Have you lost your mind in your old age? Who the hell do you think you are?

One minute later, Cao Yu successfully received the 3,000 evolution points transferred from Director Zhao.

His mood at the moment was rather complicated... or rather, rather subtle.

Because after Director Zhao changed the lie detector item, she only asked him one question: Did you obtain an "A+" rating in your initial instance?

He answered yes.

And then... that was it.

She transferred the evolution points straight to him.

So, the Grade D item "Spirit Guard Myriad Movements" that he had commissioned was essentially a waste... Oh, well, one couldn't put it quite like that; the item was still very powerful.

However... Cao Yu's current feeling was much like a student who usually didn't do homework, yet one day, out of a sudden whim, painstakingly completed the assignments that the teacher never bothered to check. The next day, the teacher suddenly announced a homework inspection. Just as the student was getting excited, the teacher added that it would only be a spot-check, and his name wasn't even drawn... It wasn't that he felt upset, but rather a distinct sense of getting the short end of the stick.

As if sensing Cao Yu's strangeness, Zhao Ling asked, "What, do you think I asked too little? Should I ask a few more?"

"Not at all," Cao Yu smiled.

"If you had gone to Qingyuan District, you probably would have been interrogated in great detail."

Zhao Ling sneered:

"Among your graduating class from the Fourth Academy, a student named Wang Cheng died. His uncle is Wang Yuan, one of the deputy directors of the Fourth City Special Affairs Bureau branch. Just like my brother, his evolution degree is right on the threshold of the Grade B range.

If you had gone to Qingyuan District, you would likely have been cross-examined down to the roots. What was your superpower? What were the details of the instance? Who entered the same instance as you... All these matters would have been thoroughly and meticulously questioned from beginning to end.

Wang Yuan has already given a heads-up to the other district branches, but this is Meishan District—humph! His reach doesn't extend this far!"

Neither Cao Yu nor Zhou Fan found it strange that Wang Cheng's uncle also had the surname Wang.

The Wang family was powerful; men who married into the family naturally did not hold the right to pass down their surname.

This phenomenon was quite common among many prominent families.

Seeing Zhao Ling put away her mockery of Wang Yuan, she looked at Cao Yu with considerable curiosity and asked:

"So, did you kill that Wang Cheng? Don't worry, even if you really killed someone, as long as you don't get exposed, with my brother covering for you, you'll be safe."

"No," Cao Yu replied. "Barging around blindly before one's feathers are fully grown is not my style."

"Courageous and resourceful. Not bad, not bad."

Zhao Ling's appreciation deepened as she handed a card to Cao Yu:

"My phone number and online chat ID are on this. You can go report to the East District now, and just wait for my notification regarding the rest. Remember, as long as you are willing to work and capable of getting things done, being arrogant or causing trouble is no big deal at all. I will pave the way for you all the way!"

"Thanks, Director Zhao." Cao Yu took the card.

...

After leaving the headquarters of the Central District branch, Cao Yu and Zhou Fan walked towards the subway entrance, preparing to report to the East District.

The Central District headquarters was located in a bustling commercial block, and taking the subway was the most convenient way to travel.

Cao Yu summoned his player panel and glanced at it—[Evolution Points: 3,100].

He was a bit wealthier again.

He immediately lifted the activity restriction on the "Immortal-Guising Avatar".

The next instant, a bright-eyed, white-skinned little girl appeared before him. She jumped up and kicked him in the knee twice, cursing him as a "bastard salted fish."

Though she only kicked him twice.

After kicking him, Xiao Qi hopped onto his left shoulder and sat down. Dangling her little feet, she excitedly suggested, "Salted fish, that Director Zhao just now was so arrogant. Next time I see her, I want to tear her to pieces, is that okay?"

Cao Yu placated her using telepathic transmission: *'No.'*

"Hmph." Xiao Qi's heel thumped against Cao Yu's chest.

Ignoring her, Cao Yu continued transmitting: *'Stretch your head over here, I'll give you a buff.'*

"Oh."

Xiao Qi obediently floated into the air and stretched out her little head.

Using the disguised posture of resting his chin on one hand, Cao Yu pressed his right hand onto the top of her head and began expending evolution points... Previously, his 5,000 evolution points had mostly been used to cultivate the *Immortal-Guising Secret Classic* and raise his immortal evolution degree.

His superhuman evolution degree had been temporarily shelved, remaining at a mere 5%.

Now that new evolution points had arrived, it was naturally time for an upgrade.

And Xiao Qi was the living "Mother of Seven Killings". To raise his superhuman evolution degree, he only needed to reinforce her.

Accompanied by the consumption of evolution points, Xiao Qi's spiritual power continuously increased.

Cao Yu also received real-time feedback, with his mental strength steadily amplifying.

Until, after consuming 3,050 evolution points, he sensed that Xiao Qi's evolution degree had reached 10% and got stuck there.

*'It's reached the Grade E limit. Adding the 1,500 points previously spent on the superhuman evolution degree, that's a total consumption of 4,550 points.'*

Cao Yu calculated inwardly.

Superhuman players leveled up the fastest in the early stages; raising their evolution degree to 10% generally required only 2,500 points, and at most would not exceed 3,000 points.

Yet he had used nearly double that amount... Was it because of his exceptionally high sequence number?

Once the evolution was complete, Xiao Qi was just about to look for some fun when Cao Yu ignored her complaints and forcibly recalled her into his spiritual space.

