448: Chapter 448 My ambition is to reach the pinnacle of the world.

The next day, early morning.

The rain seemed to wash away all the dust, leaving the blue sky clear and the sunshine brilliant.

Outside the street by the courtyard, the crisp shouting of the grocery store next door drifted in, mixed with the warm chatter of the owner greeting regular customers.

Massive numbers of Taiwan novels are waiting for you to explore.

In the small courtyard, Grandfather Li Zhenhua was working hunched over in front of the vegetable plots.

He was wearing a dirt-resistant old blue cloth suit, clutching a hoe in his hand.

He was carefully digging a straight, shallow trench in a newly turned ridge of land.

Fang Cheng was shirtless, wearing only sports shorts, and carrying a heavy wooden bucket as he followed behind to help out.

The bucket was filled with well-fermented organic fertilizer, and a faint smell of humus could be smelled when getting close.

"Grandfather, let me do the hoeing, you take a rest."

Seeing the sweat on his grandfather's temples, Fang Cheng couldn't help but advise.

"Go, go, go, looking down on the old man, right?"

Grandfather Li Zhenhua didn't even raise his head, his hands not stopping their movement:

"With your brute strength, a single hoe down could dig half a meter deep for me. Are you planting vegetables or burying landmines?"

"Just this light physical labor doesn't need your help. Your grandfather, I am still physically strong."

While speaking, he used the sharp corner of the hoe to smooth out the bottom of the trench, muttering:

"Around Qingming Festival, plant melons and beans. Now this weather is neither cold nor hot, with plenty of rain, making it most suitable for sowing seeds."

"I plan to plant some cowpeas and cucumbers for you in this ridge of land, which will be just right to eat in the summer."

Fang Cheng smiled, didn't insist further, and just silently followed behind.

After Grandfather opened the trench, he used a small ladle to scoop the somewhat pungent farmyard fertilizer from the bucket and evenly sprinkled it at the bottom of the trench.

"Don't sprinkle too much fertilizer, just a thin layer will do."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua hurriedly exhorted:

" 'Thin fertilizers applied frequently', remember that. Sprinkling too much will burn the seedlings, and the seeds won't be able to sprout."

He was like an experienced master craftsman, never forgetting to guide this "apprentice" by his side.

Looking at this familiar courtyard and feeling the temperature of the sunlight on his skin, Fang Cheng's state of mind was as calm and clear as this weather.

Yesterday's conversation with Shi Chengyi at Xishan Cemetery and those heavy topics seemed to have been temporarily washed away into the corners of memory along with that rain.

Joining the Special Investigation Team?

To be honest, this proposal was not urgent for Fang Cheng, and could not even be considered a priority option.

After all, there were still many things he needed to do.

Fang Cheng put down the fertilizer bucket, picked up the water ladle, and began to pour water into the trench where the fertilizer had been sprinkled.

The clear well water flowed slowly along the ditch, moistening the dry soil.

The thoughts in his heart seemed to flow out slowly along with this water stream.

For example, the "Illuminati" that only existed in conception.

That would be a force completely belonging to Fang Cheng himself, an order hidden under the shadows of the world and built by his own hands.

To smoothly build the initial framework, he must recruit reliable personnel with special abilities and find a base that was secretive enough.

All of these required a lot of time and energy to plan and execute.

And for example, the problem of his own Qigong Cultivate.

That blazing sun in the Inner Scene World was still just a framework with a facade.

How to inject true "Shen" into it, as Shi Chengyi said, endowing it with a martial intent where "vitality" and "domineeringness" coexisted.

Ultimately reaching the Realm of Inner Scene manifestation and interfering with reality; this was his most core pursuit at present.

No matter how the external environment changed, enhancing one's own strength was always the foundation of remaining undefeated.

As long as his strength was strong enough, all problems in this world could be readily resolved,

In case there was something he couldn't handle, he would just train even stronger.

