Celestial Human Diagram-Chapter 143 - 128: 2 Evaluations

Director Lei put down the phone, steadied his emotions, and then returned to the sofa. He looked at Chen Chuan and said solemnly, "Chen, my son’s safe return is all thanks to you. If there’s anything I can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to ask. As long as it’s within my power, I will do everything I can for you."

Chen Chuan said frankly, "I do indeed have a matter where I need your help, Director Lei. But you’ve only just gotten your son back. Perhaps we should discuss this later."

Director Lei glanced at his watch. "We still have some time." He said earnestly, "Chen, I’m a man who repays his debts and settles his grudges. If there’s something you need, you must tell me."

Seeing his determined attitude, Chen Chuan thought for a moment and said, "I need to obtain an evaluation from an administrative department."

Director Lei immediately understood. He stared at him. "You’re a student at Wuyi Academy. An administrative department evaluation is only useful for going to Central City. So, you want to go to Central City?"

Chen Chuan nodded.

Director Lei said slowly, "The Esoteric Review Bureau can provide a departmental evaluation, but on the condition that you accept a commission."

Chen Chuan answered without hesitation, "I can do that. What do you need me to do?"

Director Lei looked at Chen Chuan and said, "Lei Guangcheng, Director of the Esoteric Review Bureau, due to a leak of his temporary residence, had his son, Lei Ying, taken and controlled by members of Esoteric Buddhism via a ritual. Therefore, he commissioned Chen Chuan, a student of Wuyi University Hall, to rescue him and break the ritual..."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Today, it has been confirmed by Lei Guangcheng, Director of the Esoteric Review Bureau, that Lei Ying has been rescued and the ritual has been broken. Chen, your commission is complete. When I return to the bureau tomorrow, I will write a detailed departmental evaluation for you."

After hearing him out, Chen Chuan understood his meaning. He didn’t stand on ceremony and expressed his thanks. "Thank you, Director Lei."

Director Lei waved his hand. "It’s nothing." He pondered for a moment, then said, "You want to go to Central City. A single departmental evaluation might not be enough. I know you have internal evaluations from the Processing Bureau, but you’re not one of the Recommended Students. Just two evaluations probably isn’t a sure thing. What do you think about adding an evaluation from the Foreign Affairs Bureau?"

Chen Chuan was very surprised. "The Foreign Affairs Bureau? Can you get the Foreign Affairs Bureau to give an evaluation, Director Lei?"

’The departments of the Administrative Affairs Hall have always just managed their own affairs. Each one is very old-fashioned and conservative, making it difficult for outside departments to interfere. Is Director Lei saying the Esoteric Review Bureau has influence over the Foreign Affairs Bureau, or does he personally have a more powerful background or other connections?’

Director Lei said, "You don’t understand. Many departments in Yangzhi City exist simply because the framework requires them to, not because they’re particularly important. The only reason the Foreign Affairs Bureau in Yangzhi City has any presence at all is because the legendary ancestral land of the Maka People is here, and our two countries need to maintain communication."

"But now, with what’s happened among the Maka People, relations between our two countries are bound to sour. Communication will certainly be hindered for the next few years, which will reduce the Foreign Affairs Bureau’s presence even further."

"The Esoteric Review Bureau, on the other hand, is primarily responsible for investigating and banning foreign branches of Esoteric Buddhism. We need to communicate and connect with foreign countries frequently. If necessary, we have the Foreign Affairs Bureau coordinate with us. So, the two departments support and cooperate with each other."

’I see,’ Chen Chuan thought. ’They call it mutual support and cooperation, but in reality, whether the Foreign Affairs Bureau’s involvement is necessary depends entirely on the Esoteric Review Bureau’s attitude. As a semi-violent agency that deals with foreign personnel, the Esoteric Review Bureau must have its own channels of communication. If they don’t need it, they can certainly leave the Foreign Affairs Bureau on the sidelines.’

