Chapter 4
Luo Shizhen’s head was suddenly filled with many new terms that day.
The Bizarre, Flying Jiangshi, Awakener, Corpse Qi, Purification Ability.
His good friend Chu Xiao was an Awakener, the transfer student Qin Yinian was an Awakener, and even the art teacher, Mr. Chen, was an Awakener.
“Besides being an Awakener, I am also the safety officer for new Awakeners. I’m responsible for guiding rookie training and monitoring their psychological safety. So, continuing to call me Teacher is fine too.”
Chen He’an had originally come to No. 3 High School to monitor Chu Xiao and Qin Yinian. He hadn’t expected an extra surprise.
He smiled, holding Luo Shizhen’s hand. In his other hand was something strange.
“Come, don’t be afraid. Let it check you.”
The thing looked alive. It was the size of a frog, shaped like a block of green jelly, slippery all over, with one large eye blinking. It actually looked a bit cute.
Chen He’an’s hand pressed close to Luo Shizhen’s. The little thing slid over tentatively, first carefully approaching a corner of Luo Shizhen’s hand. Seeing that Luo Shizhen didn’t chase it away, it gurgled and slowly moved its whole body onto his hand.
Luo Shizhen looked at it curiously. “What is its name?”
Most people seeing this strange little thing would ask what species it was. This was the first time someone asked for its name first.
As if afraid of scaring Luo Shizhen, Chen He’an said gently:
“It is a Spirit Essence. It doesn’t have a name, but if you want, you can give it one.”
He had guided several young Awakeners. Basically, one contact was enough to see what their personalities were like.
In fact, rather than saying Awakeners “awakened,” it was better to say they withstood pollution.
As for where the pollution came from, no one knew. They only knew that thirty years ago, a strange component appeared in the air.
Scientists in Xia Country eventually named it using the Daoist term “Qi”.
Qi was invisible, intangible, odorless, more like an invisible life energy evenly floating around the world. Once these components entered a biological body, everything was stable in small amounts. But once accumulated to a certain point, the organism would undergo various mutations.
Zombies, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, trolls, yokai, pen spiritsâbasically encompassing the monsters and demons of every country’s mythology.
Awakeners were more like a type of mutation within that. Either their physical fitness was good or their psychological resilience was strong. In short, they were excellent geniuses in various industries. Their own excellence allowed them to not mutate into Anomalies after inhaling Qi, nor lose their reason, but instead manifest various special abilities.
Because one needed to be excellent to withstand Qi pollution and become an Awakener, it was destined that every Awakener possessed the confidence belonging to a genius.
These people, even before awakening, were like the brightest stars in the night sky. They were mostly proud, intelligent, cautious, flamboyant, or independent.
After awakening, the surging energy in their bodies added a strong “predatory consciousness.”
Awakeners’ moral and emotional values, cultivated as humans, were gradually replaced by predatory instincts after awakening. They were mostly combative, like wild beasts, possessing territorial consciousness and intense competitive drive against their own kind.
One could imagine how mentally exhausting it was for Chen He’an to be the safety officer for such a group of young Awakeners.
It was his first time seeing a child like Luo Shizhenâcautious like a small animal, obedient and well-behaved.
Chen He’an’s gaze softened. Actually, seeing Luo Shizhen’s personality, he thought there was a high probability he wasn’t an Awakener.
Awakeners, especially young newly awakened ones, all had power surging inside them, wishing they could poke a hole in the sky. How could one tolerate sitting in a room with three other Awakeners without getting aggressive?
Although he thought this, Chen He’an slowly explained to Luo Shizhen what a Spirit Essence was:
“Although a Spirit Essence is also a member of the Bizarre, it is gentle and harmless. It is very sensitive to various powers and can distinguish between Anomalies and Awakeners. After taming them, we use them to identify Awakeners and Anomalies hiding in crowds.”
Luo Shizhen didn’t quite understand the latter part of the explanation regarding Spirit Essences, nor did he know Chen He’an was thinking so much. He just looked with curiosity and timidness at the little Spirit Essence slowly moving and probing on the back of his hand.
Could he really give it a name?
Luo Shizhen felt a little happy. He lifted his head, his dark eyes brightening even more:
“Big Yellow. Can I name it Big Yellow?”
Qin Yinian laughed again. “What kind of ghost name is that? Where is it yellow?”
Chu Xiao aside: …As expected.
Chen He’an was also stunned hearing the name, really unable to see the connection between Big Yellow and this little Spirit Essence.
But seeing Luo Shizhen lower his head weakly after being laughed at, he gave Qin Yinian a warning glance and said gently:
“Of course. Big Yellow is a good name. From now on, it’s called Big Yellow.”
Affirmed, Luo Shizhen looked up in pleasant surprise. After seeing Chen He’an’s encouraging gaze, he became happy again.
Mr. Chen was so nice. He liked Mr. Chen.
Because he named the Spirit Essence Big Yellow, Luo Shizhen naturally liked it a bit more.
