Start with push-ups to gain experience

"Internal Affairs Department?"

Ma Donghe curled his lip, looking completely unconcerned, and said:

"Are those the bastards who came to my house to investigate me last time? What do they usually do? Investigate corruption, catch spies?"

"They specifically investigate the conduct and discipline of internal personnel, both overtly and covertly; to put it bluntly, they are investigating their own people."

Wei Zheng looked serious, glanced around, and lowered his voice:
"This department is not bound by any routine instructions and reports directly to Chief of Staff Ling."

"Chief Ling trusts them a lot and has given them a great deal of authority. These people are always around like ghosts. If they target you, you'll be lucky to escape with your life. They are a typical example of a small temple with a big demon."

After hearing this, Ma Donghe's eyes widened, and he blurted out:

"Damn, isn't this just the ancient Eastern Depot?"

You can understand it that way.

Wei Zheng nodded in agreement:

"So in the future, if you encounter them at headquarters, try to avoid them, keep your mouth shut, and don't get into conflicts with them. Even if you suffer some losses, you have to endure it."

Hearing Wei Zheng's serious warning, Ma Donghe scratched his head, his eyes darting around, unable to suppress his curiosity:
"Senior brother, since there's the Eastern Depot, then... does our special search team also have the Western Depot?"

Wei Zheng's eyes flickered, a mysterious smile curving his lips, and his voice lowered even further:

"Have."

"Really?"

Ma Dong-hyuk gasped.

Upon hearing this, even Hou Peng perked up his ears.

Fang Cheng maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, but in reality, he was also paying attention to Wei Zheng's next move.

"However, the so-called 'West Factory' was not part of the formal staffing system."

Wei Zheng started walking again, leading them through the connecting corridor, and explained in a deep voice:

"It's hidden deep within the intelligence department, a dark blade that specializes in doing dirty and tiring work. No one knows the specific personnel composition, nor can they find out the top-secret missions they usually carry out. Once you've become familiar with headquarters, you'll naturally hear some rumors."

Seeing Wei Zheng's cryptic expression, the others stopped pressing him and began to process this information about the unspoken rules of official institutions.

After passing through the connecting corridor, the group arrived at the central passageway of the first-floor lobby.

But then three people walked towards them.

The man in the middle was tall and wore a black uniform with the Special Investigations Team's high-ranking insignia, the fabric taut over his muscular physique.

He had a short, flat haircut, a square face, and a steady, mountain-like gait. His leather boots made a rhythmic, muffled sound as they hit the ground, exuding an extremely strong sense of pressure.

A thin young man carrying a coffee cup followed on the left.

On the right is a burly man wearing a stretch shirt with bulging arm muscles.

Fang Cheng recognized them at a glance.

It was Gao Jin, an old acquaintance, and his two trusted subordinates, Zhou Liang and Ali.

The two men were tilting their heads and whispering something to Gao Jin, vaguely revealing the words "Noah" and "fund flow".

Upon seeing this from afar, Wei Zheng immediately abandoned his casual demeanor towards the newcomers and stood up straight.

As Gao Jin approached, he stood with his legs together, raised his hand in a standard Special Investigations Team salute, and spoke in a loud voice:

"Hello, Captain Gao!"

Gao Jin stopped, his steady gaze falling on Wei Zheng's face. He nodded slightly in return.

"Wei Zheng, are you bringing the new recruits to report for duty today?"

"Yes, we just finished recording their files and are taking them to different departments to familiarize them with the environment."

Wei Zheng answered respectfully.

Gao Jin casually glanced at the three people behind Wei Zheng.

My gaze first swept over Ma Donghe, who was leaning on a cane and had an exaggerated build, paused for half a second, and then slid over the timid Hou Peng.

Finally, his gaze fell on Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng lowered his eyes slightly, put his hands in his pockets, and relaxed his shoulders.

He completely concealed his aura, disguising himself as a slightly carefree new recruit who was a little nervous when he saw his superior.

The distance between the two was only a few meters.

Gao Jin's gaze lingered on Fang Cheng's face for a second, his brows furrowing slightly.

It seemed as if they were examining his bone structure, searching for some inexplicable sense of familiarity in their memories.

Fang Cheng remained calm, his breathing rate unchanged.

He had even begun to mentally simulate the scenario.

If Gao Jin senses something amiss, he needs to subdue the other party within seconds, or use his eloquence to explain his origins.

But Gao Jin only examined it for a moment before looking away, without showing any unusual behavior.

For this senior investigator, there are too many new recruits every year. Apart from a few outstanding talents, most of them are just cogs in the machine at the grassroots level and are not worth his time and energy.

"Work hard, the special investigation team needs fresh blood."

Gao Jin patted Wei Zheng on the shoulder and offered a word of encouragement in a deep voice.

Then, leading Zhou Liang and Ali, they strode towards the office area.

Fang Cheng raised his head, his gaze following Gao Jin's broad back as he disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

Who would have thought that the ruthless commander of the special search team, who was determined to wipe out the Noah organization, and his painstakingly sought ally, "White Owl," had just passed each other by in such an ordinary way.

