Slipping home quietly in the early morning, my mother was already in the kitchen making dumplings. She, of course, was long past being surprised by my late arrivals, only remarking, "Hurry up and wash your face. Eat your dumplings, get a good score, and make your father and me happy."

My mother had absolute faith in me now. The two of them had completely forgotten how I once returned home crestfallen after failing an exam. But since I hadn't made them happy by getting into university back then, this time I had the ability and absolutely had to get in, bringing home a big award to display.

Before I had even finished the bowl of dumplings, the girls from upstairs rushed over to fetch me. Although Xiao Chuchu claimed she was too tired from last night to come out today, she insisted on coming to see me off. After unanimous nomination, it was decided that Zhao Fen would drive me.

It was clear they treated me, their "big wife," with considerable respect. I took this as a positive sign; as long as I kept working hard, the clouds would eventually part.

Considering the safety of the students taking the exam, the intersections leading to No. 1 High School were all blocked off by traffic police. Even though Zhao Fen’s car had priority, I sent her away, opting to walk toward the school myself.

Today, there were no endless flyers strewn about, but a row of tables had been set up along the roadside. University recruiters sat behind small signs they had made, earnestly explaining their programs to the gathering students and parents. It seemed that Fat City Management Officer had really put thought into this last night. Still, these recruiting universities were being too hasty; nobody would seriously consider them before the scores were even released.

I spotted Xu Chen again. She was dressed exactly as she had been yesterday, looking just as heartbreakingly lovely. She was sitting behind a table, lecturing a cluster of students. Nine and a half out of every ten of them were boys. Were they genuinely listening?

I had only stood there for a moment when the Fat City Management Officer, now in plain clothes, spotted me. He rushed over solicitously, "You're here, sir! Please, have a seat. Let me pour you some water and get you a newspaper."

It seemed this kid had developed some insight today. Refusing such courtesy might hurt his feelings, so I greeted him, took a seat behind the desk, and picked up a newspaper.

‘Mingdao’s Hundred-Billion-Dollar Arms Deal Collapses; Party Chairmen Brawl at Executive Yuan.’ Since the "Bird Country Navy Incident" at the start of the year, Mingdao had been desperate to bolster its military strength, but rounds of negotiations with Star Country ultimately failed. Commentators noted that Star Country was currently pulling back its military presence in Asia. Its four aircraft carrier strike groups in the Pacific were effectively paralyzed without robust anti-submarine escorts. Following the emergence of more images of the mysterious submarine, Star Country was deeply shaken. One naval official exclaimed that this submarine's operational capability far surpassed that of Star Country and Bear Country; a fleet of just ten could dismantle a Star Country carrier strike group.

Star Country had classified the mysterious submarine and the power behind it as New Terrorists, and intelligence agencies like the FBL had launched full investigations. Multiple signs pointed toward some kind of connection between the mysterious submarine and Great Dragon Country.

Mingdao’s timing for this arms purchase was incredibly unwise. Star Country was currently in a period of rapid development of new weaponry and simply did not have the bandwidth to accommodate arms deals. Furthermore, if the link between the mysterious submarine and Great Dragon Country was confirmed, it remained unknown whether Star Country could even counter it. Thus, under the strong condemnation from the Dragon Country government, it was natural that Star Country would refuse Mingdao’s massive arms request.

With the military purchase scheme dead, the chairmen of the A-Bian and Big Mouth Flower parties suddenly came to blows during a meeting. A-Bian’s face was scratched and disfigured by Big Mouth Flower, who in turn was kicked in the lower abdomen by A-Bian. According to her private doctor, this kick rendered her infertile.

The island was suddenly plunged into crisis, with both factions exposing the other’s secrets. Reporters controlled by A-Bian investigated and revealed that Big Mouth Flower had actually lost her fertility due to an abortion back when she was in junior high school. Meanwhile, reporters aligned with Big Mouth Flower leaked that A-Bian was the illegitimate child of a prostitute, allegedly having certain unsavory connections with Ah Hui…

What in the world was all this? I slammed the newspaper down and entered the examination hall. Mingdao’s political farce played out year after year. Next year was their election year, and they were going even harder over the Mercury-class submarine issue. Did they think they were so capable? In reality, they were just clowns performing between two great powers. Without Star Country, Mingdao was nothing. Now that Star Country was hesitant to act recklessly due to the mysterious submarine incident, and dared not easily offend the Great Dragon Country government, the failure of Mingdao’s arms deal was entirely predictable.

The first session was Chinese Language. Except for the essay, which presented a slight challenge, I handled the rest of the questions smoothly. As I exited the school gates after the session, the first person I saw was Yi Xiaorou, instantly recognizable because of her mature sexiness and her rare, commanding military uniform.

What I hadn't expected was the car parked next to Yi Xiaorou, bearing a license plate directly affiliated with the Central Military Commission. A man in his mid-thirties stepped forward and shook my hand. "Comrade Zhao, we are here under orders from the Chairman to escort you. It’s inconvenient to talk here; let’s get in the car."

