Ark, Just Tell Me Whether the Mission Was Completed

Randomness was more conducive to growth.

If every customer who entered the store might be an investigator they had sent, would the underlings still dare to casually extort customers?

Luo Chen still wasn't satisfied with the policewoman's disguise.

"Far from enough. What real criminal would make it that obvious?"

"A criminal capable of getting things done has to remain composed in everything they do, never letting anyone notice anything unusual. Just like us right now."

"And she's carrying such a huge camera. Isn't that just leaving behind evidence?"

"As they say, petty thieves hide in the mountains, while great thieves hide in the city. A bad person who looks even better than a good person is the true master."

"Only when they become bad people who have to do good deeds will we achieve our first-stage objective: leading those lost lambs back to the crossroads between good and evil and letting them choose their direction in life again."

"They're still far too lacking. I'll report them first."

Three days later.

The once bright and spacious conference room had become oppressive and dark, with even a faint smell of blood in the air.

All the officers in the Villain Group had been driven to the brink of collapse by the people secretly causing trouble. A simple task like drafting a script had somehow taken five days, and they still hadn't even settled on a venue.

Their faces were full of exhaustion and anxiety, brows tightly furrowed, their eyes revealing an indescribable urgency.

The air was thick with tension, like a taut string that could snap at any moment. Everyone painfully clutched their faces.

Every so often, someone would stop and grab at their hair or scratch their head fiercely, as if that could relieve even a little pressure.

The atmosphere in the conference room was so stifling they could barely breathe. Everyone's breathing had grown heavy and rapid. They rarely spoke to one another, and even the occasional exchanges sounded distracted, as though the whole world contained nothing but despair.

God knew what they had been through.

Being arrested, beaten, or robbed was small potatoes.

Even if they had a minor conflict with someone on the street, a huge crowd would somehow appear out of nowhere and drag them off to the Lungmen Guard Department.

They had even started feeling as though they really were wanted criminals.

For the past two days, they had been out of options. They could only abandon their usual methods and do their utmost not to offend anyone while negotiating for a venue, greeting everyone they met with a smile.

And Director Wang, the most amiable-looking among them, had been out all morning without sending any word back.

If Director Wang failed again, they would have no choice but to resign to their superiors.

Suddenly, the conference room door was pushed open, and Director Wang from the office rushed inside excitedly.

"Everyone, I finally did it!"

"I reached an agreement with the armored transport company. They'll arrange a cash transport vehicle to cooperate with our drill."

"I also printed out a map of the route from the armored transport company to the bank. We can use it to calculate a suitable robbery location and time."

"Sure enough, only by pretending to be good people could we get this done."

Director Wang, a middle-aged man, started crying as he laughed. He had truly sacrificed too much for this.

To avoid being reported as a criminal, he had forced himself to smile and do good deeds from the moment he left the Lungmen Guard Department.

First, he helped an elderly woman cross the street. Then he helped children retrieve balloons from trees, took photos for tourists, donated to collection boxes, picked up every piece of litter he saw, treated everyone kindly, and treated every person in need like his own mother.

A one-hour journey had taken him the entire morning.

As an office director, he had forced out more smiles today than he had in the past ten years combined.

And he had lived up to everyone's expectations. Amid a friendly atmosphere with every passerby, he safely reached the armored transport company and explained their request for cooperation.

Throughout the process, he wasn't questioned by officers, watched by security guards, or dragged away by enthusiastic citizens. Even the stray dogs he encountered on the road wagged their tails at him.

He had finally done it!

So being a good person was the key to success.

The Kids Had All Been Driven Mad

Inside the conference room, the oppressive atmosphere was broken by Director Wang's sobbing.

Everyone in the Villain Group looked up, their faces filled with unbelievable joy.

Motley, the squad captain who normally looked down on everyone, now danced around like a child, excitement sparkling in his eyes. He clenched his fists and swung them through the air several times, as if trying to release his joy into the room.

The female secretary beside him couldn't help smiling as well. She lightly patted the table, as though applauding the good news. Tears of excitement glittered in her eyes, as though this moment of joy had made her forget all her exhaustion.

