strokinit Chapter 91 Reporting to the Branch: No One Else But Him
Chapter 91 Reporting to the Branch: No One Else But Him
Chapter 91 Reporting to the Branch: No One Else But Him
Over the next two days, Lin Ze accompanied Sun Youyu and Chen Han on a leisurely stroll through the central area.
As the core area of Chilian City, the central district is far more prosperous than the northern district.
Skyscrapers stand tall, commercial streets are bustling with activity, and all kinds of upscale restaurants and entertainment venues are readily available.
Sun Youyu and Chen Han had a great time, and Lin Ze also relaxed and enjoyed this rare moment of leisure.
During that time, he also took some time to visit the extreme training center in the central area and experience the top-of-the-line training facilities.
It has to be said that it's miles ahead of the training facilities in the North District.
Even the training facilities of the North District Detachment are far inferior.
Needless to say, the service was impeccable, making guests feel right at home.
Of course, it's not cheap either.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Early on the third day, Lin Ze changed into his brand-new second lieutenant uniform and drove to the Chilian branch.
The branch is located in the southeast of the central area, covering a vast area with a well-arranged cluster of buildings. The star-blue flag flutters in the morning breeze, exuding a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Because he hadn't obtained a pass yet, Lin Ze couldn't enter the branch directly. He had to park his car in a nearby parking lot and then walk there.
From afar, he spotted two familiar figures.
Tang Wangshu also changed into a warrant officer's uniform today. The well-tailored uniform accentuated her tall and straight figure. Her long hair was tied into a neat ponytail, making her look less gentle and more heroic.
Standing next to her was Wei Ran.
The leader of Special Operations Team Two was also wearing a second lieutenant's uniform today. When he saw Lin Ze approaching, he immediately put on a warm smile and quickly came to greet him.
"Lieutenant Lin, you've arrived."
In the battle at the martial arts arena that day, Lin Ze defeated Tao Leshan, indirectly avenging him. Tao Leshan is now both grateful and admiring of Lin Ze, and his attitude is very enthusiastic.
All three were from the North District branch and were about to join a new team. Naturally, they wanted to stick together and look out for each other. So they had arranged to meet at the branch entrance to report together.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the three walked side by side toward the branch's gate.
The branch's security was much tighter than that of the North District branch. Even the guards at the gate were professionals who sharply scanned the people coming and going. When they saw Lin Ze and his two companions approaching, one of them stepped forward and raised his hand in salute.
Please show your identification.
Lin Ze and the other two took out their military officer IDs and handed them over.
After carefully inspecting the items, the sergeant took out his communicator, said a few words, and then saluted the three men again.
"Please wait a moment, you three. I have already notified the administration department, and someone will be here to pick you up soon."
Sure enough, less than two minutes later, a woman in her thirties walked quickly out of the gate.
She had delicate features, a capable demeanor, and was dressed in a well-fitting women's suit; she was clearly an administrative staff member.
Upon seeing Lin Ze and his two companions, the female officer's face broke into a warm smile.
"The three of you must be Second Lieutenant Lin Ze, Second Lieutenant Wei Ran, and Warrant Officer Tang Wangshu. I am Li Hong, Deputy Director of the Administrative Department. Welcome to the branch."
"Hello, Director Li."
The three greeted each other.
Under normal circumstances, when ordinary non-commissioned officers report to the branch, they are usually received by the administrative officer.
However, since Lin Ze and the other two were members of a special operations team, including two second lieutenants, it was Li Hong, the deputy director, who personally came forward.
Li Hong said with a friendly smile, "Don't be shy, come with me. I'll take you to the logistics department to collect the supplies first, and then we'll familiarize you with the branch's environment."
As she spoke, she turned to the side and gestured for them to proceed.
Lin Ze and the other two followed her and entered the branch's gate.
The moment you step through the gate, a solemn and dignified atmosphere immediately washes over you.
The wide main road stretches straight into the depths, flanked by neatly trimmed green belts and tall trees, with various functional buildings faintly visible in the distance.
Soldiers in star-blue uniforms walked by frequently on the road, their steps hurried and their expressions solemn.
The atmosphere here is much more serious than that of the North District branch.
