The Oriole Behind

"Teacher, your commanding presence as you verbally routed the crowd was truly admirable," Su Chen praised as he walked in.

"Enough, quit buttering me up." Yuan Chenyang waved a hand, though his expression eased considerably. "You finally decided to leave the house today."

"I came to show some concern for my teacher." Su Chen feigned curiosity. "How did things get this big? Because of that Weird Artifact?"

Yuan Chenyang rubbed his temples. "Why are you asking?"

Su Chen sighed. "It feels like some small actions of mine triggered a chain reaction and left you surrounded by enemies on all sides."

He meant draining the Weird Artifact dry, while Yuan Chenyang thought he meant discovering its empty shell.

"It has nothing to do with you. Don't put pressure on yourself." Yuan Chenyang glanced at him, his gaze growing gentler as he emphasized:

"I don't have much time. I'll soon be rotated to guard the ruins, and I was going to launch a full-scale investigation anyway. If not for the Weird Artifact you discovered, today's hurdle probably wouldn't have been so easy to clear."

"I see..." Su Chen breathed a sigh of relief. He had no way to explain swallowing the Weird Artifact. If he really led Yuan Chenyang into a trap, he would feel rather guilty.

Yuan Chenyang seemed afraid Su Chen would feel pressured, so he quickly added, "Besides, discovering a Weird Artifact is a merit no matter where it happens!"

"Just because you didn't find one this time doesn't mean there wasn't one. Exposing it early is even better!"

"That's true..." Su Chen thought for a moment, then shifted the topic and said bashfully, "Since it counts as merit..."

"I knew it." Yuan Chenyang laughed. "I've kept Qi Chuan's matter suppressed and haven't made it public. This merit is rather troublesome, so it's hard to reward. Weird God Cultists are still watching from the shadows."

"How about this? I'll personally give you another ten Blackflame Potions and Revitalizing Potions."

Su Chen had no objections. Rewards or not, tangible benefits were what mattered.

"Can the Revitalizing Potions be exchanged for something a little better?" Su Chen rubbed his hands together.

"You..." Surprise surfaced in Yuan Chenyang's eyes. "As expected of a Scarlet-Gold Talent. Our Inspection Department doesn't have anything better in stock, but I'll see what I can do."

Even Su Chen felt he was pushing it a little, so he cautiously asked, "Um... do you have any more Glazed Blood?"

"Are you addicted to drinking it?" Yuan Chenyang asked kindly.

When Su Chen nodded, he said irritably, "I don't even get much quota for that stuff in a year. You're only Tier One, yet you're really willing to use it."

"It won't multiply if I just keep it in my hands," Su Chen argued.

"No more, no more." Yuan Chenyang repeatedly waved his hand. Seeing Su Chen still standing there, he caught on. "Is there something else?"

"What I mentioned before—special occupations..." Su Chen reminded him.

"Didn't I give you Engineering Apprentice?" Yuan Chenyang stuffed the Weird Artifact on the desk back into the drawer.

"I mean something like Scholar," Su Chen said.

"Trying to bite off more than you can chew..." Yuan Chenyang leaned back, rubbing his bald head as he shook it. "When I was young, I was just like you, full of curiosity about all kinds of occupations. I wasted quite a lot of time."

"When you reach my age, it won't be too late to explore them. That is, if you still have the energy by then."

"Besides, do you think special occupations are everywhere? Southwind City doesn't have many either. Ying Feng's side should have some."

"Ying Feng..." Su Chen fell into thought. He was not entirely unfamiliar with Ying Feng; Ying Feng's control over knowledge was extremely strict.

Among Southwind City's official organizations, only information on Tier Two occupations was available, and that was only on the surface.

"Alright." Su Chen gave up, while Yuan Chenyang rubbed between his brows and casually asked, "How far have you developed your occupation?"

"Around seventy percent," Su Chen replied vaguely.

