novelraw Chapter 296 - 28: Support
Chapter 296 - 28: Support
As Chen Chuan walked forward, he could feel Assistant Ling’s gaze fixed on him until the elevator doors closed.
But his gait remained natural the entire time, without the slightest hint of abnormality.
Following the directions from his Realm Token, he walked to the very end of the hallway. The sign above read "Stationed Processing Office," and the main door was currently wide open.
He said, "Chen Chuan, here to report."
A voice came from inside. "Come in."
Chen Chuan walked in. The space was huge, at least three or four hundred square meters. Directly ahead was a wide, panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, offering an unobstructed view of the scenery outside.
In the very center was a heavy, curved desk. A woman with wavy, curly hair sat with her back to him, leaning against the desk. She had a very fit physique, and with her hands propped on the desk behind her, she looked completely casual and relaxed.
As Chen Chuan approached, the woman spoke. "The view here is amazing. Every time I look out from here, I feel like a bird soaring freely through the sky. What do you think, Chen? Don’t overthink it, just tell me your first impression."
Chen Chuan looked outside. Beyond the window were countless skyscrapers. Looking down from this height, he did feel a sense of towering high above, of embracing the entire city. He replied seriously, "It’s all very nice, but unfortunately, it isn’t mine."
The woman was taken aback for a moment, then burst out giggling. Her shoulders shook uncontrollably as she kept laughing, looking as if she was about to laugh herself out of breath.
Chen Chuan glanced at her silently. ’This woman has a strange sense of humor,’ he thought.
After a good while, the woman caught her breath, seemingly wiping away tears of laughter before finally turning around.
She was a woman in her thirties wearing cyan eye makeup. She had slightly full lips, large eyes, and her nails were painted a powder blue. At a glance, she gave off an impression of being extremely sharp and capable.
The woman looked Chen Chuan up and down as well, saying with appreciation, "Chen, you’re much easier on the eyes in person than in your photo. Remember to find a better photographer next time."
"Ahem, let me introduce myself. My name is Ni Qianqian. I’m the internal affairs manager from the Processing Bureau, stationed at Wuyi General Hospital. Don’t call me Nini; it reminds me of that bunch from the Internal Affairs Bureau. Just call me Manager Ni."
Before Chen Chuan could respond, she continued, "The reason I called you over today is about a matter concerning you. The Processing Bureau pays close attention to outstanding students like you. Every year, we set aside resources to focus on cultivating students like you."
At this, she sighed and held up a hand. "Don’t get too excited yet. This cultivation is an investment. We don’t invest resources in students who can’t bring us returns. We need to see results."
"So, we will also regularly inspect or assess you. If you don’t make the cut, then I’m sorry, but we will withdraw our support. And by the way, you’re not the only one who received this qualification. This time, at Wuyi General Hospital, we’ve designated a total of three spots. No one is irreplaceable."
"And among the three of you, the one who performs the best will receive the most resources, as well as some recommendations and benefits that you aren’t at liberty to know about yet."
Ni Qianqian looked at Chen Chuan. "That’s about all I have to tell you. Now it’s up to you." She tapped the Realm Token hidden under her long, wavy hair and sent a file over.
"The contents and regulations are all in here. Take a look. Remember not to save a copy. If you agree, we’ll continue our discussion. If you don’t, you can walk right out of here and pretend you were never here."
Chen Chuan glanced at it. It was a support program from the Processing Bureau, aimed at cultivating outstanding reserve Law Enforcers. The requirements were that during the cultivation period, the student could not join any private companies or non-National Enterprises, must complete the Processing Bureau’s designated assessments, and would also need to cooperate with Processing Bureau members in carrying out certain missions.
Other than that, there were no other compulsory requirements.
He read it over several times, thought for a moment, and said, "I agree."
Ni Qianqian hummed in affirmation. "Good. Many students like you have their own temperaments, especially the young and talented ones." As she said this, she pursed her lips, as if someone had come to mind.
Chen Chuan wondered if she was referring to the other two sponsored students.
"Alright."
Ni Qianqian clapped her hands. "Since you agree, let’s first talk about your studies. I’ve seen your entrance evaluation. It’s passable."
"Although you only scored in the seventies, you did just come up from a branch academy. The educational resources at the branch academies are limited, so getting that score is already quite good. I’m sure you’ll catch up quickly after a period of training."
"The evaluation said your moves lack technical variation. As a Fighter, you must practice your chosen weapon until you’ve achieved profound mastery, otherwise your current weaknesses could become fatal flaws later on."
When she spoke of this, her tone became extremely serious, a complete change from her earlier casual demeanor.
Chen Chuan nodded.
"Good. You’d better remember that. I’ll be keeping an eye on you from now on."
