From killer to division chief?

For three consecutive days, Director Zhou ate seafood every meal, each time a different dish. Only after his belly was round and full did he finally burp contentedly and roll back to Beijing.

He didn't go back to the station immediately.

He slipped away quickly, turned a corner, and headed straight for the Special Operations Fire Brigade.

The young firefighter on duty at the entrance recognized him at a glance. The young man raised his hand in salute and greeted him with a smile.

"Director Zhou, you've come to inspect our work again?"

The duty officer pointed to the building behind.

"Deputy Captain Jie is conducting a training session in the conference room on the second floor! Today's topic is the high-risk weather intervention procedure."

Sing Sing nearly dropped in astonishment. "What?! Training? This illiterate guy has learned how to give lectures?"

The two chatted for a few more minutes before Director Zhou went upstairs.

Standing at the door of the conference room, Sing Sing stopped and listened attentively.

Speaking of which, Riptide's Mandarin is becoming more and more authentic, but he doesn't have the Blue Elf's accent; it sounds quite mature.

"Today, our training will mainly focus on high-risk weather intervention."

"I've also been entrusted by my superiors to focus today on risk assessment, collaborative efforts, on-site debriefing, and everyone's job responsibilities..."

Sing Sing pushed open the door and peeked inside. A man was standing on the podium; his once wild and cool long silver hair had turned into short hair.

He was wearing a dark blue executive jacket with a national emblem pinned to his chest.

Eight large, bold, red characters were projected onto the screen behind them:

High-risk smoke extraction and standardized operations

Boss! I really want to get promoted!

"Everyone here must remember that all smoke extraction operations must be carried out strictly in accordance with the procedures!"

More than thirty men in the audience all bowed their heads and began taking notes.

"High-risk positions cannot rely solely on individual ability! Teamwork is our last line of defense for safety!"

Riptide calmly turned a page of his lecture notes.

His gaze swept precisely over the head peeking through the crack in the door, and he delivered the final two sentences smoothly and without a care in the world.

"Alright, comrades, that concludes our basic theory session for this morning."

"Let's all give a round of applause to welcome Director Zhou in and give us our guidance!"

"Clap clap!"

Sing Sing, who was about to slip away, was taken aback. "Is this right?"

Why did this kid arrange something for himself?

More than thirty pairs of eyes stared at him, making Sing Sing feel extremely uncomfortable.

But at this moment, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go in, arriving at the podium amidst applause from the crowd.

Those on the Riptide should step back half a step to make room.

"Director Zhou, please give some instructions to the comrades."

Sing Sing took the microphone, patted it twice, and coughed twice in a mock manner. "Um... I'll just say a few words."

"For you firefighters, what's the most important thing? Safety!"

"Don't rush into a fire like an idiot. Check the wind direction first, and take shelter in whichever direction the wind is blowing, understand?!"

The firefighters in the audience looked completely bewildered.

This is completely different from what they usually learn!

Riptide quickly stepped in to smooth things over:

"Director Zhou means that rescue efforts should be conducted scientifically, while ensuring our own safety! As long as we're alive, we can always try again!"

Sing Sing gave Riptide an approving look; this kid really has a whole repertoire now.

"Back in North America, your Vice Captain Jay and I went through thick and thin, we've seen it all!"

"Don't misunderstand, I'm not targeting anyone in particular. I'm saying that everyone here... needs to learn skills from Vice Captain Jie!"

"Alright, everyone, keep up the good work. I'll go ask your bureau chief for a spot in the year-end performance evaluation!"

Thunderous applause erupted, and Sing Sing nodded in satisfaction before following the Riptide as he left the conference room.

A few minutes later, in the deputy battalion commander's office.

Riptide pushed open the door and let Sing Sing in, taking off his executive jacket and hanging it on the hanger.

"Brother Zhou, please make yourself a seat. I'll make you some tea."

Sing Sing Chow plopped down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and looked around.

A row of large mahogany bookshelves lined the wall, and the Party flag and national flag were placed on the table, with a thermos cup next to them. The walls were covered with red banners with yellow characters.

"You've got quite a showy office, kid. There's almost no room left to hang all these banners."

Riptide walked over carrying a thermos, grabbed a small pinch of tea leaves, threw them into a glass, and poured boiling water over them.

"Try this pre-Qingming Longjing tea; Lao Zhao just had someone bring it over a couple of days ago."

"Lao Zhao? Zhao Hongqi? The one from the oil well?"

Sing Sing stared at the Riptide with a look of shock. "Well, well, you haven't even worked a full year, and now you've learned how to take bribes?"

"Oh dear, what are you saying!"

Riptide sat down next to him and casually picked up a cigarette, handing it to Sing Sing: "I went on a business trip to help him out, and he insisted on giving this to me! Besides, it's just like doing as the Romans do!"

As he spoke, Riptide pulled out a lighter.

Sing Sing lit a cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled a smoke ring.

"Look at yourself now! Where is even a trace of the killer who once commanded respect in United States?"

Riptide smiled and didn't refute, "Brother Zhou, people change. I think this kind of nine-to-five job with a stipend is pretty good now, it's stable."

"Stability my ass! You've been corrupted by the sugar-coated bullets of bureaucracy!"

"I've accepted the sugar coating, but I've fired the shells back."

Riptide chuckled, got up, went to his desk, took out a document stamped with a red seal, and pushed it onto the coffee table.

"Brother Zhou, I think I might be about to improve," Riptide whispered as he approached.

Progress?

Sing Sing pricked up his ears and took the official document.

"Holy crap!?"

It is proposed to select Comrade Genos Quest to lead the establishment of National Special Meteorological Rapid Response Brigade. The organization will be tentatively set at the Division-Level division chief, and he will be appointed as the principal person in charge after the preparations are completed.

Well!

Sing Sing has had a mental breakdown.

He worked himself to the bone, almost risking his life, and when he came back, Wang Pangzi slammed him to the ground with a Deadly Scissor Legs!

This kid just went straight to being a virgin!?

"Brother Zhou, calm down. We're just taking advantage of the current situation! The authorities are paying more and more attention to extreme weather, and this just happens to be my area of expertise..."

Riptide pointed to his silver hair and began to pour out his grievances:

"And... my dear brother, you don't know the cost of living until you're in charge! I'm writing reports and making plans every day, and my hair is almost all gone! Look! It's all white!"

Sing Sing glanced at him sideways.

Damn it! Do you think I'm an idiot?

Who doesn't know that your Riptide is naturally silver-white?

Director Zhou reached on the table and stuffed the pack of cigarettes into his pocket.

"Don't try to play the poor card with me! You're Division-Level cadre now. I'm confiscating these cigarettes; consider it Robin Hood-style redistribution."

Riptide wasn't annoyed; he just pulled out another unopened one from the drawer and pushed it over.

"Take them, take them. They're a gift from a friend. Please take these two cans of good tea with you when you leave!"

Talk is talk, and make a fuss is make a fuss.

After delivering a series of blows, seeing how Riptide got the hang of it, Director Zhou was actually quite pleased.

These are the high-caliber talents our country needs!

If we can put these superpowered individuals in suitable positions to shine, then all this work will be worthwhile.

After thinking it over, Old Zhou decided to ask a question that might break his heart.

Stop flattering me. How much do you make a month as a junior manager?

Riptide scratched his head and thought for a moment:

"Basic salary plus various allowances, high-temperature subsidies, business trip allowances, and all that other stuff adds up... it's only a little over thirty or forty thousand."

"Only thirty or forty thousand!?"

Sing Sing envies plasmolysis.

"I'm going to have 250 yuan deducted from my salary next month!"