The Yuanxing City Ability User Association building was located in the heart of the Fifth Commercial District. It was a twenty-eight-story, deep grey building, only a ten-minute drive from Luo Yang’s home.
A vertical sword wrapped in olive branches was embedded in the outer wall.
That was the symbol of the Punisher Association.
Luo Yang stood at the entrance of the building and looked up at the symbol.
He had just returned home to change out of the clothes stained with Heterosequence blood from the previous night. Now, he wore a clean white shirt and dark casual pants, with his black-and-gold patterned glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.
From his appearance alone, no one would have guessed that this refined young man was the Living Yama who had just live-carved a Shadow rank Heterosequence a few hours ago.
There weren't many people in the association lobby. At this hour, most Punishers were either out on missions or hadn't woken up yet.
Luo Yang walked straight to Window 17, which specialized in the recycling of Heterosequence cores.
Behind the window sat a young woman wearing round-framed glasses. Her name tag read “Lin Ya.” She looked up at Luo Yang and gave a professional smile.
“Hello, how can I help you?”
“Submitting a request.” Luo Yang took the fist-sized, dark red crystal from his space ring and placed it on the counter. “Y-114, Shadow rank Heterosequence core.”
Lin Ya’s smile froze.
She stared at the core for a full five seconds before looking up at Luo Yang’s face, as if confirming she hadn't misheard him.
“Sha... Shadow rank?”
“Yes.” Luo Yang handed her his phone, showing the mission acceptance page. “The one with the two hundred thousand reward.”
Lin Ya put on gloves and carefully picked up the core, placing it onto a nearby testing instrument.
The machine emitted a low hum, and a series of data points popped up on the screen.
Rank, integrity, energy residue, extractable utilization rate.
Everything met the standards—exceeded them, even.
The number displayed in the integrity column was particularly striking: ninety-eight percent.
Lin Ya sucked in a sharp breath.
A Shadow rank core with ninety-eight percent integrity meant the person who extracted it had caused almost no damage to it at all.
She had been a clerk at the association for three years and had handled hundreds of Heterosequence cores. At the Shadow rank, cores with an integrity over ninety percent were as rare as phoenix feathers, let alone something above ninety-five percent.
Most cores with high integrity came from small Heterosequences; they were small and easy to handle.
For a fist-sized Shadow rank core like this, anyone who could maintain seventy percent integrity was usually considered a master.
Yet this youth before her had just handed over a Shadow rank core with such an absurd level of integrity.
Is he... is he some hidden master who knows the arts of eternal youth?
“Is there a problem?” Luo Yang asked when he saw her lingering.
“N-No.” Lin Ya hurriedly pulled her gaze away and began typing quickly on her computer.
“The reward is two hundred thousand. After a three percent handling fee, the actual amount credited will be one hundred and ninety-four thousand. Please confirm on the screen.”
Luo Yang glanced at the number on the screen and pressed the confirmation button.
One hundred and ninety-four thousand Shenzhou coins.
He did some quick mental math.
Pay back Qiu Shubai one hundred and eighty thousand, leaving fourteen thousand. He had about three hundred thousand in his account already. Taking a bit of a hit to restock what he had consumed last night wasn't unacceptable.
“The money will be credited to your account within three hours.” Lin Ya handed him a receipt, hesitated for a moment, and then added in a low voice, “Um... if you have any more cores of this quality in the future, you can contact me directly. I can help you use the fast track.”
Luo Yang took the receipt and smiled at her.
“Sure, I'll look for you next time.”
He turned to leave the window, but before he reached the door, his pocket vibrated. He pulled out his phone; it was a message from Lin Ze.
Lin Ze: Luo! Are you okay?! What happened last night?!
The message was from five minutes ago, and there were three more unread ones below it.
Lin Ze: I saw the news. They said the area was cordoned off.
Lin Ze: We’re all at Yu Mingyang’s villa. Everyone’s safe.
Lin Ze: Say something! You’re worrying me to death.
Luo Yang leaned against a pillar in the association lobby, his fingers tapping quickly on the screen.
Luo Yang: I’m fine. The Heterosequence has been dealt with.
The reply came almost instantly.
Lin Ze: Dealt with?! By yourself?!
Lin Ze: Wait, that 'Ability Bureau personnel' mentioned in the news... that wasn't you, was it?
Luo Yang: Possibly, probably, likely.
Lin Ze: ...
Lin Ze: Where are you? We’ll come find you.
Luo Yang thought for a moment and dialed Lin Ze’s number.
“Hello? Luo!” Lin Ze’s hurried voice came through the phone. In the background, he could hear Yu Mingyang shouting, “Is it Luo? Let me talk!”
“It’s me.” Luo Yang’s voice was calm. “No need to come over. I have to leave in a bit.”
“What for? You took that thing down alone last night; you have to at least let us see you!” Lin Ze’s voice carried a hint of urgency. “Yu Mingyang’s been punching his body pillow all night, saying if anything happened to you, he’d never forgive himself.”
Luo Yang: “...”
Punching what? A body pillow?
He couldn't help but chuckle.
“I’m really fine. I took a mission. I’m heading out soon and might not be back for a few days.”
“A mission? What kind of mission?”
“Clearing a Rift. It’s a re-examination arranged by the academy.”
The other end of the line went silent for two seconds.
“Luo Yang.” Lin Ze rarely used his full name. “You just fought a Shadow rank Heterosequence last night, and you’re running off to clear a Rift today?”
“What happened last night wasn't much of a big deal to me.”
The line went silent again.
This time, the silence lasted longer.
“Fine.” Lin Ze’s voice finally came through, laced with a touch of helplessness. “You’re the boss, I give up. Just stay safe. Remember to find us when you get back.”
“Will do.”
“Wait a sec!” Yu Mingyang’s voice suddenly cut in, likely having snatched the phone.
“Luo! You better come back! I... I still need Su Tian to get to know me better! You have to be there to give me courage!”
Luo Yang held the phone, the corners of his mouth curving upward.
“Got it. Good luck.”
He hung up and walked out of the association building. The morning light spilled onto the street, making the air a bit warm.
The traffic light turned green, and he walked toward the subway station.
Rate on N.U.
