Trading system, I exchanged vegetables for golden pills.

Becoming a department head is nothing to celebrate or brag about.

Many people only see that power has increased, but they overlook that responsibility has also increased.

If one only enjoys the pleasure that comes with increased power while neglecting responsibilities, it is easy to go astray.

When Ye Chen received the letter of appointment, he felt the burden on his shoulders grow heavier.

From now on, the lives and fortunes of Tian Shu's men will be in his hands.

After the ceremony, Ye Chen inquired about the prisoner.

"Instructor, how is the prisoner?"

"The training camp is over. You don't need to call me instructor anymore. Just call me Black Wolf. Now you're a department head, and besides, we're not in a superior-subordinate relationship!" Black Wolf smiled.

Ye Chen nodded: "Okay, Instructor Lao Hei, did that prisoner confess?"

Black Wolf was exasperated, but he didn't dwell on the form of address.

"He didn't spit it out; his mouth was sealed tight!"

Ye Chen had already anticipated this answer; the only things he had gotten from the Heart-Questioning Ruler were those.

It seems unlikely that we can get any more information from her.

"Then what should we do with her?" Ye Chen continued to ask.

Black Wolf let out a breath: "There are two internal solutions. One is to execute her directly and publicly announce her crimes to put pressure on Japan through public opinion."

"Another option is to release her, but of course, there are conditions: Japan needs to provide people or goods of equal value in exchange."

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen couldn't help but ask, "If we deal with them or release them easily, won't the trail to the big fish be cut off?"

Black Wolf chuckled: "There's no other way. Without enough bait, you can't catch a big fish. What if she randomly bites someone? Should we believe her or not? After all, these are important figures, so we can't be careless. Unless the evidence is conclusive, we can't act rashly!"

Ye Chen pondered, "Even if we don't catch a big fish, we can use her as bait to lure out a few of her companions, wouldn't that be great? Opportunities like this don't come around often!"

Black Wolf shook his head: "You haven't been with Beidou for long, so you don't know the situation very well yet. The international situation is turbulent right now, and nobody wants to be the first to stick their neck out at this critical juncture."

"It should be possible to lure and capture a few more members of the Orochi Clan, but luring and capturing other people could easily escalate the situation and incite greater conflict."

"We caught that female prisoner red-handed. The decision of what to do with her is up to us. But if we try to lure others into a trap, we risk being framed."

"It could also easily lead people in Japan to engage in extreme behaviors!"

"There are a bunch of onlookers around now; it's not time for us to completely confront Japan!"

Black Wolf patiently explained to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen nodded: "I see. So, if we're going to change it, what would we change it to?"

He does have limited information; this involves a major strategic game that he cannot understand at present.

It's understandable that Black Wolf said that; seeking stability is never wrong.

The higher-ups have their own considerations. It's just a prisoner; it's really not worth disrupting the existing order. They probably haven't made sufficient preparations yet.

Simply put, it means that all parties are hindering each other, each with their own agendas, and whoever makes the first move is likely to become the target of everyone's criticism.

It's a shame to kill a late-stage Qi Refiner directly; it would be better to exchange them for something useful.

This can be considered as making the most of her last bit of value.

After all, the only requirement is an exchange, ensuring survival. One could cripple one's cultivation before the exchange, or even something else entirely...

Black Wolf slowly spoke: "It's said that they're exchanging it for an ancient jade and a member of the Big Dipper. I don't know the specifics, but we should have a decision soon."

Ye Chen didn't say anything more; he simply supported the organization's decision.

However, he always felt that this matter would most likely fall on him in the end.

This is an invisible connection.

It doesn't matter. Even if it happens to him, just treat it as a mission.

After Lu Ye left, Ye Chen said a few words to boost morale.

He did not make any changes to the existing structure of Tian Shu, and it remained as it was on a regular basis.

Ye Chen still entrusted some basic affairs of Tian Shu to Lu Ye, and he was happy to have some free time.

However, he does have to worry about everyone's cultivation.

The cultivation levels of everyone are still a bit low.

It's quite distressing for a leader to have no capable subordinates around them.

He can't do everything himself; at least a second-in-command needs to be trained.

Once they are sent on a mission, the danger is unpredictable.

What if you encounter a problem that requires later stages of Qi cultivation, like during intensive training?

Lu Ye has reached the fifth level of Qi Refining, his second uncle has reached the fourth level, Dongzi, Along, and Qian Zhengyi have reached the third level, and Liang Zijun has just broken through to the second level...

If something happens, who will he send?

Ye Chen couldn't be by their side all the time.

If everyone were to attempt a more difficult mission with their current cultivation level, they would be finished in no time and end up receiving a pension.

This is not what Ye Chen wanted to see.

The logic is simple: the stronger the subordinates are, the easier it will be for the leader.

The best way for everyone to become stronger now is to cultivate in the spiritual veins.

However, a few spiritual vein cultivation sessions a year are indeed not enough for them.

This way, the cultivation progress is still a bit slow.

Improving their capabilities is what he, as the person in charge, needs to do next.

Sweating more in peacetime means bleeding less in wartime.

Since the number of times you can cultivate at the spiritual vein is limited and cannot be changed, let's change the time of each cultivation session.

The most direct method is to let them stay in the spiritual vein for a longer period of time.

"Old Lu, how many days can you stay in the spiritual vein to cultivate?" Ye Chen asked Lu Ye.

Lu Ye pondered for a moment and said, "Three to five days is not a problem. At most, it can last for seven days. Once the vital signs drop to a certain level, it will be forcibly awakened."

"What's the highest record for how many days of cultivation?" Ye Chen pressed.

"15 days!" Lu Ye answered without hesitation.

Ye Chen was still a little surprised. To be able to last 15 days without fasting was truly amazing; he was a ruthless person.

That would be skin and bones!

In just 15 days, he has twice as much time as Lu Ye. How could his cultivation progress not be fast?

Spiritual vein cultivation is a competition of aptitude and endurance.

Whoever cultivates faster and for longer will gain an advantage; this is undeniable.

No one will be jealous, since everyone gets the same opportunity. The spiritual vein is there, and whoever is capable will rise to the top!

"When are you planning to go to the spiritual vein to cultivate? Let me know when you do, and I'll give you something!" Ye Chen looked at everyone.

Lu Ye blinked: "Boss, what are you going to give us? Soldier rations? We've tried, but we can't bring anything in. We can only take them from outside. Our stomachs are only so big, there's no way!"