Chapter 57: I'm Already 2nd-Tier

My Profession is too Personal

"Hm? Why hasn't it resolved?" Su Chen waited a moment, but nothing more appeared after the ellipsis.

"This Believer of Black Buddha is pretty resilient. Worthy of a special profession, I suppose. Last time, the Engineering Apprentice folded immediately. This 'rehabilitation' might take a while longer."

Su Chen muttered to himself, but figured it would work out fine. The other professions looked supremely confident.

He swept up the precious metals and other valuables from the floor and tucked them away, then stretched lazily. Out of habit, he fished a Black Flame Potion from his Storage Space. He almost put it back, then downed it anyway.

Only two vials left — might as well not waste them.

"Can't feel a thing."

He didn't even need to test it in the Gravity Room. The difference was stark. The searing fire that used to blaze through his body was utterly absent — like drinking a cup of lukewarm tea. Useless.

"Single-gravity training probably won't do much anymore either."

"2nd-tier potions, forging methods... resources..." Su Chen rubbed his temples, racking his brain. He had no procurement channels of his own. "Guess I'm stuck relying on the Supervision Department."

His stomach growled. He was actually hungry. Su Chen decided to head to the Supervision Department cafeteria for breakfast — all those potions had left a chemical aftertaste in his mouth.

He picked out two drumsticks as thick as his forearm — some kind of "Mountain Runner Chicken," apparently — and ladled a bowl of meat broth shimmering with golden fat. He found a quiet corner and tucked in.

"Deputy Chief Pan is actually late today." A few patrol guards were chatting nearby. "That's a first. He's usually one of the earliest to arrive."

"Maybe he felt like sleeping in for once."

They treated it as idle mealtime chatter, said a couple more words, and moved on.

'Early in, late out, the picture of dedication — and nobody ever thought something was off?' Su Chen snarked internally, his mind still calculating. 'If I want resources, I probably can't hide my 2nd-tier advancement... shouldn't be a problem, though. It's just the City Lord that I'm not sure about...'

Thud! Thud! Thud!

"You actually are here..."

Halfway through his meal, a shadow fell over him. Fatty Sun settled into the seat across from him and waved off the proffered drumstick with a look of deep grievance. "The elevator attendant said he saw the lift stop at the cafeteria floor. I barely believed it."

"Everything's been tasting like medicine. Come try this." Su Chen's tone was notably more relaxed.

"Bro, you really know how to have a good time." Fatty Sun griped. "Last night, you call me at the last minute to go celebrate Zhou Li's advancement, you invited everyone yourself — and then you're the only one who doesn't show up."

"And Zhou Li — all dolled up, perfume and everything. By the time I got home, the scent was still on me. My wife nearly skinned me alive."

"Something came up. Sorry for dumping the hosting duties on you, bro."

Su Chen ushered Sun Tai to sit. Last night's gathering had been a precaution — he'd wanted Han Da out of the house, just in case. So he'd corralled the entire patrol squad under the pretext of celebrating Zhou Li's promotion to Messenger.

Hearing that, Fatty Sun waved it off. "That's nothing. Zhou Li was genuinely upset, though — waited for you half the night."

Su Chen just smiled and changed the subject. "Actually, Big Bro Sun, I was about to come find you."

"I need to know — how do I get my hands on 2nd-tier potions and forging methods?"

"2nd-tier... for your friend?" Fatty Sun mulled it over, beady eyes narrowing. "Tricky. 2nd-tier potions are purchased from outside. The trade convoys only come once a month. Everything's allocated by quota."

"On the black market, a single dose goes for seven or eight thousand — the markup is outrageous."

"Allocated?" Su Chen was surprised.

"Yeah..." Fatty Sun nodded. "2nd-tier professionals are basically the management tier of every organization. They receive measured allotments of training potions."

"As for forging methods — those require Director-level authorization to distribute." Fatty Sun explained.

Su Chen thought for a moment, then sat up straight. "Actually — it's not for a friend. It's for me."

"You?" Fatty Sun didn't process it for a second. Then understanding crashed over him. He shot upright on the sofa, eyes wide. "You've already hit 2nd-tier?!"

Nearby, several Supervision Department guards looked over in surprise, having caught the words "2nd-tier." Curious gazes swept over Su Chen.

"Mm." Su Chen nodded. Since the department used an allocation system, there was no point hiding it. Securing resources quickly was what mattered.

"Truly..." A complicated expression washed over Sun Tai's face. "That's incredibly fast. What discipline."

Since arriving at the Supervision Department, Su Chen had barely left his quarters.

Sun Tai hadn't thought much of it at the time, but hearing this news now, he couldn't help but marvel.

Then his energy surged. "Come on, let's go — put the food down! We're going straight to the City Lord. What you're owed, you'll get — every last bit."

............

"Still no leads?"

Top floor of the Exploration Department offices. Yang Yan glared at Zhang Hongbo, visibly displeased. "The overt investigation turned up nothing. The covert one has dragged on just as long, and still nothing."

Zhang Hongbo's expression wasn't much better. "I'd assumed an undercurrent was churning beneath Nanfeng City's surface. But apparently not. Zhou Xian has been behaving himself."

Yang Yan bristled. "The Evil God cults didn't send an empty Artifact shell here for no reason. There must be something you've overlooked."

"The public search came up dry, the secret investigation yielded nothing... Zhou Xian hasn't made a single move." Zhang Hongbo paused. "Time to try a different approach. Draw the snake from its hole."

"Let's hear it." Yang Yan turned to look at him.

Zhang Hongbo hesitated, shaking his head. "It's risky."

"Risky? As opposed to sitting around waiting to die?" Yang Yan scoffed.

These people had played petty kings in their fiefdoms for too long. They were afraid of everything.

"It's not us taking the risk — it's someone below us." Zhang Hongbo sighed.

"Those who enjoy protection must be willing to serve." Yang Yan's tone was ice. "Who?"

"That's the other complication." Zhang Hongbo smiled ruefully, looking pained. "He's our Supervision Department Director's student."

"All the better — his sense of duty should be even stronger." Yang Yan's brow arched. He said bluntly: "You're just afraid he'll come back and make trouble for you. If this flushes out those parasites, I'll take responsibility."

"But are you certain he can actually lure them out?"

"Haah..." Zhang Hongbo sighed and tossed over a dossier. "Su Chen. He assisted Yuan Chenyang in intercepting Saint Word Stones outside the city — essentially foiling a cult operation."

"At the same time, Zhou Xian's son's death is tied to him. Qi Chuan's death also seems connected to him. And the discovery of the Evil God Artifact apparently owes a great deal to his involvement."

"Moreover, he's already survived one assassination attempt. He might be able to draw out more of them."

"He's that central to everything?" Yang Yan was taken aback. He accepted the dossier and skimmed it. "This young? A 1st-tier professional... with only Brilliant Silver physical talent..."

A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes. Using someone like this as bait...

But then he reached the final line and stopped cold. "A refugee?"