Otherworldly Affairs Office
Chapter 43: Banquet and Celebration

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Banquet and Celebration

"You look a lot shorter after you disable your abilities!" Everyone at the table was sitting quietly, staring at each other, when Pei Yong, who was sitting closest to Pei Yan, broke the awkward silence and teased.

Pei Yan smiled shyly and replied, "Yeah, after I mechanize, my body grows significantly, and it’s really annoying as it always ends up ruining my clothes!"

"Doesn’t the Investigation Bureau provide Storage Rings?" Han Wei, who had also just woken up and still looked pale, asked.

Pei Yan was taken aback and asked in confusion, "What ring?"

"A Storage Ring, a special storage ring made for ability users, is crafted from materials and methods that originated from the Magic Realm," Xiaozhao whispered in Pei Yan’s ear, and then she smiled at Han Wei and said, "He hasn’t officially joined the Bureau yet. Once we return, he’ll get his equipment!"

"Not officially joined yet can take on five people alone, the Investigation Bureau is impressive." Zhao Xian muttered with his head down.

Shen Bing glared at Zhao Xian and shouted coldly, "Xiaozhao!"

"What? I didn’t say anything!" Zhao Xian, seeing that Shen Bing was really angry, pouted and kept quiet.

Seeing the atmosphere turning heavy again, Han Wei, the center of the team, picked up the Sprite in front of him, stood up, and said, "Come on, Pei Yan, because army regulations forbid drinking today, I’ll toast you with water. If there’s a chance in the future, we’ll have a proper drink together. This counts as not knowing each other until after a fight!"

After hearing this, Pei Yan immediately stood up and poured himself a glass of cola in response, "Actually, I should be the one to toast everyone, I have to thank you all here. I only managed to win today by luck, thinking back, you all went easy on me, allowing me to find a way in. I believe on a battlefield, with no holds barred and life-and-death struggles, I might have been dead long ago."

"Glad you recognize it!" Pei Yong stood up with his wine glass, patting Pei Yan on the back with a laugh.

On the other side, Zhang Liren and Shen Bing also stood up. Shen Bing humbly said, "It’s not right to say that. A win is a win. We did underestimate you initially, and in the end, our attack was only possible because you were wary of us. This match taught us all a lesson. Though we belong to different departments, our duties are the same, and in the future, we will inevitably collaborate in battle. It’s fortunate that you’ll be our teammate, not our enemy."

"I’m also glad you’re not my enemies!" Pei Yan nodded, speaking from the heart.

At this point, Zhao Xian, under everyone’s gaze, slowly stood up, raised his wine glass, and looked at Pei Yan, sighing, "There’s nothing much to say. At the last moment, only you and I were left on the stage. As the team’s last hope and with the advantage, I still lost the match. I lost in both judgment and willpower!" After saying this, he drank his beverage in one gulp.

He then poured himself another drink, raised it, and said, "If there’s another chance to be on the stage, I definitely won’t lose to you again!"

"Alright!"

During the meal, the young people of similar age and ability easily found common topics, continuously sharing their training blunders. With Xiaozhao, who’s been on real missions, sharing some secret mission stories, the whole table of young rookies listened in awe.

After the meal, they didn’t immediately return to the Investigation Bureau but stayed overnight as arranged by Liu Xuan. Pei Yan initially didn’t understand why until the next morning when he was dressed in full military uniform on the parade ground.

Photo shooting, all kinds of poses, holding a gun, training, group photos with base comrades in front of an armored vehicle, busy until lunchtime.

After lunch, after Gu Shenghui repeatedly thanked Liu Xuan for his hospitality, the group was taken by car to the teleportation array’s secret room. Sitting in the back seat, Pei Yan, rubbing his face that ached from laughter, asked perplexedly, "Instructor Hu, why did you have me take so many photos?"

"You’ve been in the army for so long without a single photo, don’t your parents get suspicious?" Before Hu Wenjun could answer, Xiaozhao, sitting next to Pei Yan and chewing gum, replied.

"Right! If you’re going to play a role, play it thoroughly! Did you keep it from your family like this too?" Pei Yan leaned against the car window, teasing Xiaozhao.

Xiaozhao rolled her eyes and asked, confused, "Why would I hide it? My family knows I have abilities and that I work in the Bureau!"

"What?" Hearing this, Pei Yan sat up straight in surprise, looking at Xiaozhao, then at Hu Wenjun in the front seat, "You can let your family know about this?"

"Don’t glare at me like that, you’re different from her. Her situation is very special; her family knew about her situation since she was a child," Hu Wenjun responded lazily, slouched in the car seat, without even lifting an eyelid.

Under Pei Yan’s curious gaze, Xiaozhao shuddered and said, "Don’t look at me like that, my parents don’t really know what we do in the Bureau. They just know I have abilities beyond normal, and in their eyes, it’s like we’re part of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"That’s good too! It’s almost the end of the year! Instructor Hu, does that mean I can’t go home for the New Year?"

"Of course, have you ever seen a recruit who’s been in the army for half a year go home for the New Year?"

A long while later, a sigh full of melancholy came from the back of the car.

Back at the Bureau, endlessly dreaming of the beautiful vision of Gu Shenghui fulfilling his promise, Pei Yan’s enthusiasm gradually waned over a half-month of long waiting.

During this time, Pei Yan’s life changed a bit.

First, some people left. Not long after returning to the Bureau, Engineer Li found Pei Yan and said goodbye, having a long talk before leaving.

He told Pei Yan that the first phase of experiments on him had temporarily concluded, and he still had many research projects he wanted to conduct, many devices he wanted to test on Pei Yan to check their effects. Unfortunately, the funding spent on Pei Yan during this period had already exceeded the initial budget, and whether to continue required approval from above.

Engineer Li concluded by reassuring Pei Yan not to worry too much, saying that the intelligent system tailored for him and its accompanying weapon systems were under development, and no matter what decision came from above, he would strive for these to eventually be implemented on Pei Yan. Whether more could be achieved depended on Pei Yan’s future performance.

Pei Yan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Engineer Li, yet felt bitter inside. He wanted to perform! But the Bureau wouldn’t give him a chance to perform!

Through this period, he fully realized that his abilities were a money pit! Only with the country’s resources could he improve his strengths, as some high-tech equipment couldn’t be bought even if you had money.

While Pei Yan was scratching his head, contemplating how to properly showcase his abilities, Hu Wenjun pushed open the door to his dorm room.

"Stop pulling a long face, come with me to collect your equipment! You’re going on a mission!"

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