After the two agents declared each other's death, the hall instantly filled with a lively atmosphere, and everyone began to joyfully discuss work.

"Speaking of which, why do you Righteous Guards need to cooperate with us?" Le Yin asked, "Or is this kind of cooperation between the four guards common?"

Qing Lan Chenchen sat on one side petting the chubby ginger cat. His role in the cooperation was clearly to serve as a mascot, cheering up the team, or perhaps he already knew he couldn't gain the initiative in this collaboration, so he simply let the secretary do the work.

Speaking of secretaries, Le Yin glanced at the sunny and refreshing loyal dog Shi Huaifeng, feeling uncertain; he thought of his own tool-person brother, who was ruthless and taciturn, and felt that wasn't right either.

Mostly, the gender wasn't quite right.

Having gotten used to Qing Lan as a secretary, Le Yin always felt like something was missing if a man worked as one. Is this what they call 'hard to go back once you're used to luxury'?

It wasn't much before, but seeing Qing Lan Chenchen actually had a beautiful girl responsible for holding the cat as a subordinate, Le Yin suddenly felt unbalanced. After all, since they're used as tool-people, Le Yin naturally wanted a good-looking tool-person too—just like gamers who would create a beautifully sleek opposite-gender character, even if they could only see the back, at least it's a pleasing back to look at!

Fortunately, Le Yin didn't show his envy on his face, otherwise Raccoon Slave would definitely sit in the girl's lap petting the cat, provoking him with eyes as conniving as Momonosuke from One Piece, at which point even the Ice Blood Physique might not suppress Le Yin's burning wrath.

But Le Yin was just thinking, and if there were really a proposal to switch to a beautiful secretary, he would be the first to oppose it—what if Qing Lan found out and rushed to Yanjing to confiscate Le Yin's tools of the crime?

Zhaoye Bai slightly raised her elegant head: "In the past, the four guards seldom cooperated, but in recent years, since the Righteous Guard took over the Statistical Department, there has been slightly more cooperation. After all, the Statistical Department's reputation is very useful. And the matters concerning the list are significant, requiring a state organization to endorse it to prove its credibility, making the Statistical Department the best choice among the four guards."

"Basically, we're here to take the blame." Qing Lan Chenchen scratched the fat ginger cat's chin with a sneer, "But we're in too deep to worry, and as long as we don't release the lists from Yanjing, would people from the Outer District dare come bite us?"

Le Yin nodded, as to why the Righteous Guard insisted on sending Qing Lan Chenchen, who had a grudge against him, he chose not to ask—they were probably aiming for 'checks and balances.'

Moreover, it was the Ritual Guard that first proposed managing the list, with the Righteous Guard merely as assistant, equivalent to having the soup while Qing Lan Chenchen, if able to suppress Le Yin to gain control over the list, it'd be hard to say who gets the meat and who drinks the soup when the status reverses.

"So, can we utilize the Statistical Department's intelligence resources?" Le Yin sat up, took a sip of ice-cold honey Five-Flower Tea: "Even if there are no intelligence resources, we can at least entrust each district's Statistical Department to disseminate our list, right?"

Zhaoye Bai nodded: "The Statistical Departments are independent and have no hierarchical relationship, but there's no harm in promoting the list. It even enhances the department's reputation, so they should be willing."

"Seems like the Statistical Department can really help us a lot, so don't say I don't respect you Righteous Guards." Le Yin gestured, "What requirements do you Righteous Guards have, let's hear them. Do you want a spot on the list, or to introduce a list beneficial to you? Like, 'The Cutest Youth Ranking'?"

Qing Lan Chenchen wanted to react, but Le Yin's words weren't pointedly specific, making any reaction seem incriminating himself, so he could only lower his head and rub the fat ginger cat's ears.

Zhaoye Bai held up three fingers: "Director Xie has three suggestions."

