I bear witness to immortality in the human world.

Chapter 56 Inspector Wu

While I was pondering this,
suddenly,

Zhou Huai'an's gaze swept over the crowd and landed on Wu Ming, who stood out among the patrol officers. As if he had noticed something, a look of surprise flashed across his face.

He paced back to Wu Ming, looked him up and down, and said:
When was it completed?

Upon hearing Zhou Huai'an's words, Wu Ming knew that Zhou Huai'an had noticed the changes in his second blood coagulation. He bowed respectfully to Zhou Huai'an and said, "Reporting to you, sir, it was only recently. I have been consolidating my cultivation level."

Martial arts are manifest, while Taoist practices are hidden.

It is very difficult to hide one's cultivation level in martial arts. Perhaps when one first breaks through, one can control one's blood and qi so that others cannot tell. However, as time goes by, the transformed blood and qi stimulates the meridians throughout the body and gradually tempers the physique, which will become very obvious. For example, after secondary blood clotting and the skin membrane strengthens, there will naturally be subtle differences in physical activities.

Such subtle changes might be difficult for ordinary people to notice, but for martial artists, especially a master like Zhou Huai'an who has coagulated blood three times, with his exceptional eyesight, it would be impossible for him not to notice them.

As Wu Ming and Zhou Huai'an's conversation ended,

The eyes of everyone in the room immediately turned to Wu Ming. People like Shi Zhenbang and Fu Jingsong all showed a hint of surprise, while the other patrol officers standing next to Wu Ming also had different expressions.

Wu Ming has been working in the Night Patrol for several months, and everyone here knows about him. They know that Wu Ming is not yet twenty years old and has only completed a blood coagulation procedure less than a year ago.

Two instances of blood clotting within a year?

This is quite fast progress, almost catching up with some people with above-average talent!
"One round?"

Zhou Huai'an's eyes also showed a hint of surprise.

Wu Ming's aptitude is only below average. To complete the second coagulation within a year means that the coagulation process was completed in one go without failure or repeated wear and tear. Even so, compared to those with below average aptitude, he is still significantly outstanding and much faster than the average person.

But this situation is not surprising. After all, talent does not determine everything. Some people become martial artists and then indulge in debauchery and wine and women. No matter how good their talent is, it will be wasted. Others, on the other hand, adhere to their original intentions, cultivate day and night, and have a firm will. With these two factors, the difference is naturally huge.

"Yes."

Wu Ming responded.

He actually wanted to conceal his breakthrough in martial arts cultivation for a while, since with his 'average' talent, a breakthrough that was too fast would seem a bit abnormal. However, his martial arts realm was really hard to hide, and Zhou Huai'an saw through it at a glance. There was nothing he could do. Fortunately, although his breakthrough was fast, it was still within the normal range.

"very good."

Zhou Huai'an revealed a hint of satisfaction and said, "After Inspector Feng was promoted, I had a vacancy for an inspector. I was originally planning to transfer one from the Department of Internal Affairs, but now I don't need to. You can take over the position."

"Thank you for your promotion, sir."

Wu Ming bowed respectfully.

The change from a ninth-rank patrol officer to an eighth-rank patrol inspector is actually quite significant. A ninth-rank patrol officer doesn't have much autonomy and basically follows the patrol inspectors. However, a patrol inspector has a certain degree of autonomy.

To put it bluntly, if you don't like someone, you can just say that they might be involved with bandits, and you can be arrested and detained for interrogation in the Ministry of Justice on a trumped-up charge!
This is why, every time Shi Zhenbang patrolled North Street, people would offer him money as a tribute. Previously, every time he patrolled at night, Shi Zhenbang would collect tribute money on North Street. In a month, the total amount of money he collected was as high as hundreds of taels, far exceeding the salary of the patrolman position itself.

In reality, Shi Zhenbang, an eighth-rank patrol officer, was only at the second stage of blood coagulation in terms of strength. In a place like North Street, where all sorts of people mingled, he was nothing special. But the problem was that the power of the Censorate was too great.

For patrol officers like Shi Zhenbang, all factions generally try to avoid offending him if possible. Otherwise, if Shi Zhenbang were determined to cause trouble and go out every day to arrest 'bandits,' he would be enough to turn North Street into a complete mess.

now,

Wu Ming was also promoted to patrol officer.

He also achieved the same status as Shi Zhenbang. From then on, when he patrolled the North Street at night, the brothels and gambling dens there would also offer him some tribute silver in exchange for opening their businesses, so that they would keep to themselves.

The downside is that being promoted to patrol officer and gaining status means he's now "registered" with all the major gangs, making it more conspicuous for him to go to the gambling dens on North Street to beg for money.

Here

Zhou Huai'an didn't stay long and soon called Feng Yong and Zhou Ruoyun to leave together.

Zhao Hu frowned and glanced at Feng Yong's retreating figure, then quickly turned and left without saying anything more.

The remaining Shi Zhenbang and others came over and congratulated Wu Ming with cupped hands.

"Inspector Wu, congratulations."

Shi Zhenbang spoke with a smile, and changed his address for Wu Ming from 'Little Wu' to 'Patrolman Wu'.

Fu Jingsong also smiled and said, "Congratulations, Inspector Wu. We'll be working together from now on, so please take good care of me... Hmm, I wonder if Inspector Wu has anything to do today? If you're free, how about we go to Xinghualou for a drink to celebrate your success?"

Feng Yong has been promoted to patrol officer, Zhao Hu is focused on breaking through to the third stage of blood clotting, Zhou Ruoyun is Zhou Huai'an's eldest daughter, none of the three paid much attention to Wu Ming's breakthrough, after all, given Wu Ming's age, the second stage of blood clotting was only a matter of time, but Shi Zhenbang and Fu Jingsong were different, as they had both intended to befriend Wu Ming when he first arrived.

In particular, Shi Zhenbang gave Wu Ming a lot of advice, telling him many unspoken rules about working in the Shenxing Division, even down to details such as what money he could and could not take.

The main reason is that they are older. When they get older, they may be transferred out of the Censorate and sent to other government offices. Even if they still hold official positions, their power will be far less than when they were in the Censorate. However, if they have formed some connections with Wu Ming and others, they can still maintain some connections even after leaving the Censorate.

"Since you two have invited me, I would be impolite to refuse."

Wu Ming did not refuse and responded politely.

Although Shi Zhenbang and others' path to advancement was basically blocked and they would stop here in the future, he would not look down on them because of this. After all, the two were veteran inspectors with many years of experience, and some of their experience in the Censorate was still worth learning from.

After all, although this world values ​​martial prowess, it still cannot do without human relationships and social customs until one's martial strength reaches a certain level.

The three of them left together, leaving behind a large group of patrol officers who exchanged glances and then quickly dispersed.

(End of this chapter)