Zhou Yanei

[The second day after the City of Joy ambush.]

Wang Jixuan opened his eyes on a pristine hospital bed, a wisp of Black Energy dissipating from his gaze.

An unfamiliar ceiling, an unfamiliar smell, unfamiliar... hmm, a familiar female doctor.

Wei Na?

She sat in a folding chair beside the bed. Beneath her open white coat was a short strapless top, while tight jeans outlined the fit, sexy yet slender shape of her legs. Asleep and completely defenseless, she had not sucked in the healthy fat around her waist.

Wang Jixuan shook his head inwardly.

Although he had taken a trip around the Lower City, he was still rather speechless about how women dressed in this world.

There was none of the gentle grace or fragrant companionship of a lady at one's side.

Wang Jixuan closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, sensing the changes in his body.

'Sigh, I actually used a demonic technique.'

He sighed, his heart filled mostly with helplessness.

This demonic technique had been prepared for his tribulation. At the final moment of that tribulation, when he realized he could not endure it, he had secretly used it as well, though its effects had not been obvious.

Using a demonic technique did not come without a price. It was, in truth, a way of overdrawing one's potential.

Though the aura within him had increased rather than diminished, and the impact of the demonic technique had even expanded his meridians somewhat, tiny flaws had appeared in his Dao body.

Thinking of the perfect Dao foundation from his First Life...

Forget it. Even a perfect Dao foundation had failed to let him ascend.

At least his Dao heart was steady now.

And whenever Wang Jixuan thought of rushing up to that sniper, slapping seven or eight Explosive Fire Talismans onto him, and detonating them all at once, his Dao heart felt completely unburdened.

'They say excessive use of demonic techniques makes one bloodthirsty and cruel. I should watch out for that.'

'This poor Daoist is a dignified Righteous Path Cultivator. Though I have rarely acted as a chivalrous hero, I should not use demonic techniques again.'

'Wei Na being here means that after I lost consciousness from using the demonic technique, I was brought back to the thirteenth floor.'

Wang Jixuan raised his brow slightly. Just as he was about to open his eyes and ask Wei Na how Captain Zhou and that blue-haired thug were doing, someone knocked at the door.

He chose to keep pretending to sleep.

This was the treatment center on the thirteenth floor, capable of performing all kinds of ordinary surgeries. Wang Jixuan was currently in its only double room, and beyond the curtain beside him lay Lan Yuzai, covered in tubes.

Wei Na stood and stretched, drawing in the flesh around her waist as she softly asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Zhou Zhengde."

"Wow, I thought you would not be back until tomorrow."

Wei Na pulled open the double doors to the room. Zhou Zhengde, seated in a wheelchair, was pushed inside by a middle-aged woman in a dark blue uniform.

The two soldiers outside, dressed in camouflage and holding assault rifles, lowered their right hands from beside their ears and swiftly shut the door.

Zhou Zhengde cursed with a dark expression:

"Those bastards from the 13th Institute! Trash! They refuse to admit they sent the Black Fire Gang after me!

"Those bastards even threatened me with Psionicists right at the hearing. They said that if they wanted me dead, they could send a few Psionicists directly! They even said one E-Class Psionicist could wipe out thirty armed men!

"What bullshit!

"Can Psionicists below C-Class withstand sniper rifles?"

Wei Na sighed. "All right, stop complaining. You must have achieved something, right? And this lady is?"

The middle-aged woman in gold-rimmed glasses smiled and extended her right hand.

"Hello, Miss Wei Na. I am Ban Wenying, assistant to the Head of Internal Affairs.

"You may call me by my name.

"The Head had me personally escort Captain Zhou back. His assistant died in this battle, and we are currently searching for an outstanding fighter to replace him."

"Hello." Wei Na somewhat stiffly shook hands with the middle-aged woman. "Please give my regards to Auntie Zhou."

"You are too polite. The Head greatly appreciates both your abilities and character. She respects your choice in sexual culture and deeply regrets that the two of you cannot build a family."

