Chapter 1140 - 378: Su Yue’s Inner Confusion

"Su Yue, what brings you to Yu Liang City?

"And if you’re coming, why dress up in disguise? Are you playing undercover here?"

In the office, Wang Nanguo poured Su Yue a cup of water and teased him.

To be honest, Su Yue looked utterly disheveled right now. He sported a standard convict-style buzz cut, and his eyes held a weathered look. Having spent a lifetime in investigation, Wang Nanguo could sense that Su Yue was hiding something in his heart. He seemed to be under an immense amount of pressure.

"I’ve been a bit tired lately, so I gave myself a vacation to get some proper rest. It just so happened that a few old friends are here, so I came to look around!

"Who would have thought I’d actually get arrested by the Investigation and Arrest Bureau? How embarrassing," Su Yue said with a smile, poking fun at himself.

He was also observing Wang Nanguo. Even though Uncle Wang had broken through to become a Grandmaster and had been promoted, Su Yue felt that Wang Nanguo looked even more exhausted than before. His eyes were heavily bloodshot, and much of his hair had turned white.

"It’s good to take a vacation. You killed so rapidly in the Wet Realm; it truly must have been exhausting.

"I saw the video of your battle in Jing Niao City. You did great, kid!"

At the mention of Jing Niao City, Wang Nanguo couldn’t help but walk over and pat Su Yue on the shoulder. This current batch of young people were absolute monsters—every single one of them was fit to be a role model.

Back when the Demon Slaying Altars were about to open, Wang Nanguo was the Commander-in-Chief of the Investigation and Arrest Bureau. He was the sole line of defense, bearing the heaviest pressure. If a massive horde of alien races had teleported over, countless people in the Divine Land would have died.

Whether it was Su Yue, Bai Xiaolong, Meng Yang, his own son, or their classmates, it could be said that all these little guys had done him a huge favor. Knowing that the future of the Divine Land was in their hands allowed Wang Nanguo to eat an extra slice of meat at dinner with a hearty appetite. It gave him absolute peace of mind.

"Uncle Wang, it’s exhausting after breaking through to Grandmaster, isn’t it?" Su Yue asked suddenly.

"Haha, of course it’s exhausting!

"When I was just the Director of the Investigation and Arrest Bureau, I could still go home from time to time to spend time with my family. Lately, Wang Lu Feng’s mother has been calling me every day; she’s practically threatening divorce.

"To make matters worse, we recently investigated and busted a few major cross-provincial cases. I haven’t slept in a real bed for days. If it weren’t for the sturdy physique of a Grandmaster, I would’ve dropped dead from overwork by now." Wang Nanguo laughed loudly before starting to vent his grievances.

As a leader, he naturally couldn’t say such things at the Investigation and Arrest Bureau. However, he and Su Yue were like old friends despite their age gap, making him the perfect person to vent to.

"Uncle Wang, is it worth it?

"I mean, working yourself to the bone like this—is it worth it?

"You are the top boss of all the investigators in the country. You really don’t need to push yourself this hard," Su Yue pressed. His expression was utterly serious, like a student earnestly seeking knowledge. He genuinely didn’t understand.

"Hm?" Hearing this, Wang Nanguo sat back in his chair and frowned deeply.

The atmosphere in the office froze. A minute later, Wang Nanguo looked at Su Yue and sighed.

"If you’re asking me whether it’s worth it, the answer is obviously no. Don’t be fooled by the prestige of being a Minister; the salary from the Investigation and Arrest Bureau is barely enough to support a family. It isn’t even enough to cover Wang Lu Feng’s living expenses—he has to earn it all himself.

"But when I think about my position, I just complain a bit and keep doing the work anyway.

"A Grandmaster gains status and reputation, but the burden on your shoulders also becomes much heavier. With so many mouths to feed under my command and so many people wanting to earn merits, how could I, as their boss, dare to slack off? If I don’t produce results, the government won’t allocate funds.

"The Investigation and Arrest Bureau bears heavy responsibilities; there’s no time to think about all that nonsense.

"I’ll just work on a few more cases. When I’m old and retired, at least I’ll have some glorious stories to tell my grandkids, haha!"

Wang Nanguo didn’t have a precise answer either.

"Uncle Wang, have you ever felt lost?

"For example, some Grandmasters can do absolutely nothing every day and still live very comfortably, while you have to work with dark bags under your eyes, only to earn a meager salary in the end." Su Yue asked again.

"Actually, sometimes I do feel lost, but I don’t take it too seriously.

"You reap what you sow.

"Even though my life is a bit harder and more tiring, and I might not make as much money as those Qi and Blood Martial Artists who run businesses and earn fortunes just lying at home, a person lives in this world for less than a hundred years. Value isn’t solely measured by money.

"Take me, for example. I don’t have very strong feelings about money. As long as I have enough to spend, it’s fine. The government reimburses my food, drink, housing, and travel expenses, so I can’t just lie around acting like a corpse, right?

"Every time I solve a case, I feel incredibly satisfied. Every time I see a city’s crime rate drop, I feel like the world needs me.

"I still remember when I was young, fresh out of graduation, and just an ordinary investigator.

"It was the first case I solved with my own hands. I dismantled a telecom fraud syndicate and recovered 300,000 yuan in stolen funds for a family of three.

"Without that 300,000 yuan, that family’s life would have plunged into absolute hell. By helping them get their money back, I saved a family, and that gave me an immense sense of achievement.

"It’s this feeling of being needed—it is incredibly meaningful!"

Frowning thoughtfully, Wang Nanguo recounted some of his past experiences. Mentioning the family of three he had saved, his face still beamed with pride. Even though, from his current perspective, a 300,000 yuan case wasn’t worth mentioning—after all, it was just an economic crime that didn’t involve lives—Wang Nanguo would never forget that moment.

"Su Yue, did something happen to you recently? Are you feeling a bit lost?" Wang Nanguo asked.

"Uh... not exactly," Su Yue laughed awkwardly.

"Haha, young people are right at the stage where their worldview begins to take shape. It’s perfectly normal to have a period of confusion. Back in the day, I even used to envy how fast criminals made their money!"