Chapter 84
According to the knowledge Luo Shizhen had acquired at school, it was supposed to be much harder for an Energy User to rank up compared to those in the offensive sequences.
However, he didn’t seem to have that particular problem; for him, every rank-up was simply a matter of sleeping it off.
Luo Shizhen gazed at the sapling that seemed to be taking root and sprouting within the white mist. Even though he knew he couldn’t physically touch it, he couldn’t resist poking at it anyway.
The white python Qi manifestation circled the sapling. It seemed to have fully accepted its presence, and the two interacted so naturally that it felt as if they had always been one.
Luo Shizhen felt hungry again.
When the people from Yongzhou arrived, Chu Xiao and the others handled the reception while Luo Shizhen sat to the side, focused entirely on devouring his rice.
“These two Bizarres truly can speak human tongue. Furthermore, we have made an even greater discovery,” the Safety Officer said solemnly. “The reason they can speak is that upon awakening, they chose humans as hosts to possess. It is somewhat similar to a ghost possession; once they have a host, these Bizarres simultaneously acquire the memories of the human they’ve possessed.”
Cheng Yunshao’s expression immediately turned grim.
Bizarres that couldn’t think were already difficult enough to deal with, but if they now possessed human intelligence and memories…
“Have these Bizarres evolved? How can they suddenly possess humans? I’ve looked through the old archives, and nothing like this has ever happened in thirty years.”
The Safety Officer looked equally grave. “That brings me to my next point. This new batch of Bizarres possesses true intelligence.”
Luo Shizhen took a bite of meat, followed by some vegetables and a mouthful of rice, listening intently as he ate.
“They are different from the Bizarres we’ve encountered before. They are higher-rank and more human-like. They have names, genders, the ability to think, and can communicate with one another. They even have a sense of social hierarchy.”
“The two you captured, though not of a high level, possess intelligence. They were consciously searching for high-IQ humans to possess so they could understand humanity better and hunt us more effectively. After being caught, they even begged for mercy.”
“They claim they arrived along with many High-Rank Bizarres. However, because they were severely injured during the journey, they fell into a deep slumber and only woke up recently.”
Chu Xiao frowned. “During the journey? What does that mean?”
The Safety Officer replied, “We believe they come from another world.”
This theory had existed before, but no one had expected to receive confirmation directly from a Bizarre.
Cheng Yunshao asked, “Do you mean another planet, or a parallel dimension?”
Xiao Shan ran a hand through his hair. “So the doomsday theater has turned into interstellar travel?”
“Strictly speaking, it’s more like a breakdown of space-time barriers,” the Safety Officer explained as he pulled up a holographic screen. “In fact, there have always been experts who believed these Bizarres visited Earth over a thousand years ago.”
“Only back then, they weren’t called Bizarres. Ancient people called them Yaomo—demons and monsters.”
On the holographic screen, Chu Xiao saw a series of 3D projections, each showing photos and names of various Bizarres accompanied by notes from ancient texts.
“The Chongming Bird: Shaped like a chicken with a cry like a phoenix. It has two pupils in each eye and possesses immense strength.”
“The Longgui: A dragon-headed turtle with a snake’s tail. It can spit both water and fire.”
“The Dangkang: Shaped like a pig with extraordinarily long tusks. Its body is as large as a house.”
“These forms have gradually begun to appear in various regions, and almost every one of them is identical to the descriptions in the records.”
Cheng Yunshao stood up, looking at the holographic projections and their descriptions. “Aren’t these the mythical beasts recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas?”
“Yes. We always assumed these Bizarres were mutating and evolving based on the myths and legends recorded around the world. But now it seems that they didn’t mutate their forms and abilities based on legends; rather, those legends were originally records of these Bizarres.”
Rong Nian suddenly froze. “Wait, doesn’t the Classic of Mountains and Seas mention Jiaoren—mermen? That is to say, if these Bizarres appeared in ancient times, were there Awakeners like us back then as well?”
“Precisely. In fact, if you carefully study historical records, you can find many figures suspected of being Awakeners. There are records from all over of talented individuals with extraordinary abilities who captured ‘demons.’ The most famous of them is Yuan Tiangang.”
Luo Shizhen, still sitting to the side and eating non-stop, didn’t actually know much about the Classic of Mountains and Seas or ancient legends.
However, he did ask one question: “If these Bizarres existed in ancient times, why did they disappear? Why are they only appearing again now?”
Lu Qiujin suggested, “Could they have been sealed? And only now, in our era, have the seals been broken?”
Xiao Shan scoffed, “Great, now we’re on the supernatural deities channel.”
