Lin Deqing gave Lu Liang a general rundown of the situation.
Ever since the Black Mist Monster wreaked havoc on Commercial Street, the Provincial Capital Federation was enraged.
To appease the restless citizens and to crush the Monsters’ arrogance, the Police Affairs Department resolved to support a Scavenger as the officially endorsed Black Book Set, with the role of clearing out sewer Monster insects and cleaning up other Scavengers.
This was like learning from the Central Plains’ way of supporting the Tartar slaves.
Of course, there was also the fact that these lazybones in the Police Affairs Department simply didn’t want to work overtime themselves.
Lu Liang was tempted, but he still felt a bit uneasy, wondering if the Police Affairs Department just wanted to use him as an excuse to pad their performance metrics.
He decided to probe further.
“What about benefits and compensation?”
“There are no benefits or compensation,” Lin Deqing replied solemnly: “After all, the Police Affairs Department’s finances are limited, and the Cleaner Industry has plenty of opportunities for profit. Just casually picking up a Monster’s remains can fetch you eighty to a hundred thousand.”
Of course, this was assuming you could snatch the prize from under the noses of Monsters and Magical Girls.
Lin Deqing didn’t mention this part, and Lu Liang couldn’t be bothered to expose him.
“But— we will provide you with this thing called the Black Glove.”
Lin Deqing sent over a screenshot of a card.
Its appearance was gilded, the artwork ornate and lavish, using the Police Affairs Department’s headquarters as the background image.
In the upper left corner, there were intricate dragon and phoenix carvings, with the three big characters “Good Citizen Certificate” written on it.
On the right side was a splendid Golden Kite Flower, the emblem of the Magical Girl Association, and underneath it read: “This person pays taxes on time. Verified by the Magic Association and Police Affairs Department as a Great Good Citizen.”
“This is…”
Lu Liang’s pupils shrank: “Good Citizen Certificate?”
Possessing a Good Citizen Certificate meant being eligible for a range of social benefits.
But wasn’t the Good Citizen Certificate something you just got for paying your taxes on time? For the Police Affairs Department to offer this as a benefit seemed a bit stingy.
Lu Liang thought that given the Magic Association’s style, they wouldn’t be so tightfisted. So, he took a closer look, and soon spotted the difference.
The regular Good Citizen Certificate had a silvered surface, but this one was gold, the artwork was finer, and most importantly, this card was labeled “Great Good Citizen” at the end, not just “Good Citizen.”
This was… a Great Good Citizen Certificate!
On the other side, Lin Deqing was proudly explaining the uses of this “Great Good Citizen Certificate”:
“With this certificate, you can become an officially endorsed Black Glove. Not only do you enjoy all the benefits of the regular Good Citizen Certificate, but you also get one exemption per month for crimes causing losses below thirty thousand. And if you encounter a Magical Girl during Cleaner work, you just have to pay a fine.”
Lu Liang fell into deep thought.
If he possessed this card, wouldn’t that mean his identity could be wiped clean, and he’d never again have to risk getting caught up in a battle between Monsters and Magical Girls?
The benefits here were just too great— so great that Lu Liang was willing to risk being used as someone’s performance credit just to enter the tiger’s den.
“All right, I’ll take the job.”
“Brother Wang Erxiao, then come over to the Police Affairs Department headquarters right away,” Lin Deqing replied happily. “Remember to dress formally— make a good impression on the interviewer.”
Hmm? Interviewer?
Lu Liang was stunned.
He understood every word separately, but strung together, the sentence made no sense to him.
You had to interview to become a Black Glove?
Was he not the only applicant?
How competitive could this be!
“Dezi, Dezi, hey hey, stop staring at your phone, the next candidate’s here.”
Police Affairs Department headquarters, inside the Director’s office.
Prompted by his colleague, Lin Deqing put down his phone and looked up at the person before him with a cheerful grin: “Sorry, Vice Director He, I just got an important message, got a little distracted.”
That man was rather portly, named He Anpai, and held the same rank as Lin Deqing— both Deputy Chiefs of Police.
“Heh, new officials set things alight to show their mettle. Dezi, you’re a Deputy Chief now, of course you’re busy,” He Anpai said with a sly smile. “But the Director is here, and it’s an important interview. It’s not great to be distracted in front of the Director, is it?”
