67: Chapter 67 Changes

A mandatory choice.

No need to weigh the pros and cons, no need to calculate gains and losses, no need to ask if it is worth it.

Because some choices, from the very beginning, leave no room for "not choosing."

Jiang Ruowei stared at him blankly, looking at this young man who stood against everyone and was even willing to jump off a cliff, bearing the name of a "traitor."

She suddenly remembered many years ago, when her mother was critically ill, her father had set aside all his official duties and stayed by the bedside for three days and three nights without sleep or rest.

At that time, someone had advised her father: "City Lord, the big picture is what matters most."

Her father had only replied coldly: "If I cannot even protect my wife and daughter, what use is this big picture to me?"

She had not understood it then.

Now... she seemed to understand.

Why her grandfather was a high-ranking official in the Federation, yet her parents had come to this remote fourth-tier small city.

Why her mother, who pursued such a high quality of life, would follow her father and even learn to work the fields.

She also knew now why, after her grandfather had arranged a marriage for her, her father had let her live according to her own heart.

So it turns out, there are some things that are mandatory choices that do not need to be weighed!

Jiang Ruowei closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

When she opened them again, all hesitation, all weighing of pros and cons, and all considerations belonging to the "City Lord's daughter" had faded away.

All that remained was a kind of near-willful, desperate impulse.

"Fine," she said, "I will help you."

Qin Ce looked at her, a flash of surprise in his eyes—was this really Jiang Ruowei?

But the Jiang Ruowei across from him truly did not explain.

She took out her communicator and dialed an encrypted number.

A few seconds later, the call connected.

Her voice was very soft, yet carried an unquestionable power:

"Father, I need that authorization..."

Wei Ming turned his head sharply: "Jiang Ruowei, don't be reckless! The situation on your father's side is very complex—"

"Teacher Wei," Jiang Ruowei interrupted him, raising the communicator in her hand, "When you were contacting the military just now, I had actually already contacted my father."

"It is just that I had been hesitating whether to use this authorization."

"After all, you know that there are two factions above... at this critical juncture, if it causes confrontation... it is actually not very good!"

She paused, a subtle arc curling the corner of her mouth:

"But I think now, I feel it is worth it. If my father knew about today's situation, he would agree as well."

After speaking, once a message came through on the communicator in her hand, Jiang Ruowei edited a file and then pressed the send button on the communicator.

Almost at the same time, the squad badge in Qin Ce's palm vibrated violently!

It was not a warning, but a crisp system prompt sound similar to "Request Approved"!

Qin Ce opened it to take a look.

On the previous disciplinary notice, the red light faded, and the warning disappeared.

New information scrolled out bit by bit:

[Job Transfer Application (Number TS202) Review Passed]

[New Assignment: Yuntai Town Direction · Roaming Defense Officer]

[Authority: Free movement, not restricted by a fixed defense zone. Can independently accept defense missions within Yuntai Town and the surrounding fifty-kilometer range. In special circumstances, can also make independent decisions with sufficient justification.]

[Special Remark: This transfer order is issued directly by the Fengling City Supreme Military Command. Priority: Highest.]

Free movement!

Roaming defense!

Not restricted by a fixed defense zone!

Qin Ce stared at those few lines, feeling somewhat dazed for a moment.

It just... worked?

He raised his head and looked at Jiang Ruowei.

In his heart, there was gratitude, suspicion, and even more, a subversion of his perception of Jiang Ruowei.

Jiang Ruowei was putting away her communicator.

Meeting his gaze, she raised an eyebrow, her face carrying an air of arrogance that said, "How could anything I, this young lady, do fail?"

"What?" she asked, "Can't believe it?"

Qin Ce was silent for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head and probed: "No. I am just wondering... what is the cost?"

He looked straight at Jiang Ruowei: "Getting your father to use the Supreme Command's authority to directly overturn the Special Inspection Office's decision is definitely not just a matter of a single sentence. So, what price do I need to pay?"

Jiang Ruowei was stunned for a moment, then let out a scoff.

"The cost?"

She lifted her chin, her black hair swaying slightly with the movement.

"When I, this young lady, help someone, I only look at my mood. I am in a good mood today, isn't that enough?"

After saying this, she felt a bit embarrassed herself and quickly changed the subject.

She first took out a dark gold ID card with the City Lord's Mansion emblem from her small bag, then tossed it to Qin Ce.

"Catch."

Qin Ce caught it.

The ID felt slightly heavy in his hand, with a sensation of energy flowing on its surface.

He opened it. Inside were complex runes and information about the City Lord's Mansion.

At the very bottom, a line of small text was printed: [Highest Level Personnel Protection Certificate].

"What is this?" he asked.

"A safe house qualification." Jiang Ruowei's tone was flat, as if she were speaking of a trivial matter, "The Inner City of Fengling City has twelve highest-level safe houses that can withstand a direct assault from a Bright Moon Level ferocious beast. Besides that, there are military-grade safe houses in the military bases around the entire city, all of which can be used. With this certificate, you can have up to three people you designate enter the nearest safe house for refuge at any time—including during a beast tide."

She paused, then added: "Now it is for you to use."

Qin Ce gripped the certificate tightly, the metal edge pressing painfully into his palm.

He raised his head and looked at Jiang Ruowei for a long time.

It was as if he were getting to know her all over again.

Then, Qin Ce bowed deeply and solemnly.

"Thank you."

Two words, very light, yet very heavy.

Jiang Ruowei turned her face away, the tips of her ears slightly red, but her tone remained haughty:

"Spare me that. I have not canceled the bet. If you lose, you still have to come and be my deputy."

Qin Ce straightened up, carefully put away the certificate, and put the squad badge back on.

"The bet remains valid," he said, a sharp light rekindling in his eyes, "If I lose, I will certainly honor it."

Jiang Ruowei's lips curled up, a glimmer of a smile flashing in her eyes.

"That is good."

She turned around and led the Starlight Squad towards Material Warehouse No. 3.

After walking two steps, she stopped again, looked back at Qin Ce, and said,

"Come back alive."

Qin Ce was taken aback, then nodded earnestly in response.

...A few minutes later.

In the Dasi Base, a flash of cyan light flew out.

The Azure Phoenix flapped its wings, breaking through the clouds.

Qin Ce sat on the back of the Azure Phoenix, looking down at the land below.

Three months of crazy training had made the Azure Phoenix's size grow by another circle.

Its wingspan exceeded five meters, and its cyan-green feathers flowed with a metallic luster in the sunlight.

Its Black Iron Peak aura was completely stabilized; it only needed one opportunity to step into the Bronze Rank.

And its speed, under the augmentation of the Nine-fold Azure Sky talent, had reached a terrifying level—ordinary flying ferocious beasts of Upper Bronze Rank might not even be able to catch up to it.

From Fengling City to Yuntai Town, the straight-line distance exceeded one hundred and eighty kilometers.

If traveling by land, it would take at least a day and a night.

But with the Azure Phoenix, based on its long-distance flight speed, Qin Ce estimated it should arrive in less than two hours.

Qin Ce sat on the bird's back, the strong wind hitting his face, yet it could not blow away the burning urgency in his chest.