Chapter 583
The Significance of the Strong, National Treasures
Fang Cheng didn't really care whether he passed the background check.
When he applied for graduate school, it wasn't because he really wanted to pursue academic studies.
It's nothing more than wanting to cloak themselves in the guise of being a "highly educated person".
By using the image of a well-mannered student, a huge contrast is created, reducing suspicion and speculation from those with ulterior motives.
After all, my current strength is far from enough to confront the entire national machinery.
They need to wear masks and disguise their image to separate the two completely different identities of "murderer" and "good citizen" in order to avoid unnecessary trouble.
They need a safe and stable place to continue developing and getting stronger.
Being able to join the Special Investigations Unit now can be considered a different path leading to the same goal, or even a better one.
After all, he had joined the Special Investigations Unit and become a member of the official law enforcement force.
Other forces that might be secretly investigating them, such as the Xiao family or Ideal Land, would have an extra layer of concerns before taking action.
They might think that the special investigation team is deliberately targeting them.
Thus, they focused their main vigilance and attention on the behemoth that was the Special Investigation Team, rather than on themselves, a lowly civil servant working for the organization.
This is what they mean by "it's good to take shelter under a big tree, and it's good to cultivate oneself in a government office."
Besides all these considerations, what really appealed to Fang Cheng was the tangible benefits.
Fang Cheng walked at the back, his eyes flickering as he looked at the semi-transparent panel in front of him, which only he could see.
【Bone Setting Lv1 (91/250)】
【Acupressure Lv0 (57/100)】
【Massage lv0 (83/100)】
[Qigong lv3 (45/1000)]
With the new officially recognized identity of the Special Search Team, entering the new instance of the sanatorium will allow me to legitimately come into contact with a large number of wounded patients.
At that time, the speed at which skills such as bone setting, acupressure, and massage gain experience will definitely skyrocket.
Once these medical skills are maxed out, the opportunity to break through to Lv4 in Qigong and reach the King realm may be just around the corner.
"Acheng, don't stand outside, come in and have another drink with your grandpa!"
Li Zhenhua's powerful shouts came from inside the house.
"Dad, your body hasn't fully recovered yet. The doctor said to drink as little alcohol as possible."
Li Biyun's helpless words of dissuasion followed immediately.
"Oh, I'm just happy today! I'll make an exception this time, but this is a one-time thing, a one-time thing!"
Fang Cheng listened to the sounds coming from inside the house, and a smile appeared on his lips.
"coming."
He responded, stepped over the threshold, and followed the bright light streaming into the house, entering the room filled with the laughter of his family.
....................................
The afternoon sun was shining brightly.
The surface of Yulong Lake shimmers like a huge piece of silk spread out, sparkling with tiny golden rays.
The black executive sedan drove smoothly along the lakeside road, the reflections of the willow trees outside the window flashing by.
The air conditioning in the car was on full blast, blocking out the early summer heat and making the atmosphere inside the car exceptionally calm.
Driver Xiao Zhang focused intently on the steering wheel, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.
Wei Zheng sat in the passenger seat, but felt somewhat restless.
He would glance at the back seat through the rearview mirror every now and then, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back, his fingers unconsciously touching the tip of his nose.
This is his habitual action when he has something on his mind.
"Say what you want to say."
A gentle voice came from the back row.
The old minister closed his eyes to rest, but it seemed as if he had an extra eye on his forehead, taking in his disciple's embarrassing situation:
"You've been fidgeting ever since you got on the bus. Is there a nail in the seat that's poking you?"
Wei Zheng gave an awkward laugh, turned around, and finally stopped holding back:
"Teacher, I really don't understand."
His brow furrowed slightly, his tone full of incomprehension and regret:
"The three conditions Fang Cheng proposed—regarding freedom of work and the investigation of old cases—are all reasonable, and I can understand them. But..."
“He made it clear that he was willing to join as a traditional martial artist, but only wanted to stay in the medical team to treat and save lives, and did not want to get involved in our struggle with the ‘technology modification faction’.”
Wei Zheng spread his hands somewhat anxiously, his tone full of helplessness:
"If we don't use this sharp knife where it's needed most, if we don't let it stand up against the suppression from that Ling gang and fight for the interests of us martial artists, then what's the difference between this and before?"
"We went to so much trouble, even you personally visited him three times to recruit him, what was the point? Did you really just want the Special Investigation Team to find a miracle doctor?"
Shi Chengyi slowly opened his eyes, turned his head to look at the fleeting lake scenery outside the window, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
He didn't answer directly, but instead pointed to the blazing sun high in the sky outside the window:
"Xiao Wei, look at the sun."
Wei Zheng subconsciously looked up and was momentarily blinded by the glaring sunlight, forcing him to squint.
"The sun rises from the darkness, perhaps unaware that it is illuminating anyone. It simply burns quietly, releasing its own light and heat, yet it can affect everything around it."
