What does it mean when a pet evolves incorrectly?

Friday morning, headquarters of the Qinglan City Anti-Drug Bureau.

The dark gray main building stands solemnly, while crowds throng its sides.

Men, women, and children dressed in various uniforms and wearing matching badges lined the streets, filling the air with a soft murmur that blended excitement, solemnity, and anticipation.

"There are so many people."

Looking at the bustling crowd at the entrance, Liu Hui couldn't help but sigh.

Lin Jianjun walked at the front of the family of three.

He changed into a crisp summer uniform, his epaulets and collar insignia meticulously done, and even his leather shoes were polished to a shine.

His face was expressionless, his lips were tightly pressed together, and he kept tightening the already neat cuffs and gently tugging at the hem of his clothes before letting out a shallow breath.

After doing all that, he straightened his back and took the lead, his steps steady, but Liu Hui and Lin Chen, who knew him well, could see that his steps were slightly stiffer than usual.

After verifying their invitation and credentials at the entrance, the family of three entered the hall.

My vision suddenly opened up.

The high dome, bright lights, and deep red seats arranged in a fan shape, gradually lowering from back to front, ensure that every seat has a clear view of the stage in front.

The audience was already nearly half full, with more people still arriving.

Most of them were uniformed staff members from various levels of the Anti-Drug Bureau, along with a large number of their family members.

On both sides of the auditorium, staff carrying professional video cameras and holding cameras were adjusting the equipment, responsible for recording the grand occasion of this internal award ceremony.

The moment Lin Jianjun entered, it was as if a drop of water had flowed into a familiar river.

He has worked in this industry for decades and has a wide network of contacts. In addition, he is down-to-earth and hardworking, and has had many friends in various branches and positions, and even carried out missions together.

"Old Lin! Over here!"

Congratulations on Jianjun's victory!

"Brother Lin, you look great today!"

"Old Lin, we've finally waited for this day!"

The forced seriousness on Lin Jianjun's face quickly melted away. He nodded in response and shook hands and patted the shoulders of the acquaintances who came to greet him, exchanging "Congratulations to you all!"

He seemed to smile more today than he had in the entire past month combined.

Liu Hui followed beside him, smiling and nodding to the family members she knew.

Lin Chen silently followed half a step behind his parents, his gaze calmly sweeping across the venue.

As a temporary assistant stationed in the relatively remote Qingyang Town police station, he knew almost no one there.

The reason he was able to stand here was entirely due to the unexpected achievement brought about by the bizarre Swift Sable incident, which even he himself found somewhat dazed.

Suddenly, a voice called out from the side: "Lin Chen?"

Lin Chen turned his head at the sound and saw a slightly chubby young man looking at him with some surprise.

Yang Xingyu walked over quickly: "It really is you. I thought it was you from behind."

Lin Chen was also somewhat surprised: "Xingyu?"

Yang Xingyu was his classmate, and if I remember correctly, his father was also a veteran employee of the Anti-Drug Bureau, and he probably received an award this time as well.

"I never expected to run into you here," Yang Xingyu said with a look of deep emotion.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Yang Xingyu suddenly asked, "By the way, I heard you got into Qiming Beast Taming Academy?"

When graduates meet, the most frequent topics of conversation are their grades and the colleges they were admitted to.

Lin Chen nodded.

Yang Xingyu gave a thumbs up: "That's awesome, bro."

He scratched his head again: "I just didn't do well. My score was barely enough, and I was admitted to Qiming City Security College."

This is a directly affiliated college established by the Anti-Drug Bureau, specifically for training and supplying talent within the system. Lin Jianjun and Li Haotian graduated from here.

The advantage is that the job is guaranteed and the job is stable, which is like having a secure job; the disadvantage is that future career development is basically limited to the public security system, with a clear upper limit.

Yang Xingyu's father was an employee of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, and he was admitted to the Public Security College, so he can be said to have followed in his father's footsteps.

"Jobs are hard to find these days, so the police academy is a good option," Lin Chen congratulated with a smile.

"Hey, just trying to make a living."

Yang Xingyu waved his hand, then leaned closer and lowered his voice, "I heard from Li Heng that you're a temporary assistant at the Qingyang Town Police Station? I'm also working at the Dongcheng Police Station near my home."

"Really? How does it feel?" Lin Chen asked.

"Don't even mention it."

Yang Xingyu immediately made a face and began to complain under his breath: "This is so boring, it's completely different from what I imagined."

"Every day is just patrolling the route, occasionally dealing with some trivial matters, it's so boring. The thought that I might live like this for the next few decades makes me feel that life is meaningless."

Lin Chen smiled without saying a word.

This is what daily life at the detention center is like: constantly dealing with trivial matters.

During their conversation, Yang Xingyu's gaze involuntarily drifted to the backdrop behind the stage, which bore the words "Qinglan City Anti-Drug Bureau Commendation and Award Ceremony," and his eyes revealed undisguised envy.

