First-Year Internship—And You Went to Site 749 to Contain Monsters?!

A surge of fury exploded in Qiu Wangshui’s heart. Even though Zhou Yun wasn’t her biological son, she had watched him grow up and practically raised him herself. In terms of a mother-son bond, the only thing missing was actually giving birth to him.

Now Zhou Yun had been beaten—how could she possibly take that lying down?

Lu Ding turned his head and looked at her.

“Stop shouting. Now it’s your turn. Unauthorized actions, abuse of power—Director Shi already said not to call him in. I don’t know if he sneaked in on his own or what.”

“But everyone was told not to call him. He shows up and you don’t send him away. You give him a soft little push. Then I walk in and you suddenly start yelling? Were you afraid I’d find out he was here?”

“Emergency protocols, confidentiality regulations—do I need to spell them out for you one by one?”

Lu Ding’s words silenced everyone in the room, and it crushed the fire of anger that had just risen in Qiu Wangshui’s chest.

Combined with what Lu Ding had said earlier, and considering Zhou Yun’s connection to Daheshan...

How could she not realize? If Zhou Yun’s mindset shifted even a little—The cultivators of Qi at Daheshan would be on guard, the mission would fail, colleagues could die... scene by scene, it would all play out right in front of her.

“Xiao Yun, he…”

She still wanted to say something in Zhou Yun’s defense, but Lu Ding cut her off coldly.

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear any excuses for him. I’m not risking my a** or paying the price for your guesses.”

“You have no right to gamble with my life and everyone else’s, going up Daheshan hoping he won’t leak intel.”

As he spoke, Lu Ding’s phone rang.

On his way here earlier, once he found out who Zhou Yun was, he’d already talked to Shi Lei and sent Zhou Yun’s personal file to HQ for a detailed background check.

Now the results were in.

Lu Ding held up his phone.

“See this? His grandfather and uncle are both Cultivators of Qi—on Daheshan.”

“When your conviction wavers, the answer tends to speak for itself.”

“Now then.”

“Investigator Qiu Wangshui—remove your badge!”

Zhou Yun being brought in as an external investigator? That was talent being recognized. Understandable.

But making him an intern investigator? That was a tiny little power trip.

And since you had the power to promote him...

Now Lu Ding, as a Special Investigator, had the authority to demote both of you right back to zero and order you detained for investigation!

As for how this would end, that was up to higher-ups to decide.

But this mission? No room for mistakes. Daheshan had to be wiped out.

And the investigators supporting Lu Ding? Not one of them should be exposed to unnecessary risk.

Qiu Wangshui lowered her eyes, hiding the gloom in them.

She knew what she’d done wasn’t by the book. And today’s actions… even more so.

Seeing her dragging her feet, Lu Ding didn’t hesitate. He reached out, ripped the badge off her shoulder, and tossed it to Shi Lei.

“Dragging it out like this—who are those crocodile tears for?”

“If that badge really meant that much to you, today’s outcome wouldn’t have happened. Director Shi, put her in cuffs. Detain her. Once the Daheshan mission is complete, send her straight to the 749 Bureau Investigation Court!”

Shi Lei and a few 749 investigators from Kaoshan City stepped up and took hold of Qiu Wangshui.

She turned her head and said, “Special Investigator Lu, you’re not even giving me a shred of dignity?”

The moment she said that, Lu Ding raised a hand and struck her shoulder with his palm.

Spiritual energy surged in—Qiu Wangshui fainted on the spot.

That one sentence sealed her fate—there’d be no dignity for her today.

Lu Ding had already given her dignity by letting her remove her badge voluntarily. But she chose to drag it out, trying to stir up emotions. For whom?

For Lu Ding? For the other investigators?

Let’s be honest—that kind of emotional play only messes with morale. These investigators had worked with her for years. If they saw her being taken away like this, and then she played the sympathy card...

It might affect their performance in the mission.

She lost her badge and still expected dignity?

Just by saying that, she revealed her discontent and unwillingness.

To prevent her from possibly escaping or causing problems while Lu Ding was up on Daheshan, he chose to knock her out and suppress her consciousness with spiritual energy. If anyone tried to break that seal without being significantly stronger than Lu Ding, they’d scramble her brain like an egg.

And if there was someone that strong here? Then forget the mission—Lu Ding would take off and bring in a real powerhouse team to clean house.

Disruption handled.

Now it was time to deal with the Daheshan operation.

Inside the conference room...

A 3D virtual battle map displayed the full terrain of Daheshan.

Lu Ding zoomed in, combining what he’d crammed on the way over with the personnel layout.

He planted four flags on the front, back, left, and right sides of Daheshan.

Pointing to the flag out front, he said, “Director Shi and I will enter the village head-on. The rest of you flank from the left and right.”

“As for the cliff in the back—grab a few with good movement techniques. Bring all the traps, bombs, and formation devices the Bureau’s got. Drop them down once activated. Cover the whole cliff. Don’t worry about cost.”

His instructions stirred some confusion.

Someone asked, “Special Investigator Lu, won’t going in through the front be too dangerous?”

“If Director Shi and I don’t go through the front, then it’s you going in. And if you move first, and a Si Ming Realm shows up, it’s instant death. Then the compensation comes out of my mission budget—which isn’t much to begin with. We can’t afford any casualties.”

Losses could be avoided—so why use someone else’s life to plug the gap?

Plus, when Lu Ding attacked, it’d be a massive move. Others nearby would just get in the way.

Blunt as it was, the investigators chuckled.

Then someone else asked:

“But Special Investigator Lu, that cliff’s a dead zone—literally a graveyard. Anyone who falls in never comes out. Using bombs, traps, formations... isn’t that a waste?”

“There’s not even water down there. Drop something in, no splash, no retrieval.”

Lu Ding looked at the guy. “That’s where you’ve fallen into a thinking trap. Haven’t watched TV these past few years?”

“How many people fall off cliffs and come back with some secret power-up?”

“As for your so-called ‘dead zone’? That’s just your mindset being boxed in. I’ve got a buddy you’ve all heard of.”

“Name’s Bai Hemen, also a 749 investigator. That kind of place? He drops in and walks out like it’s his backyard. Once there’s one guy like that, there’ll be a second.”

“No point in gambling. We’ve got the gear, we use it.”

“And if there’s no one like that down there, the gear’s used, fine—I’ll file a request and get it replenished.”

“If there is someone like that? Even if he doesn’t die on impact, he’ll get shredded by the traps and bombs. Safe and secure.”

Now everyone got it.

This Special Investigator Lu—arrogant, bold, but careful and unpredictable.

Among the upper, middle, and lower-tier types, the ones everyone feared most were those clueless leaders who barked orders without leading the charge.

Even worse were the reckless ones charging ahead with no real skills.

What everyone loved were those with real strength who led from the front, had the brains to strategize, and knew how to command with force.

Lu Ding? He was that last kind.