Starting as an infant, with parents who are blond-haired delinquents?

"Um, gentlemen, I've been thinking about your invitation for me to join the Investigation Bureau for a while now..."

The two didn't open their eyes because they already knew what Zhang Chaoqiang was going to say—nothing more than a refusal, which they had already anticipated.

"I promise."

"what?"

At this moment, Huang Feng and Bai Lu seemed to completely disbelieve the sounds they heard. They staggered and almost fell over. They even suspected that Huang Feng's [paralysis] ability had taken effect.

But in reality, they hadn't misheard. Zhang Chaoqiang repeated, "I don't know if your invitation still stands? I want to join the Investigation Bureau!"

Damn it?

real or fake?

After confirming several times, Huang Feng and Bai Lu were certain that they had not misheard; Zhang Chaoqiang had indeed accepted their invitation, and this was a real event, not a hallucination.

So they started winking at each other again, this time with even more exaggerated expressions, so exaggerated that even Zhang Chaoqiang couldn't ignore them.

Because it's just too obvious.

Huang Feng, with exaggerated expressions, repeatedly demonstrated and conveyed to Bai Lu: "Wow, we really didn't hear wrong, Comrade Zhang Chaoqiang agreed to join our Investigation Bureau?"

Bai Lu did the same, not directly stating his thoughts, but conveying them through facial expressions:

What's going on? Could it be that Comrade Zhang Chaoqiang finally succumbed to the charm of our investigators?

I think it's absolutely possible, even if we don't think our actions this time were outstanding, but it's still from our perspective.

Perhaps from Comrade Zhang Chaoqiang's perspective, we are extremely handsome, dashing, and imposing?

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe their state of mind as overjoyed; that's exactly how they felt at that moment.

This was a pleasant surprise, since the two of them had completely lost faith in the effectiveness of recruiting Zhang Chaoqiang.

Surprisingly, Zhang Chaoqiang eventually agreed.

"That's great! The Investigation Bureau looks forward to your joining us, Comrade Zhang Chaoqiang!" Huang Feng forced himself to suppress his emotions, trying his best not to let Zhang Chaoqiang see his extreme joy.

"However, Comrade Zhang Chaoqiang is still too young, and his studies have not yet been completed..."

Zhang Chaoqiang nodded. What Bai Lu said was exactly what he wanted to say: "Therefore, I cannot become a full member of the Investigation Bureau until I finish my high school education or even my martial arts university."

Huang Feng: "Of course. For now, Comrade Zhang Chaoqiang should prioritize his studies. It's not too late for him to officially become one of us after he finishes his studies!"

To be honest, Huang Feng and Bai Lu were somewhat scared and terrified. After all, given the current situation, taking this mission as an example, they were very likely to overlook something during the mission.

Furthermore, given Zhang Chaoqiang's current development, his strength is only at the first level. If he accompanies them around, there might be big problems.

After all, the areas they went to were all quite risky.

Thinking about it carefully, I felt a chill down my spine, because if something had happened to Comrade Zhang Chaoqiang while he was with them, they would have been completely finished.

Therefore, Zhang Chaoqiang's most important task now is to continue his studies and improve his skills, which is more important than anything else.

Only after Zhang Chaoqiang has fully graduated from university and is able to work independently will he be suitable to truly join the Investigation Bureau.

However, before that, in any special circumstances, we should try to seek Zhang Chaoqiang's help, but we need to be much more vigilant in protecting him.

Twenty minutes later, the group of people who had disembarked from the fighter jet finally returned to the Investigation Bureau in Zhongzhou City. As soon as they got off, they began to prepare a victory celebration banquet. The main character of the banquet was, of course, Zhang Chaoqiang, who had played a huge role in this mission.

Even Huang Feng and Bai Lu attributed the main credit for this incident to him.

However, Zhang Chaoqiang declined their invitation to a celebratory banquet, claiming that his family knew he was coming back that night and had prepared a lot of good food to welcome him back.

So he had to rush back to the Castle Hotel. The investigators were more than happy to do so. After seeing Zhang Chaoqiang off, they finally cheered in unison. Their excited voices echoed throughout the entire investigation bureau.

This was a situation that excited them immensely, and they were overjoyed.

When they informed Qian Jin, the director of the Investigation Bureau, about the matter, the usually composed director told them not to get too agitated and to calm down first.

Then she screamed loudly.

This not only means that an excellent investigator is about to join their team, but also represents the additional subsidies that the central government will provide to their investigation bureau.

With Zhang Chaoqiang's addition, they will receive a continuous and generous subsidy, which can be used to comprehensively improve the sophistication of the equipment in the Investigation Bureau.

There's also the overall competence of the investigators.

This subsidy is conservatively estimated to be worth 100,000 fifth-order crystal cores.

If it were in monetary terms, it would be worth trillions, or more!

Who wouldn't be excited in this situation?

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, at the welcome dinner that evening, Shen Qiangwei, Zhang Huolong, and Tan Yue stood obediently in a row in front of Zhang Chaoqiang.

This seems to be an implication that Zhang Chaoqiang brought back some local specialties or gifts for himself during this trip.

Old Chen, however, wasn't as naive as them...

He asked directly, "Chaoqiang, did you bring us any gifts?"

Chapter 190 Men’s Romance

What local specialties are available?

The mountain is bare and not a tourist attraction. If you want to talk about its only local specialty... it's just the rocks that cover the entire mountain.

Crash.

