Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 368 - 268 What kind of expert_1

Chapter 368: Chapter 268 What kind of expert_1

Outside the venue.

Team Leader Yuan of the Special Investigation Unit of the Joint Protection Bureau had just come over to hand in a document and didn’t leave immediately, standing to the side leafing through the materials distributed at the meeting.

This year’s slight climate fluctuations had indeed brought quite a few troubles, increasing everyone’s workload significantly.

As he was pondering, he heard someone calling him from not far away.

"Old Yuan! Long time no see, congratulations on the promotion!"

The person was in his forties, quite robust, with a neat buzz cut and a formidable-looking face that didn’t exactly invite warmth, even when he wore a smile.

Team Leader Yuan smiled lightly as he shook hands with the man, "Captain Wen. With your experience, your promotion isn’t far off either."

"I still have a long way to go. Tsk, after your promotion, you seem much more imposing than before."

They were old acquaintances and spoke more casually.

Captain Wen was surprised to bump into him here, "Isn’t your special investigation team really busy? How do you have the time to come to this meeting? It seems like it wouldn’t be mandatory for you to attend."

Team Leader Yuan nodded, "I’m here to assist with an investigation of a past case."

Before his appointment as the head of the Special Task Group, he’d worked on python skin cases, taking down several illegal syndicates at the borders.

Recently, due to Feng Yi’s missing little python snake, an old case involving an organization he had investigated last year had emerged, so Team Leader Yuan took the time to make a trip to Yang City.

However, he wouldn’t be staying here long; once the matter was handled, he’d return to his team.

Captain Wen didn’t ask about the specifics of the case, as it wasn’t appropriate to delve into each other’s assignments.

Team Leader Yuan inquired, "Why are you here? The Seventh Patrol Team should have already assigned tasks."

Captain Wen revealed a pained expression, "We did receive a task, but the expert who was supposed to work with us can’t join because of family matters. I happened to come here to check on something and heard there was a meeting, so I came over to find an expert. There are quite a few attending today, but unfortunately, I’m not acquainted with any. Do you have anyone you could recommend?"

Instead of answering directly, Team Leader Yuan asked, "What’s the nature of your task? What kind of expert are you looking for?"

Captain Wen replied quickly, "The task has certain physical demands; we need to go deep into the mountains and might have to stay in the wild for a few days. Those who can’t keep up physically or aren’t used to being in the wild should not bother joining and suffering needlessly.

"As for intellectual capacity, the requirements aren’t high. They don’t need to be exceptionally sharp. The task is already challenging, and I’m not interested in playing mind games with them."

"We’ve already found someone for the data aspect, so we’re looking for an adjunctive guide who can handle crises well and has a keen sense of the status of wildlife and plant life in the wilderness."

While speaking, Captain Wen looked over expectantly and asked, "What do you think? Do you have anyone suitable to recommend?"

Team Leader Yuan rarely smiled, "Actually, I do. What do you think about Feng Yi?"

"Feng Yi?"

Captain Wen’s eyebrows arched.

Of course, he knew Feng Yi!

Even though he was usually busy with tasks and paid little attention to other matters, he had heard of that name and knew a bit about Feng Yi.

Feng Yi, ah.

That was the internet-famous expert who looked like a celebrity!

Even the people from the Joint Protection Bureau’s PR department paid special attention to him. His face was too eye-catching.

In terms of catching snakes, Captain Wen naturally had no doubts.

If Feng Yi didn’t have real skill, he wouldn’t have become a member of the expert committee.

What Captain Wen wondered about was whether this young man was suitable for his team. Was he willing to endure hardships?

"Are you serious?" Captain Wen asked.

"Hmm," replied Team Leader Yuan, "Feng Yi is quite talented. In the mountains, he definitely isn’t afraid of snakes, insects, rats, or ants. Last year, he joined Nan Chong’s scientific expedition into the deep mountains. Before the year’s end, he went to capture pythons in Florida, and Steve took him running through the marsh for many days. He’s very sensitive to the growth states of animals and plants as well as changes in the weather, and also... not too shrewd."

Captain Wen considered for a moment.

In his experience cooperating with experts, there were none under the age of thirty. Younger experts often lacked experience, leading to a higher chance of misjudgment.

He knew Old Yuan wasn’t joking; the fact that he had made the recommendation meant that Feng Yi genuinely had the capabilities.

After some thought, Captain Wen said, "Is Feng Yi at the meeting today? Where is he? I’d like to have a chat with him."

When the meeting ended, Feng Yi didn’t leave the conference room immediately; instead, he stood in a corner chatting with Steve, mainly listening to Steve share some task execution experience.

Only when most of the people in the room had left did Feng Yi and Steve exit the meeting room together.

Steve enthusiastically recommended to him which brands of sunscreen were suitable for fieldwork, which brands of insect repellent were more environmentally friendly, what environments were good for sprays, what situations called for mosquito-repelling sachets or bracelets, and many other easily overlooked details, sharing his insights with Feng Yi.

Feng Yi listened intently, recording on his phone as well.

Seeing this, Steve went into greater detail.

"Remember these, and you’ll suffer less during tasks. Some of these handy tips I learned from the locals. When the time comes, see which you could use and prepare accordingly."

The two continued their conversation as they walked out.

Someone called out to him.

"Feng Yi!"

Feng Yi looked over.

Team Leader Yuan waved to signal that he had something to discuss with him.

Steve stopped his ongoing speech and said to Feng Yi, "I’ll leave first; you go ahead."

