Second-Generation Perks, News of Death

Although Yuan Chenyang was the head of the Inspection Department, Su Chen did not simply assume that the place was his personal fiefdom.

No matter how much could be manipulated behind the scenes, it was best to follow the proper procedures when possible. Jiang He still had the title of honorary researcher in the Research Department.

After tidying up a little, Su Chen headed out.

This was his first time officially moving about Southwind City. The weather barely changed from day to day, always hazy and overcast, making it difficult to feel cheerful.

Following the servants' directions, he entered through the open entrance to the floating rail platform. Standing at the edge of the somewhat aged platform, he felt the metal grating beneath his feet tremble faintly, signaling the approach of something enormous.

The long, silver metallic construct did not run on the tracks. Instead, it hovered about a person's height above the ground, gliding silently along the routes reserved between the city's buildings.

Its body was covered in polished metal plating, with several elegant blue energy patterns flowing along its sides.

At midday, the carriage was not completely quiet. The low, steady hum of the engine formed the background as some people discussed the day's vegetable prices in hushed voices, while others complained about the recent refugee riots.

Beep—

Someone had sent him a message. It was Hu Xiang, asking where he was because no one could find him at the school.

Here to deliver the money? Su Chen replied with three words: "Inspection Department."

It was quite a while before Su Chen arrived at the "Inspection Department Station." Few people got off here, so his arrival drew some attention.

The platform hovered directly halfway up the building. Fully armed Inspection Department patrols stood guard, dressed in deep blue uniforms beneath black metal armor that mainly covered their shoulders, chests, and thighs.

The moment he stepped off, several people approached him. The captain at their head sized him up. "Who are you? What are you here for?"

"To report in."

"Report in? A newcomer?" The captain looked suspiciously at Su Chen's overly youthful face.

When Su Chen nodded, he took out something like a walkie-talkie. "Headquarters, are there any new recruits reporting in today?"

"None today." A crackling voice replied, and the captain's gaze tightened slightly.

Then another voice came through the channel. "Wait, there should be a newcomer arriving soon."

What was wrong with them? Why couldn't they finish a sentence?

The captain cursed inwardly, though his expression shifted. He knew he could not blame the operator.

New members had fixed reporting dates, and the operator had presumably checked. There were none scheduled for today.

But there were special cases, people who could report in whenever they wished. Such people generally had connections.

Soon, another reply came through the walkie-talkie. "Internal Affairs has been notified. Section Chief Sun is heading down."

Fatty Sun was personally coming to receive him?

The captain grew even more suspicious, forcing an awkward smile onto his face. "Please wait a moment, sir..."

Before long, a brisk, energetic figure burst out through the doors. His whole body was so fat he looked like a ball, yet he moved with surprising agility.

"Ah, you must be Brother Su Chen..." Before he even reached him, the man's face had already scrunched into a fawning smile, his features nearly piled together. "You're finally here."

"Hello." Su Chen responded politely.

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Old Sun. Come with me..." His smile was radiant as he led Su Chen into the building.

"Su Chen? What sort of second-generation heir is he, making Fatty Sun grin like a chrysanthemum?" The patrolling guards muttered as they watched the two enter.

"Who knows? He must be here to coast on his family's influence again."

Section Chief Sun's enthusiasm was almost too much for Su Chen to handle. He gave him a detailed introduction to the entire building's layout and arranged a private room for him.

"...Of course, you don't need to live here, but if you ever feel like staying, you should have somewhere to rest, right?"

"Oh, right. I've assigned you to Patrol Team Seventeen. Their rotations are only once every three days. Of course, you don't have to go if you don't want to."

"We'll see when the time comes." Su Chen waved a hand.

"Ah, such dedication to the job. You really are cut from the same mold as the department head." His face was full of emotion.

Su Chen admired him inwardly. He was decent at changing expressions himself, but compared to Section Chief Sun, he was still far behind.

"By the way, you said the room you arranged for me has a gravity training room?" Su Chen asked.

"Yes." Fatty Sun nodded. "Section chief dormitories come standard with training rooms."

"It works wonders for physical training," he added. There was unconcealed surprise in his smiling eyes.

He had met plenty of second-generation heirs, but this one did not seem to be the type who only craved pleasure.

"Then I can give it a try..." Su Chen was quite interested. Fatty Sun was clearly an expert at reading people, and he immediately prepared to take him there.

However, just as the two stepped out of the office, they saw a group of fully armed guards hurrying downstairs.

"Something happened again?" Fatty Sun frowned slightly and fiddled with the silver ring around his arm. A somewhat blurry virtual display appeared, rows of information scrolling across it.

"...It's nothing major." He sighed in relief, then looked at Su Chen beside him as an idea occurred to him. "Brother, want to experience responding to an incident?"

"Forget it." Su Chen shook his head. He was not that curious.

Fatty Sun was even more surprised. To be so patient and composed, he really did not seem like someone this age.

Though he speculated inwardly, he maintained his enthusiastic demeanor and led Su Chen to his room.

It was even larger than the room at Old Yuan's home, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a private bathroom, and even a bathtub with a massage function.

The gravity training room was not large and could only be adjusted to double gravity.

"Brother, can you handle it?" Fatty Sun asked worriedly from outside, only to see that Su Chen's face had merely turned slightly red as he let out a breath.

A professional? At such a young age?

He was surprised, but when he thought of Yuan Chenyang, he found it understandable. Anyone the department head had taken as a student could not be ordinary.

Su Chen felt the omnipresent gravitational pressure. This uniform pressure could make physical training twice as effective with half the effort.

He fell in love with the place immediately. As for Old Yuan's villa, he could go back whenever he had time.

He emerged from the training room in high spirits. "Section Chief Sun, do we have a supply of Blackflame Potion here? And Revitalizing Potion?"

"Supply, supply?" Cold sweat broke out on Fatty Sun's forehead as he said awkwardly, "Blackflame Potion is rather expensive. As for promoting blood circulation, I can probably find a way to allocate a few doses each week."

He said helplessly, "The Finance Department... is under City Lord Zhang. It wouldn't be good to push too far."

"As for Revitalizing Potion, ninety-five percent of our people are physical-type professionals..."

"I understand." Su Chen nodded. "Let's go with the blood-circulating ones first."

Although the effects had diminished considerably, something was better than nothing.

Old Sun was visibly relieved. He said he wanted to hold a welcome dinner for Su Chen that night, but Su Chen naturally declined. After some back-and-forth, the man finally left reluctantly.

But just after the door closed, he returned with a strange expression. "Someone downstairs is looking for you. He's from the City Patrol Guard."

"Hu Xiang?" Su Chen immediately asked.

"It's him." Fatty Sun nodded. "He's already downstairs."

Su Chen nodded. "Let him come up."

Old Sun gave the order. Before long, Hu Xiang hurried over in the elevator, his expression grave.

The moment he entered the room, he blurted out, "Old Zhao is dead."