The incident, smoothed over by the deft maneuvering of several city leaders, concluded swiftly, and Qin Fen was escorted in a police car directly to the municipal government office.

The five city leaders who had greeted him at the airport smiled as they looked over the file Qin Fen had brought. The Federation's youngest Lieutenant Colonel—had his skirmish in Shengjing been orchestrated by higher-ups specifically to place him here as an over-the-wall appointment?

"Ahem... ahem..."

The Mayor glanced at the other leaders, clearing his throat twice before speaking, "Lieutenant Colonel Qin Fen, according to directives from above, your appointment is Deputy Director of the Tianbei City Police Bureau."

Qin Fen nodded silently. In the eyes of these colleagues, he saw only false smiles; beneath those smiles were three unmistakable words: we dislike you.

"In Tianbei City, we prefer candor and getting straight to the point. So, I won't mince words," the Mayor of Tianbei City coughed lightly. "I imagine working alongside old guys like us might feel uncomfortable for you. Why don't you work with a group of younger people instead!"

The four city leaders nodded in unison. The Director of the Tianbei City Police Bureau, dressed in his uniform, chuckled and said, "Tianbei City has a Special Public Security Detachment. It's filled with enthusiastic, driven young people—the elite of our police force here. With your rank as Deputy Director, you can primarily lead them."

Qin Fen felt a flicker of interest. He had expected a purely administrative role upon arrival, but surprisingly, they had granted him real authority.

Theoretically, this Special Public Security Detachment was responsible for regulating dangerous items like firearms, ammunition, explosives, and highly toxic materials. They were also tasked with guiding public safety management in venues and specialized industries; directing public order management; providing guidance and assessment for handling public security cases; overseeing efforts to combat counterfeiting and rectify market order; organizing and coordinating the investigation of major cases, and overseeing anti-prostitution and anti-gambling efforts; guiding the construction of police substations citywide and the development of community defense organizations; and assisting relevant departments with juvenile crime prevention, protection of women's rights, and other tasks.

In short, it was a department that could meddle in everything or nothing at all, as truly critical situations invariably saw responsibilities delegated down to various divisions or branches.

Qin Fen looked at the five superiors with confusion. If they disliked him, why give him a department with actual power? Wouldn't placing him in a high-ranking but ceremonial position be better?

As Deputy Director of the Tianbei City Police Bureau and Deputy Commander of the Special Public Security Detachment, he would primarily oversee the detachment’s day-to-day operations.

Qin Fen gathered his documents, executed a crisp salute, and left the room to collect his police uniform and other equipment.

The five city leaders exchanged knowing smiles, a hint of cunning glinting in their eyes. Regarding the intelligence received from Shengjing, they remained cautiously skeptical. These types of maneuvers—appearing to suppress someone only to send them to a local post for undisclosed investigative work—had happened too many times in the Federation.

Better safe than sorry! The five leaders laughed heartily. The young men in the Special Public Security Detachment—while not direct 'princelings,' all had powerful uncles, cousins, or guardians backing them.

Their families were thoroughly exasperated by these pampered youths. They had dumped them into the Special Public Security Detachment, a 'nursery' where they could technically do nothing but stay quiet and out of trouble.

The Police Director himself managed a wry smile just thinking of the Special Security Detachment. Those who clung together were a bundle of thorns; not only were they formidable fighters among Tianbei’s youth, but their most vexing quality was their penchant for lowbrow tactics.

In the span of just one year, four previous Deputy Commanders had been transferred out, completely unable to subdue this ungovernable group of young troublemakers.

The compound of the Tianbei City Public Security Bureau wasn't grand, but its footprint was considerable.

Qin Fen arrived at the Bureau with his paperwork to finalize the last few procedures. "Hello, I need to pick up the items listed here, and please print my identification card."

The person in the ID printing office paused upon receiving the documents, looking up at Qin Fen with undisguised surprise. "Deputy Commander of the Special Public Security Detachment?"

"Mm," Qin Fen nodded, catching a fleeting glance of pity from the female officer printing his ID.

