The new captain, Xiao Peidong, had finished his speech.
Everyone thought it would be a case of a new official making three strokes of reform, aiming to shift the heat from Lin Qing onto Captain Chen, but surprisingly, the opposite happened.
In the end, only a few temporarily recruited Patrol Officers who had entered through the back door were dismissed.
However, this allowed the Patrol Officers of Xiao Shan District branch to understand that Lin Qing, who seemed to have entered through Captain Chen's back door, must have succeeded in the Practice Method.
Otherwise, he wouldn't qualify as an 'outstanding talent.'
Ever since the Chaoyang Martial Arts Hall received investment from Intelligent Star Group, and its founder was elevated to a pedestal, countless people had been trying out the Sunrise Training Method from Chaoyang Martial Arts Hall.
But even the simplest 4-6 version of the Practice Method was only mastered by a handful of people.
In the entire Xiao Shan District branch, combining both official and temporary Patrol Officers, nearly a hundred in total, the number of those who succeeded in the Practice Method was just a few.
Once successful, their status naturally changed immediately.
"Lin Qing, you have just become a regular officer, and your experience is too scant to lead a Patrol Team,"
Xiao Peidong said, "You should start by learning in a group, wait until you have some experience, pass the Patrol assessment, and achieve one or two merits, then you can lead a group. At that time, I'll let you take charge."
Lin Qing did not want to lead a group anyway, so he nodded immediately.
"As for which group..."
Xiao Peidong's gaze swept over the group leaders, and after a moment of contemplation, his eyes finally rested on one person. He said, "Group Leader Han, you have rich experience and are meticulous in handling matters, you will take Lin Qing under your wing."
Although Group Leader Han was nearly forty with a high receding hairline, one could tell he was probably handsome in his youth. His expression was always stern, he stood upright at the forefront of the team, silent and motionless, his uniform impeccably neat without a single wrinkle.
Hearing Xiao Peidong's arrangement, he simply nodded without any expression.
Lin Qing couldn't help but take a closer look at Group Leader Han.
He seemed difficult to get along with.
He only knew that this Group Leader Han was the leader of the second group and had hardly interacted with him before, so he didn't know much about him.
However, he could ask his cousin for more information at the hospital later.
...
After the meeting was dismissed, Lin Qing followed Group Leader Han to the second group's office to get acquainted with the other four members of the second group.
As he stepped into the spacious and brightly lit office, Lin Qing found that all items and furnishings were arranged with extreme neatness and order.
Group Leader Han surveyed the office, considering where to place Lin Qing's desk, and soon said, "You can sit opposite Xiao Qin. I'll have logistics bring over a new desk for you shortly."
Lin Qing nodded.
A short-haired girl with delicate features smiled warmly at him and waved, clearly, she was Xiao Qin.
"Also, logistics will tailor a new uniform for you. Just send your measurements to them, and you'll be able to pick up your new uniform and epaulets tomorrow," Group Leader Han said.
Lin Qing nodded and responded, "Okay."
"As for your duties... at your age, you should focus on training in martial arts, right?"
Group Leader Han looked at Lin Qing, suddenly frowned slightly, and adjusted Lin Qing's uniform collar to make it align properly, only relaxing his brow with satisfaction afterward.
OCD, huh... Lin Qing was startled, no wonder the office was as tidy as if it were measured with a ruler.
Group Leader Han withdrew his hand and continued, "You don't need to come to the branch office for duty usually. I'll notify you when there's a task, but keep your phone available, and work hard on your martial arts training, don't waste your talent."
Lin Qing's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Thank you, Group Leader."
It seemed that Group Leader Han wasn't as difficult to get along with as he appeared.
Group Leader Han thought for a moment, then added, "If there's anything you don't understand about work, you can ask Xiao Qin."
Lin Qing nodded and then asked, "Group Leader, I heard that after a Patrol Officer is confirmed, if they have mastered the 4-6 version of the Practice Method, they can learn the 7-7 version for free?"
Group Leader Han glanced at him and said, "I'll apply for you later. The bureau will arrange a suitable coach for you."
"Thank you, Group Leader," Lin Qing thanked him immediately.
The other team members, hearing this, couldn't help but show a hint of envy in their eyes.
It was a special privilege for official Patrol Officers, but they had to have mastered the 4-6 version of the Practice Method for it to be applicable, otherwise, it was as good as none.
