The Missing Shen Qian

The nine orifices referred to a person's eyes, ears, nose, mouth, the place for peeing, and the place for pooping...

Simply put, they were the nine natural openings on the human body.

Shen Qian was somewhat puzzled. Weren't those places already open? Why did they need to be opened again?

Perhaps he would understand why after advancing...

After giving it some thought, Shen Qian picked up his wristband again and asked Huo Ling'er, "Among the people you know, what's the highest number of orifices anyone has opened?"

Huo Ling'er: "Emm... probably my great-grandfather. He opened seven orifices!"

Shen Qian: "No one has opened all nine?"

Huo Ling'er: "My second aunt said that's impossible. Forget nine orifices—even seven or eight are extremely difficult. It's not just a matter of surviving nine deaths. When someone is in an utterly chaotic and agonizing state, they simply can't spare any focus to control their own body!"

"In other words, it's not something a human can do!"

Not something a human could do?

Shen Qian stroked his chin. Even if nine orifices were unrealistic, with the system's capabilities, opening five or six should still be possible as long as it kept him alive...

To make his breakthrough to Extraordinary today, Shen Qian had specifically taken the day off. It was already dark now, and judging from how long Huo Ling'er had taken, he would probably wake up in the middle of the night.

So Shen Qian called home again and said he would be sleeping at Old Wang's place tonight... Ever since learning that Shen Qian had advanced to a Beginner Martial Artist, his parents had become exceptionally easygoing. Naturally, they had no objections to such a minor matter.

Huo Ling'er: "Hey, Shen Qian, where did you go? Why aren't you chatting with me anymore?"

With everything prepared, Shen Qian did not reply. He tossed the wristband aside, took the Blood Coagulation Agent, and sat cross-legged on the carpet.

Opening the system interface in his mind, Shen Qian entered the idle command: "Advance to Extraordinary Quasi-Martial Artist."

"Idle objective generated. System analysis in progress..."

A prompt soon sounded in his mind. Since it was not the previous "mission requirements not met," Shen Qian knew the system had not disappointed him. He had gotten the method for breaking through to Extraordinary Quasi-Martial Artist for free.

"System analysis complete. Calculating optimal route."

"Mission list generated. System auto-navigation in progress..."

Couldn't it just start directly? Why did it need to calculate a route?

A huge question flashed through Shen Qian's mind in the second before he lost consciousness.

Early the next morning, the ringing bell sounded, and the noisy No.7 High School campus gradually settled into silence.

Class 109's first lesson that morning happened to be with their homeroom teacher, Liu Simin. After she entered the classroom with teaching materials tucked beneath her arm, her gaze instinctively swept over the class before suddenly stopping.

However, Liu Simin said nothing. She spread open her materials and began the lesson as usual. "Today, we'll go over Yellow Stone Middle School's martial arts theory mock exam..."

About ten minutes later, Liu Simin raised her head and called out with a frown, "Lin Xiaoqian."

"Here!" Lin Xiaoqian, who was seated in the front row, raised her hand.

"I remember Shen Qian only took yesterday off, correct?" Liu Simin asked.

"Yes." Lin Xiaoqian checked the chat records in the class group and nodded.

At that moment, the entire class realized something was wrong and turned around. Sure enough, Shen Qian's seat was completely empty.

Whispers arose, while Zhou Xu exchanged meaningful looks with Wang Yangming. Both were secretly delighted. That guy had actually dared to be late for Teacher Liu's class for so long. He could wait to write a three-thousand-word self-criticism...

But when the bell marking the end of first period rang, the other students still did not think much of it. Zhou Xu and Wang Yangming exchanged a glance, already vaguely sensing that something was off.

Given Shen Qian's usual behavior, he might be late, but he would never simply skip school entirely.

Auntie Wang couldn't possibly have forgotten to wake Shen Qian up! Wang Yangming wondered.

Frowning, Liu Simin activated her wristband and left the classroom.

Not long afterward, Liu Simin returned and walked straight over to Wang Yangming.

"Shen Qian isn't at home, and we can't reach him by phone." As Wang Yangming froze, Liu Simin immediately continued, "According to his parents, he was sleeping at your place last night. What happened?"

"Ah..." Wang Yangming panicked for a moment, but his thoughts quickly raced.

Unable to contain himself, he had asked Lin Xiaoqian last night and already knew why she had gone looking for Shen Qian. Feeling deeply guilty, he instinctively wanted to cover for Shen Qian.

"Y-yes, he slept at my place..."

"Then why didn't he come with you?"

"I... maybe I forgot to wake him up."

"Maybe?"

"No, I did forget to wake him up."

"Wang Yangming, this is serious. Don't mislead me!" Liu Simin abruptly became stern.

The honest Wang Yangming finally lowered his head. "I... I don't know where he is either. He wasn't at my house last night."

