Chapter 99: Onboarding

Chapter 99: Onboarding

The haunted house at Shigang Lane 18 was only a kilometer or two from his new home. Early in the morning, Chen Shouyi arrived there with his wooden sword in hand.

The place was quiet, free from disturbances—undoubtedly the best spot for practice.

The moment he began his sword training today, Chen Shouyi immediately noticed a difference from before. His mind seemed to focus more effortlessly, entering a state of heightened concentration without any deliberate effort. His Mind Spirit remained undisturbed, everything flowing naturally.

Each stroke and stance appeared ordinary on the surface, yet carried a sharp, weighty aura.

After practicing for a few minutes, he suddenly thrust his sword straight at a nearby colossal camphor tree.

A sharp, piercing screech erupted as the tip of the sword halted just a millimeter away from the tree trunk.

A miniature sonic boom blasted a puff of dust from the bark, leaving behind a hair-thin crack about an inch long. It was nearly imperceptible unless examined closely.

Chen Shouyi withdrew his wooden sword and stepped forward.

Clawing at the bark with his right hand, he exerted force. To his current Strength, the tree’s hard bark was no tougher than a sheet of paper. With a tearing sound, he ripped off a large chunk, bark and wood included.

Inspecting the bark in his hand, a hint of surprise flickered across his face.

"The crack is actually three centimeters deep!"

Previously, his Sword Energy had only penetrated up to two centimeters.

"Could this be the effect of the second optimization of Meditative Self-Refinement?"

Compared to the earth-shaking changes brought by the second optimization of the Thirty-Six Body Refining Techniques, the revised Meditative Self-Refinement didn’t alter much in terms of the refinement process itself—especially in the early stages, where the steps remained nearly identical. Only the final direction of refinement had shifted.

The most significant change was how the second optimization allowed him to delve deeper into meditation, entering an indescribable state of tranquility.

"Clearly, under the influence of this profound meditative state, my Mind Spirit has become more focused and condensed.

With the same Willpower, what was once like a blunt, roughly shaped sword has now been honed and sharpened, becoming far more lethal."

"Three centimeters... still a bit short," Chen Shouyi muttered, clicking his tongue.

With a casual swing, he swept the wooden sword through the grass.

At that moment, the wooden sword seemed as sharp as an alloy sword. Countless weeds were severed by an invisible force before even making contact, clearing a wide swath in an instant.

...

Monday, 7:00 AM.

Chen Shouyi got up and opened the wardrobe, where several suits hung. He picked one at random and put it on.

His face was too youthful—his skin fair and smooth, making him look like a minor. Navigating the adult world often invited underestimation and distrust due to his age. Now, he deliberately dressed to appear more mature, and a suit was the simplest, most hassle-free choice.

Next, he went to the bathroom, picked up his razor, and shaved off the faint fuzz on his upper lip.

After checking himself in the mirror, he nodded in satisfaction—he looked much better now.

With the fine hair above his lips gone, the high school student aura about him had nearly vanished. If his gaze were a bit sharper and his expression a tad colder, no one would doubt his age.

The house was empty—early in the morning, his parents and younger sister had gone out to search for a location to open their restaurant.

He left the residential area, had breakfast at a nearby eatery, and hailed a taxi.

Sitting in the car, he closed his eyes and opened his Attribute Panel.

Strength: 134

Agility: 134

Constitution: 139

Intelligence: 126

Perception: 115

Willpower: 125

Knowledge:

- Chinese Language (Proficient: 6)

- Physics (Proficient: 12)

- Biology (10)

- Chemistry (Proficient: 11)

- Mathematics (Proficient: 9)

- English (Proficient: 6)

- Computer Science (Beginner: 6)

- Culinary Arts (Beginner: 5)

- Thirty-Six Body Refining Techniques (Proficient: 5)

- Meditative Self-Refinement (Proficient: 1)

- Swordsmanship (Proficient: 20)

- Archery (Proficient: 13)

Innate Ability: Primary Regeneration

Energy Accumulation: 024

"In the past two days, Agility and Perception have increased by 0.1 points each. Swordsmanship has reached 'Proficient: 20'—just one step away from mastery. But I feel like I’ve hit a bottleneck, as if something’s missing..."

