120 bonus, certificate, skills

“Here they come!”

Du Ruo had just finished stewing the meat and washed his hands before stepping outside.

“Captain Huang, and Director Zhang, what brings you here? Please come in.”

When Du Ruo opened the door, he saw Captain Huang accompanied by the young policeman who had driven last time, along with Director Zhang standing at the entrance. It took him by surprise, but since they were all part of the same system, it wasn’t entirely unexpected that they would visit together.

As he spoke, Du Ruo opened the courtyard gate and invited them inside.

“Master Du, thank you so much for your help last time. I came specifically to express our gratitude,” the young policeman said first, grasping Du Ruo’s hands warmly in thanks. Since he was in uniform, they merely shook hands, but afterward he handed two boxes of milk to Yaya standing nearby.

“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful. Please come inside and have some tea.”

Du Ruo didn’t refuse; he let Yaya accept the milk and invited the three of them indoors for tea. The weather didn’t bother Du Ruo personally, but it wouldn’t be right to let guests drink tea under the blazing sun in the yard.

“Master Du, you’re truly a hidden talent. We originally thought your limits had been reached last time, but this morning we heard you displayed another extraordinary skill. That move really amazed us,” Captain Huang began.

Director Zhang had already compiled the details of the incident yesterday, especially the two moves Du Ruo used, along with photos of the ox’s skull and neck bones. These had been delivered to the municipal bureau that morning to clarify Du Ruo’s exact situation.

Since Du Ruo’s information was under Deputy Director Shi’s jurisdiction, Captain Huang and Director Zhang were assigned to coordinate directly.

Upon seeing the photos, especially the three finger-sized holes exposed in the ox’s bones after the skin and flesh were removed, Captain Huang was astounded.

He realized that although they had already held Du Ruo in high regard, it was still far from enough. With the case now closed, Captain Huang drove over with Director Zhang directly to Du Ruo’s guesthouse, which is how this meeting came about.

“No, no, there’s a saying online: within seven steps, the gun is fast; beyond seven steps, the gun is even faster and more accurate. Nowadays, practicing martial arts is just a hobby for many, not a real skill,” Du Ruo said modestly. Boasting depended on the audience, and with law enforcement officers present, it was better to stay low-key. Besides, he spoke the truth, at least from everyone else’s perspective.

“That’s quite modest of you. Thanks to your help last time, we were able to quickly identify the suspect and apprehend them without incident,” Captain Huang disagreed. Others might think differently, but as law enforcers, they took it seriously.

After all, there was a joke online: “You practice martial arts every day; if I pull out a gun, how will you respond?”

Though humorous, the joke highlighted a truth. Du Ruo really did practice, and in this country, the average citizen couldn’t just pull out a gun. Therefore, people like Du Ruo posed a certain level of danger, especially since he had truly mastered his kung fu.

Taking down such a massive water buffalo with just a few moves, when a handgun wouldn’t suffice, showed that if Du Ruo ever chose to act maliciously, the threat to society would be enormous. His personal profile had just been updated again today.

“By the way, we came with Director Zhang to officially introduce ourselves. If there’s anything in town you need assistance with, Master Du, please don’t hesitate to ask. And if you encounter any difficulties in the village, just let us know—we’ll try to help,” Captain Huang added. Though it sounded like an offer of cooperation, it was also meant to reassure Du Ruo and signal that they would be keeping a close watch on him.

Du Ruo now represented a threat equivalent to someone armed with a handgun, so they couldn’t simply forbid him from practicing martial arts or let him cripple his own skills. The official policy was to “strengthen ideological guidance and monitor his state at all times,” fearing any dangerous thoughts he might harbor.

“Master Du, I often work with Secretary Yang. You’re always welcome to drop by our station anytime,” Director Zhang chimed in, lifting his tea cup and trying to build rapport. At the grassroots level, straightforward communication was necessary. Director Zhang understood the stakes well and was one of the beneficiaries.

Thanks to the incident involving Du Ruo, his promotion was secured. As for monitoring Du Ruo or his guesthouse, those were minor matters.

“Ha ha, then I’ll be troubling Director Zhang often in the future,” Du Ruo replied casually. Since revealing his abilities yesterday, he had anticipated this day would come. But it didn’t bother him. With a place to belong, whether it was the town’s elder sister and brother-in-law or the village parents, everyone could be looked after a little better. That was a blessing.