Pity, exactly! Qin Fen frowned slightly. This wasn't the first time he’d seen that look today. Every time he processed paperwork, as soon as the other party saw the title 'Deputy Commander of the Special Public Security Detachment,' a wave of pity would surface.

"Sigh..." the female officer sighed as she printed the ID. "I truly don't know how this young man managed to offend those above him to be sent here as Deputy Commander."

In the room, the other female officers also cast looks of commiseration toward Qin Fen. Since the establishment of this detachment, if someone in authority wanted to deal with someone they disliked, they no longer needed excuses or evidence.

"Go be the Deputy Commander of the Special Public Security Detachment!"

That single sentence put that person on the countdown to demotion.

"Here is your ID," the officer handed it over, her voice soft with reluctance. "Be careful."

Careful? Qin Fen secured his badge and turned to look down the corridor toward the back courtyard. Was the Special Public Security Detachment truly a dragon's lair?

Exiting the main building, Qin Fen noticed the back courtyard was much quieter than the front. It featured a rock garden, some greenery, and a modest three-story building. According to his file, the Special Public Security Detachment was located on the third floor.

The quiet, three-story building, lacking bustling foot traffic, had a somewhat shadowy entrance. Combined with the hushed atmosphere, it resembled a prehistoric beast quietly opening its massive jaws, waiting to devour the unwary who approached.

"Did you hear? It seems we're getting a new Deputy Commander today!"

A boisterous voice, tinged with anticipation and excitement, carried out. The police uniform buttons on the young man's chest were flung open, and his long hair was tied back in a neat little braid that swayed behind him.

"Wu Hui, since you know, have you figured out how to welcome him?"

The man speaking looked to be in his early twenties, lounging on a sofa, appreciating art while flipping through a copy of Playboy.

The first speaker, Wu Hui, looked toward his partner. "Lin Feng, just a minor Deputy Commander—do we need a special show for him? Just give him the usual trio of tricks to knock him down a peg before he tries to make a splash with his new authority."

Yu Xiao, busy slurping instant noodles, looked up and called out across the messy room, "I heard this Deputy Commander is really young, maybe even younger than us."

Creak...

The door hinge, lacking sufficient oil, emitted a groan. Amidst their discussion, the door slowly opened, but the occupants barely reacted, continuing with whatever they were doing as if the opening was unseen.

In this room, the door opening usually signaled one of two things: either the takeout had arrived, or the Deputy Commander was here. Normally, no one entered this room without a purpose; even if they needed something, they would call first rather than walk in.

Who knew how many minor pranks and traps were installed in this room? Every type of trick one could see in a comedy film could likely be found within this room.

Whoosh, whoosh.

Two sounds of air being sliced through zipped past as objects flew from the window ledge opposite the door. Lin Feng, who had been lying down, tossed aside his magazine and stared with keen interest at the person entering, eager to see the inevitable accident unfold.

Yu Xiao stopped eating his noodles, his eyes equally alight with excitement. Those two water bags, filled with red ink, would burst easily upon impact, and the staining would be anything but simple to remove.

"Huh?"

Lin Feng, still reclined on the sofa, watched the young man at the door in surprise. The two water bags, which should have burst with minimal force, were held firmly in the newcomer's grasp, completely intact.

"Impressive!" Lin Feng remained seated on the sofa, slowly clapping his hands. "A beautiful display of soft power."

Qin Fen held the two water bags and smiled faintly. Such trap-setting techniques were too elementary; if his instructors saw them, they’d lash out in furious reprimands.

The people in the room initially continued what they were doing.

Without the expected burst water bags, this situation was unprecedented. Anyone coming here to serve as Deputy Commander must possess some degree of skill.

Wu Hui smiled, hoping this time the person sent from above wouldn't be too timid and run away after just a couple of attempts. That would be truly dull.

Qin Fen stepped into the room and quickly swept his gaze around. Was this an office? Or a playroom full of children’s elaborate contraptions? The meeting-room-sized space held barely two dozen people, yet it concealed nearly a hundred mechanisms!

