Tianjin, starting with unorthodox methods to achieve immortality

After the car left the town of Yisi, its speed suddenly increased.

The street scene outside the window changed from crowded people to passing telephone poles, and then to rows of gray, low houses.

The fat man slumped back in his chair, then turned his head and stared at Chen Mo with shining eyes.

"Master Chen, I'm truly impressed by you."

Chen Mo gave him a strange look. "What's wrong?"

"What else?" The fat man slapped his thigh. "Did you really break Wang Lao Er's dog legs?"

"Ha ha ha ha....."

He laughed especially wildly, "The version I heard was really weird. It said that Wang Lao Er led a group to ambush you, but you took on four people and broke all three of his legs."

"Someone even said his testicles were broken?"

"Nonsense, only one leg was broken." Chen Mo was speechless. The rumor had gone awry as it spread. "When did three legs suddenly appear?"

The fat man leaned back, his eyes changing. "One of them is ruthless enough. That's Wang Lao Er! He's a force to be reckoned with in Jinshi. His skills are among the best in our circle."

Chen Mo moved the book in his arms to a different position, didn't reply, and let the other person ramble on for a long time.

The fat man muttered to himself for a while, then suddenly remembered something, "Hey, did the Wang family cause you any trouble? I heard that after Wang Lao Er went back, his family was in an uproar, and several people were clamoring to settle scores with you."

Chen Mo recalled what Su Mei had said, "I heard that Boss Wang suppressed it."

"Boss Wang?" The fat man was taken aback. "He's a sensible man. If he's biased, this matter won't be over."

"That makes sense. They're not as skilled, so it's their own fault for breaking the sword. If this gets out, it'll only bring shame to the Wang family."

He glanced at Chen Mo again, his eyes holding something else. "But you really need to be careful from now on."

"Old Wang has suppressed it, but Old Wang Er is a vengeful man, and his gang of lackeys are no pushovers either. They won't openly target you, but they'll sabotage you from behind, and you can't guard against them all."

Chen Mo hummed in agreement.

Seeing his indifferent attitude, the fat man got a little impatient. "Don't just say 'uh-huh'! I'm serious. Why don't you come with me from now on? My house has a big yard. You can stay here and we can look after each other."

"No need," Chen Mo interrupted him. "If they really want to cause trouble, it won't matter where they stay."

Before the fat man could say anything more, Uncle Liu, who was driving, suddenly spoke up: "Young Master, we're almost at the East District."

The two looked outside and saw that the houses along the street were getting denser and there were more shops with signs swaying overhead.

He swallowed the words that were about to come out, patted Chen Mo on the shoulder, and said, "Alright, as long as you know what's going on, we'll both be working at the Municipal Bureau from now on. Just let me know if you need anything."

......

The car turned into an alley and stopped in front of a large black gate.

A sign hangs at the entrance, white background with black characters: Inspection Bureau, East District Branch.

The fat man poked his head out. "We're here. Do you want me to come in with you?"

Chen Mo picked up his luggage, opened the car door, and said, "No need, you can go back first."

"I'll come find you when I have time!" the fat man shouted from the window.

"Okay, let me settle in first." Chen Mo waved his hand at him.

The car made a U-turn and slowly drove away.

Chen Mo stood there, watching the black sedan disappear into the alley before turning around to look at the black lacquered gate.

The storefront wasn't particularly grand; it was just a converted old-style courtyard house. The black lacquered gate had been there for years, with peeling paint revealing a dark red base underneath.

There was no sign above the door; only a white sign with black lettering was nailed to the right doorpost, without even a signature.

Two stone drums squatted at the entrance, their surfaces polished to a shine.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked toward the guard's window.

An old man sat inside, wearing reading glasses and holding a newspaper. He didn't even look up when he heard footsteps. "Who are you looking for?"

"Reporting in." Chen Mo handed the letter of introduction through the window.

The old man took the letter, took off his reading glasses, and looked it over closely. He then looked Chen Mo up and down. "The new guy?"

"Um."

"Go inside, turn right, go to the second room, and find Director Sun."

Chen Mo took the letter, thanked him, and pushed open the iron gate next to him to go inside.

The courtyard is small, with a cement floor and an old locust tree in the middle, under which several bicycles are parked.

Directly opposite the door was a row of bungalows, with gray bricks and gray tiles, and most of the green paint on the window frames had peeled off.

