Guardian of the Nation Medal

"Special... Special Security Bureau?"

Yang Shengli jolted at those words. When he looked closer and confirmed that the credentials really belonged to the Special Security Bureau, his scalp prickled!

"Sir!"

Yang Shengli immediately snapped his legs together and gave a textbook military salute.

Jiang Chenglong put away his credentials with a cold expression, then looked at the Special Operations Soldiers around them with their guns raised.

"What are you all doing? Lower your guns, now!"

The Special Operations Soldiers exchanged glances, then looked at Yang Shengli.

Yang Shengli hurriedly said:

"Sir, this kid is a murderer. He just attacked officers from our station, too. I..."

"Shut up!"

Before he could finish, Jiang Chenglong cut him off with a sharp reprimand.

Then he turned to Jiang Tian and asked:

"Mr. Jiang, are you all right?"

Jiang Tian gave him a surprised look and asked:

"What brought you here?"

Jiang Chenglong smiled. "You helped us so much last night, Mr. Jiang. How could we not thank you?"

With that, he took out a silk banner, stepped forward, and said with utmost respect:

"Mr. Jiang, I reported what you did to my superiors last night. They said you rendered outstanding service and specifically awarded you the title of Guardian of the Nation!"

Then he unfurled the banner.

Eight gleaming gold characters were embroidered on the crimson silk: "Pillar of the nation, Guardian of the Nation!"

The moment the banner unfurled!

Everyone fell utterly silent!

"Pillar of the nation, Guardian of the Nation?"

They exchanged bewildered looks. What the hell was going on?

Wasn't this kid a murderer?

How had he become a Guardian of the Nation?

"Sir... Sir Jiang, what's going on here?"

Yang Shengli came back to his senses and forced out the question.

He knew very well what those eight characters represented.

Only a handful of people in all of Great Xia held the title of Guardian of the Nation!

It was awarded only to those who had performed distinguished military service for Great Xia!

"What's going on?"

Jiang Chenglong gave a cold laugh and looked at him.

"Director Yang Shengli, is it? You've done a fine job, haven't you? You were actually going to execute our hero!"

"Do you have any idea how much Mr. Jiang helped the Special Security Bureau last night? He personally subdued a spy from Fusang! That spy had stolen our military secrets. If he'd transmitted them back home, Great Xia's coastal region would have faced total devastation!"

"And you actually dared to bring men here to arrest our hero, even threatening to execute him on the spot! Who gave you the nerve?"

"Ah!"

After hearing that, Yang Shengli's legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

I almost killed a national hero by mistake?

I really fucking deserve to die!

"Sir Jiang, I didn't know! I really didn't know!"

Yang Shengli bowed frantically, sobbing and pleading with tears and snot streaming down his face.

For opening fire on a national hero, he would probably lose his job!

Jiang Chenglong had no interest in his excuses and said impatiently:

"Shut up! As far as I'm concerned, your career is over. Go back, file your report, and resign!"

Yang Shengli froze, his face ashen. The position he had spent more than a decade struggling to reach was gone in an instant...

As for young Wang, he was too terrified to utter a peep, afraid he would get dragged into this as well.

Never in his wildest dreams had he expected such a staggering reversal.

They had arrived full of swagger and left with their tails between their legs, all in less than five minutes.

Once the last vehicle drove away, Jiang Chenglong forced a smile.

"Mr. Jiang, I hope they didn't frighten you."

Jiang Tian glanced at him and said:

"Good thing you got here quickly. Otherwise, every one of them would be dead!"

Jiang Chenglong was startled.

After witnessing Jiang Tian's abilities last night, he knew perfectly well that Jiang Tian wasn't joking.

He could kill a late-stage internal force martial artist with a single slap. His cultivation had to be at least at the peak of internal force!

Against a peak internal force expert, these men wouldn't stand a chance!

He struggled to muster a smile and asked:

"Mr. Jiang, why did they come after you?"

Jiang Tian briefly recounted what had happened earlier.

"Oh?"

Jiang Chenglong's eyes flickered, and he said:

"Rest assured, Mr. Jiang. If things really happened as you described, leave this matter to me!"

Jiang Tian looked at him and asked:

"You have that much influence?"

Jiang Chenglong smiled proudly.

"I can't speak for anywhere else, but within Yunzhou, I do have some pull. Give me a moment!"

With that, he took out his phone and began making arrangements.

A minute later, he turned back and said:

"Mr. Jiang, you can put your mind at ease. Given your contribution, killing a few thugs is no big deal."

Jiang Tian nodded, then said:

"Thanks, then."

Jiang Chenglong smiled.

"Don't mention it. Oh, and here's your Guardian of the Nation Medal. Please take it."

As he spoke, he took out an exquisite brocade box.

Jiang Tian glanced at it and shook his head.

"What's it good for? It's all empty ceremony. Cash would be a lot more practical!"

Jiang Chenglong's mouth twitched.

Empty ceremony?

There were only a handful of these medals in all of Great Xia!

Still, Jiang Tian had a point. To people within their system, this was the highest honor.

But to Jiang Tian, who wasn't part of that system, it really was just a piece of scrap metal.

"Hahaha, you certainly speak your mind, Mr. Jiang."

Jiang Chenglong laughed to cover his embarrassment, then said:

"But rest assured, Mr. Jiang, there's a cash reward too! Under Great Xia's reward and punishment regulations, helping us capture a foreign spy, especially an elite one like that, merits a reward of somewhere between a hundred thousand and two hundred thousand. I've already submitted the report, so it should be approved soon."

"Only a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand?"

Jiang Tian frowned. Wasn't the government being a bit too stingy?

Shouldn't it be at least eight hundred thousand or a million?

Seeing that Jiang Tian still thought it was too little, Jiang Chenglong gave a helpless smile.

"Mr. Jiang, those are the regulations. I'd like to give you more too, but unfortunately, that's not my decision to make."

After a moment of silence, he added:

"However, if you're willing to join the Special Security Bureau and serve the nation, our pay and benefits are excellent!"

Delivering the banner and medal was only one reason he had come.

His main goal was to recruit Jiang Tian.

"Join your Special Security Bureau?"

"Exactly! With your incredible strength, Mr. Jiang, not serving the nation would be a terrible waste of talent!"

Jiang Chenglong nodded repeatedly, then began explaining their benefits.

But Jiang Tian interrupted him.

"Stop right there. I won't join any organization."

"Please think it over, Mr. Jiang. Our line of work is dangerous, but the pay and benefits are excellent! The monthly base salary starts at fifty thousand. Survive a mission, and you get a hundred thousand. Render distinguished service, and the rewards start at a million. Of course, if you unfortunately die in the line of duty, there's no upper limit!"

Unwilling to give up, Jiang Chenglong continued trying to coax him.

"..."

Watching Jiang Chenglong's impassioned pitch, Jiang Tian felt his face darken with exasperation.

He simply ignored him, supported his parents, and turned back into his courtyard.

Halfway through his pitch, Jiang Chenglong saw Jiang Tian turn away and hurried after him.

"Hey, Mr. Jiang, I'm not finished yet! Don't go!"