The International Special Security Bureau

Ji Chuxing insisted on an explanation, her eyes fixed on him.

Bo Yanchen could refuse anyone, but he wouldn't refuse the girl.

The man sighed and said with a smile, "A Capital household registration will make it easier for you to get into university later."

That was one of the reasons. The girl's grades were poor. He had looked at her results from the previous semester: she had ranked below five hundredth, and there were only eight hundred seniors at Nanzhong.

Going by the admission rates in previous years, the girl probably wouldn't even get into a third-tier university.

But a Capital household registration would make things different. Even if Xingbao only scored three hundred points, there would be a good enough university in the Capital for her to attend.

Bo Yanchen didn't insist that Ji Chuxing get into a prestigious university, of course, but if she had a Capital household registration, her current score would be enough to get her into a fairly good school there.

The Capital's educational resources ranked first in Hua Country. Even its lowest-ranked third-tier universities were much better than those elsewhere.

Ji Chuxing: "..."

To spare the girl's feelings, Bo Yanchen had put it tactfully. He casually asked, "There's less than a year until the college entrance exam. Have you thought about where you want to go?"

Ji Chuxing asked, "Is the best university in Hua Country in the Capital?"

Bo Yanchen nodded. "North City University."

North City was Hua Country's capital, home to the best resources in the country. Whether in education, technology, medicine, or any other field, it stood above the rest.

Of course, most people habitually called it the Capital, especially North City's own residents.

Ji Chuxing nodded. "All right, then. North City University it is."

Bo Yanchen paused, but didn't want to dampen the girl's ambition. "Mm, Xingbao, you're ambitious."

To show his support, Bo Yanchen said, "If you improve on your next exam, I'll give you a reward."

Ji Chuxing was more interested in that. "What reward?"

Bo Yanchen smiled mysteriously. "How about a candy company for Xingbao?"

Ji Chuxing's eyes lit up. "You said it."

"Mm, I did."

After a pause, Bo Yanchen held out his hand. "Want to make a pinky promise?"

Ji Chuxing: "...Childish."

She headed outside without looking back.

Bo Yanchen laughed. The kid was quite contrary.

Then again, children her age all liked to think of themselves as adults.

The two soon arrived outside the school gates.

Zhou Ru hadn't actually left yet. She watched Ji Chuxing and Bo Yanchen come out of the school with a complicated expression.

But more than anything, she was angry.

Where on earth did Ji Chuxing get her confidence?

How many more years could Bo Yanchen live? Even if she wanted to cling to a great tree for support, she should at least pick a decent one. Once Bo Yanchen died, who would she have left to rely on?

And a Capital household registration, no less. She was only acting this way because Bo Yanchen had her back. How long would others put up with someone as ignorant and incompetent as her?

As if sensing something, Bo Yanchen cast a cool glance her way. Zhou Ru shuddered all over, ducked into her car, and drove off.

Ji Chuxing was reading food reviews on her phone. She whipped it in front of Bo Yanchen. "Let's eat this!"

The table was covered in desserts. Bo Yanchen smiled. "Let's go."

Ji Chuxing had a feast. When she was nearly finished, she received a call from Qin Taizhang.

"All right, I'll come over now."

Bo Yanchen had finished eating long ago. "What is it?"

"Someone from the International Special Security Bureau has come to investigate Zhang Bao. Director Qin asked me to go over and give a statement."

She already knew that Master Bao's full name was Zhang Bao.

Bo Yanchen nodded. "I'll go with you."

When the two arrived, Qin Taizhang came out to greet them in person. He respectfully greeted Bo Yanchen, then said with some embarrassment, "Miss Ji, I'm sorry to trouble you to come all this way. The people from the International Special Security Bureau are quite meticulous."

Ji Chuxing nodded, not particularly concerned.

Director Qin was actually a little puzzled too. Although Zhang Bao's case had indeed attracted the International Special Security Bureau's attention before, he was ultimately just a local power in Hua Country. With Director Qin involved, nothing else should have gone wrong, yet the bureau had personally sent someone over.

The International Special Security Bureau, International Security Agency, ISA for short, was an organization independent of any international government agency. It had been founded a century ago, or perhaps an early form of it had existed even earlier, but no one knew exactly when it had begun.

Its publicly declared membership was thirty thousand, though the actual number was unknown. Independent of any country, it brought together the world's top military, economic, technological, and medical forces.

The International Special Security Bureau was dedicated to maintaining world security, peace, and stability. It could also pass judgment on the president or monarch of any country for violating international security.

It was a powerful organization that no one dared offend, possessing the world's highest authority to pass judgment on anything.

It was the king of all nations.

When necessary, the world's top medical and technological laboratories also had to serve it.

To this day, no one knew who its supreme leader was. None of its past leaders had ever been revealed either.

