After resting for a night in Linhai City, Lu Xin checked out of the villa.
He drove alone toward the capital.
As for why he didn’t use spatial magic to teleport directly to the capital—
Lu Xin explained that the capital’s spatial barrier was denser than a vacuum chamber used in experiments.
Even ferocious beasts couldn’t breach it.
Only a mage at the pinnacle of spatial magic, like his father, could break through that barrier.

Moreover, the spatial rift detection systems for ferocious beasts in cities along the way were not to be trifled with.
He could only freely use spatial magic in the Inner Plains Province by leveraging his position.
So why not just fly there?
In truth, Lu Xin didn’t want to draw attention.
As an eighth-tier grand sorcerer, he wasn’t as eye-catching as a magical girl.
But appearing in the skies above a city would inevitably attract public notice.
This was also tied to the seventeen years he’d spent staying low-key.

Some habits, once formed, were hard to break.
Years ago, when he took office as the director of the Magic Affairs Bureau, it was an internal appointment.
Only an inauguration report was published online.
His media appearances were few and far between.

From Linhai City to the capital, the journey was about twelve hundred kilometers.
Lu Xin drove from eight in the morning until nine at night, barely reaching the capital’s suburbs.

The capital was a super metropolis, rivaling Linhai City.
From the suburbs, one could see the massive white mage tower at the city’s center, radiating light and piercing the stratosphere.
Known as the Central Republic Science Academy, or simply the White Tower, it was hailed as a human miracle.
It contributed roughly sixty percent of the nation’s technological output.

Beyond producing scientific achievements, the White Tower was the secret behind the capital’s reputation as an impregnable city.
The tower itself was the reason the capital’s spatial barriers were so fortified.

Lu Xin’s destination, however, wasn’t the White Tower.
It was a grand, palace-like building near its base—the Magic Committee Hall.

Built about a hundred and fifty years ago, this structure held more symbolic than practical significance.
Most Magic Committee members had their own research projects and were primarily active in the White Tower.
The hall was fully utilized only during major national conferences or internal committee meetings.
Otherwise, it was a famous local attraction in the capital, drawing countless tourists daily.

Lu Xin drove his SUV, plastered with parking tickets, to the road beside the hall.
Local drivers gave him thumbs-ups upon seeing his out-of-province license plate.
When he parked by the roadside, a crowd gathered to take photos.

Just as traffic police arrived to handle the parking violation, they found the car empty.
Even the surveillance footage showed no one exiting the vehicle.
The car was towed to the traffic enforcement brigade.

Meanwhile, the driver, Lu Xin, was seated in the office of the Magic Committee’s chairman.
Besides him, two elderly men in mage robes were present.

“Little Lu,” said the bespectacled old man in the main seat.
“Some matters were already made clear in the appointment letter.
Due to the previous Minister of Magic Affairs embarking on a certain mission, we’ve decided internally that you’ll take over the minister’s position.”

“You have experience as the director of the Magic Affairs Bureau, and your qualifications are sufficient.
You’re the perfect fit for this role.”

“Of course, if that were the only reason we called you here, it’d be a bit too trivial.”

“Chairman Fan, it’s my honor to be personally summoned to the capital,” Lu Xin said politely.

“Hmph!” snorted the muscular old man beside Lu Xin.
“Little Lu, all this formal talk makes you sound like a stranger.”
“We’re not in a meeting right now.
Calling us ‘uncle’ in private wouldn’t kill you!”

Lu Xin immediately stiffened, stood up, and bowed to both men.
“My mistake.
I’m sorry, Uncle Fan and Uncle Louis.”

“Come on, don’t scare the kid,” Chairman Fan said, waving at Louis to smooth things over.

“As for the other reason we called you here…”
“You’re to take over your father’s seat on the Magic Committee,” Fan said, stroking his beard.
“To be precise, it’s a proxy role.
Since your father was also proxying for Lady ‘Mercury,’ you’ll be handling two seats.”

“Proxying seats?
Uncle Fan, what mission is my father on?” Lu Xin asked urgently, his pupils narrowing.

“Your father’s matter is tied to your appointment as Minister of Magic Affairs,” said Louis, the muscular old man, shaking his beard.
“You’ll have the clearance to know about it once you take on the proxy role.
I’ll give you a heads-up now.”

“Not long ago, we mobilized domestic forces to form a deep-space exploration team.
Under the guise of a manned moon landing, we sent them to the far side of the moon.
From there, they set off for the depths of the cosmos.”

“Not only the previous Minister of Magic Affairs but also your father is part of that team.”
“In total, this mission drew nearly thirty percent of the committee’s strength.”

“The investigation is perilous, but some things must be done,” Chairman Fan said.
“If I hadn’t been injured during the Descent Day incident, I’d have wanted to go up there myself.”

“Heh, just admit you’re tired of paperwork and want to avoid it.
No need for all the excuses,” Louis teased.
“I don’t even want to be the principal of Magic University.
Dealing with school projects all day leaves me no time to train my body.”

“So, Little Lu,” Louis said, turning to pat Lu Xin’s shoulder.
“You’re still young.
We old folks can still shoulder some burdens for you youngsters.
But the world will eventually be in your hands.
This time, most of those who went up are old-timers.”

“We’ve learned too many lessons,” Chairman Fan added.
“Seventeen years ago, during the campaign against Codename: 02, our misjudgments led to the loss of nearly half our young, high-tier mages.”
“Even now, we haven’t fully recovered from that campaign.”
“Compared to the losses in the Codename: 01 Descent Day campaign, it was less severe, but the damage was still immense.”

“You gave a lot in that campaign, Little Lu.”
“Your contributions over the years haven’t gone unnoticed by us elders.”
“You should know, your position now isn’t because you’re Lu An’s son.
It’s because you’reਸ

System: ’re exceptional and hardworking enough.”

“Ten years ago, when we had your father pull you out for a position, it was partly out of our own selfish motives.”
“But you’ve truly done well, exceeding our expectations,” Chairman Fan said, stroking his beard.

“Except for those few years you slacked off when you first joined Magic University,” Principal Louis added, puffing his beard.

Lu Xin gave an awkward smile, staying silent.
He knew Louis was referring to his days of coasting through classes.

“Alright, that’s all we needed to pass on from your father,” Chairman Fan said.
“I won’t waste any more of your time, young man.”

“Hmph, there’s another guy who said he’d come see you, but he’s still holed up in the White Tower,” Louis said, standing and ruffling Lu Xin’s hair with his burly hand.
“Hope you’ll show us a cuter face the next time we meet, kid.”

“I’m heading out,” Louis said, leaving the office.

“Take care, Uncle Louis,” Lu Xin called after him.

“Well, see you later, Uncle Fan.
I should get going too,” Lu Xin said, bowing to Fan.

“Mm, goodbye,” Chairman Fan said with a teasing smile.
“Be a bit cuter next time.”

Lu Xin stumbled slightly as he left the office.