In an internal conference room at the Thirteenth Bureau, the director, deputy director, and thirteen department heads-fifteen senior officials in all-had gathered to discuss a single question: how to deal with Han Xiao.
"Han Xiao possesses a great deal of classified intelligence. With his help, we can strike Germinal's bases with precision. He's also a mechanic with some combat ability, roughly on par with a trained elite agent, though he doesn't meet the standard for a superhuman. He's sincere about cooperating..." After delivering a lengthy investigation report, the head of the Intelligence Department gave his opinion. "I think we can provisionally trust Han Xiao and work with him."
Everyone exchanged glances. After a few seconds of silence, the head of the Internal Affairs Department was the first to object. "No. What if the intelligence Han Xiao gave us is false?"
Here it comes!
Every department head perked up. The Thirteenth Bureau was divided into two factions: the hardliners led by the head of the Internal Affairs Department and the conservatives led by the head of the Intelligence Department. Their seats were clearly divided, like two armies facing each other across a battlefield, ready for battle.
The head of the Intelligence Department argued, "That's highly unlikely. He's a fugitive from Germinal. If he wants to survive, he has to rely on our protection, so there's no need to doubt his sincerity."
"He could also be a spy Germinal sent to pull off an elaborate ruse!" The head of the Internal Affairs Department refused to back down. "I suggest we take control of Han Xiao, detain him in secret, and pry every bit of intelligence out of him. The Thirteenth Bureau doesn't need to negotiate terms with anyone!"
"This is absurd! There's no need for any of that. Using force could lead to unforeseen consequences. Han Xiao is completely sincere. We can't push away someone who should be helping us and make an enemy for no reason!"
"That's a cowardly compromise!"
"And you're acting recklessly without using your brain!"
Led by the two department heads, the factions began hurling insults at each other, their faces red and necks bulging. Although both sides wanted Han Xiao's intelligence, their views clashed: the hardliners wanted to imprison him, while the conservatives wanted to cooperate with him on friendly terms. They argued so fiercely that they were ready to roll up their sleeves and fight.
The director and deputy director sat calmly through it all. The Thirteenth Bureau had two directors: the director held actual authority, while the deputy director was a bureaucrat sent by the leadership to oversee the bureau, also known as the administrative director.
In theory, such an organizational structure should have led to a bitter struggle for power, but this deputy director kept an exceptionally low profile and barely involved himself in anything. At the moment, he was lost in thought and hadn't said a word; he was probably already thinking about what to eat after work. Given that the previous deputy director, who had ambitiously tried to seize power, had somehow been set up on charges of treason, his low profile was understandable.
The director was an imposing man with a commanding presence. He said thoughtfully, "We want to cooperate with him and keep him under control. Isn't that easy enough? Why don't we recruit him into the bureau?"
The room fell silent in an instant, leaving the hardline department heads dumbfounded.
Are you trying to stir up trouble, Director?!
The hardliners immediately erupted.
"Absolutely not!"
"What if Han Xiao is a spy the enemy planted among us?"
"That violates the confidentiality regulations!"
The director said firmly, "We'll follow procedure and put it to a vote!"
The conservatives chuckled inwardly and voiced their support for the director. Aside from one neutral department head, the two factions had exactly six members each. With the director's vote, the outcome was no surprise: the proposal passed without a hitch.
The hardliners immediately wilted, raging inwardly. You're all in cahoots!
Now that Han Xiao's recruitment into the Thirteenth Bureau was settled, the question was which department he should join.
The head of the Internal Affairs Department said, "I think the Logistics Department would suit him. He'd stay at headquarters, where we could keep him under constant watch, and he could put his abilities as a mechanic to use."
This time, the conservatives agreed. It was a good suggestion: the Logistics Department was the best fit for Han Xiao. He wouldn't be allowed to leave, and under their watchful eyes, he wouldn't be able to cause any trouble.
The director suddenly said, "Don't employ someone you suspect, and don't suspect someone you employ. Since Han Xiao has combat ability, why not transfer him to the Secret Operations Department? He might surprise us."
An awkward silence fell. All the department heads looked at the neutral party, who was dozing off-the head of the Secret Operations Department.
"Huh? What does this have to do with me?" The head of the Secret Operations Department was baffled.
"Then it's settled. Actions can deceive, and words can deceive, but objectives can't. Once we've confirmed that the intelligence Han Xiao gave us on the Germinal Organization's branch bases is accurate, we'll have him join the Secret Operations Department."