One young officer was so excited that he jumped up, waving the draft papers in his hand as he shouted:

"We did it! We really did it! Sure enough, as long as we're pleasant to everyone, don't offend anyone, and act like good people, that bastard won't report us. No, even if he wants to report us, he won't find any excuse!" His voice was filled with pride and joy, as if he wanted to announce their achievement to the entire world.

The entire office was enveloped in a cheerful atmosphere. Everyone wore smiles, their eyes filled with anticipation and confidence for the future.

At that moment, all their effort and sacrifice had been rewarded, and every hardship and setback seemed insignificant.

The atmosphere in the room grew even more fervent, as though an invisible force were pushing everyone's emotions to their peak.

"Colleagues, we've finally grasped the essence of how criminals conceal their identities."

"That is, we must pretend to be even better than any good person. Only then will no one suspect us."

"We succeeded!"

Motley strode quickly onto the podium. His voice was loud and excited, inspiring everyone's morale like an orator.

He waved his arms, his words like burning flames that ignited the passion in everyone's hearts.

"The hardest part is already behind us. There are still two days before the drill officially begins. We just need to calculate all the details over these final two days and report them to Officer Swire. Then we'll have completely succeeded. Oh-ho—"

However, the Villain Group members in the conference room failed to notice two people outside the window watching them through the glass.

They were still immersed in the joy of success, savoring this rare accomplishment.

Luo Chen frowned slightly, seemingly thinking about something, before gently shaking his head.

Lin Yuxia found that rather surprising.

"Brother Chen, are you dissatisfied with their performance? I think their reform is going very smoothly. They already understand how important it is to do good deeds, so why aren't you happy?"

"Because they haven't completely put themselves in the role of criminals. They haven't deeply experienced how difficult and painful it is to be a bad person, nor have they deeply understood how happy it is to be a good person. They're still thinking about the mission, still thinking about returning to their positions once it's over."

"That makes me deeply pained and depressed. The vast difference between taking the right path and the evil path is right in front of them, yet they still crave fame and profit. It truly breaks my heart."

"Only when they can say, 'I never want to be a bad person again,' will they have truly grown."

Luo Chen stared sharply at the villains in the conference room, seemingly able to see into every one of their hearts.

He took a deep breath and continued, "Both Swire and I hope this drill can have immense educational value. I believe it isn't just the officers playing the side of justice who should use it to hone their skills."

"The corrupt officials playing the villains must also thoroughly reform themselves, rather than tasting a little of the sweetness of being good, growing arrogant and complacent, and then becoming corrupt again before long."

Lin Yuxia nodded in agreement.

"These people have indeed been doing good deeds with somewhat utilitarian motives lately. It isn't from the heart. But haven't they already reached the crossroads you mentioned? So how do we make them truly change from within?"

Lin Yuxia had a feeling that the final answer was the true essence of Luo Chen's Corporate Assistance Course.

"It's simple. When they're getting swollen with pride, give them a hard blow and beat them into good people."

At that moment, Luo Chen knew it was time for him to make an appearance. It was time to save these lost lambs and pull them back from the abyss.

Let this drill become the nightmare of their lives, so that whenever they thought of the consequences of being bad people, they would tremble in fear.

Luo Chen stood before the conference room door, took a deep breath of cool air, and imitated Swire's haughty gaze.

He gently pushed open the conference room door. Its creaking sounded especially harsh. The Villain Group members, who had just been cheering and hugging, heard the arrival of an uninvited guest and instantly held their breath, growing tense like thieves caught by the police.

It wasn't that they were afraid of Luo Chen. It was simply that their experiences over the past few days had made them instinctively fear any sudden change.

"Looks like my colleagues have been having quite a good time lately. Did you miss me?"

"I missed you all very much. I heard people mistook you for robbers, thieves, scammers, staged-accident extortionists, and even wanted criminals. I warned you back then to deeply understand how criminals truly think. I assume you understand now."

Luo Chen's voice carried obvious mockery.

