"Okay, Mom, I won't cry!" Zhang Lei tilted his head back, trying to hold back some of his tears. After a few sobs, he forced the tears back.
"Yes, that's my good son. I've already taken leave and bought the tickets. I'll take the train to Shanghai tomorrow. But as you know, I'm teaching a graduating class this year. If I'm gone for too long, they're doomed. This is a lifelong matter for these kids. So I'll have to come back after I finish my business. Hang in there for another six months. Once these students graduate, I'll take a sick leave and come to Shanghai to be with you!"
"No need, Mom, I can take care of myself. There are so many other nannies. Besides, Mom, let me tell you, I already have a job!"
"What job? Your job is to study hard. Don't worry about money. Your dad and I can afford it. If you need money, just say so. Don't go looking for those messy things!" Hearing her son mention a job, the mother showed no excitement. Instead, she got angry.
"No, no, no, Mom, listen to me, I had no choice!" Zhang Lei briefly explained the situation, starting with accidentally killing Zuo Jian with a single palm strike, and then talking about the State Bureau of Foreign Affairs.
This doesn't need much explanation. Although Zhang Lei's mother hadn't heard of the Foreign Special Branch Bureau, everyone in the National Security Bureau knew about it. Their style of doing things was well-known. Zhang Lei's mother also knew that it was best to join if you wanted to, but you had to join even if you didn't want to, unless you left China. And even if you left China, unless you went to a deserted place, in any country, people with superpowers were objects that all countries had to forcibly recruit.
Zhang Lei's mother had heard of and believed in supernatural qigong in the past, and she even practiced some kind of health-preserving qigong herself, but according to Zhang Lei's recollection, she didn't achieve any results at all.
Since things have already come to this, and one person's strength is far too weak compared to the strength of a nation, and considering that what Zhang Lei is doing isn't a bad thing—serving the country is still honorable—and that Zhang Lei's mother and father are both veteran Party members for over twenty years, they certainly have this level of awareness. It's just that their son is engaged in potentially dangerous work, so it's normal for a mother to be a little worried.
"Son, wait a minute, let your dad say a few words to you!"
"Xiao Lei, now that you've joined, do your job well and don't embarrass the Zhang family!" Zhang Lei's father's voice came through immediately. It seemed he had been waiting by the phone the whole time, maybe even with his ear pressed against the receiver.
"Alright, Dad, stop being so serious, don't pretend with your son..." Although Zhang Lei's father was a bit serious, he was definitely not the kind of person who was old-fashioned. The words he said were clearly prepared for a long time, and they didn't sound like something he would say.
Zhang Lei was unaware that he had already violated quite a few rules. These things should absolutely not be discussed over the phone, and family members should also keep them confidential. But since he didn't know, there was nothing to blame him for, right? In fact, Zhang Lei might have known, but he was just pretending not to. If you can't even trust your own parents, then there's really not much point in living in this world.
"Dad, Mom, your combined salaries are still less than a thousand, right? Let me tell you, I'm currently in my probationary period, and I get a monthly allowance of over five thousand. After the probationary period, it will double again. How about I send some back to you?"
At that time, five thousand was a remarkable figure. The saying "ten-thousand-yuan household" had just become outdated. You can imagine what five thousand a month was like.
In reality, the National Security Bureau is a relatively clean department; its staff don't really qualify for high salaries to ensure integrity. However, the Guoyi Branch is an exception. Almost everyone there is dangerous, and if they harbor resentment, the negative impact on society would be enormous. Moreover, to be honest, many of their unique skills are extremely expensive, and if the budget can't be met, problems could easily arise. Therefore, it's best to provide each person with a high salary, ensuring they don't feel financially strained and seek external funding. Once that starts or becomes the norm, while it will be easier for them to find money, the consequences will be severe.
Not only is the salary high, but all expenses, as long as they are reasonable, can be reimbursed in full, including phone bills.
"Son, no need. Your parents have more than enough money to live on in this little mountain village. But even though you earn a lot, you can't waste it, you know? Save some!"
"Okay, I got it. Actually, even if I wanted to waste it, there's nowhere to waste it. This phone I'm making right now is a perk, a mobile phone assigned to me. I don't even have to pay for it myself; the bill is paid for directly by the higher-ups! Everything else..."
Zhang Lei was very excited, seemingly forgetting about his grandmother. He talked until after 11 p.m., not even knowing when the aunties left. However, the people at the back door continued talking, and they were much more enthusiastic.
...
"Zhang Lei, let me introduce you. This is your instructor. If you get along well, you can call him Master!" The next day after school, Liu Yun and Tian Xiao took Zhang Lei to a building. The entire floor was empty, and this would become their training base for the time being.
"Zhang Lei, right? I've heard them mention you!" Linghu Zai Chong reached out his hand to Zhang Lei.
"Do you know you broke a lot of rules yesterday?" Linghu Zaichong's expression suddenly changed after shaking hands. "What did you say when you called your parents?"
Zhang Lei's expression changed as well. "You're wiretapping my phone?"
"It's not just us; other departments, even other countries, could be monitoring your phone. Do you know how much damage it would cause us if your phone happened to be monitored by a hostile organization from another country? Although you didn't reveal much on the phone, and of course you don't know how much now. If you only exposed yourself, it wouldn't be so bad; at most, it would implicate a few of us who had contact with you. But the phone bill you mentioned was paid by higher-ups. If someone with ulterior motives follows the trail, tell me, how many people whose identities need to be kept secret will be exposed to the enemy!"
