After Su Fan returned home and informed Su Yutong, he prepared to enter the game world to improve his strength.
However, fate did not go as planned. Before he could depart, Gu Zhi's call came.
"Director Su, it's been a while."
Gu Zhi greeted Su Fan with a hearty laugh.
"Cut the nonsense and get to the point," Su Fan replied.
Gu Zhi never called without a reason, so if he was on the phone, there must be something.
"Ahem."
Gu Zhi coughed awkwardly, trying to mask his emotions.
"It's like this, remember when the Church of Light visited us last time? So, the higher-ups have decided that the Super Management Bureau should also pay them a visit. However, our bureau doesn't have anyone who can truly represent us, so..."
Gu Zhi didn't finish his sentence, but Su Fan understood his meaning.
"I just offended the Church of Light, and now you want me to go to their stronghold? Isn't that like a sheep walking into a tiger's den?" Su Fan said with some dissatisfaction.
"How can you say that? 'A sheep walking into a tiger's den' describes you? You're clearly a tiger entering a flock of sheep!" Gu Zhi was asking for a favor, so he didn't hesitate to flatter Su Fan.
Su Fan did feel flattered, so... he'd curse you a little less behind your back later.
"I don't want to go. Find someone else," Su Fan was eager to improve his strength and didn't have time for such trivial matters.
"Don't be like that, there are benefits," Gu Zhi couldn't let Su Fan go. Besides him, the Super Management Bureau had no other powerful individuals.
"What benefits?" Hearing that there were benefits, Su Fan's interest piqued slightly.
"We've reviewed the information you gave us about Heavenly Realm martial artists. Among them, there's an ancient text that describes a weapon possessing the 'Heaven and Earth Momentum.' That weapon is currently in the Super Management Bureau's warehouse. We didn't pay much attention to it before because we didn't know what it was. Once you return from this trip, the item will be yours," Gu Zhi was making a significant concession. A weapon imbued with the Heaven and Earth Momentum?
As a Heavenly Realm martial artist, Su Fan knew very well that without the manipulation of a Heavenly Realm expert, the Heaven and Earth Momentum could not be infused into a weapon. Even then, Heavenly Realm experts could only temporarily imbue the momentum into a weapon while using it. A weapon that inherently carried the Heaven and Earth Momentum could be considered a divine artifact!
"Is there really such a thing?" Su Fan asked, still a little unsure.
"When have I ever lied to you!" Gu Zhi swore an oath.
Su Fan: I believe in your evil.
However, Su Fan was genuinely curious to see what a weapon imbued with the Heaven and Earth Momentum looked like.
"Alright, I'll take the job. But can I bring someone with me?" Su Fan nodded and said into the phone.
He wasn't entirely at ease traveling to a Western country alone and wanted to bring Lin Yao along for an extra layer of security.
"You can," Gu Zhi was just happy that Su Fan agreed. Who he brought was of no consequence to him.
Su Fan immediately rushed to the Martial Alliance.
Upon seeing Dongfang Tingyin, he asked, "Where's Lin Yao?" Su Fan had looked around but couldn't find Lin Yao.
"In the training room," Dongfang Tingyin replied calmly.
"Why is she in the training room again? Has she relapsed?" Su Fan asked, puzzled. Since defeating the Assassin's Alliance, Lin Yao seemed to have put the matter of Jiuli behind her. Had she remembered Jiuli again?
"She said if she doesn't train harder, you'll catch up to her. She's been training desperately lately," Dongfang Tingyin said to Su Fan with a composed expression.
"I see." Su Fan suddenly understood. However, it was too late. I've already caught up.
Su Fan immediately went to the training room. He arrived at the door of Lin Yao's training room, which had now become her exclusive training space.
*Knock, knock, knock!*
Su Fan gently knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Lin Yao's voice came from inside.
"It's me, Su Fan," Su Fan replied.
Shortly after, the door was opened. Lin Yao appeared before Su Fan, dripping with sweat. The fact that a Heavenly Realm martial artist could sweat from training indicated the intensity of Lin Yao's regimen.
"Come with me abroad," Su Fan told Lin Yao.
"No, I still need to train. You're almost catching up to me. If you keep this up, you'll be bullying me like I used to bully you," Lin Yao flatly refused, insisting on training.
"It's too late. I'm already in the Tianji Realm," Su Fan said with a smile.
Lin Yao paused for a moment, then decisively turned and walked back into the training room.
"Then I need to train even harder. Don't disturb me."
"Ugh."
"I'll give you ten Breakthrough Pills when I get back. You might not need them, but your master will," Su Fan was making a significant concession. Ten attribute pills were equivalent to ten million!
"Ten pills? What good are they? I'm not going," Lin Yao refused again. Breakthrough Pills were good, but they didn't guarantee a breakthrough. With ten pills, someone with bad luck might not break through even ten times.
"One hundred pills, or we're not talking," Lin Yao made a bold demand, partly to make Su Fan give up, and partly because if Su Fan could actually produce them, she might consider accompanying him.
Su Fan's face immediately showed distress. That was one hundred million!
"Fifty pills!" Su Fan tried to negotiate, still wanting to haggle with Lin Yao.
Lin Yao remained unmoved.
"Not going. Please close the door for me," Lin Yao said as she sat down cross-legged, preparing to resume her training.
Su Fan felt a pang of heartache.
"Fine! One hundred pills!" Su Fan agreed. Exchanging one hundred million for the company of a Heavenly Realm martial artist was still a decent deal, at least he'd have a helper.
Lin Yao immediately smiled.
"Payment first," Lin Yao was quite shrewd. She wanted Su Fan to pay upfront; otherwise, she definitely wouldn't go.
Su Fan could only reluctantly instruct Dongfang Tingyin to transfer one hundred Breakthrough Pills from the warehouse to Lin Yao.
Only after seeing the Breakthrough Pills did Lin Yao contentedly leave with Su Fan.
The two arrived at the Super Management Bureau headquarters. Su Fan was now an honorary deputy director, and as soon as they reached the headquarters, the surrounding members showed him great respect.
"Director Su."
"Good morning, Director Su."
People they passed greeted Su Fan, though Su Fan didn't recognize most of them.
"When did you become a director?" Lin Yao asked Su Fan, looking surprised.
Soon, Su Fan found Gu Zhi.
"Director Su, you're here very quickly." Gu Zhi was surprised that Su Fan arrived so soon after his call.
"I'm just heeding the organization's call," Su Fan said with a smile. In reality, he wanted to see what the weapon imbued with the Heaven and Earth Momentum looked like.
After exchanging pleasantries, Su Fan got straight to the point.
"Director Gu, may I see the weapon first?" Su Fan asked hesitantly.
Gu Zhi appeared somewhat troubled.
"Accessing the Super Management Bureau's warehouse is rather complicated. It requires approval from higher authorities, followed by various approvals, and only then can the warehouse be opened. Furthermore, any use or deployment of items requires an application. That particular weapon has already been applied for and approved for you, but the official procedures are still pending, so it's not possible at the moment." Gu Zhi said with a troubled expression.
Su Fan hadn't expected that even viewing something would be so troublesome.