A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

"Brother Ji, you have a great capacity for alcohol! I never would have guessed!"

In the 749th round, Liu Ming, who was walking in front, turned around, gave a thumbs up, and looked at Liu Ming with sincere admiration.

However, the dark bruises he was wearing revealed that he wasn't in much better shape.

"Those guys who claimed to be 'unbeatable drinkers' last night, you drank them all under the table and passed out! Amazing!"

Ji Zuodao remained silent, his face expressionless, enduring the throbbing, dull pain in his head as he followed behind him.

As it turns out, when alchemists drink too much, they're no different from ordinary people.

The idea that spiritual energy can turn alcohol into wine is just empty talk when you're sober. If you're really drunk, you'll still vomit and feel dizzy.

His mind felt like it was filled with a lump of hot, buzzing paste.

Dog Grandpa followed at the very back, looking dejected and unsteady on his feet. His four legs seemed to be walking on their own, and he would stumble every now and then.

Actually, Doggy didn't want to move at all. He just wanted to curl up on the relatively soft mat in the dormitory and make up for the lost time of his dog life.

Those drunken bastards last night were even more troublesome than the mountain demons! My back aches...

But Liu Ming's single sentence startled it awake from its death throes.

"Sir, you need to register your identity at the Bureau's 'Special Creature Management Department'."

"Once you register, you'll be considered a 'senior advisor' to our bureau, receiving a monthly subsidy, a monster meat ration, and additional benefits during holidays."

Subsidies? Food rations? Welfare?

At that moment, Dog Master immediately perked up, and his cloudy eyes instantly flashed with a light comparable to that of a hungry wolf eyeing meat.

He quickly rolled over, got up, and followed after them.

Hey! Dog Master was secretly delighted.

Having spent most of his life roaming the underworld, stealing chickens from one neighbor and fish from another, he never imagined that in the end, he would actually manage to get a government job and live off the government!

This was a great deal!

Ji Zuodao, who was walking ahead, caught a glimpse of Dog-ye's "Although my body is completely drained, I must be strong for the sake of the establishment and subsidies" attitude out of the corner of his eye, and the corner of his mouth twitched again.

My head hurts, and it hurts even more now.

Liu Ming led Ji Zuodao through the maze-like 749 Bureau building, finally arriving at the door of an office with a sign that read "Personnel Department".

"Old Zhou, are you there? I've brought someone with me, the one my father specially recruited. Oh, and I'd also like another 'Special Creature Registration Form'."

Liu Ming knocked on the door, his tone familiar.

"Enter."

An old but steady voice came from inside.

Pushing open the door, I found the office to be small and simply furnished.

There was only an old desk, several rows of filing cabinets, and an elderly man sitting behind the desk, wearing reading glasses, writing.

The old man was wearing a faded old-fashioned Zhongshan suit. He was somewhat thin, with sparse, gray hair. He looked like an ordinary, retired government employee nearing retirement.

He is Zhou Jianguo, Old Zhou.

"Hmm, Hime Sadao, right?"

Zhou Jianguo put down his pen, adjusted his reading glasses that had slipped down to the tip of his nose, and slowly glanced at Ji Zuodao from above the lenses, his gaze calm and unwavering.

"Liuzhou mentioned you to me. Here, he already filled out the form for you, all you need to do is sign it."

As he spoke, he pulled two documents out of the drawer and pushed them over.

"Okay, thank you, Mr. Zhou."

Ji Zuodao quickly stepped forward, took the form with both hands, and put on a very polite, even slightly reserved, smile.

His respect wasn't entirely feigned.

The moment he stepped into the office, Dog, who had been sullenly following at his feet, suddenly bristled with fur all over his body!

It let out an extremely suppressed, low growl, as if it had encountered a natural enemy.

With its four claws gripping the ground and its body slightly leaning back, it seemed ready for a major battle.

A pair of dog eyes stared intently at the seemingly harmless, withered old man behind the table.

Ji Zuodao's heart skipped a beat.

Dog's reaction...

This old man... is definitely not simple!

"Um?"

Zhou Jianguo seemed to only then notice Dog Master. He took off his reading glasses and casually glanced in Dog Master's direction.

Just a fleeting glance.

Just moments ago, Dog was baring his teeth and looking fierce, but now it was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head.

The bristling fur on his body instantly subsided, and the low growl in his throat abruptly ceased.

Its fierce dog eyes blinked, and then quickly became "clear" and "docile".

It even wagged its tail ingratiatingly, as if its previous ferocity was just an illusion.

"Young friend, come over here and fill out this form."

Zhou Jianguo gently placed another form on the table, speaking in a calm tone.

"Okay! Thank you, Professor Zhou! You've worked hard, Professor Zhou!"

Dog Master trotted over, bowing and scraping, his fawning manner even surpassing that of Ji Zuodao earlier.

It picked up the form, lay down in a corner, and started filling it out carefully, pawing at the pen with its paws.

Bah! They have absolutely no integrity!

Ji Zuodao inwardly scorned Dog Master.

A true man, born between heaven and earth, should not be corrupted by wealth or intimidated by power...

"Little Princess—"

Zhou Jianguo put his reading glasses back on, his gaze falling on Ji Zuodao, and he drawled out his words.

"Old Zhou! What are your orders?"

Ji Zuodao straightened his back instantly, his smile becoming even brighter, and his earlier grumbling about "integrity" vanished into thin air.

How much is integrity worth?

As the master chef once said, you have to be timid when you need to be; that's called strategic maneuvering!

"take it easy."

Zhou Jianguo smiled, his wrinkles smoothing out a bit.

"I'll just ask you a few simple questions to complete your file."

"Don't be nervous! Ask away, ask away, I'll answer everything I know!"

Ji Zuodao nodded his head like a chicken pecking at rice.

"Um."

Zhou Jianguo picked up a file and slowly flipped through it.

"The records show that your cultivation level is the second level of the Spirit Sea Realm."

"I have reviewed yesterday's mission records. You faced two Spirit Sea Level 3 members, two Spirit Sea Level 5 members, and Wu Wen, who was leading them at Spirit Sea Level 7, a total of five kidnappers. The process was clean and efficient, and the other side almost... did not put up any effective resistance."

He put down the file, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Ji Zuodao through his glasses. In his originally cloudy old eyes, a very subtle, inquisitive light seemed to flash.

"It's not uncommon for geniuses to fight opponents of higher levels, but such a lopsided and overwhelming victory is rare. So, I'm a little curious..."

Zhou Jianguo paused, his tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable sense of inquiry.

"When you were in the Acupoint Opening Realm, exactly how many acupoints did you open?"

So that's the problem.

Ji Zuodao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He thought they were going to interrogate him about his lineage or check if he had secretly hidden any "contraband materials" because of the seriousness.

He immediately put on his signature smile, a smile tinged with shyness and humility, and scratched his head as if he were talking about something trivial:

"Oh, this? Replying to Elder Zhou, not many, just... seven hundred and twenty acupoints."

An eerie silence instantly fell over the office.

For the first time, a clear crack appeared on Zhou Jianguo's usual nonchalant expression, which seemed to indicate that he was not bothered by anything.

His hand paused almost imperceptibly.

Behind Ji Zuodao, Liu Ming, who was leaning against the door frame and still somewhat hungover, suddenly widened his eyes and opened his mouth unconsciously.

It was as if I had heard some kind of fantastical tale.

Seven hundred...twenty?

The "Opening of Acupoints" realm—isn't it said that the human body's limit is only 365 acupoints?!

What the hell...?!

Even if you treat chrysanthemums as an acupoint and unlock its secrets, that's not enough.