We Must Select on Merit and Act Impartially

Lu Ming strode in with his head held high, brimming with confidence.

When he came out, he looked utterly wilted—even his antlers drooped. He plopped into the chair beside Wen Ning, his eyes reddening, and struggled for ages without managing a complete sentence.

"Wen Ning, let me tell you, those interviewers in there don't play by the rules. They're way too strict."

Hearing that, Wen Ning started to panic too. What did he mean, they didn't play by the rules? That sounded terrifying.

"They asked me how I was related to the Lord of Mount Tai. I said he was my ancestor, and then they immediately told me to recite volume three of the Mount Tai Fengshan Ritual Code."

Lu Ming still hadn't recovered from the shock.

"Volume three! That's the appendix! The appendix! What self-respecting immortal reads that stuff?"

Wen Ning patted his shoulder.

"My condolences."

"Then they asked what I'd do if a mortal scribbled 'I was here' all over Mount Tai. I said I'd impose a fine according to the laws and regulations. Then they actually asked me what the fine would be! I said I'd follow Heavenly Law. Nothing wrong with that, right? But they made me recite every single provision in Heavenly Law about damaging mountains with carved inscriptions—even the supplementary clauses!"

The more Lu Ming spoke, the more worked up he became, until his voice cracked.

"I recited them! Every last one! But then that old man asked me what I'd do if the person carving the words was the Jade Emperor's brother-in-law!"

After hearing all that, Wen Ning thought the poor kid seemed downright traumatized by his interview.

"What did you say?"

Lu Ming continued, growing angrier with every word.

"I said I'd treat everyone equally, of course. But that examiner pressed me, asking whether I'd really dare fine the Jade Emperor's brother-in-law. I said a fine wasn't necessarily the only option—that I could take a softer approach and give him a reprimand. Then another examiner slammed the table and said I was enforcing the law unfairly and contradicting myself!"

The corners of Lu Ming's mouth turned down. Tears were already swimming in his eyes, and his voice grew quieter and quieter.

"When I finally came out, that white-bearded heavenly officer even patted my shoulder. He said, 'Young man, you've memorized the theory well, but you're too honest. The Heavenly Court is full of hidden currents. Go back to Mount Tai and cultivate for another few hundred years.' A few hundred years! I'm only two hundred and thirty-seven this year! I don't think I can even get an internship anymore."

Wen Ning's scalp prickled as he listened. These interviewers weren't just refusing to play by the rules—they'd flipped the whole card table over. Was the Thunder Department really that uncompromising?

Before Wen Ning could figure out how to comfort Lu Ming, the interview room door opened again, and an authoritative voice rang out from within.

"Group C, number seventy-four. Wen Ning, come in."

Lu Ming raised his tearful eyes and looked at him as though he were seeing someone off to the execution ground. "Brother, take care."

Bai Lu nodded at him as well, her expression grave. She hadn't had her interview yet either, but Lu Ming's experience had left everyone feeling uneasy.

Wen Ning took a deep breath and stood. He'd face the blade whether he stuck his neck out or drew it back. He walked straight in.

As soon as Wen Ning entered, the great door automatically shut behind him with a bang.

The interview room was much simpler than Wen Ning had imagined. There was only a long table, with a row of jade tablets laid out on it.

Five people sat behind the table—no, five heavenly officers.

Four wore the same blue-green official robes as the officer who had shown them the way, embroidered with lightning patterns. Each had an imposing face and a build a full size larger than his.

But Wen Ning's gaze passed straight over those four and landed on the man in the middle.

He looked to be in his fifties, with half-gray hair, a broad forehead, and thick black eyebrows as sharply defined as knife cuts.

A faint horizontal line lay between his brows, like a closed third eye.

Simply by sitting there, his presence reduced the four heavenly officers beside him to mere background scenery.

Wen Ning knew that face all too well. He had grown up looking at it for over twenty years.

He had seen it on the statue in his hometown temple, on the wooden carving enshrined in his own shop, and every time he had kowtowed throughout his life.

Only, a statue wouldn't smile at him, nor would it look at him like this.

Wen Ning knew that look all too well. It was exactly the same as the eyes of the temple statue—that warning glare that said, You'd better behave yourself, brat.

Acting purely on reflex, Wen Ning's legs buckled. He dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times.