The director waved his hand and made the final decision.
All the department heads covered their faces in unison. Fine, you're the boss. Whatever makes you happy.
The deputy director yawned.
"Is it time to get off work yet? What's the cafeteria serving today?"
After the meeting, the heads of the Intelligence Department and Logistics Department went to the Logistics Department together and had its personnel examine the confiscated Light Power Arm.
They wanted to see what was special about the machine Han Xiao had made and, if possible, reverse-engineer its blueprint while they were at it, so they could learn more about him.
The person assigned to examine the Light Power Arm was Luo Xuan, who was hailed as the Logistics Department's ace. He had been a top student in Western Capital Academy's mechanics program and had been specially recruited into the Thirteenth Bureau's Logistics Department immediately after graduation. He had consistently performed well, and his superiors seemed intent on developing his talents, with plans to have him join the Secret Operations Department.
Apart from being a little too proud, he had no other shortcomings.
Luo Xuan put on rubber gloves, his expression calm. He had dismantled machines many times before and knew the process well.
"Let's begin."
Luo Xuan began dismantling it, then suddenly paused. "There are security measures inside," he said in surprise.
The security measures prevented the machine from being dismantled and its blueprint reverse-engineered, and they were intricately linked to its overall structure. Han Xiao's knowledge of [Basic Assembly] included methods for implementing security measures, and combined with his max-level [Basic Enhancement Modification], they were impossible to crack unless the mechanic had formally reached grade E. He valued the Light Power Arm and had anticipated that it might fall into the Thirteenth Bureau's hands, so he had installed the security measures early on.
The First-Generation Ranger had security measures too, but it had already self-destructed, so those could be disregarded.
"Can you crack them?" asked the head of the Intelligence Department.
"No problem." Luo Xuan was confident. Removing security measures was an indirect contest between the maker and the person trying to crack them, and Luo Xuan was sure of himself. How skilled could an unknown mechanic be? He, on the other hand, was an outstanding mechanics graduate from Western Capital Academy.
Twenty minutes later, however, Luo Xuan had made no progress. Sweat poured down his face as he said in disbelief, "Four layers of security?! Was the guy who made this machine insane?"
Four layers of security were extremely complicated: a change to one part affected the whole. If he made a mistake while dismantling it, the machine's entire internal structure would automatically fall apart. Luo Xuan wasn't confident he could do it.
The head of the Intelligence Department frowned. "Can you do it or not? Don't waste my time."
Luo Xuan was embarrassed. He didn't dare vent his anger on the department head, so he swallowed it and said, "These security measures are too complicated. I... I need time."
"Enough. I don't have that kind of time. Tell me what you think."
Luo Xuan noticed the head of the Intelligence Department's distrust, and his expression soured. Taking out his frustration on the maker, he said, "There's nothing noteworthy about the technique. Only the security measures are any good. The maker strikes me as a country bumpkin who treats trash like treasure."
The head of the Intelligence Department raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He had someone bring the mechanical arm along as he left the Logistics Department.
Since Han Xiao had used the mechanical arm to kill a battle-hardened mercenary with one punch, he thought the best way to test it was to have an agent use it in actual combat. As it happened, the bureau was about to send people to destroy the three Germinal strongholds Han Xiao had told them about, making it the perfect opportunity.
Unfortunately, the robot had been blown into a pile of charred, unrecognizable parts. He was more interested in the First-Generation Ranger.
The Thirteenth Bureau might be a powerful organization, but no one would turn down more new equipment.
Those idiots in the Research and Development Department had spent the past few years drawing salaries without doing useful work. They received the most funding, yet all they could make were bizarre things: sticky bombs with adhesive on both sides, curved machine guns that were impossible to aim, and fake breasts for concealing poisoned needles from metal detectors. They even had fucking men's and women's models.
After two agents wore them crooked and ended up in the hospital because of their own poisoned needles, active-duty agents put the Research and Development Department on their blacklist.
The director held his phone, speaking with Old Man Gao:
"I've recommended Han Xiao for the Secret Operations Department."
"Thanks for your efforts."
The director asked, puzzled, "Old man, is he worth that much attention?"
Old Man Gao said, "Hehe, his value isn't limited to intelligence. I have a feeling he'll be an important asset in our clashes with the Germinal Organization."