Death Progress Bar

Chapter 11: Promotion

Shi Jin was so uncomfortable that he wanted to disappear from the car.

Xiao Si wasn’t aware of his unhappiness and shame at all, saying proudly, <JinJin, don’t be shy, you did a great job last night. Everyone will praise you!>

Shi Jin said faintly: “Xiao Si, did you know? Before entering the police academy, I was a total nerd who wasn’t good at sports.”

Xiao Si couldn’t understand why he would say this. <So?>

“So, all the fighting skills I showed last night I’ve learned in the police academy, what’s more, they clearly are the standard techniques taught in police officer courses,” Shi Jin explained, looking at Gua One, who already adopted a lecturer’s pose, with unfriendly eyes. “And in this life, young master Shi Jin was a pampered little fatso who has only managed to slim down not too long ago.”

Xiao Si: <…>

Shi Jin sighed heavily: “Taking that into consideration, do you think the rather smart people sitting over there will praise me or crucify me after watching yesterday’s surveillance video?”

Xiao Si shivered. <JinJin, let’s run away, I can give you a buff to help you.>

Shi Jin poured cold water on it: “How? Gua Three picked up all my belongings from the ruins, now they’re packed in Gua Two’s suitcase. How do you want me to run away without my ID?”

<Waah, JinJin, don’t die, JinJin, I don’t want you to die…> Xiao Si started to bawl like a child who was about to lose his mama.

Shi Jin’s voice was helpless but gentle: “Don’t cry. What will we do if by some chance you flood my brain with your tears, won’t I become stupid?”

Xiao Si: <…Ugh, sniff.>

Shi Jin: “Good child.”

While one person and one system were quibbling inside Shi Jin’s mind, Gua One has already started to analyze the video.

He deliberately zoomed in and magnified Shi Jin’s figure, saying: “Please note the time on the recording. At that moment, Gua Four was approaching Jun-shao’s residence by the main road, and when Shi Jin realized something is wrong, he immediately rushed there. His response was both decisive and correct, but look here—”

He enlarged the picture even more, focusing on Shi Jin’s hand touching his trouser pocket, and continued: “Here, pay attention to this action: Shi Jin made a very basic mistake last night—no means of communication.”

“Pff.” Gua Two laughed out loud, not caring about Shi Jin’s dignity at all.

Shi Jin glanced over at him with a seemingly calm smile, but the look in his eyes spelled murder.

“Cough, well, Shi Jin is still young and inexperienced, it’s understandable,” said Gua Two without batting an eye, the expression of a tolerant elder on his face.

How could Gua One be unaware Gua Two was just screwing around; he sent the younger man a warning glare, then looked at Shi Jin, emphasizing: “Remember—no matter the situation, losing contact with your allies is the most serious, most unforgivable mistake, is that clear?”

Shi Jin remembered Gua One’s ferocious appearance when they first met and nodded fervently, not daring to answer back.

Gua One responded with a satisfied nod and played the next part of the video—Shi Jin reaching the courtyard.

He first let them watch the whole recording, then rewound it to the moment when Shi Jin jumped over the wall, slowed it down and played three more times. Finally, he froze the video and asked, “Did you see it clearly?”

As the slow-motion video kept replaying, the relaxed atmosphere in the car gradually dissipated. Shi Jin’s heart beat faster, understanding that the moment of truth has come.

“If you saw it, let’s watch the rest.” Gua One cast Shi Jin a profound look and played several edited slow-motion surveillance videos.

These videos no longer were the one continuous recording, but short clips only showing scenes where Shi Jin was fighting.

They were also complete—there was Shi Jin catching the guard unaware and grabbing his mobile phone and gun, carefully opening the door and skillfully shooting Gua Four, then rushing out to subdue him, as well as the part when he attacked the doctor with a flying kick.

All his actions were quick and confident; he used only one blow to defeat each of the enemies, without any unnecessary movements. What’s more, he appeared to be extremely familiar with doing this, as if he had been regularly training.

All the people present turned to stare at Shi Jin, with similar frowns and questioning look in their eyes.

“…I can explain,” Shi Jin said, pressured by their gazes. Forcing himself to calm down, he put on a serious expression and started to spout nonsense: “As you know, my dad was very rich and extremely hated—I can’t really count how many people wanted to use me to get to him, in both good and bad way. He was afraid that something would happen to me, so he hired some bodyguards and many of them were the retired soldiers and policemen. I used to train with them when I was bored and learned some skills… But when I got fat, I started to neglect my training, so now I’m rather rusty and disgraced myself in front of you.” After saying all that he revealed a slightly embarrassed smile, desperately trying to play a part of ‘ignorant young master who isn’t aware of his actual strength’.

Xiao Si was very scared so it gave Shi Jin a bunch of buffs, such as ‘sincerity’, ‘no sense of threat’, and ‘a pleasant-sounding voice’, while secretly praying that Shi Jin could persuade everyone.

Silence fell.

Then, silence continued.

Just as Xiao Si was about to panic and cry, Lian Jun suddenly opened his mouth and said, “I see, so that’s how it is.”

Shi Jin let out a relieved sigh and for a moment, he had been deluded into thinking that Lian Jun was truly adorable.

Xiao Si wailed, <I knew it, Darling loves you the most, JinJin, you are great, waah, waah waah…>

Feeling really powerless, Shi Jin gave it sincere advice: “Next time, you should say only the last part, okay?”

