After drawing cards, the evil god became my source of吐槽 (tu cao, a form of humorous commentary/criti

Chapter 76 Job-hopping
Since the Lamplighter officially joined the official Department of Mysterious Magnetic Fields, the entire rhythm has been transformed, as if it had received a heart transplant and been completely reborn.

In the first week, the research department completed the structural analysis project, which had been delayed and pending approval by the 404 Special Service Department, in just three days, and successfully established a preliminary prediction model. The report was then quickly submitted to the higher authorities.

What's even more astonishing is that the report's data is clear, the process is complete, and even the security assessment path has been simulated—it's flawless.

"It turns out that the people holding the lamps are not only combat soldiers, but also experts who truly understand the needs of the front lines."

These are the exact words of the head of the research department at the regular meeting.

He Lin, now the front-end coordinator, has become the recognized central figure in the entire research department.

I have prior knowledge and experience in adjusting reserve strategies.

She doesn't need to adopt an authoritative stance to get everyone to listen.

Because she has taken action, led teams, and caused deaths.

It's not about having a good talk, nor is it about having connections.

It was the experience points she gained from surviving the ruins and the piles of sacrifices.

The 404 Special Service Division is almost completely in chaos.

The authorities had already dispatched a coordinator, requesting that the 404 Special Service Department and the Research Department reach an agreement on a "joint strategy to deal with the mysterious magnetic field changes in the second half of the year."

Previously, relying on its well-established system, complete team, and exclusive data, 404 had been constantly ordering the research department around and making demands.

Especially regarding mysterious artifacts, they have been suppressing the research department's voice both openly and covertly, constantly forcing the research department to make concessions.

Now look what's happened; they've lifted a stone only to drop it on their own foot.

At the start of the official coordination meeting, the research department representative immediately presented a stack of documents, including data on the past thirty-six operations led by the Lantern Bearer, along with before-and-after comparisons:
"In the cleanup operation involving 002, the average magnetic field stability rate increased by 47%. And the team of lamplighters led by 002 also maintained a high success rate of 89% in subsequent operations."

The data shocked everyone present.

The head of the secret service wanted to refute, but couldn't utter a single word.

The reason 002 was able to recruit people was not because she was good at stirring up emotions, but because the intelligence agency's system had long been rotten and could not hold people's hearts at all.

In its early years, the 404 Special Service actually wanted to cultivate loyal torchbearers.

But training requires money, resources, and training.

The generation of 001 and 002 was forged through hardship. Back then, the Secret Service spent a lot of money, hired instructors, provided tactical support, and even opened up some of the armory's access, all to build the strongest front-line team.

He Lin is 002, and Luo Chuan is 001. The top ten lamplighters have all endured rigorous training; simply surviving is a qualification.

But the secret service quickly realized: this was too expensive and had a low cost-effectiveness. They couldn't keep making the same choices all the time.

Therefore, the management decided that they would no longer invest heavily in training, but instead let the existing torchbearers mentor the newcomers.

When He Lin was chosen to take over the training task, she didn't refuse, but simply asked, "Can I choose the people myself?"

The leader nodded: "Teach whoever you can."

Thus, the first batch of lamplighters without formal institutional training were born.

She taught the first batch, and they succeeded; the second batch succeeded as well; the third batch amazed everyone; and by the tenth batch, thirty-seven of the top fifty lamplighters came from her teaching.

She doesn't seek power, only trust.

Everyone she taught knew that as long as they stood behind 002, they wouldn't be treated as expendable pawns.

This is 002's true trump card in the secret service.

It's not about power or position, it's about dedication.

Now she has pulled her heart out herself. She originally thought she could use her authority to keep people in 404, but she realized that they couldn't control the team at all.

003, 005, 006, 009... all transferred to the research department.

What remains is just an empty shell.

With the addition of a large number of lantern bearers, the research department directly gained the ability to independently deploy clearing operations.

Previously, clearing the site required prior approval, coordination, and allocation from the Special Service Department, a cumbersome process. Now, as soon as a magnetic field is generated on-site, they can deploy it immediately and handle the entire process in a closed loop. A researcher who had never dealt with the front end before remarked, "Before, we were like blind men touching an elephant, guessing the direction of the magnetic field based on data. Now that He Lin is here, we can get the heat data immediately, and even the ecological feedback generated within the magnetic field can be labeled in a timely manner."

This is so awesome!
He Lin didn't show much emotion; she simply listened attentively to the opinions from each technical meeting and the reports from each front-end briefing.

An Jing also took a day off over the weekend, and He Lin invited her to visit the research department.

As soon as she entered, she was greeted and led to an impressive office, where she saw He Lin standing in front of the information wall, reviewing the deep structure of the magnetic field.

"You're here?" He Lin didn't even look up, her tone indifferent.

“Hmm.” An Jing nodded with a smile. “This place is quite bright, compared to 404.”

He Lin smiled gently: "That's because no one wants to hide the light within you."

"Such a high EQ statement, are you up to something?"

An Jing knew that He Lin wasn't usually like this.

It's likely that they have something to tell me.

“An Jing, I’ve told the two highest-ranking officials in the research department about your situation, the minister and the deputy minister. They discussed it and gave me advice, suggesting that I take you into the mysterious magnetic field for training.”

Because you accidentally enter mysterious magnetic fields too frequently, even with the best protection, you may still encounter them.

The other party's exact words were, "Instead of running away, we'd rather face it head-on, and actively let you enter some weaker magnetic fields to kill low-level mysterious monsters and draw cards, thereby increasing your strength."

“I took the advice, and I must say, I was convinced. So I would like to ask for your opinion in person.”

Perhaps because of the precedent set by the 404 Special Service Department, He Lin felt that the Research Department's attitude was much more sincere than that of the Special Service Department.

At least they would genuinely consider An Jing's situation.

The other members of the Secret Service either pretended it was none of their business or considered detaining her for research.

An Jing blinked and couldn't help but laugh.

"Why didn't you switch jobs sooner! This research department really understands me!"

She had thought so for a long time! But He Lin and the others had protected her like a baby and wouldn't have agreed.

He Lin was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"Then it's settled."

"no problem."

Meanwhile, at this moment, it was the 404 Special Service Division.

The meeting room was dimly lit. The department head stood by the window, listening to his subordinates report on the latest data on the loss of lighting staff.

"003 has completely stopped responding to our calls."

“007 explicitly refused to be reinstated and even had his backup status revoked.”

"We can't even organize a complete team with a single Class B magnetic field now."

"Director, what should we do now?"

The section chief looked up, his face ashen.

How to do?
He suddenly realized that his decision to let 002 take over the training and let her take charge of one area was a compromise he had tacitly agreed to.

Now, that compromise has become a sword hanging over his head.

He himself trained 002 to be one of only two people capable of suppressing the 404 Special Service Department.

He personally placed power and trust into her hands, but forgot that she was not a slave, but a human being.

The fate of Special Operations Division 404 is sealed.

(End of this chapter)