Chapter 166: A Choice of Rewards

Director Liu was in a great mood all day.

Because Lu Xin had requested leave again…

When he saw Lu Xin waiting for him in the office first thing in the morning, he initially thought Lu Xin was dissatisfied with the Model Employee award. His heart trembled, wondering if he should offer some of his own money to supplement it. However, it turned out Lu Xin was sheepishly asking for a day off.

He approved it immediately.

Lu Xin asked for one day, but the Director insisted on approving two.

“How can you focus on work if you don’t handle your personal matters?”

“We’re a company that values efficiency, but also humane management.”

“So, don’t even think about coming back until your personal affairs are settled!”

…

Lu Xin left gratefully and took the intercity subway to the Security Hall.

It felt a bit awkward asking for leave again right after returning from his previous one, but Han Bing had already called him. She said that the higher-ups had reviewed the mission report for his recent trip, verified the team’s tasks, and confirmed everything was generally in order. The payment was being processed, but because the amount was so large, Lu Xin needed to sign for it personally.

He arrived at the Security Hall. Everything seemed normal, as if the chaos from a few days ago was a distant memory. Whether people were reporting cases or handling them, everyone was busy in an orderly fashion. The young female officer in the lobby even asked if Lu Xin would be staying for lunch.

Lu Xin agreed and went straight up to the fourth floor to wait.

A short while later, the same female officer brought over a thick stack of documents, still warm and smelling faintly of fresh ink.

It looked like they had just been faxed over.

Lu Xin opened the files and read through them page by page, an irrepressible excitement building within him.

“Happy Town Exploration: Due to the importance of first-hand information, a Level 2 incident reward of ‘300,000’ is granted.”

“Mission Spoils: Four motorcycles, firearms, ammunition… equivalent to 8,000 Alliance Coins.”

“Intelligence Gathering: 100,000. (Note: Information gathered during the engagement with the Ability User named ‘Zhang Sihuo’ proved extremely useful in deciphering the logic chain of Qinggang Satellite City No. 2’s Special Pollution Incident 041. Special approval granted!)”

“Verified Expense Reimbursement: Blackwater Town fine, ammunition expenditure checklist…”

…

“Huh?”

Lu Xin noticed something wasn’t right. “Where’s the three million?”

“Mr. Lone Soldier.”

Just then, Han Bing’s voice came from the speaker next to the television mounted on the front wall of the meeting room.

During his previous training, Han Bing had always communicated with Lu Xin this way, so he was already used to it.

He asked, somewhat puzzled, “Is part of the payment missing this time?”

Actually, it was a large part.

Han Bing’s voice sounded rather relaxed. She chuckled, “That’s exactly what I needed to discuss with you, Mr. Lone Soldier!”

“Mr. Lone Soldier, regarding the pursuit mission against the Knight Orders this time, there are a few things I need to clarify with you first. After the Knight Orders attacked Qinggang Satellite City No. 2 and stole that painting, the City Defense Department’s original plan was to send our people to track them while also reporting it to the Alliance for a unified bounty and wanted notice. The problem we faced this time was…”

“You had already set out before the bounty was issued.”

…

Lu Xin was momentarily stunned. “And then?”

Han Bing continued, “As a member of the Special Cleaning Department, you went out to capture them through a work application process.”

“So, according to the rules of our Qinggang Cleanup Department, this counts as a specially approved internal pursuit operation.”

She paused slightly before adding, “There’s no bounty for that!”

“What?”

Hearing this, Lu Xin was completely stunned, his head snapping up.

“Don’t worry.”

Han Bing’s voice chimed in soothingly at just the right moment. “That’s how it would be if we strictly followed the rules. However, by analyzing the regulations, I found a loophole for you, so you can still get the bounty…”

…

Lu Xin let out a long sigh of relief and quickly asked, “What loophole?”

Han Bing’s voice seemed to hold a smile. “Your records show that you’re still considered external personnel for the Special Cleaning Department. In other words, you’re not yet an official employee. Therefore, the rules for internal assignments don’t apply in this situation.”

Lu Xin was astonished. It could work like that?

A wave of gratitude washed over him. “Really… thank you so much…”

“You’re welcome. I told you before, I’m on your side…”

Han Bing laughed happily. “Let me continue explaining:”

“It’s because I discovered this special circumstance that I submitted an application to the higher-ups and managed to secure two payment models for you. One option is to deposit the payment into your account according to the bounty system.”

“The second option is to use this mission to submit your application for official employment and promotion.”

…

Instinctively, Lu Xin wanted to choose the first option.

But after a moment’s thought, feeling he shouldn’t seem too eager, he asked, “The second option… what does that entail specifically?”

“It relates to the welfare benefits within our high-wall city and the Special Cleaning Department’s special talent ranking and promotion system.”

Han Bing explained gently, “You grew up in Satellite City No. 2, so you probably know that people from the Wasteland need to go through a phase after entering a satellite city. Before living in the satellite city for three full years, they aren’t granted official status and have no opportunity to attend school. Before residing for ten years, they aren’t allowed to register companies or hold positions in administrative departments. This is part of the system.”

“Those who haven’t obtained official resident status yet are referred to internally as Unofficial Residents.”

“Those who have lived here for three years and obtained official resident status are Level 1 Citizens.”

“Those who have lived here for over ten years without any criminal record, permitted to register companies or work in the Administration Hall, are Level 2 Citizens.”

…

“This set of citizen classification standards isn’t publicly disclosed, but it’s a crucial basis for Qinggang City’s stability maintenance system.”

