Villain? No, I'll catch up with the protagonist after passing the civil service exam.

half a month later.

Provincial Public Security Bureau, Auditorium No. 1.

The red flags fluttered like a painting, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere. The entire auditorium was decorated like a top-level state reception venue, with not only the province's top officials in attendance, but also special envoys from Beijing. The stage was completely surrounded by a throng of media cameras and microphones.

Today, this is not only an internal commendation ceremony, but also a live broadcast to the whole country.

The reason is simple: the "major terrorist attack on the stadium" that nearly sent tens of thousands of people to their deaths half a month ago. Although the official account omitted the horrifying words "cultivation" and "formation," the details of the case alone were enough to shock the entire internet.

The man who single-handedly carried a biological bomb onto a helicopter and saved the entire city naturally became the focus of everyone's attention.

In the live stream, the number of online viewers had already exceeded an astonishing 200 million, and the barrage of comments was so dense that the screen was almost invisible.

[Here it comes! My husband is getting an award today!]

[What the hell?! That's my half-father! Officer Lu is awesome!]

[A single person carrying a 100-pound bomb and running at top speed? Is this some kind of Captain America superhuman stamina?]

[Forget Captain America, this is the light of the rule of law in our China!]

Amidst the intense attention, the top official of the provincial department steadily walked to the microphone.

"In recognition of Comrade Lu Jingyan's outstanding performance in the 'October 24th Major Case,' he saved the lives of tens of thousands of citizens with swift and decisive action, safeguarding national security and the dignity of the law!"

The leader's voice was loud and clear, revealing an undisguised excitement.

"After deliberation by higher authorities, it has been decided to award Comrade Lu Jingyan the 'First-Class Merit' and the honorary title of 'Provincial-Level Special-Class Combat Hero'!"

Thunderous applause erupted instantly in the auditorium, almost lifting the dome off the building.

Accompanied by a stirring march, Lu Jingyan walked steadily and powerfully onto the podium.

Today he was dressed in a crisp, top-ranking police uniform. The well-tailored, deep blue fabric perfectly accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his deep eyes were calm and serene, devoid of elation or arrogance, displaying only the absolute composure befitting a law enforcer.

The commander personally pinned the heavy First-Class Merit Medal to Lu Jingyan's chest.

"Xiao Lu, well done. You are the pride of our police force." The commander patted him hard on the shoulder.

Lu Jingyan took half a step back, stood at attention, and gave an extremely standard and impeccable police salute.

The flashes went off wildly at that moment, freezing his tall and upright figure into the screensavers of countless people's phones.

"Please welcome Comrade Lu Jingyan to speak on behalf of the group!"

Guided by the host, Lu Jingyan walked to the standing microphone.

The cameras and microphones below the stage instantly focused on him, and the live stream chat paused briefly as hundreds of millions of viewers held their breath, waiting for the legendary detective's acceptance speech. As is customary, this would have been a long string of thanks to his superiors, the organization, and his colleagues.

But Lu Jingyan did not bring any speech notes.

He held the edge of the microphone with one hand, his gaze slowly sweeping over the excited and awe-inspiring faces below the stage, finally looking directly at the camera in front of him.

"I have nothing to thank you for, because this is just my job."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a powerful, penetrating force that seemed to pierce the soul.

"During this period, we have witnessed too many arrogant madmen who think they are superior and try to trample on the rules. They may be rich, they may be powerful, they may... have some other means."

He didn't explicitly mention the existence of "immortal cultivators" and the "Heavenly Temple," but the high-ranking officials present all understood the weight of his words.

"But I want to take this opportunity to say something to everyone hiding in the shadows, trying to challenge the bottom line."

Lu Jingyan leaned forward slightly, his eyes becoming as sharp as a knife at that moment.

"The law does not believe in tears. Nor does it believe in magic."

"On this land of China, no one can be above the rules."

He pointed to the gleaming First-Class Merit Medal on his chest, his voice resounding.

"Here, justice is the only 'miracle'."

short.

Domineering.

That's hardcore to the extreme!

After a second of silence, applause erupted, ten times more enthusiastic than before! Many young police officers were so moved that their eyes welled up with tears, clapping wildly. The internet was in an uproar; these few words were instantly turned into countless short videos and shared wildly.

At this moment, Lu Jingyan's reputation reached its true peak.

Amidst thunderous applause, Lu Jingyan nodded slightly, turned around, and walked off the stage.

For him, this moment of glory was merely a milestone in his work, not the end. Passing through the noisy venue, Lu Jingyan pushed open the soundproof door leading to the backstage lounge.

The corridor fell silent instantly.

He reached up and rubbed his stiff neck, preparing to go back to his office to change out of that cumbersome suit.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

At the corner at the end of the corridor stood a familiar figure.

Su Xiaoxiao, dressed in clean casual clothes, stood there gracefully, holding a large bouquet of vibrant red roses in her arms.

She had clearly dressed up carefully. Her usual pigtails were down, with the ends slightly curled, and she wore light makeup, making her look both innocent and charming with a touch of feminine allure.

Seeing Lu Jingyan approach, Su Xiaoxiao nervously clenched the bouquet wrapping paper in her hand.

Her gaze involuntarily fell on the first-class merit medal gleaming in gold on Lu Jingyan's chest, then slowly moved upwards to meet his deep eyes.

In those eyes, adoration, admiration, and a pinkish emotion that almost overflowed were intertwined, stretching out long, almost turning into tangible threads.

Lu Jingyan's heart skipped a beat, which was extremely rare.

He stopped and looked at the girl in front of him, whose face was flushed, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

Su Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, as if she had mustered the greatest courage she could ever have, and suddenly stuffed the bouquet of red roses into Lu Jingyan's arms.

"Captain Lu!"

She tilted her head back, her voice trembling slightly with nervousness, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

"If... if sending a banner is too old-fashioned, would you accept this instead?"