"And he never contacted you?" When Wang Yangming shook his head, Liu Simin's expression turned even more severe. She turned toward the other students. "Does anyone know where Shen Qian went, or has anyone been in contact with him?"

When no one spoke, Liu Simin furrowed her brows tightly and waved her hand. "Everyone, continue with class for now."

With that, Liu Simin walked out.

The four morning classes passed in the blink of an eye. When Liu Simin entered the classroom again and asked whether Shen Qian had contacted anyone, all the students realized...

Shen Qian was missing.

Liu Simin suspended the afternoon classes, and all the students began contacting everyone they knew to ask about Shen Qian's whereabouts.

At first, Liu Simin was not overly worried. She had seen too many cases of high school students running away from home. Generally speaking, in a third-tier city like Jing City, kids their age could not get very far. There were usually traces to follow, and they could be found quickly.

But as dusk approached and there was still no news of Shen Qian, Liu Simin finally sensed that something was truly wrong.

Under Liu Simin's pressure, Zhou Xu and Wang Yangming had no choice but to expose their own shortcomings. They gathered familiar classmates and began searching every VR Hall, amusement park, and similar place throughout Jing City.

"Still nothing?" Upon hearing Zhou Xu's report, Liu Simin stopped wasting time. She reported the matter to the school, then headed directly to the police station.

Xingfu Residential Area, Shen Qian's home.

Shen Liang glanced at Wang Xiaojuan's exhausted face and could not help saying, "Why don't you get some rest first?"

Wang Xiaojuan silently shook her head, her eyes still red and swollen. "Our son has just vanished. How could I possibly sleep... Old Shen, where do you think he went? How can he just disappear without a trace, dead or..."

Wang Xiaojuan did not dare finish the rest of the sentence. Tears had already begun streaming from her eyes again.

Today was the third day since Shen Qian's disappearance.

From disbelief to sleepless nights, Shen Liang and Wang Xiaojuan were already physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Didn't the police say they can officially open a case after forty-eight hours? Teacher Liu went to the police team this morning. Once the Police Warriors get involved, they'll definitely find Xiao Qian soon. Don't worry." Shen Liang comforted her.

"But no matter how mischievous Xiao Qian may be, he's always been sensible. He's never run away from home before. I... I'm just afraid something happened to him..."

Sobbing, Wang Xiaojuan finally spoke the thought she had buried deepest in her heart.

"Come on, he's a real martial artist now. What could possibly happen to him?"

Shen Liang forced a smile, though his heart was just as heavy.

Knock, knock!

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Wang Xiaojuan instinctively tried to stand, but staggered. Shen Liang hurriedly supported her, then, once she had regained her balance, quickly went to open the door.

The door opened, but the person standing outside was neither Shen Qian nor Liu Simin and the police. It was a tall girl with a ponytail.

Her features were exquisite as if sculpted, her skin fair as jade. She wore light blue jeans, a simple white shirt, and a loose linen knit cardigan with wide openings. Combined with her cool temperament, she looked like someone out of a painting.

"You are..." Shen Liang vaguely felt that he had seen her somewhere before, but could not recall where.

"My name is Ding Yi. I'm Shen Qian's classmate." The girl spoke in a somewhat hoarse voice. "I heard he went missing, so I... I came to see."

Shen Liang froze, then suddenly realized. Wasn't this the female classmate Shen Qian had mentioned—the childhood friend who had lent him money?

Having seen much in life, Shen Liang detected something unusual in the girl's voice. Looking closer, he noticed that Ding Yi's eyes were slightly red.

What his son said was true?

For that moment, Shen Liang forgot his worry, stunned that Shen Qian had not actually been bragging...

"Old Shen, who is it?"

Wang Xiaojuan's voice startled Shen Liang back to his senses. He hurriedly led Ding Yi into the living room.

Shen Liang quietly told Wang Xiaojuan a few things. Wang Xiaojuan was also stunned, but not overly surprised. Her gaze toward Ding Yi merely softened considerably.

The atmosphere in the living room was somewhat awkward. Ding Yi also sensed that coming directly to their home might have been rash. She lowered her head slightly and bit her lip, an unfamiliar feeling of embarrassment rising within her.

Fortunately, the sudden ring of a telephone broke the tension.

Shen Liang grabbed the old-fashioned landline that had been sitting beside him and pressed the answer button.

After nodding and saying, "Mm-hmm," Shen Liang hung up and looked at Wang Xiaojuan. "The Police Warriors have officially opened the case. Teacher Liu told us to hurry over."

Ding Yi abruptly stood up. Seeing Shen Liang and Wang Xiaojuan look at her, she hesitated, but still raised her head and said firmly, "I'll go with you."

Central Jing City, Chengzhong Police Warriors Station.

In a dimly lit small meeting room, Liu Simin was quietly speaking with Shen Liang and his wife. Lin Xiaoqian sat beside Ding Yi, whispering into her ear. However, Ding Yi, normally cool and detached, seemed somewhat distracted and only nodded occasionally.

