Chapter 12: "Don't worry, he's already paid for it."

Chapter 12

Two days ago.

With no points to pay off their debts, Lin Yanming and Shi An are forced to join the team.

A member at best, a decoy at worst.

In the leader's exact words, "Whenever you help us earn enough points from that demon, I'll let you go."

Two days later.

That squad handed the wristwatch back to Lin Yanming and Shi An and told them to get as far away from it as they could.

Shi An stared at the group's back as they fled in dismay and asked, "Why don't they move with us anymore?"

Lin Yanming: "......"

How dare you ask?

--Since the two of them became the bait, the entire squad had never encountered a single demon again.

More importantly, Shi An eats too much.

After moving together for just two days, the entire squad's food stock had been consumed by him alone, and if they continued on their journey, then they would definitely not be able to make ends meet with their points.

It's like two tired people who want nothing and can't do anything.

So it was kicked out like that without hesitation.

Lin Yanming let out a long, lifeless sigh, feeling for the first time so desperate for the next few days of testing.

Shi An looked down and studied his wristwatch halfway and said, "Head east next."

Lin Yanming looked at the map.

They were now at the junction of the desert area and the rainforest area, the difficulty of the rainforest area was a bit too high, those high level freshmen were definitely all here, the best thing to do now was to bypass the rainforest area and go to the forest area in the east, where the difficulty was moderate and they should be able to live a little longer.

--And further east, a grayish area.

Scorched earth area.

Class S hazardous area.

But Lin Yanming didn't even look in that direction.

After all, how could any human with a normal brain voluntarily head for that area?

He replied directly, "OK, east then."

*

Other side.

Zhao She led his crew forward.

He's a makeshift squad of freshmen.

There are eight members in total, and while none of them are too bad in terms of performance strength, they don't stand out too much either

It was because of this that they came together and used the advantage of terrain and numbers to ambush the demons and earn points.

They had originally stayed in the rainforest area before, but had to migrate towards the edge of the region to the fringe where the rainforest and desert area met due to the rainforest area being occupied by another team that was stronger.

The atmosphere in the ranks was extraordinarily heavy.

No one can be happy after two days in a row of no grain and losing most of their stock.

Suddenly, one of the team members sensed something, her expression slightly condensed and she became cautious, "Be careful."

The crowd was flabbergasted.

The jungle ahead looked serene, the ferns were dense and jumbled, so massive that they covered the sky, and the air was so humid and thick that it gave the illusion of being out of breath.

Not far away came the sound of rustling footsteps, and vague fluctuations in magic became clearer and clearer.

A familiar figure appeared in front of the crowd.

Zhao She narrowed his eyes slightly, "Shi Rui, the Rainforest District is already yours, what else are you going to do?"

The remaining few people had also raised two hundred percent of their spirits, vigilantly watching the few people in front of them, seemingly ready for a short fight.

Shi Rui smiled slightly.

He looked a little more like Shi An, but a little more bookish, "Don't worry, I don't mean any harm."

"I hear that you've been operating with my brother lately?"

Zhao She narrowed her eyes and didn't answer.

Shi Rui : "Don't be so vigilant, I'm just looking for him to settle a bit of a previous dispute."

He pointed to Duan Hua, who was standing behind him, and said, "My friend had a little conflict with my brother earlier, and wanted to take this opportunity to just apologize to him."

Zhao She coldly snorted in an extremely nonchalant manner, "Apologize? In an actual combat test? You guys really know how to find the right time."

He had heard those rumors quite a bit, and while he didn't have much of a soft spot for trash like Shi An, he'd seen a lot of people like Shi Rui, and while there was a reason for the eldest son's cowardice here, as a bastard son who could be claimed back by his own family, and still be touted as a candidate for heir, he didn't think that this guy was going to be some kind of dumb, sweet man who would be kind to people.

"Don't be so hostile to us, I just want to know where my brother went."

"We separated from Shi An a long time ago," Jo She said coldly.

"As for where he goes, it's out of our hands and we don't want to care."

When he finished, he greeted a few of his team members behind him.

Several people retreated backward in an orderly manner, still seemingly on guard against a sudden attack from the other side.

But Shi Rui didn't do anything, just watched as they disappeared in front of him.

Only when the other party's silhouette was swallowed up by the jungle did Duan Hua speak up with some urgency and ask, "Shi Rui, won't you pursue this any further?"