Ni Qianqian stared into his eyes, as if trying to intimidate him, but her attention soon drifted. ’Hmm, this student’s eyes are quite nice, so full of life. Are those double eyelids?’
Her thoughts wandered for a moment before she reined them in. "Moving on to business. We’ll recommend a teacher who specializes in Saber Technique. If you feel it’s a good fit after meeting them, you can take their class. Don’t worry about the fees; we can waive them for you. If you don’t think it’s a good fit, you can refuse and pay for other courses yourself."
"Also, in your entrance exam, your Third Limit assessment was a bit low. For most Fighters, reaching the Third Limit is what truly sets them apart from their past selves. It’s a watershed moment."
"If your subsequent performance is up to standard, we’ll recommend a teacher to give you one-on-one instruction. This kind of opportunity is very rare, so you must seize it."
Chen Chuan said, "I understand."
Ni Qianqian waved her hand dismissively. "Alright, I’ve said what I needed to say. I’m not one for long speeches. You can go back for now. Someone will contact you later to sign the support agreement. I’ll send you the detailed information shortly. You can ask me if you have any questions."
Chen Chuan nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Manager Ni. I’ll review it carefully when I get back."
After bidding farewell to Ni Qianqian, he left the office, took the elevator back to his dorm, and received a file just as he walked through the door.
Before he had a chance to look at it, however, he found that Tan Zhi had invited him to join a discussion platform. Everyone participating in the discussion was a student, and the current topics mostly revolved around the investors backing them.
He watched for a while before understanding. It wasn’t just the Processing Bureau; major corporations in Central City also invested in outstanding students from Wuyi Academy.
That’s why the academy’s training equipment and courses seemed so expensive—they weren’t actually priced for individuals, but for their investors.
But where there was investment, a return was always expected, and even government departments were no exception. It seemed there would be a lot to do from now on.
Meanwhile, back in the stationed office, Ni Qianqian was talking to someone via her Realm Token. "Yes, I’ve already spoken to him. He’s given his verbal agreement... It should be fine. Send someone over to draft the agreement as soon as possible."
The person on the other end asked, "What’s your impression of this student?"
Ni Qianqian said, "Not bad. I think he’s a pretty good student. Easy on the eyes and has a good temperament."
The person replied, "I’ll arrange for someone to come over soon. After the agreement is signed, have him undergo an assessment first."
Ni Qianqian was a bit surprised. "An assessment right off the bat? Aren’t you going to let him study and adapt for a while first?"
"After all, his entrance evaluation score was a bit low, the lowest of the three students we’re sponsoring. It doesn’t quite match his past performance, so we need a true and accurate assessment of him."
Ni Qianqian scoffed. "So troublesome. I refuse to believe an evaluation can fully test a person’s abilities. Only you guys from the Rationalist Faction treat them as gospel."
"Besides, this student is outstanding and has no backing. There must be plenty of people wanting to invest in him, right? I bet some corporate hyenas have already got their eyes on him."
But the person on the other end said, "Don’t worry, he won’t choose those companies, and they won’t invest in him either."
Ni Qianqian said in surprise, "You’re so sure?"
The person replied meaningfully, "It’s not that I’m sure; it’s that he has no choice. You should have read his internal file. You should know he participated in the national conscription organized by the General Affairs Bureau, right?"
Ni Qianqian froze. "You mean..." She became pensive. "No wonder."
The person said, "He’s worked directly under the General Affairs Bureau. Who knows if he’s one of their people? Those companies won’t invest in him lightly until they can confirm he’s not."
Ni Qianqian let out a short laugh. "Speaking of the General Affairs Bureau, the old-timers in our Bureau don’t like their people either, do they? Are they really that unworried?"
"Why? Are you so sure there are no General Affairs Bureau people in our Bureau?"
Ni Qianqian was at a loss for words. "That’s true," she said, resigned. The General Affairs Bureau’s people are everywhere; sometimes you can’t even be sure if the colleague you work with day in and day out has another identity.
The person on the other end said again, "These are matters for the higher-ups to consider. It has nothing to do with us. We just need to do the jobs we’re responsible for."
Just then, a notification came through on Ni Qianqian’s Realm Token. A file was sent over, and the voice said, "When he signs the agreement, give him this as well. Let’s see how he performs."
Ni Qianqian looked at it for a moment and said, "Whoa, setting the bar this high right from the start? Aren’t you making things difficult for our little Brother Chen?"
The person on the other end said sternly, "We need outstanding reserve Law Enforcers. The Processing Bureau’s funding doesn’t come from nowhere. Every single investment must be made with caution and care."
Ni Qianqian pursed her lips. "Fine. I’ll be the one to explain it to him when the time comes."
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