Fang Cheng's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, but he quickly regained his composure.

"That's Captain Gao Jin from our Operations Department, a notoriously tough nut to crack in the Special Search Team."

Seeing that Fang Cheng, Ma Donghe, and the others were all staring at each other's backs, Wei Zheng introduced them:

"He is fearless and doesn't give face to anyone. Even Chief of Staff Ling has a headache with him."

"However, Captain Gao's personal character is absolutely impeccable. In the entire department, apart from Commander Shi and me, he is the person you can trust the most. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will introduce you to him so that you can all get to know each other better."

Wei Zheng explained for a while, then urged:
"Alright, now go and collect your equipment, and I'll take you to your departments one by one."

The logistics department's processes are much faster now.

The three men each received two large military green carrying bags, which contained three sets of training uniforms, two sets of service uniforms, tactical boots, and various individual living supplies.

Fang Cheng carried the heavy packages, and Wei Zheng began to escort them one by one to their respective reporting posts.

He first took Hou Peng to the Information Section of the Intelligence Department on the eighteenth floor.

Pushing open the heavy soundproof door, you'll find a space that resembles a combination of a large internet cafe and a command center.

Hundreds of monitors flickered with a ghostly blue light, and the server racks emitted a constant hum.

The air was thick with the smell of heated electronic components. Several operators, wearing headphones, moved their hands across the keyboards in a blur.

A waterfall of garbled text flashed rapidly across the screen, seemingly tracking an encrypted overseas signal source.

Wei Zheng handed Hou Peng over to a supervisor wearing glasses and told him to do a good job in the future.

Hou Peng bowed repeatedly, picked up his bag, and walked to his workstation.

Next was the place where Ma Dong-hyuk reported for duty.

The operations department on the twelfth floor was a completely different scene.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, a strong smell of sweat and tobacco hit me.

Few people were sitting and working in the spacious hall; most were gathered together, loudly boasting.

On the fighting platform in the corner, two shirtless operatives were engaged in a brutal hand-to-hand combat, surrounded by a crowd of people cheering and applauding.

"Wow, this is my home turf!"

Ma Donghe was so excited that he was practically snorting loudly, and he was just about to throw down his cane and hop on one leg to join in the fun.

Wei Zheng summoned the captain of the fourth squad of the action department and pointed at Ma Donghe:
"Captain Xing, this big guy is my junior brother. He's in your care from now on. He's tough and resilient. Once his leg injury heals, you can train him however you like."

The captain's eyes lit up, and he patted Ma Donghe's broad shoulder, nodding in satisfaction.

"Good physique, a promising talent."

After seeing the two off, only Fang Cheng and Wei Zheng remained to travel together.

The elevator descended smoothly, and the numbers on the display screen kept changing.

“Junior Brother Fang, your arrangements are different from theirs.” Wei Zheng turned to look at Fang Cheng, his tone becoming very gentle.

Fang Cheng turned to the side and looked at the other person: "Please speak, senior brother."

"You applied to the medical department under the logistics department."

Wei Zheng softened his tone and said softly:
"Commander Shi knows you have a calm personality and don't like fighting, so he has already taken care of the connections for you and arranged for you to take up a temporary post at the sanatorium."

Fang Cheng nodded.

The two had already discussed and finalized this matter during Shi Chengyi's last visit.

Wei Zheng paused briefly, then continued to explain:
"However, the situation there is rather special, and the official transfer order will probably take about two weeks to be approved."

"And before that, like Dong-hyuk and the others, you have to attend a week-long new recruit training camp, which is also called induction military training."

"So, what Commander Shi means is that you stay at headquarters for the next two days to get used to the work atmosphere and pace of operation here."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly:

"I will follow the arrangements and take this opportunity to familiarize myself with the headquarters environment."

Wei Zheng smiled and continued:

"The sanatorium is located at the foot of Xishan Mountain, in a quiet and secluded environment. It mainly provides rehabilitation and physiotherapy for retired cadres or special agents who have been seriously injured."

"It's usually quiet and undisturbed, which is perfect for you to cultivate your mind and character. Moreover, those who can go there to recuperate are not ordinary people, which will greatly benefit your future network of contacts."

Upon hearing the words "Xishan," a strange light flashed in Fang Cheng's eyes, which he quickly concealed.

West Mountain...

This will make it convenient for me to go back and explore the entrance to that ancient civilization's ruins, and find an opportunity to return to the other world.

This arrangement is like a pillow being delivered to someone who's about to fall asleep.

"Junior Brother Fang."

Wei Zheng raised his hand and patted Fang Cheng's shoulder twice, his tone solemn:
"You must seize this opportunity and not let Commander Shi down."

"Spend a few years there to gain experience and seniority, then you can be transferred back to headquarters. Your starting point will be completely different from that of an ordinary special operations agent."

His words were very sincere, truly heartfelt, and he didn't treat Fang Cheng as an outsider at all.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior brother. And please also thank Commander Shi for his guidance on my behalf."

Fang Cheng expressed his sincere gratitude.