“Oh, there’s one more thing. This is the medal, bonus, and certificates from the last case. Because it was sensitive, we didn’t hold a public ceremony. We mainly came to deliver these to thank you for your help with the investigation,” Captain Huang said, handing an envelope and a small box to Du Ruo.

“The amount isn’t large, and the medal and certificates are at the municipal level, but it’s still an honor,” he added.

“Well, I’ll gladly accept them. Thanks for making the trip, Captain Huang. It’s just noon now; I’ve stewed some beef and have some good medicinal wine. Let’s have a drink before you leave,” Du Ruo invited without hesitation. Though he wasn’t much interested in rewards and recognition, perhaps taking them home would cheer up his parents. Of course, he wouldn’t mention the case-solving to them.

“No, no, we have other matters to attend to. We’ll leave for now. Next time, I’ll treat you, Master Du,” Captain Huang stood, ready to depart.

In truth, Captain Huang left out some details: updating Du Ruo’s personal information meant it was now linked to a network, which could lead to closer monitoring during special circumstances. The honors might not benefit Du Ruo directly, but they validated his contributions and ensured he wouldn’t be mistreated in sensitive areas.

After seeing them off to their car and watching it leave the village, Du Ruo returned inside to examine the medals and rewards.

There was a “Certificate of Courageous Act,” an “Assistance in Case Resolution Certificate,” awards, badges, and a cash bonus of ten thousand yuan. The courage certificate was probably for the mad buffalo incident, which likely didn’t carry a monetary reward—the entire bonus came from helping solve the case.

“Well, this counts as my first award,” Du Ruo smiled, tucking away the case resolution certificate and cash, while photographing the others to send to his parents.

“Son, where did you get that certificate? Courageous act? Don’t start rushing off to be a hero after only a couple days of training. Protect yourself, okay?” his mother soon called via video, speaking before Du Ruo could respond.

“Mom, it’s nothing dangerous. I just helped save someone last time, so don’t worry,” Du Ruo explained patiently, finally putting her mind at ease. She immediately asked him to show the certificates on camera.

“Show me quickly! When you come back, remember to bring them. I want to have them framed and hung on the wall. Heh heh,” she said, already imagining telling her friends. Her son’s honor was her pride, and she was happier than anyone else.

“Alright, alright. I stewed some beef, so I’ll bring some home tonight for us to eat together,” Du Ruo said before ending the call.

At noon, Du Ruo and Yaya finished their meal in the room, then sat in the living room, staring at each other blankly, unsure what to do.

“Yaya, do you have any ideas?” Du Ruo asked.

He looked at Yaya, feeling a bit bored. The temperature outside was nearly forty degrees Celsius, and in this heat, Du Ruo didn’t even want to practice martial arts.

“Go fishing!” Yaya immediately suggested.

“No, no, fish won’t bite in this weather,” Du Ruo shook his head.

“Go play in the water!” Yaya shouted again. This time, even Maomao seemed to understand, sticking out his tongue and suddenly standing up, clearly interested in water play.

“No way, it’s too hot outside,” Du Ruo quickly declined.

“Let’s go to town. There’s an indoor water park; I know where it is,” Yaya jumped up excitedly.

“That won’t work either. Maomao can’t go,” Du Ruo said.

“Then…” they hesitated.

After a long discussion, they couldn’t come up with a good plan, ending up with one watching TV and the other scrolling on their phone, too afraid to venture outside.

By evening, Du Ruo took Yaya back home after spending the whole day indoors.

Du Ruo casually drew a skill upgrade.

His Bajiquan reached level two, but unfortunately, he only gained one ordinary martial arts skill.

Luohan Fist: LV0 (0/100)

Also known as Shaolin Luohan Fist, it was quite a formidable style, but Du Ruo felt little excitement beyond enriching his skillset.

He had realized that the forms themselves were secondary. At his current stage, he no longer needed to learn more styles; instead, he needed refinement—either to specialize in one style or to transform his body.

In combat, one decisive move was often enough. Though martial arts comprised many techniques, their core fundamentals were largely the same.

External training of the body, internal cultivation of qi, and seamless flow of power—Du Ruo had already achieved these.

He had found the direction for his next step: to further perfect Xingyi. He sensed this skill extraction system was far more complex than it appeared. When he first played with it, the model figure had dazzling effects with every move, but now Du Ruo’s effects were brief and limited, barely covering the full body. Undoubtedly, more changes awaited in the future.