A Gift for the First Meeting

On the broad training ground, the sun had baked the ground scorching hot, and the shouted cadences made everyone's ears buzz.

The sturdy men shouted in rhythm as they swung their bodies beneath the sun.

Sweat ran down their bodies, but the men only felt exhilarated.

Mei Ye glanced at the sign beside him, carried Boss Wang's head, and walked inside.

"Hold it!"

A captain in a Demon Suppression Bureau uniform stopped Mei Ye. He was broad and powerfully built, his uniform crisp, a sexy little mustache above his lips. His eyes locked onto Mei Ye, his gaze sharp as blades.

"Who are you? What are you carrying?"

"The head of a criminal. As for me..." Mei Ye's tone did not ripple in the slightest. "I'm here to report for duty."

"You're that Mei Ye?"

The captain suddenly understood.

"That's right."

Mei Ye answered calmly.

"I'm the captain of Squad Two. My surname is Jiang." Captain Jiang spoke in a deep voice.

"Captain Jiang."

Mei Ye saluted neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"The Commandant said you killed the Dog Demon, then killed a cultist."

Captain Jiang circled Mei Ye, studying him. His eyes were filled with suspicion and confusion. "We were risking our lives on the front line last night too, so how did a newcomer like you end up taking the biggest share of the credit?"

The operation to hunt down the cult had been a major undertaking the North River Demon Suppression Bureau had prepared for a long time.

Everyone had hoped to contribute. Who could have expected that at the crucial moment, an unknown brat would emerge as the biggest winner?

The Demon-Suppressing Guards familiar with officialdom felt there had to be some hidden story behind it.

"Your surname is Mei? Don't tell me you're from the Langya Mei Clan?"

"I was born into a farming family. My parents were Southwest farmers who came to North River to make a living."

Mei Ye spoke indifferently. The Mei Gentleman of Jiangzuo might be famous, but there was no need for him to ride his coattails.

Captain Jiang smiled when he heard that, clearly unconvinced.

"Join the formation."

At his words, Mei Ye took off his coat, revealing the thin shirt stretched tight over his muscles, and stood among the vigorous, burly men.

The burly men glanced at the young man from the corners of their eyes, their gazes filled with suspicion.

So this was the person the Commandant had praised yesterday? What was he capable of?

Captain Jiang saw right through his men's doubts. He smiled faintly, raised his voice a little, and called out clearly.

"Since everyone is here, let me repeat an old rule of the squad.

"Squad Two answers directly to the Commandant. We earn our place through ability, not empty reputations or personal connections. Whoever has strength stands at the front. Whoever lacks ability won't last long, even if they got in through connections."

With his hands behind his back, he slowly swept his gaze across the field. It paused briefly on Mei Ye before moving on, making it sound as though he were addressing everyone.

"First, obey orders without question. Don't try to be clever during missions.

"Second, you may compete and contend within the squad. Settle it with your fists, but no stabbing people in the back, no underhanded tricks. Break the rules, and I won't let you off lightly.

"Third, past achievements are in the past. Once you join Squad Two, everyone starts on the same line. Don't treat those little past accomplishments as capital. If you really have what it takes, show it in training and missions!"

His words were steady and conventional, the same old speech often heard in the squad. But to Mei Ye, who had just earned merit and been directly transferred in by the Commandant, they carried an entirely different weight.

After finishing his lecture, his tone softened and he waved a hand.

"All right, stop standing around watching. Get back to training. I'm heading to headquarters to handle something and will be back soon. You veterans, look after the newcomer and help him get up to speed."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Once he had gone some distance, the veterans immediately exchanged looks. A slightly younger man with a crew cut stepped forward with a grin, flashing a row of white teeth as he said maliciously,

"Newbie."

He stared intensely at Mei Ye and cracked his neck. The muscles on his arms bulged in distinct knots, while his knuckles cracked loudly.

"You were pretty impressive yesterday, huh? Fine, your big brother here admires you very much. Got the guts to show us what you can do, junior brother?"

The man's aura rose, reaching the Body Tempering Ninth Layer.

True qi swirled around his body. His muscles swelled, and veins stood out across his skin.

He took a step forward and assumed a fierce stance, like a tiger poised to pounce.

Mei Ye recognized it. At school, this was the Grappling Hand taught by the martial arts instructors at Jiangnan Martial Arts University.

It was fierce and overbearing, unstoppable in force.

"So it's senior brother. My apologies."