Seeing that he understood his meaning, Wei Zheng smiled with satisfaction:
"Commander Shi has witnessed your bone-setting and massage techniques before and has always praised them highly. This position in the medical department is absolutely perfect for you. Show off your skills, and those senior leaders will definitely appreciate it."

The two chatted happily in the elevator, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

With a "ding," the elevator stopped on the first floor.

Wei Zheng led Fang Cheng through the spacious hall, out the back door, and straight to a relatively independent five-story building at the back of the building.

As soon as I approached the small building, a strong smell of disinfectant mixed with the bitter aroma of herbs wafted over.

Compared to the hustle and bustle of the main building in front, this place is noticeably quieter.

"Although the work in the medical department at headquarters is usually quite complicated, the overall atmosphere is relatively relaxed."

As Wei Zheng walked, he said, "I'll take you to meet a friend first. With her taking care of you, your work in the medical department will be much smoother in the future."

The two pushed open the double glass doors and went inside.

The lobby on the first floor is covered with clean white tiles, and photos of the attending physician and emergency procedure diagrams are hung on both sides of the wall.

Several medical staff in white coats hurried by, pushing a cart full of medicines. The cart wheels made a slight creaking sound on the floor.

Wei Zheng led Fang Cheng to the nurses' station on the west side of the lobby.

Behind the counter, a woman in a pink nurse's uniform was looking down at the prescription.

"Miss Li."

Wei Zheng walked up to the counter and greeted them.

Hearing the call, the nurse's gaze swept over Wei Zheng, her eyes immediately lighting up, and a smile playing on her lips:
"Oh my, isn't this our busy Wei? What wind blew you here in my humble office today?"

"Sister Li, you're joking. I wouldn't come here without a reason."

Wei Zheng leaned on the edge of the counter with one hand, his posture relaxed.

Unlike his usual serious demeanor towards other operators, his tone at this moment carried a hint of familiarity and intimacy.

Fang Cheng stood to the side, his gaze naturally observing the other person.

The nurse was in her thirties, with her hair neatly styled and a voluptuous figure.

The name tag on the left side of the white coat had a line of clear text: Head Nurse: Li Man.

Wei Zheng exchanged a few pleasantries with Li Man, then pointed to Fang Cheng beside him and introduced him:
"I'm bringing a treasure to your medical department. Fang Cheng, a new recruit this year, is skilled in traditional bone-setting and massage. Even Commander Shi gives him a thumbs up. He's going to be assigned to a post in Xishan. He'll be staying with you for a while, so please take good care of him."

Upon hearing this, Li Man turned her gaze to Fang Cheng.

She looked Fang Cheng up and down, his handsome face and tall figure, her smile widening, and then she walked out from behind the counter.

"The young man is really handsome, and he looks very strong."

Li Man patted Fang Cheng's arm warmly, then turned and winked at Wei Zheng:

"Don't worry, since it was personally sent by your Commander Wei, I will definitely take good care of this handsome young man and never let him suffer any grievances."

"Hello, Head Nurse Li. Please take care of me in the future."

Fang Cheng gave a perfectly timed, gentle smile.

Wei Zheng glanced at his watch, straightened his back, and gave his final instructions:

"Junior Brother Fang, spend the next couple of days with Head Nurse Li to familiarize yourself with the medical department's rules and regulations and drug classifications. I'll send someone to pick you up once the military training notice comes out."

"Understood, Senior Brother, you can go ahead and get busy."

Fang Cheng responded.

"Okay, I have a meeting with the team, so I'll be going now."

Wei Zheng patted Fang Cheng's arm: "Call me anytime if you need anything."

After saying that, he turned to look at Li Man:

"Sister Li, I'm handing the person over to you. I'll treat you to dinner another day."

"It's a deal, don't even think about going back on your word."

Li Man smiled and waved.

Watching Wei Zheng's agile figure disappear outside the door, Fang Cheng picked up the heavy military green carrying bag.

"Come on, Xiao Fang, come with me to your workstation."

Li Man, wearing flat shoes, walked ahead, leading Fang Cheng through the corridor to an office at the end.

The door was half-open, and there were four or five desks inside.

Only one doctor wearing reading glasses was writing a medical record; the others were probably busy in the wards.

Li Man did not disturb the old doctor and led Fang Cheng directly to an empty workstation by the window.

He then went to the water dispenser, filled a glass with warm water, handed it to Fang Cheng, and casually instructed him:

"Put your bag down first. You've just started today, so you don't need to do any work. Get familiar with the environment first. If you need any equipment or office supplies, just come find me at the front."

"Sister, I still need to go and take inventory of the storeroom. You can wait here for a while."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Li."

Fang Cheng took the paper cup.

Li Man smiled, nodded, and turned to leave.

The room fell completely silent.

Fang Cheng put down his water glass, walked to his desk, and pushed open the south-facing glass window.

The midday sun shone down, landing on his shoulders and bringing a comfortable warmth.

Fang Cheng gazed at the towering buildings in the distance and took a deep breath.

From this day forward, he is not only a hunter lurking in the shadows, but also a legitimate member of this massive state apparatus.

The new game has officially begun. (End of Chapter)