Chapter 102
In the East District, although dawn had just broken, the Guardians deployed across various locations had already entered combat mode.
After all, the area under the East District’s jurisdiction had the highest population density, naturally drawing a massive influx of bizarres (anomalies) to the area.
These Guardians usually rotated through a specific zone for a few months. Compared to the South District, where large numbers of young rookies could still be seen, the East District was far more hazardous and demanding, so those stationed here were primarily seasoned veteran Guardians over the age of twenty-eight.
In the early morning, the day-shift Guardians rapidly got into fighting form. A single glance across the field revealed that almost every one of them was stone-faced.
This was the norm for senior Guardians: a stoic demeanor, decisive executions, and a tendency to speak as little as possible, exchanging only a few words with teammates when strictly necessary.
Throughout the entire East District, the only sounds were sharp blades and various abilities piercing through the bodies of bizarres, punctuated by the occasional brief, synchronized command between squad members.
Other than that, there was nothing else.
These senior Guardians had long grown accustomed to this kind of environment. If nothing went wrong today, their routine would be: deploy, fight, eat, fight, eat again, and then conclude the battle to return and rest, repeating the exact same cycle tomorrow.
Today, however, the tranquility of the East District was shattered.
“Freeze it the exact moment I splash water on the bizarre! You always freeze it way too early—where’s the lethal impact in that?”
Chu Xiao cast a flat glance at Rong Nian. “It’s because your water isn’t splashed evenly. Even if it hits the bizarre completely before freezing, it only forms a thin layer of ice. What use is that?”
Rong Nian snapped, “Nonsense! You clearly froze it too late!”
“Heh.”
“You’re sneering? You actually have the nerve to sneer? You want to go a round?!”
Cheng Yunshao raised his phone. “Are we fighting? Let me record it for you guys!”
The rest stood by, watching the spectacle.
Luo Shizhen was entirely used to his teammates breaking into a fight over a few words. Stepping between them, he skillfully played the peacemaker:
“Alright, alright, don’t fight here. There are bizarres everywhere, it’s too dangerous. Wait until we go back to fight.”
When Chu Xiao’s arm was grabbed by him, the cold expression on his face finally softened slightly.
Rong Nian hummed a snort and dropped the topic of fighting.
Lin Ke was genuinely impressed. Back when Squad 1 was working on Zou Tangzheng’s mission, they had spent every single day bickering and fighting, fighting and bickering.
How could they still be bickering and fighting even after officially forming a squad?
In truth, this was quite normal. The Qi essences of Awakeners naturally repelled one another; staying too close easily triggered conflicts.
Thus, while members of a typical Guardian squad developed tactical synergy and forged friendships, they generally maintained a conscious distance from one another to prevent their Qi essences from fighting over territory and inducing volatile emotions.
But Squad 1 was exceptionally different.
Not only did they bicker, but they also stayed incredibly close. They ate huddled together, and even slept inside the exact same vehicle instead of finding their own spots at a modest distance to preserve their territorial instincts, as Lin Ke had originally assumed.
Mulling it over, Lin Ke stole a glance at Luo Shizhen.
Based on his observations, this bizarre dynamic of Squad 1—where they bickering constantly when close yet stubbornly insisted on sticking together—was entirely because of Luo Shizhen’s presence.
Everyone wanted to be around Luo Shizhen, so naturally, they all ended up bound together.
Lin Ke was a different story. His ability had just advanced, and his Qi essence was currently in a volatile, ostentatious state. Being close to other Awakeners gave him a phantom itch to bite something, making him find Chu Xiao and the others inexplicably annoying.
He felt a distinct urge to chase all of them away—except for Luo Shizhen.
The moment this thought surfaced, Lin Ke behaved himself.
He knew his own limits; even though his ability had advanced, he had absolutely no idea how to use it! How could he possibly beat Chu Xiao and the others?
He couldn’t even beat Cheng Yunshao!
