Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Candidate for Deputy
Candidate for Deputy!
According to the Garrison Commandant’s Office ranking system, this was a level that qualified one for Fish Scale Armor.
In the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, this was considered the upper echelon in the truest sense.
If an ordinary family could produce someone of this rank, it would be a blessing upon their ancestors.
Even with the right opportunities, it would take an ordinary person at least ten to twenty years of steady work to reach this level!
One would have to start as an unlisted temporary constable, then advance through the ranks of official constable, Preparatory Constable, and Constable, among many other tiers.
Finally, one would have to overcome the bottleneck between Constable and Inspectorate, a process of indeterminate length.
In other words, Mu Wanjun’s decision had just saved Chen Ping’an twenty years of struggle.
This reward far exceeded Chen Ping’an’s expectations. He had predicted that the most he could hope for this time was to be given command over two more squads of constables.
’I didn’t expect Mu Wanjun to be so generous.’
Since Mu Wanjun had promised the reward herself, Chen Ping’an had no doubt it would be honored. The two of them spoke for a while longer, and Mu Wanjun also tested him on the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Horizontal Training he had previously chosen.
Since he had already achieved more than he’d expected, Chen Ping’an decided it was best to hide some of his true ability.
But even with him holding back, Mu Wanjun was still thoroughly shocked.
In just a few short days, Chen Ping’an had actually cultivated the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Horizontal Training to the level of Minor Achievement!
Such talent...
This caused Mu Wanjun to value Chen Ping’an all the more. Before he left, she gave him a token, telling him he could use it to see her at any time should the need arise.
The ability to request an audience at any time was an incredible honor. Receiving such treatment meant that in Mu Wanjun’s eyes, Chen Ping’an was truly one of her trusted confidants.
"I, Chen Ping’an, pledge my life to you, my lady. Should you have any commands in the future, I will surely do everything in my power to carry them out."
Chen Ping’an expressed his loyalty at just the right moment.
’This woman is a powerful patron; I have to make sure I latch on tight.’
"Mm." Mu Wanjun nodded slightly, then gestured for Xiaodie to see her guest out.
Xiaodie led Chen Ping’an out of the room, sizing him up with curiosity the entire way.
’Mu Wanjun really thinks highly of Chen Ping’an.’
"Miss Xiaodie, is there a flower on my face? Is that why it’s so interesting to look at?"
Chen Ping’an teased with a smile.
’In my current situation, it can’t hurt to build a better relationship with those close to Mu Wanjun.’
Xiaodie rolled her eyes at him but said nothing more. Once they were outside the building, she said to Chen Ping’an, "Constable Chen, I’ll see you out to here."
"Thank you, Miss Xiaodie." Chen Ping’an clasped his hands in a salute.
"There’s no need to be so polite, Constable Chen."
...
After Chen Ping’an left, Mu Wanjun remained where she was, pondering for a moment. Then, she sat down at a long table, spread out a sheet of paper, and began to write.
The reason she had been able to become the Chief of the Patrol Office of the South Town Garrison Command at such a young age was not only due to her Martial Arts Realm; the family behind her also played an indispensable role.
Mu Wanjun hailed from the Weishui Mu Family.
The forces within Weishui County City were numerous and complex, but only a handful were truly famous. The Weishui Mu Family was a preeminent power among them.
The family’s overall power was second only to that of the Commander Liu Family.
As a scion of a Noble Family, Mu Wanjun naturally possessed a keen eye. She was now preparing to write a letter to her family, explaining Chen Ping’an’s circumstances.
Chen Ping’an’s talent was exceptional. Although his late start would somewhat limit his future achievements, he still had an excellent chance of breaking into the Inner Qi Realm.
A talent like this needed to be actively recruited by the family and bound to their cause.
An expert who had reached the Inner Qi Realm was a valuable asset worth recruiting, even for the likes of the Weishui Mu Family.
...
After leaving the South Town Garrison Command, Chen Ping’an did not return to the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, but went straight home. With his current status, no one would say a thing if he decided to get off duty a little early.
On the way home, Chen Ping’an replayed the entire encounter in his mind twice. After mulling it over repeatedly and finding no missteps, he finally began to relax.
’I never imagined I’d be made a Candidate for Deputy.’
To be honest, he was extremely satisfied with this reward.
A Candidate for Deputy, as the name implied, was a reserve for the position of Inspectorate. Under normal circumstances, after accumulating enough years of service, a Candidate for Deputy would automatically be promoted to Vice Inspector.
After a period of honing their skills and gaining experience, a Vice Inspector would have the chance to be promoted to Inspectorate.
Of course, there is a world of difference between being first-in-command and second-in-command. The former holds absolute authority and unparalleled prestige, while the latter must wait patiently and maintain harmonious relationships with both superiors and subordinates. The leap from Vice Inspector to Inspectorate was a hurdle that stopped more than half of all candidates.
After taking a moment to temper the joy of his impending promotion, Chen Ping’an recalled the book Mu Wanjun had been reading. A booklet that could so thoroughly capture her attention was surely no ordinary text.
The Canglong Province Rising Star Chart.
Chen Ping’an was, of course, familiar with Canglong Province. The Weishui County City where he currently lived was located within its borders. The province itself was vast, its territory stretching for an unknown number of miles.
Forget Canglong Province—most people spent their entire lives within the confines of Weishui County City, never leaving.
As for the "Rising Star Chart" part, it sounded like some kind of ranking.
’Rising stars... could it be a list that ranks members of the younger generation?’
A flicker of curiosity sparked within him.
’I’ll have to look into it when I get the chance.’
Lost in thought, Chen Ping’an soon arrived home. The little girl, Chen Erya, was pleasantly surprised to see him back from his shift early.
"Brother, you’re back!"
"That’s right, I got off a little early today. Nannan, what delicious food are you planning for tonight?" Chen Ping’an asked with a grin.
The little girl spent most of her time at home reading these days. He brought new books back for her every so often, and her collection was steadily growing.
’Nannan’s going to be a great scholar someday.’
Chen Ping’an teased.
"Oh, Brother, don’t tease me! I’ve hardly read any books at all. I still have a long, long way to go~"
Chen Erya flushed, embarrassed by his teasing.
"Hahaha..."
Chen Ping’an laughed heartily.
...
For the next two days, Chen Ping’an practiced the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Horizontal Training relentlessly. He now had plenty of time, and the number of his daily practice sessions steadily increased.
The merit report for the raid on the Ten Thousand Demons Sect stronghold had been submitted early. Not only the Inspectorates and Constables, but even the lower-ranking constables were all intensely curious about what rewards the South Town Garrison Command would bestow.
Shortly after lunch, a Special Envoy from the South Town Garrison Command arrived and remained in Inspectorate Shen Shikang’s office for a considerable time.
The constables all buzzed with discussion, curious about the rewards for the raid.
Compared to the slow-to-be-informed constables, the Constables of the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office found out about the rewards at the first opportunity, right after Shen Shikang and Tian Fuliang.
"What! These rewards... aren’t they a bit much?!"
Upon hearing the news, Constable Li was completely dumbfounded, frozen on the spot.
It wasn’t just Constable Li; Constables Yan, Liu, and Huang were all equally astonished upon hearing the news.
"A meteoric rise!"
...
P.S. The protagonist got a meteoric promotion, but the increase in my story’s bookmarks has been rather sluggish. Still, we finally broke the five-thousand milestone! That’s worth celebrating.
The rest of the plot is finally about to unfold. I’m so excited~
