Chapter 21: The Bureau of Public Safety

Leon’s original plan was to hide in the cell block for a few more days if Hall let out a scream; after all, one could always scrounge up some food if desperate. If Hall remained silent, it likely meant there was no immediate danger outside, and he could simply walk out.

However, a third scenario had emerged.

As Leon contemplated his next move, Hall’s voice drifted in from outside once more: "Hey, buddy? Why aren't you coming out?"

Hearing the urgency in his tone, Leon weighed his options. "Why don't you come in?"

The moment those words were spoken, Hall’s voice was cut off as if a pause button had been pressed. Seeing this, Leon decided not to linger by the entrance and began to retreat slowly.

Just then, a weary-sounding female voice drifted in from outside: "Prisoner inside, you are hereby temporarily requisitioned by the Public Security Bureau."

Leon frowned. He hadn't expected it to be the Bureau, rather than those insects, that had intercepted Hall. It seemed the situation outside was not as catastrophic as he had feared. Before he could ponder further, the crisp sound of heels clicked closer until they stopped right before him.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Leon was stunned. *It’s you, the busty corporate slave!*

*My apologies, Officer. I didn’t recognize you at first.*

The tall woman, whose face was etched with extreme exhaustion as if she were on the verge of collapsing, furrowed her brows upon seeing Leon. She felt a vague sense of familiarity with the young man. Soon, she retrieved the relevant files from her memory and curled her lip. "I was wondering how someone like you could afford the smuggling fees if you had nothing special about you. So, you're an 'Awakened' professional. Let me think... Leon, right?"

"You have been requisitioned by the Bureau. For the time being, you will follow my orders exclusively."

Silence. Still, silence. Leon stood in the shadows, his expression unreadable.

He now had two choices: eliminate the woman and become an outlaw, or submit to the requisition. Leon dismissed the first option without a second thought. He was an undocumented immigrant; killing her wouldn't change that fact. His priority was to obtain legal status and understand the state of this world. More importantly... he wasn't sure he could actually beat her.

"What should I call you?" he asked.

"Danica Borsa." The tall woman relaxed her tense posture, a flicker of approval crossing her weary face. "A wise choice. Follow me."

With that, she turned and walked away, completely unconcerned about a potential sneak attack from behind.

Leon followed Danica out of the prison and breathed in the scent of freedom once again. It was thick with the choking stench of gunpowder. The once-orderly city was now shrouded in black smoke; countless high-rises had sunk into the ground, and the sounds of distant screams reached his ears from unknown directions. The situation was indeed better than he had first imagined, but not by much. It was clear that a massive riot had torn through the city.

After a brief scan of his surroundings, Leon looked toward the few figures whispering with Danica. Their uniforms identified them as officers of the Public Security Bureau. *Not attacking her was definitely the right call.*

As Leon congratulated himself, Danica’s words pulled his attention back. "I heard from him that your profession is of the physical enhancement type?"

Following her gaze, Leon saw Hall offering a sheepish smile; he had clearly spilled everything that happened in the prison to the Bureau. Leon didn't deny it, offering only a vague, perfunctory response: "Something like that." Since he had only used the "Triple Inverse Life" technique during his fight with the bugs, Hall was naturally unaware of the existence of "Qimen Dunjia." Moreover, the "Triple Inverse Life" wasn't merely physical enhancement; once he broke through to the second stage, he could use Qi to mend his flesh. But Leon had no intention of sharing those details.

On the other side, Danica glanced at Leon’s injured left arm without a word. In her eyes, a professional who could get injured by a few bugs wasn't likely to be particularly powerful, even if he had a few tricks up his sleeve. True powerhouses were leagues ahead of ordinary professionals from the moment they debuted. But rare professions were hard to come by; in her twenty years, she had rarely heard of anyone awakening one on their own. Those who did always had something extraordinary—luck, background, or raw talent. Danica, with her limited insight, saw nothing special in Leon.

"You will work under me for the time being," she said, her tone devoid of emotion. "Once this is over, I will petition for you to be granted non-staff citizen status."

Having been baptized by corporate "boss-speak," Leon knew she was just selling him a pipe dream, but he didn't call her out. He simply nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Miss Danica. But, could you tell me what exactly is happening in the city?"

Danica rolled her eyes. "I’m just a small squad leader in the Bureau. Do you think I’m some kind of bigwig? All I know is that those bugs breached the defense system of the Frontier City and were driven back by the City Garrison. I’m only here because I received orders to check for any suspicious individuals trying to take advantage of the chaos to break out." She glanced at Leon, implying he was exactly that kind of person.

Leon felt no resentment; after all, he *was* a suspicious person. Things would work out eventually, and at least his situation was better than before.

As they spoke, the gravel on the ground began to vibrate. Leon noticed the light dimming. He looked up and saw a sight that made his skin crawl: the pale blue barrier protecting the city was covered in a dense, swarming mass of insects.

Danica stepped forward. "Let’s go. Time to work."

Leon looked at the tall woman, wondering if his future role was simply to be cannon fodder. As if reading his mind, she added, "Don't worry. Dealing with them is the City Garrison's job. It has nothing to do with us. We in the Bureau just need to ensure the city remains 'clean'."

She climbed into a medium-sized vehicle resembling a troop carrier. "Get in. Let me see what you're actually capable of."