Wen Hu, who was still in his tiger form, flicked his tail. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was deep in thought, he rubbed his massive tiger head against Luo Shizhen.
Luo Shizhen thought he was hungry too and offered him some food. When the tiger shook its head, Shizhen went back to burying his face in his meal.
The Safety Officer let them speculate for a while before continuing. “This is merely Yongzhou’s hypothesis. Regardless of the truth, the current situation is that Bizarres—or rather, Yaomo—who have awakened from their ‘slumber’ are appearing everywhere. They are far more difficult to handle than previous Bizarres. They have thoughts, intelligence, and even set traps for humans. Moving forward, you must be extremely cautious.”
Cheng Yunshao keenly picked up on the implication of his words. “After we finish this mission, are we not returning to school?”
If they were still considered students under protection, the Safety Officer wouldn’t have shared so much insider information. Since he had disclosed this much, there was only one possibility: these freshmen were now being viewed as combat-ready assets.
Sure enough, the Safety Officer sighed once more.
“You are not to continue with this specific mission. According to the clues provided by those two Bizarres, the one who took Zou Tangzheng is a High-Rank Bizarre that even they fear. We will arrange for higher-ranked Guardians to handle this case. As for what comes next for you…”
“Bizarres are suddenly breaking out across various regions, and the Guardian force is severely undermanned. There is no more time for you to train or study. You will likely be assigned to squads and formally become Guardians.”
A complex mood settled over everyone present.
No matter how much they usually complained about the school’s grueling training or the teachers’ strictness, their first reaction to actually leaving school was one of bewilderment.
Furthermore, being “assigned to squads” meant that, in all probability, they wouldn’t be kept together.
The gazes of the young men instinctively fell upon Luo Shizhen.
Luo Shizhen, however, missed the underlying implication entirely. He only understood the surface meaning and stood up excitedly.
“We can become Guardians now?!”
“That’s great!! Will we be issued our own Guardian nameplates then?”
The Safety Officer was a middle-aged man in his early forties. Although he was technically a civilian official, the dried blood on his combat boots made it clear that in these dire times, even civilian staff had to head to the front lines.
Fatigue was etched into his face—a weariness born not just of physical labor but of psychological strain and mental torment.
However, seeing Luo Shizhen’s sparkling eyes, the Safety Officer’s mood suddenly brightened.
Regardless of the circumstances, seeing young, hopeful students always made things feel a little better.
He ruffled the young man’s hair. “Yes, you will have your own nameplates.”
“Protect yourselves well. The future depends on you.”
The Safety Officer left in a hurry with his team.
He had brought about a dozen combat personnel who clearly had just been diverted from a nearby mission; each of them carried the lingering scent of smoke and battle.
But as they walked past Luo Shizhen, the first combatant reached out and cautiously patted his head.
This was a Purifier, after all. Since the Safety Officer had patted his head without a reaction, maybe he could get a pat in too.
Luo Shizhen didn’t get angry at all, nor did he pull away. Instead, he gave the man a wide, beaming smile.
This seemed to serve as a signal. Before the remaining dozen or so combat personnel left, every one of them gave him a gentle pat.
Someone even slapped his shoulder and winked at him. “I hope you get assigned to our squad. I promise I’ll teach you well.”
Luo Shizhen waved at them. “Goodbye!”
The people sent by Yongzhou disappeared into the distance.
He finished the last bite of his meal and looked up at the sign for the Zhen Family Hall.
Could the identity of Zhen Shiluo no longer be used?
He hadn’t even figured out how to use medicine for purification yet.
Luo Shizhen suddenly thought of the dream he’d had yesterday.
In the dream, he had been able to easily pluck a bit of the white mist and put it wherever he wanted.
He released his Qi and reached out to grab it, but he caught nothing but air.
Luo Shizhen turned his gaze toward the newly emerged sapling.
If this tree grew up, would it bear fruit?
And if it did, would those fruits be something he could take off?
Translator’s Notes
- Shan Hai Jing (山海經): The Classic of Mountains and Seas. A famous Chinese compilation of mythic geography and beasts. It’s often used in modern Chinese fantasy as a source for monsters.
- Yaomo (妖魔): A general term for demons, monsters, or evil spirits in Chinese folklore. It sounds much more “mythical” than the modern term “Bizarre” used earlier in the novel.
- Yuan Tiangang (袁天罡): A famous Tang Dynasty astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer. He’s often depicted in fiction as a powerful cultivator or someone with supernatural foresight.
- Freshman to Frontline: The tone has shifted quite significantly here. The “honeymoon” period of the school arc is ending because the world is getting too dangerous to keep the students in a bubble.
Enjoy reading~
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