C23 Secret Service

As Shi Yutang hurried to the villa's back door, drenched in blood, he was met with a chaotic scene. Secret Service agents were pinning down a drug ring leader attempting to flee, while his student, Su Wei, sat on the ground, gasping for breath. Shi Yutang surveyed the scene and immediately thought of Bullet Time—Su Wei had entered that state once again! Shi Yutang was torn between amusement and concern. He had only intended to give Su Wei a glimpse of the real world, but his student's earnestness was commendable.

Ignoring his own wounds, Shi Yutang helped Su Wei to his feet and guided him toward the police car they had arrived in.

...

"You..." Shi Yutang seemed poised to say more, but upon seeing Su Wei's condition, he reconsidered and held back his words. Instead, he continued to assist Su Wei into the back seat of the police car for a much-needed rest, handed him a bottle of water, and then left.

The operation was a resounding success; the Secret Service had completely wrapped up the case. With the on-site commander's assistance, agents scoured the European-style villa, turning it inside out. Box after box of drug-making supplies and equipment were hauled out by the agents and loaded onto the designated police vehicles for transport back to the station for processing.

The most significant find was an assortment of finished narcotics collected from the drug lab. "Hold on, hold on! Old Jin, there's one more box," someone called out. "Old Yu, pick up the pace! Are you dragging your feet because it's time to retire?" Old Jin shot back without missing a beat.

After placing all the drugs on the electronic scale, Old Jin, in the presence of the chief commander, all Secret Service agents, and the press, weighed the narcotics. The crowd looked on in shock as the scale registered a staggering 120 kilograms. These were newly developed hallucinogens, crafted by the drug traffickers in the wake of the Spectres' emergence, with effects more than ten times stronger than those of drugs from before the Spectres appeared. The sheer volume of drugs before the agents was alarming; if they were to hit the streets, the damage to the public would be incalculable.

Drugs have shattered countless families.

Following the on-site evidence collection, all the responding officers returned to the security detachment.

Per police protocol, every officer was required to document their actions and the incident report. At that moment, Shi Yutang sat beside Su Wei in the patrol car.

"Su Wei, this joint operation by the security detachment and the Order Department, led by the Secret Service, aims to dismantle the drug production hubs in Moontown. The police have been covertly investigating these hubs for several months."

Su Wei understood. The Secret Service, established by the government, managed Soul Masters, while the Order Department and security detachment handled crimes among the general populace.

In cases like this, where the opposition included official Soul Masters, the involvement of the Secret Service was essential!

Since Su Wei and Shi Yutang were part of the drug enforcement operation, they were both taken in the patrol car to the Secret Service office in the western suburb for registration.

...

The officer recording Su Wei's statement was Sun Ziqiang, a man who exuded a sense of justice.

"Name?"

"Su Wei!"

"Age?"

"17 years old!"

...

As Su Wei recounted hearing vibrations through the wall, followed by Qin Zhenwei changing his gun to breach the door, and then seeing the enemy, he instinctively used his first soul mark skill, "Soul Power Lock," to detain the fleeing criminal.

At this point, Sun Ziqiang was visibly moved.

Su Wei continued, explaining how he had held the criminal for three seconds before regaining consciousness to find Qin Zhenwei subduing the escapee.

Sun Ziqiang immediately stood and saluted Su Wei.

"Comrade Su Wei, your actions are commendable! I will inform the higher-ups and seek to secure the appropriate commendations and rewards for you!"

"On behalf of all the officers involved in this operation, I extend our gratitude for your significant contribution. Qin Zhenwei and his team will be especially thankful for your 'Soul Power Lock' skill."

After the debriefing, Su Wei stayed in the office while Sun Ziqiang and other personnel completed the registration of all statements. Once everything was confirmed to be in order, Su Wei was free to go.

Well, Su Wei hadn't anticipated that after exiting the office, Officer Sun Ziqiang wouldn't head to the main office to compile reports but instead made a beeline for the Director of the Secret Service's office on the third floor.

"Good day, Director!"

"Oh, it's Comrade Sun Ziqiang. Shouldn't you be downstairs taking statements? What brings you up here?"

