Chongming

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

Though his complexion was still somewhat pale, he was somehow able to move around without issue. After barely more than a week, he was already ready to be discharged.

Ascenders had much stronger constitutions than ordinary people, but wasn't this level of absurdity a little too unreasonable?

The gunshot wound on Huai Shi's back had not even fully healed yet, while Liu Dongli, who had taken two bullets and had an entire lung lobe blown apart, was practically recovered?

"What the hell did you take?" Huai Shi stared in disbelief. "Weren't you still in intensive care a week ago?"

"Hm? What intensive care?"

Liu Dongli looked at him in confusion. "Didn't Ai Qing tell you?"

As he spoke, he tugged at his eyeball and showed Huai Shi his right eye—at that instant, his pupil split cleanly into two.

Double pupils!

It was precisely that eerie appearance Huai Shi had glimpsed in the church that day.

"We're all familiar with each other by now, so there's no harm in telling you. My Stigmata is called Chongming, a relatively obscure Stigmata from the Dongxia Lineage."

Liu Dongli said, "It only gives a minor enhancement to vision. It can't improve my constitution and has no other functions, but when it fused with me, it made a record of my body—like a data backup. If I suffered serious injuries, as long as I didn't die on the spot and received treatment in time, I could slowly recover to how I originally was."

Huai Shi was stunned for a long time after hearing that, then could not help sighing. "So the intensive care unit was a lie too, right?"

"..."

Liu Dongli stared blankly for a moment, then his gaze became sympathetic. "I don't know what exactly Ai Qing told you, but it looks like that woman fooled you pretty badly too."

More than that—you even lost your car over it, buddy!

Huai Shi looked away.

"Ah, luckily I didn't lose any limbs this time. Otherwise, with all those loans, just the cost of Silver Blood Potion would bankrupt me."

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

"...Uh."

Huai Shi's scalp went numb at once. His gaze wandered elsewhere. "I don't have a driver's license, so I couldn't drive it. How about I find someone to take your car in for maintenance another day, then drive it over to you?"

"Sure."

Liu Dongli nodded without suspicion. Only Huai Shi worried silently: if that flashy red Maserati turned into a Chery QQ after one trip to the shop, Liu Dongli probably would not hang himself from a tree.

They said nothing more and successfully completed the discharge procedures.

But while calling a car, Liu Dongli smoked a cigarette and suddenly said, "Oh, right. Thanks for the Red Glove thing."

"Hm?"

Huai Shi froze for a moment before realizing that Liu Dongli seemed to have known all along. His heart immediately sank. "Oh... Sorry, back then, I..."

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

Huai Shi stood stunned for a long time, deeply moved. He failed to notice Liu Dongli quietly turn away and wipe a bitter tear from his face while Huai Shi was touched.

He was heartbroken over the money.

If his birthday had not been coming up and several rich women had not sent him a pile of gifts, he probably really would have coughed up blood this time.

"Forget it. Let's not talk about that."

He waved a hand, flagged down a car, and called Huai Shi over. "Today's my discharge day. If you feel bad about it, just treat me to a meal."

Though he talked about fleecing Huai Shi hard, he actually showed restraint. He picked a restaurant with light food and casually ordered two dishes. During the meal, Huai Shi also presented the carefully prepared discharge gift for Liu Dongli.

Liu Dongli looked at the large box of Overlord Hair Growth Treatment with mixed emotions, hesitating to speak.

Sure enough, he should have let this bastard get beaten to death by the Red Glove back then.

After the meal, while chatting, Huai Shi asked, "Now that you've escaped the sea of suffering, what are you planning to do next?"

"Nothing yet. My flight's next month. I'll go out and have fun for a few days. I was suffocating before—I couldn't even leave Xin Hai City during my sentence, and I had to report my location to the inspector every day."

At the mention of the past, Liu Dongli looked as though he could not bear to recall it. "Now that you've taken my hit for me, you've jumped into the fire pit. That woman Ai Qing is no good boss.

"She gives plenty of protection, won't cheat you out of money, and can pinpoint the limits of your abilities with terrifying accuracy. As long as it doesn't kill you, she'll use you until you're almost dead... Anyway, be careful. Find yourself an escape route when you can. The Astronomical Society may be a big organization, but its benefits don't reach cannon fodder runners like us."

Huai Shi gave a dry laugh. "Ai Qing may be hard to get along with, but surely she isn't that exaggerated?"

"I don't know what happened between you two before, but the last person who thought that was her former boss, the previous inspector of New Sea."

Liu Dongli sneered. "Back then, your confidential secretary position was hers. Then only a few months later, she became a full inspector. That poor bastard who held the post before her is supposedly still in Africa... All I can say is, she really is from the Yin Family. Once they get hold of your weakness, you're finished."