Mei Ye cupped his hands, his tone flat, without the slightest delight at meeting someone from the same school.

"Cut the bullshit!"

The man barked coldly, looking down on him. "I'll give you one hand! If you can beat me, I'll call you senior brother! If not, you'll polish my boots for a year!"

"Our Squad Two values rules above all else."

One of the teammates said cheerfully, "I went through the same thing back then!"

Mei Ye looked at the other squad members. They all stood by with folded arms, and his heart sank.

Sure enough, workplace bullying existed everywhere. His predecessor had gone through it once, and now he had to go through it again in this new environment.

In this world's culture of revering strength, if he could not beat the other man, Commandant Wei Wushuang would probably only think he was an embarrassment and would never stand up for him.

Mei Ye calmly let out a breath and slowly set down his saber.

Circulating his true qi, he assumed a stance as well.

"Ha!"

The man rushed forward, unleashing the Dragon-Tiger Grappling Hand. His fingers carried a fierce wind as they shot straight for Mei Ye's throat.

Mei Ye's eyes sharpened. He shifted sideways by half a foot, then threw a punch with a whistle of wind, aiming straight for the man's abdomen!

The man sucked in his stomach and seized Mei Ye's shoulder with his clawed hand. The sound of tearing fabric rang out crisply as he exerted force with his fingers and ripped off Mei Ye's sleeve.

But Mei Ye's arm was like forged steel, utterly unmoved by his grip.

When Mei Ye saw his clothes had been torn, his expression darkened.

He actually had to spend money buying new clothes after a fight. He was poor, okay?

Mei Ye decided to stop holding back.

His feet moved, and he surged forward. In an instant, Mei Ye was before the man. He rammed him with his shoulder, knocking him down.

Then he launched a kick. The other man's body bent like a shrimp as he flew away and crashed heavily onto the ground, kicking up dust.

The man rolled on the ground with a pained expression, dry-heaving repeatedly.

"Qi Gathering Realm!"

Everyone around them caught their breath. Things were not developing the way they had expected.

The man sprawled on the ground slowly lifted his head and gave Mei Ye a bitter look. From the corner of his eye, he saw the scornful looks around him.

He gritted his teeth, slapped his left palm against the ground, and sprang into the air!

Like a fearless warrior, he charged at his enemy once more!

True qi boiled within him. The man tore through the air, his clothes and hair whipping wildly as he charged like a crazed bull.

But Mei Ye remained unmoving, as though even a landslide or earthquake could not change his expression.

When the man came charging in, Mei Ye moved only half a step, his body slipping aside like a shadow.

Then his palm chopped down on the man's nape, the force measured with incomparable precision.

The man seemed to hear his neck crack as his entire body lost control.

He collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, drawing a chorus of mocking jeers.

"The Body Tempering Realm really can't beat the Qi Gathering Realm!"

Not far away, Captain Jiang, who had been secretly observing, unconsciously shook his head. "He really doesn't know his own limits!"

What he upheld was a culture of strength. Whoever won had his support.

Losers had no right to criticize winners.

"Does my strength satisfy you?"

Mei Ye picked up his saber from the ground. He stood with his arms at his sides, his calm gaze sweeping over the entire field as the laughter gradually died down.

The teammates exchanged looks. Their earlier contempt vanished completely, replaced by friendly smiles. "Of course. Junior brother, your skills are impressive. Welcome to Squad Two."

"Senior brother," the man on the ground finally climbed up after a while. He changed the way he addressed Mei Ye and lowered his head. "From now on, I'll polish your boots and wash your underwear. Please guide me well, Senior Brother."

Mei Ye looked toward the surrounding teammates.

The teammates all shrugged, indicating they were powerless to help.

After thinking about it, Mei Ye chose to accept this world's customs.

He was not exactly a good person either. As long as it did not harm his interests, he could not be bothered with the squad's cultural development.

"You tore my clothes."

Mei Ye said from above.

"I'll buy Senior Brother a new uniform immediately."

The man hurriedly replied.

Mei Ye nodded and told him his measurements.

"So big!"

The man cried out in surprise, then silently noted Mei Ye's measurements.

"Haha, it looks like you're getting along quite well."

Captain Jiang, seeing that the timing was about right, stepped out from afar as if he had seen nothing at all.

"Since that's the case, let's begin today's training! Mei Ye, join them as well and adapt to our squad's rhythm as quickly as possible."