In their town, three out of five dogs were named Big Yellow. Luo Shizhen had always wanted to raise a dog, but his grandmother was allergic to dog hair, so this wish was destined to remain unfulfilled.
Growing up, whenever he met a puppy, Luo Shizhen would look at it with longing but obediently stay away to avoid bringing dog hair home.
But now, he had named a Big Yellow “Big Yellow.”
The Spirit Essence named Big Yellow played dead on the back of Luo Shizhen’s hand for a while. Perhaps adapting, or perhaps sensing the friendliness of the hand’s owner, it cautiously opened its big eye, extended a tentacle as small as a jelly thread, and tapped the hand beneath it.
Under Luo Shizhen’s amazed gaze, the tentacle drilled under the skin of his hand like a needle.
But it didn’t hurtânot at all.
“Gurgle gurgle…”
The little Spirit Essence cried out. Its green jelly body suddenly began to glow, turning red.
“Gurgle gurgle!!”
As its body began to glow red, the Spirit Essence’s big eye opened wider, as if seeing something terrifying. The gurgling sound suddenly became high-pitched and sharp. Although it had no fur, it acted like its fur was standing on end, its whole jelly body rising up a notch.
Luo Shizhen saw then that it actually grew legsâexactly four of them. They were just too small, looking like four regular car wheels installed under an airplane, making one doubt if they could bear the body’s weight.
“Gurgle gurgle!! Gurgle gurgle!!! Gurgle!!”
The little Spirit Essence shrieked loudly. Its four almost invisible little legs moved so fast they blurred, crawling off Luo Shizhen’s hand at high speed. Even after returning to Chen He’an’s hand, it didn’t stop but continued crawling with super-speed afterimages.
It climbed all the way up Chen He’an’s arm to his shoulder.
Chen He’an wore a simple white shirt. His tall, slender figure hid muscular arms, looming faintly, with only the collar slightly open.
The open collar was convenient for the Spirit Essence. It climbed past the man’s clean, sharp neck line and drilled straight into the shirt through the collar.
Only inside the shirt did the Spirit Essence seem to find some security. It poked just its big eye out, gurgling incessantly, as if tattling, or expressing fear.
Chen He’an gently stroked its head with his index finger, soothing it:
“Alright, alright, don’t be afraid. He won’t hurt you.”
Luo Shizhen looked blankly at the Spirit Essence, somewhat at a loss.
“W-what’s wrong with it?”
The atmosphere in the room changed. Qin Yinian had an “I knew it” expression. Chu Xiao looked somewhat happy, somewhat worried, mixed with other emotionsâvery complex.
Chen He’an, however, looked surprised and smiled. “It detected that you are an Awakener. Big Yellow only turns red when encountering Qi power exceeding normal specifications.”
Only Anomalies and Awakeners could make a Spirit Essence turn red. So Luo Shizhen was undeniably an Awakener.
“Congratulations, Shizhen. Since you are an Awakener and inhaled Corpse Qi without being affected, it should be the most precious Purification ability.”
“Why did it hide from me?”
Luo Shizhen didn’t feel much about becoming an Awakener. He was still hung up on the Spirit Essence’s reaction.
“I liked it a lot.”
What a well-behaved child, still caring about whether a little Spirit Essence liked him at a time like this.
Chen He’an couldn’t resist the urge to gently rub Luo Shizhen’s head.
“Spirit Essences are like this. They are timid by nature and not good at fighting. They can detect Qi because they need to predict danger in advance to run away quickly. So it’s not that it doesn’t like you; it just detected the Qi in your body, triggering its escape instinct.”
He smiled. “I’ll coax it a bit and it’ll be fine.”
The little Spirit Essence was still trembling in Chen He’an’s collar, gesturing with its four little legs and one tentacle, gurgling non-stop. Chen He’an patiently stroked its head.
But the Spirit Essence, which usually calmed down after a minute of coaxing, was exceptionally noisy today.
“Gurgle gurgle!! Gurgle gurgle!!!”
Its big eye accidentally glimpsed Luo Shizhen, and it quickly shut it. With eyes closed, it gestured with its four legs and tried hard to stretch its tentacle, its whole small body swelling to double its size.
“Gurgle gurgle!!!”
Unfortunately, because this Spirit Essence was the most timid of allâeven a passing cat could scare itâno one present felt anything was amiss.
“Okay, good boy, Big Yellow be good, don’t be afraid. He likes you very much; he even gave you a name. Look, he has no malice.”
Chen He’an coaxed for a long time, but the Spirit Essence was still afraid. Eventually, it stopped gesturing and drilled straight into the inner side of his clothes, reaching his chest. Sticking to the warm human skin, it shivered, not even gurgling anymore.
He could only smile apologetically at Luo Shizhen. “Big Yellow isn’t usually like this. Your talent must be very high. The higher the talent of the Awakener, the more Qi in their body. He might have been scared by that Qi. Shizhen, don’t mind it.”
“It’s okay.”