Feng Yi followed Team Leader Yuan to the side.

They had met during the sea star rescue operation, and Feng Yi hadn’t expected to see him again so soon.

Perhaps because he had heard the butler talk so much about Team Leader Yuan’s past deeds, Feng Yi didn’t feel as restrained as others when facing the serious Team Leader Yuan.

However, the person who wanted to talk to Feng Yi today wasn’t Team Leader Yuan.

Team Leader Yuan introduced him, "This is Captain Wen of the Seventh Patrol Team."

Feng Yi shook hands with the other party, "Captain Wen, good to see you."

Unlike the investigative teams in various branches, most branch investigative teams stay in fixed locations, only leaving their responsible areas if there’s a need for cross-district case investigations.

For instance, the team of Wei Hongxun from Yang City branch, spends most of the year in Yang City and its surrounding areas.

Patrol teams, on the other hand, are dispatched to different provincial and municipal areas according to task requirements and don’t spend most of their time in one fixed place.

Captain Wen’s gaze measured Feng Yi.

Since Team Leader Yuan had recommended him, Captain Wen was not as formal and carried a touch of the warmth an elder has for a younger relative.

Here, Captain Wen talked with Feng Yi about their patrol team needing experts, and discussed some task requirements to see if they could work together.

Not far away.

A youngster was staring at Feng Yi, so astonished that he just stood there.

Aside from the joint security bureau’s people, today’s meeting also included municipal staff members.

The meeting was over, but not all attendees had left; some had other small meetings to attend.

"Kai, what are you staring at? Do you know someone?" a middle-aged man asked as he walked over.

Luo Kai withdrew his gaze and said softly, "I saw Feng Yi."

Luo Kai had come with his uncle this time to gain some experience. He seldom interacted with the joint security bureau’s people, so attending such meetings offered him the chance to observe more.

He was the child of Feng Yi’s aunt and was about the same age as Feng Yi, but they rarely interacted and were not close.

His surprise wasn’t simply due to seeing Feng Yi here, but he was shocked that the joint security bureau’s senior personnel were treating Feng Yi so well!

Because today’s gathering was a formal occasion, the joint security bureau’s attendees wore badges indicating their identity.

Luo Kai noticed the badges on the two joint security bureau people. Although he didn’t recognize them, he could discern their approximate position levels from the badges.

"Uncle, those two from the joint security bureau, they hold a pretty high rank, don’t they?" Luo Kai asked.

Luo Kai’s uncle also noticed the trio not far away. He hadn’t seen Team Leader Yuan’s badge clearly, but he knew Team Leader Yuan personally.

At Luo Kai’s question, he nodded, "That’s Team Leader Yuan from the Special Investigation Group, one of the high-ranking officers of the joint security bureau. He’s famously difficult to get along with."

At this, Luo Kai’s uncle was also surprised.

The famously difficult man was actually smiling while talking to Feng Yi, which was completely out of character!

They didn’t know what they were discussing, but Captain Wen laughed heartily a couple of times and patted Feng Yi on the shoulder.

The smile on Team Leader Yuan’s face deepened too, although it quickly vanished, but this was a rare sight!

Captain Wen had already decided to bring Feng Yi into the team, there were more details to discuss regarding the mission.

Team Leader Yuan had other matters to attend to and didn’t continue with them, turning to leave.

When he scanned the surroundings, his familiar authoritative face returned.

Luo Kai and his uncle: "..."

It was indeed the same person, no mistake there.

There was another small meeting that Luo Kai and his uncle had to attend, so they didn’t stay in place any longer.

On the way to the meeting room, Luo Kai’s uncle said, "You should try to get to know Feng Yi if you have the chance. Don’t just listen to the old man—good relatives should not be kept at a distance."

Luo Kai thought to himself: If only I had the chance!

Many in the Feng Family now wanted to mend fences with Feng Yi behind the scenes, but was there a chance?

He wasn’t well-acquainted with Feng Yi, nor did he understand him. They only met during the New Year’s at Xiao Feng Mountain.

What left the deepest impression on him was how easily Feng Yi caught snakes, as if he was playfully twisting a rope.

How had he not known about Feng Yi’s talent before?

And exactly how did Feng Yi form a connection with the joint security bureau?

Given Team Leader Yuan’s rare display of good humor, it had to be more than just an acquaintance!

That sly Feng Yi had kept so much hidden!

Feng Yi, who was being speculated about by the two, did not hurry home after the meeting; Captain Wen was holding him back to discuss the mission.

Thinking that it would be a while before he could return, Feng Yi found a brief moment to send a message to the housekeeper, asking for assistance in preparing some items.

Having decided to join Captain Wen’s patrol team, there was now a clear purpose for the preparations he needed.

In the residence by Cui Lake.

The housekeeper, aware that Feng Yi was about to leave on a mission soon, had already instructed Bing to start preparing easy-to-carry food.

Household supplies and such were picked based on the usual list from previous times.

For the rest, without knowing where and what kind of mission Feng Yi would be undertaking, they refrained from choosing arbitrarily. They purchased a lot of items, just waiting for Feng Yi’s instructions, then they could make targeted selections.

Reading the message from Feng Yi, the housekeeper began to select items from the storage room as instructed.

"A sturdy large water bottle?"

Glancing over the row of water bottles on the storeroom shelf, he found his target.

What else?

Just a large water bottle?

Housekeeper: [Do you need anything else?]

Feng Yi thought about Steve’s words carefully:

[No, that’s it.]