There was a wooden sign hanging at the door of the second room on the right, which read "General Affairs Department".

He knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Inside the room was a desk, behind which sat a man in his thirties, writing with his head down.

He looked up at Chen Mo. "Reporting for duty?"

"Yes." Chen

Mo handed over the letter of introduction.

Director Sun took the letter, glanced at it, pulled a notebook from his drawer, opened it, dipped his pen in ink, and asked, "Where is your place of origin?"

Linhe County.

"The letter said you previously joined the investigation bureau. Did you bring your token?"

Chen Mo took the bronze plaque out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

He picked it up; there were words engraved on the back. He squinted for a while to make sure he understood. "Hmm, having this makes things easier. Normally, new recruits need to be issued new tokens, but since you have this, we can save a step."

He returned the token to Chen Mo, then pulled out a notebook. "Where are the weapons? What kind?"

"knife."

"What kind of knife?"

Chen Mo pondered for a moment, then said, "Sword."

Director Sun looked up at him. "Sword? You've trained?"

"It was used in Linhe County."

He didn't ask any more questions. He lowered his head and wrote it down in his notebook before standing up and walking to a row of cabinets in the corner. He rummaged through them and took out a cloth bundle, which he placed on the table.

"Inspection Bureau uniform, two summer sets, one winter set, two hats, one belt, and one pair of leggings." He listed each item one by one. "Try them on; if they don't fit, come back and exchange them."

Chen Mo opened the bundle and checked it. The uniform was the same as the one he had received from Yue Shan before, but it was more complete.

After confirming that everything was correct, Director Sun turned around and pulled out a knife from deep inside the cabinet, sloughing it, and slammed it onto the table.

"Standard crossbow, the standard equipment for beginners, give it a try and see if it's comfortable to use."

Chen Mo picked up the knife, pulled out half of it, the blade gleaming coldly, the edge neatly cut.

I weighed it in my hand; it was a bit lighter than the one I used in Linhe County, but it was still quite handy.

"Can."

"That's fine then. You'll have to maintain the knife yourself; they don't provide whetstones here, so you'll have to buy your own."

Chen Mo sheathed the knife and set it aside.

After Director Sun sat back down at his desk, he opened another notebook. "Has your accommodation been arranged? The bureau has dormitories, two people per room. If you'd like to stay there..."

"No need," Chen Mo said. "I have my own place."

His pen paused for a moment. "A place? Where?"

"No. 177 Liuye Lane, at the intersection of Dongjie Street".

"That's not close at all, it must be more than two miles from here, right?"

"It's less than two li," Chen Mo said. "You can walk there."

Director Sun didn't ask any more questions, but made a few notes in his notebook.

After all the registrations were completed, he closed the notebook. "Alright, the formalities are done. From now on, we're all on the same side. My name is Sun Fucai, from the General Affairs Department. You can come to me for anything you need or for reimbursement in the future."

Chen Mo nodded to him, "Hello, Director Sun."

"Don't call him Director, he's just in charge of miscellaneous things." Sun Fucai waved his hand, stood up, and said, "Let's go, put your things down first, I'll take you to see Boss Shen, he's the director of our branch."

As he spoke, he walked around the table, pushed open the door, and went outside.

Chen Mo quickly followed.

The two walked across the courtyard and arrived at the innermost house.

There was no sign on the door, and the paint was newer than elsewhere, as if it had just been painted recently.

Sun Fucai knocked on the door, and a voice from inside said, "Come in."

He pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Chen Mo in. "Boss Shen, this is the new guy, his name is Chen Mo."

This room was much larger than Sun Fucai's. Inside, there was a large desk with a person sitting behind it.

He was in his forties, with a square face, thick eyebrows that drooped slightly at the ends, giving him a somewhat fierce appearance.

He was looking down at the documents when he heard Sun Fucai speak, at which point he looked up.

His gaze fell on Chen Mo, scanning him from head to toe.

When Chen Mo was scanned like that, he suddenly felt as if something had seen right through him.

After a couple of breaths, he raised his chin slightly and gestured towards the chair opposite him. "Sit."

After Chen Mo was seated, Shen Tou'er put away the documents and put down his pen.

The other person looked lean, but had broad shoulders and a large frame. The aura emanating from his body was not strong, but it had a condensed feel to it.