Anyway, there would always be a time when it could be solved!

After watering, Fang Cheng put the water ladle back in its place, picked up the emptied bucket, and slowly straightened his back.

Following this simple movement, a series of subtle yet clear cracking sounds came from his spine, like a sleeping Dragon stretching its muscles and bones.

The power contained in this robust body, even in the most ordinary life, manifested its extraordinary nature at all times.

With a "creak", the house door opened.

Li Biyun walked out carrying a basin of freshly washed clothes, and seeing the grandfather and grandson busy in the courtyard with great enthusiasm, a smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Dad, Chengcheng, take a break and drink some water."

She put the clothes basin on the stone stool in the courtyard, and turned around to go into the house to pour water.

"No need, no need, it will be done soon."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua waved his hand and used the hoe to smooth out the last bit of soil clods.

Fang Cheng put down the water bucket, walked over quickly, and naturally took the clothes basin from his mother's hands:

"Mom, I can just do it, you go watch TV."

"You're the only one who pampers your mom."

Li Biyun smiled and patted her son's arm, her eyes full of maternal love.

But she didn't really let go completely, instead picking up a piece of clothing from the basin and starting to help hang it out.

While skillfully shaking out the clothes, she asked seemingly casually:

"By the way, how did you get to know that old gentleman who talked to you yesterday? His aura looks quite strong, not like an ordinary person."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua also finished hoeing the ground, leaned the hoe against the base of the wall, and walked to the well to wash his hands, but his ears perked up, obviously quite curious about this matter.

Fang Cheng's hand movement paused for a moment, then he naturally put a T-shirt on a hanger and replied in a relaxed tone:

"Oh, he is a former colleague of Grandfather Ma Donghe. He heard people talk about me, thought I was not bad, so he came by to take a look on his way, saying he wanted to introduce a job opportunity to me."

"Job?"

Li Biyun's eyes suddenly lit up, her movements quickening by a fraction. She lowered her voice and leaned in with some anticipation and tension to ask:

"What kind of job? I heard that police officer surnamed Wei mention it yesterday, it seemed to be... letting you take some kind of exam?"

Hearing Wei Zheng's name, Fang Cheng knew that the other party must have revealed some information to his mother, more or less, in order to close the distance.

No wonder on the way driving home yesterday, both his mother and grandfather seemed a bit abnormal, speaking and acting extra carefully, afraid that any word would touch his thoughts.

Until the atmosphere at home eased today, his mother finally found an opportunity to probe his attitude.

Fang Cheng understood in his heart, did not completely conceal this, and nodded along with his mother's words.

"Mm, you could say that."

He hung the dried clothes on the bamboo pole, weighed his words, and said:

"It's a special position related to the police System, belonging to a government department with a relatively strong confidentiality nature. It requires passing internal exams and selections. They didn't elaborate on what specific work it entails, just letting me consider it first."

"Government department?"

Grandfather Li Zhenhua finished washing his hands, and upon hearing this, his voice became several decibels brighter:

"That's fantastic! Eating the national rice, that's what you call stable and decent, much better than those lawyers and lecturers you were messing with."

"A-Cheng, this opportunity must be seized!"

The old man shook the water off his hands and walked over quickly, getting more and more excited as he spoke, as if he had already seen what his grandson looked like in uniform.

"Ahem!"

Li Biyun suddenly coughed heavily twice next to her, interrupting her father's grand talk.

While pretending to tidy up the clothes, she glanced at Grandfather Li Zhenhua out of the corner of her eye and said indifferently:

"Dad, don't be too happy too early."

Grandfather Li Zhenhua was in the middle of his high spirits, but being interrupted by his daughter like this, the words instantly choked in his throat, and the expression on his face instantly froze.

He let out an "uh", as if pressed by a pause button, and that excitement receded at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Of course he understood his daughter's meaning.

Yes, government department, civil servant...