Lin Ke figured he had better keep his distance, lest he lose control and pick a fight with the others in a bit.
He was lagging behind, making his own plans, when his arm was suddenly pulled upward.
Luo Shizhen held up a massive piece of cardboard for him to see: “How about this?”
Written across the cardboard in giant characters were three words:
“I AM HUMAN!”
Lin Ke was still in the form of the red bizarre. Since his ability had just advanced, he hadn’t learned how to convert back to human form yet. To keep his hair from blocking his vision while walking, he had tied it into a long ponytail.
However, they hadn’t come across any clothing stores along the way, so he hadn’t been able to change his outfit. Even with his hair tied back to expose his face, he still looked exactly like a bizarre.
Terrified that the Guardian squads stationed here would mistake him for a bizarre and attack, Luo Shizhen had come up with this solution.
For him, this was already the absolute best idea his mind could conjure.
Lin Ke had noticed earlier that Luo Shizhen kept rummaging through random things they passed on the road; he hadn’t realized it was all for his sake. He felt a swell of emotion:
“It works. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Let me hang it on you.”
Luo Shizhen hung the cardboard around Lin Ke’s neck. “Eternal Day said they’d send someone to meet you in the East District. They’ll definitely find a way to change you back when the time comes.”
Lin Ke remained quite optimistic, clicking his long black fingernails:
“Actually, it doesn’t really matter even if I can’t change back. If I stay like this forever, won’t I be completely immune to pollution?”
For someone like him, who used to hide away at home just to avoid pollution, sacrificing his outward appearance in exchange for lifelong safety was actually a pretty good bargain.
Cheng Yunshao ruthlessly shattered his beautiful illusion:
“Bizarres practice cannibalism. Cannibalizing another bizarre of the same rank allows them to advance. You possess the outward form of a Rank 4 bizarre, but absolutely zero combat consciousness. If you run into another bizarre, you’ll just be a free meal on a platter.”
Lin Ke: “…”
Luo Shizhen patted his hand comfortingly. “Don’t worry, Eternal Day will definitely have a solution. It’ll be fine once we meet up with their personnel.”
“Come, stand in the middle of our formation. That way, even if other Guardians mistake you for a bizarre, seeing you surrounded by us will keep them from attacking you.”
He naturally took Lin Ke’s hand.
Lin Ke’s current appearance was something even he himself couldn’t stomach.
His arms were a bruised purplish-blue and covered in deep fissures, with thick, dark blood seeping out in true horror-movie fashion, and his fingers were as rough as withered tree bark.
In short, it was the textbook arm of a female ghost.
Yet Luo Shizhen wasn’t affected in the slightest, grabbing it without a second thought and pulling Lin Ke directly into the center of the squad.
Lin Ke was completely dazed. “You’re not afraid of me?”
Luo Shizhen looked at him in confusion. “Why would I be afraid of you?”
Lin Ke pointed at himself. “Look at this monstrous state I’m in…”
To be honest, he had stolen a glance at himself in a mirror earlier, and even he had jumped in fright.
He had immediately thrown the mirror away after that.
Luo Shizhen looked at Lin Ke again, failing to see what there was to be afraid of:
“I know you’re Lin Ke, and you won’t attack us.”
“Besides, you look fine like this. You look a lot better than that bizarre did.”
Only then did Lin Ke remember that Luo Shizhen had literally just solo-killed that genuine bizarre.
The other members were far more accommodating of Lin Ke standing in the center of the formation than he had anticipated. Not only did no one raise any objections, but they even synchronized their positions flawlessly, completely blocking off any potential incoming attack vectors from the outside.
This way, even if someone misidentified Lin Ke as a bizarre and attempted to strike, they would be forced to halt their attack upon seeing their defensive formation.
Honestly, Lin Ke felt quite touched.
He could truly feel that these young, fierce Guardians genuinely regarded him as one of their own.
Until Wen Hu spoke up in annoyance, “Hey, have you held his hand long enough?”
