered using it as bait. And the fish he intended to hook was none other than Yan Chen, the man who held Qiu Tu's fate in his hands. Offering the Aurora Stone to Yan Chen had two advantages. First, it made gaining his trust much easier. After all, with Qiu Tu's current status, it was utterly impossible for him to obtain an Aurora Stone on his own. So where could it have come from? If one investigated the people Qiu Tu had interacted with over the past few days, the only suspect could be Qin Shuman, whose true identity remained murky. That way, Qin Shuman would firmly fit the fabricated narrative Qiu Tu had concocted for her, and Qiu Tu's immediate crisis would be neatly resolved. Second, one had to sacrifice a child to catch a wolf—you had to risk something substantial to land the big prize. During his years "working" in the fraud syndicate in his past life, Qiu Tu had seen this sort of angling tactic all too often. First dangle a little sweetness to stoke the target's greed, then lead them step-by-step into the abyss. Right now, this exact strategy worked on Yan Chen. As long as Yan Chen was tempted by the Aurora Stone, craving more or hoping to uncover the channel through which it was obtained, he would need to keep Qiu Tu's line alive. When that time came, Qiu Tu would keep stringing him along, giving him tastes of sweetness while never fully satisfying his appetite, luring him inch by inch into the trap. Throughout that process, Qiu Tu would also continue to grow his own strength until he completely turned the tables. Just as Qiu Tu was thinking this, Yan Chen finished examining the Aurora Stone and finally spoke. His expression had softened considerably, losing much of its earlier severity. Stroking the Aurora Stone in his hand, he said in a raspy voice, "Qiu Tu. Don't blame me for not trusting you earlier." "After all, Shuman shares my bed. Without seeing irrefutable proof with my own eyes, it would have been difficult for me to believe she had betrayed me." Qiu Tu nodded in understanding, his expression completely open. Seeing this, Yan Chen fell silent for a moment. Then he turned his gaze back to Qiu Tu and asked with a hint of puzzlement, "However, although I believe your words now, there is still one thing I don't quite understand." Qiu Tu replied, "Please speak, Director." Yan Chen neatly lined up the silver dollars, gold bars, and the Aurora Stone on the desk, then gestured toward them. "Qin Shuman offered you exceptionally generous terms. Why didn't you accept them instead of choosing to inform on her to me?" "Furthermore, where did you get the nerve to suspect and investigate the woman in my bed? Weren't you afraid I would have you secretly executed just to protect the secret?" Before his words had fully faded, an invisible thread of killing intent quietly permeated the air. Yet Qiu Tu showed not the slightest hint of fear. *Who are you trying to intimidate? If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it already. Keeping me alive now just means you've taken the bait.* Thinking this, he looked directly at Yan Chen and answered with an earnest face, "Director... it's because I want to advance so badly!" "Although I am already a Rank 2 agent, I'm far from satisfied!" "I want to become a Rank 1 agent, an inspector, an office head, and even a deputy director!" "What's more, I don't want to remain trapped in logistical units like the Administrative Office anymore. I want to go to the Special Service Department, the Political Department, the Security Section... or even a grassroots police post!" "That is why I had to take this gamble!" "Otherwise, I could never resign myself to this life!" Hearing Qiu Tu's speech, Jia Shu, who stood beside Yan Chen, pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose and remarked with a faint, knowing smile, "Agent Qiu is certainly candid." "I thought you would claim it was entirely out of loyalty to the Director." Qiu Tu offered a wry smile in return. "That would have sounded far too hypocritical." Listening to the exchange, Yan Chen toyed with the Aurora Stone while quietly pondering. After a moment, he raised his eyes toward Qiu Tu and said impassively, "Since you possess such ambition, I am willing to grant you an opportunity." "You want to advance? Then advance you shall." "Starting today, you are transferred to the Political Department, with your rank promoted to Rank 1 agent." Hearing Yan Chen's words, Qiu Tu's pupils contracted slightly. Though he had anticipated that Yan Chen would throw him a bone, he hadn't expected the reward to be this generous. On the surface, his rank had only risen by a single grade, but moving from a weak department like the Administrative Office to the most formidable Political Department increased his practical authority more than tenfold. Furthermore, even though there was only one step between Rank 1 and Rank 2, a Rank 1 agent possessed the qualifications to lead a squad and serve as a team leader. A team leader in the Political Department... At the thought, Qiu Tu couldn't help drawing a sharp breath. Yan Chen seemed to be giving him a bit too much. Why did it suddenly feel like he was the one getting hooked? Thinking this, he instinctively glanced toward Jia Shu, the head of the Political Department. Yet Jia Shu's expression remained utterly unruffled, the smile on his face growing even brighter. Seeing Jia Shu's reaction, a foreboding premonition stirred in Qiu Tu's chest. His experiences in the fraud syndicate in his past life told him: Pies never fall from the sky for no reason. If one really drops into your lap, it's very likely laced with knockout drops—while you're eyeing someone's pie, they might very well be eyeing your ass. Sure enough, after handing Qiu Tu such an enormous pie, Yan Chen spoke again. Looking at Qiu Tu with eyes as tranquil as an ancient well, he said slowly, "However, this post isn't given to you for free. You must do something for me in return." Qiu Tu thought to himself: *Here it comes. Here it comes, right on cue.* He pulled together every ounce of his focus, eager to hear what Yan Chen intended to task him with. Then he heard Yan Chen say, "Since Qin Shuman is a nail planted by City Hall by my side, then it appears the Qin family has betrayed me." "So... go and pull it out for me." "Within seven days, I want evidence sufficient to destroy the Qin family sitting on my desk." Qiu Tu: ??? Hearing Yan Chen's order, only one sentence echoed through Qiu Tu's mind in that instant: *What? Me?* He felt just like Benbo'erba from Journey to the West, sent off by his boss to do the impossible... completely bewildered. What was the Qin family? One of the top three major clans in Xinjie City! Their family enterprises spanned multiple fields, ranging from illicit medical clinics to underground brothels, from gambling dens to loan-sharking—all operating deep within the gray areas. Long before Xinjie City was designated a zone pending planning, the Qin family was already one of the city's hegemons. Beneath them were not only thousands of hired thugs, but also private soldiers who were armed to the teeth, equipped with firearms, and rigorously trained. Against a faction of such magnitude, in a newly established Xinjie City that desperately required stability, what kind of criminal evidence could possibly bring them down? Murder? Arson? Give him a break. In this chaotic, post-Cataclysm world, which major family didn't murder a few people or set a few fires just to liven things up? How could that ever bring them down! Thinking this through, Qiu Tu felt completely lost. And right then, Jia Shu, who had been standing quietly beside Yan Chen, pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and spoke up as well...