Four years ago, it was said, the supreme leadership had changed hands. That big shot was exceedingly mysterious.

But it went without saying that whoever could take over the International Special Security Bureau could, without exaggeration, be called a top global big shot.

There was also a joke going around among the public: ever since the organization appeared, the presidents of various countries had wanted to hire someone to assassinate its leader. Unfortunately, even the world's number-one assassin had never known who the target was.

The person who had come this time was Edward, a special-grade executive officer from its internal economic security organization.

Though he had an English name, he was actually from Hua Country.

This was Director Qin's first time dealing with someone like him, so he was naturally nervous. He had even given Ji Chuxing a few words of advice, worried that the young girl might be frightened by a legendary figure who appeared only in history textbooks.

Of course, Ji Chuxing wasn't frightened. She was even a little curious.

It was her first time hearing of such an international organization, and, well, she found it quite novel.

Still, it was somewhat like the laboratory in her other world, bearing the heavy responsibility of advancing the progress and civilization of the world it belonged to.

And so, when Director Qin saw Ji Chuxing and Edward sizing each other up, both seemingly curious about the other, his worries vanished completely.

He even felt a little admiration for Ji Chuxing.

As expected of the girl by Second Master Bo's side, her courage was anything but ordinary.

But ten minutes later, Ji Chuxing came out of the small meeting room with an indescribable expression.

Bo Yanchen was waiting for her outside.

He noticed that the little row of stray hairs on the girl's head was drooping, as though she had just been through something utterly speechless-making.

Bo Yanchen handed her a milk tea with the straw already inserted. "How did it go?"

Ji Chuxing took a mighty slurp before she finally felt alive again. "A... big idiot."

Bo Yanchen: "..."

It really had been a speechless-making experience. After all, Ji Chuxing herself couldn't understand why a special-grade executive officer of a dignified international security organization, after asking two or three serious questions, had started getting curious about her life as a high school student.

Did he not have enough work? Or were games not fun anymore?

He was even more interested in the milk tablets in her hand, saying that Zhang Bao owned several companies that made sweets, but none of them tasted as good as hers.

Later, he had even started discussing the flavors of the milk tablets with her.

And he had eaten all her milk tablets!

Ji Chuxing held out her empty palm. "They're gone. He ate them all."

Bo Yanchen rubbed the spot between his brows, seemingly helpless. He raised his other hand and gave the girl's soft palm a squeeze. "We'll buy some in a bit."

After a pause, he asked, "Didn't he pay you?"

Realization dawned on Ji Chuxing. As though she had finally remembered that, she spun around and went back to find Edward.

As it happened, Edward had just come out of the small meeting room too. He seemed quite happy to see Ji Chuxing return. "Let's keep in touch."

Ji Chuxing held out her hand. "The money for the milk tablets. One thousand!"

Edward's expression cracked for an instant. He happened to glance at Bo Yanchen, who was sitting quietly in his wheelchair not far away, then hesitantly took his wallet out of his coat pocket and painfully counted out ten bills.

His stingy behavior made Director Qin's eyes hurt.

He could hardly resist going over and pulling the money out for Edward himself!

But he didn't dare.

Th-this? Someone from the International Special Security Bureau was this stingy? You're the king of all nations, for goodness' sake!

Ji Chuxing didn't care. She reached out and snatched at the money.

It wouldn't budge?

Edward couldn't bear to let go. "Let's talk this over. How about a discount?"

"No discount," Ji Chuxing said. "Let go. If you don't pay now, the price goes up."

Her milk tablets were precious. Bo Yanchen had given them to her.

Edward pursed his lips and immediately let go, his heart aching. Satisfied, Ji Chuxing returned to Bo Yanchen's side, sipping her milk tea.

The sight practically blinded Director Qin, but Edward quickly resumed his cold special-grade executive officer demeanor and said to him, "The investigation is complete. I've handed all the relevant evidence over to you. The illicit goods will be confiscated by the Special Security Bureau. You can deal with the rest however you like. Resolve it as soon as possible."

With that, he strode away, and Director Qin let out a breath of relief for no apparent reason.

But Zhang Bao had operated in the underworld, and what he had left behind was no simple matter either.

The International Special Security Bureau said it had left them the key evidence, but that actually consisted of a ledger of evidence and a mechanism box. For the moment, they were at a loss as to how to open the box.

"Director Qin, how about hiring a mechanism expert from the Resource Network?"

Mechanisms were a technology passed down from ancient times. Someone who didn't understand them couldn't possibly unlock them, and forcing one open would only destroy whatever was inside.

Ji Chuxing finished the last of her milk tea. Bo Yanchen took the bottle and casually tossed it into the trash can beside them.

She looked at the thing in Director Qin's hands and suddenly let out a surprised sound. "A Spring and Autumn Lock?"