At this moment, Zhou Fan whispered to Cao Yu:

"This Director Zhao of ours truly excels in the art of management. A sweet date followed immediately by a big stick. Straightforward on the surface, but in reality... she's not simple."

"Mm..."

Cao Yu had also noticed this point.

However, he didn't care.

She was just a temporary backing; whether he would actually need to rely on her remained to be seen.

His current strength was already quite impressive, but his evolution degree was still too low, and his reaction speed and endurance were too weak. Fighting against high-level players would put him at a severe disadvantage, making him extremely vulnerable to kite-flying tactics.

To put it simply, his wings were not yet fully fledged.

The Grade E and Grade D stages primarily involved the evolution of the physical body and the mind, serving as the foundation of the path of evolution.

Starting from Grade C, one formally stepped into the extraordinary stage.

By then, the three major pathways would manifest their respective divine powers, and combat capability would achieve a leap forward, pulling open a qualitative gap from Grade D.

It was precisely considering this point that Cao Yu had temporarily suppressed the impulse of "I'll do whatever the hell I want."

Finding a backing at the current stage was undoubtedly an excellent strategy.

However... relying on mountains, mountains collapse; relying on people, people run away.

A person must ultimately rely on themselves!

Once his evolution degree crosses into the Grade C range, hehe...

"By the way, Brother Cao, where do you live?" Zhou Fan suggested. "Since we're going to work in the East District, I might as well rent a place over there so it's convenient for us to go to work together in the future."

"Let's report for duty first," Cao Yu said. "After reporting, I'll help you ask around for nearby housing."

"Then I'll have to trouble Brother Cao," Zhou Fan smiled.

At this moment, he was ecstatic inside.

He had finally firmly latched onto this powerhouse.

Cao Yu, on the other hand, was pondering his next move... It was still early, and the mission Zhao Ling mentioned wouldn't be notified to him until tonight or tomorrow. Since that was the case, once the reporting formalities were finished, he would go find An Li to collect his money.

By the way, he could also let An Li help him sell off the two items he had acquired from "killing people and seizing loot."

...

In the East District Office of the Meishan District Branch, excluding ordinary staff and newly recruited players, there were a total of 40 players.

However, under the "seven days on, seven days off" rotational shift system, there were usually only about 20 special agents working in the office at any given time.

Ding Ge was the captain of the East District Office.

At this moment, Ding Ge, sitting in his office, wore a look of surprise on his face.

Seeing this, his nephew Ding Nuo asked, "Second Uncle, what's wrong?"

"Two more newbies have been dispatched from above... Never mind, having a couple more people to do the work is fine," Ding Ge replied.

"Maybe there are just more players joining this year. Let me see... Cao Yu, Zhou Fan... Uh, why is it them?" Ding Nuo said in great surprise.

"You know them?" Ding Ge asked.

"They are my classmates, and this Cao Yu is even the top scorer of this cohort. Zhou Fan's grades are also quite outstanding. I didn't expect them to come to Meishan District..."

Ding Nuo's emotions became somewhat excited:

"Second Uncle, didn't you help me submit my captain application? It should be approved very soon. I need to recruit three people into my team, so Second Uncle, just assign these two newbies to me."

"What? Suppressed in the academy and want to win back some face?" Ding Ge sighed with emotion. "Youth is truly something. However, this Cao Yu, he was the top scorer..."

"Just a top scorer? Which cohort doesn't have a top scorer?"

Middle-aged men had to consider many things, whereas youths only needed to be arrogant... Immersed in the excitement of soon vindicating himself, Ding Nuo deliberately concealed the fact that Cao Yu had obtained an "A+" rating, directly digging a hole for his uncle:

"Besides, I'm just managing them and directing them to work. These two have outstanding abilities and should bring me plenty of achievements. Second Uncle, don't overthink it."

"You child..." Ding Ge laughed. "Remember, don't go overboard."

Ten minutes later.

Cao Yu and Zhou Fan appeared in Ding Ge's office.

Ding Nuo was also there, looking at the two of them smugly with a mocking curve at the corner of his mouth... So what if their grades were outstanding? Weren't they still going to work under him?

Zhou Fan frowned, subconsciously sensing that something was wrong.

Could this Ding Nuo have some connection to their superior at this stage?

"Welcome both of you to join the East District Office."

Ding Ge's face bloomed with a standard smile as he said:

"Ding Nuo is your classmate, so I won't introduce him further. You all graduated from the same academy, so you must get along well in the future. Oh, right, Ding Nuo is about to assume the position of captain, so the two of you will join his team to work from now on."

With that, he waved his hand and said:

"Alright, you're dismissed. Take the rest of the half-day off today, and remember to report to work early tomorrow."

As his voice fell.

Cao Yu didn't move.

Not only did he not move, but he also grinned and said, "We won't be early."

"......What did you say?" Ding Ge doubted his own ears.

As for Zhou Fan, standing beside Cao Yu, he was utterly thrilled.

Based on his understanding of Cao Yu, Cao Yu... no, Brother Cao never did anything without absolute certainty.

Since he was being this arrogant now, it must mean... Zhou Fan looked at Cao Yu and caught a subtle hint in Cao Yu's eyes.

He instantly understood what he needed to do.

Stepping forward, Zhou Fan sneered and rebuked Ding Ge loudly:

"Are you senile? Who do you think you are? Does my Brother Cao have the habit of arriving early?"

"..."

Ding Ge was left completely dumbfounded by this statement.

A newly recruited special agent, facing him, the captain and their immediate superior... hurling curses at him?