The President chuckled, pointing at Chen Gu. "A very capable young man. If... hmm, I mean if, he can keep up this performance, perhaps in a few years I'll help him become a professional."

"But rest assured, everyone, what I'm giving him now makes him at least equivalent to a reliable warrior. He won't hold us back on missions."

Even among the professionals, several envious glances fell on Chen Gu. Just being "capable" is enough to become a professional? How incredibly lucky! Do you know how we had to fight with everything we had, facing countless dangers, before we finally became professionals?

It must be said, in this world, some people just casually "do a little" and surpass the efforts of many others' lifetimes.

How unfair!

The mutual introductions came to an end, and then the banquet officially began.

At one point, Chen Gu went to the restroom. Just as he came out, a hand pushed him from behind, shoving him back into one of the stalls.

Chen Gu smelled a familiar perfume.

He raised his hands. "Hey, hey, hey, Big Sis, this is the men's restroom."

Liu Shichan forcefully turned him around and pinned him against the wall, asking angrily, "What are you doing? Do you know who these people are?"

Chen Gu feigned a perplexed look. "They don't seem like ordinary people. I often hear the President mention 'professions,' but those professions sound so strange..."

Liu Shichan looked at Chen Gu with exasperation. "Is it because of what the President gave you that your physical skills improved so much?"

"Is it also because of the President that you have those bodyguards, and that lightning-fast 'Xuanwu III model'?"

Chen Gu remained silent.

Such assumptions could be disastrous! Chen Gu never imagined his various anomalies at school would form such a perfect explanation here!

He didn't deny it on the spot, which made Liu Shichan even more certain of her conjecture.

She looked at Chen Gu with sympathy, trying to persuade him. "I know you want to succeed. As someone with an ordinary background, you're naturally fighting hard to climb up.

But you must understand that every gain requires a sacrifice. Sometimes, you may think you can handle these sacrifices, but I'm telling you, that's an illusion!"

"Whatever the President gives you, she will take it back a hundred, even a thousand times over!"

"These people are very dangerous, more dangerous than you can imagine! If you get mixed up with her, you'll be beyond redemption."

"We were classmates. I'll try to find a way to help you. Just quit this mission and leave the President forever! Otherwise... one day you'll regret it."

Chen Gu looked at her and didn't find her ridiculous; instead, he was very touched. For a high school classmate with whom he hadn't had much interaction, Liu Shichan was indeed loyal.

Still, he had to harshly reject her. "I can't. I have an agreement with the President. I can't leave her. Otherwise, not only I, but my family will be implicated too."

"This..." Liu Shichan was very anxious. After a moment's thought, she said, "My family has some influence. I can help arrange for you to change your identity and start over on another planet."

Chen Gu still shook his head. "I can't take that risk."

"You—" Liu Shichan got angry. "You fool! You have no idea what kind of incident you've gotten yourself into!"

She angrily let go of Chen Gu, pushed the stall door open, and left.

Someone had just come in to use the restroom and was startled to see Liu Shichan. With a dark face, she scolded, "Wrong restroom, you pervert! Were you trying to peep?"

The man quickly jumped out, while Liu Shichan also left without looking back.

The man looked again. No mistake, it was the men's restroom. He stuck his head back in to check and saw a row of urinals.

"That bitch—"

Chen Gu didn't come out immediately. Initially, he was only a bit surprised to find Liu Shichan involved in the matter. After all, they were just classmates without much interaction.

But Liu Shichan's loyalty, her desperate efforts to save him, made Chen Gu feel a twinge of guilt.

He wanted to help Liu Shichan now.

Qing Ruyan had already set her sights on Leder, who was involved in a major illegal human modification case that might have far-reaching implications.

What role does the Liu Family play in this case? Could it affect Liu Shichan?

Chen Gu found it very hard to believe that the straightforward and loyal Big Sis Liu—the head of the Dead Phoenix Gang and owner of the best legs at Lubei Middle School—would do such a thing for money.

This is a bit tricky… Chen Gu muttered to himself in the stall.

The person who had just entered the restroom happened to hear him. With good intentions, he knocked on the stall door and slipped a business card inside. "Hey, brother, are you dealing with some... unmentionable male problem? Go see this person; he has a miracle cure..."

Chen Gu was speechless.

My heartfelt thanks to you! he thought sarcastically.

"Just take it. We're all men here; there's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Chen Gu couldn't refuse such kindness and silently pocketed the business card.

About fifteen minutes later, Chen Gu returned to the banquet hall. Qing Ruyan gave him a knowing smirk and whispered, "Finished talking with your little sweetheart? How did it go? Can she accept who you are now?"

Liu Shichan had also disappeared for a little while; the well-informed Qing Ruyan immediately guessed what she had been up to.

Chen Gu gave her an irritated look and whispered back, "We're just classmates, not 'little sweethearts'."

Qing Ruyan, however, looked completely nonchalant. "You don't need to explain anything to me."

Chen Gu was secretly annoyed, feeling like he was hitting cotton with a punch.

Towards the end of the banquet, Hu Ling came with his team to toast the President. His five members surrounded Qing Ruyan, and then, as if things weren't awkward enough, Huo Mei sneakily pinched Chen Gu's butt from behind!

Chen Gu almost jumped on the spot.

Damn it, I actually got groped!

This was a profound insult to the Great Actor Chen's decades as a renowned playboy in his previous life!

Fortunately, Huo Mei was cautious of the President and didn't take any further action.

When the banquet finally ended, an exhausted Chen Gu followed Qing Ruyan back to the suite and threw himself onto the sofa.

As Qing Ruyan removed various precious jewels from her body, she seemed to ask casually, "If our investigation ultimately shows that the Liu Family is involved in this case, and Liu Shichan is aware of it, what will you do?"

Chen Gu paused, then said blankly, "I don't know. I really don't know."

He recounted what Liu Shichan had told him in the restroom and then added, "I feel that she's not that kind of person."

Qing Ruyan turned around and looked at him seriously. "Chen Gu, you've committed a cardinal sin in investigation by letting your personal feelings interfere with the case."

Chen Gu was taken aback again, then a strong wave of irritation washed over him. To hell with personal feelings, to hell with investigations! I'm just an actor! I'm only playing a role, not some damn real Bureau of Mystic Security agent!

But he couldn't vent these emotions to Qing Ruyan. Instead, he grabbed a cushion, buried his head in it, and fell silent.

Qing Ruyan looked at him and continued humming a tune as she went to remove her makeup.

That night, Qing Ruyan lay languidly in bed and sent a message to Aviloya's private account, far away on Capital Star, with a message: "He's still such a naive, endearing boy."

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