Chapter 94 — The Privilege of Special Treatment

"Is that so." Bai Xi nodded. "Then I'll take you to ask about it this afternoon. You're a provisional member of Bureau Eleven, aren't you? When the time comes, you can speak to the people over there yourself—it'll carry more weight than anything I could say."

"Uh." Shi Jin was taken aback. The beast-eared senior seemed to know everything—even about the relic beads and Bureau Eleven. It looked like she and Lu Yan were close friends.

And the beast-eared senior herself was probably no simple character either—she might even have a legendary beast tamer among her elders. Otherwise, there was no way she would carry a spatial artifact on her person.

……

That afternoon.

Bai Xi brought Shi Jin over to the South Campus. Unlike the North Campus, this was the main stronghold of the Department of Archaeology—libraries, museums, and laboratories outnumbered the training facilities.

"We're going to ask who's in charge of that Iron-Eater ruin, right?"

"Let's just go straight to the department chair..."

The beast-eared senior had a clear target in mind: if you were going to ask, ask the person at the very top.

"Ah, this..."

Big Sister Bai Xi walked out in front, Shi Jin following behind her, and he could feel the sheer presence radiating off her.

Before long, Bai Xi led Shi Jin to a large building, saying to him as they went, "I just don't know if he's in. Though during the open day, the leadership ought to be fairly well assembled."

"Let's check first. If he's not there, we'll go ask another advisor."

Muttering to herself, she brought Shi Jin to the door of the Archaeology Department chair's office and knocked directly.

Bai Xi's luck was good. After two knocks, a voice from inside said, "Come in."

Bai Xi smiled, nodded at Shi Jin, then pushed open the door and stepped in first.

Director Li of the Department of Archaeology looked like a genial, pot-bellied middle-aged man, and at the moment he seemed to be at work—a far cry from what Shi Jin had imagined an archaeology department chair to be...

Seeing someone come in at this hour, he could not help but look up with a puzzled gaze.

But when his eyes fell on Bai Xi, a smile immediately spread across his face.

"President Bai, what brings you here? No training today?"

"Director Li, it's not me looking for you—I'm just bringing someone over." Bai Xi glanced at Shi Jin.

At this, Shi Jin stepped forward and greeted the man. "Hello, Director Li."

"Hello. And you are, student?" Director Li looked baffled.

"My name is Shi Jin. This year I'm planning to apply to the Department of Archaeology at Gudu University."

"I see, welcome, welcome!!" Director Li laughed heartily, suddenly understanding—so Bai Xi had brought a relative along to make early introductions.

"Director Li, this one's a big shot—you'd better hold on to him!" Bai Xi said with a chuckle from the side.

"He's the one your Dr. Lu moved heaven and earth to recruit to Gudu University."

"Huh?" Director Li was stunned.

"Dr. Lu—Dr. Lu Heng??"

"That's right." Bai Xi nodded.

The way Director Li looked at Shi Jin changed in an instant.

Someone Bai Xi brought along and someone Lu Heng had invited to apply to Gudu University were two entirely different things!

For the former, showing a bit of friendliness was enough; but the latter carried enormous significance.

After all, Dr. Lu Heng was a titan of the Donghuang archaeological world whose contributions to the ancient Donghuang kingdom ranked among the top twenty of all time—the pride of Gudu University.

Even some legendary beast tamers treated Dr. Lu Heng with great respect. Not a single member of Bureau Eleven was simple.

"May I ask what relation you have to Dr. Lu, Student Shi Jin?" Director Li inquired curiously.

"No special relation. Uh, I suppose you could say Lu Yan was the one who guided me through the gates of archaeology?"

If it was this world, then yes, that was true. Shi Jin had originally planned to develop steadily and quietly, but then Lu Heng had shown up at his door and smashed him back into archaeology with ten million. That "kindness" Shi Jin had noted well—though, truth be told, it was delicious.

"Oh?" Director Li's curiosity was piqued.

At this point, Shi Jin wanted to get to the point. He said, "Director Li, hasn't Gudu discovered a ruin related to the Iron-Eater? As I understand it, our Department of Archaeology is currently in charge of it?"

"The Iron-Eater?" Director Li thought for a moment, then nodded. "There is indeed such a new ruin. It seems to have been handed over to the students for investigation. Why do you ask?"

"I feel this ruin is not as simple as it appears on the surface, so I'd like to take over the investigation, and I'd like to conduct joint research with Gudu University—if that's possible..."

Following Bai Xi's instructions, he began to talk with Director Li.

"Huh? You're taking over?" Director Li was dumbfounded, and for a moment could not work out what he meant.

"Here is my identification." Shi Jin fished a small booklet from his pocket and handed it to Director Li.

Director Li took it in bewilderment, opened the first page, and at the top was a portrait of Shi Yingjun.

Below it was Shi Ying's post: a probationary member of the Bureau of Territorial Ruin Strategy Investigation and Logistic Support.

As he looked at the document and then caught sight of the seal at the bottom, Director Li froze entirely.

His emotions surged all at once, his breathing turned rapid, and he felt as though he could not draw enough air.

His face flushed crimson, and beside him, Bai Xi found the sight rather amusing.

Even a probationary member of Bureau Eleven held very high status; in the field of archaeology, their authority was at least on par with the Archaeology Association and the archaeology departments of the Nine Great Universities.

No wonder Director Li was so agitated.

Although the Archaeology Department was the flagship program of the Ancient Capital University, recent years had indeed seen no new achievements worth mentioning from it, and it was in urgent need of fresh blood, especially people with genuine archaeological talent.

Shi Jin's arrival was truly a timely rain!

To be recruited by Bureau Eleven, Shi Ying's talent went without saying—he was all but destined to be a rising star of the archaeological world.

At this moment Director Li finally understood why Lu Heng had become this young man's guide and arranged for him to study at the Ancient Capital University. This was simply delivering a treasure to the Archaeology Department!

"Shi Jin, you... really gave me a fright..." Director Li, holding Shi Ying's Bureau Eleven identification, finally composed himself and laughed heartily.

Excellent—after next year, their Archaeology Department would take off once again!

"You're saying that Iron-Eater ruin is not as simple as it appears? Understood. From now on, the development and investigation of this ruin will be entirely in your hands, Shi Jin, and the Ancient Capital University will cooperate with you fully." Director Li trusted Shi Ying's judgment; in this field, Shi Cen was the professional.

"Uh, thank you."

Shi Shuo was stunned, then fell slightly silent. So this was what it felt like to be a privileged dog? It was kind of satisfying...

Wait—after this whole series of maneuvers, would Sister Xiong Qi and the Seven Heroes of Archaeology be completely baffled? After all, he had suddenly become their person in charge.