"You can feel it that accurately?" Yuan Chenyang was quite surprised, and quite pleased. "That's not slow. I studied this Sky-Rending Warrior carefully. It shouldn't conflict with Storm Hunter."

"You'll probably become a Tier Two occupational user before long."

Yuan Chenyang seemed to recall something. Looking at Su Chen, he sighed, "To have such patience at your age is truly rare. With the potions I gave you last time, I thought it would take at least one month, maybe even two, to use them all up."

"Talent is important, but temperament is even more important. Perhaps because you were once a refugee, you'll desperately seize every opportunity. It's not like I haven't seen talented people waste away their years. As one grows older, talent can deteriorate too..."

Beep—

As he spoke, his wristband buzzed. Yuan Chenyang opened it, and his expression shifted slightly, his brows knitting tightly. "Zhang Hongbo is here. How did he get back so quickly?"

"No, if he's back, why is Zhou Xian bringing so many people here?"

Yuan Chenyang muttered to himself, then suddenly cursed, "That old fox! He wants to see what cards I have in hand. What a sly bastard!"

The City Lord is back? Su Chen's thoughts raced. Yuan Chenyang clearly had not expected this.

Zhang Hongbo had probably received word and did not trust Old Yuan not to cause trouble.

"You go back first. I'll arrange for Old Sun to deliver the things." Yuan Chenyang irritably sent him away.

"Yes." Su Chen nodded and headed straight out of the room. The elevator happened to arrive as well.

Ding!

Su Chen halted. Zhang Hongbo was standing inside. "City Lord."

"Just call me Uncle Zhang." Zhang Hongbo was very amiable as he patted Su Chen on the shoulder.

Su Chen readily called him, "Uncle Zhang."

"Mm..." Zhang Hongbo nodded. "Hengyu is rather reserved. You two should interact more. In the future, at Ying Feng, perhaps you can look out for each other."

"We greeted each other at the banquet that day. He carries himself magnificently and has much of your bearing," Su Chen said sincerely.

Zhang Hongbo stared at him for quite a while before shaking his head with a laugh. "Go on down."

Only after watching the elevator doors close did the smile fade from his face. The instant he stepped into Yuan Chenyang's room, he said in a grave voice, "Yuan Chenyang, what are you trying to do?!"

"I was only gone for ten days, and you turned all of Southwind City upside down. Why don't you be the City Lord instead?!"

"I wouldn't dare..." Yuan Chenyang met his gaze coldly, disgusted inwardly as he said in a deep voice, "City Lord, you should already know the specifics. The matter truly could not be delayed."

"There are people from the Weird God Cult in the Inspection Department, Patrol Department, and Exploration Department. All the power in the Weird Artifact has vanished. Who knows what they did."

Zhang Hongbo's voice was cold. "A few small fry like those in the Patrol Department are uncovered every year. I don't know the Inspection Department's situation, but that person in the Exploration Department has long been on the watch list."

"As for the Weird Artifact, it is indeed troublesome." He paused. "But since you made such a huge fuss and still found nothing, it probably isn't as you imagined."

Yuan Chenyang's temples throbbed. He suspected that this old fox had not returned today at all, but had been watching in secret to see what he could uncover.

Then Zhang Hongbo's tone softened. "Internal Inspection Department matters are the Inspection Department's responsibility, and you did discover a Weird Artifact. But complaints are rising throughout the city, and there are some things even I cannot do anything about."

"What do you mean?" Yuan Chenyang stared at him.

Zhang Hongbo explained, "I returned in a hurry, and there was no one guarding the ruins. The council has decided that you will rotate early and guard the ruins."

"Rotate early?" Yuan Chenyang abruptly rose to his feet. Zhang Hongbo remained expressionless. "Also, Ying Feng's people just arrived, and they agreed as well."

Yuan Chenyang swallowed his words, the veins on his forehead bulging. Only after a long while did he force out, "Fine."

"Your intentions are good. We all understand that, but you must also pay attention to methods." Zhang Hongbo consoled him. "I'll temporarily take over the Inspection Department. Don't worry."