"The branch covers an area of about 200 hectares and is divided into several areas, including administration, training, living quarters, and logistics," Li Hong explained as they walked. "The special operations team's office area is in the administration building. I'll take you there to see it later."
"But before that, let's go to the logistics department first."
She led the three of them onto a side road on the left, and after walking for about five minutes, they arrived at a three-story gray building.
A sign that reads "Logistics Department" hangs at the entrance of the building, and people come and go from time to time.
Upon entering the logistics department hall, one finds a spacious area divided into multiple windows, each corresponding to different material collection and exchange services.
Li Hong walked directly through the lobby to the office area at the back.
Soon, staff members came to greet her. Li Hong gave them a few instructions, and the staff members turned and left. They returned shortly afterward with three silver-gray suitcases.
"This contains the special operations team's combat uniforms, passes, new multi-functional watches, and some basic consumables."
Li Hong opened one of the briefcases and pointed to the combat uniforms inside, saying, "The combat uniforms of the special operations team are different from those of the regular operations team. They have special patterns on the cuffs and collars. You can take a look later."
She paused, then continued, "In addition, depending on your rank and position, you will receive varying amounts of supplies each month."
"Quota?" Wei Ran asked curiously.
"Yes." Li Hong nodded. "Mainly some treatment potions, physical recovery potions, antidotes, smoke bombs, poison mist canisters, and so on."
"Special operations teams have 50% more quotas than regular operations teams, which is one of their preferential treatments."
Lin Ze nodded secretly.
The benefits and treatment at the branch were indeed much better than those at the district branch.
If you're stationed in the North District Detachment, you'll have to buy these things yourself or exchange them for military merits.
"In addition, the branch's military merit system is different from that of the district; it adopts a contribution point system, where everyone can earn contribution points by completing tasks."
"In addition, warrant officers and officers of the rank of warrant officer and above will receive basic contribution points each month based on their rank: 1 point per month for warrant officers, 2 points per month for second lieutenants, and double the base value for members of special operations teams."
"Contribution points can be used to exchange for resources, including extraordinary materials, equipment, rare items, cards, alchemical products, and puppets, etc. In general, the variety is much richer than that of the regional squads."
The so-called contribution point system sounds similar to the small and medium contribution points system in different zones.
The difference is that even if non-commissioned officers and officers are not on duty, they can still receive a fixed number of contribution points each month, which can be considered a kind of benefit.
Wei Ran glanced at Lin Ze and couldn't help but ask, "Do you have any rare cards?"
The scene of Lin Ze using Gale Slash had left a deep impression on him, and he had been envious of it for a long time.
"Of course," Li Hong said with a smile. "The branch's resource library contains a large number of cards, ranging from common to rare. However, rare cards require a lot of contribution points, and there are rank restrictions for exchanging them. Usually, you need to be a second lieutenant or above to be eligible to exchange them."
Lin Ze's eyes flickered slightly.
This was beyond his expectations.
Back in the North District branch, the highest-level cards available on the internal exchange list were only of the Fine grade; forget about getting any Rare grade cards.
Unexpectedly, the branch actually put it out for people to exchange.
Because of her sister, Tang Wangshu already had some understanding of the branch's system beforehand, so she wasn't too surprised at this moment and just listened quietly.
Wei Ran couldn't help but exclaim, "The branch's resources are indeed so much better than the brigade's!"
Li Hong smiled and said, "Of course, the branch brings together the elites of the entire Chilian City, so the resources allocated to it will definitely be greater. Alright, put the supplies away first, and I'll show you around the branch."
The three of them packed their suitcases and followed Li Hong out of the logistics department.
"Let's start with the living area; that's where the cafeteria and lounge are located."
"
Li Hong led the three of them westward.
Just as they walked out of the building, a group of people not far away noticed the commotion.
There were seven or eight of them, all young men in their twenties, wearing star-blue military uniforms, with all of them holding the epaulets of warrant officer or second lieutenant.
The leader was a young man in his early twenties, tall and handsome, with a subtle air of arrogance in his eyes.
He glanced at the backs of Lin Ze and the other two, then turned to look at the person beside him, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"Leshan, is that Lin Ze who defeated you?"
Tao Leshan's face was rather unpleasant, and he responded with a sullen voice.
"It doesn't look like anything special." A short-haired girl next to me curled her lip. "Leshan, you're not underestimating your opponent, are you?"