Zhang Chaoqiang poured more than a dozen stones onto the table. These were not stones he picked up randomly; he paid special attention to their unique characteristics when he picked them up.

For example, shape and color.

At this moment, Lao Chen and Zhang Huolong, who were also men, lit up their eyes.

They quickly strode forward, squatted down, and began rummaging through the small pile of stones, comparing them one by one. Each of them held an oval-shaped pebble in their hand.

One is yellow, and the other is white.

Compared to meticulously crafted and precisely finished handicrafts, they prefer these unprocessed items, simply washed clean by nature...

Naturally formed things are rare and precious. Of course, even in Jushan, these regularly shaped stones cannot be found everywhere.

It was only through Zhang Chaoqiang's tireless searching while wandering around that he was able to find it.

It can be said that each one has undergone rigorous selection. Even in the tens of thousands of square kilometers of Jushan Mountain, only a dozen or so natural and beautiful stones are produced.

Old Chen and Zhang Huolong naturally chose the most oval and smooth stone among them.

Zhang Huolong, overjoyed at finding such a treasure, kept playing with it in his hands. He exclaimed, "Wife, look! This is the masterpiece of nature. This thing has never been processed; it was formed naturally. What do you think?"

"Round and smooth enough, right? Let me tell you, not a single pebble on the path beneath this hotel can compare to even a tenth of any of the stones Zhang Chaoqiang brought back for us!"

Zhang Huolong used data to illustrate just how rare and precious these regularly growing, round stones are.

Shen Qiangwei initially didn't understand but expressed respect. However, seeing Zhang Huolong's almost fanatical and obsessed state, she became more or less interested.

Old Chen was the same; he played with the white, round stone in his hand, offering his most generous exclamations:

"Nature's artistry is truly wondrous; through the accumulation of history, it has sculpted a stone into such a state..."

It's important to know that the formation of rocks takes tens of thousands of years, originating from the lava of initial volcanic eruptions and evolving over time.

Such smooth stones don't form overnight; they require not only a good initial state for survival but also a good environment for survival.

At this moment, Old Chen felt that no exquisite crystal core could compare to the stone that Zhang Chaoqiang had brought back for him.

But Zhang Chaoqiang didn't think so. He believed that what one cannot have always stirs up desire, which might be because Old Chen simply didn't lack crystal cores.

However, Zhang Chaoqiang is lacking.

While Lao Chen and Zhang Huolong were still lost in their rapture, he took out the Screaming Chicken Crystal Core from his spatial ring, held it in his hand, and examined it closely.

It was unremarkable, and even any martial artist would shake their head at it, but it was crucial to Zhang Chaoqiang, just like a stone with virtually no practical value was as precious as gold in Old Chen's eyes.

This was given to him by Qian Jin of the Investigation Bureau, who had Bai Lu and Huang Feng formally hand it over to him before he left. It had already been made clear that this was his reward for helping to handle the alien beast incident, and Zhang Chaoqiang's share was indispensable.

What was originally handed to him was not this fourth-tier screaming chicken crystal core, but an entire arrow.

However, Zhang Chaoqiang considered that he only needed this one crystal core for this cultural relic with very rich historical and cultural value.

He felt he shouldn't take them with him, so he told the investigators to return the farmer's arrows to the farmer's museum.

This surprised the descendants of the farmers.

This is a win-win situation, as it allows us to do a favor without completely wasting what our ancestors left us.

Zhang Chaoqiang's handling of the situation was both very satisfactory and unexpected to them.

However, Zhang Chaoqiang wouldn't immediately start absorbing the Screaming Chicken's crystal core.

Instead, it is extremely rigorous.

Because the body is currently absorbing the spirits that steal fat and has not yet gained anything, it no longer has the energy to absorb other crystal nuclei in the same time period.

Furthermore, as a martial artist who is still at the first level, absorbing a fourth-level crystal core is not allowed, even if a lot of spiritual energy is lost from it.

Therefore, even someone as extraordinary as myself needs to prepare some auxiliary materials to help me absorb it smoothly, but all of this can only be done after the spirit that stole the fat has been completely absorbed.

Looking around, Tan Yue and Shen Qiangwei, who initially didn't quite understand Zhang Huolong and Lao Chen's "manly romance,"...

It seemed to be gradually coming to an end, especially after Zhang Huolong picked out a matching couple-shaped stone for Shen Qiangwei, with similar colors and shapes.

Shen Qiangwei then realized that this thing was actually quite interesting.

Zhang Chaoqiang personally selected an oddly shaped stone for Tan Yue, one that was angular yet had rounded edges.

Among all the stones, it is quite unique and was given to Tan Yue.

"This is for you!"

"What a special stone!" Tan Yue carefully held the stone that Zhang Chaoqiang handed her in her palm, then looked at the others' stones and found that her stone seemed to be particularly unique.

Among all the stones, it stands out with its most prominent and unique shape!

Is this to say that he is the most special person in Zhang Chaoqiang's heart?

Tan Yue's eyes gleamed as she kept stealing glances at Zhang Chaoqiang.

But in reality, Zhang Chaoqiang didn't have much intention in choosing this stone for her. He simply thought the stone was quite special, with sharp edges and corners, and it looked a bit like Tan Yue when she was wearing armor.

If Tan Yue knew that Zhang Chaoqiang genuinely believed that the stone actually resembled her, she would probably be heartbroken. Such an understanding could definitely be described as abstract!

Zhang Chaoqiang is back, which happens to be around the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.