Volume 1 Chapter 4 Serving the People

The next day.

"Knock, knock..."

Early in the morning, Lu Jing was jolted awake by a relentless, "life-threatening" pounding at his door. Dazed and heavy-headed, he drifted over to open it.

"Who is it?"

The man on the other side caught sight of Lu Jing’s disheveled appearance, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes.

"Are you Lu Jing?"

"I am." Lu Jing rubbed his bleary eyes, speaking with a lethargic air.

"May I come in and sit for a moment?"

Lu Jing glanced at the three stars on the man's military uniform—a captain.

"Sure." Lu Jing let out a yawn and stepped aside to let him in. "Mind if I wash up first?" His head was still far from clear; he had been too excited last night and hadn't fallen asleep until the early hours.

"Please, go ahead."

By the time Lu Jing finally felt alert, he took a serious look at his guest. The man was middle-aged, though his brown hair suggested he was actually only in his thirties. He carried himself with an imposing, dignified air, with stiff black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose and a faint mustache beneath, which, rather than making him look old, added a touch of playfulness.

"Good morning, Captain."

"My surname is Zhao."

"Good morning, Captain Zhao." Lu Jing greeted him and pulled up a stool to sit opposite him.

"Do you know why I've come to see you?"

"I do."

"Your entire battle was recorded last night. I didn't realize you were such a handful, kid."

Lu Jing feigned a suave gesture, flicking his hair. "Average, just average. Third in the world."

Seeing this, the captain pursed his lips—this guy was certainly not humble.

"But as far as I know, you haven't awakened yet, have you?"

It seemed he had come prepared. Lu Jing replied with a nonchalant tone, "Maybe I’m just naturally gifted. I awakened early."

"How did you awaken?" the captain pressed, which was, in truth, the question he most wanted answered.

"I just woke up from a nap and I was awakened," Lu Jing said with a casual wave of his hand.

Captain Zhao could see that the man was consistently dodging the point, with no intention of giving a real answer.

"Last night, I killed five second-tier wolf demons and saved a person. There’s a security camera in front of Old Li’s barbecue stand; you can check it. According to Article 33, Section 2 of the Huaxia Civil Procedure Law, for a 'Civic Hero Award' or 'Gallantry Award,' anyone who saves a Huaxia citizen while eliminating demons is entitled to a reward of five spirit stones, right?" Lu Jing gave a "benevolent" smile.

Captain Zhao’s face darkened. Damn it. Not only had he failed to extract any secrets, but he had been hustled.

He managed a stiff smile. "You remember that quite clearly."

"Of course, I am a devoted citizen of Huaxia," Lu Jing said, patting his chest with a proud look. "Also, please include the five wolf demons I killed in the exchange for spirit crystals, Captain Zhao."

Lu Jing continued to take advantage of the situation. Everyone knew that, by regulation, demon kills were usually only exchanged for demon crystals, which were far less valuable than spirit stones. But Lu Jing dared to make the demand because he was certain Captain Zhao wanted something from him. A fat sheep had walked right to his door; it would be a waste not to shear it.

Captain Zhao swallowed the profanities rising in his throat. *The little brat, he's as black-hearted as they come.*

"Fine. You've really worked hard," Captain Zhao said through gritted teeth.

"It’s nothing, nothing at all! Just serving the people!" Lu Jing replied with a look of righteous integrity.

*This kid is really pushing his luck.*

"Report to the Yan Sha Squad tomorrow. Here is the captain's phone number and address."

"Understood."

Lu Jing didn't decline; after all, this was his goal. He just hadn't expected it to be the Yan Sha Squad—the top squad in Wu City. It seemed Captain Zhao was quite satisfied with his performance last night! But in reality, Lu Jing had guessed wrong; the one truly interested in him was the Yan Sha captain, Zhao Yuxuan.

"Uncle, how did it go?"

"He’s a slippery one. Didn't get a thing out of him."

"No matter. Once he's in my hands, I'm not worried about him not talking."

...

*Ring-a-ling.*

The pleasant sound of the school bell rang, and students soon swarmed out in a crowd.

"Su Qiqi, I like you! Be my girlfriend!"

He stood before her, clutching a bouquet of fiery red roses. The lively scene quickly drew a crowd of onlookers, blocking the path so thoroughly that it was difficult to even leave.

"This student, what are you doing?" Su Qiqi frowned slightly, her expression already turning sour.

"Confessing my feelings!" His eyes were fixed entirely on Su Qiqi. In his eyes, this girl, as brilliant as a mountain flower, was simply too beautiful. Her hair, long and black like a waterfall, draped down, showcasing her elegance. Her fair skin, exquisite face, and red lips reflecting a moist luster—every detail hit his heart. Just a moment ago, he had caught a fleeting glimpse of her, and in that instant, his heart had stirred with endless ripples. *Oh no, this is... the feeling of falling in love!*

Zhou Kang prided himself on being the only son of the Zhou family; there was never anything he couldn't get. Since his heart was moved, he took action immediately and ordered someone to buy red roses.

Watching him puffing out his round belly, looking like "Marshal Tianpeng," the students couldn't help but sigh. It was truly a case of a toad lusting after a swan—delusional! But then, a second thought struck them: that was the young master of the Zhou family. If they could latch onto such a powerful tree, their whole family would prosper. Maybe a little humiliation was endurable. As for why they all recognized the young master of the Zhou family, it was simply because the guy appeared in public far too often, and his appearance was so unique that it was hard not to remember him.

"Who are you?" She didn't even know this person, yet he walked up and said he liked her. Was this not absurd?

"My name is Zhou Jie. I am the young master of the Zhou family, one of the four great families of Shangjing, and your future boyfriend." He tried to toss his hair back with a look of suave confidence, though his pig-like features made it truly nauseating.

"Get lost." Su Qiqi's face was livid, her eyes cold and sharp. She clenched her fists, clearly struggling to control her emotions. If not for her long-standing upbringing, she would have lashed out with insults. This person was clearly trying to take advantage of her. As the saying goes: a handsome man is called flirtatious, an ugly one is called a creep.

"Oh, don't be shy." As he spoke, his greasy hand reached out to grab Su Qiqi's. Zhou Kang didn't perceive this as a blatant rejection; instead, he narcissistically assumed that Su Qiqi was playing hard to get. After all, he had never failed before.

But at that moment, a larger hand grabbed his first.

"Sorry, she has a boyfriend."

Lu Jing pulled Su Qiqi half-way into his embrace, asserting his possessiveness. The remark ignited Zhou Kang’s fury. Who dared to compete for what was his?

"You think you're worthy?"

A wave of pressure radiated from his body, intended to suppress Lu Jing. Lu Jing let out a cold snort, and a mental force far more powerful than his own erupted instantly, crushing back against him. Although both were at the first awakening, third-level stage, the difference in their mental strength was like heaven and earth. Zhou Kang was forced to retreat step by step.

"Young Master!" The bodyguards in black suits standing nearby rushed forward.

"Screw the 'Young Master'! Get him, you idiots!" Zhou Kang, having lost face, was red-faced and furious, eager to see Lu Jing beaten to a pulp.

"Yes."

As the seven or eight men in black suits closed in, Lu Jing was not panicked; rather, he felt a spark of excitement. His ability had just leveled up, and he hadn't had a chance to test it yet. These people were the perfect opportunity to stretch his muscles.