Tao Leshan opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but didn't know what to say.
Should I say that I went all out, or that I was defeated by the opponent in one move?
That would be so embarrassing.
"Don't underestimate Lin Ze. Although he is only a level 4 professional, his strength should not be underestimated."
Chang Yao spoke up to help Tao Leshan out of his predicament.
"I asked Consultant Xue, and he said that when Lin Ze was in the North District, he once killed a Level 5 cadre from the cliff face."
"Really?" Xu Wei's eyes widened.
The others also looked surprised.
Killing a level 5 professional who is significantly stronger than himself is an absurd feat.
"If Consultant Xue said it himself, how could it be false?" Chang Yao's tone was flat, revealing no emotion. "However, the level of cadres in the Cliff is uneven. The one who died at Lin Ze's hands was probably not very strong."
These words prompted everyone to nod in agreement.
Indeed, a seasoned level 5 professional would never lose to a level 4 professional, no matter how amazing or outstanding the latter may be.
Even among level 5 professionals, there is a significant difference in strength. If someone is a bottom performer with only one attribute that meets the standard, but whose skills and talents are mediocre, it is still surprising to see them kill someone of a higher level, but at least it is much more acceptable.
"It seems that this guy named Lin Ze is not to be underestimated."
"So what? There are plenty of people among us who are better than him."
"Exactly, don't embolden others."
Those present were all elites selected by the branch through rigorous screening and careful selection to join the special operations team.
Among them, quite a few possess level 5 strength.
Lin Ze's talent is indeed amazing, but in the end, his strength is only comparable to level 5. Among these people, he cannot be considered outstanding.
"Besides, Jiang Mu is also there."
Xu Wei looked at the young man in the lead with bright eyes.
"Everyone knows Jiang Mu's strength; the captain's position is undoubtedly his."
Everyone laughed and agreed.
Hearing the compliments from the crowd, Jiang Mu's face remained expressionless, but a hint of barely perceptible arrogance flashed deep in his eyes.
The establishment of the special operations team attracted much attention, with countless eyes watching it both openly and secretly.
If one can become the captain of the special operations team, one will surely become famous and the most dazzling new star in the branch, which will be of great benefit to future development.
So no matter what, he must win the captain's position!
A mere Level 4 professional who came up from a district branch is not worth his attention.
His real rival is Hins Tam!
Meanwhile, Li Hong had already shown Lin Ze and the other two around the residential area.
The living area is quite large, including three canteen buildings, a coffee shop, a tea room, a bookstore, a cinema, a gym, a swimming pool and a series of other recreational facilities, making it much better than the North District Detachment.
"The branch has more than 5,000 permanent staff and several times that number of temporary staff, so the living facilities are very complete."
After leaving the living area, Li Hong led the three of them toward the training area.
The training area is located on the east side of the branch and consists of several buildings.
The most eye-catching building is a five-story silver building with a smooth, mirror-like exterior that reflects a cold luster in the sunlight.
"That's the comprehensive training building, which contains various training rooms, including physical training rooms, weapons training rooms, physical skills training rooms, mental training rooms, and so on."
As Li Hong walked, she pointed to an inconspicuous entrance on the side of the building.
"That's the underground entrance, leading to the dungeon lobby."
"The branch currently has four dungeons, with challenge levels ranging from level 1 to level 10. Similar to the divisions, the branch has a different number of challenge opportunities per month depending on the rank. Once you've used them all, you can exchange contribution points for more opportunities."
Lin Ze nodded slightly.
The branch's resources were indeed much richer than those of the partition.
No matter what level of professional, they can find a suitable dungeon.
As for levels 10 and above, that's the domain of awakened-level powerhouses.
Such important figures wouldn't stay in Red Lotus City, so they naturally wouldn't need a dungeon.
The only thing that he found a little regrettable was that the special operations team did not have any extra benefits in this regard. As a second lieutenant, he only had ten dungeon challenge opportunities per month.
Although Lin Ze already has the [Drilling Hive] dungeon, he wouldn't refuse an opportunity to run a higher-level challenge dungeon if given the chance.
After all, the higher the dungeon challenge level, the greater the chance of getting good items.