Shi Chengyi's voice was calm and deep, revealing a wisdom that had seen through the ways of the world:
"All things grow and reproduce depending on it, not because the sun is benevolent and loving, nor because it wants to save all living beings."
"Simply because—it is powerful enough." "Powerful enough that its mass is enough to warp spacetime, powerful enough that even a wisp of its aftershock is enough to change the ecology of an entire galaxy."
Wei Zheng seemed to be deep in thought, his eyes gradually focusing, as if he had grasped something key.
Shi Chengyi withdrew his gaze, looked at his loyal disciple, and slowly said:
"Fang Cheng is like that sun that hasn't yet reached its highest point."
"He doesn't need to be waving flags, rushing to the front shouting slogans, and leading us to fight for anything right now."
"All we need to do is guide him onto the right track, give him the soil, and give him the sky."
The old man leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes:
"As long as he remains in the Special Search Party, as long as he continues to grow stronger, one day, when he displays a martial arts power that is unprecedented and capable of crushing all technological creations..."
"Even if he does nothing, just standing there, he will become a totem in the hearts of all martial artists, a banner that unites people's hearts."
"At that time, both the internal structure of the Special Investigation Team and this world, which has been distorted by technology and mysterious external forces, will be affected by his existence and change accordingly."
"Compared to this change in 'momentum,' is it more important whether he personally is willing to get involved in those petty office struggles?"
At this point, Shi Chengyi's eyes sharpened as he stared directly at Wei Zheng:
"You must remember, at that level, a strong person's very existence is a deterrent, a rule."
Wei Zheng was deeply shaken, as if enlightened, and his mind suddenly became clear.
"I understand……"
He took a deep breath, his face showing genuine admiration:
"Teacher, you have a long-term vision. I was too eager for quick success and instant benefits. I only thought about using him as a tool, but I forgot that his talent is comparable to Chief Li's. He is a powerful instrument capable of suppressing the fate of the nation."
Shi Chengyi smiled, closed his eyes again, and said no more.
Wei Zheng turned around, sat up straight, and looked at the road stretching ahead.
His emotions became more turbulent than ever before.
He seemed to have foreseen that with the addition of this junior brother with terrifying potential, the situation in Dongdu would inevitably be rewritten.
The entire Special Investigations Unit may indeed be about to undergo a long-awaited transformation.
The martial arts forces, which had been suppressed for so long, were now able to stand tall and proud.
The engine hummed softly, and the interior returned to silence.
The black sedan traced a streamlined arc in the sunlight as it sped towards the distant, steel-forest-like city.
....................................
The wind howled, and sand and gravel flew everywhere.
This place seems to belong nowhere on Earth, like a corner forgotten by the world.
The sky was a suffocating leaden gray, with thick clouds like rusty iron plates pressing down on us.
There is no sunshine, no birds.
Even the wind carried a sharp, tearing edge, emitting a mournful wail.
The barren land was devoid of vegetation and showed no signs of life.
Only black rocks are exposed, their surfaces riddled with ravines, as if they have been repeatedly scorched by fire for millions of years.
In this apocalyptic scene, a colossal, entirely black skyscraper rises from the ground.
It was like a spear piercing the sky, brutally tearing through the oppressive clouds and plunging straight into the churning chaos.
To the naked eye, the top is nowhere to be seen; it seems to be the only pillar between heaven and earth.
Thick, purple lightning bolts coiled and leaped around the tower's spire, emitting a constant, low rumble.
Like the breath of an ancient behemoth in its slumber, it shook this wasteland.
At the base of the tower, two massive bronze doors, tens of meters high, remained tightly shut.
A man was standing in front of the door.
He was dressed in a retro white long gown, with a slender figure, a delicate and handsome face, and long black hair casually tied behind his head.
The wind howled past, carrying sand and gravel, but it parted automatically three feet in front of him.
He was like a cold, lifeless jade sculpture, quietly standing there, completely out of place in the harsh environment around him.
Da, da, da.
The heavy footsteps shattered the deathly silence.
In the distance, a burly figure strode through the swirling sandstorm.
He was a typical European man with deep-set, chiseled features and a head of wild, short red hair.
He was shirtless, his bronze muscles bulging, covered with all sorts of hideous scars.
As he approached, the previously frigid air suddenly warmed up.
Even the black sand on the ground began to tremble slightly, as if in fear of the violent, magma-like aura emanating from his body.
The man in white slowly raised his eyelids, his narrow eyes devoid of any emotion as he coldly stared at the newcomer.
Stop.
His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the howling wind.
The red-haired man suddenly stopped at the bottom of the steps.
He looked up at the lightning-encircled tower top, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.
He then withdrew his gaze and looked at the man in white, his voice rough and deep:
"Has the master not emerged from seclusion yet?" (End of Chapter)