Shi Rui: "It's not necessary."

He narrowed his eyes and smiled, "I just wasn't sure if my brother was with them all the way, and now I've got the definitive answer."

Shi Rui opened the map on his wristwatch and examined it for a moment:

"Based on the direction this team came from, combined with the nearby terrain and the strength ratios between the regions, my brother is probably heading east to the forested area."

"Then let's quickly follow them!" Duan Hua looked even more anxious than Shi Rui.

He led his men to block Shi An on that day, but he was bumped into by Mu Hang.

This is already bad luck, but now Mu Hang has become their third round examiner!

This matter is like a shade hovering in the bottom of his heart, making him uneasy and unable to forget for a long time, no matter what way, he must resolve this matter before the third round of examination, and absolutely can t let this affect his own enrollment ...... absolutely can t!

Duan Hua couldn't help but secretly clench his fists, like a desperate man grasping at the only spider's thread dangling in front of him.

"What are you going to do after you follow them?" Shi Rui asked coldly.

Duan Hua froze: "...... Road, apologize."

"Although I agree with your behavior, what is the use of ...... apologizing with him?" Shi Rui sighed and continued, "Hasn't what you did already been given to show Officer Mu?"

Duan Hua was stunned.

Yeah, what's the point of apologizing to Shi An.

He and Officer Mu were not even casual acquaintances, and even if he had gained Shi An's understanding, it would not change the impression he left on the examiner.

The spider's silk hanging in front of her eyes snapped and slowly drifted down.

Duan Hua stood still as if he had been woken up by a blow to the head, and his eyes grayed out.

Shi Rui patted his shoulder and said with extreme regret and sympathy:

"Sorry."

"Although you may not believe it, but I really understand you ...... very well" his face showed a despondent look: "I was also recently led back, although my brother is not much older than me, but he grew up enjoying All kinds of preferential treatment and privileges that I didn't even dare to think about, it was only then that I realized that the gap between people is so big, what we dream of and spend all our efforts to pursue, for others, it's just a matter of spending a bit of money, donating a building, and doing something on the exams to get it ......"

Shi Rui looked towards Duan Hua and continued:

"In case you haven't noticed, Shi An's name doesn't even appear on the list of written test scores, and he didn't even take the second round of interviews before going straight to the third round of practicals."

Duan Hua was stunned and subconsciously recalled the previous two rounds of exams.

That's right.

Shi Rui is right.

Shi An definitely cheated his way into the third round!

"Is that fair? Of course it's not fair," Shi Rui watched as a hidden smile swept across his lips as the rage at injustice and the extreme vengefulness of being in a desperate situation climbed a little higher up Duan Hua's face.

"But what can we do? We can't do anything."

He withdrew his hand that was pressed on Duan Hua's shoulder and said:

"Still, an apology is in order, and everything will wait until we see my brother, right?"

After saying that, Shi Rui took the lead and turned around, walking forward.

He listened attentively-five seconds later a heavy footstep followed.

Shi Rui smiled silently.

That's good.

*

Shi An doesn't like rainforests.

The space here was too narrow, the air too humid and thick with moisture, and it just wasn't a good place for him who was used to wide, wide spaces - he was even starting to miss the earlier desert area a little.

It's still hard to catch up with the sun, but at least the place is spacious!

Soon the rainforest area was coming to an end.

Not far away was a triangular divider, to the right was the lush edge of the forested area that could be vaguely glimpsed, but if you went further, there was the dark, scorched area, not quite close, but the dark, ominous, cold land had a strong presence that was impossible to ignore.

The Demon Worm said excitedly from within Shi An's sleeve, "That's right! That's it right there! I've felt it!"

Shi An was energized.

He took two steps forward, but then seemed to think of something and his pace faltered slightly, "So ......"

Demon Worm: "?"

Shi An secretly asked in a low voice, "That Gray Crow's Nest near the Abyssal Rift, which direction is it in."

Magic Worm: "......"

I'm surprised you haven't forgotten!

Defeated, it sighed and said airily, "I think it's at the junction of the Forest District and the Scorched Earth District, after all, the Gray Crows need somewhere to nest."

Shi An: "Yes!"

Lin Yanming was surprised to find that Shi An, who had been so tired just a moment ago, suddenly perked up and became hyperactive.

He hesitated and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Shi An thought for a long time and said in a serious manner:

"It's just ...... I'm just excited to think that I'm finally going to break 0 in points."