’Now that relations between the Maka and Dashun have hit rock bottom, the Foreign Affairs Bureau in Yangzhi City is a completely dispensable, marginal department. Given their past cooperation, they’re surely hoping the Esoteric Review Bureau can pull them along.’

Director Lei said, "You killed a Maka fugitive at the exchange conference. Logically, that should earn you an evaluation from the Foreign Affairs Bureau, but for them, it might not be enough."

Chen Chuan said without hesitation, "What do I need to do?"

Director Lei said, "If the Foreign Affairs Bureau can recover what they lost, they can score some points with their superiors. A failure doesn’t have to be a total loss; it can be turned into an opportunity for advancement. I will talk to Liu Zhan about this. As long as you can manage to retrieve that Oak Leaf, I can guarantee you’ll get another evaluation from the Foreign Affairs Bureau."

Chen Chuan considered this. ’If I have the ability to complete the task, I’ll definitely do it. But if it’s too difficult, I won’t force it. I’d rather give up.’

He currently had no leads on the matter, and it also involved a resistance organization, so it wasn’t that simple. He asked, "Do you have any suggestions, Director Lei?"

Director Lei showed his appreciation for Chen Chuan’s astuteness. "That Oak Leaf might have a very unique function for the Maka People. We don’t need to discuss what that is right now. Let’s talk about what comes next."

"If the Maka People who took it were genuine Maka Students, it would be beneficial to the resistance organization that was helping them. In that case, the two sides would have a basis for cooperation. Even if they weren’t friendly, they wouldn’t be hostile for the time being."

"But now it’s been revealed that they’re just a group of fugitives. The Maka Government has already disavowed them. That means they no longer have any special value to the resistance organization. They might even be threatened and used by them instead. They should be aware of this themselves, so they would have surely left long before their identities were exposed."

"However, since they got what they wanted, they couldn’t have stayed in Yangzhi City for long. They must have intended to return and deliver the item to their country. They can’t do that on their own, which means they only have one way to get back."

A flicker of understanding crossed Chen Chuan’s eyes. "The exchange delegation!" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Director Lei nodded and said in a cold voice, "In truth, there were no fugitives. How could the entire Maka exchange delegation be taken over? And for half a month, there was no reaction from them, not even a single telegram sent back to their country. This was clearly a play they directed themselves."

"Now that they have what they wanted, their first priority is to leave. It’s just that even though they gifted that Oak Leaf to the Dashun Government, if they wanted it back, they could only have our country gift it back or grant it to them, not take it by force."

At this point, he said to Chen Chuan, "Chen, I’ve explained the situation to you. If you’re willing to accept, I can call Liu Zhan today."

Chen Chuan thought it over carefully. Finally, he looked up and said, "I’d like to give it a try."

Director Lei looked at him with admiration. "Then it’s settled! Don’t feel any pressure. For me, this is just a phone call. It doesn’t even count as calling in a favor. In fact, we’d be helping Liu Zhan, so it’s no big deal if you can’t pull it off. Even if this opportunity falls through, I’ll find another way to thank you."

This matter was advantageous to Chen Chuan, so he accepted it openly. "Thank you for your help, Director Lei."

Director Lei said in a heavy voice, "None of this can compare to the help you’ve given me. Xiaoying is my everything. You saved him. That’s more important than anything."

Chen Chuan thought for a moment. "Director Lei, there’s something I’d like to ask you about."

Director Lei said, "Go ahead."

Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "It’s clear how vicious the ritual is. Your ex-wife lost her life because of it, Director Lei. You must have been affected by the ritual as well, so how did you avoid its life-threatening danger?"

Director Lei said, "A reasonable question. I can tell you this. As the director of the Esoteric Review Bureau, I have a fixed counter-ritual from Esoteric Buddhism placed upon me. So, even if paranormal phenomena can affect me, they can’t truly harm me. It was for this very reason that I became overconfident."

