CDJMM – Volume 2 – Chapter 13 The State Slaps and Teaches the Scum a Lesson (13)

If Cang Bohai had still harbored some doubts before, after hearing the boy’s words, every last trace of suspicion vanished.

His emotions at this moment were complicated.

Who would have thought that the “Canned Food” they had been searching for so painstakingly would turn out to be a high schooler barely in his teens?

Before coming to the school to confirm with the homeroom teacher, they hadn’t been completely certain that Chang Jingchen was Canned Food.

Of course, they had already reviewed the files of Chang Jingchen and his parents.

Both of his parents had been ordinary workers in a steel factory. They were divorced and living apart now, with Chang Jingchen staying with his mother, Xie Chun. According to the files, Chang Jingchen’s grades had once been mediocre, and his personality timid and cowardly—he was often bullied by classmates at school.

But overnight, his temperament completely changed, and not only that, his grades soared, nearly scoring perfect marks in every subject. The drastic transformation could only be described as “reborn,” as if he were an entirely different person.

Still, with just this information, they couldn’t possibly have pinned him down as Canned Food in such a short time. After all, there were so many people in Ji Province, and their main search efforts had been focused on research institutes and universities. They hadn’t even considered looking at high schools yet.

In their psychological profiling of Canned Food, they had all leaned toward the assumption that Canned Food must be at least an adult.

Their discovery this time was actually half by accident.

While searching for Canned Food, they had tapped the phone lines of Ji and Jin provinces, hoping to find some clues.

At that time, security personnel who had been stationed near the Li family for years reported something to them.

They said that the Li family’s youngest son, Li Yian—who had been sent to Ji Province—had frequently been calling home to complain. He would grumble about the conflicts with his deskmate, Chang Jingchen, and had even asked his family to investigate Chang Jingchen’s background.

Certain keywords Li Yian used to describe Chang Jingchen in those complaint calls caught the attention of the security staff. Coincidentally, that staff member also knew the state was currently instructing departments to search for grassroots geniuses for special cultivation, so he dutifully reported the matter to Cang Bohai.

That was when Chang Jingchen first entered the special task force’s line of sight.

By then, only one day remained before the three-week time limit Canned Food had given them for their “game.” But even at that point, they still weren’t one hundred percent sure Chang Jingchen was Canned Food.

The rest of the task force members were still searching frantically elsewhere, making contact with other suspected targets. So when Cang Bohai and Ge Yi came this time, it was really more of a gamble.

Yet, against all odds, they actually hit the jackpot—like a blind cat running into a dead mouse!

Suppressing his excitement, Cang Bohai introduced himself to Le Jing: “Nice to meet you. I’m Cang Bohai from National Security. This is Ge Yi from Military Intelligence.”

The flat-topped youth, Ge Yi, gave Le Jing a smiling nod and pointed at himself.

“Don’t be fooled by how young I look. I’ve just got a baby face. I’m already in my thirties.”

Le Jing inclined his head slightly. “Hello. I’m the person you’ve been looking for.”

Cang Bohai glanced warily around them. The place was crowded with students streaming out of the exam hall.

“It’s not convenient to talk here. Let’s move somewhere else.”

When the bell signaling the collection of exam papers rang, Li Yian, whose stomach had been growling from hunger to the point of caving in, perked up instantly.

He had woken up late today and hadn’t eaten breakfast. During the whole exam, his stomach had been rumbling nonstop.

There were fifteen minutes before the next exam—politics. He planned to dash down to the small shop below and grab some bread.

As he ran downstairs, he happened to glance sideways—and caught sight of a familiar figure.

It was that deskmate of his, Chang Jingchen.

The kid was standing under a tree beside the teaching building, talking with two men.

One of the men seemed to notice Li Yian’s gaze and glanced over.

Immediately, a chill shot up Li Yian’s spine.

Even from more than ten meters away, he could clearly sense the man’s cold, warning eyes. It was a warning: Do not approach.

That kind of sharp, oppressive aura—he had only ever felt it from the people who accompanied his grandmother.

His grandmother, Li Shuran, was a scientist.

In their family, she was an absolute “invisible figure.”

Growing up, he could count on one hand the number of times he had seen her. The last time had been during last year’s Spring Festival.

She had stayed at home for a week and even given him a large red envelope. But before the sixth day of the new year had even passed, she had left again.

His mother had said Grandma was going back to work.

In Li Yian’s memory, his grandmother was always extremely busy, endlessly tied up with work. Even when she came home, she was always surrounded by unfamiliar people—watchful, guarded, and cold.

Just like those two men who were talking to Chang Jingchen.

When Li Yian had been younger, he had once asked his parents what kind of work his grandmother actually did. But his parents always dodged the question, treating it as a taboo subject. When he asked too many times, his father would even scold him.

When Li Yian slowly grew older, had more exposure to different matters, and had seen much of the world, he vaguely came to realize the special nature of his grandmother’s work—his grandmother must have been engaged in some kind of secret research for the country.

Those terrifying strangers surrounding her were actually there to protect her.

They were the legendary state security personnel.

That was why his grandmother had been away from home all year round.

That was why their entire family never knew what exactly she was working on.

That was why his father’s career had soared step by step.

Then, why would an ordinary person like Chang Jingchen have anything to do with these people?

No, if he was associated with these people, then Chang Jingchen could not possibly be ordinary!

Thinking along these lines, it made sense—Chang Jingchen was so clever. If he too was one of them, it would be perfectly reasonable. Maybe “Chang Jingchen” was just a fake name and fake identity.

