Orderly tyrant

Lin Qing mastered the introductory level of the combat skill "Gang" very quickly, succeeding after only four or five hours of study.

"Order."

"Advance payment, combat skill 'Gang.'"

In the private rest room next to the captain's office, Lin Qing immediately advanced the payment for this combat skill.

As expected, the amount to be repaid this time was even less.

He only needed to perfectly practice the combat skill "Gang" 18 times to pay it off.

That would only take less than four days.

However, Lin Qing decided to wait six days before learning a new one, otherwise it would seem too unusual.

"This is the combat skill 'Gang'?"

Inside the private rest room, Lin Qing looked at the metallic sheen faintly appearing on his body and nodded to himself.

"Iron Block? Armament Haki?"

The combat skill "Gang" is essentially hardening.

It greatly enhances defense, while also significantly increasing the destructive power of bare hands.

He gradually understood the strengths and weaknesses of this combat skill.

When fully activating the combat skill "Gang," his whole body felt like it was cast in steel, unified inside and out, and at its strongest defensive state. However, after his body completely hardened, he was like a statue and unable to move.

In a normal battle, it was best to only harden the surface of his body. Although the defense wouldn't be as strong, it wouldn't affect his mobility.

"Under normal circumstances, surface hardening should be enough defense."

Lin Qing had also seen other colleagues activate the combat skill "Gang."

Theoretically, even if one only mastered the four-six version of the practice method, as long as they grasped the combat skill "Gang," they could easily withstand ordinary pistol bullets.

And when he used it to the extreme, with the seven-seven version of the practice method, his defense was even more astonishing.

"It's a little doubtful whether I can block a .500 Magnum revolver, but it won't be too far off."

Lin Qing secretly estimated, "After I learn the combat skill 'Rou,' combining hardness and softness, my defense will reach another level. At that time, I should be able to barely withstand it, probably not much worse than that Qinghu Island fugitive, Chu Tianyao."

When his cousin led people to search, they encountered Chu Tianyao, and a group of inspectors opened fire with their .500 Magnum revolvers.

But in the end, they couldn't do any damage to Chu Tianyao.

The chief captain said that Chu Tianyao's strength was at the same level as Xu Qiu, the NO.1 inspector, but Chu Tianyao was slightly stronger because he also mastered other series of combat skills.

Xu Qiu only mastered all the combat skills in the Zizaishen series, and none of them reached the instinctual level.

Lin Qing also cultivated the Zizaishen series of combat skills, and all of them reached the instinctual level, allowing him to use them to the fullest extent.

In comparison, Xu Qiu's advantage lies in the original Chaoyang practice method.

Although the original version of the Chaoyang practice method provides a significant boost, its advantage is at most slightly stronger than an instinctual-level combat skill.

"After I learn 'Rou,' my strength will be very close to Xu Qiu's."

Lin Qing took a deep breath, "And... as long as I wait for the Super-Sense Essence to take effect and advance the original Chaoyang practice method... then, my strength will only be stronger than Chu Tianyao!"

...

...

Time passed quietly.

The days passed by in easy cultivation and work.

On February 25th.

It was time for the branch bureau to organize professional examinations every month.

Zhao Jiayi had already signed up for this month's inspector professional examination, and came to the branch bureau with Lin Qing early in the morning.

The written test in the morning ended quickly.

"Can you pass?"

Lin Qing saw Zhao Jiayi return and asked casually.

"I can definitely pass," Zhao Jiayi nodded confidently. "Soon I'll be an inspector."

Lin Qing hummed and continued reading.

At this moment, the office's fixed communication device rang.

Lin Qing glanced at it and found that it was a call from Bureau Chief Kou, so he immediately answered it.

"He's awake?"

"Then do we need to go see him?"

"Okay, I understand."

After Lin Qing finished the call, Zhao Jiayi asked suspiciously, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Xiao Peidong woke up," Lin Qing shook his head slightly. "But he's still weak, so there's no need to visit him."

"His poison resistance is really strong..." Zhao Jiayi muttered.

...

Xiaoshan District People's Hospital.

In the VIP ward late at night, Xiao Peidong sat weakly on the hospital bed, silently looking at the urban circle scenery outside the window as if it were close at hand.

With his eyesight, he could easily see the holographic projections and announcement subtitles at the top of the urban circle.