Han Bing paused, then continued, “We have many strict plans and various calculation methods for this system.”

“For instance, residents of ordinary satellite cities cannot enjoy full retirement and medical welfare benefits until they have lived there for a certain number of years, accumulated a certain seniority in companies registered or specially designated by Qinggang, or paid sufficient taxes.”

“Being able to enjoy these welfare benefits already makes one a Level 3 Citizen.”

“As for reaching Level 4 Citizen status, that grants the right to freely enter the Main City and choose to settle there!”

…

“Mr. Lone Soldier…”

At this point, Han Bing seemed worried Lu Xin might misunderstand and explained softly:

“This system has a vast network and countless branching rules. Sometimes, it might seem unfair, but its core purpose is to pursue fairness and protect everyone in Qinggang. No one can be above it.”

“Perhaps hearing it suddenly, some might feel this system makes Qinggang City unfair…”

“But this was established right from the beginning when Qinggang built the high-wall city. During the process of building the city from ruins, many things happened—betrayal, sell-outs, attacks, abandonment. The contributions and sacrifices of the earliest group involved in building the city and those who later entered the high walls from the Wasteland are unequal. We couldn’t possibly maintain complete equality in fairness and treatment for them.”

“And subsequent events proved that this internal evaluation system added a degree of stability to the establishment of our high-wall city.”

…

Listening to Han Bing’s detailed explanation, Lu Xin nodded slightly. “I know.”

Although this was the first time he’d heard the terms Level 1 or Level 2 Citizen, he had heard about similar disparities many times before.

Everyone in the satellite city knew that being born there was different from just arriving.

Working in the satellite city was also different from working in the Main City.

Workers in factories supported by the Administration Hall were even more different from those in small workshops…

He hadn’t cared much before; it all seemed too distant.

His colleagues at the company often joked about making it big someday and becoming big shots in the Main City.

Of course, their efforts were usually directed towards hoping a young, beautiful, and wealthy girl from the Main City would suddenly fall in love with them.

…

…

“The system I just described applies to ordinary people. As an Ability User, there’s another system.”

“That is the Special Talent Introduction Mechanism.”

Han Bing paused, seeming to let Lu Xin digest the information, then continued, “For example, Ability Users who accept recruitment immediately receive special talent treatment. In terms of benefits and authority, Level 1 Talent directly corresponds to Level 2 Citizen status.”

“Afterward, based on performance and the completion rate of cleanup missions, contribution points are awarded to further improve their status.”

“Once contribution points reach a certain level, they will be promoted to Level 2 Special Talent, corresponding to the status of a Level 3 Citizen in Qinggang City.”

…

Pausing slightly here, Han Bing added, “Currently, Mr. Lone Soldier hasn’t officially joined, so you’re still outside the special talent system. As someone born in Satellite City No. 2, your current status is actually equivalent to a Level 2 Qinggang Citizen.”

…

Lu Xin instantly understood the main point Han Bing was trying to make.

The issue of becoming an official employee!

Besides earning more money, this was one of the key issues he cared about.

“So…”

He already had a bad feeling as he started speaking.

“You’ve long met the standard for becoming official, and it can be approved now!”

Han Bing said softly, “But after becoming official, you’ll need corresponding contribution points to achieve promotions in position and welfare benefits.”

“And contribution points are acquired based on the cleanup missions you handle. Each time you go out on a field mission, besides the payment you receive, corresponding contribution points are accumulated. I’ve already calculated it for you; you have around one hundred points now…”

“That’s good…”

Lu Xin felt slightly relieved, thinking their handling of it wasn’t bad; they hadn’t erased his previous achievements.

“It’s precisely because this involves your promotion that I made this call.”

Han Bing’s tone became somewhat lighter. “This operation to pursue the Knight Orders outside the city was an event the Administration Hall took very seriously, and you completed it exceptionally well. If we choose the bounty payment route, three million is what you deserve.”

“However, if you choose the path of accumulating contribution points for promotion, you can gain a large number of points at once and become a Level 2 Talent.”

“But, if you convert it to contribution points, correspondingly, you will only receive internal rewards, not the bounty.”

“Calculating only the internal rewards, you cleaned up three Ability Users and recovered the painting…”

“The internal reward should be around… seven hundred thousand.”

…

“Do I really have to make this kind of choice?”

Lu Xin was dumbfounded, his head starting to ache.

He suddenly felt like he was facing the biggest multiple-choice question of his life.

Become official and get promoted, or become official and take the bounty?

…

…

“I have a suggestion, just my personal one…”

Han Bing seemed to understand Lu Xin’s dilemma at this moment, speaking gently, “Perhaps, for balance, you could choose to receive a portion as the bounty payment. This way, you get a considerable sum. The other portion could be counted as an internal assignment…”

“This way, not only can you receive a substantial reward, but you can also accumulate a certain amount of contribution points and be promoted to Level 2 Special Talent…”

…

Hearing Han Bing’s suggestion, Lu Xin was quite surprised. “It can be done like that?”

“Actually, the regulations don’t explicitly state this, but they don’t forbid it either…”

Han Bing chuckled softly. “Of course, the main reason is that you performed exceptionally well on this mission. If all of it were converted into contribution points, you could even skip a level, going from Level 1 Special Talent straight to Level 3 Special Talent.”

“And there’s another important reason I’m giving you this suggestion.”

“You previously asked me about the ‘Second Stage.’ I’ve already submitted an application to the higher-ups. The regulations state that only recruited special talents who have reached Level 2 or above can access confidential information in this area.”

“So, what do you think…”