The Black Robe Guard Office was enormous, with a maze of departments and a large staff.
As Third-Rank Black Robe Guards, Song Xuan and his sister fell under the Black Robe Guard Office's Inspection Office.
"Xuan, I heard you signed up for the promotion assessment?"
As they entered the Inspection Office, a man in blue with plump cheeks came over to greet them.
Song Xuan nodded. "The elders at home keep pushing me. What about you? When are you signing up?"
The man in blue laughed carefree. "I'll pass. You know what I'm like, don't you? A Second-Rank Black Robe Guard's salary isn't something I have the ability to earn!"
After poking fun at himself, he turned to Song Qian, who was looking at him with undisguised disdain. "Little Sister Song Qian, I'll send a matchmaker to your house to propose one of these days!"
"Get lost!"
Song Qian kicked him, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt.
The man wasn't annoyed. He got up, dusted himself off, and waved at Song Xuan. "Looks like I won't be your brother-in-law through your sister. Xuan, how about you marry my sister instead?"
Clang!
Song Qian drew her sword outright, frost settling over her pretty face. "Lu Xiaoliu, have I been giving you too much face!?" she snapped.
Lu Xiaoliu shrank back and darted to the headquarters entrance. Before leaving, he even winked at Song Xuan. "My treat tonight. Let's listen to some songs at the pleasure house!"
Song Xuan gave a slight nod.
Song Qian said indignantly, "Brother, Lu Xiaoliu is completely unreliable. Stop fooling around with him all the time!"
"I know what I'm doing. Your brother knows!"
Song Xuan brushed it off with a laugh and headed toward the Inspection Office's main hall, humming a tune.
How could I not know whether he's unreliable?
He's a good brother who treats me to drinks and songs at the pleasure house! I just want to save a little silver. Is that so wrong?
In the Inspection Office's main hall, Director Zhao Dezhu was drinking tea and reading documents. Hearing footsteps, he looked up.
"Uncle Zhao!" Song Xuan greeted him with a smile.
Zhao Dezhu nodded cheerfully and lifted his teacup. "Excellent goji berries from Mingzhou. I hear you've been visiting the pleasure houses rather often lately. Want to take some home to nourish yourself?"
"Uh, I don't think that's necessary?"
Song Xuan's smile was rather strained.
He only went to the pleasure houses to feast his eyes. He really couldn't do anything more, since he practiced a virgin cultivation art, and his cultivation hadn't reached the stage where he could afford to lose his Primordial Yang.
Zhao Dezhu nodded. "Young people like to have fun, but take it easy."
With the young girl Song Qian present, Zhao Dezhu couldn't say much more. After sipping his tea, he took a file out of his desk and looked at Song Xuan.
"Ever killed anyone?"
Song Xuan shook his head.
As an imperial capital resident and a government-paid agent working nine to five, he enjoyed the overwhelming advantage of a Black Robe Guard uniform. Whenever he walked down the street, everyone bowed and scraped, their faces plastered with ingratiating smiles. Under those circumstances, where would he find a chance to kill anyone?
"The promotion assessment for Second-Rank Black Robe Guards almost always involves killing!"
Holding his teacup, Zhao Dezhu blew on the steam and said solemnly, "You should both know that Third-Rank Black Robe Guards mostly coast through their days, dealing primarily with ordinary citizens.
"But Second-Rank Black Robe Guards are different. They frequently go out on assignments and inevitably have to deal with all sorts of vicious criminals.
"Many of those people are martial artists from the martial world. Some hotheaded fools don't care whether you work for the authorities. At the slightest disagreement, they'll draw a blade and kill!
"So killing is an essential ability for a Second-Rank Black Robe Guard!"
As he spoke, he handed Song Xuan the file on the desk.
"I picked these assessment assignments especially for you. They're among the easiest. You two choose one, then go kill someone!"
Song Xuan glanced through it and tapped the third assignment. "Uncle Zhao, we'll take this one!"
Zhao Dezhu took a look. "The bandit suppression assignment on Langlang Mountain?"
Then he nodded. "That's fine. There are plenty of people in the bandit stronghold, but no particularly formidable experts. Be careful, kill a few lackeys, and the assignment will count as complete!
"Remember, you can't wear your official uniforms, and you must do the killing yourselves. If you're caught cheating and give someone leverage over you, you won't be able to stay at headquarters!"
"I understand, Uncle Zhao!"
Once they left the Inspection Office, Song Qian finally couldn't hold back her chatter.
"Brother, why didn't you pick the first assignment? Killing that flower thief who's been active outside the city lately looks easier than wiping out bandits, no matter how you look at it."
Song Xuan shook his head. "The first assignment is too unpredictable. What if that fellow doesn't come out to pluck flowers for a month? Are we supposed to stake out the area outside the city for a whole month?"
Song Qian tilted her head in thought, then touched her pretty face and said smugly, "It wouldn't be hard. I'll dress up like a blossoming flower and stroll around outside the city. I refuse to believe that wouldn't lure the lecher out!"
Song Xuan flicked her forehead. "Show-off!"
When they got home, their father had already gone to headquarters for his shift, while their mother was busy sewing clothes. Seeing the siblings return, she hurriedly asked, "Is the assessment over?"
"Not yet!" Song Qian waved at their mother. "We're back to get a few things ready. We'll head out in a bit!"
Once inside his room, Song Xuan began rummaging around. Soon, he had dug out concealed weapons, daggers, poison, knockout smoke, antidote pills, and other supplies.
"Brother, we're only going to kill a few little lackeys. Do we really need all this?"
"You don't know a damn thing!" Song Xuan rolled his eyes at her. "The martial world is treacherous. How many heroes have capsized in a gutter and died at the hands of some little lackey?
"Compared with those seasoned veterans, we're just two fledglings fresh out of the nest. A few extra preparations to keep us alive certainly won't hurt!"
As he spoke, he picked up a breastplate and held it out to his sister.
Song Qian looked rather displeased and patted her ample chest. "This thing squeezes me when I wear it. Can I leave it off?"
"Either put it on yourself or I'll stuff it in for you. Your choice!"
Song Qian grumbled twice, took the breastplate, and tucked it inside her clothes. Then she looked down at the bottles and jars her brother was fiddling with.
She casually pointed to one bottle. "Brother, what medicine is that?"
"Ecstasy Powder!"
"Huh? An aphrodisiac!"
"Keep your voice down!" Song Xuan glanced toward the door and lowered his voice. "You certainly know a lot!"
Song Qian gave a sheepish laugh. "It's all thanks to your excellent teaching, Brother!"
Seeing her brother ignore her and tuck a pile of bottles into his clothes, Song Qian asked nervously, "Brother, what do you need that Ecstasy Powder for? Aren't the girls at the pleasure houses enough for you?
"Don't tell me you're the flower thief who's appeared outside the city lately?
"If you really have that hobby, take me along next time. I'll keep watch outside the door for you!"
The corners of Song Xuan's mouth twitched twice. "You really are my dear little sister!"
As he spoke, he patted the bottles inside his clothes and said quietly, "Poison is useless against formidable experts, but Ecstasy Powder isn't poison. If you use it at the right moment, you can knock down even an innate expert!"
Song Qian looked skeptical. "If it isn't poison, what is it?"
Song Xuan considered his wording, then said earnestly, "A health supplement to spice things up!"
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