The atmosphere thawed instantly, and Gua Two’s expression returned to normal. He reached out and patted Shi Jin on the shoulder, saying, “You say you’re out of practice and yet you can still do so much… Kid, I had no idea you’re actually a genius.”

Shi Jin quickly waved his hand and said that he was just an ordinary high-school dropout.

Gua Two snorted and grabbed him, forcefully rubbing his head in punishment for showing a fake modesty.

Shi Jin got back at him by clawing his hand and calling him a child molester.

Lian Jun knocked on the armrest of his wheelchair to make them quiet down and gestured for Gua One to continue, so everybody shut up and obediently turned their attention back to the TV.

Shi Jin’s skills had been properly explained, therefore Gua One closed the edited video and turned on the complete version, beginning to analyze Shi Jin’s tactical choices after entering Lian Jun’s courtyard.

Firstly, he highly affirmed Shi Jin’s decision to shoot Gua Four from the crack in the door and remind Gua Two to check Gua Four’s car; secondly, he criticized Shi Jin for failing to subdue the enemy completely after he had stopped him, suggesting that such carelessness may have very serious consequences while acting alone. Finally, he concluded by stating that Shi Jin was a newcomer worth training—he had enough talent and only lacked experience.

After that, he gave everyone a blank sheet of paper and asked them to mark Shi Jin’s performance, with the passing score of 60 points out of 100.

Shi Jin was dumbfounded. He watched Gua Two and others return their papers to Gua One and felt as if he came back to school and was about to be publicly shamed by the teacher.

Gua One took them back without reading, handing them directly to Lian Jun.

Lian Jun received them, glanced at the scores, then looked at Shi Jin and said, “One last question: how did you realize that there was something wrong about Gua Four?”

Shi Jin thought that his examination has already finished, so he hadn’t expected to be asked this question. His heart beat faster and his brain began to work furiously, but the expression on his face hasn’t changed. “Because… because I know very well how the false care and love look like, so after seeing Gua Four yesterday I immediately noticed that his remorse and worry about Gua One were both false, and his refusal to look at the stretcher was a sign of guilt. If I’m not wrong, Gua One’s wound should have been caused by Gua Four, no?”

Gua One’s eyes darkened when he heard these words, as if he had remembered something unpleasant—obviously, Shi Jin was right.

“Also, Gua Four’s insistence on speaking with Jun-shao by himself was suspicious. In this kind of situation, normal people wouldn’t have reacted the way he had,” added Shi Jin, trying to make his explanation more credible.

Lian Jun nodded and folded the papers in his hand. “That’s all for today’s review. Shi Jin will accompany me instead of Gua Three. Gua Three, you will take over Gua Four’s duties for the time being, until his replacement could be selected.”

Gua Three nodded respectfully: “Yes, sir.”

With Lian Jun’s command, the atmosphere in the car quickly became lighthearted. Gua Two and Gua Five laughed and congratulated Shi Jin, Gua One also gave him a rather friendly smile and sat back in his seat.

Shi Jin looked dazed. “Why are you congratulating me? And Jun-shao, are you really going to let me stay close to y—”

“You don’t want to?” Lian Jun asked coldly, cutting him off. The expression in his eyes was severe, as if trying to say that if Shi Jin talked nonsense again, his end would not be pleasant.

Shi Jin repressed a shudder, promptly shaking his head and saying that no, he wanted to, really. Remembering the reaction of others, and their clearly more friendly attitude, he came to a realization—was he promoted? From a newbie being taken care of by Gua Two to a trusted subordinate of Lian Jun? So the review just now was his promotion evaluation?

Xiao Si was pleasantly surprised: <JinJin, your progress bar has fallen to 650.>

For a while, Shi Jin didn’t know what he should feel. After a moment, he raised a hand to cover his face and breathed a long sigh—it was a very exciting day.

They arrived at the airport shortly after. After getting off the car, Gua Three voluntarily gave way to Shi Jin and asked him to help push Lian Jun’s wheelchair.

Shi Jin looked at Lian Jun’s handsome, expressionless face, accepted his fate and grabbed the wheelchair handle.

Lian Jun’s special identity made it impossible to travel like ordinary people, so in order to ensure Lian Jun’s safety, Gua One contacted the authorities and chartered a plane directly. Following Gua One’s lead, Shi Jin pushed Lian Jun onto the plane and helped him into his seat. His movements were extremely gentle and careful, so careful that they seemed somewhat stiff.

Lian Jun glanced at Shi Jin and asked abruptly, “Am I very heavy?”

“You call this heavy?” Shi Jin frowned while thinking about his physical condition, feeling worried. He blurted out, “You’re too thin, you should eat more from now on.”

“I don’t have any appetite.” Lian Jun covered his legs with a blanket, then pulled out a magazine and opened it, not looking at Shi Jin. His voice was faint: “I like salty, heavily flavored dishes, but I can’t eat them because of my health.”

Shi Jin: “…” Boss, you’re the type of person who will hold a grudge, aren’t you?

Translator’s Notes:

“Pampered little fatso” – I translated 四体不勤 as ‘pampered’ (mostly because I couldn’t find a way to include it while not making Shi Jin sound as if he was high), but Baidu coughed up this oh so poetic phrase: ‘like a parasite whose four limbs do not toil’. LOL.

Those of you who were afraid our friends from underworld would notice something unusual about Shi Jin were right~

He still managed to fast-talk his way out of trouble, thankfully.