The internal network was extremely fast. After An Shu tapped a few keys on her keyboard and entered Bai Ci's identification details, the corresponding registration records quickly popped up on the screen.
Sitting on the sofa next to her, Xiao Wen instinctively leaned forward slightly, but he forced himself not to get too close.
This was mainly because An Shu was in charge of records, and her clearance was on par with the captain's. In fact, her clearance to view certain files was even higher than his.
So he wasn't sure—was what she was looking at classified? Was he allowed to see it?
Seeing An Shu's expression gradually change, Xiao Wen asked in a tentative whisper, “Sister Shu, any results? Is there something wrong with this Bai Ci?”
“I found something.” An Shu turned her head and saw Xiao Wen's face, which was practically bursting with curiosity.
She turned sideways and handed the tablet to him. “Curious? Take a look. You actually have the clearance to view this search result.”
“She isn't someone associated with anomalous incidents. On the contrary, she's under the Bureau of Investigation's special protection.”
“Special protection?” Xiao Wen recalled carefully. “I learned about that during training. It's that one, right?”
“The protective mechanism the Bureau of Investigation established for people who have made special contributions in anomalous events and might face potential danger themselves.”
Simply put, if the protected person encountered an anomalous event in the future, they would definitely receive assistance up to the clearance level corresponding to their special protection status—and the investigators would have to do everything in their power to help.
“That's the one.” An Shu tapped the applicant column on the screen with her finger. “And we actually know the applicant.”
Xiao Wen leaned closer to the screen, his gaze following An Shu's finger to the applicant column.
[Applicant: Chen Quan]
Beside it was a handwritten signature. The handwriting was bold and powerful, carrying a familiar sharpness.
He stared at it for a few seconds before recognizing it. His tone was filled with disbelief. “This is our captain, right? The captain was actually the one who applied for her special protection.”
An Shu nodded, confirming his words.
After the initial shock wore off, Xiao Wen noticed the applicant's position and the application date on the form. Confusion and a hint of dissatisfaction began to rise in his chest. “Wait, this doesn't make sense...”
“Sister Shu, look at the application date. It was three years ago.”
“Three years ago, the captain was already the captain of Unit One of the Special Investigation Unit. He's still the captain of Unit One now.”
Xiao Wen lowered his voice, but he couldn't hide the confusion and anger in his tone.
“I remember when I joined a month ago, my mentor said our unit had just wrapped up a major case, one of the most troublesome missions in recent years.”
He paused, his confusion deepening.
“Everyone can see how capable the captain is. He's always on the front lines for every mission, handles cases quickly and reliably, has an impeccable attitude, and takes great care of us rookies.”
“Logically speaking, someone so outstanding should have been promoted long ago, right? How has he been running in place for three years?”
At this point, Xiao Wen couldn't help but speculate, lowering his voice even further. “Sister Shu, could there be some kind of shady business going on behind the scenes?”
“Like, someone is intentionally holding the captain back and keeping him from getting promoted?”
Seeing Xiao Wen's righteous indignation, as if he had truly uncovered some grave injustice, An Shu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She reached out and flicked him on the forehead.
“What is going on in that head of yours all day? Read fewer novels and stop letting your mind wander into the gutter.”
“Do you think the Bureau of Investigation's rules are a joke? The second you harbor any malicious intent, the rules will come knocking and make you pay. No one dares to take that risk.”
The “rules” An Shu spoke of were not black-and-white regulations or systems printed by the Bureau of Investigation, nor were they any man-made policies.
It was a conceptual existence deeply bound to the Bureau of Investigation itself. Formless and intangible, it permeated every task and every investigator's actions.
It both protected the Bureau's personnel—providing support and security as they carried out anomalous missions—and bound everyone, preventing the vast majority of violations, misconduct, and favoritism.
As for where this rule came from and how it integrated into the Bureau's concept, the secrecy surrounding it was incredibly high.
In the entire Bureau of Investigation, perhaps only a few core executives at headquarters knew the truth.
Ordinary investigators like them only knew that such a rule existed, but they had no idea of its origin.
Having knocked some sense into the daydreaming Xiao Wen, An Shu wiped the smile from her face and explained calmly, “It's not that the captain can't get promoted. He refused it himself.”
“Over the past few years, the Bureau has offered him promotions more than once. He was either offered a position at headquarters or a promotion to regional director, which would mean he wouldn't have to run front-line field missions anymore. But he turned them all down.”
“Turned them down?” Xiao Wen's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
“Why? Getting promoted is great! You get better pay and higher clearance. Who would actively refuse a promotion?”
In his mind, getting a promotion, a raise, and escaping the dangers of the front lines was something everyone aspired to.
Especially in a place like the Bureau of Investigation, where they faced unknown dangers year-round, landing a job at headquarters was a dream come true. How could the captain actively turn it down?
“Because of certain events,” An Shu sighed. She only knew this because she was in charge of records.
Xiao Wen's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. He leaned in closer. “Sister Shu, do you know? What made the captain insist on staying on the front lines?”
“Can you tell me? I swear I won't tell anyone else!”
An Shu shook her head, her tone firm. “I can't. It's classified.”
Although Xiao Wen was a bit disappointed, he also knew the Bureau's strict confidentiality protocols. He could only nod sheepishly. “Alright, I get it. I won't ask anymore.”
An Shu nodded, letting the topic drop.
She picked up her phone, found Chen Quan's contact information, and dialed his number.
The phone rang a few times before being answered. “Hello, An Shu. What is it?”
“Captain, we've made a major breakthrough here at the matchmaking agency,” An Shu said, her tone instantly turning serious as she shifted into reporting mode.
“We retrieved the client files from the past month and found that all the male clients who recently died bizarre deaths had the exact same final blind date partner: a woman named Bai Ci.”
“I just searched her information on our internal network and found that she has a special protection registration. The applicant was you. Captain, do you remember her?”
“Of course I do.” Chen Quan's tone softened slightly.
Meanwhile, in a café not far from the matchmaking agency, Bai Ci sat by the window with a completely expressionless face.
Since she had started going on blind dates, she had worn this exact expression countless times.
And sitting across from her was none other than her sixth blind date partner—Jia Woyi.
Rate on N.U.