He pondered silently.

In truth, he had a vague idea of what was lacking.

His Meditative Self-Refinement still hadn’t completed the Muscle Refinement stage. Compared to Senior Martial Artists, there was a certain depth missing, a lack of refinement—like a machine without lubrication, his movements carried a slight stiffness.

The reason was simple: he hadn’t practiced Meditative Self-Refinement for long enough. From beginner to now, it had only been about two months. If not for his physique first being transformed by knowledge and then further enhanced by absorbing the seed of that colossal tree, causing his physical attributes to skyrocket in a short time, he would still be nothing more than a Martial Artist Apprentice, far from becoming a true Martial Artist.

Unfortunately, while physical attributes could leap forward through fortuitous encounters, mental attributes could only improve gradually. As a result, his Perception had become a glaring weakness.

"But there’s no need to rush. In terms of combat power, with my far superior physical attributes—especially my full point advantage in Agility—my fighting prowess should be no less than that of a Senior Martial Artist!"

---

Half an hour later, Chen Shouyi walked into the Xiacheng District Public Security Bureau. Not bothering to search around, he went straight to the service counter in the lobby and asked:

"Hello, I’m a newly assigned Martial Artist. Where do I go for the onboarding procedures?"

A pretty female officer wearing light makeup gasped and quickly stood up. "Sir! This matter should be handled by the Personnel Section. Would you like me to take you there?"

"Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?"

"Not at all, not at all! Please wait a moment." The female officer stepped away from her post and opened the door to the back office. "A Security Consultant is here for onboarding! Xiaojuan, cover for me!"

"A new Security Consultant?" A surprised voice came from inside, followed by a petite young female officer stepping out. She glanced at Chen Shouyi outside with a hint of awe before nodding to her colleague. "Alright, go ahead."

Soon, the pretty female officer returned. "Sir, please follow me!"

Chen Shouyi nodded and followed.

The two left the service hall and walked toward an office building behind it. Chen Shouyi asked, "Are there many Security Consultants here?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Security Consultants belong to the Public Security Police Brigade, but there should be around ten or so."

Chen Shouyi thought to himself, As expected of a provincial capital—even a single district's Public Security Bureau has this many Martial Artists on retainer.

"Sir, you look very young," the Female Officer forced a smile as she complimented him.

"Really? Maybe it's because I have a baby face," Chen Shouyi replied with a laugh.

Before long, they arrived at the office of the Personnel Section Chief on the fourth floor. The Female Officer stepped forward and knocked on the door. After hearing "Come in," she opened the door for him. "Section Chief Zhang, the new Security Consultant is here for onboarding."

The Personnel Section Chief was a bespectacled middle-aged man in his thirties or forties. Upon seeing Chen Shouyi enter, he immediately stood up, strode forward, and shook his hand with a smile. "You must be Mr. Chen Shouyi. We’ve already received notice from the Bureau Chief. Welcome to the Xiacheng District Public Security Bureau."

"You’re too kind."

"Please have a seat first. I’ll go inform the Bureau Chief."

Section Chief Zhang left the office.

Soon, a stout Middle-aged Man walked in briskly with a hearty laugh.

Chen Shouyi stood up.

"Sit, sit, sit! No need for formalities! Mr. Chen, you’re truly young and accomplished. When your file was transferred the day before yesterday, I was quite surprised. Our bureau places great importance on talents like you."

"Once the onboarding is complete, we’ll arrange a meet-and-greet so you can get acquainted with your colleagues in the Public Security Police Brigade. It’d be awkward if no one recognized each other later."

"In principle, Security Consultants aren’t required to work regular hours. You’ll only be called upon to assist in emergencies. We’ll assign you a dedicated Liaison for communication when needed."