[Binhai Star Federation University's Department of Motor Functions will expand its enrollment quota, and Zhixing Group may increase its investment...]

[The extraterrestrial smuggler who caused the collapse of the Starry Sky Mutual Aid Association building a few days ago has been killed by the Third Speaker of the Star Patrol Council. The Star Patrol Council will explain this tomorrow...]

[Dawn Group's new gene optimization technology will usher in a new breakthrough...]

Looking at the information that transcended the urban circle, Xiao Peidong slowly closed his eyes.

"I can't go back... and I can't move forward here..."

He knew that he was just a defective product who barely survived the experiment. Although he could still be useful, that was all the value he had.

The newest novels are first published at Liu Jiu Shu Ba!

He didn't want to return to the seemingly highly developed and glamorous urban circle, because he knew... that was a true abyss that ate people without spitting out bones. It was better to develop here, at least there was a chance to gain freedom.

It's just...

"There's no hope for the job evaluation at the end of next month, and I can't find the Super-Sense Essence..."

Xiao Peidong felt very helpless.

He couldn't help but feel frustrated when he thought of Lin Qing, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

In fact, he had seen many geniuses, and he wouldn't be shocked by Lin Qing's speed of improvement.

But that was in the urban circle.

And in Lin'an City, Lin Qing's rate of improvement was very amazing.

Suddenly—

"Captain Xiao."

A slightly strange low laugh echoed in the ward.

Xiao Peidong's eyes changed, and his gaze instantly swept across every corner of the ward, but he didn't find anyone.

"Don't look."

The light in the ward twisted slightly, and a tall woman with short red hair slowly appeared in the air. She wore a tight-fitting tank top, her arms were muscular, and she had gold studs in her nose and lips.

She chewed gum, looked down at Xiao Peidong condescendingly, and said playfully, "You can recover so quickly even after being poisoned by Purple Vine No. 004? You're not too useless for a failed experimental subject."

"You are..." Xiao Peidong's pupils suddenly shrank. He didn't expect the other party to reveal his identity in one sentence.

"Is there even a need to ask?"

The tall red-haired woman smiled mockingly, and a sun-shaped tattoo slowly appeared on the exposed skin of her right arm.

What was strange was... he could see a serial number inside her sun tattoo.

[NO.7489]

"You actually have a serial number?" Xiao Peidong's expression changed slightly.

Even a four-digit serial number meant that she was a formal member of the Illuminati, absolutely not comparable to an outer member like him.

"I'm not a failed waste of an experimental subject like you," the tall red-haired woman sneered. "I'm asking you, where is the Super-Sense Essence that BOSS gave you?"

"It was hidden by that woman Zhou Yang, and I can't find it either," Xiao Peidong said in a low voice.

"You even lost the Super-Sense Essence?"

The tall red-haired woman snorted. "Even I have to wait in line if I want the Super-Sense Essence. If you weren't clean and able to enter the inspection system, why would BOSS prepare a Super-Sense Essence for you?"

Xiao Peidong wasn't angry, and just asked, "Is BOSS planning to have you take charge of the affairs of the Iridaceae Society in this area? Are there any new instructions?"

"The original number two of the Iridaceae Society is in charge," the tall red-haired woman said lightly. "I'm only responsible for assisting."

"Presumably you should know who our biggest trouble is right now, right?" Xiao Peidong said in a low voice.

"Are you talking about that Lin Qing?"

The tall red-haired woman smiled playfully, "Number two's suggestion to me is to temporarily abandon you and instead win over Lin Qing. After all, Lin Qing's potential is greater than yours."

"Hmm?" Xiao Peidong asked, "Did you find out about his situation?"

"Judging from Lin Qing's encrypted report, he has been exposed to Class A evolutionary radiation."

The tall red-haired woman said, "So even if he only mastered the seven-seven version of the practice method and only mastered two combat skills, his strength can still rank seventh or eighth among the inspectors in Lin'an City, and it's normal for him to clear out the underground arena alone."

"Class A evolutionary radiation?" Xiao Peidong murmured, "No wonder he has this kind of strength..."

"You should lie down properly. Number two is already preparing to win him over. Unless the win-over fails, there's a chance to reuse you as a waste."

The tall red-haired woman glanced at him mockingly, and then the light began to slowly distort, causing her to gradually disappear.