Otherworldly Affairs Office-Chapter 104 Zhao Yuanhu

Fortunately, Ye Jiumu didn’t keep everyone worried for long. He was cleared of investigation and restored to freedom three days after the meeting. During these three days, heavyweight news about the reorganization of the Investigation Bureau was released one after another, inevitably causing the colleagues who had just returned from vacation to discuss nervously.

Although Pei Yan had mentally prepared for the chain reaction that the evening’s incident would cause, he was still stunned by the Bureau’s large-scale actions and found it hard to accept.

Thus, the entire Investigation Bureau spent another half month in a state of unrest. During this time, department reorganizations, personnel mobilizations, and the clearing of insiders happened in a dizzying series of actions. As the central figure of all this chaos, Pei Yan simply hid in the training room, waiting silently for the Bureau’s decision regarding him while recuperating.

A few days later, having mostly recovered physically, Pei Yan was called to Gu Shenghui’s office where he was informed of his new appointment by the Bureau. The concern Pei Yan had that Gu Shenghui, who wasn’t a bureau chief, would break his promise didn’t happen. He still partnered with Shangxing and officially joined the Upper Star Squad.

It was only today that he found out that Hu Wenjun had been promoted in this personnel change, and was moved to the Department of Esoteric Events as the head of the Second Office, while Shangxing replaced him as the captain of the Special Action Team.

After returning to his dormitory, Pei Yan shared this news with Wang Wenze, who told him casually while lying on the bed that it was expected. Essentially, Shangxing had both the strength and achievements, as well as the capability to handle cases, qualifying him to be the leader of a squad. However, due to his special status as an awakened animal, he had been suppressed at the team leader position for so long, and personally didn’t mind it. This time, the Bureau’s rearrangement presented an opportunity to promote him.

"But what exactly is this Special Action Team? Which division does it belong to?" Pei Yan asked in confusion. Wang Wenze couldn’t provide a reasonable answer to this question either.

With the anticipation for new missions, Pei Yan spent another half month busy with training. During this time, Pei Yan’s fighting abilities were further enhanced, and with Engineer Li’s help, his weapon and equipment were re-optimized based on data from the last operation. However, what left Pei Yan somewhat disappointed was his inability to realize the ability call Wang Wenze had mentioned.

As Qingming Festival passed and the weather warmed day by day, just when Pei Yan was anxious about when he could embark on a mission, Ye Jiumu came to his dorm room to inform him that there was a real task tomorrow and reminded him not to forget the team entry ritual!

The next day, when Pei Yan appeared in the parking lot carrying a large fruit basket, Ye Jiumu and Xia Yuyin, standing behind Shangxing, held back their laughter until their faces turned red.

Pei Yan tilted his neck and looked at their expressions, then glanced at Shangxing’s unsmiling face, realizing he’d been played by the three of them again. After Ye Jiumu had left the previous night, he had asked Wang Wenze what the team entry ritual was, and was told to offer a fruit basket consisting of Shangxing’s favorite bananas and apples, which was a custom of Shangxing’s genetically inherited tribe to offer food, indicating submission to his management, otherwise, he would be displeased.

Although Pei Yan was somewhat skeptical, seeing Wang Wenze’s confident demeanor made it seem reasonable. Perhaps this was the rule for awakened animals, simpler and more direct than currying favor and pulling strings. Besides, a fruit basket wasn’t costly, so he went out from the Investigation Bureau that night to a nearby fruit shop and specifically bought a large fruit basket.

Shangxing sighed when he saw Pei Yan’s awkward appearance, stepped forward, took an apple from the fruit basket, bit into it, and looked at Ye Jiumu, mumbling, "You guys still enjoy this game."

"It’s a tradition left by Director Gu. We all went through it back then!" Ye Jiumu couldn’t hold back any longer, smiling as he spoke.

"He’s no longer Director Gu. In the future, remember to call him Deputy Gu!" Shangxing took a couple more bites of the apple, pushed the fruit basket back to Pei Yan, and said: "Next time if you really want to give me fruit, remember I prefer lychees and grapes. Go on and stand properly."

"Oh!" Relieved, Pei Yan trotted over, kicking both of them lightly before obediently standing beside Xia Yu.

Shangxing, eating the apple core, casually spat out a few apple seeds and said, "Today, we’re going to prevent a possible inter-dimensional travel incident. Before we depart, I want to introduce a new member."

With that, he pointed to a person behind a car in the garage. When this person appeared in front of Pei Yan, he was stunned, scratching his head and whispering to Ye Jiumu, "Do you know her? She wouldn’t be from the other dimension, right?"

"I don’t know, it’s the first time I’m seeing her. Probably not," Ye Jiumu replied, equally puzzled.

Pei Yan opened his mouth in confusion and said, "This is Hanfu, right? Can we wear this on a mission?"

With that, he carefully examined the woman in front of him. She was about the same age as him, wearing a snow-white long robe on top, a dark blue skirt with water patterns and lotus designs below, long black hair flowing behind, and a face that wasn’t exceptionally beautiful but gave a clean and fresh impression, with dimples forming when she smiled.

"Yes, this is Hanfu. I’m Zhao Yunhu, a Third-Tier Ability User, pleased to meet you!" Zhao Yunhu stepped forward with a smile and extended her hand to Pei Yan.

Seeing her smile, Pei Yan panicked for a moment, awkwardly raising his hand in the air, only to react after Ye Jiumu nudged his waist, quickly shaking her hand and introducing himself, "Oh, I’m Pei Yan, not awakened yet."

So soft, delicate without bones—this was the feeling Pei Yan couldn’t help but express internally when shaking her hand.

"Alright, having completed the self-introductions, let’s set off." Shangxing ordered once the new girl finished introducing herself to everyone.

Finally snapping out of it, Pei Yan asked, "Do we need to wait for Wang Wenze and the others?"

"We’re in the same team but not the same group. Each team is divided into three groups, with each group consisting of four people. Wang Wenze and Liang Qian are in another group with different missions." Xia Yu took the fruit basket passed by Shangxing and casually placed it in a corner of the teleportation chamber as she explained.

Shangxing stood inside the Teleportation Array, bent over to activate it without looking up, and said, "From today onward for a long time, I’ll personally lead you all, and Zhao Yunhu will be Pei Yan’s new partner."

"But Captain Shangxing, wasn’t my partner you?" Although Pei Yan wasn’t resisting this result, he subconsciously asked.

"Actually, there’s not much difference during this period; we’ll essentially be together for missions, just consider it a change in wording, and Jiumu will replace me as your group leader."

As Shangxing finished speaking, a dazzling light flashed, and the five figures gradually became blurred, ultimately disappearing within the Teleportation Array.