Chapter 156: 150, Win Over Chen Xiran (Seeking Subscription Monthly Ticket)
There were eighteen groups in the Chongnuo City branch before Lu Lin arrived, and Long Qianli had been considering placing him in an existing one.
However, after interrogating Mi Yan and his two companions the previous night, Long Qianli received a message. She was to begin preparations for establishing the Nineteenth Group. Some trainees who had already completed their training would be prioritized for allocation to cities like Chongnuo City, which had portals to the Exotic Battlefield.
As for the choice of group leader, it was up to the individual branches to decide; they would then report their selection to headquarters.
Long Qianli had originally intended to appoint Chen Xiran as the group leader. However, after discussing the situation of the recent entry into the Exotic Battlefield with Chen Xiran’s supervising instructor, she chose the newcomer, Lu Lin, instead.
But at that time, Long Qianli hadn’t expected Lu Lin to give her such a pleasant surprise. She even felt a faint twinge of regret. To have such a talent working on basic tasks in a team of weaklings is a tremendous waste of resources.
But it couldn’t be helped for now; it wouldn’t look good to transfer Lu Lin to another group immediately after appointing him as group leader. They would discuss it again after some time, which would also be a good opportunity to observe Lu Lin’s leadership skills. Let’s start with... curing Chen Xiran’s temper, Long Qianli thought. She secretly assigned Lu Lin this mission in her heart; its completion would depend entirely on him.
"Crying?"
Lu Lin squatted down in front of Chen Xiran, looking at the tear-streaked girl, and even smiled.
This smile, like a devil’s, caused Chen Xiran to explode instantly.
"Pervert!"
"Go die!"
"Flame Dragon!"
Chen Xiran used up all of her slightly recovered Star Power in this outburst.
Lu Lin, seemingly prepared, shifted his body slightly and evaded the Flame Dragon’s attack. Without continuous Star Power to sustain it, the Flame Dragon slowly dissipated into the air, leaving only a scorching sensation behind.
Lu Lin looked at Chen Xiran’s vacant eyes, feeling weary. If she weren’t a member of his team, he wouldn’t bother dealing with such a person even if he were paid. Always looking down on this person and that. So proud and arrogant, thinking the sun revolved around her. As if without her, humanity would quickly perish.
"Alright, Chen Xiran, look at yourself. Do you even remotely resemble a Star Coordinator investigator?"
"All you do is cry day in and day out, unable to handle the slightest setback."
"I think you should seriously reconsider whether you’re suited for this profession."
"The Star Investigation Office deals with vicious Star Core Warrior criminals. These criminals, when they commit heinous acts, are often prepared to die."
"I only hit you once."
"I just made a few sarcastic remarks, and you can’t take it?"
"I heard you’ve even been to the Exotic Battlefield? Did you run away screaming like a coward when you saw an exotic beast?"
"Did you lack even the courage to pick up a weapon and face an exotic beast?"
"Tell me, someone like you, even with talent, what use are you other than wasting resources?"
"You, who can’t lift a finger or bear any burden, surely the Human Federation isn’t expecting you to go to the Exotic Battlefield and cry the exotic beasts and alien species to death, are they?"
Chen Xiran stopped crying.
She buried her head deep in her arms.
What Lu Lin said was true, as if he had witnessed it himself.
Having entered the Exotic Battlefield, Chen Xiran had only spent one day in the wilderness. When faced with a Green-eyed Mad Wolf, all she knew was to cry and run backward. When they encountered members of the Black Silk Tribe while resting, she was so scared she fell from a tree. While the team was pursuing members of the Black Silk Tribe, she, being too slow, accidentally ran into two children from the tribe.
As a result, the unsuspecting Chen Xiran was tightly wrapped in Black Silk by the children’s Innate Ability. Terrified, she used her Fire Star Skills to burn away the Black Silk. Then, just as she had done before, she desperately unleashed her Star Skills without any regard for the depletion of her Star Power.
By the time her supervising instructor sensed something amiss behind them and found Chen Xiran, she had already collapsed from exhaustion. And those two children who had attacked her with Black Silk? She had killed them in her panic.
But Chen Xiran didn’t know why. She could easily win sparring matches against her classmates. Even when she first enrolled and her Star Power Level was low, she dared to attack those stronger than herself and would use her wits to contend with them. So why was she so useless against Alien Races and exotic beasts?
The reason she had treated Lu Lin so poorly yesterday was because she had been in a foul mood after returning from the Exotic Battlefield. She was drinking at a bar when she suddenly received a call to go and support Lu Lin; the summons had only further irritated her.
"Ah, never mind."
Seeing Chen Xiran remain unresponsive for a long time, Lu Lin stepped out of the arena.
"I’ll speak with Director Long. You will no longer be a member of Team Nineteen."
"Don’t worry, you won’t have to face dangerous situations anymore."
"Team Nineteen is fine with just me and Fang Gang."
"Fang Gang, let’s go."
Lu Lin waved to Fang Gang, then turned and left without hesitation.
"Alright, Team Leader."
Fang Gang hurriedly followed.
"Wait."
Chen Xiran stood up, looking at Lu Lin’s retreating back.
Even though he stopped at her words, he didn’t glance back at her.
Chen Xiran felt as if Lu Lin had ruthlessly smashed her pride and dignity to the ground, where they shattered into pieces.
"Lu... Team Leader, I’m sorry," she stammered.
"I... please don’t abandon me. My parents already abandoned me; I don’t want you to abandon me too."
"Don’t worry, I’ll work harder in the future."
"I’ll stand with you and Fang Gang to face our enemies."
"I’ll try hard to become mentally stronger."
"Please, don’t abandon me, I beg you."
Lu Lin ignored Fang Gang, who was enthusiastically giving him a thumbs-up from the side. He turned to look at Chen Xiran, who stood alone on the arena, looking utterly pitiful.
He grinned, showing eight white teeth.
"Alright!"
Hearing Lu Lin’s response, tears of happiness welled up in Chen Xiran’s eyes again.
"No crying!"
Lu Lin put on a stern expression.
Startled, Chen Xiran quickly stood up straight, her eyes wide as she looked at Lu Lin.
"Let’s go. I’m taking you two to Jinchao Barbecue for lunch; my treat."
"Yes!"
"Long live the Team Leader!"
Fang Gang shouted.
Seeing the two of them about to leave, Chen Xiran quickly hurried down from the arena and jogged to catch up with Lu Lin.
In her office, a faint smile touched Long Qianli’s lips.
It seemed Lu Lin was capable of being a team leader after all. No matter how he managed it, the fact that he could unite the team members was enough to prove his abilities. She just wondered if Lu Lin could still handle things so smoothly when new members joined in a few days.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Long Qianli was deep in thought when there was a sudden knock on her office door.
Lu Lin walked in. Seeing Long Qianli with an amused, knowing smile on her face, he approached her desk and said, "Director Long, to celebrate the establishment of our Nineteenth Group today, I believe a small celebration is in order. It would also be an excellent opportunity to familiarize our team members with the work philosophy and methods of the Star Investigation Office. I request your approval for this, Director Long."
Long Qianli looked at Lu Lin, wondering what he was up to. "So?"
"Therefore, I would like to invite you, Director Long, to join our celebration and offer some guidance. We hope that with your wisdom, we new colleagues can strive to make fewer mistakes, or ideally, no mistakes at all, in our future work."
"So?"
"So, Director Long, Jinchao Barbecue, shall we?!"
The smile on Long Qianli’s face grew even more captivating.
"Alright!"