58: Chapter 58 Dare to Make a Bet

Jiang Ruowei didn't reply immediately. She remained silent for a few seconds before slowly saying in a very calm tone:

"I've looked at all the three-star missions. From your perspective, given my current points and abilities, I only need to complete that Beast Egg Refining mission to lock in your rank and points. It's impossible for you to complete three three-star missions faster than me. And as it happens, the Beast Egg Refining mission is the easiest one for me to complete!"

She looked at Qin Ce. "So theoretically, as long as I finish Beast Egg Refining and then take my time to complete two more three-star missions as quickly as possible before immediately applying for graduation, you won't have a chance to catch up, right?"

Qin Ce nodded. "Yes, that's right."

Hearing this confirmation, Jiang Ruowei felt greatly reassured. She took another step forward, standing only a meter away from Qin Ce.

"So, Qin Ce." Jiang Ruowei's voice was soft, yet it carried a certain heavy weight. "Although I don't know your purpose for focusing on getting first place, I imagine it's nothing more than those rewards. In that case, I'll give you an opportunity."

The wind on the training ground suddenly died down.

Everyone held their breath.

"Qin Ce," Jiang Ruowei spoke, her voice carrying a hint of authority and the tone of a superior distributing benefits. "After graduation, I will form a Supervisory Special Task Force with the support of the City Lord's Manor. It will report directly to Fengling City's highest authority and be responsible for handling special incidents and emergency missions. More importantly, it will be responsible for supervising the officials."

She paused, her gaze fixed directly on Qin Ce:

"I want to invite you to be my deputy. I'll give you the rewards that come with being the first place winner!"

As she finished speaking, the sound of people gasping filled the air.

Not far behind Jiang Ruowei, the expressions of several members of the Starlight Squad changed drastically.

A deputy?

A deputy of the Supervisory Special Task Force?

That wasn't some nominal, empty title! It was a position of real power, directly involved in the highest-level operational decisions of Fengling City, with access to core resources and intelligence—an excellent springboard for future promotion!

Jiang Ruowei was actually giving such a position to someone she had only met a few times, someone who could even be called a "competitor"?

And he was the first one she invited?!

"Captain..." a member of the Starlight Squad couldn't help but speak up.

Jiang Ruowei raised her hand, signaling him to be quiet.

Her gaze remained fixed on Qin Ce's face, waiting for his answer.

Qin Ce was silent for a moment.

He looked into Jiang Ruowei's eyes, trying to read more information from those deep, pool-like pupils...

Was she using the current situation to pressure him again?

Was she making such a costly recruitment offer again?

If there wasn't some calculation involved that he hadn't yet understood?

Even a ghost wouldn't believe it!

There's no such thing as a free lunch. For people like her, everything was a commodity with a price tag.

Such a heavy benefit surely represented an equivalent or even greater trap!

Therefore, Qin Ce slowly and firmly shook his head.

"I appreciate Senior Sister Jiang's kindness," Qin Ce said, his voice remaining steady. "Everything you said is correct, but it's not over until it's over. How do you know I won't be the one graduating in first place?"

The surroundings instantly fell into a dead silence.

With such a huge benefit, let alone being given the rewards of the current first place, even if there were no rewards or if they had to contribute their own resources...

...they would all be willing to be the deputy captain of the Supervisory Special Task Force.

How... how could this guy refuse?

Jiang Ruowei was stunned at first, then a flash of doubt crossed her eyes.

Why?

Then came anger. He wouldn't even agree to these terms and insisted on continuing this meaningless competition—why on earth?

For the first time, Jiang Ruowei felt like she had lost control over someone's heart!

"You still want to compete with me?"

She asked with a cold laugh, her tone carrying unconcealed anger.

Qin Ce didn't answer. He simply raised his wrist and took out his team badge.

Then, he channeled his mental energy and entered the mission system.

Under the gaze of hundreds of eyes.

Soon, in the column for [Number of Accepting Teams] next to the three-star mission list, the original "0" gave a slight jump—

It became "1".

Thunder Squad: Accepted.

"Whoa—"

Suppressed exclamations of surprise rose and fell.

He really accepted it!

One person, one team, accepting three three-star missions to go head-to-head against Jiang Ruowei!

Jiang Ruowei looked at Qin Ce, who was stating his position through actual deeds, and laughed out of sheer anger!

She even wished she could set off right now, finish the three three-star missions, and slap Qin Ce in the face immediately!

But at this moment, the master of push-and-pull, Qin Ce, went online.

His blunt, face-slapping actions weren't intended to provoke Jiang Ruowei into completing the missions immediately and denying him the chance for first place.

Nor was it for some so-called manly pride.

What he thought was very simple: he just wanted to provoke Jiang Ruowei to see if there was a calculation behind her.

After all, if Jiang Ruowei really didn't have any hidden schemes, Qin Ce's actions would only make her think he was out of his mind and ungrateful.

Like most people present, they were confused and didn't understand, even feeling a hint of ridicule.

She wouldn't be as angry and vengeful as she was now.

So, at this point, Qin Ce's attitude suddenly softened.

"I'm not trying to compete with you, nor do I look down on the Supervisory Task Force. I just know that when one's status exceeds their virtue, disaster will surely follow. That's an old saying from my hometown."

"So, I want to compete with all my might. It's not to prove that I can do it, but to prove that you have a discerning eye and can discover gold."

"More importantly, to shut everyone's mouths. At least everything in the future won't be seen as an inside deal!"

...

Smooth talker!

Only these four words appeared in Jiang Ruowei's mind.

However, through the softening of Qin Ce's attitude,

she saw an opportunity.

The anger in her heart dissipated instantly.

Because she thought of the methods her mother used to deal with her father: putting him on a pedestal.

The curve of Jiang Ruowei's lips grew wider and wider.

She suddenly took a step forward, leaving only half a meter between her and Qin Ce. Her voice became haughty, yet it carried an almost burning seriousness:

"Since that's the case, I'll give everyone another legitimate reason. Shall we make a bet?"

Qin Ce raised an eyebrow. "A bet? On what?"

"If you lose," Jiang Ruowei said word by word, "you will come under my command after graduation as my deputy. And... you will resolve a problem for me."

She didn't specify what the trouble was.

But Qin Ce saw a flash of extremely rare irritation in her eyes.

And that was the answer Qin Ce had been looking for.

Qin Ce felt slightly more at ease and followed her lead.

"What if I win?"

"Then I'll be your backer," Jiang Ruowei said decisively. "If you take first place as a solo team, you will surely join the ranks of the nouveau riche after graduation because of those rewards. But for the nouveau riche, the hardest part isn't acquiring resources, but keeping them—without a foundation or allies, you'll be coveted, marginalized, and even plotted against by countless people."

She looked at Qin Ce. "In my capacity as the City Lord's daughter, I will support you unconditionally, protect your interests, and help you establish a firm foothold. How about it?"

...