Zhang Lei's head was lowered lower and lower as he was being talked down. If he was right, he was right; if he was wrong, he was wrong. Zhang Lei didn't want to and couldn't argue, so he could only let him scold him.
"...Fortunately, we discovered it early and gave you special encryption, but do you know how many resources such special encryption consumes? Until you learn the secret language, you are absolutely not allowed to discuss these issues using your mobile phone, understand?"
"Understood!" Seeing Zhang Lei's dejected appearance, Linghu Zaichong knew that his show of force had been successful. In fact, what valuable secrets could Zhang Lei, who hadn't even officially joined yet, know? The standard cell phone was only for those who didn't need to keep things particularly secret. If it were really that easy to expose, then everyone in the Bureau of Foreign Affairs could just die.
"Alright, you're a newbie, ignorance is no excuse. Let's start our training now. Go run fifty laps first!" Linghu Zaichong waved his hand impatiently. "Why aren't you going yet!" Seeing that Zhang Lei hadn't moved, Linghu Zaichong suddenly shouted.
Zhang Lei remained unmoved, saying, "I don't think running is suitable for me, so there's absolutely no need for me to go!"
"What did you say?" Linghu rushed forward again, his eyes wide like copper bells, staring intently at Zhang Lei.
Zhang Lei stared directly into his eyes, neither glaring nor backing down. "I said, I don't think running is suitable for me. We all have self-awareness and know what suits us best, so I have absolutely no need to run!"
Episode 3: The Bloody Road to Growth, Chapter 34: Treating Guests to Dinner
The two stared at each other for a full two minutes before Linghu Zaichong suddenly burst into laughter. "Good, well done! I like you just the way you are. In fact, this is how the self-examination ability should be. What suits me may not suit you. You can only find a training method that is completely suitable for you with the help of your special ability. I have faith in you!"
Zhang Lei breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't good to fall out with his supervisor on the very first day. Zhang Lei had only persisted because he noticed Liu Yun and Tian Xiao's reactions. Of course, he really didn't want to run and couldn't run.
"While I can't offer technical guidance, I can still give you some advice on the general direction and some details!" Linghu Zaichong patted Zhang Lei on the shoulder. "Let's go out and have a big meal to celebrate!"
Zhang Lei really wanted to refuse. Going out for a big meal and drinks during his grandmother's mourning period, and judging from his posture, it seemed like he was going to have a wild party, which really wasn't appropriate. Besides, Zhang Lei wasn't in the mood for it. However, Zhang Lei had almost had a falling out with him earlier. Although he later realized that it was just a test for him, if he refused now, people might easily think that he was holding a grudge against the joke from earlier.
Perhaps Zhang Lei was overthinking things. Linghu Zaichong didn't have such complicated thoughts at all. But there's a saying, "The more you calculate, the more likely you are to win; the less you calculate, the less likely you are to lose." Zhang Lei always thought that thinking a little more about things wouldn't hurt. Of course, this might make him a little tired.
"What's wrong? Is it inconvenient? Let's catch up. We'll be together for a while. When Liu Yun isn't on a mission, he'll be here to tutor Tianxiao. The rest of the time, I'll be here to show you around!" Linghu Zaichong put his arm around Zhang Lei's shoulder and asked when he saw that Zhang Lei seemed a little hesitant.
"It's nothing, I was just a little startled, haha, let's go!" Zhang Lei tried to put his arm around Linghu Zaichong, but then he realized that although Linghu Zaichong wasn't very tall, his shoulders and back were so broad that Zhang Lei's arm couldn't reach him at all.
"Give me one!" As soon as they sat down in the private room, Linghu Zaichong took out an open pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Even Zhang Lei, who didn't smoke, knew from the brand that one pack was worth the equivalent of dozens of packs his father used to smoke.
"Sorry, I don't smoke!" Zhang Lei refused his offer.
"A man who doesn't smoke has lived in vain; a man who doesn't drink has lived in vain. Have one, just to give your brother face!" Linghu Zaichong insisted.
"I'm sorry, I really don't smoke or drink. My respiratory system can't handle smoking because of that!"
"Really not smoking? You're not giving me any face at all!" "Really not smoking, sorry!"
"Alright!" Linghu slammed his hand on the table again, then put the cigarette away in his pocket. "For people like us, every little thing has to be considered. At crucial moments, that little thing can be the difference between victory and defeat. This is especially true for the two of us. If you really smoke, I'll make sure you quit!"
"Damn it!" Zhang Lei cursed inwardly. Although Linghu Zaichong seemed straightforward and not very educated, after getting to know him, he truly lived up to his name, which contained the character "fox." His cunning was unparalleled. In a short period of time, he had set several traps for Zhang Lei. If Zhang Lei hadn't handled them well by chance, who knows what the outcome would have been.
...
Things often fall apart by just half a day, which is when the magic of fate is revealed. Zhang Lei's letter also ended up in Tian Zhiguo's hands, which meant it was now in the hands of the people from the Zuo family who were investigating.
Actually, they arrived only slightly later than Linghu Zaichong. Although they received the news a little later, a group of people were prepared and waiting on the outskirts of Shanghai, ready to enter as soon as the news arrived.