# 1603
Chapter 1598: A Heart of Sincerity
Somewhere in Great Xia.
"New Director of the Special Operations Department?!"
Hearing this title, Xia Simeng couldn't help but gape. "Does that mean we have a new superior again?!"
"Afraid so." Tong Sheng nodded helplessly.
Xia Simeng's face fell instantly.
She draped in a golden cloak, pacing restlessly across the empty courtyard of an old fortress, like an ant on a hot pan.
"No, no, no... Zuo Qing has become Commander-in-Chief, the Director position at Special Operations has been vacant, and we've finally had a few days of... cough, self-management without a boss. Now another superior appears...
So won't we have to get approval for our leave requests from now on?"
"..." Tong Sheng's mouth twitched slightly. "Team leader, strictly speaking, that wasn't allowed before either..."
"I know, team leader. Before, you used to sneak into the office when Zuo Qing wasn't around and stamp documents yourself. Last time you got caught, he docked half your salary..." A member of the Phoenix Squad said cautiously. "From now on, we should just follow proper procedures, right?"
Xia Simeng patted her cheeks in frustration. "By the way, who's the new director?"
"Former captain of the Nightfall Squad, newly ascended Human Apex, Lin Qiye."
Xia Simeng froze on the spot.
"Lin Qiye?"
She seemed to have made a connection, nodding slightly. "Well, of course. Now he's the only one who can handle this position..."
"Team leader, what's the personality of this new Director?" asked a new member who had recently joined the Phoenix Squad.
"I've only met him a few times, so I don't know him well... but he's definitely not an easygoing person." Xia Simeng sighed heavily, standing there dejected for a long moment before suddenly lifting her head and speaking indignantly,
"Forget it! Better to rely on ourselves than others! Since we can't be our own bosses anymore, why don't all of you follow me in making a move?! I, Xia Simeng, can also seize that position!"
The expressions of the Phoenix Squad members filled with panic.
"Team leader, that's not advisable!"
"Yeah, team leader, he's our superior! If he hears about this, our lives will be difficult!"
"Besides, he's a Human Apex. You can't beat him either, team leader..."
"Team leader, why don't you try a beauty scheme?"
"..."
Under the "wise counsel" of everyone, Xia Simeng pursed her lips and said reluctantly, "Sigh, I was just joking... Fine, we'll follow proper procedures from now on."
Hearing this, everyone finally relaxed.
"By the way, according to convention, when a new Director of Special Operations takes office, we need to return to Shangjing for a meeting tomorrow... Team leader, we should get moving." Tong Sheng seemed to remember something and reminded her.
"Oh, quickly have someone prepare the plane! We'll fly there tonight! Let Director Lin see the absolute sincerity of the Phoenix Squad!"
Xia Simeng waved her hand and declared boldly.
A Phoenix Squad member acknowledged the order, turned, and hurried toward the distance. Once everyone had left, Xia Simeng sidled up to Tong Sheng's ear, pondered seriously for a moment, and whispered:
"Tong Sheng, do you think... does Director Lin prefer Soft China or Yellow Crane cigarettes?"
Tong Sheng: ...
...
"Commander Lin is going to head the Special Operations Department?!"
On a crowded green train, Fang Mo and five others squeezed on both sides of a small table. Upon hearing this news, their eyes all lit up.
"Doesn't that mean Commander Lin is our boss again?" Su Zhe breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "As expected, it's more reassuring having Commander Lin watching over us..."
"From training camp to special squads, Commander Lin has been guiding us forward. This is good news."
"Plus, he's broken through the 'heart barrier' and become a Human Apex... Hehe, now we have an apex guardian too!"
"..."
Everyone was extremely excited. It felt like when your favorite primary school teacher suddenly announced they would follow you all the way through to university and even help with job placement afterward... It gave them an unprecedented sense of security.
But just as everyone was chatting happily, Fang Mo sat by the window, staring blankly at the scenery outside, as if something was on his mind.
"What's wrong with you?" Li Zhenzhen sat across from him and asked curiously.
"...Nothing." Fang Mo shook his head. "I was just thinking—if Lord Qiye took the position at the Special Operations Department, does that mean the Nightfall Squad has been disbanded? If so... does that mean we took their designation from them?"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, exchanging uncertain glances.
"The designation matter might be discussed at tomorrow's meeting. No use speculating now." Liu Jun reminded them. "We should head to Shangjing."
"Right, right... We're still a reserve squad, no dedicated aircraft. The only way to Shangjing is by transfer on the green train..."
"But we just started! There's still over an hour until the next stop!"
"Doesn't matter—find an empty spot and jump off! Tomorrow is the first time Lord Qiye will address us as our superior. We absolutely cannot be late!"
"Sounds good!"
...
Great Xia border.
"Lin Qiye, huh..."
In the howling cold wind, eight figures stood at the edge of a steel outer wall, their black cloaks fluttering violently in the wind.
Wu "Old Dog" put his phone back in his pocket. Beneath his hood, a smile curled at his lips.
"Time to make a trip to Shangjing."
He lifted his fingertips, and eight steel pillars came crashing down from the sky, slamming heavily into the earth. Thick bolts of lightning coiled between the pillars, radiating a terrifying aura of destruction.
The eight figures leapt onto the pillars and rode them across the clouds, vanishing in an instant.
...
Shangjing City, outskirts.
In a deserted mountain range, two figures stood facing each other before an open clearing. Wu Quan climbed the nearest peak, quietly looking down at the two figures below.
"Are you sure about this?" Shen Qingzhu crushed his cigarette butt underfoot, speaking seriously.
"Mm." Lin Qiye nodded calmly. "Attack me. I need to test the strength of this body."
Shen Qingzhu acknowledged with a hum. As he narrowed his eyes, six massive gray wings unfurled, and terrifying Chief God-level energy descended upon the scene!
"So powerful..." From the mountain peak, Wu Quan sensed the aura radiating from Shen Qingzhu, his pupils constricting.
SWOOSH—!!
A gray shadow instantly crossed the earth. The next moment, a deafening roar erupted from the valley, dust billowing in all directions!
As the dust gradually settled, two silhouettes emerged from within the haze.
Lin Qiye stood with one foot back, one hand firmly gripping Shen Qingzhu's fist. A strange gleam flickered within his eyes...