"Director, while I was recording statements, I came across an exceptionally talented individual!"

"I made a point to report this to you!" Sun Ziqiang's voice brimmed with righteousness.

"Ah, a promising young man? How capable is he? If he's just average, don't bother me. We're looking for the real deal, not just to fill the ranks!" Director Yu Jie seemed to have some misconceptions.

"Director, the individual I'm reporting on is named Su Wei, and he's 17 years old!"

"He has awakened his Soul Power and possesses the first soulcraft, known as Soul Power Lock!"

"With his Soul Power Lock, he single-handedly trapped the third-in-command of a drug trafficking ring for a full three seconds during an operation led by the Secret Service. This clearly demonstrates his formidable strength." Sun Ziqiang continued his report, his tone steady.

"Oh? Three seconds? How strong was this third-in-command? If I'm not mistaken, he's a second-level official Soul Master, right?" Director Yu Jie expressed some surprise.

"Correct, Director. The drug ring's third-in-command, Liu Ruijin, is indeed a second-level Soul Master, and his weapon of choice is a submachine gun!"

"And Su Wei's Horcrux, as well as his Soul Master rank, would be..."

"Director, Comrade Su Wei has not yet undergone the Soul Master evaluation. He only completed the Soul Power awakening ritual last month and has since been taken on as a disciple by Shi Yutang, who brought him to participate in this event."

"What? He hasn't undergone the official assessment? So he's not even a quasi-official Soul Master! That means he's still just a civilian!"

Upon realizing this, Director Yu Jie of the Secret Service was visibly affected. He rose from his chair and declared, "Comrade Sun, take me to meet this Su Wei at once!"

"Yes, sir!"

......

As the office door swung open once more, Su Wei was greeted by Sun Ziqiang and an unfamiliar face.

"Comrade Su Wei, correct? I understand you've only awakened your Soul Power last month, is that right?"

"Could you tell me about your Horcrux?"

Upon approaching Su Wei, the stranger immediately barraged him with questions, paying no mind to Su Wei's evident confusion.

"Look at me, forgetting my manners. Let me introduce you. This is Yu Jie from our Secret Service!" Officer Sun Ziqiang stepped forward to introduce him to Su Wei.

"Oh, of course, hello Yu Jie! My Horcrux is a blade, and my first soulcraft is 'Soul Power Lock.' I've already shared this with Officer Sun. He should have it on record, right?" Su Wei responded to Yu Jie's inquiry amidst his bewilderment.

"Ah, I just can't believe it. I'd rather hear it straight from you!"

With no other option, Su Wei recounted the operation details to Yu Jie.

"Su Wei, I see great potential in you. Would you consider joining our Secret Service after you graduate?"

"Ah? Yu Jie, that's—"

"I haven't really thought about work yet. Maybe I can get in touch with you later?" Su Wei replied, feeling somewhat cornered.

"Oh, that's fine, no problem at all. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me!"

With that, Yu Jie from the Secret Service handed Su Wei his business card.

......

Later, Su Wei and Shi Yutang left the Secret Service headquarters in the western suburbs.

On the drive back to school, Shi Yutang couldn't hold back his reprimand any longer.

"Do you even realize how risky it was to use your soul power skills against an enemy whose strength you're unaware of? If their strength had been above third level, do you have any idea what could have happened? You could have been killed on the spot!"

"It's not about how long your soulcraft can hold someone; it's about whether they're strong enough to break free. If they had been, with your current strength, you could have been fatally injured by the backlash. Do you understand?"

Su Wei recognized the unconventional concern in Shi Yutang's scolding. Despite the harsh tone, Su Wei, hardened by life's harsh lessons, could sense the genuine care behind the words.

Su Wei understood that Shi Yutang's sincere concern, though expressed differently from what one might expect, was rooted in a desire for his well-being.

After finishing his time at school with Shi Yutang and as he was preparing to head home, Shi Yutang suddenly spoke up.

"Due to your significant contribution this time, the Secret Service is going to present you with a certificate of honor, along with a bonus of approximately 5,000 yuan. Please be ready for it."

"For the sake of your safety, it's likely that there won't be an elaborate award ceremony!"