Chapter 3 First Arrival

At the Ninth District in Pine City.

Alexander stood inside the  office building of the Police Department at the Black Street District, which belonged to the City Police Department. He smiled at a middle-aged man, asking, "Is it done?"

"Yes, come in." The middle-aged man waved his hand and turned into the office on the left.

Hearing this, Alexander adjusted his clothes and followed the middle-aged man inside.

The office wasn't small, about 650 square feet, but only one person was sitting behind the desk. He looked to be around forty with a beard and a face full of flesh, which made him look  fierce.

The middle-aged man walked to the desk, placed two stacks of documents in front of Samuel Charles, and softly said, "Mr. Charles, this is the last one."

"Did he pass the physical examination?" Samuel picked up the documents and asked.

"Yes," the middle-aged man answered.

"Alright, you can go out now," Samuel said.

"Okay." After a brief exchange, the middle-aged man left, and Alexander stepped forward, standing in front of the desk without speaking. He just watched Samuel review his documents.

Inside the office, Samuel frowned at the documents and began to read, "Alexander, 23 years old, 165 pounds, 5 feet 10 inches... Your hometown is in Evergreen State, Crystal Harbor. That's not far from Pine City. You lived in an anarchic district before, with parents missing (presumed dead) and no relatives... Hmm? Why is your resume blank?"

"I don't have a resume," Alexander replied with a smile. "Living in an anarchic area is tough. You There is no time for a resume."

Samuel chuckled. "You should have written something before you came. A blank resume doesn't look good in the system."

"Alright, I'll fill in something later," Alexander agreed without arguing.

Samuel looked at the documents again and asked, "No resume, so no military service. Do you have any experience with firearms?"

Alexander shook his head without hesitation. "No."

"Any criminal record?" Samuel asked.

"No," Alexander replied.

Samuel pondered for a moment, then slowly put down the documents. He looked up at Alexander and smiled. "In an anarchic district with no laws or regulations, you managed to get enough money to buy a work and residency permit for the Ninth District. You've got some experience, guy."

"No." Alexander grinned. "I was just lucky and met some benefactors."

Samuel picked up his water cup, looked Alexander up and down, and nodded symbolically. "Hmm, you look quite spirited, young man."

Alexander smiled without responding.

Samuel put down the water cup, crossed his arms, and gave a brief warning, "The Ninth Special District is quite unique. Although it belongs to the administrative sequence of the United Government, it has high autonomy and is fundamentally different from the other eight districts. It's a multi-ethnic area with a significant number of white, black, and Asian people. The social environment is very complex. Some areas have chaotic situations that we want to change but can't for now. As a police officer, you need to adapt to this environment in all aspects."

"Understood." Alexander nodded seriously, his expression solemn.

"I don't care what you've been through, but working by my side, you need to be flexible and adaptable. If you cause trouble, I'll punish you immediately," Samuel warned plainly, hands still crossed.

"Mr. Charles, I'm here to help you reduce trouble," Alexander replied with a chuckle.

Samuel smiled, tapped a few times on the touchscreen phone on his desk, and spoke into the microphone.

Seconds later, a male voice answered, "Hello, Mr. Charles. This is the First Criminal Investigation Team."

"Where's William Patrick?" Samuel asked.

"William just stepped out," that man answered.

"Send someone to pick up a new recruit," Samuel added.

"Got it," The man replied.

"That's it." Samuel touched his beard, pressed the hang-up button, and said, "Wait by the door. Someone will come to get you. Learn the rules when you get to the team."

"Okay, Mr. Charles." Alexander nodded, took two steps forward, and pulled a small black pouch from his pocket, placing it on the desk. "Anthony Scott specifically mentioned that the police system in the Ninth District is the hardest to get into. Without your help, I don't know how long I'd have to wait for a job, so I have to express my gratitude."

Samuel picked up the pouch, opened it, and saw a small diamond the size of a soybean. He was slightly surprised. "You guys have some strings in the anarchic district, huh? I haven't seen one of these in years."

Alexander smiled but didn't respond.

Samuel casually tossed the pouch into a drawer and locked it, then pointed at Alexander. "You're young, but you seem quite mature."

"This is all I have," Alexander said, scratching his head sheepishly. Seeing that Samuel wasn't leaving for lunch immediately, he chatted with him for a few more minutes.

A few minutes later, a chubby young man around Alexander's age walked in, stood straight, and saluted, " Mr. Charles, officer Eric Daniel is here to pick up the new colleague."

Samuel patted Alexander's arm. "Do well, and I hope to see you in the year-end evaluation."

"Yes." Alexander nodded.

"Alright, head to the team." Samuel pointed at Eric. "Tell William to look after this kid."

A diamond got Alexander less than ten minutes of conversation with Samuel and a promise of some care, but that was about it.

In the hallway.

The chubby Eric walked to Alexander's left and asked cheerfully, "Where are you from, buddy?"

"Anarchic district."

"From there?" Eric was surprised. "That's tough."

"I have a bit of luck to work here." Alexander smiled.

Eric nodded and didn't press further. In these times, food and survival were scarce, and everyone might have some secrets.

As they walked quickly, Eric introduced the police department's basic functions. This department mainly handled criminal work in a region, including security and case investigation. However, it did not handle administrative tasks like household registration, issuing residency permits, or processing immigration. It was somewhat like the old district bureau but with less specialized functions. For example, Alexander's department not only handled major criminal cases but also basic security.

After about an hour, Eric showed Alexander around the five-story police department, introducing the armory, interrogation room, public case area, training room, and cafeteria. During their interaction, Alexander noticed that Eric was very sociable, chatting with people wherever they went. He was also patient, answering all of Alexander's questions in detail and appearing to be a helpful person.

Around 2 PM, Eric took Alexander to the communications department to buy an internal phone. But Alexander glanced at the counter and found only one outdated model at an unfriendly price.

"What brand is this? I've never heard of it," Alexander asked, looking at Eric. "Forget it. I'll buy one later when I'm settled. It's too expensive here."

Eric laughed, glanced at the young man behind the counter, and whispered to Alexander, "You should buy it here."

"Why?" Alexander asked, puzzled.

"No particular reason, but the communications department is part of the police department and the phone counter is privately contracted. The owner is a friend of William's, so new recruits buy their phones here," Eric explained, blinking. "It's best not to stand out. This phone might not be durable, but it doesn't need to be connected to the communications department system. Once your details are in the main system, you just enter your name and badge number, and it's ready to use."

Having lived in the anarchic district for years, Alexander knew the importance of social skills. So, with Eric's reminder, he didn't insist and reluctantly said to the clerk, "Alright, I'll take one. Thanks."

Why reluctantly?

Because Alexander was extremely frugal and stingy, wanting a warranty even for a pair of socks. But it was this trait that allowed him to save money to survive and buy a job in the Ninth District.

After getting the phone, Eric took him to a convenience store across the street.

It was August, and the sky was clear. But it was still as cold as winter, with patches of snow on the ground.

"Does it always snow in the Ninth District?" Alexander asked.