Ban Wenying blinked softly and pinched Wei Na's palm with her fingers before turning serious again.

"Regarding the Black Fire Gang, the Head hopes that neither of you will continue interfering.

"There are certain procedures to handle, procedures dictated by the fortress's unspoken rules. In roughly two months, the Silver Party, Hellfire, Felin Bullhead, and Wanlijin will form a coalition to purge the Black Fire Gang on the forty-ninth floor.

"At that time, we will deploy no fewer than nine hundred members of the Fortress Cleanup Unit to cooperate with the gang coalition.

"The Black Fire Gang can now disappear. Several Heads have reached a consensus, but for the moment, we still need to settle this matter publicly. Our opposing faction also needs time to find a replacement for the Black Fire Gang."

Wei Na nodded at once. "Thank you."

"For these next two months, Captain Zhou will be on paid leave. I hope the two of you get along pleasantly."

Ban Wenying glanced at the "Mu Liang" on the hospital bed and smiled. "Is this the mysterious Psionicist Captain Zhou requested have all records erased?"

"You added too many qualifiers. He is my friend," Zhou Zhengde said. "Sister Ban, you know his value."

"Of course. A Psionicist beyond the 13th Institute's control—we must determine the principles behind his emergence."

Ban Wenying said slowly:

"I still have a mountain of work, so I'll be leaving first.

"We have deployed an additional company of the Purification Force here. The thirteenth floor is safe for now... Actually, Zheng De, you do not have to insist on training in the Middle City."

"No." Zhou Zhengde curled his lip downward. "I need to wear down my edge here first, so I do not stand completely at odds with my surroundings."

"The Head was obviously speaking in anger when she said that... All right, I'll leave first. Miss Wei Na, let's have a drink together when you have time."

Ban Wenying blinked, then lightly bit her red lip before leaving.

Once she was gone, Wei Na could not help raising a hand to her forehead.

She muttered, "I'm sexually liberal, but I'm not bisexual. That lady..."

"Sigh." Zhou Zhengde slumped in his wheelchair. "Meetings are exhausting, but thankfully it's settled. Yesterday's battle has been classified at the highest level. Luckily, very few people saw that scene... Do you know, Wei Na? My worldview has been overturned."

Wei Na went to pour him some warm water.

"What was overturned?"

"Mu Liang, Rotten Fish, so much, so much."

Zhou Zhengde rubbed his brow and looked at the sleeping Wang Jixuan, murmuring softly:

"I told you before, but I can't help it... He suddenly burst out with speed faster than a mechanical leopard! He could dodge sniper bullets fired head-on—do you understand what that means?

"A C-Class Psionicist? Or some kind of body-enhancement type?

"Do you know? He directly blew off the head of that sniper, Night Hawk. The entire head—it was like firing an anti-materiel sniper rifle at a glass cup. It shattered into scraps!

"I scanned that paper of his with instruments. The preliminary analysis says it was ordinary paper stained with Blade Beast Blood, with weak Energy Reactions on it. But his body scan... Is he really just an ordinary person?"

Wei Na said, "A little stronger than an ordinary person, but not a Psionicist. There seem to be some differences in his muscle fibers."

"He evolved?"

Zhou Zhengde gestured wildly with both hands.

"An evolved human?"

"There is no conclusion yet," Wei Na said with a smile. "You were the one who said not to conduct any in-depth examinations. We can only use the equipment we have on hand."

"The instruments needed for in-depth examinations are too precise. The data they produce could very likely end up in the hands of the 13th Institute."

Zhou Zhengde pondered for a few moments.

"What surprises me even more is Rotten Fish. That guy is a blood-bag-squeezing scumbag, yet he actually served some purpose.

"Though that purpose was not critical.

"It has made me reflect on whether the way I handled thugs before was too direct. They could actually be unified, given a sense of belonging, made to serve the workers and farmers, and redeem themselves.

"I'll try doing that later."

Wei Na could not help raising a hand to her forehead. "You really are a qualified Security Captain."

"We must make our own contributions to improving the fortress ecosystem."

