Chapter 1 The Task

"Dong."

Cui Zhongcheng gently tapped the table.

Gu Shen's expression was grave, his attention highly focused.

This was his first mission… Due to the A-009 incident, Gu Shen took the upcoming Tribunal mission very seriously. In his imagination, carrying out a mission was a high-risk operation where one could easily lose their life.

Leaving Qinghe, were they going to some extremely dangerous place?

The Grand Judge and his teacher were both present, so it couldn't just be a simple ride… He held his breath, preparing to listen to the mission briefing.

"There's something I need to inform you. Currently, your file is under seal. The review committee's report is only accessible to one person, Councilor Zhao Xilai." Cui Zhongcheng said slowly, "You can understand it this way: Gu Shen's name, apart from a very few high-ranking members of the Tribunal faction and the East Continent councilors who saw your file during the amnesty incident, is not widely known. And due to the nature of this mission… I've only informed a very few people about your itinerary."

Gu Shen's expression became even more serious.

Was this mission so important?

Even his own file was being hidden.

"The mission location is 19 Lipu Street."

Cui Zhongcheng carried a palm-sized paper notebook. In this age of highly developed information technology, everyone was used to using computers, making the use of notebooks rather unconventional.

19 Lipu Street, sounded like a residential area? Could there be some sealed object lurking there? Or a runaway?

Gu Shen narrowed his eyes.

He noticed that Mr. Cui's notebook was both new and old. New in that it was still fairly crisp and only a third of it had been used. Old in that the paper had a yellowed texture, and the used third clearly had been flipped through many times…

Since Cui Zhongcheng had a habit of recording and recalling information using paper pages, then judging by the huge amount of official business that this councilor's assistant had to handle every day, this kind of notebook should be replaced weekly?

To avoid trouble, he probably bought a box, or even more. Carrying one or two with him each time he went out.

The notebook had photos and some files attached. His handwriting was just like his person, Cui Zhongcheng wrote in a very delicate small regular script. He flipped to the first page, which had a photo attached.

"This is…?"

The moment he saw the photo, Gu Shen was a little dumbfounded.

The 19 Lipu Street in the photo was sandwiched between the bustling shops of the Dadu District. The photo was taken during the day, when there was a large flow of people like a surging tide, and the entrance was very narrow. It looked like the kind of internet cafe passageway that had been eliminated for a long time, with only a plaque hanging above it.

With three words written on it: Dream Weaver.

"A psychological clinic, a psychological counseling room. Call it whatever you want."

Cui Zhongcheng turned the notebook around, pointed it at Gu Shen, and explained in detail: "The Dream Weaver Counseling Room at 19 Lipu Street was just registered half a year ago. The name sounds a bit strange, but don't worry, it has already obtained the qualification certificate issued by the Hypnotist Association and is equipped with a complete business license… This is your next place of work. The duration of this mission is about three to six months."

"My mission is… psychological counseling, hypnosis…"

Gu Shen's mind was buzzing, and he didn't know what to say for a moment: "Could it be… a part-time job?"

His brain was a little messed up.

This was completely different from what he had imagined, even completely opposite… After getting an "S grade" in the review committee's nightmare test, he expected the Tribunal to assign him a very arduous mission.

Looking at the ferocious stance of this heavy helicopter, it was easy to get the feeling of "the wind is soughing, the Yi River is cold," and he would probably be taken to a frozen wilderness, where there were tall transcendent beasts, suppressing high-risk sealed objects on the snowy mountains.

And where he could easily die without a whole corpse.

The scenes he had envisioned were probably like Nan Jin cutting through the carriage with a knife, or Senior Sister Luo shattering the training ground mirror with a flick of her finger.

In short, flying into the sky and escaping into the earth, all kinds of saving the world.

But in the end…

His mission turned out to be a part-time worker.

"You should be clear that our assessment of your abilities is not complete."

Grand Judge Tang said lightly, "Your abilities have not yet been demonstrated, and your traits have only been explored in part… Although it's an S grade, your actual combat ability is not strong, and you can't handle too arduous a mission at the moment."

"Yes… I agree."

Gu Shen came back to his senses, he lowered his head with a wry smile. The Grand Judge really didn't leave him any face.

In fact… this mission suited him well.

He muttered in a low voice, "Then this mission doesn't seem complicated… Is there a need for such a big fanfare…"

The Grand Judge, the councilor's assistant, the Tribunal's Grand Adjudicator… each title was scarily grand…

"The reason for taking the same flight is very simple. We're just going the same way."

Zhou Jiren patted Gu Shen on the back comfortingly, it was obvious that the little guy was heartbroken now.

"Actually, this mission is not as simple as you think."

Cui Zhongcheng said calmly, "Although the review committee's evaluation of you is very high, these two unanimously believe that you still need some time to digest and explore. This mission is what they fought for for you. It looks very simple, right? Psychological counseling, hypnosis, part-time work… You can understand it however you want, but you'd better understand it as… this is an assessment of you by the Tribunal."

If it was an assessment.

Then the nature was different.

Gu Shen's expression became serious, he readjusted his spirits, and then caught a hint of a smile in his teacher's eyes.

This was a true old fox, who must have made some arrangements before landing in Dateng… Arranging such a mission for himself, was he afraid that he would encounter danger?

After seeing this look, Gu Shen felt that this matter was not so simple.

But this mission came just at the right time.

Chu Ling would be disconnected during this period, and his only reliance was the Ruler of Truth. This was not a sealed object that could be used casually, and the clerical work at the Dream Weaver Counseling Room was very suitable for him.

According to the introduction, this should be a psychological counseling center for the public? His mental power, constantly honed by Jingzhe, finally had a place to be used.

Then, as expected… he would have a lot of time to connect to the deep-water area and explore the transcendent power of Blazing Fire on his own.

Cui Zhongcheng suddenly said, "In addition, you need to thank Tang Qingquan. Without him, there would be no this mission."

Gu Shen was stunned.

"Because this shop is sponsored by me."

The Grand Judge took a sip of coffee, leisurely admiring the scenery outside the window, and said, "Don't misunderstand, it has nothing to do with you. I have a student who has been studying the connection between dreams and the material world… She came to Dadu half a year ago, and I happened to have some houses on Lipu Street, so I lent this set to her for research."

Happened to have… some houses?

He could guess that this Grand Judge was rich, but he didn't expect him to be so rich!

Gu Shen scratched his head, "So this counseling room is ostensibly providing psychological counseling, but actually studying the dreams of the counselors?"

"That's right." Cui Zhongcheng adjusted his glasses, "The review committee believes that you have extremely strong talent in the mental field, and I believe this will also help you… As for the specifics, you can ask the person in charge after you land. By the way, the identity we arranged for you is a young intern who has just arrived in Dadu. No one knows your file, so don't let it slip."

"…"

Gu Shen nodded silently, indicating that he understood the mission content.

He didn't say anything more, but the doubts in his heart slowly took root.

Hiding an S-grade file just to let him be an intern?

Whether it was his teacher's eyes or Cui Zhongcheng's personality, Gu Shen vaguely felt that… things could never be so simple, and there must be a deeper meaning behind this seemingly easy mission.