Lin Ke: “…”
Oh right, he was still holding Luo Shizhen’s hand.
Luo Shizhen’s hand had calluses from long-term training, yet it felt inexplicably warm and slightly soft to the touch—much like his entire person, making one want to keep holding it.
Furthermore, Lin Ke couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but the moment he made physical contact with Luo Shizhen, the powerful, violent Qi essence surging within his body seemed to grow remarkably placid.
Luo Shizhen turned to Wen Hu and said, “No, don’t be mean to Lin Ke. I’m the one holding his hand, not the other way around.”
Wen Hu snapped, “You’re holding his hand? Why aren’t you holding my hand?”
Luo Shizhen gave him a strange look. He was holding Lin Ke’s hand to comfort him; Wen Hu was perfectly fine, so why would they need to hold hands?
However, due to his good temper, he actually reached out and took Wen Hu’s hand instead:
“Is this fine now?”
Wen Hu’s originally arrogant expression vanished instantly. His earlobes turned bright red, and he licked his lips, leaning a fraction closer to Luo Shizhen.
A thick tiger tail slid out, trembling slightly with sheer excitement as it attempted to curl around Luo Shizhen’s waist.
“I also want to take a lick… Fuck! Who’s that?!”
He was suddenly yanked back by the scruff of his neck and forcefully dragged away.
Wen Hu spun around, meeting Xiao Shan’s glare. Xiao Shan extended his massive, muscular arms:
“Who do you think you’re spouting nonsense to, punk?!”
“What’s it to you? You’re not his actual brother!”
“An elder brother is like a father, got it?! I’m Shizhen’s Big Brother, so I absolutely have the right to manage him!”
Cheng Yunshao raised his phone once more to record.
Luo Shizhen was completely accustomed to this dynamic, turning his head back to comfort Lin Ke:
“It’s fine. They just like to bicker; as long as they don’t break into a physical fight, it’s alright.”
Lin Ke: “…”
Under the intense glares of Chu Xiao and the others, he silently pulled his hand away from Luo Shizhen’s grip.
Thus, the veteran Guardian squads stationed in the East District watched in sheer bewilderment as this incredibly youthful team—mostly comprised of eighteen and nineteen-year-olds—navigated the battlefield, slaying bizarres while continuously bickering among themselves as they moved.
“What’s going on over there?”
The originally deathly silent East District grew lively as several squads turned their heads to watch the spectacle.
“Looks like a rookie squad at a glance.”
“To think Eternal Day would actually have the heart to deploy such a young team to the East District.”
“Ah, youth… Was I this lively back when I was young?”
A few veterans wore nostalgic expressions.
Young Awakeners were always like this—sharp as tacks, constantly locking horns like adolescent beasts who had just established their territory, volatilely driving out any other member of their species.
With such a vibrant team arriving in the East District, things were bound to get lively from now on.
“Huh? It looks like they’ve run into some trouble.”
Among the senior Guardians who were treating the rookie squad like a free show, someone suddenly noticed an unusual development.
Below them, a deer-shaped bizarre covered from head to toe in sharp horns was currently engaged in combat with the young team.
Its horns were exceptionally sharp, capable of slicing cleanly through metal. Furthermore, because it was covered in them, a single lapse in focus would result in a Guardian’s flesh being torn open.
Minor wounds weren’t the issue; the critical problem lay in the dense pollution coating those horns. The moment a Guardian’s skin was punctured, the contamination would rapidly invade their bloodstream.
“Running into a Multi-Horned Ram the second they step into the East District… I don’t know whether to call them lucky or unfortunate.”
A Guardian who had randomly found a withered tree to take a midday nap shifted slightly, spinning a small knife in his fingers as his teammate’s voice echoed through his earpiece:
“Those rookies lack experience. Yu Qing, you’re the closest, go give them a hand.”
The Guardian named Yu Qing leaped gracefully from the tree branch. “On my way.”