Chen Chuan understood. ’Although I’m very interested in these rituals, I know it’s not the right time to discuss this topic,’ he thought. So he said, "Director Lei, I’ve been here for quite some time today. I need to get back to the academy soon. I won’t disturb your reunion with your son any longer."

Director Lei said, "Alright, I won’t keep you today. I’ll treat you to a meal some other day. You must come. Xiaoying and I want to thank you together."

Chen Chuan agreed. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, Director Lei. The remains of that puppet, may I take them?"

Director Lei didn’t ask any questions. "Even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I was going to dispose of that thing. It’s best if you take it. You’re an expert in this area, so I’m sure you know how to handle it properly."

Chen Chuan went upstairs again, gathered the puppet, borrowed a bundle to wrap it in, and came out carrying it. Director Lei saw him out.

When he got outside, Chen Chuan looked up and was surprised to find He Nan standing there, another car parked behind her.

Her gaze was fixed on Director Lei. "Old Lei, I heard about the boy. I’ve already called Doctor Li. He’s an expert at recuperative care."

Director Lei was silent for a moment. "That’s very thoughtful of you. I thank you on Xiaoying’s behalf."

He Nan walked up and gently hugged him. "Why are you being so formal with me? It’s okay. It’s all over now."

Director Lei raised his hand and hugged her back briefly before letting go. He looked at Chen Chuan. "Chen, wait for my call."

He Nan looked over as well, saying gratefully, "Junior Chen, Old Lei has been tormented by this for a long time. Thank goodness Master Cheng had you come today. I thank you too."

Chen Chuan said, "You’re welcome, Senior Sister. Senior Sister, Director Lei, I’ll be going now."

"Why don’t you take my car back, Junior Chen?"

Chen Chuan didn’t refuse. The area was very remote. While he could have run back, it would have wasted too much time. After saying goodbye to the two of them, he got in the car and headed back to the academy.

Sitting in the car, he thought back on what had just happened. ’When I came here today, I never expected things to progress this far, to the point where I’d directly receive an evaluation from the Esoteric Review Bureau.’

’As for the evaluation from the Foreign Affairs Bureau, that’s still up in the air. But if I can get that one too, on top of the one from the Patrol Bureau, that would be three evaluations. It might not give me an absolute advantage, but it would carry significant weight.’

’If I could add one from the Processing Bureau on top of that, my prospects would look even better.’

Yu Fulan’s car took him all the way back to the academy. He bid farewell to the driver, went straight to his dorm, and picked up the phone to call Cheng Zitong, telling him about the day’s events.

After hearing the story, Cheng Zitong was both amazed and happy for him.

"Xiaochuan, it’s excellent that you got the evaluation from the Esoteric Review Bureau. You must do everything you can to secure the one from the Foreign Affairs Bureau as well. Opportunities like this are incredibly rare; you might never get another one."

Chen Chuan said, "Yes, Director Lei told me to wait for his call."

Cheng Zitong thought for a moment and said, "Regarding the exchange delegation, if the Foreign Affairs Bureau commissions you to handle it, you should be able to get their exact itinerary. However, the delegation has quite a few Maka security personnel, and they can use firearms."

"If the Maka who took the Oak Leaf have already rendezvoused with them, it will be very difficult to retrieve it. Plus, this commission involves many different factors. It would be hard for you to succeed on your own."

Chen Chuan said, "Yes, Professor. I plan to find some trustworthy classmates to work on this commission with me. Also, Professor, if possible, could you ask Senior Brother Ren to help out?"

Cheng Zitong said, "Ah, Xiaotian. Alright, I’ll ask him. You go ahead and start preparing on your end."

Chen Chuan agreed and hung up the phone. He mulled it over. ’Since the other party is an exchange delegation, it’s hard to say if they have anyone like Duma among them. So, if possible, I’ll ask Wu Han, Wei Chang’an, and my dorm mates to complete this commission with me!’

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