On the other side, Zhou Xu, Wang Yangming, Zhang Liangwei, and several other classmates sat in silence. Their gazes occasionally swept over Ding Yi, and surprise would flash across their faces. But when they thought of Shen Qian's fate still being unknown, they lost all interest in gossip.

The door creaked open, and a tall, bearded man in uniform walked in.

Everyone in the meeting room stood. Liu Simin was the first to ask, "Captain Song, how did it go?"

Song Ye nodded slightly. "After a day of screening, we've finally found a clue. Network records show that Student Shen Qian rented a room at a hotel called Tongxinyuan in North City four days ago..."

"Why would he rent a room?" Liu Simin asked in confusion.

"Was he alone?" Ding Yi immediately asked, then noticed everyone looking at her strangely and fell silent again.

"That requires further investigation. But the hotel surveillance footage confirms that he was indeed the one who rented the room. Mm... he was alone at the time, but he left the hotel in the early hours of the next morning, and his whereabouts have been unknown ever since."

Liu Simin frowned. "Doesn't that mean the lead has gone cold again?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?" Liu Simin was taken aback.

"Since there was no other surveillance footage to compare, I applied to my superiors for access to Student Shen Qian's communication records."

Song Ye paused before saying, "According to the chat logs, the last person he spoke with was named Huo Ling'er. Does anyone know her?"

Ding Yi was somewhat distracted because she had heard Song Ye say, "applied to my superiors."

She understood certain mechanisms in China far better than the others, so she was confused. Why would investigating an ordinary person like Shen Qian require approval from higher-ups?

Unfortunately, before she could think it through, the name "Huo Ling'er" caught her attention.

It was a name she neither recognized nor had ever heard Shen Qian mention.

"Huo Ling'er?" Liu Simin thought for a moment. "I think she's a second-year student at our school. I vaguely remember her..."

"Holy shit, that's the junior who just transferred here not long ago—the new candidate for school beauty..."

Zhou Xu blurted it out instinctively. Only when he felt Wang Yangming poking him in the back did he come to his senses. He glanced at the expressionless Ding Yi and quickly shut his mouth.

Song Ye glanced at the oddly expressive group but did not pay it much attention. He continued, "The reason I said this may be a lead is that the records show Huo Ling'er's residence is directly across from that Tongxinyuan Hotel..."

Song Ye noticed that the atmosphere in the meeting room had abruptly turned bizarre, and his voice unconsciously lowered.

Shen Liang and Wang Xiaojuan were stunned. Zhou Xu, Wang Yangming, and the others' expressions changed drastically. Lin Xiaoqian gaped in disbelief, while Ding Yi's face went pale.

Renting a room... junior... school beauty...

Once those words came together, even though they were worried about Shen Qian's life and death, the same four words flashed through their minds... What a beast!

"Have you questioned Huo Ling'er?" Liu Simin was still the only one who had not thought that far ahead, and she hurriedly asked.

"Mm, Huo Ling'er's identity is also somewhat special. We're still waiting for approval from higher-ups..."

"We don't need approval." A voice as cold as frost interrupted Song Ye. Ding Yi drew a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the surging thoughts in her heart. "Give us her address. We'll go ask her."

"If you're acting on your own initiative, then that's fine. If you learn anything, notify me promptly." Song Ye nodded in agreement.

After seeing Liu Simin and the others off, Song Ye remained where he was, lost in thought.

"Boss, it's rare to see you care so much about an ordinary missing-person case." A Police Warrior beside him smiled. "You've been completely focused on it all day."

Song Ye chuckled but did not respond. Inwardly, he thought, A seventeen-year-old Beginner Martial Artist—how could I not care?

That alone would have been one thing, but the Police Warriors' physical examinations could not be faked. Yet a month ago, he had not even possessed 130 kilograms of strength.

Song Ye had never seen such a shocking rate of progress in his life.

"Boss, the higher-ups are already unhappy that you're neglecting your proper duties. Scavenger corpses have appeared one after another in North City over the past two days, and we still haven't figured out what happened. I heard some important figure over in North City has already begun pressuring the police team..."

Seeing that Song Ye said nothing, the Police Warrior reminded him again.

"Hah, they weren't this nervous when it was happening in South City..." Song Ye muttered. Rubbing his brow, he sighed. "Go. Bring me all the case files."

This big chapter is worth two regular updates.

Let me respond to something. Some readers think there has been too much daily-life content and that the plot is dragging, and I'm troubled by that too.

I've always felt that I'm not someone who writes stories, but merely someone who carries them over. All these characters truly live in another world. I want to make them fully realized, make the story internally consistent, and genuinely write the growth of a young man into a Martial God... Well, I'll try to pick up the pace. After all, readers are the most important. If you have recommendation tickets, please send some my way. Thank you, and please keep offering constructive feedback~