Qin Fen smiled again. Now he understood the pitying looks he received during processing, and why the young female officer had offered a cautious reminder when issuing his credentials.

Indeed! In this room, if an ordinary person wasn't extremely cautious, while they might not be killed by the traps, they would certainly suffer deep psychological trauma, becoming hesitant and unwilling to exert managerial authority over these men in the future.

"Ahem..." Qin Fen cleared his throat forcefully. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Qin Fen, the newly appointed Deputy Commander of the Special Public Security Detachment."

...

The people in the room continued their activities. Even Lin Feng, reclining on the sofa, picked up Playboy again and resumed his study of human anatomy.

Was this another silent show of dominance? Qin Fen sighed inwardly. Being kicked out of the military was already aggravating enough. Even if this local position offered decent income, the feeling of being forcibly ejected was deeply unpleasant.

"I haven't had a chance to vent that frustration yet. Who knew this place would offer such a fine opportunity," Qin Fen muttered under his breath, then cleared his throat again and announced, "As police officers, you should look the part. You have five minutes to tidy up your personal appearance."

...

The room remained silent. Everyone continued their previous actions, as if Qin Fen’s words hadn't been heard at all.

Appearance? Wu Hui sneered inwardly. The previous four Deputy Commanders had also offered polite advice; none had dared to speak with such domineering arrogance.

Qin Fen glanced at his watch. "Three minutes remaining..."

"Two minutes remaining..."

"Nine seconds, eight, seven... Time’s up!"

The instant Qin Fen finished speaking, he strode toward Lin Feng, his footwork perfectly bypassing the traps beneath him with a single, precise step.

Before anyone could marvel at that lucky step, Qin Fen’s right hand shot out, grabbing for Lin Feng on the sofa.

Making a move? Lin Feng’s lips curled upward. He flicked up the high-voltage stun baton hidden behind his magazine, aiming it directly at Qin Fen's open, grasping hand.

Wu Hui smirked. This trick—the baton hidden beneath the newspaper—had never failed before...

Qin Fen’s cold smile didn't lessen upon seeing the baton; his open five-fingered grasp did not change its trajectory. He channeled the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Technique directly to the Sixth Star, and as his fingers imbued with true energy pierced the air, they sounded like a large banner flapping in the wind.

Sixth Star!

All twenty-something people in the room gasped. This young man, who looked barely twenty, possessed Sixth Star strength?

Lin Feng and Wu Hui’s smiles remained unchanged. Even at the Sixth Star level, against this high-voltage baton...

A loud explosion erupted in the room, like a massive firecracker set off on National Day. The baton, spitting blue electrical sparks, was crushed in Qin Fen’s grip; the battery within was completely pulverized by the immense pressure!

Lin Feng felt a crushing grip around his chest as he was yanked into the air. A powerful throwing force made the surrounding scenery blur and recede rapidly!

Not good! Lin Feng's heart clenched. Wu Hui's pupils instantly constricted to pinpricks as he raised his hand to block the flying Lin Feng.

When Qin Fen unleashed his Sixth Star strength, he brought it to the peak of that level. A prepared throw of this magnitude was far beyond what the hastily reacting Fifth Star Wu Hui could counteract.

The room instantly filled with a cacophony of chaotic screams, the crash of overturned desks, and the clamor of the men.

Officers on the second floor, hearing the commotion above, all sighed and shook their heads. Today, the new Deputy Commander was likely to suffer an even greater beating.

The scene in the room remained chaotic. Wu Hui collided with three heavy desks before his backward momentum finally stopped. The sheer impact left his arms and back aching fiercely.

Crash!

The remaining twenty people in the room simultaneously sprang to their feet.

Silence. Still silence. Beneath the steady gaze of these young men, fierce hostility burned. They hadn't expected the newcomer to resort to violence immediately.

Qin Fen smiled calmly. Fierce gazes? Compared to terrorists and the gangs of the Golden Triangle, this was mere kindergarten stuff.