Meh, points are good for shit.

Treasure is the hard currency!

It was getting late.

So the two were going to fix the entire night at the border and go back out before dawn the next day to head for the forested area.

It wasn't that Lin Yanming didn't want to take advantage of the night, but he really knew the strength of himself and Shi An, and many demons would become more fierce at nightfall, so it was the most sensible choice to travel in the daytime.

--Of course, Shi An's strongly-held bedtime is a big reason for that, too.

Shi An found a dry cave built of rocks and carefully nestled herself inside.

He yawned and said in a daze, "Good night."

The night was sinking, and the dark twilight enveloped the entire rainforest area a little bit.

Tall, bushy plants cast twisted black shadows like shifting, grotesque figures.

Suddenly, without warning, Shi An opened her eyes.

Deep in the dark eyes, a ray of crimson darted by as if it were a fleeting spark.

He stood up and looked in one direction.

Lin Yanming was startled and opened his sleepy eyes, "What's wrong?"

Shi An did not reply.

There were footsteps in the darkness.

Immediately afterward, a face that seemed to look somewhat familiar appeared in front of him; he was tall, seemed a bit embarrassed, and had some sort of strange nervous glint in his eyes.

"Who are you?"

Lin Yanming immediately came to his senses as he reached out and yanked Shi An, subconsciously blocking him.

Duan Hua : "I ......"

He took a deep breath and seemed to settle down, looking toward Shi An behind Lin Yanming, "We met the other day, I wonder if you remember?"

Before Shi An could reply, Duan Hua somewhat impatiently jumped the gun and said, "I actually came here this time to find you to apologize, that day, that day it was a moment of confusion on my part that I went to trouble you."

Lin Yanming froze and turned his head to Shi An: "You recognize?"

Shi An looked at the other person critically for a few seconds and suddenly realized, "Oh, it's you!"

Duan Hua's eyes darkened slightly.

"As a token of my good faith, these are for you."

He handed over a backpack.

Duan Hua added for fear of Shi An not picking it up, "It's just some daily supplies redeemed with points."

--For those who hadn't had time to collect enough points to exchange for food after not being able to freeload, this was a blessing in disguise.

Lin Yanming hesitated for a moment and turned his head toward Shi An, as if asking something wordlessly.

Shi An thought about it, "Yeah."

He walked up and took the backpack from Duan Hua.

Duan Hua rubbed his palm nervously against the seam of his pants before extending his hand, "We're writing this off?"

Shi An, however, stared at his outstretched hand somewhat inexplicably, as if he didn't quite understand it, and he simply ignored the other man's gesture of friendliness and crossed over, his cool fingers resting on the other man's wrist and holding it for a split second.

--like being pricked by a very small needle.

Duan Hua's eyebrows jumped.

But before he could react, the other man had let go of his hand and smiled as if nothing had happened, "Of course."

With that, Shi An turned around and returned to Lin Yanming with her bag.

Duan Hua: "......"

He smiled a little nervously, "Well, then, I'll leave you to it."

After saying that, Duan Hua turned around, and, as if there was someone behind him chasing after him, disappeared quickly into the dark-covered jungle.

His pace was hurried, his heart beating extremely fast, his ears buzzing, overwhelmed by the thrill of revenge.

There was only one thought left in his mind.

- - It's not uncommon for people to disappear quietly if they do in the practical test for admission.

In the darkness, out of sight, a small irregular red mark slowly appeared on the inside of the boy's wrist.

It looked as if a flame was burning.

*

Lin Yanming turned his head toward Shi An, who was sitting back, and asked, "You're not going to talk about it?"

Shi An was a bit puzzled, "Say what?"

Lin Yanming walked over and sat down next to him, "Why did that man suddenly come to you to apologize?"

Shi An : "Oh, that."

He recalled carefully and said, "He blocked me at school once before, like he was trying to threaten to make me quit?"

Lin Yanming: "?!"

He was taken aback and couldn't help but raise his voice an octave, "What's going on?"

Shi An flashed him a smile, her pale face childish and seemingly well-behaved:

"Don't worry, he's already paid for it."

So a small packet of supplies is forgiven?

It's a bit too cheap for him!

Lin Yanming couldn't control his expression of heartache.

Poor little thing, why are you so gullible!

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Don't worry, with me around in the future, I won't let anyone bully you anymore!"

