Chapter 101: Divine Marrow

Chapter 101: Divine Marrow

Time rewinds to half a day earlier.

After the welcome ceremony concluded, Chen Shouyi politely declined the Bureau Chief’s suggestion of a lunch banquet and left the Martial Arts Branch without lingering.

He wasn’t accustomed to socializing with middle-aged and elderly men over drinks.

As for interpersonal relationships—did a Martial Artist even need such things?

As long as it served its purpose, that was enough.

...

"One hundred fifty for the fare!"

Chen Shouyi paid the fare and stepped out of the taxi.

Before him stood an imposing five-story building. Beyond the tall granite steps, four armed soldiers stood in two rows at the entrance, silently conveying the message: unauthorized personnel were not permitted.

"Jiangnan Province Martial Arts Branch."

Chen Shouyi glanced up at the seven gilded characters beneath the national emblem.

This was the place.

As he ascended the steps, two soldiers immediately raised their hands to stop him. "Please present your credentials."

Chen Shouyi took out his Martial Artist Certificate and handed it over.

One of the soldiers inspected it carefully, saluted, and promptly let him pass.

Upon entering the lobby, he noticed quite a few Martial Artists inside—roughly thirty or forty at a glance. Many were staring at a massive television screen on the right side of the hall, which displayed densely packed exploration mission information for the Otherworld.

"Mist-Level Exploration Task 1: Explore the area within five kilometers behind Spatial Gateway No. 42324 in Qinggang Town, Hangshan District, Jinqing District. Assess the danger level and draft a topographic map. Requirements: Ability to sketch a simple map and describe findings in plain, straightforward language. Reward: Three million; 100 Merit Points."

"Mist-Level Exploration Task 2: Explore the area within three kilometers behind Spatial Gateway No. 34434 in Xiafeng Street, Tianhua City, Ningzhou District. Assess the surrounding danger level and draft a topographic map. Requirements: Ability to sketch a simple map and describe findings in basic written form. Reward: Three million; 100 Merit Points."

...

"Mist" signified the unknown.

Without a doubt, these tasks involved exploring the uncharted territories behind newly discovered gateways.

The number of missions was staggering. A single page on the television screen listed fifty tasks, and it refreshed approximately every minute. After watching for a while, Chen Shouyi saw the mission information cycle through six pages, with the final task number reaching three hundred—yet this clearly wasn’t the full extent.

He even spotted the Spatial Gateway No. 54223 he had discovered in Dongning City still listed as unclaimed.

And this was just Jiangnan Province. Nationwide, the number was likely a hundred times greater.

Judging by the numbering of Dongning City’s gateway, it was evident just how many Spatial Gateways existed across the country—and how many remained hidden in obscure corners, undiscovered.

"If I claimed the mission for Dongning City’s gateway, I could easily earn one and a half million plus a hundred Merit Points. Especially those hundred Merit Points—not only can they be exchanged for money at a one-to-ten-thousand ratio, but certain rare items also require a minimum Merit Point threshold to purchase."

After observing for a while, Chen Shouyi averted his gaze.

After inquiring at the service desk, he took the elevator to the third floor, where a beautiful staff member with a graceful figure soon approached him.

"Sir, how may I assist you?"

"I need to apply for an Explorer Certificate!"

"Please hand over your Martial Artist Certificate. It’ll just take a moment."

Chen Shouyi nodded and sat down on the nearby sofa.

The efficiency here was remarkably high. Within minutes, the same beautiful staff member returned with his documents and a thick volume.

"Here is your certificate and the Explorer Survival Manual. With this, you can freely pass through Spatial Gateways. The back of the book contains the website for the Explorer Network. Your login will be your Martial Artist ID, and the initial password is 123456. Please change it promptly. Through this website, you can accept exploration tasks online. Additionally, this is a pass for a short-term intensive course on 'Otherworld Basic Intelligence Collection,' offered by the Jiangnan Martial Arts Academy."

"Thank you!" Chen Shouyi took the pass and glanced at it.

"You’re welcome. Serving you is our duty!"

They had thought of everything, preparing all he needed.

Indeed, compared to the formally trained students of the Martial Arts Academy, self-taught Martial Artists like him lacked more than just combat skills—they were missing a great deal in other areas.

...

"Chen Shouyi, what a coincidence." Just as Chen Shouyi reached the ground floor, someone called out to him.

He turned to see a young man in his late twenties named Wan Shaochun, a fellow Martial Artist from the same batch.

On the list of those who passed the Martial Artist exam, Chen Shouyi had ranked first, while Wan Shaochun was second.

During the Combat Test, Wan Shaochun had been decisive and ruthless in battle.

While Chen Shouyi had deliberately avoided killing barbarian women and children, Wan Shaochun had shown no such restraint. In terms of sheer numbers, he had killed the most barbarians, leaving a deep impression.

"Yeah, here to get your Explorer Certificate too?" Chen Shouyi waved his own certificate and asked.

"No, I’m here to accept a task. I wanted to see if I could team up with someone. Online connections aren’t reliable enough." A faint smile appeared on Wan Shaochun’s usually gloomy face. This was his first mission, and he was understandably nervous. He had come here hoping to find an experienced Martial Artist to collaborate with.

"That makes sense."

"Want to team up?" Wan Shaochun extended the invitation.

Though the other was also a rookie, his strength far surpassed that of an ordinary Martial Artist. Plus, since they were from the same batch, the existing rapport made him a more trustworthy partner than a stranger.

For a moment, Chen Shouyi was genuinely tempted. He still didn’t even know how to draw a map, so completing the exploration task in Dongning City in the short term was impossible. Teaming up would undoubtedly help him gain experience.

But after some thought, he dismissed the idea. He had too many secrets.

His main reason for getting the Explorer Certificate wasn’t so much to explore the Otherworld as it was to find a secluded place to train—and Shell Woman would naturally accompany him. That alone ruled out any possibility of collaboration.

Chen Shouyi shook his head and declined. "Sorry, but I don’t have any exploration plans in the near future."

"That’s a shame," Wan Shaochun said, slightly disappointed.

The two exchanged a few more polite words before parting ways.

...

Chen Shouyi had lunch outside and headed straight home.

As the elevator doors opened, he spotted a stranger loitering near his doorstep. His gaze instantly sharpened. "Who are you?"

"Don’t misunderstand! Are you Mr. Chen Shouyi? I’m an employee of the Special Items Logistics Company. The goods you ordered have arrived." For some reason, as the man’s eyes met his, Chen Shouyi’s heart clenched violently under an overwhelming sense of pressure. The man hurriedly continued, "Here’s a small package and the delivery documents."

Chen Shouyi’s suspicion faded, replaced by an apologetic tone. "My apologies, I’m a bit on edge. Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"No problem at all! For special items like this, our company requires direct hand-delivery. Please sign for it." The man let out a relieved breath and forced a smile.

Chen Shouyi took the document, skimmed it, and signed.

After watching the man leave, he unlocked the door. His parents and younger sister hadn’t returned yet—clearly still searching for a suitable shop location.

He entered his bedroom and tore open the package. Inside was an exquisite wooden box. Upon opening it, he found a thick glass bottle, no larger than a thumb, sealed with brown wax and nestled in foam padding.

Picking up the bottle, he brought it closer for inspection. A faint, weak glow seemed to seep from within.

"So this is the Divine Marrow!"