Qin Fen strode confidently toward the sofa. A spark of excited anticipation lit up in the eyes of the young man resting there.

That’s right! The sofa had a trap too! Only those who lived here long-term knew about it!

Poof...

Qin Fen sat down. The trap in the sofa failed to activate. The spark of expectation in everyone's eyes instantly vanished.

"Three opening moves? I wasn't planning on playing games," Qin Fen set the water bags on the floor. "Now, I’m suddenly interested. Organize your police discipline; put on your uniforms first."

His sharp words carried an undeniable tone of dominance. The assembled officers stared at Qin Fen in surprise. He hadn't started with any lectures or organizational talk; his first order was simply to put on their uniforms.

"You still have three minutes..."

Before Qin Fen could finish speaking, every officer scrambled at top speed to straighten their uniforms.

A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle, especially when they can't find grounds to attack their superior. Putting on their uniforms was the only sensible course of action.

"Commander, you are truly formidable," Wu Hui said with a chuckle, rubbing his lower back. "To possess Sixth Star strength at such a young age, your future is limitless."

Qin Fen observed Wu Hui quietly. There was a cunning quality hidden in the policeman's eyes, clearly indicating that this praise was merely groundwork, and more words were sure to follow.

"Alas! Compared to you, we fall far short," Wu Hui’s expression shifted to one of despondency. "After seeing your martial arts just now, could you possibly spare some time to instruct us in the martial arts room in our courtyard?"

Qin Fen looked at the eager anticipation in the eyes of the other officers. He knew they were unconvinced and wanted a chance to test him.

This room contained twenty-some individuals, all Meteor-level martial artists at the Fifth Star. Measured against the standard age progression, they were indisputably the pinnacle group among their peers.

Convinced or not? Qin Fen shook his head slightly. If peaceful coexistence were possible, whether they were convinced wouldn't matter much. However, judging by their eyes, they had clearly made tormenting the Deputy Commander their pastime and objective. The possibility of peace was almost zero.

Qin Fen sighed. If they couldn't coexist, then they would fight! There was no malice in these men’s eyes, only pure, unadulterated defiance. They might be wayward, but they weren't like the spoiled brats in Shengjing who intended lethal strikes.

These men were simply bored and looking for amusement, nothing more. This was evident in Lin Feng’s eyes; even after being beaten, he showed only defiance, lacking the venomous hatred or killing intent.

"Very well. I'd also like to see your skills," Qin Fen rotated his fists a couple of times. "As police officers, martial capability is an essential component. We are the guardians of the public and must strive to improve ourselves."

"Commander," Yu Xiao wiped some instant noodle soup from his mouth. "One-on-one seems unfair. We are too far behind you in skill."

"Yeah, yeah!" The other officers immediately chimed in, their voices sounding genuinely aggrieved, as if they had suffered a terrible injustice. Stirring up a crowd was their specialty.

"Fine. I will spar with all of you simultaneously. How about that?"

...

The lively room instantly fell silent. The twenty-odd men stared blankly at Qin Fen—him against all twenty-two? Had his brain overheated? Even a Sixth Star martial artist couldn't achieve that.

"Are... are you sure...?" Wu Hui asked, doubting his hearing.

"Certain," Qin Fen smiled. "But sparring alone is boring. How about we make a wager?"

A wager? Wu Hui and the others’ eyes immediately brightened. It seemed this new Deputy Commander shared one of their common interests.

"What are we betting on?" Lin Feng’s interest soared.

Qin Fen stroked his chin, a smile slowly blooming at the corners of his mouth and eyes. "How about this: we test our other police skills as well? Like shooting, for instance?"

Yu Xiao laughed, and everyone else turned to laugh at Yu Xiao. While the Special Public Security Detachment members were unruly, almost every one of them possessed a unique, specialized skill.

Yu Xiao’s marksmanship was not only number one within the Special Public Security Detachment but also number one in the entire Bureau! His nickname was 'Little King of Guns'!