Zhou Zhengde pondered for a few moments.

"When will Lan Yuzai wake up?"

Wei Na said, "Possibly in a few days. Mu Liang's wounds have already begun healing. His healing speed is astonishing. It is as though there is some kind of energy in his body that we cannot identify... Rotten Fish is much worse off. He is crippled, completely crippled."

"When he wakes up, I'll have a proper talk with him."

Zhou Zhengde thought for a moment.

"The Black Fire Gang can only keep jumping around for another two months. I'm pretty unhappy about it, but it was decided by the Heads, and there is not much we can do.

"I don't know whether Mu Liang can accept it. I must sincerely thank him for saving me and give him a sufficiently substantial gift.

"Besides, I know their style. The Black Fire Gang's core members have deep ties to certain Upper City officials. They will very likely shed their shell and be reborn—change to another name, sacrifice a batch of peripheral organizations, and give my side an explanation.

"To make sure they dare not keep causing us trouble, I will demand that the Black Fire Gang's BOSS must die."

"All right." Wei Na thought for a moment. "As long as they do not cause us trouble afterward, that would already be good enough... Let's talk about Mu Liang's gift instead."

Zhou Zhengde asked, "What do you think would be appropriate to give him?"

Wei Na said, "The legal right to use firearms, a sufficient quota, and a beautiful woman who is sexy, open-minded, experienced, and will not cling to him afterward."

Zhou Zhengde's forehead filled with black lines. "That last one is your own business! Don't talk to me about it! I technically have a girlfriend right now, even though we already secretly broke up... But the first two can be considered. I'll give him the title of Security Team logistics group leader... This is my first time abusing my authority."

"Do you need me to praise you as a good leader in front of him?"

"No, thank you, absolutely not."

Mu Liang's gaze flashed through Zhou Zhengde's mind.

Calm, indifferent, and carrying a sense of distance.

"I should first try to be friends with him."

Zhou Zhengde sighed softly.

"To be honest, I don't know how to get along with him now... We need to show him enough respect. I always feel he has tremendous potential."

After hearing all of this, Wang Jixuan nearly laughed aloud.

As long as he had time, and enough spiritual energy,

he could naturally return to his peak.

But...

Wang Jixuan continued to ponder.

The Head, Zhou Zhengde, the Purification Force, the gang coalition.

'I never expected Zhou Zhengde to be a young master of official lineage. It seems his mother is also a powerful figure, and she has already sentenced the Black Fire Gang to death.'

'The Black Fire Gang's core members will even shed their shell and be reborn? That is rather too dark.'

'In my previous life, I left behind many regrets. I had ideas but never put them into action, focused solely on cultivating the Dao, only to be rejected by the Dao in the end.'

'I cannot continue like that.'

Before his eyes, a welcoming pine seemed to Appear. Beneath it stood an old Daoist in white robes, sighing softly.

[May you break through your limits, ascend, and become an immortal where you stand.]

'I will, Martial Uncle.'

Just as Wang Jixuan was about to lie there and meditate, he suddenly heard the sound of rushing water from nearby.

Wei Na walked over carrying a washbasin. She had removed her white coat and put on wired music headphones worth twelve universal credits. She intended to wash Wang Jixuan's back, legs, and other non-private areas, as well as inspect his wounds.

She was a certified doctor, precious professional talent within the fortress, and rarely did this kind of nursing work.

But clearly, Wei Na was quite willing to provide proper medical care for this young man.

Wang Jixuan: ...

That demoness should just try touching him!

A new week, and I'm fighting for the new book rankings! For various reasons—the new book suddenly hit its stride while I was writing it, Immortal Father entering its final stretch and no longer meeting my need for a high writing output while cutting sugar, and so on—I released this work early. The editor did not have time to apply for Platinum launch resources or anything like that. The first round of regular recommendations only started yesterday, and I'm not sure whether there will be any launch resources afterward...

So for this book launch, I still have to ask all you esteemed readers for bookmarks! Recommendations! Monthly votes! Follow-up reading! Comments! Reading lists!