"The Yin Family?" Huai Shi froze, his mind going blank. It sounded vaguely familiar.

"Forget it. Let's not talk about that."

Liu Dongli shook his head, unwilling to continue the subject. "Didn't you say during the meal that you wanted to find a nearby Ascender market? Go pay the bill, then we're leaving."

With that, he drained his tea in one gulp and got up to head for the door.

He was extremely evasive about what he had accidentally let slip and clearly had no intention of saying anything else.

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

And it was not far away, close enough to walk to.

"This place is basically like a service outlet. A lot of things are out of stock, so you can only place orders with Jinling. If you don't need something urgently, it's better to buy online. If you need it expedited here, they'll gouge you to death..."

As he said this, Liu Dongli's expression grew increasingly resentful. It was obvious he had been fleeced badly. "Comparisons really make people furious. We're both Ascenders, but the treatment is completely different... That guy is a Class B protected talent of the Astronomical Society and gets a monthly allowance. I can only serve my sentence as a host, damn it..."

"Is he really that impressive?"

"No, how should I put it... His soul is weird as hell. The Astronomical Society judged it to be rare and potentially useful at some point, so they signed a contract with him. The Astronomical Society guarantees his personal safety and a peaceful life, prioritizing evacuation and rescue if he encounters danger. But whenever the Astronomical Society needs him, he has to show up on command. It's like raising a pig. I can't believe that guy can put up with it."

He paused, his expression turning serious. "Remember, after you get there, absolutely, absolutely do not let that guy guess anything related to you. Unless you want your life to become an inexplicable mess."

Huai Shi became wary. "That dangerous?"

"No, you can't really call him dangerous. More accurately, he's probably from the comedy type." Liu Dongli covered his face. "But sometimes, the comedy type is the deadliest."

"Also, now that you've become an Ascender, don't casually tell people about your abilities, and don't casually ask about theirs. Just like my ability—once people know its weakness, it becomes especially fatal."

After cautioning him carefully, Liu Dongli asked, "Since you joined the Astronomical Society, have you done your soul assessment?"

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

"Then just muddle through it. Don't be stupid enough to tell them everything you know."

Liu Dongli sighed. "Back then, I suffered because I was too honest. Better to be rated a little weak than look too strong. Keeping a low profile and developing quietly is the true path, understand?"

"I guess?"

Huai Shi only half understood.

Liu Dongli nodded in satisfaction and pointed at the door ahead.

They had arrived.

Even more unexpectedly, the Ascender market, located on a desolate street in the old district, was publicly a detective agency.

One look at the half-broken sign told him no one ever came here.

After entering, they were greeted by a musty smell. The room had clearly not been cleaned in ages. Someone sat at a desk with their back to them, wearing headphones and playing a game.

"Hey, hey, hey, enough already!"

Liu Dongli kicked the chair. "Business is here, so why the hell are you still playing?"

"Wait a second! My teammates are all AFK at the fountain. This game depends on me turning the tide!"

"You've already fed them eight kills, what tide are you turning?" Liu Dongli directly kicked out the power strip, then pointed at Huai Shi. "I brought you a customer. He's my little brother, so be decent, alright?"

The gamer turned around. He had a stubbly middle-aged face and looked prematurely aged. He stared at Huai Shi in astonishment for a long while.

"You're working as a host at such a young age?"

Liu Dongli's expression changed drastically, as if he had been frightened. He slapped the man on the back of the head. "I told you not to randomly guess when you've got nothing to do. What if your guessing causes trouble?"

"Okay, okay. What do you want?"

The man did not get angry. He merely stood up helplessly and beckoned them over. "The goods are in the back. Follow me."

"Just call this guy Detective. He's useless as hell, but when dealing with unfamiliar Ascenders, try not to reveal your real name. Find yourself a codename when you get the chance."

Liu Dongli gave him one final reminder, then sat on the sofa outside. "I'll wait here. If you can't judge the price, call me over."

Seeing that Liu Dongli considerately stayed outside, Huai Shi relaxed and nodded.

Behind the main room was an empty room filled with cabinets and a computer. It looked like some kind of storage room, and there was also an enormous safe.

"First time meeting you. Didn't expect New Sea to have a new Ascender." Detective extended his hand. "What should I call you, little brother?"

Following Old Liu's advice, Huai Shi did not give his real name. He wore a standard smile as he shook hands and introduced himself. "Little Peiqi of Huaihai Road."

"..."

Detective's expression twitched. It was his first time seeing such a fresh and unconventional alias. "Fine. This is an outlet for Yesterday Express. I have all the usual stuff. If what you need is more unusual, I can place an order online and transfer it in for you."

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

Huai Shi waved a hand, leaned closer, unzipped his jacket, carefully checked that no one was around, then lowered his voice and asked:

"Buddy, want some powder?"

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