Arrival in Cangnan

Cangnan City, the airport.

A black van was parked outside the airport. A scruffy middle-aged man sat behind the wheel, while a young woman with a high ponytail occupied the passenger seat.

"Uncle Zhao, should we put up a welcome banner or something? He's from a Special Squad! He's my idol!" Hongying sounded excited.

"Keep it low-key. That's what we Night Watchers are all about!" Zhao Kongcheng looked exasperated, thinking she might as well set off a ceremonial cannon salute.

"Oh!"

"Then why aren't we picking him up in the captain's super-cool off-roader?"

"This beat-up van is way too embarrassing!"

Hongying propped her chin in both hands, her bright eyes sparkling as she complained.

At that, Zhao Kongcheng flushed. He coughed a few times and replied, "Orders from above. Keep it low-key."

"Besides, what's wrong with my beat-up van? It's transportation. As long as it runs, that's enough."

Hongying rolled her eyes and immediately exposed him. "It's obviously because you drove the captain's beloved car into a ditch, Uncle Zhao. He was so heartbroken..."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

"Look, is that him?"

Zhao Kongcheng hastily changed the subject before this troublesome girl could air all his dirty laundry.

"Where?"

"Let me see!"

Hongying poked her head out, looking back and forth like a groundhog, before finally locking onto a young man pulling a suitcase through the crowd.

He had silver hair and wore a black blindfold. He looked about six foot three, dressed in a loose white T-shirt, black casual trousers, and sneakers.

From a distance, he looked sunny and confident. Walking around in broad daylight wearing a blindfold was a little bizarre, though.

"Wow!"

"He's got this mysterious, handsome vibe!" After swooning over him, she added, "But wearing a blindfold in broad daylight-that weird getup matches exactly what the higher-ups described. It's definitely him!"

"Let's go get him!"

"Okay, okay!"

"Wipe off the drool first. Don't scare him!" Old Zhao reminded her, pressing a hand to his forehead in resignation.

"I'm not lusting after his body!"

"Just shut up, you troublesome girl!"

"Uncle Zhao, you scruffy old man!"

Just as their usual bickering was about to reach fever pitch, a gentle male voice cut in.

"You two, how about taking a break?"

"Ah!!!"

The sudden remark made Hongying scream. She distinctly remembered that the man before her had been at least a hundred meters away. How had he appeared beside the van in the blink of an eye?

"Ahem." Old Zhao coughed awkwardly a few times, got out, and walked up to Wang Quan. He politely extended his hand and introduced himself. "Hello, I'm Zhao Kongcheng of the 136 Squad stationed in Cangnan City."

Wang Quan's eyes lit up at those words, and he smiled as he shook the offered hand. This was the man he was supposed to protect.

All he knew about the plot of Slaying Gods was the protagonist's name. He had only managed to find this middle-aged man named Zhao Kongcheng thanks to the system's sufficiently precise instructions, plus just a teensy bit of access privileges.

"Hello, sir!"

"My name is Wang Quan. I belong to the Special Squad, [Daybreak]!"

"You can call me Little Wang, or just use my name!"

Zhao Kongcheng paused. Despite being one of the Night Watchers' finest talents, the young man had no airs whatsoever. His spirited confidence was enviable, rather like...

A proud yet friendly lion!

He had a very good first impression of Wang Quan.

"All right, all right, my turn!"

Hongying bumped Old Zhao aside with her hip and said with a radiant smile, "Hello, my name's Hongying. I'm also a member of the 136 Squad stationed in Cangnan."

"Hello. I look forward to getting along with you!"

Wang Quan liked the lively, beautiful young woman before him. That was his first impression, at least.

More precisely, both members of the 136 Squad were warm and welcoming, helping with his luggage and fussing over his comfort.

On the drive back, Hongying sat beside Wang Quan in the back seat, peppering him with curious questions.

The Special Squads represented some of the Night Watchers' greatest fighting strength. Joining one was an honor every Night Watcher dreamed of.

Anyone would have been thrilled to meet one of their members face-to-face.

"Hey, are you really strong?" Hongying asked, straightforward and sincere as ever.

"You could say that!"

"Ever heard of [Mask]?"

"Yes, yes!"

"I heard their captain is a god's agent!"

"Heh, heh, heh!" Wang Quan lifted his chin like a fisherman who had landed a sixty-pound catch and boasted, "I took on their whole squad by myself and won!"

"Wow!" Hongying clapped wildly, stars in her eyes, admiring him even more.

There was no desire to flirt in Wang Quan's eyes, only an earnest desire to show off.

Meanwhile, far away on a mission, the members of [Mask] sneezed twice almost simultaneously, wondering what bastard was talking about them behind their backs.

Every one of them thought of the same person.

It had to be that bastard Wang Quan!

The van passed through the bustling downtown streets and reached the outskirts.

A bridge came into view. Still acting as their tour guide, Hongying explained, "This is Peace Bridge. The Jiangnan Grand Canal runs beneath it. It's one of Cangnan's landmarks."

"Oh, I see!"

"Thanks for taking the trouble to explain everything along the way."

"Hahaha!"

"It's nothing. All I have to do is talk!" Hongying patted Wang Quan's shoulder. She was the sort who could instantly make herself at home with anyone.

"By the way, what brings you to Cangnan?" Zhao Kongcheng asked very quietly, his tone conspiratorial. After all, the appearance of someone on the level of a Special Squad member suggested that something major was about to happen. He was quite curious.

"I'm on vacation, sir?"

Zhao Kongcheng was utterly baffled.

"Vacation?"

"Aren't you guys always busy?"

"My situation is a little different," Wang Quan explained. "To be precise, I work fast enough that I have plenty of time to use as I please."

"Oh, I see!"

"So that's it!"

"I thought something huge was happening!"

"You have no idea how nervous our captain was when he got the notice. He was so worried he didn't sleep all night."

"Now he can finally relax!"

As he talked, Old Zhao began rambling about Chen Muye, with Hongying occasionally chiming in to take another jab at him.

"Your squad is really close!" Wang Quan could tell that the 136 Squad was like a family.

"Of course! We're all comrades!"

"And we're comrades too!"

Hongying threw an arm around Wang Quan's neck and held her head high. Being comrades with a Special Squad member would certainly give her something to brag about.

"We'll get the captain to make you a nice meal to welcome you!"

After chatting throughout the drive, Hongying already considered Wang Quan one of their own.

Wang Quan had always been a loner. How could he describe this feeling he hadn't experienced in so long?

He didn't dislike it.

The van stopped outside an unassuming storefront with an old red sign hanging above it.

-Peace Office.

To the office's left was a wedding services company, its vivid reds and purples drawing the eye. To its right was a full-service funeral business, likewise dealing with one of life's major events.

In comparison, the office looked utterly ordinary.

Yet the more ordinary it was, the greater its significance. Behind that little storefront lay the safety of an entire city.