Perhaps coming to this school was part of a special mission!

Following this train of thought, many things he hadn’t been able to figure out before now had answers—no wonder Chang Jingchen acted so arrogant in front of him. Turns out it was because he had the backing of the state, so of course he could be fearless!

Wait a second… if that’s true, would he end up blacklisted by some secret department just because he’d had conflicts with Chang Jingchen before?

Probably not, right? Those people wouldn’t be so petty, right…?

Just as the square-faced middle-aged man turned his gaze toward Li Yian, Le Jing also noticed him.

From such a distance, he couldn’t see Li Yian’s expression clearly. All he could make out was that the young master seemed to freeze for a few seconds, then suddenly bolted as though a ghost were chasing him.

“If I’m not mistaken, that was your deskmate, Li Yian?” asked the square-faced middle-aged man—Cang Bohai, of the National Security Bureau.

Le Jing smiled and nodded. “He’s a young master from the capital. Judging by his reaction, he probably guessed your identities.”

Cang Bohai rubbed his chin with a laugh and said with some admiration, “As expected of a Li family child, so sharp.” Then his expression grew serious as he returned to the previous topic: “This is not a place to linger. Please leave with us as soon as possible. We’ve already prepared a car outside the school to take you to the capital. Once there, an entire battalion will be assigned to ensure your safety.”

Le Jing thought for a few seconds, then calmly asked, “Given the value I’ve demonstrated so far, I should be entitled to a little more freedom, shouldn’t I?”

A bad feeling welled up in Cang Bohai’s heart. “What do you mean…?”

“I want to stay and finish the exam,” Le Jing said evenly. “Sorry, but I can’t stomach quietly retreating like this.”

Again and again, the rules of this world had interfered with his exams. Even a clay figurine would have grown frustrated, let alone someone like him, who was never one to swallow grievances.

So he was determined to finish every paper in full, to close his high school life with an undisputed first place in the grade.

Cang Bohai was at a loss for words. He tried to persuade him: “Staying here will make it impossible to properly safeguard you. As for exams, there will be plenty more chances in the future—it’s not urgent.”

What he didn’t say was that Le Jing would inevitably be put under the nation’s secret protection. His brain would become the country’s greatest secret weapon. In his eyes, there was no further need for Le Jing to even attend school. Exams, for someone like him, were nothing but a waste of time.

But Le Jing was unmoved: “If you’re worried about my safety, you can station people inside and outside the exam room.” He crossed his arms, his calm eyes meeting the hesitant, concerned gazes of Ge Yi and Cang Bohai. With a light, carefree smile, he added, “This will be my final exam of high school. I want to end it perfectly, without any regrets.”

Cang Bohai and Ge Yi exchanged a glance, then compromised.

“The invigilator in your exam room will be replaced with one of our people. During the exam, we’ll also mobilize the local garrison to secure the school perimeter with necessary clearing and lockdown measures.”

Le Jing raised his brows. “A garrison guarding the school?”

“Rest assured, they’ll be in plain clothes, disguised as ordinary civilians,” Cang Bohai said gravely. “This is our bottom line.”

Almost at the same time, the exam bell rang.

“Then let’s do it your way. I’m off to my exam.” Le Jing turned to leave, then seemed to recall something. He turned back with a cheerful grin and said to the two trailing closely behind him, “By the way, could you make sure my deskmate Li Yian misses this exam?”

Cang Bohai & Ge Yi: ???

The future scientist of the nation—whose brain, according to relevant departments, had more destructive power than a nuclear bomb—smiled lightly, but his expression was dead serious, as though declaring an indisputable truth: “I suspect our eight characters clash.”

Ge Yi gaped in shock. “Huh??” Boss, you’re a researcher from the future, here to help build socialism. Shouldn’t you be sticking to materialism? What’s with this superstitious talk about clashing horoscopes??

The teenager’s expression was one of firm conviction, as if urging them to believe in “science (superstition).” He said earnestly, “Don’t doubt it. I’ve tested this scientifically many times. Ever since he transferred here, as long as I sit exams with him, something happens. The time before last, it was food poisoning. Last time, appendicitis. This time—who knows what disaster might occur? I’m not willing to gamble.”

He patted Ge Yi’s shoulder and said seriously, “For my safety, and so I can contribute better to building socialism, I request to be separated from Li Yian.”

Cang Bohai: …

Ge Yi: …
…
…

Li Yian was called out of the politics exam.

The person who called him out he recognized—it was the same middle-aged uncle who had spoken with Chang Jingchen earlier, the one whose cold gaze made him suspect he belonged to a secret state department.

Li Yian’s mind was in turmoil, and he instinctively switched to honorifics: “Sir, what do you need with me?” Damn it, was he here to back up Chang Jingchen and settle scores after the fact?? No, no, surely he was overthinking. It was just a minor spat between classmates—nothing that serious, right?

The man looked straight at him, his gaze strange and complicated, sending chills all over Li Yian.

Then the man handed him the brick-sized phone in his hand. “A call for you.”

Confused, Li Yian took the phone and said loudly, “Hello?”

“It’s me.” The familiar voice of his father came through, though for some reason, whether due to static or something else, it carried an oddly heavy tone.

“Dad?” Li Yian was first surprised, then delighted. “Why are you calling me? Is it because I can go back to the capital now?”

Father Li sighed, his voice bleak. “I’m giving you a multiple-choice question. Do you want to go to the Great Northwest to open up wasteland, or would you prefer to study abroad?”

Li Yian: …???