He strongly suspected this young team hadn’t actually been officially deployed to the East District. A quick scan showed they were mostly around Rank 3, and the highest-ranking one—seemingly possessing the Painted Skin ability—looked incredibly clumsy, clearly failing to fully master his ability.
It wasn’t as if Eternal Day had completely run out of veteran personnel; why would they send a bunch of unformed cubs to a hazardous zone like this?
However… since Eternal Day allowed them to roam the East District, it meant there had to be a safety net hidden somewhere—likely another senior Guardian shadowing them from behind.
He just didn’t understand why, when facing a Multi-Horned Ram that could easily infect anyone with pollution, they were letting these kids fight completely unassisted. Weren’t they afraid the rookies would get contaminated?
Yu Qing strode over quickly, about to intervene, when his pupils suddenly contracted violently at the scene before him.
The Multi-Horned Ram’s horns managed to puncture the bodies of several young Guardians, the contamination invading rapidly. However, within a fraction of a second, a young man lightly pressed his hand against their wounds, a serene energy instantly purifying the pollution down to the absolute last wisp.
A Purifier… it was actually a Purifier.
Yu Qing stared at the scene in absolute disbelief. He could never have imagined that a precious Purifier would actively appear in the chaotic and highly hazardous East District. Had the higher-ups at Eternal Day finally lost their minds?!
He watched blankly as the young team, freed from the threat of pollution, swiftly executed the Multi-Horned Ram. Once the creature collapsed, they collectively turned their gazes toward his direction.
Yu Qing’s eyes were fixed entirely on that young Purifier who looked like he hadn’t even reached twenty yet.
He was clad in a standard Guardian combat uniform; though his frame still carried a touch of youth, he already possessed the absolute bearing of a seasoned Guardian.
He looked over and suddenly smiled.
The smile was completely pure. Yu Qing, who had been stationed in this godforsaken place for half a year, swore he had never seen anyone smile like that here.
Those bright black eyes shone as if filled with stars, brimming with absolute trust as he sprinted directly toward his direction, looking exactly like a fledgling spotting its parent bird.
Yu Qing’s brain short-circuited a little. He had never encountered such a good-tempered, soft-looking Awakener before. Most importantly, this person was a Purifier.
Before his mind could even process it, his arms instinctively opened a fraction, as if preparing to welcome this young man whose eyes were full of joy and complete reliance.
In the next second, the other party brushed right past him.
Yu Qing: “…”
He wasn’t running toward him? Well, that made sense; they didn’t even know each other.
“Teacher! I missed you so much!”
Yu Qing heard the young man call out.
He spun around, only to see the youth throw himself directly into Chen He’an’s embrace.
This Awakener School instructor was actually quite famous in the East District. Despite possessing a relatively low sequence ranking, his combat output was extraordinarily powerful, and he fought day and night without a single moment of rest, as if he never slept.
Yu Qing had run into him a few times. Usually, they would merely exchange a brief nod without any facial expressions or gestures—the standard acknowledgment between Guardians stationed in the East District, maintaining a silent, cold distance out of mutual respect.
Yet right now, Chen He’an was cradling the young Purifier who had affectionately lunged into his arms. The youth’s face still bore a trace of green bizarre blood, and his scuffed combat uniform proved he had literally been in the heat of battle a second ago.
Yet those eyes, which had always been deadpan and frigid, now softened completely as he looked down at the young Purifier, radiating a warmth so deep it could melt ice.
And the young man receiving this treatment was filled with utter reliance, looking exactly like a nestling that hadn’t left its home, wishing for nothing more than to curl up in the elder’s arms and roll around.
“Shizhen, how did you guys end up in the East District? Weren’t you deployed to the South District?”
Hearing this, Yu Qing came to a sudden realization.
Shizhen… so his name was Shizhen.
But still, since when was the relationship between an Awakener instructor and a student this close? Damn it, if he had known sooner, he would have applied to be a teacher back then too!
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