Chen Mo had seen Yue Shan in action in Linhe County. Yue Shan's qi and blood were like a boiling pot when he moved, and you could feel the heat even from several steps away.

But Shen Dajiang was different. He sat there without making a sound, like a deep pool of water, so deep that the bottom could not be seen.

He suddenly remembered what Yue Shan had said before: once you reach the level of indestructible golden body, all your qi and blood can be contained, and you will look no different from an ordinary person, but as long as you make a move, it will be as powerful as thunder.

"From Linhe County?"

"Yes."

"I've heard about what happened over there." Boss Shen's face was expressionless. "I know Yue Shan. The men under him are usually quite capable."

Chen Mo didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.

Shen stared at him for a few seconds, his gaze remaining unchanged, showing no emotion.

Chen Mo looked at him calmly, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

The two stared at each other for two or three seconds, and then he suddenly nodded, his eyes seeming to show a hint of satisfaction, though his face remained indifferent.

He reached into the drawer, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, took a puff, and then spoke, "My name is Shen Dajiang, the director of the East District Branch. From now on, there are three rules for you working for me."

He held up three fingers. "First, don't cause trouble. Second, don't be afraid of trouble. Third, accept what you should accept, but don't accept what you shouldn't."

Chen Mo was a little confused about the meaning of the third point, but he didn't want to ask too much right now. "I understand."

Shen Dajiang took another drag of his cigarette, then stubbed it out in the enamel mug. "Our East District branch isn't exactly short of manpower, but it's not a huge number either. There are ten teams in total, with five people in each team, making a full complement of fifty people."

"There are forty-three now, but seven are missing. Now that you have come, there will be forty-four."

Chen Mo did a rough calculation: with ten teams and five people per team, how many teams are still not at full strength?

"The work is usually simple. Each team is responsible for a certain area. They have to go down and check at least once a week to keep track of any unusual activity, any new gangs that have opened, and any unfamiliar faces."

He looked up at Chen Mo and said, "You're new here, so go to Team Three first. Team Three is in charge of the area south of East Street. There are many shops, a lot of people, and a lot of things to do. Follow Team Leader Lao Ge and get familiar with the area first."

Chen Mo nodded.

"Going out once a week is the bare minimum; just keep that in mind. You don't need to go out every day, but don't stay cooped up in the office all week either."

"The higher-ups conduct monthly spot checks, and there are records of whether the transfer was made and where it was made."

He reached into the drawer, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and tossed it to Chen Mo. "This is a map of the East District. The area marked in red is the territory of Team Three. Take a look when you get back, so you don't get lost."

Chen Mo took it, unfolded it, and glanced at it.

South of East Street, a red circle was drawn, and inside the circle were densely packed alleys, which looked quite messy.

Shen Dajiang stretched. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Chen Mo hesitated before speaking, "What do you mean by replenishing only after a reduction in personnel?"

"It means exactly what it says: only when a person dies or is no longer able to move do they need to be replaced."

"So, apart from those who apply for promotion to the Zhenyi Division, the rest of us who come in here can basically work until we're old, as long as we don't make any big mistakes or court death."

Shen Dajiang pondered for a few seconds before speaking.

"Also, there are many gangs here, more than a dozen large and small, fighting each other every day. We don't care if they cause trouble, as long as they don't go too far."

"What do you mean by 'excessive'? It means that the offense has too much of an impact, and if the patrol officers can't handle it, it gets reported to us, so we have to step in and issue a warning."

"Warn them first; if they don't listen, then take action."

"How many warnings?"

"Just once," Shen Dajiang said. "If they still cause trouble after the warning, we'll take action directly."

He said this in a flat tone, as if he were saying that the weather was nice today.

But Chen Mo could sense the chill in his words.

After Shen Dajiang finished speaking, he waved his hand and said, "Go, Sun Fucai, take him to the third team to familiarize himself with the place."

Goodbye, Director Shen.

Chen Mo got up and followed Sun Fucai out of Shen Dajiang's office, crossing the courtyard and walking back.

"That's just how Boss Shen is, he doesn't talk much," Sun Fucai said as they walked. "If you memorize his three rules, you'll be able to work steadily in the East District Branch."

"As for what can and cannot be accepted, they will tell you later."

"Okay, thank you, Sun Ke." Chen Mo folded the map of the East District and put it in his pocket.

The two walked to the front yard, but Sun Fucai did not go to the main gate. Instead, he turned into a row of bungalows on the left.