A shooting contest? How could Yu Xiao not be thrilled? He looked at Qin Fen’s smooth hand, noticing only faint calluses on his gun grip—clearly not the hands of a lifelong marksman.

Yu Xiao looked down at his own hand, the calluses thick and developed. A well-callused hand might not guarantee a master shooter, but a hand lacking those calluses definitely wouldn't belong to one!

"How about this," Qin Fen proposed again. "If I lose, I leave immediately. But if you all lose, then what?"

Lin Feng grinned slyly at Qin Fen. "What? You want us to swear allegiance to you as our boss?"

"Boss?" Qin Fen wiggled a finger. "If I win, you must obey me unconditionally for seven days. After seven days, you can challenge me again. If you win, I leave on the spot. If I win, you obey me for another seven days. If, after seven days, you dare not challenge me, you must continue to obey my orders unconditionally."

A burst of loud laughter erupted from the third-floor windows, causing the officers on the second floor to look up again, confused about the strange sounds from above. Had the new Deputy Commander been pranked into running around naked? That didn't seem right either; the previous Deputy Commander had already gone through that experience once.

"Commander," Lin Feng said, clutching his belly from laughing so hard. "If you lose, we won't ask you to leave immediately. You only need to follow our orders unconditionally for seven days."

Qin Fen shrugged dismissively. "That works too."

Lin Feng suddenly noticed how undeniably confident the new Commander’s smile was, and moreover, how it carried a distinct, roguish undertone.

Wu Hui rubbed his still-sore lower back and walked out of the room. "Commander, this way, please."

The Tianbei City Police Bureau's martial arts room was far from luxurious; strictly speaking, it was a very ordinary training area.

Large, thick mats covered the floor, spanning an area the size of two basketball courts. The surrounding walls were painted with standard latex paint.

Several officers practicing their punches in the room stopped immediately upon seeing the arrival of this group—the notorious thorns of the Special Public Security Detachment, rarely seen here.

The twenty-two men entered the room, quickly warming up, stretching their limbs, and adjusting their combat readiness. Forty-four eyes shone with confident light; even if he was a Sixth Star martial artist, no one could take on twenty-two Fifth Star martial artists simultaneously.

Qin Fen stepped onto the training ground. The mat beneath his feet immediately sank in. This softness was far greater than that of tatami mats. Carrying his weight of four thousand jin, it was too difficult to leave no trace.

“Captain,” Wu Hui said with a slight smile, “Aren’t you going to prepare?”

“Of course, I need to prepare,” Qin Fen replied, also grinning, as he unclasped what appeared to be light wrist guards and casually tossed them onto the cotton mat.

Bang!

A dull thud echoed in the silent hall, making every officer startle—that sound carried significant weight.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two wrist guards, two ankle guards.

The faces of the hotshot officers from the Special Security Detachment all shifted in unison. Wu Hui stepped forward to pick up one of the guards, and his expression immediately tightened into shock.

Adding these up… Wu Hui cracked a smile, “This must be at least five hundred catties, right?”

Thud!

Qin Fen tossed the heavy lead vest from his upper body onto the ground; the sound of the collision sent a chill down their spines.

“Everyone wait a moment,” Qin Fen said cheerfully, undoing his belt. “This lead vest on my torso is four thousand catties; I still have a pair of trousers I haven’t taken off.”

…

Wu Hui noticed the faces of the other twenty-one companions had all turned pale green.

Four thousand catties! To move with such agility while wearing that much weight? Just how potent was his true strength? A body propelled by such tyrannical force—what kind of speed would that generate? And if a punch landed…

Silence. The room was saturated with absolute quiet; you could hear a pin drop onto the cotton mat.

“Captain…” Lin Feng slowly raised his hand, breaking the silence in the martial arts room. “Can we forfeit this match?”

The other twenty-one officers from the Special Security Detachment nodded immediately—there was simply no way to fight this! The opponent was clearly beyond Six-Star capability, and paired with that abnormal strength, even twenty-two of them together probably wouldn't be enough to take him down.