"By the way, Group Leader,"
Lin Qing seized the opportunity to ask, "I've heard that official Patrol Officers can learn Combat Skills? What are the requirements?"
He had heard far too many times about the power of Combat Skills, which in various accounts could almost turn a person into a half-superhuman, and this was a key reason he had entered the Patrol system.
Although his physical fitness had greatly improved, if he were surrounded by a group of armed attackers, he would still have to flee.
Practice Method is ultimately used only to improve basic qualities, Combat Skill is what is really used for combat.
"Want to learn Combat Skill?"
The team leader looked at him and said, "There are only two requirements, first, accomplish the 46-version Sunrise Training Method, second, earn merits, as long as you meet these two points, you can try learning Combat Skill."
"Earn merits?" Lin Qing looked at the team leader.
"Accumulate three Third-class Merits, and you can try learning one Combat Skill, or achieve one Second-class Merit, and you can try learning two Combat Skills," the team leader said.
After speaking, he added, "If you achieve a First-class Merit, you can try learning all the Combat Skills stored in the Inspection Bureau."
Lin Qing slightly raised his eyebrows.
First-class, Second-class, Third-class—these three levels of merits couldn't be converted into each other.
But when it comes to learning opportunities for Combat Skills, one Second-class Merit is equivalent to six Third-class Merits?
A First-class Merit is out of the question, the entire City Patrol Bureau hardly issues such a merit.
Either perform an incredible feat during a major disaster, averting massive loss, or crack the key evidence of a major criminal group, or catch those extremely vicious fugitives…
Only then, it might be possible to earn a First-class Merit.
With his current abilities, even a Second-class Merit was very difficult, let alone setting his sights too high.
Think how to accumulate three Third-class Merits—that was more realistic.
…
Since there was no need to be on duty, after adding the team leader and four other patrol officers from his team on WeChat, Lin Qing left the sub-bureau and went to the Xiao Shan District People's Hospital to visit his cousin.
"You got promoted?"
As he walked into the ward, before he could speak, Chen Yanan on the bed had already spoken.
"Sis, you know?" Lin Qing wasn't surprised.
After all, Chen Yanan was still the captain, and she wasn't unconscious, so how could she not know about any movements in the Patrol Team?
"Did you also plan to hide it from me?" Chen Yanan sized him up and said, "Not bad, when did you accomplish it?"
"It's been a while." Lin Qing stuck to his usual story.
After all, unless he deliberately revealed it, it was hard to tell from the outward appearance whether he had accomplished it or not, and a detection device was needed to confirm.
"Then why didn't you tell me before? Didn't you say last night you were going to resign? And today you suddenly got promoted without a word?" Chen Yanan frowned at him.
"Because I had never thought about entering the Patrol system before."
Lin Qing brought out the excuse he had prepared, "Last night if I had said I planned to get promoted, you might not have agreed, right?"
Chen Yanan looked at her missing right leg, and fell silent.
Indeed.
She got injured like this because of last night's mission, and she was still fearful of that life-threatening danger.
If Lin Qing had said last night that he wanted to take the path of the Patrol, she most likely would not have agreed.
Chen Yanan sighed and said, "Since you didn't want to take this path before, why suddenly change your mind now?"
"A sense of crisis."
Lin Qing said earnestly, "I want to learn Combat Skill, but I can't enter the Chaoyang Martial Arts Hall, and it would take a long time to rise in the military or public security systems, making learning Combat Skill very difficult. After thinking it over, only the Patrol system might enable me to learn Combat Skill in a short time."
Chen Yanan was silent.
A sense of crisis?
Indeed, she had protected Lin Qing too well in the past, so he had never experienced much danger.
His reaction to her serious injury last night was quite normal.
Maybe… deep down, he also wanted to avenge her?
"Fine, since you've already decided, I won't stop you."
Chen Yanan took a deep breath, looked at Lin Qing, and said in a serious tone, "But you need to remember, no matter how important the mission is, it's not as important as life, always be on alert for the scent of danger."
"I know." Lin Qing nodded.
His alertness to danger, no matter how battle-hardened someone was, no one could compare to him.
Not only because he had survived the apocalypse, but also because of the "Current Order Level" item on the Entropy panel, which could forewarn him.
Being an ordinary person, the main reason he had survived so many years in the apocalypse was because of this.