Luo Shizhen, who had been watching the Spirit Essence, shook his head repeatedly. “I like it very much. It’s so cute, like a puppy.”
Chen He’an’s voice was deep but warm:
“You are an Awakener in my jurisdiction, so you’ll be assigned to me for guidance. Later, when you get familiar, you can play with it.”
Luo Shizhen finally realized what becoming an Awakener meant.
He hesitated. “Guidance… does that mean changing schools? If I really am that Purification Awakener, can I still be a chef later? I don’t want to change schools; I want to go to technical college.”
Chu Xiao’s crutch cracked again.
“Luo Shizhen! Why are you still thinking about your chef thing! You really are!”
His following words were stopped by Chen He’an raising a hand.
Chen He’an was indeed a very tolerant and gentle safety officer. Chu Xiao trusted him somewhat, so he could only shut his mouth, feeling stifled.
Frightened by his good friend’s sudden anger, Luo Shizhen shrank back. He lowered his head, feeling dejected, knowing he had said something wrong again.
Actually, Chu Xiao had a good temper because he never got angry at others. Every time he got angry, it was because Luo Shizhen said something stupid or wrong.
But he didn’t understand where he was wrong. Being a chef was a new life goal the teachers had thought up for him, and it suited him perfectly. He could learn a craft, it was something he liked, it was stable, and he could find work anywhere. Back-of-house work didn’t require dealing with too many people, so he wouldn’t be scammed.
What a good life goal, especially suitable for Luo Shizhen, whom people always called slow.
Awakeners were new, things that had never appeared before, overturning everything he had been taught growing up. He didn’t dare touch it; he was afraid.
Luo Shizhen kept his head down, but his face was gently cupped by a pair of slender, warm hands, forcing him to look up.
Before him was Mr. Chen’s gentle, good-looking face. The beautiful eyes behind the lenses looked at him earnestly and tolerantly.
“Of course you can. You are an Awakener, but also a citizen of our country. You have the right to choose your job. However, learning to cook at a technical college involves one teacher for many students; it’s hard to learn well. Teacher suggests you follow me because if you wish to become a chef, we can find chefs to teach you cooking one-on-one.”
Chen He’an was very patient. Most of the Awakeners he led were teenagers; his patience had long been honed. Moreover, he was facing a very obedient child now.
With children, you just had to go along with them.
Smiling, under Luo Shizhen’s gaze which gradually turned to yearning admiration, he listed cuisines one by one:
“Lu cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Su cuisine. Whatever cuisine you want to learn is fine, or if you want to learn them all, eight teachers teaching you together is no problem. Once you learn, if you want to find a job… you’re young and have never been out in society. You don’t know what to look out for. Jobs need social insurance, housing funds, medical insurance, transport and meal allowances. Teacher can help screen them for you then.”
Luo Shizhen’s eyes lit up. These didn’t affect his life plan; in fact, they seemed to perfect it.
He felt a bit embarrassed. “Is that allowed? Will it be too much trouble for you?”
Mr. Chen gently patted Luo Shizhen’s head, the corners of his lips curling up slightly into a gentle smile.
“No trouble. These things are simple for us. If you feel bad about it, you can make some time to attend other Awakener classes. That way, I can answer to the higher-ups. After all, I’m a safety officer; my duty is to make you attend class properly. Treat it as helping me out, okay?”
If asked to do something else, Luo Shizhen might have hesitated. But hearing “help Mr. Chen out,” he stopped hesitating immediately and nodded repeatedly.
“Okay, Mr. Chen, I’ll definitely go!”
Chu Xiao to the side: “…”
Qin Yinian: “Ha!”
“Good boy.” Chen He’an ignored the two thorns and patted Luo Shizhen’s head again. This child was indeed well-behaved; he was almost getting addicted to petting him.
After two pats, he received a look full of trust from Luo Shizhen.
Chen He’an: “Since we’ve confirmed you’re an Awakener, come back to headquarters with me for a detailed test. Regarding whether it’s the Purification ability, we need to test again to be sure.”
Luo Shizhen nodded obediently. “Okay, I’ll ask our homeroom teacher for leave.”
He was still a bit worried because it was hard for Grade 12 students to get leave.
As far as he knew, only Chu Xiao in the whole grade could successfully get leave. Before, a student broke an arm and came to class right after getting a cast at the hospital.
Watching Luo Shizhen frowning slightly, seriously thinking about how to write the leave request, Chen He’an couldn’t help smiling.
Truly, it was his first time seeing such an obedient child.
Was it because his ability was Purification? He hadn’t heard that Purification users had more peaceful personalities.
This child was simply like a little white lamb that only knew how to lower its head and graze. Coaxed with a few words, he didn’t even need a rope; he just bleated and happily ran along behind you.
Then thinking about the group of young Awakeners under him, full of aggression and attack instincts.
Chen He’an felt a bit troubled now. Luo Shizhen being honest and obedient was naturally good for him as a safety officer.
But putting such a soft little lamb into a pack of wolves…
He’d better keep a close eye on him.
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