"Missionary?" Ye Jiu couldn't help frowning, "Missionary and artifact smuggling... These are completely unrelated things, aren't they?"

"That's where you're wrong." Candle Dragon corrected, "In earlier years, many Westerners, under the guise of doing business, missionary work, and cultural exchanges, secretly smuggled antiquities from our Xiazhou back to their own countries... Quite a few of our national treasures are displayed in the British Museum, but unfortunately, we may never get those things back."

"So, is this Juedra also a thief?" Ye Jiu asked with an angry expression.

"Not sure, the Federation Government couldn't find any criminal records for Juedra." Candle Dragon shook his head, "But his association with people like Shang Dalin, he is probably a bird of the same feather."

Just as Ye Jiu was about to ask something else, a field agent ran up and saluted him, shouting, "Report to the team leader, in the bifurcated tunnel, we discovered a total of 197 artifact-type anomalies and 15 individuals severely infected with body deformities. In addition, as per Mr. Yang's request, we also found 15 bronze figurine lamps corresponding with the physical traits of the infected. How should we proceed?"

"Why are you asking me? I'm not a researcher!" Ye Jiu glared.

"But, you are the leader of this operation..."

"That was before we set out. Once we arrived at the mission location, command authority was fully handed over to Mr. Yang. Alright, don't bother me anymore!" Ye Jiu waved his hand repeatedly.

"Understood!" The field agent saluted again and jogged away.

"These young guys are quite spirited." Candle Dragon glanced at the retreating figure of the field agent, "Much better than those stubborn, hard-headed, and overly complicated guys in Chunming City... To be honest, I used to hate dealing with the field operations department in Dubhe Tower; they only cause trouble while working and then claim credit afterwards... Tsk tsk tsk."

"These people were just promoted from the Investigation Bureau and City Defense Guard; their actual training time was less than two weeks." Ye Jiu sighed, "That cigarette-addicted old man drew them a picture, saying if they perform well, they might be transferred to Dubhe Tower... These guys suddenly became as energetic as if they were injected with adrenaline, all working extra hard during training."

"Is a position at Dubhe Tower really that desirable?" Sun Hang asked skeptically, "The picture that wheelchair-bound old man drew likely has traps in it. They think Dubhe Tower is the one in Chunming City, but actually, it's this construction site overhead. I wonder if these young guys will be disappointed when they find out the truth."

"They know," Ye Jiu said, "but their enthusiasm won't be dampened. Joining Dubhe Tower, no matter what work they do or where they work, represents a social class leap for ordinary people—which is leaps up several levels, far better benefits than civil servants, all kinds of security measures... It's not just for themselves, even their spouses, relatives, the next generation, and even the generation after that can benefit. Don't you think this opportunity would have people fighting tooth and nail for it?"

"Speaking of which, are these people all newcomers?" Candle Dragon squinted, "Didn't the Celestial City Mysterious Creature Research Institute's field operations department already recruit twice during the early days of Eternal Night?"

"Before Eternal Night descended, the Celestial City Mysterious Creature Research Institute's field operations department had a total of 155 active agents. Now, including myself as temporary support labor, there are only 97." Ye Jiu sighed, "The Chimera 17 capture operation directly cost us eight fully-staffed field teams, not to mention those retired due to severe injuries or disability... During the time before you returned, the entire field operations department was down to just over 40 people, more than half of whom were clerical staff sitting at desks facing computer screens... Damn, during that period, I was practically working as if I had been split into eight people, truly the ultimate workhorse."

"I think they could recruit more people," Sun Hang said calmly, "Chimera 17 will return, and when it does, more people will die."

"I also want to recruit more people, but the City Defense Guard and other armed departments are all stretched thin as well." Having finally found a chance to vent, Ye Jiu immediately began complaining to Sun Hang, "Sun Hang, you wouldn't understand! To get these people, I've been arguing with the heads of those departments almost every day—don't you feel my neck has gotten several times thicker than before?"

"You're wearing a neck brace now, what am I supposed to see?" Sun Hang retorted.

"Do you know what those department heads say to me? Damn it, they say either don't steal anyone away, or if I do, take the whole department... Goddamn, their abacus beads nearly flew into my face!" Ye Jiu complained loudly.

"Then just take them all," Sun Hang said indifferently.

"What I need now are those guys who can hold guns and shoot anomalies. Those department heads I'm arguing with all have an average age of over 55, with big bellies; aside from sitting in the office drinking tea and reading newspapers, what else can they do? If I recruit this kind of person and my father finds out, wouldn't he scold me like crazy? Moreover, the number of spots approved from above is limited, I can't even guarantee every one of these people can join Dubhe Tower. If those old guys use their authority to take some places for themselves, the picture I've drawn for them will be completely ruined... Then who would be willing to work hard?"

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