These houses are shorter than the office buildings, and their walls are dusty and gray.

"The third team is right here." Sun Fucai walked to the door of the third room, which was open, and voices could be heard coming from inside.

He knocked on the door frame. "Third team, we've brought you a new recruit."

Inside the room were several old tables and chairs, and a row of cabinets stood against the wall, with notes on the cabinet doors bearing names.

The window was open, and sunlight streamed in at an angle. The plumbing inside the house was in good condition.

Three people were sitting around a table inside, talking about something. When they heard the noise, they all turned around.

The man sitting in the middle was a man in his forties with a square face, dark skin, and several horizontal lines on his forehead, as if left by years of frowning.

His uniform was somewhat faded, and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his two strong forearms.

"Old Sun, is this the new guy?" He stood up, his gaze falling on Chen Mo with a hint of scrutiny.

"Yes, his name is Chen Mo. He's from Linhe County. He came to report for duty today, right after the General Administration of Customs closed down." Sun Fucai stepped aside. "Chen Mo, this is the third team leader, Ge Zhendong. Everyone calls him Old Ge."

Chen Mo greeted him, "Hello, Captain Ge."

Ge Zhendong looked him up and down, then suddenly took half a step forward.

Chen Mo felt a faint flow of qi and blood sweep over his body, as if someone had examined him from head to toe.

The feeling was very faint, as faint as the wind blowing across the water. If he didn't have high mental strength, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.

He remained expressionless, simply watching Ge Zhendong quietly.

Ge Zhendong's brows furrowed rapidly, as if he sensed something was wrong, or perhaps he hadn't noticed anything at all.

"Lacking vitality and blood, is he just making a living through unorthodox methods?"

"Yes."

"Hmm." He didn't ask any more questions, and pointed to the side, "These two are from our team."

The young man sitting on the left stood up. He was in his early twenties, tall and thin, and had a bright white smile.

He had a short gun slung at his waist, its leather holster polished to a shine, clearly indicating it was frequently handled.

"My name is Zhou Yuan." He patted his holster. "I use this one. How about we spar sometime?"

"Hello there."

Chen Mo greeted him, then turned his gaze to the man in his thirties on his right.

This person had a round face, small eyes, and a drooping mouth, making him look like he was always unhappy.

He glanced at Chen Mo and hummed in acknowledgment, which was his way of greeting him.

"His name is Liu Dayong," Zhou Yuan leaned closer and whispered, "He doesn't talk much, but he's a very nice person."

Liu Dayong glared at him after hearing this, but didn't say anything.

Chen Mo's gaze swept across the room, but he didn't see anyone else besides these three.

Ge Zhendong seemed to see his confusion, "One of them is out on a field mission, so our team now has four people. With you here, we'll be complete."

"She's a woman named Lin Ruoyun. You'll find out tomorrow."

"Okay." Chen Mo didn't say anything.

Ge Zhendong sat down in a chair, picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip of water. "First day reporting for duty, no need to rush into work. Have you collected all your things?"

"I've received it."

"Where's your accommodation? Has it been arranged?"

"My home is near the intersection of Dongjie Street, not far away."

Ge Zhendong's eyebrows twitched. "Alright, as long as you have a place to stay, that's fine. Go back and settle in today, and come over first thing tomorrow morning. I'll take you around the area to meet people."

"it is good."

He waved his hand, "Go ahead, just don't be late tomorrow."

Chen Mo nodded to the group and turned to walk out.

Just as he stepped out the door, Zhou Yuan followed him out. "Hey, Chen Mo, let me see you off."

The two walked across the courtyard toward the main gate.

As Zhou Yuan walked, he rambled on, "Of the ten teams in our East District Branch, Team Three has the most chaotic jurisdiction. There are many shops and deep alleys, and the people are quite disorganized. But don't worry, with Lao Ge around, nothing serious will happen."

"Old Ge has worked here for more than ten years. He knows the area well and knows everyone. Every gang leader has to call him 'Master Ge' when they see him."

"That's great."

"You were assigned to our team right after graduation, that's pretty lucky!"

"Haha, really? I think so too."

......

The two chatted until they reached the entrance of the General Affairs Department. Chen Mo went in to get something, while Zhou Yuan left first.

At this moment, inside the third team's room, Ge Zhendong remained seated, his gaze fixed on the direction of the doorway, his brows furrowing once more.