"Besides the comprehensive training building, there are also shooting ranges, combat simulation fields, and field training areas over there," Li Hong introduced one by one. "The branch's training facilities are the most complete in the entire Chilian City, comparable to the Extreme Training Center. The latter may have better service, but it is expensive. All the facilities here are open to branch members free of charge. The three of you can come here more often in the future."
Wei Ran and Tang Wangshu nodded repeatedly, their eyes full of anticipation.
Following closely behind, Li Hong led the three of them to the administrative district.
The administrative area is located in the center of the branch and consists of several office buildings, the tallest of which is a ten-story building, where all departments of the branch are located.
"The special operations team's offices are on the 7th floor of Building 3. The entire floor is there. We'll go up and take a look later..."
'
As Li Hong was speaking, a group of people suddenly walked out of the administration building.
The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a burly build, a powerful stride, and an imposing presence that exuded authority. His every move carried a sense of oppression, clearly indicating that he had long held a high position.
He was followed by five or six people, both men and women.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Li Hong's expression immediately became respectful. She gestured for Lin Ze and the other two to step aside and whispered, "It's Deputy Branch Chief Zhu He."
Deputy Branch Secretary!
Lin Ze and the other two were all taken aback.
The highest authority of the branch is the command headquarters, which consists of the branch head, two deputy branch heads, and more than ten advisors, and is in charge of all military affairs in Chilian City.
As the deputy branch head, Zhu He was the de facto number two figure in Chilian City, holding a high position and great power.
Wei Ran subconsciously straightened his back, looking tense.
Zhu He and his group were walking this way.
Li Hong immediately stood at attention and saluted: "Good morning, Deputy Branch Secretary!"
Lin Ze and the other two also saluted.
Zhu He glanced at the group, nodded slightly, and continued walking.
However, as they passed each other, someone behind him suddenly smiled at Lin Ze and nodded in greeting.
It was Xue Dai.
Lin Ze was slightly taken aback, then nodded in return.
After walking a short distance, Zhu He suddenly asked without turning around, "Does Consultant Xue know that young man?"
However, he had witnessed Xue Dai nodding to Lin Ze earlier.
Xue Dai explained with a smile, "Major Zhu, that young man is named Lin Ze. He's a new member of the Special Operations Team, and he came from the North District Branch."
"Oh?" Zhu He raised an eyebrow. "For you to value him so much, he must have some extraordinary qualities?"
"That's right." Xue Dai smiled slightly. "Lin Ze is 19 years old this year and is a level 4 sword spirit. In the recent battle that wiped out Blood Eagle, he killed a level 5 cadre from Cliff in a head-on confrontation."
These words surprised everyone present.
"Level 4 kills Level 5?"
"Really?"
"There are geniuses like this in the North District?"
Even Zhu He showed a hint of emotion on his face.
"His qualifications are even better than Jiang Mu and Tan Jingxuan's," an advisor couldn't help but sigh. "It's a pity he's too young. If he had two more years to grow, he would be the captain of the special operations team without a doubt."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, it's still a bit lacking in refinement."
"If nothing unexpected happens, the special operations team leader will likely be chosen from among Jiang Mu and Tan Jingxuan."
Zhu He remained noncommittal, but glanced at Lin Ze again before leading the group away.
Watching Zhu He and his group walk away, Li Hong breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Lin Ze, her eyes already showing a hint of surprise.
She saw everything Xue Dai had just done.
The fact that Lieutenant Lin Ze could elicit such a pleasant response from Advisor Xue suggests that he is no ordinary man.
Thinking of this, Li Hong's smile became even warmer.
After that, she led the three of them around the administrative district and finally to the seventh floor of the administrative building.
The special operations team's office area occupies an entire floor and is divided into several areas, including offices, meeting rooms, lounges, and archives. The decoration is simple yet grand, and the conditions are much better than those of the North District branch.
"The three of you can familiarize yourselves with the environment today. Meet at Martial Arts Hall No. 4 at 9:00 AM tomorrow. An advisor will be there to arrange team affairs."
Li Hong gave some more instructions and then took her leave.
Wei Ran and Tang Wangshu looked around with great interest.
Lin Ze went to the office, randomly chose a seat, and turned on the computer to log in to the internal website.
The conversation had caught his attention, and he decided to check what good items were on the branch's exchange list.