Chapter 103: Surprise

Chapter 103: Surprise

Early the next morning, Chen Shouyi returned from practicing swordplay at the haunted house.

As he stepped inside, he noticed an extra person in the house.

"Shouyi, why are you only coming back now? She’s been waiting for you for a long time," Jiang Fen chided.

Bai Xiaoling quickly stood up, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Auntie, it’s fine. I haven’t been waiting long. I’m the one causing trouble for you all."

She wasn’t wearing her police uniform today. Instead, she was dressed in a professional black-and-white office outfit, looking every bit the urban white-collar worker.

"What brings you here?" Chen Shouyi asked, puzzled.

"Consultant Chen, hello. From now on, I’ll be your dedicated liaison. Today is my first day on the job," Bai Xiaoling said carefully.

So that was it. Chen Shouyi remembered now—the Bureau Chief had indeed mentioned assigning him a dedicated liaison yesterday. He hadn’t expected it to be someone he already knew.

He wasn’t particularly awkward about it, given they’d only met a few times before.

"Sorry, let me wash my face first. We’ll talk in a bit."

"No problem, take your time."

Chen Shouyi placed his sword in the bedroom and had just entered the bathroom when his younger sister sneaked in with a mischievous look.

"Bro, you’ve got yourself a little secretary now?"

"What kind of nonsense is that? She’s a liaison from the police branch. She’s an officer," Chen Shouyi retorted while washing his face.

"Then why pick someone so pretty? Her face is as sharp as a vixen’s," Chen Xingyue huffed.

"How should I know? Brat, stop making wild guesses!"

Chen Xingyue pouted. "As if you’re so much older. You’re only two years ahead of me."

"I was already running around when you were still nursing," Chen Shouyi said flatly, hanging the towel on the rack.

Chen Xingyue’s expression stiffened, but before she could retort, Jiang Fen called from outside, "Xingyue, let’s go. We’re still looking at shops today."

…

Once his parents and sister had left, the atmosphere grew slightly awkward.

"Have a seat, make yourself comfortable," Chen Shouyi said, gesturing as he sat on the sofa.

Bai Xiaoling smoothed her skirt and sat down, her long legs clad in sheer nude stockings pressed neatly together.

"Sorry, but from what I understand, a liaison’s job is just making phone calls, right? From what you said earlier, it doesn’t seem that simple?" Chen Shouyi asked, puzzled. The way she carried herself made her seem more like an assistant or secretary.

"Consultant Chen, that used to be the case. But now, with mobile communications down and contact limited, landlines are the only option—unless the Security Consultant happens to be at home, it’s hard to reach them. If something major happens…"

This was one of the aftereffects of the mysterious forces’ invasion. The efficiency of society had severely regressed.

Chen Shouyi frowned and cut her off. "I get it. But I don’t want this to disrupt my family’s life."

"Visiting today was indeed a bit abrupt. In the future, you can think of me as just a driver or an invisible presence. I won’t interfere with your life at all," Bai Xiaoling quickly assured him.

"You have a car?" Chen Shouyi caught the word "driver" and perked up, immediately asking.

"Y-yes, I do," Bai Xiaoling replied, confused.

"Good. Take me to Jiangnan Martial Arts Academy."

…

Chen Shouyi sat in the back seat with his eyes closed, resting. Bai Xiaoling gripped the steering wheel, stealing glances at his profile through the rearview mirror.

He's really handsome. Even his cold and domineering demeanor is so captivating. I've heard that Martial Artists are inhumanly strong. If he were to force himself on me, should I even resist?

At this thought, her legs involuntarily trembled slightly.

In truth, it wasn’t that Chen Shouyi was devastatingly handsome—strictly speaking, he was just ordinarily good-looking. But combined with the aura of a Martial Artist, Bai Xiaoling’s perception of him was completely different.

"What are you thinking about?"

At some point, Chen Shouyi had opened his eyes.

"N-Nothing!" Bai Xiaoling hastily averted her gaze, her face burning.

Oh my god, what the hell am I fantasizing about?

He’s only seventeen!

Chen Shouyi didn’t dwell on it and checked the time. "How much longer until we arrive?"

"If there’s no traffic, about half an hour."