"Godfather!"

Wen Zhong gave Wen Ning another fierce glare, then looked at the four heavenly officers on either side.

"This is an interview. What are you doing? Are you trying to use your connections with us examiners? Take this seriously."

His voice wasn't loud. This was the first time Wen Ning had ever heard his godfather speak. Then Wen Zhong addressed the other four heavenly officers of the Thunder Department.

"Everyone, this candidate, Wen Ning, is indeed my godson in the mortal realm."

The four heavenly officers nodded in unison and looked Wen Ning over. One elderly officer with a grizzled beard smiled and said, "Celestial Venerable, we understand."

Wen Zhong continued, his tone as strictly businesslike as before.

"But recruitment for the Heavenly Court's civil service has always been based on merit alone. I hope none of you will go easy on him because of his identity. Test him on whatever needs testing."

"Understood, understood. We understand."

The four heavenly officers spoke in unison, their attitudes impeccably proper. Everyone present except Wen Ning was an old hand at this. How could they fail to understand Wen Zhong's meaning?

If Wen Zhong had truly wanted to handle this impartially, there would have been no need to point out Wen Ning's identity. Since he'd said it aloud, the message was clear to anyone in the know. The last immortal who had insisted on impartiality was still out on an external assignment. A few more years of that, and he might lose his permanent position in the Heavenly Court altogether.

Wen Ning sat on the stool. Though the man was his godfather, his mind was utterly blank, with nothing but the Jade Emperor's full title—the Supreme Sovereign of the Golden Palace of Vast Heaven, the Naturally Wondrous, All-Encompassing and Most True Jade Emperor—looping endlessly through his head.

The old heavenly officer with the grizzled beard cleared his throat and spoke first. He opened the booklet before him, his expression solemn and his voice exceptionally loud.

"Candidate Wen Ning, here is my first question."

Wen Ning immediately straightened, placing both hands on his knees.

"What is your name?"

When Wen Ning heard the question, he wondered, Is this normal?

He glanced at the old heavenly officer, then at his godfather, Wen Zhong, seated in the middle.

Wen Zhong held a teacup and drank without expression. The other three heavenly officers sat perfectly upright, their faces betraying nothing unusual.

"Wen Ning," he said cautiously.

"Mm, very good. The information matches."

The old heavenly officer carefully marked a check in his booklet and nodded in satisfaction.

Then he raised his head, his expression still solemn, and continued questioning Wen Ning.

"Second question: how old are you this year?"

Now Wen Ning understood completely. His godfather was getting him in through the back door.

"Twenty-six." Wen Ning was thoroughly reassured now. It really did pay to have someone on the inside.

"Twenty-six. In the prime of your life, young and strong. You'll certainly have more energy than we do."

The old heavenly officer made another check in his booklet, then turned to a middle-aged heavenly officer beside him.

"Officer Zhang, you ask a question too."

Officer Zhang adjusted his robes and headwear, his expression even more solemn than the old officer's.

He stared at Wen Ning for a full three seconds before finally asking his question.

"Wen Ning, did you offer incense to the Celestial Venerable this morning?"

Wen Ning opened his mouth. What kind of question was that?

"Uh... yes. I do it every day. Three sticks of incense, morning and evening."

Officer Zhang nodded in satisfaction and made a check in his otherwise blank booklet. The third heavenly officer beside him spoke directly to Wen Ning without waiting to be called on.

"Candidate Wen Ning, let me ask you: what do you know about the Thunder Department?"

Finally, a serious question. Wen Ning let out a breath of relief. All this leniency was starting to make him feel embarrassed.

Just as he was preparing to recite what he knew about the Thunder Department—

The heavenly officer gave him no chance to speak at all, answering his own question in one seamless breath.

"It's fine if you don't know much. You can learn gradually once you join us. The Thunder Department has a pretty good working environment. Colleagues get along well, there are benefits for the holidays, and the Heavenly Court will arrange your housing, so you won't need to worry about that yourself. What do you think?"

Wasn't this interview a little too easy? Wen Ning instinctively glanced at Wen Zhong in the middle.

Wen Zhong remained in the same pose, holding his teacup, his face expressionless.

But a closer look would have revealed a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth behind the teacup, and a faint flutter in the horizontal line between his brows.