It sounds glorious, but that hurdle of "background check" was like a huge mountain lying in front of their own door, impossible to bypass no matter how they tried.

The atmosphere in the courtyard instantly quieted down, with only the clothes drying in the sunlight swaying gently in the breeze.

Grandfather Li Zhenhua rubbed his hands, gave an awkward dry laugh, and found a way out for himself:

"Aren't I... happy for A-Cheng? Besides, human effort can achieve anything, human effort can achieve anything..."

He raised his eyes to look at Fang Cheng, a hint of expectation added to his eyes, lowering his voice as if exploring some secret:

"A-Cheng, I see that Elder Shi from yesterday has quite an imposing manner and speaks kindly. He should be a big leader, right?"

"You say... will he have a way to help you solve that... um, that matter?"

Looking at his grandfather's cautious yet slightly "clever" eyes, as well as his mother's complex expression of wanting to ask but not daring to, filled with both anticipation and worry.

Fang Cheng's heart was gently plucked by something.

His own future could be said to have always been the softest and most sensitive place in their hearts.

A brilliant smile immediately rose on Fang Cheng's face. He reached out to hug his mother's shoulders, blinked at his grandfather, and said in a relaxed tone:

"Mom, Grandfather, stop worrying blindly. There's no sign of it yet; they just mentioned it casually, and whether I go or not depends on whether I am willing."

"Rest assured, a talent as outstanding as me will have food to eat wherever I go!"

Fang Cheng was very clear about this.

Some things and secrets were indeed not suitable to tell his family and explain to them at present.

The reason why Shi Chengyi personally came forward, lowered the status of the former director of the Special Investigation Team, treated him with courtesy, and even spared no effort to throw out the shocking secret of his father's case as a bargaining chip,

stemmed, ultimately, from the "value" he displayed.

It was the performance of stirring up celestial phenomena in the Ma Family's water prison, that far-surpassing martial arts talent, and the martial Dao will that even made Shi Chengyi moved.

All of this stemmed from Fang Cheng's own strength.

If time went back half a year ago and the two met similarly, that Elder Shi would at most treat himself as a Junior with good physical fitness.

Perhaps he would take another look because of Ma Jianguo, but that was all.

He would never regard himself as any "hope for revitalizing martial Dao", let alone issue such a solemn invitation.

Without strength, he would still be that commoner struggling at the bottom of society, unable to even pass the background check for the graduate entrance examination due to his father's "crime".

Perhaps, he could really only do as he told Shi Chengyi, find an ordinary job, and spend his life ordinarily amidst day-to-day mediocrity.

Thinking of this, the corners of Fang Cheng's mouth curved into an imperceptible arc.

Live a stable and secure life?

That was merely the most convenient and reasonable excuse when facing Shi Chengyi.

He got up punctually at 4 AM every day, persisting in his workouts rain or shine.

Every time wearing a mask, challenging one powerful opponent after another, and fighting those monsters.

Everything he did was to constantly "grind experience" and keep growing stronger.

In order to one day ascend to the true Peak of this world, and appreciate the magnificent scenery that ordinary people could never imagine in their lifetime.

How could he possibly be resigned to mediocrity and forever be buried in obscurity among the sea of people.

However, his current self's strength was still far from strong enough.

Many things were still unable to be completely controlled in his own hands.

Therefore, he needed to lay low, needed patience, and needed to invest all his time and energy into the most important matter of enhancing his strength.

After hanging the clothes, Fang Cheng picked up the broom in the corner of the yard and began to sweep the fallen leaves and soil on the ground.

Amidst the rustling sound, his thoughts became increasingly clear.

If he chose to join the Special Investigation Team now, even with a big figure like Shi Chengyi as his backing, he would inevitably face many constraints.

Complex personnel relationships and open and covert struggles between factions could be glimpsed from a few words of Shi Chengyi and Wei Zheng.

Abiding by the rules and accepting tasks from above was secondary.

