Chongming

The next day, at the hospital, Huai Shi saw Liu Dongli.

Although his complexion was still a bit pale, he was surprisingly able to move without issue and was discharged after just over a week.

While Ascendants did have much better physiques than ordinary people, being this unreasonably resilient was highly abnormal.

His own gunshot wound was not even fully healed yet, yet Liu Dongli, who had been shot twice and had a lung lobe blown out, was almost completely recovered?

"What kind of drugs did you take?" Huai Shi asked in disbelief. "Weren't you in the ICU just a week ago?"

"Huh? What ICU?"

Liu Dongli looked at him, confused. "Didn't Ai Qing tell you?"

As he spoke, he fiddled with his eyeball and showed it to Huai Shi. In that instant, his pupil split into two.

Double pupils!

This was the bizarre sight Huai Shi had glimpsed in the church that day.

"We're all familiar with each other now, so it's fine to tell you. My Holy Mark is called Chongming, a rather obscure Holy Mark in the Dongxia lineage."

Liu Dongli said, "It only provides a slight visual enhancement and doesn't improve physique or have any other functions. However, during fusion, it records my body – like a data backup. If I suffer a severe injury, as long as I don't die on the spot and receive timely medical attention, I can slowly recover to my original state."

Huai Shi listened, stunned for a long time, and couldn't help but sigh. "So, the ICU was all a lie, right?"

"..."

Liu Dongli was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes filled with pity. "I don't understand what Ai Qing told you, but it seems that woman has deceived you quite badly."

More than that, he'd even lost his car, his friend!

Huai Shi averted his gaze.

"Ah, thankfully, I wasn't left with any physical disabilities this time. Otherwise, with all those loans, the cost of silver blood potions alone would have bankrupted me."

As he spoke, Liu Dongli casually asked, "By the way, where's my car? Didn't you say someone was bringing it over?"

"...Uh."

Huai Shi's scalp tingled, and his gaze drifted elsewhere. "I don't have a license, so I can't drive it. How about I find someone to take your car for some maintenance, and then I'll bring it to you another day?"

"Sure."

Liu Dongli nodded, not suspecting a thing. Only Huai Shi worried in secret: if that flashy red Maserati turned into a Chery QQ after another maintenance session, Liu Dongli might hang himself from a tree.

They left the hospital without further incident.

However, while calling for a car, Liu Dongli, smoking a cigarette, suddenly said, "Right, about the Red Glove incident, thank you."

"Hm?"

Huai Shi blinked in surprise, realizing Liu Dongli already knew. His heart sank. "Oh... sorry, at the time..."

But Liu Dongli patted his shoulder, interrupting him. "So, don't worry about the car. I have insurance."

Huai Shi was stunned for a long time, then felt a surge of emotion. He didn't notice Liu Dongli secretly turning away to wipe away a tear of bitterness while he was being touched.

He was heartbroken about the money.

If it weren't for his upcoming birthday and several wealthy women sending him a pile of gifts, he would have truly been spitting blood this time.

"Never mind that,"

He waved his hand, hailed a car, and called out to Huai Shi. "Since I'm being discharged today, if you feel bad about it, why don't you treat me to a meal?"

Although he said he'd heavily charge Huai Shi, he was actually quite measured. He found a restaurant with a light menu, ordered a couple of dishes casually, and during the meal, Huai Shi presented the discharge gift he had carefully prepared for Liu Dongli.

Liu Dongli looked at the large box of "Overlord Hair Growth Set" with mixed emotions, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

He really should have let that brat get killed by the Red Glove back then.

After the meal, as they chatted, Huai Shi asked, "Since you're out of trouble now, what are you planning to do next?"

"I haven't decided yet. Next month, I'll take a flight and go out for a few days. I was really cooped up before. During my probation, I couldn't even leave Xin Hai City and had to report my location to the supervisor every day."

Mentioning the past, Liu Dongli looked like he couldn't bear to recall it. "Now that you've taken the hit for me, you've jumped into the fire pit. That woman Ai Qing is not a good boss.

While she provides all the necessary protection and won't swindle you, she'll precisely pinpoint the limits of your abilities. As long as you're not dead, she'll push you to your absolute limit... In short, be careful and find some escape route for yourself. The Astronomical Society is a big organization, but its benefits don't extend to us cannon fodder errand runners."

Huai Shi chuckled dryly. "Even if Ai Qing is difficult to deal with, it's not that exaggerated, is it?"

"I don't know what happened between you and her before, but the last person who thought that was her previous superior, the former Xin Hai supervisor."

Liu Dongli let out a few cold laughs. "Back then, you were her confidential secretary, and then a few months later, she got promoted. The poor soul who was there before is reportedly still in Africa... I can only say she truly lives up to her Yin Family name. Once they catch you with something, you're finished."

"The Yin Family?" Huai Shi was stunned, his mind a bit hazy. He seemed to have some recollection.