"Sigh, if only temporary workers like us could win an award. Otherwise, we'd probably have to work our way up to my dad's hair before we even get to work."

Just then, a gentle announcement came over the loudspeaker: "Please enter the venue in an orderly manner. The medal awarding ceremony is about to begin."

The two stopped talking and found their respective seats.

Fortunately, their seats were not far apart. Yang Xingyu and his parents were in the row diagonally opposite Lin Chen's family, and both sets of parents exchanged brief greetings.

The lights dimmed slightly, focusing on the stage, and the entire venue quickly fell silent.

A middle-aged man with a square face and shoulder insignia indicating a very high rank walked steadily onto the platform and began to speak.

Lin Chen recognized him at a glance—Zhou Zhengping, the director of the Qinglan City Anti-Drug Bureau.

Zhou Zhengping's speech was concise and powerful. He affirmed the hard work and achievements of all staff members in the first half of the year and expressed his congratulations and expectations to the award winners and all staff.

Without lengthy platitudes, the presentation ended in five minutes, concise and to the point, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The medal awarding ceremony officially began.

The atmosphere grew increasingly solemn as the host took to the stage with a list in hand.

"Now, the list of award recipients will be read out. Comrades whose names are called, please come up to the stage one by one to receive your awards from Director Zhou."

"The first one is Comrade Cui Tonghua from the Xicheng Branch Criminal Investigation Department. He was instrumental in solving a recent series of theft cases..."

Accompanied by rousing award ceremony music and enthusiastic applause from the audience, a lean and fit middle-aged employee strode onto the stage, received the gleaming medal and bright red certificate from Zhou Zhengping, stood at attention and saluted, and then followed the instructions to stand in the standing area reserved for the award winners behind the stage.

The lights shone on him, and his face showed undisguised excitement and pride.

One after another.

Their stories vary: some were at the forefront of special operations, some were deeply loved in community service, and some tackled difficult problems in their technical positions...

Applause rang out repeatedly, creating a solemn yet enthusiastic atmosphere.

Yang Xingyu's father also went on stage.

Upon hearing his father's name and a brief introduction to his deeds, Yang Xingyu was so excited that he almost jumped up from his seat, clapping vigorously until his face turned red.

"Next up is Comrade Lin Jianjun from the Heyang District Anti-Drug Management Office."

The clear sound was amplified and carried throughout the auditorium.

Lin Jianjun took a deep breath, straightened his collar which was already perfectly wrinkle-free, and then strode towards the steps to the side of the stage.

Decades of diligence, day after day of patrols, endless trivial matters, occasional dangers, a calm acceptance of no hope for promotion, and an unwavering sense of responsibility towards this profession...

Everything seemed to converge on those short few dozen steps leading to the altar.

He walked up to the platform, stood before Zhou Zhengping, and saluted.

Zhou Zhengping returned the greeting with an approving smile, picked up the medal and solemnly pinned it above Lin Jianjun's left breast pocket, then handed the certificate to him.

"We've also prepared a surprise for you," Zhou Zhengping said in a low voice, patting him on the shoulder.

surprise?

Lin Jianjun was stunned for a moment, but he didn't have time to think much. He followed the instructions and stood in the line of award winners, waiting for the final group photo.

He clutched the certificate tightly in his hand, feeling the cool touch and heavy weight of the medal on his chest, and his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the family area below the stage.

When he saw Liu Hui clapping enthusiastically and Lin Chen smiling at him, he could no longer suppress his smile.

As the applause subsided, the host picked up the list again.

With only a few winners remaining, the process continues.

"Next up, Comrade Zhao Gang from the Special Incident Rapid Response Team of the North Suburb Branch..."

"Next up, Comrade Sun Lihua from the Intelligence Analysis Section of the Command Center..."

After the host finished reading the previous name, he paused briefly, his gaze sweeping across the entire audience. His tone seemed more serious than before, and his voice came through the microphone clearly:

"The next winner is quite special; he broke the record for the youngest winner in the history of our Qinglan City Anti-Drug Bureau."

A suppressed murmur immediately arose from the audience.

"Youngest record?"

"Who is it? Which organization's rising star?"

Are there any particularly outstanding new employees this year?

Lin Jianjun scanned the entire room, a hint of curiosity flashing through his mind.

Youngest record?

who can that be?

That's so hard to guess.

Most people were looking around, but Li Haotian sat quietly in place, a smile gradually spreading across his face.

The host seemed quite pleased with the effect created by this little bit of suspense; she smiled slightly and raised her voice:

He was only eighteen years old.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Yang Xingyu turned to look at Lin Chen, pouted angrily, and said in a very low voice, "Damn, he's the same age as us, could he be some young master..."

Before he could finish speaking, the host's voice continued:

"He is—Comrade Lin Chen, a Class D assistant officer at the Qingyang Town Police Station!"

Yang Xingyu's voice stopped abruptly. He stared wide-eyed, his finger trembling as he pointed at Lin Chen.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely at this moment.

On stage, Lin Jianjun looked bewildered.

Who?

Lin Chen?