Chen Gu ended his call with Bai Yunpeng and roughly understood the cause of this "accident." He then sat there in silence, carefully recalling the whole process again in his mind, and couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile.

He had been inexplicably dragged into this...

However, the next moment, Chen Gu suddenly showed a strange expression because he realized he was actually on the verge of being promoted!

It had been less than a month since he had advanced to the Second Energy Level, but this accident had involved him in constant battle, and he used his skills quite frequently.

After returning, as long as I methodically go to the training field to accumulate skill counts every day, I should be able to gather enough to advance to the Third Energy Level in about thirty days!

The reason my expression is strange, Chen Gu thought, is that once I return, I probably won't be free anymore. First, I'll have to face a rigorous inspection from the bureau. Then, my biggest task will likely be to cooperate with the Director-General on research.

And given my current "suspicious" state, it's very difficult to predict whether the bureau will even approve my promotion to the Third Energy Level...

SIGH... Chen Gu sighed inwardly. He looked at Gong Shuxu, who still posed as someone "who disdained befriending a 'Brain Domain Hacker,'" with his back turned to him. Chen Gu smiled again before turning over to sleep. He was truly exhausted from the recent events.

The Combat Rooster, being confined here, was obviously depressed and irritable. It was even full of suspicion toward Gong Shuxu, but now it also came closer to Chen Gu and lay down next to him.

Soon, both man and beast fell asleep. Gong Shuxu quietly turned to look at the two, his eyes slowly revealing a trace of sympathy and helplessness.

「...」

Aviloya's fingers hovered back and forth over a holographic button; pressing it would connect the call to Chen Jixian.

She had not immediately informed Chen Jixian that Chen Gu was still alive.

Up until now, I've been considering whether to hide the fact that Chen Gu is alive, she mused, and have him change his identity to cooperate with the Bureau of Mystic Security on various experiments.

Because I can imagine that some of these experiments will definitely not be aboveboard.

This has nothing to do with my personal preferences; I've even taken into account my "entanglements" with Chen Gu. When considering the whole picture, I deliberately gave more consideration to Chen Gu for the sake of "balancing" my personal likes and dislikes.

This matter is of great significance. I need to set aside my subjective feelings and even forsake all norms of morality, law, and ethics, considering it entirely from the perspective of the greater good.

If I couldn't do this, I wouldn't have been able to sit so steadily as the Director-General of the Bureau of Mystic Security for so many years.

But there's one person I can't get around: Bai Yunpeng.

Just at that moment, her secretary outside reported, "Director-General, Marshal Bai Yunpeng specifically sent someone to inform us that he has already set out with his niece for Yi-Mao Military Harbor to personally welcome Chen Gu's return."

Aviloya sighed lightly, knowing this was Bai Yunpeng's way of making his stance clear: When Bai Yunpeng speaks, he means it!

She moved her finger and pressed the button.

After Chen Jixian returned to Empire River Star, he kept the news of Chen Gu's "death" confidential. The battle was still ongoing at that time, involving some classified matters, so he couldn't speak of it yet.

Everyone in the sub-bureau could sense that their Director was under a cloud these days, but no one knew why.

In the past few days, Chen Jixian had been trying to convince himself: He and I don't actually share any father-son affection. His coming and going is like any other passerby in my life; I shouldn't have such a strong emotional response.

But I just can't feel happy.

Although he usually had his eyes half-closed, appearing discontent, these past few days Chen Qingyu's album was ready to be released, and she had even started some preliminary promotions, chirping at home every day about these matters.

That inevitably involved "Grandpa."

Chen Zili didn't say anything, but his little face was filled with jealousy, occasionally bursting out with, "When is he going back to school to attend classes?"

Without Grandpa's protection, I feel like I can't hold my ground, Chen Zili thought. In school, a second-generation kid with backing and one fighting alone are entirely different.

Chen Jixian had a grim face and hadn't wanted to go home these past few days, working overtime at the bureau every day.

The phone rang. When Chen Jixian saw it was the Director-General, he registered no particular emotional fluctuation and silently picked it up—then froze completely!

He's still alive?

He's still alive!!!

Chen Jixian suddenly stood up in his office with a SWISH, sprinting towards the door before the phone call was even finished. At the doorway, he realized something and reverted to his usual "half-dead" state.

After hanging up Aviloya's call, Chen Jixian sat back down at his desk, but the chair felt particularly unwelcoming today, seemingly urging him to leave.

He squirmed a few times, then simply stood up and started pacing the office. It felt to him as if over ten minutes should have passed, enough time to schedule a flight. But when he checked, only half a minute had gone by...

He lifted his eyelids slightly and called his secretary, "Arrange a flight for me to Capital Star."

「...」

The Yi-Mao Military Harbor couldn't be found on any ordinary civilian star chart. Bai Yunpeng stood in a spacious dispatch room; before him was a floor-to-ceiling window with an exceptionally wide view. Behind him, the military harbor's pilots worked intensely.

Between him and these staff members stood seven or eight soldiers with a distinguished and imposing bearing.

Watching the massive Landing Craft slowly descend, Bai Yunpeng couldn't help but look back at the people he had brought with him—four women and three men, including his niece, Bai Xianya.

Then he turned around, and on the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window, a nearly imperceptible smirk was reflected from the corner of his mouth.

Four women and three men, the men handsome, the women beautiful, each with their own style. There must be someone here to Chen Gu's taste, Bai Yunpeng believed.

Bai Yunpeng snorted inwardly with pride: I simply don't believe there's anyone in this world who can resist a military uniform!

Marshal Bai, unashamed in his old age, had started full-scale planning to win Chen Gu over to his side after reaching an agreement with Nan Zhendong, coming up with all means to "sweeten the pot."

Take today's welcome, for example, he schemed. Aside from my personal involvement to show how much we value him, the people behind me are just some "little tricks." But if, in the end, the military and the Bureau of Mystic Security make similar offers, these little tricks might just tip the scales in Chen Gu's heart.

The seven people behind him, including Bai Xianya, all in uniform and unwitting props in his scheme, were oblivious to this.

So it is said, those who play with tactics have crafty hearts.

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