“My fault, my fault. Director Chen, please forgive me,” Lin Deqing hurriedly stood up and bowed repeatedly to the middle-aged man seated next to him.
“All right, sit down, it’s nothing serious.”
The middle-aged man gave Lin Deqing a cold glance and let him sit, then continued reviewing the resumes sent by the applicants.
“Hehe, Dezi, sit down. But don’t let your mind wander next time,” He Anpai said with a laugh.
“Of course, of course. Sorry about that, don’t mind me, don’t mind me,” Lin Deqing replied, forcing a smile as he sat.
A chill flickered through his heart—this so-called amiable Vice Director He Anpai wasn’t nearly as easygoing as he appeared.
In fact, back when Lin Deqing was just an ordinary Police Officer, He Anpai had bossed him around more times than he could count.
It was only because Lin Deqing had caught dozens of Monster insects in the sewers that he’d managed to be exceptionally promoted to Deputy Chief, putting him on equal footing with He Anpai.
On the surface, He Anpai had reined himself in, but behind the scenes he was as nasty as ever.
Unfortunately, Lin Deqing was newly promoted, with far less experience and backing than He Anpai, and didn’t have any trusted subordinates to call on.
A few older colleagues he got along with had even been transferred to other districts by He Anpai.
The Police Director was well aware of the conflict between them but never intervened.
At times like this, if Lin Deqing didn’t seize the chance to foster his own confidants, his title of Deputy Chief would soon become nothing more than a joke!
Lin Deqing was keenly aware that the world of officialdom was full of pitfalls—one careless step and you could plunge off a cliff. He had to seize every opportunity and fight for every advantage!
Now that the Police Affairs Department was selecting an official Black Glove, this was Lin Deqing’s chance.
Just as the government would install secret agents among the people, those who became Black Gloves had to be as close as brothers to the authorities—scoundrels utterly loyal to the office.
In fact, when the Police Director got promoted, or if the twenty thousand Deputy Chiefs vied for the Director’s chair, the Black Glove would play a pivotal role.
That’s why the Black Glove could only be the trusted confidant of a high-ranking official.
Thus, this official Black Glove interview was nothing like it seemed on the surface! It was, in fact, a power struggle between the new and old Deputy Chiefs!
And Lu Liang was Lin Deqing’s hand-picked confidant.
There wasn’t anyone else to choose, really. Lin Deqing either wasn’t familiar with the others or didn’t dare trust them.
Though there’d been some unpleasantness with Lu Liang before, since Lin Deqing had already spent the money and spoken the right words, he could only hope Lu Liang wouldn’t let him down too badly.
“All right, please wait outside for further notice.”
Another Scavenger applicant was eliminated.
As interviewers, Lin Deqing, He Anpai, and the Minister of the Police Affairs Department were all used to saying such pleasantries.
Most of the applicants vying for the Black Glove position didn’t realize that the role they’d worked so hard to prepare for had already been pre-selected.
At best, they were just there for show.
In the end, it was just a matter of randomly picking from the predetermined candidates.
“All right, next candidate.”
Flipping through the resumes, He Anpai suddenly smiled and said to the Police Director seated between him and Lin Deqing: “I’m personally very optimistic about this next person. He’s been a Scavenger for ten years, a local thug who’s done all sorts of evil—robbery, strong-arm tactics, you name it. He’s ruthless and efficient. You know, to do the Black Glove’s work, you have to be ruthless and effective. If we let him be our department’s Black Glove, he’ll definitely complete any task the Magic Association assigns us!”
Hearing this, Lin Deqing’s heart clenched.
He knew that if He Anpai was suddenly recommending someone, that person must be his own confidant.
This scoundrel had found someone too!
“Mm. Let him in for a self-introduction,” said the Police Director, expressionless.
The doors opened, and a new Scavenger entered.
Upon seeing this person, Lin Deqing was so shocked his jaw nearly hit the floor.
How could it be… How could he possibly show up!
Lin Deqing stared hard at the man.
That man’s name was Night Owl.
It was the very same Night Owl who’d had that deadly run-in with Lin Deqing and Lu Liang in the sewers!
When did these two start working together!