Ji Siying drove Xiao Luo to the NSA headquarters, and the drive took about an hour. When they arrived, Ji Siying stopped in front of a building at the easternmost point of the city center.

The building was surrounded by high, thick walls and massive gates. Xiao Luo did catch glimpses of the impressive building as they drove past the gates earlier, and now, as he stood right in front of it, he saw the full majesty of the structure up close with the national flag fluttering proudly in front of it. Armed guards manned the entrance, and Xiao Luo had no doubt that, if they needed to, they would fire upon anyone trespassing without any hesitationhe had to admit that there was an imposing air of authority about the place, which wasnt surprising as this was the hallowed ground of the nations security agency.

This is the NSA headquarters?

Xiao Luo surveyed the building and its surroundings with some consternation; it was perfectly normal for a person to be wary of unfamiliar places.

Yes.

Ji Siying responded matter-of-factly as she looked at the main entrance, then turning to scan the sprawling grounds, she added, It covers an area of six hundred and eighty acres, there are tech buildings, training grounds, office buildings, recreational grounds, and several other facilities. Many soldiers live here and have devoted themselves to improving their skills and strength to serve the country better.

What exactly is the relationship between the NSA and the police? So, is one in charge of the other? Xiao Luo asked.

Ji Siying smiled slightly. Neither is in charge of the other, but if the two missions overlap, the police will make way to the NSA, as national security takes precedence over all else. Our relationship is quite similar to the security brigade and the army during the chaotic times of the Warlord Era in the early 1900s.

You mean, the NSA is a prominent warlord? Xiao Luo teased.

A prominent warlord?

Pfft~

Ji Siying chuckled and dimples formed at the edge of her charming smile as she said, Mr. Xiao Luo, you are so funny.

As they both stepped through the main entrance, the armed guards saluted them smartly.

They passed by a ground where there were many soldiers in training. Their drills were similar to the armys, but Xiao Luo could tell that these were not ordinary soldiers. Every muscle on their lean bodies was well-toned with hardly any excess body fat, and while they didnt look ripped with large muscles, their explosive power was extraordinary. It was a joy to watch them trainingXiao Luo observed a man punch through a sandbag with a single blow, another shattered a boulder with a strike of his palm, and several were pulling a big truck behind them effortlessly. These gallant men were continually working on their strength and physical fitness, and they were tanned from spending hours in the sun.

The ground was divided into two training camps based on gender and was separated by high barbed wire. Both the men and women training with enthusiasm, and shouts resounded from the grounds, which Xiao Luo found inspiring.

They are all elite soldiers selected from the various special forces groups across the country. You see only a small portion of them, as many more have gone on secret missions for the NSA. These missions include security detail for VVIPs, intelligence gathering, and other covert operations. Perhaps it wont be long before the NSA assigns missions to Mr. Xiao Luo as well, Ji Siying said.

Xiao Luo raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, but, in truth, he was already mentally prepared for this.

Changing the topic, he posed a question to Ji Siying, According to Gu Zhanguo, the NSA has two S-grade soldiers?

Ji Siying nodded, Yes, their code names are King Kong and Lady Poison.'

King Kong? Lady Poison?

Xiao Luo couldnt help feeling that these two code names were rather strange.

Ji Siying scanned the two training grounds to see if the S-grade soldiers were present. They are not on the training ground, but, honestly, with their abilities, they dont need any additional training. If they are not out on a mission, Im sure that Director Gu will introduce them to you later, Mr. Xiao Luo. You dont have to be on your guard against King Kong, but you must definitely be wary of Lady Poison.

Why? Xiao Luo was very curious to know.

Every part of Lady Poisons body is highly toxicfrom her blood, bodily fluids, and even the breath she exhales. Anything she touches will succumb to her poison. Mr. Xiao Luo, when you meet her, please remember not to get too close. Ji Siying stared directly into Xiao Luos eyes to emphasize her point.

Hearing this, Xiao Luo was incredulous. Her body is poisonous?

Yes, Ive always thought that they existed only in wuxia television shows before this, but after seeing it with my own eyes, I now believe that there are such people in this world. Its difficult to explain scientifically.

Xiao Luo shook his head in disbelief at the thought that even such strange phenomena like toxic bodies could exist.

Mr. Xiao Luo, I must remind you not to get too close to her, the poison she carries in her body is deadly. Researchers once experimented with the toxins in her body and compared it to the venom of Africas deadly black mamba. One drop of the black mambas venom can kill a two-hundred-and-sixty-pound pig in forty-five minutes, but the poison in her body is even stronger than the black mambas, taking only fifteen minutes to kill a pig of the same size, Ji Siying cautioned.

Xiao Luo drew in a breath of air, and even with his usually steady demeanor, he felt a sudden chill. No wonder Gu Zhanguo mentioned to him once that S-grade warriors were terrifying, and now he understood why. With the Lady Poisons abilities, killing someone would be as simple as breathing.

When they arrived at the tech building, Xiao Luo finally met Gu Zhanguo.

Gu Zhanguo still looked as fit as hed ever been. His upright posture gave him a look of authority, his eyes were bright and observant, and he perpetually wore a wizen smile. His silver hair didnt make him seem old at all, but instead, it lent him a dignified air.

Next to him was a middle-aged man, who was perhaps a little younger than Gu Zhanguo. He seemed to have kept himself in good shape, with significantly fewer wrinkles on his face than Gu Zhanguo, and his hair was completely black, without a single strand of white hair visible.

They were both dressed in dark suits, and the only contrast being that one had a head of white hair and the other black.

Mr. Mie, Ive heard of your name for a long time now, and its a pleasure to finally meet you in person. The man with black hair smiled warmly and shook Xiao Luos hand.

Ji Siying introduced him to Xiao Luo. He is our Deputy Director, Mr. Dongfang Shuoyu, she said.

Hello, its nice to meet you, Xiao Luo said and nodded politely.

According to the results of the investigation, Mr. Mie, you are very skilled in combat. You havent been evaluated and graded yet, so Id like to conduct the evaluation now. Having heard so much about Xiao Luo, Dongfang Shuo Yu was eager to see how hed do in the evaluation.

This.

Xiao Luo looked at Gu Zhanguo. When he was recruited at the NSA branch in Jiangcheng, he had come to an understanding with Du Zhanguo that he would not be assessed. He was concerned that the machines used would be able to detect the presence of the system, and should they come into conflict, it would possibly harm his body.

Gu Zhanguo coughed dryly and said, Dongfang, it is not urgent, it can be done later. Let us first take Mie to meet our computer engineers. The priority is to enhance their skill levels; otherwise, our nations virtual gateways will continue to be at risk. Whats the point in paying them if they can assure our security, we might as well disband the department.

The compulsory assessment was part of the NSA protocol, and without exception, everyone had to be assessed. Gu Zhanguo personally felt that Xiao Luo could forego the evaluation, but Dongfang Shuoyu was in charge of NSAs disciplinary matters and a stickler for rules. Everything had to be done according to protocol. Even Gu Zhanguo, as a director, was reluctant to blatantly circumvent these rules and set a precedent. Hence, he decided to delay the process for the time being to see which side he could convince first, and one party had to compromise when the time came.

Dongfang Shuo Yu thought for a while and said, Alright then, lets go meet them first. Patting Xiao Luos shoulder, he said, Mr. Mie, you must help them improve and enhance their skills, please.

Ill try my best, Xiao Luo said.