Having a dedicated driver was great. Considering he didn’t have to pay, most of his resistance toward having a Liaison vanished.

Chen Shouyi nodded and didn’t speak further, pulling out an Explorer Survival Manual and flipping through it rapidly.

The boost in Intelligence didn’t just enhance memory—it improved everything, from reaction speed to logical comprehension.

With an Intelligence of 13, he was already in the realm of top-tier geniuses.

Especially for knowledge that only required memorization rather than deep understanding, he could skim a page in just over ten seconds. By the time the car arrived at Jiangnan Martial Arts Academy, he had already read a third of the 300-page manual.

Chen Shouyi opened the car door and turned back. "Wait here for me."

"Understood, Consultant Chen!"

As soon as Chen Shouyi entered the campus, Bai Xiaoling immediately got out of the car, found a nearby public phone, and called the Information Department of the Public Security Bureau’s branch to report her location.

---

Jiangnan Martial Arts Academy was located in a mountainous area, surrounded by secluded tranquility. The buildings were arranged in an orderly yet varied layout, with parks and trees everywhere, giving the campus an otherworldly, almost utopian feel.

To Chen Shouyi, it didn’t feel like a school—it was more like a martial sect straight out of a movie. He saw many students practicing swordplay in the secluded parks or sparring with each other, completely absorbed in their training.

Every student he passed was physically robust, exuding an imposing aura, each possessing the strength of a Martial Artist Apprentice.

Looking at them, Chen Shouyi felt a faint pang of regret and envy.

This was the Martial Arts Academy of my dreams.

If my progress had been slower, I could’ve been one of them next year.

Sigh… I advanced too fast.

---

The campus was vast, spanning over 330 hectares. Although the class pass had a map, the undulating terrain and winding mountain paths left him thoroughly disoriented.

Chen Shouyi had no choice but to stop a female student. "Excuse me, how do I get to the Otherworld Basic Intelligence Collection short-term intensive class?"

Xiao Peipei glanced at Chen Shouyi in his suit and blushed slightly, replying shyly, "That place is quite secluded and hard to find. I can take you there!"

"Great, thank you so much," Chen Shouyi said gratefully.

"You’re welcome!"

---

"Are you here to meet someone?" Xiao Peipei couldn’t help but ask along the way.

"Oh, here for class!" Chen Shouyi waved his class attendance pass.

"What company do you work for? Why are you taking this kind of class? I heard most attendees are Martial Artists who didn’t graduate from a Martial Arts Academy?" Xiao Peipei asked curiously. After all, those from the Martial Arts Academy would have already taken these courses.

"Do I really look so unlike a Martial Artist?" Chen Shouyi asked, slightly annoyed.

"No, you look even younger than me," Xiao Peipei said, covering her mouth with a light laugh, thinking he was exaggerating.

Chen Shouyi was speechless. His age was a sore spot, and he had been troubled by it for a long time.

The two walked along a path through a dense forest, and after another ten minutes or so, a secluded building nestled among the trees came into view. Many people were chatting in the garden in front, clearly waiting for class to start.

"Thanks for guiding me here," Chen Shouyi said.

Xiao Peipei quickly replied, "No problem, I was coming this way for class anyway."

...

"Chen Shouyi, I didn’t expect to see you here for class?" Lu Weifeng stood up and walked over with a smile as soon as he spotted him.

Another female Martial Artist from the same batch also came over to greet him. "What a coincidence."

Her name was Song Yingjie. With her short hair and striking, androgynous features, it was hard to tell her gender at first glance—she looked like a handsome young man.

"Yeah, I have no choice. The stuff on the Martial Artist trading site is too expensive. If I don’t start earning soon, I’ll be broke. Why are you two still in Hedong?" Chen Shouyi asked.

"I thought about it and decided to move to Hedong, but money just disappears too fast," Lu Weifeng said with a helpless chuckle.

"I’m from Hedong City, so of course I stayed," Song Yingjie said with a smile. "Give me your number, let’s keep in touch."

Their conversation wasn’t hushed, and after walking a few steps, Xiao Peipei suddenly looked surprised. She turned back toward the building and saw the two of them gathered around the man she had just guided, chatting animatedly.