Chapter 71: The Blow

Chapter 71: The Blow

"Dispatcher 8723 at your service."

"Is this the Changmen Town police station?"

"Yes, do you have a report to make?"

"I just returned from Dongning City and discovered a spatial gateway there. It’s located in the parking lot of an unfinished building near the intersection of Dongxiao Street and Ning'an Street in Dongning City. I hope you can alert the Dongning City government promptly."

"The information has been recorded. Thank you for your civic-minded act. According to current regulations, citizens who discover concealed spatial gateways will receive a reward from the local government. Please come to the police station now or tomorrow to register your personal information. Once the report is confirmed—"

"Hello? Hello? Are you still there?"

Chen Shouyi decisively hung up the phone. The hum of the generator filled his ears as he quickly exited the empty Call Center.

The Call Center was a public facility set up after the power outage to facilitate emergency calls, but it only allowed dialing certain public service numbers, such as the police, hospitals, banks, and government agencies. The place was usually quite deserted.

Walking down the street, he felt a mix of reluctance and relief.

It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He no longer had to live in constant fear and pressure.

He looked up at the dim yellow sun and sighed.

Sometimes, you have to let go to gain something in return.

...

Time passed swiftly, and ten peaceful days went by.

He spent most of his time at home, training diligently. Over these days, his Constitution, Perception, Agility, and Willpower had each increased by 0.1, while his Strength had risen by 0.2.

His current attributes were now:

Strength: 13.3

Agility: 13.3

Constitution: 13.9

Intelligence: 12.6

Perception: 11.3

Willpower: 12.1

Constitution remained his highest attribute, with Agility and Strength following closely behind.

Compared to ten days ago, his overall combat prowess had improved by at least thirty percent. If he were to fight that Black-suited Man again, Chen Shouyi was confident he could kill him effortlessly in just two or three exchanges.

...

Early in the morning, Chen Shouyi rushed home with a newspaper in hand.

"Dad, Mom, the power in Ningzhou has been restored! And the newspaper specifically mentioned that there will be a Martial Arts Apprentice Assessment open to all residents of Ningzhou in two days."

The situation in society was gradually improving. According to today’s newspaper, not only Ningzhou but all major cities across the country had begun restoring electricity. This meant that as soon as he passed the Martial Arts Apprentice Assessment, he could immediately head to Hedong City, the provincial capital, to take the Martial Apprentice Examination.

Once he passed the Martial Apprentice Examination, his family would no longer have to live in hiding, constantly fearing exposure.

"Will your identity be an issue?" Chen Mu worried about the risk of exposure.

"Mom, don’t worry. Have you seen any warrants for our arrest? Besides, we can’t hide forever," Chen Shouyi reassured her.

Chen Mu and Chen Dawei exchanged glances, their hearts heavy.

It was true. They could resign themselves to living like this for the rest of their lives, but their children were still young. They couldn’t let them grow up in constant fear.

Finally, Chen Dawei sighed and said, "Then go. But be careful. If anything seems off, run immediately."

...

The examination was scheduled for the morning two days later, leaving little time to spare. Without delay, Chen Shouyi returned to his room to pack a few essentials before setting off for Ningzhou.

His parents and Chen Xingyue saw him off at the courtyard gate.

"Brother, stay safe," Chen Xingyue said. Given her brother's strength as a Martial Artist, she wasn’t worried about whether he would pass—as long as his identity remained undisclosed, it was practically a foregone conclusion.

"Don’t worry, no need to see me off. By the way, if everything goes smoothly, I’ll have to head to Hedong City afterward for the Martial Apprentice Examination. I might not be back for a while."

"While I’m gone, be careful, especially you, Xingyue. Try not to go out too much!"

"Got it, Brother," Chen Xingyue replied. "Don’t worry about home—I’ll take care of things."

"The weather’s been a bit chilly lately. Make sure to cover yourself well at night so you don’t catch a cold," Chen Mu added.

"Understood, Mom!"

Truthfully, with his current Constitution, catching a cold would be nearly impossible.

Just as Chen Mu was about to say more, Chen Shouyi suddenly raised a finger to his lips, signaling silence.

Moments later, the Landlady and her daughter emerged, lugging several bags. Spotting Chen Shouyi and his family, she smiled and asked, "Oh, are you heading out too?"

"Yes, my son is going to Ningzhou," Chen Dawei replied cheerfully.

"What a coincidence! My daughter is also going to Ningzhou for the Martial Arts Apprentice Assessment. You two could travel together. I originally planned to accompany her, but this girl insisted on going alone—so troublesome!"

Though the Landlady spoke as if complaining, her tone carried a hint of restrained pride.

She had every reason to be proud. In the entire town—no, the entire city—how many girls her daughter’s age were even attempting the Martial Arts Apprentice Assessment?

Chen Shouyi instinctively glanced at his mother, noticing the faint smile forming on her face. A bad feeling crept up on him.

Sure enough...

"Ah, they’re all the same. When my daughter took the Martial Arts Apprentice Assessment, she refused to let me accompany her too. Then, without a word, she passed—gave me such a scare! Now my son is going, and I barely feel anything!"

The Landlady’s smile stiffened slightly. Her lips parted, but it took her a moment to respond. "How old is your daughter? She passed at such a young age?"

"She’s already fifteen—born in June. If she hadn’t already secured a spot at the Beijing Martial Arts Institute, I’d have wanted her to focus on getting into university. All this swordplay and martial arts—it’ll be hard for her to find a husband later."

The fact that she was five months younger than the Landlady’s precious daughter left the latter utterly deflated. Forced to play along, she managed a dry chuckle. "Oh, don’t say that. The Beijing Martial Arts Institute is one of the top schools—many can only dream of getting in. If she becomes a Martial Artist, you’ll be set for life."

"Becoming a Martial Artist isn’t that easy. If she can just land a job as a martial arts instructor after graduation, I’ll be satisfied."

Her daughter, cheeks slightly flushed, shot a glance at the expressionless Chen Xingyue before tugging at her mother’s sleeve. "Mom, enough. I’m leaving."

......

The young girl strode briskly down the street, pulling a suitcase with a stern expression, her ponytail swaying behind her.

Chen Shouyi followed at a leisurely pace.

She wore a white pure cotton T-shirt on top, paired with a dark blue pleated skirt, white long socks, and blue-white sneakers, looking fresh and vibrant with youthful energy.

Before long, the two arrived at the bus stop, bought their tickets, and sat waiting for the bus.

Feeling the awkwardness was unbearable—after all, they still had to travel together—Chen Shouyi broke the silence: "Let’s get to know each other. My name is Chen Shouyi. And you?"

"Zhou Xue!" The young girl replied coldly without looking at him.

"Still in your first year of high school?"

"Mhm."

"That’s the same as my younger sister," Chen Shouyi said.

The atmosphere immediately turned silent.

Truly a proud young girl, Chen Shouyi thought inwardly, feeling awkward.

The bus soon arrived, and Zhou Xue immediately stood up to queue for boarding.

After entering the bus, Chen Shouyi sat down beside her.

"Can you not sit here?" Zhou Xue said coldly.

"But my seat is right here," Chen Shouyi replied, showing his ticket.

"There are so many empty seats on the bus. You can sit anywhere else!"

"Fine." Feeling rejected, Chen Shouyi reluctantly stood up and found another seat nearby.

He quietly opened his briefcase and glanced at Shell Woman, who was sound asleep while clutching her beloved crystal ball.

Then he zipped it back up, adjusted his seat, leaned back, and closed his eyes to rest.