As the car pulled away, the legs of the City Management Officer were still trembling. Anyone familiar with the capital knew the significance of a Military Commission direct affiliation plate, and this number was quite low down the list. The Fat Officer was beginning to grasp why police and State Security Bureau personnel treated him with deference, though he couldn't fathom why such important government figures would be associated with the criminal underworld.

Inside the car, Yi Xiaorou informed me, "The Chairman summoned you this morning. I told him you were taking your exam, so he sent people to collect you. It must be something urgent."

Upon arriving at the Chairman's office, it turned out there was no immediate emergency. Two identification badges lay on the desk, and the Chairman’s smile unnerved me slightly.

"Heh heh, Little Zhao, I truly didn't expect you to take the university entrance exam. Planning a career change? With your ability, you could easily run ten universities."

"Chairman, please don't mock me. My parents forced me. Putting aside everything else, this..." I gestured toward the work badges on the desk. One designated me as Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau; the other, Deputy Director of the State Security Bureau. The names and photos were clearly mine.

The Chairman said breezily, "Take them both. It will be useful to have them on hand to handle any unusual situations, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings with our comrades in the lower ranks."

I wasn't about to play along. "Forget it, sir, don't profit and then pretend to be modest. Throwing both these burdens on me and expecting me to say thank you."

The Chairman actually blushed slightly. "I didn't expect you to see through it so easily. Little Zhao, this is a great opportunity. Comrade Guangyuan, newly appointed to the State Security Bureau, doesn't have strong ties to the Tan family. But without one of our own by his side, I fear his resolve may waver. In the eyes of your comrades in State Security, you are already a formidable figure. Sending another factional comrade there, I worry they won't submit to him. Therefore, your role as Deputy Director is extremely crucial. State Security is responsible for the nation's safety; we absolutely cannot let the Tan family seize control of this department again!"

For Yi Xiaorou's sake, I was already fundamentally opposed to the Tan family. Now, hearing the Chairman put it this way, it felt as if I had no choice but to accept the Deputy Director role. I glanced at Yi Xiaorou beside me; indeed, she nodded in agreement.

I replied to the Chairman, "Fine, I'll take it for now. But let's be clear upfront: don't blame me if something goes wrong. In my entire life, the only official position I held was class monitor for half a semester in elementary school. I have absolutely no experience managing people."

As I spoke, I picked up the State Security Deputy Director badge and slipped it into the wallet Zhao Fen had specifically bought for me—it was very convenient for carrying documents and bank cards. However, I pushed the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau Deputy Director badge back to the Chairman.

"You must take this one too," the Chairman said solemnly. "Tan Lei, the son of Tan Zhong, has recently been transferred from his position as Minister of National Public Security. I don't know Tan Zhong's motives for going to such lengths to transfer Tan Lei to the General Logistics Department. Previously, if this position in the General Logistics Department had been available, I would never have allowed a Tan family member anywhere near it, considering it controls the entire military supply chain. But now, with you as our major supplier, I don't need to quibble over that post. Instead, we need to reclaim control of the Public Security system. However, the Public Security system is not like State Security; its personnel are too mixed. Appointing you as Minister right away might cause discontent among the lower-ranking comrades, so we will proceed slowly. You are still young; perhaps by the time you graduate from university, you can take the Minister's seat."

Again, this was all about dealing with the Tan family, and it seemed I had no logical reason to refuse. Furthermore, the Chairman had considered my perspective, assigning me only a deputy role to allow me to first gain administrative experience, meaning I probably wouldn't have to worry about minor matters. Still, I realized I was slowly dragging the old man deeper into trouble, and I wondered what official title he would saddle me with next.

Though my decision was largely made, I still preferred hearing Yi Xiaorou’s opinion, as it would only solidify my resolve.

Yi Xiaorou said, "Think of it as an extracurricular practical experience. Besides, you’ll be earning a salary. Don’t disappoint the Chairman’s good intentions."

Speaking of money reminded me of the satellites. I took the Public Security Deputy Director badge and tucked it away as well. I told the Chairman, "Since you’ve dragged me in this deep, you can just keep piling those miscellaneous titles onto me. I have 24 military satellites ready for you. Just give the word, and they’ll be launched into position immediately. I can send people to handle the relay station signal hookup, but regarding the cost..."

"Good!" The Chairman slapped his thigh and stood up. "I’ve been waiting for this day! Star Country’s military satellites stare down at our territory constantly. This time, it’s our turn to show our might! Money is not an issue; I will give you ten billion RMB."

I had no idea what 24 large-scale satellites were worth, so I signaled Yi Xiaorou to help me calculate. Yi Xiaorou confirmed, "This price is acceptable. And let's agree to take on the maintenance responsibilities as well."

At noon, the Chairman treated Yi Xiaorou and me to lunch. It wasn't lavish, but it tasted good—in ancient times, this would have been considered a royal feast. After we finished eating, we left immediately. As for the work, we would discuss it after my exams were complete.