Liu Dayong rarely spoke first, "Captain Ge, what's up?"

Ge Zhendong shook his head, picked up his teacup and took a sip. "That kid is a shady character; I can't tell how strong he is."

"I can't tell either."

Zhou Yuan hadn't returned yet. Liu Dayong tapped the table, his face grave. "The strength of these unorthodox practitioners varies. It's normal that we can't fathom their true abilities."

"But since he was able to participate in the training camp at headquarters, he must be quite capable."

Ge Zhendong pondered for a moment and said, "It's just that we don't know the opponent's strength, so it's difficult for us to make arrangements for him."

As the two were talking, the door was pushed open, and Zhou Yuan returned.

"What were you talking about?" He plopped back into his chair. "I dropped him off at the general affairs office and came right back. He's not much of a talker, but he seems pretty reliable."

Ge Zhendong glanced at him. "What do you think?"

Zhou Yuan thought for a moment, "I couldn't find out his background. He doesn't seem like a novice. The way he looks at people is like he's looking at objects. I feel a little uneasy."

"hey-hey."

Liu Dayong chuckled, a rare occurrence for him. "You get angry sometimes?"

Zhou Yuan rolled his eyes. "So what? It's just my gut feeling."

Ge Zhendong waved his hand, "Alright, let's get down to business. What should we do with this person?"

Zhou Yuan blinked. "What do you mean, how will it be arranged? Since you're assigned to our team, just take it with you."

Liu Dayong said, "It depends on how you lead them. The key issue is the Yongle Gang matter. What should we do?"

The room fell silent for a moment after he said that.

Ge Zhendong turned to Zhou Yuan and asked, "What do you think?"

Zhou Yuan scratched his head. "Me? I think... it would be fine to share with him, as long as he doesn't have too big an appetite."

"It's not a matter of how big his appetite is," Liu Dayong shook his head. "This guy just arrived, we haven't figured out his background yet. What if he's a hothead or a hypocrite who insists on not accepting the money, or what if he takes the money and then sells us out?"

Zhou Yuan opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Ge Zhendong pondered for a moment and said, "Da Yong is right. We can't rush this. We need to see if he's on the right track first."

Liu Dayong asked, "What do you think?"

Ge Zhendong hesitated for a moment, "I'll take him to the area tomorrow to sound him out. If he pretends to be confused, or acts all businesslike..."

He paused, then didn't continue.

Zhou Yuan asked cautiously, "What if we pretend to be confused?"

Ge Zhendong glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Liu Dayong continued, "Then let's find an opportunity to get rid of him, just like that old Liu before."

Zhou Yuan's expression changed, and he fell silent.

The room fell silent again.

After a while, he whispered, "What if he really is the kind of person who's all business and no substance?"

Ge Zhendong picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Then we have to get rid of him even more. If this kind of person stays in the team, none of us will have peace of mind."

Liu Dayong nodded.

Zhou Yuan opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

As they were talking, Lin Ruoyun rushed in, her shoulders still covered in dust.

"Oh, everyone's here?" She put the knife on the table. "What are you chatting about? Did we get a new member on our team today?"

Zhou Yuan nodded. "We've arrived. I'll officially start work tomorrow."

Lin Ruoyun sat down in the chair. "What's she like? How old? What's her background?"

Ge Zhendong said, "The side gates are unfathomable."

"A side method? Can you even fight with that?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't be like those spineless cowards who pee their pants at the sight of something dirty!"

Ge Zhendong waved his hand, "Whether I can fight or not, we'll find out tomorrow."

Lin Ruoyun snorted and brushed the dust off her shoulders. "It would be best if they could fight. Our team has lost two players in the past few years, and what kind of trash have we brought in to replace them? Last time, that guy surnamed Liu, his legs went weak when he saw the evil spirit, and I had to protect him and run away."

Liu Dayong said in a muffled voice, "Isn't that dead?"

"Good riddance." Lin Ruoyun rolled her eyes. "You were just a burden if you were alive."

Zhou Yuan shrank to one side and didn't dare to say anything.

Lin Ruoyun suddenly remembered something, "Oh right, I met a pregnant woman today, and I felt something was wrong with her."

Ge Zhendong looked up. "What's the problem?"

Lin Ruoyun straightened her expression. "That woman is seven months pregnant, but the yin energy around her is frighteningly heavy."