"First, no emotional decisions. After all, the list is issued by the Yanjing's Statistical Department, and Director Xie cares very much about its reputation—yes, although our Statistical Department has done deeds like murder and arson, we've never broken our word or spread rumors."

"Second, introduce a criminal bounty list, with bounties funded by the Statistical Department. The list will be under our control, but you will be given a preview before each release. If there are objections, we can discuss further."

"Third, no one from the Statistical Department may appear on any list."

Le Yin nodded thoughtfully, and asked, "Is the Yanjing Statistical Department planning to redeem its image?"

Zhaoye Bai chuckled silently, while Qing Lan Chenchen snorted coldly.

Demanding both list credibility and promoting a criminal bounty list, while hiding its members, clearly revealed the ambitions of Yanjing's Stat — they had leveraged being a cesspit to rise explosively in these past years and were no longer content to continue serving as the Imperial Court's cesspit; rather, they aimed for higher prestige and power.

Ultimately, the Statistical Department was a contingent product, having no official position in the illustrious Imperial Court. Once the world stabilizes, the Statistical Department would be culled for failing to meet goals, and Qing Lan Chenchen might face the middle-age crisis at 35, forced to find rich women to keep him.

To solidify the Statistical Department, their current achievements evidently aren't enough—anyone could commit crimes like murder and arson—they need to establish merit, credibility, and virtue.

Le Yin instantly understood, Righteous Guard wasn't merely assisting the Ritual Guard but also helping Yanjing Stat gain the achievements and reputation of 'ruling the world.'

Never underestimate the influence of a credible list; awards like the Nobel Prize, TGA, or the Oscars embody adjudicative nature, granting a select few the power to represent vast majorities, and since fame and fortune go hand in hand, those who can give fame naturally wield power.

Once the list successfully spreads, the supervisory unit Yanjing Stat effectively becomes the 'arbiter of the realm,' possessing the authority to redefine standards.

Even if the Statistical Department is ultimately phased out, insiders could undergo a makeover and continue stirring turbulence in the newly established 'ruling the world' agency.

Moreover, in this era where information exchange is still lacking, any list when released would become an unshakable information source among the ordinary people—nobody would question it, as being critical requires cultural depth. Since no one had ever tasted good things, even feeding them rubbish, they would claim it's delectable.

Focused on framing Lan Yan, Le Yin momentarily forgot how superb his idea was, as it gathered favorable conditions of timing, geography, and people, which perceptive individuals could see becoming a historical milestone that the Statistical Department naturally wouldn't want to miss.

"No problem." Le Yin said, "By the way, if I wanted to use you Statistical Department's name to put a bounty on someone, would that be possible?"

"You can, but you'd have to cover the bounty yourself." Zhaoye Bai replied, "Also, the bounty for those listed must start at fifty gold coins, and you need to provide a solid and credible arrest warrant."

"Do you have enemies you want to hunt?" Qing Lan Chenchen suddenly showed a sweet and cute smile: "Since we're partners, tell me, I'll go to the ends of the earth to find them for you."

"Thanks, Raccoon Slave, but I don't count on your detective skills." Le Yin laughed, "It's not really an enemy; he doesn't even know me. It's just that he stopped writing halfway through a book, and I want to catch him and lock him in a small dark room."

"Go ahead," Zhaoye Bai took out a pen and paper.

Le Yin said, "Wanted person – Tree-man, Price – 100 gold coins, Charge – disappearing halfway while serializing the banned book 'Future Echoes.'"

Shi Huaifeng understood profoundly, "I get how you feel; those authors who write half a book and then stop are so infuriating. I never thought of this trick— to catch them and lock them up to continue writing. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

Qing Lan Chenchen clicked his tongue, "Boring."

Everyone assumed that Qin Le Yin was merely bored and wealthy, offering a bounty on an author, unaware that Le Yin was subtly advertising his own roman, which halted halfway upon the previous emperor's sudden demise —

What tagline could be more enticing than 'author wanted' or 'banned book'? What spotlight could rival a nationwide bounty list's week's top pick?