Sixth District, station.
Zhang Fusheng calmly took the milk tea from Chen Nuanyu's hand and lazily took a sip.
Mm, not bad.
He forced himself not to show any fatigue.
The price of putting on an act was not high, but it really did feel good—of course, Zhang Fusheng was not showing off before others merely for the sake of showing off.
Though he enjoyed it very much.
"Half an hour until departure." He sipped his milk tea. "Did you bring the school contract?"
"I did." The girl nodded lightly and stood quietly, like an obedient golden canary. Amid the noisy station, quite a few gazes were fixed on her from afar.
Zhang Fusheng took another sip of milk tea.
"The craftsmanship really is good."
He muttered to himself, lowering his eyelids to hide the deep, shadowed look in his eyes.
Naturally, Chen Nuanyu had gone at Zhang Fusheng's instruction. He had asked her to bring him a cup of milk tea so he could sample the flavor,
and, incidentally, to let her meet "Zhong Shan" once, so it would not seem too abrupt later.
But then again, the Divine Realm was truly useful.
Watching the bustling crowd, Zhang Fusheng pursed his lips.
He had transformed the Divine Realm into the milk tea shop and its surrounding environment, perfectly drawing all four of them into it.
He had not originally intended to do so, but he had sensed prying eyes—from a white van, from... the Investigation Bureau!
"The more mysterious something is, the more it inspires fear."
Zhang Fusheng murmured inwardly. That was why he had deliberately left behind the flaw of the ivy; why Zhu Xiaoming and Lu Yao had suffered brief memory loss under the influence of mental will;
why he had shown his face without concealment; why there had been that distant glance, and the Mental Intent laboriously interfering with the cameras.
The Gaotian Association was currently only a fledgling. It did not truly exist yet.
But Zhang Fusheng wanted its name to rise like thunder.
Only then would people seek its "truth," worship it, and pay a certain price to join it.
People did not need to understand the Gaotian Association, but at the very least, they needed to know that such a colossal entity existed in the shadows—unfathomable, impossible to find, yet leaving behind countless traces that proved its existence.
That was also why Zhang Fusheng had not concealed "Zhong Shan's" face.
5:30.
"Let's go through security." Zhang Fusheng lazily rose to his feet. Chen Nuanyu consciously picked up the suitcase and carry-on bag beside him, silently following behind.
She clearly carried an air of standing apart from the world, yet she looked like a little maidservant.
The passersby stealing glances at Chen Nuanyu's snow-white thighs suddenly gritted their teeth, hearts aching with grief.
"Fake, it has to be fake!" A young man clutched his chest and wailed at his companion.
They passed through the unobstructed VIP ticket gate.
"Train CC1000 is about to depart. This train is bound for Longzhou City."
"That train number sounds familiar..."
Zhang Fusheng muttered as he dropped into a seat. Chen Nuanyu sat down beside him as well.
The business-class carriage was quiet, with dim lighting and spacious, comfortable seats. The only issue was the price—it was more than double that of first class.
Passengers boarded one after another. With a low rumble, the train slowly pulled away.
This era was sometimes truly strange. The Federation ruled the starry skies as far as the eye could see,
yet on the Federation's Mother Star, high-speed trains that ran at two hundred kilometers per hour were still in operation. But when he thought of the Lower-Level District, Zhang Fusheng no longer found it so strange.
"Hey, Sister Xixi, I'll arrive at seven. No need to pick me up—I can find my way."
A gentle, refined female voice, carrying an intellectual air, came from the other end of the call.
"Oh, I wasn't planning to pick you up anyway. It's more than ten kilometers, and in this scorching weather, only a ghost would go outside!"
Zhang Fusheng choked.
"Hey, couldn't you at least pretend to be polite?"
"Polite my ass!"
Zhang Xiaoxi's words and voice were not merely mismatched—they ran in completely opposite directions.
She said smugly,
"Your big sister isn't just anybody now. I'm about to join the province's most badass Research Institute. Once I become an academician, I'll take you soaring!"
"Are you sure it's the most badass Research Institute?"
Zhang Fusheng was suspicious.