Lin Yanming's eyes shone with a strong maternal light.

Magic bugs cowering in Shi An's sleeve: "......"

Heh, humans, you really are naive.

Dragons are creatures that are narrow and petty and vindictive, but also strong and unreasonable.

They were the only ones who bullied other people and demons, not the ones who were bullied themselves!

And Shi An ......

Instead, he wears the shell of an angel, but on the inside he's solidly a demon with a devil's core.

Demon Worm killed himself not believing that he would let himself suffer.

After Lin Yanming had fallen back into sleep, the demonic worm crept out of Shi An's sleeve.

It probed curiously at the backpack, "Lord Magic Dragon, so ...... what did that human pay tribute to you?"

Shi An propped her chin up in boredom and unzipped her backpack with one hand, "Well ...... bread, jerky, canned goods, drinking water - but no chips and jelly... ..."

Magic Worm: "......"

Because no one trades in points for snacks like that, thank you.

Shi An's hand felt at the bottom of her backpack.

There was only a slight stabbing sound, and the bottom of the backpack seemed to be ripped open, followed by Shi An drawing out her hand, a small, unassuming gray paper packet lying in her palm: "Oh, and there's this."

Magic Worm: "????"

It crawled into the past and sniffed, and the human face on its head revealed a shocked expression, "This, this is supposed to be the spice that attracts high-level magical creatures, this guy is trying to trap you!"

Shi An's eyes lit up, "Really?"

Magic Worm: "????"

Wait a minute?

Shi An says, "Even if I don't release my magic field, the demons are instinctively less inclined to approach me ......"

He sighed sadly, "Look, I can't even be a good bait!"

Magic Worm: "......"

I think you're just craving those two days of freeloading!

Shi An cheered up, "But with this this time, we should be able to find the Gray Crow's Nest!"

The Demon Worm was silent.

Grass.

You really fucking did do it for this!

Suddenly, without warning, the earth shook violently for a split second.

Lin Yanming was shaken awake and he jumped up in shock, "What's going on?"

Shi An was stunned.

He craned his head in the direction of the scorched earth area.

The dark edges of the night shimmered with a strange crimson color, like an eerie eye quietly looking down, as if the ground that had been scorched by the fire seemed to be slowly undulating and bulging, as if it possessed life, exuding a strange and ominous meaning.

*

The third round of actualization takes a long time, basically more than a week.

Mu Hang was usually occupied with important business, so he did not come very often, and only showed up on the day of the beginning, after which he was again called away on official business.

There has been a noticeable increase in signs of Abyssal species infestation in the city lately, suggesting that the Abyssal Seam is nearby.

The Administration's men have searched the entire city carpet by carpet, but there is still no trace of the abyssal crevice.

During this time, Zhuo Fu's study of the sword was similarly stagnant.

It remained silent for a long time, unmoving no matter how many experiments and tests he did on it, almost indistinguishable from a handful of ordinary dead things.

Zhuo Fu even subtly mentioned to Mu Hang once, hoping that he could take more rest and give himself a vacation.

--Maybe it's too tired to hallucinate.

Mu Hang sat at his desk, his eyes tracing over the thick stack of reports on his desk.

It's not that he doesn't need a break.

It's just that this matter of the abyssal species can't continue to be delayed, if a rift isn't closed in time, and the abyssal rift absorbs too much magic, it will continue to invade the ground world, and if the situation continues to deteriorate, it may create a small abyss on the ground.

The consequences would be unimaginable if that sort of thing actually happened.

Mu Hang twists the paper in his fingers, turning it over slowly, his focused gaze falling on each patrolled area.

Where else has it not been searched?

Or ......

What about a reasonably compliant magic fluctuation somewhere that masks the anomaly?

Mu Hang looked up sharply with a start.

The report clattered and slid off his fingertips, scattering across the desktop.

He pulled his coat from the back of his chair and draped it over him, walking quickly out of the office.

Wen Yao stood up, "Sir?"

Mu Hang: "Contact the Ableist Academy, now."

*

Shi An slowly tilted her head and took a deep sniff of the air.

Cold, dark, and highly toxic, it was spreading noiselessly from a distance.

So cozy, so familiar, so ......

Powerful.

He opened his eyes, his scarlet vertical pupils flickering under his long eyelashes, a layer of smooth dragon scales looming on his cheeks.

It's the smell of the abyss.