In Fang Cheng's view, this was no fundamentally different from clocking in for work as usual.

It was merely that the work content was more dangerous and exciting.

But it could gain him some hard-to-find actual combat opportunities, which was not a bad thing for him.

The key was that during the execution of tasks, in order to deal with certain formidable enemies, it would be very easy for him to expose his true strength and trump cards.

Even his most secretive identity as "White Owl" might be exposed and learned by outsiders, bringing trouble.

In the eyes of Ma Jianguo and Shi Chengyi, he was just a once-in-a-century martial arts prodigy.

What they valued was his talent and potential on the martial arts level.

What Fang Cheng had displayed so far was nothing more than profound Internal Energy and accomplished martial intent.

Even if he could achieve True Qi projection to enhance attacks, in their evaluation, he could probably barely contend with those so-called Grade A ability users.

They did not know what his true trump cards were.

Once he fully released his strength, I'm afraid it would drop their jaws, and even shake the entire Special Investigation Team's upper echelons, attracting more attention.

Especially that Chief Ling who rejected the Martial Artist faction, would he therefore treat him as an outcast and take action to suppress and restrict him?

These were his most core concerns.

Unless...

Fang Cheng stopped his sweeping motion, leaned against the broom, and looked at the azure blue sky.

Unless after joining the Special Investigation Team, he could still be like when he was a sparring partner at the Global Elite Club.

Wearing a harmless disguise, possessing great autonomy, and being able to choose tasks at will.

Then while taking the state's stipend, steadily "slack off at work and grind experience".

If these conditions could be met, it wasn't out of the question to consider.

Fang Cheng then smiled self-deprecatingly and shook his head.

How was that possible? The world wouldn't revolve around just one person.

To gain corresponding rights and freedom, one must display sufficient value and power to the outside world.

Wanting both benefits and low-profile dormancy, unless your strength had completely crushed the surrounding environment.

Just like in the club, he could do as he pleased, treating work as a game of grinding experience.

Therefore, after much thought, it ultimately came back to the most fundamental topic of enhancing strength.

As for what Wei Zheng mentioned, that joining the Special Investigation Team could obtain Cultivate resources to strengthen Qi and blood, it wasn't very attractive to Fang Cheng at present.

In that underwater Cultivate room on Yongan Island, there were still many remains of ancient creatures hidden.

The life energy contained in those bones was something even the Noah Organization was willing to tear faces with the Zhenxiang Society to fight for, far incomparable to ordinary things in the outside world.

As for the problem of family safety, placing hope in others' protection was ultimately not as reliable as holding it completely in one's own hands.

The only benefit of joining the Special Investigation Team perhaps was having the opportunity to find out the truth of his father's wrongful case...

Fang Cheng pondered for a long time and finally reached a conclusion.

At the current stage, joining the Special Investigation Team was not a wise move.

At least, the sincerity Shi Chengyi presented now, such as protecting the family, opportunities to investigate cases, and the future of martial Dao.

These things were still not enough to move him and make him give up his own rhythm and planning.

However, this matter also served as a reminder to Fang Cheng.

As his strength increased, he had begun to enter the horizons of the country's top power figures.

Wanting to maintain the image of an ordinary office worker like before and silently hide in the crowd would probably become increasingly difficult.

He needed a new, more weighty social identity as a cover.

A lawyer, or a university lecturer... perhaps, it was still not enough.

Fang Cheng pondered, his sweeping motion not stopping, instinctively maintaining a uniform sweeping rhythm.

Suddenly, a brilliant light flashed before his eyes without warning.

That brightness was even more brilliant and dazzling than the sun overhead.

"Eh, the Cleaning skill has finally leveled up!"

Fang Cheng's sweeping motion paused slightly, and then the corners of his mouth curved into a gratified smile.

Well, even sweeping the floor could be self-taught and successfully leveled up.

This could probably be considered "Heavenly Dao rewards diligence" in a sense.

(End of Chapter)