"Never mind that,"

Liu Dongli shook his head, unwilling to continue the topic. "Didn't you say earlier you wanted to find the nearby Ascendant market? Let's pay the bill and leave."

Saying that, he downed his tea and got up to go to the door.

He was tight-lipped about what he had just let slip and no longer intended to say anything more.

To Huai Shi's surprise, Xin Hai, a small city with only seven or eight Ascendants, actually had a market specifically for them.

And it was not far away, within walking distance.

"This place is just like a branch office. They're out of a lot of stock and can only place orders with Jinling. If you're not in a hurry, it's better to buy online. If you need it expedited here, they'll rip you off..."

As he spoke, Liu Dongli's expression grew more resentful, clearly having been ripped off quite badly. "Comparing people is what kills people. We're both Ascendants, but the treatment is so different... That guy is a talent with B-class protection from the Astronomical Society, getting a monthly allowance, while I can only work as a gigolo to serve my sentence, tsk..."

"Is he really that amazing?"

"No, how should I put it? That guy's soul is really weird. The Astronomical Society judged it to be rare and potentially useful at some point, so they signed a contract. The Astronomical Society guarantees his personal safety and peaceful life, prioritizing his evacuation and rescue in times of danger, but he has to show up whenever the Astronomical Society needs him. It's like raising a pig, I can't believe that guy can tolerate it."

He paused, his expression turning serious. "Remember, once you get there, whatever you do, don't let that guy guess anything related to you. Not if you want your life to suddenly become a mess for no reason."

Huai Shi asked cautiously, "Is it that dangerous?"

"No, I wouldn't say dangerous. To be precise, that guy is probably the 'comedic' type," Liu Dongli covered his face. "But sometimes, the comedic type is the most deadly."

"Also, since you've become an Ascendant, don't casually tell others about your abilities, and don't pry into others' abilities either. It's like my ability; if people know its flaws, it becomes particularly deadly."

After Liu Dongli finished his cautious advice, he asked, "Since you've joined the Astronomical Society, have you had your soul evaluated?"

"Not yet," Huai Shi shook his head. "I'm going to Jinling next month, and Ai Qing said she'd take me to the branch to get it done directly then."

"Then just do a passable job, don't be a silly goose and spill everything."

Liu Dongli sighed. "I suffered from being too honest back then. It's better to be rated as a weakling than to be too strong. Stealthy development is the way to go, understand?"

"I guess so?"

Huai Shi didn't quite understand.

Liu Dongli nodded with satisfaction and pointed to the door ahead.

They had arrived.

Even more unexpectedly, this Ascendant market, located on a desolate street in the old city, turned out to be a detective agency from the outside.

Judging by the half-broken sign, no one ever came here.

After entering, the room smelled musty, as if it hadn't been cleaned in ages. A person, with their back to them, sat at a table wearing headphones and playing a game.

"Hey, hey, hey, alright, alright!"

Liu Dongli kicked the chair. "We have business, what the hell are you still playing?"

"Hold on, my teammates have all gone AFK at the fountain. I have to carry this game from behind!"

"You've already fed eight kills, what are you even carrying!" Liu Dongli directly kicked out the power cord and pointed at Huai Shi. "I've brought you a customer, be a bit more honest, okay?"

The person playing the game turned around. It was a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, looking prematurely aged. He stared at Huai Shi in astonishment for a long time.

"You're already working as a gigolo at this age?"

Liu Dongli's face turned ashen, as if he had been startled. He slapped the back of the man's head. "I told you not to guess randomly when you have nothing to do. What if you guess wrong and cause trouble?"

"OK, OK, what do you need?"

The man didn't get angry. He got up helplessly and beckoned them over. "Everything is in the back, follow me."

"You can just call this guy 'Detective.' Although he's incredibly useless, try not to reveal your real name when interacting with unfamiliar Ascendants. Find yourself a codename when you have time."

Liu Dongli gave his final instructions and sat down on the sofa outside. "I'll wait for you here. If you need help estimating the price, you can call me too."

Seeing that he had thoughtfully stayed outside, Huai Shi also breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

Behind the room was an empty space filled with cabinets and a computer, looking like a storage room from somewhere. There was also a huge safe.

"It's our first meeting. I didn't expect Xinhai to have new Ascendants," the detective said, extending his hand. "What should I call you, young man?"

Following Old Liu's instructions, Huai Shi didn't give his real name. As they shook hands, he flashed a standard smile and introduced himself: "Little Peiqi of Huaihai Road."

"..."

The detective's expression twitched. It was the first time he had encountered such a refreshingly unconventional alias. "Alright, this is a branch of Yesterday Express. We have most regular items. If what you're looking for is rare, I can order it online for you."

"No, I'm not here to buy anything."

Huai Shi waved his hand, leaned forward, unzipped his jacket, and after carefully checking that no one was around, lowered his voice and asked:

"Bro, you want some powder?"

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