Chapter 656: Joining the Team

Xingjing West District, Inspection Department Headquarters.

Xu Wuyi stood across the street, looking at the inconspicuous building with a somewhat strange expression in his eyes. It was an old-fashioned building. The exterior walls were covered in dusty grey cement, heavily peeling and cracked from years of exposure to the elements. The windows were old-style sliding ones, their glass coated in a layer of grime that obscured the interior. A few rust-mottled communication antennas stood on the roof, swaying slightly in the cold wind.

A faded sign hung by the entrance, reading, "Federation General Affairs Administration, Ninth Office." In the bottom right corner of the sign was an even smaller emblem designating the place as a "Public Petitions Reception Point."

If Feng Zhuohua hadn’t told him personally, Xu Wuyi would never have imagined that the headquarters of the Federation’s highly powerful internal Inspection Department was hidden in a place like this.

He stood by the street for about five minutes, carefully observing his surroundings. The street was ordinary, lined with various small shops on both sides—breakfast stalls, appliance repair shops, barbershops—it had everything. People came and went, mostly local residents. Occasionally, a few electric scooters whizzed past, stirring up gusts of cold wind.

This kind of environment was indeed the best cover. No one would pay attention to this dilapidated building, much less suspect that the incredibly ordinary people going in and out were actually the Federation’s most dangerous field agents.

Xu Wuyi withdrew his gaze, crossed the street, and walked toward the building. Pushing open the glass door, he found a cramped foyer inside.

On the left side of the foyer was a reception window with a note taped to the glass that read, "Please Ring the Bell." To the right were a few plastic chairs where two middle-aged men sat, heads bowed as they looked at their personal terminals. An old man in a security uniform sat behind the reception window. He had greying hair and deep wrinkles on his face, and was slowly sipping tea from a thermos.

Xu Wuyi wore an ordinary black jacket and carried a gun bag on his back. His face was hidden behind that black-and-white mask. Through the two pale blue crystal lenses, he could clearly see everything around him.

Seeing Xu Wuyi enter, the old man lifted his eyelids for a brief glance, then went back to drinking his tea without any reaction.

Xu Wuyi walked up to the reception window, took the black ID card from his pocket, and placed it on the counter. The old man set down his thermos, picked up the ID card, and swiped it on the card reader next to him.

The card reader emitted a soft BEEP.

The old man’s eyes changed instantly. He stood up and respectfully handed the ID card back to Xu Wuyi, keeping his voice very low. "Captain Meng, please come with me."

He opened a small door next to the reception window, led Xu Wuyi through the foyer, and stopped in front of a door that looked like a storage room. Reaching out, he pressed a spot on the wall next to it. The door slid open silently to both sides, revealing an elevator inside.

"Captain Meng, this elevator goes straight to the seventh basement level," the old man said. "Your team members are all waiting for you there."

Xu Wuyi nodded and stepped into the elevator. The doors closed, and it began its slow descent.

About ten seconds later, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened again.

The sight before him made Xu Wuyi pause slightly. This wasn’t the dark, gloomy underground space he had imagined, but a spacious and brightly lit hall. The ceiling was at least a dozen meters high, its dome embedded with countless tiny light sources that simulated the effect of natural sunlight. The floor was paved with light grey non-slip tiles, so clean they reflected people’s silhouettes.

Neat rows of work areas lined both sides of the hall. On every desk sat three curved light screens, along with various unnamable devices. Staff members sat behind their desks—some staring at screens, some talking in low voices, and others rapidly typing on virtual keyboards in front of them.

Further away, a giant light screen hung on the wall, displaying real-time maps and data from all over the Federation. The data pulsed constantly, updating with the latest intelligence. People bustled back and forth across the hall, everyone walking with a hurried pace. Occasionally, someone would look up toward the elevator, but only to cast a casual glance before returning to their own tasks.

Xu Wuyi stepped out of the elevator, sweeping his gaze over the entire hall. This place was completely different from what he had pictured.

In his mind, as one of the most dangerous internal departments in the Federation, the Inspection Department should have been a place filled with a sense of oppression. After all, the people here had to face the corrupt elements within the Federation every day. They dealt with prominent figures and the constant threat of sudden battles and sacrifices.

But looking at it now, the equipment and resources here far exceeded his expectations. Those light screens, those devices, that real-time updating data—all of it represented the Federation’s most cutting-edge technology. Even the information center at the military headquarters was probably no better than this.

He recalled what Feng Zhuohua had said.

"The work in the Inspection Department isn’t easy... You offend too many people. If you don’t use a fake identity, you won’t live long."

But what Feng Zhuohua hadn’t mentioned was that precisely because the work wasn’t easy, the Federation was willing to invest maximum resources, providing these people with the best equipment, the most advanced technology, and the most generous compensation. Otherwise, who would be willing to take on a job where they could lose their lives at any moment and be resented by countless people?

Xu Wuyi reined in his thoughts and walked toward the depths of the hall. According to the address Feng Zhuohua had given him, Squad Four’s office area was located in the innermost corner of the hall. He passed through rows of work areas and arrived in front of a translucent glass door. A small metal plaque affixed to it bore the engraved words: "Field Operations Group - Squad Four."

He pushed the door open and entered.

Inside was an open-plan space of about a hundred square meters. Six desks were positioned against the walls, piled high with various documents and files. A light screen hung on the wall directly opposite, displaying complex data charts.

Five people were sitting around a circular table in the center. Hearing the sound of the door opening, they all turned their heads in unison.

Xu Wuyi stood at the doorway, his gaze sweeping over each of them in turn.

On the far left was a middle-aged man in his forties with a square face, thick eyebrows, and a steady gaze. His physique was sturdy; sitting there, he looked like a small mountain. This was Vice Captain Zhou Bin, with a military background—a Level 45 Innate Martial Artist.

Next to Zhou Bin sat a woman in her thirties with short hair and delicate features, though her eyes carried a hint of sharpness. Her body leaned forward slightly, one hand resting under the table in a posture ready to strike at any moment. This was Fang Xiaoxiao, an assassination specialist, Level 42.

Beside her was a man who looked a few years younger than Zhou Bin, sporting a buzz cut and a faint smile, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. His gaze lingered on Xu Wuyi for a few seconds before he lowered his eyelids, picking up a teacup from the table to take a sip. This was Sun Jing, hailing from a Noble Family, Level 39.

Opposite Sun Jing sat a bespectacled young man, refined and fair-skinned, looking like a fresh college graduate. However, his fingers were long with enlarged knuckles—the mark of years spent operating precision equipment. This was Li Zhaowen, a reconnaissance specialist, also Level 39.

At the far end sat a young woman in her twenties, with regular features but a somewhat constrained expression. Her back was ramrod straight, and her hands rested properly on her knees. The gaze she directed at Xu Wuyi held a trace of curiosity, as well as a hint of nervousness. This was Chen Yunxuan, the youngest member of the squad—twenty-nine years old, Level 37.

Five people, five different gazes, all looking in the same direction.