"Is their judgment perhaps..."
"Get lost!" Zhang Xiaoxi laughed and scolded. "Your sister studied very hard for four years in university, okay? I was among the very best!"
"Fine, fine, Sister Xixi is amazing."
Zhang Fusheng said cheerfully,
"So what's this competition you entered?"
"Oh, first place in the competition gets you into the Research Institute."
Zhang Fusheng rubbed his forehead.
"So you popped the champagne at halftime?"
"So what? I'm asking you, so what?"
Zhang Xiaoxi stretched lazily.
"Your big sister's going to catch some sleep. Message me when you're about to arrive. Is a Jiang University teacher coming with you, or are they staying at a hotel?"
"Oh, not a teacher. But I brought the contract anyway. We'll talk when we meet."
After chatting a little longer, Zhang Fusheng hung up.
He looked at the twilight rushing past outside the train window and asked calmly,
"How do you plan to repay me for getting your deadline extended?"
Chen Nuanyu fell silent for a moment.
"Thank you."
Zhang Fusheng turned to gaze at the girl, then gave a soft laugh.
"Since that church noticed you, I have some confidence in you. So this should count as an investment."
He said unhurriedly,
"The daily interest rate goes up to five percent. The final repayment deadline is one month, with one additional condition—"
He leaned closer and whispered,
"Can you be a little pet?"
Chen Nuanyu clenched her fists.
After a long while.
"Mm." She answered expressionlessly.
Zhang Fusheng's smile was radiant.
He turned back to the window, and his gaze gradually sank.
There were still quite a few things to do in Longzhou City.
The highest priority was Star Beast Meat.
Hong's had "business" in Longzhou City as well: the branch of the "hotel" managed by Eldest Senior Brother.
Though its scale was far smaller than Jiangzhou's, it could still gather some Star Beast Meat.
The deal with Chen Nuanyu would likely be completed in Longzhou City,
but this was only the beginning.
Zhang Fusheng intended to use the next few days to find a suitable target in Longzhou City as well and bring them into the Gaotian Association.
After all, the members of the Gaotian Association could not be limited to Jiangzhou. That was far too narrow. This trip to Longzhou City was also a perfect chance to test the waters.
The target could not be decided for now. Once they reached the branch, he would first look at the local intelligence.
He suddenly frowned, forcing his gaze to remain fixed on the window instead of turning back.
Within his perception, someone was silently approaching.
An attack?
An assassin?
Zhang Fusheng narrowed his eyes.
Then—
"Chen Nuanyu."
A voice rang out. Zhang Fusheng looked over naturally. It was a young man with no expression on his face and white hair.
It did not seem dyed; it was simply the gray-white hair of someone advanced in age.
The young man held his hands in a solemn gesture—or rather, a hand seal.
Zhang Fusheng recognized it. This was—
The Zi Wu Jue?
In his previous life, Daoists would greet one another with the Zi Wu Jue, just as monks pressed their palms together.
Daoism—and most likely the West Cultist who had contacted Chen Nuanyu before.
Chen Nuanyu was slightly startled and instinctively glanced at Zhang Fusheng. The young man also cast him an indifferent glance, completely unconcerned.
He merely took Zhang Fusheng for Chen Nuanyu's friend.
He released his hands and, at some point, had produced an incense stick between his fingers. A train attendant hurried over to stop him, only for her legs to go weak as she fainted.
The passengers throughout the carriage fainted the moment they smelled the burning incense. The red light in the carriage's ceiling surveillance camera had stopped blinking at some unknown time.
"The church's divination and calculations found that the Six Ding Divine Fire may not be an ordinary special flame. Its status and grade are likely higher."
The young man said flatly,
"It may be close to the level of the Nether Ghost Fire. Mm, simply put, Lord Steward has decided to grant you certain preferential treatment. You may join the church now."
As he spoke, he suddenly frowned and looked toward the ordinary young man beside Chen Nuanyu, who was listening with great interest.
"Why didn't you faint?"
Zhang Fusheng thought for a moment.
"I blow up balloons a lot. My lung capacity is good, and I'm good at holding my breath."
Before you continue