Motley's face instantly turned livid. He clenched his fists, struggling to suppress the anger in his heart. He looked toward his companions, and their eyes were likewise filled with anger and hostility toward Luo Chen.

"Luo Chen! Were you the one sabotaging us behind the scenes?"

Luo Chen froze for a moment. He hadn't expected these people to be so hostile toward his kind deeds. In that case, it seemed he had done exactly the right thing.

"I don't understand what you mean by sabotage. Over the past few days, I've merely done what every enthusiastic Lungmen citizen should do." Luo Chen answered calmly, not feeling in the least that his actions over the past few days had been setting anyone up.

"What we should do? So it really was you." A young officer rolled up his sleeves and was about to rush over and beat Luo Chen up, but his companions hurriedly stopped him.

"Are you crazy? This is the Lungmen Guard Department. Touch him once, and he can scam you into spending the rest of your life in prison."

"What exactly do you want, Luo Chen?" Motley raised a hand to signal everyone to calm down, then faced Luo Chen alone.

Luo Chen spread his hands. "I'm returning to my post tomorrow. As the Villain Group's deputy leader, I sincerely invite you to join my team."

"Let's complete this drill together, thoroughly wash away the disgrace of the past, draw a line between ourselves and the old selves who were lazy, fraudulent, and slippery, and become Lungmen Guard Department officers who can hold their heads high once again."

"Bullshit!" Another officer roared. "Wasn't all this so-called disgrace caused by you? You get all the benefits while we take all the blame?"

"Captain Motley, I think this guy is here to steal our credit. We suffered so much and worked so hard just to settle on the drill script."

"That guy who only made things worse wants to come take advantage now? Outrageous!"

We'll Definitely Win, Right?

Luo Chen lowered his head, looking somewhat sad.

"You'll make me very sad if you say that. I've always been committed to turning you into people useful to the Lungmen Guard Department. Haven't you noticed that you've changed from slackers who handled everything perfunctorily into children who work seriously and diligently?"

"Look at the proof of your hard work in your hands. Doesn't this feeling of striving make you happy?"

"Use that happiness to serve the people of Lungmen."

"What utter nonsense!" Motley let out a quiet laugh. His mocking, cold voice carried especially clearly through the silent conference room.

If Luo Chen hadn't been secretly obstructing them, why would they have spent so much time and energy on something that was merely going through the motions?

As for the happiness they had just experienced, they refused to admit it was the joy of striving.

They were now incomparably united. No matter what Luo Chen did to obstruct them, he would not let the man's scheme succeed.

"Get the hell out of here. You're not welcome here. If we find evidence that you obstructed our work, we'll definitely report your actions truthfully to Officer Swire."

"That's right! Get out! Get out!" The others joined in.

"So you're still unable to recognize your own mistakes and unwilling to unite with me?" Luo Chen spread his hands regretfully. "You still think I deliberately reported all of you because of me, rather than because you yourselves need to reflect?"

When Luo Chen brought up reporting them to the Special Inspection Group again, everyone's already soaring blood pressure instantly reached its limit.

"Lungmen profanity! You still have the nerve to say that!"

"How can someone as bastardly as you exist in this world?"

"You really deserve to die!!!!"

"Eat shit!"

Listening to their angry curses, Luo Chen smiled in enjoyment.

He had been wondering what had been missing these past few days, why he had felt so empty inside.

So this was what was missing: these stubborn people's accusations and curses against him. Now that felt good!

The more painfully corrupt elements opposed him, the more it proved he was absolutely right.

"Thank you all for your criticism," Luo Chen said with a calm smile.

"But I want to emphasize one point: when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you."

"When you are filled with malice toward others, that malice will eventually devour you in return. You refuse to recognize your own mistakes and instead blame everything on others."

"You'll be crying later."

"You should worry about yourself instead. You useless babbler, just wait for Officer Swire to fire you." Motley truly had no idea what was inside Luo Chen's head.

If this drill went wrong because of Luo Chen, did he think he wouldn't have to take responsibility?