Luo Yang stood up and glanced at the time on his phone.
It was 11:40 PM.
He took a quick shower and changed into clean clothes. Looking into the mirror, he channeled his blood energy, the rising heat quickly drying and styling his hair. And most importantly—
He opened a cabinet filled with dozens of pairs of glasses, ranging from modern stylish frames and vintage styles to unique designs by niche designers.
Picking out the most expensive pair, Luo Yang gave his wrist a slight flick. The glasses unfolded and settled perfectly onto the bridge of his nose.
Unlike the scholarly, "ideal boyfriend" look he had sported at the Mission Hall the other day, he now looked a bit more clear-cut and casual.
After a moment of thought, he went down to the basement and grabbed his only space ring, stuffing all the weapons and gear Qiu Shubai had bought him into it.
This was a storage artifact he had bought at an auction last year using nearly half a year's salary. It was crafted by a genius space-type Punisher. Although its internal space wasn't particularly large compared to other storage artifacts at the same price point—it was actually on the smaller side—it excelled in stability. It was rare for its retrieval functions to be affected by fluctuations in blood energy.
As for carrying weapons...
Even though he was just meeting friends, in the Punisher profession, one never knew what would happen the next second.
Better safe than sorry.
The night wind in Yuanxing City was still humid and hot, not particularly comfortable. Luo Yang hailed a taxi and gave an address in the city center.
It was a private club called Flowing Light. Word was the owner was someone with immense influence; being able to open such a place in this district spoke volumes about their background. Even Luo Yang couldn't help but be a bit surprised when he heard they were meeting there tonight.
That kid had really gone all out for tonight's confession.
The car moved through the night, the neon lights outside blurring into streaks of color. Luo Yang opened KK to find dozens of unread messages in the group chat.
Yu Mingyang: Guys, I'm dying of nerves! Is she really going to show up?
Lin Ze: You've confirmed it eight hundred times already. She's coming. Just relax.
Yu Mingyang: Should I go down on one knee or just say it? Should I give her the flowers first?
Lin Ze: Didn't you prepare ninety-nine roses? Of course you give the flowers first.
Yu Mingyang: But what if she doesn't like roses?
Lin Ze: It's too late to change them now.
Luo Yang: I'm on my way, be there in ten. Take deep breaths so you don't trip over your words.
Yu Mingyang: Brother Luo! You finally popped up! I feel so much better now that you're coming!
Lin Ze: Why are you feeling better? It's not like Luo Yang is the one confessing.
Yu Mingyang: You don't get it. I just feel more confident when Brother Luo is around.
Luo Yang: ...That confidence seems a bit misplaced.
He exited the group chat and glanced at the message from Qiu Shubai again.
“Go to sleep early. Don't be late.”
Those few words sat quietly in the chat box.
It was just a perfectly normal reminder.
Luo Yang stared at it for two seconds, locked the screen, and shoved the phone into his pocket.
Flowing Light was located at the end of Yuanxing City's most prosperous commercial street. Its exterior was designed with extreme luxury, the entire outer wall wrapped in dark glass that reflected the surrounding brilliant lights.
Two rows of security guards in matching uniforms stood at the entrance. Every one of them was burly, with bulging waistlines that suggested they were all carrying heat.
Luo Yang reached the entrance and gave Yu Mingyang's name. A waiter immediately led him through a long corridor to a private room on the second floor.
The room was large, at least a hundred square meters, with exquisite decor and soft lighting. A long table against the wall was covered with various drinks and snacks. In the corner sat a high-end sound system playing soothing light music.
Waiting inside was his classmate from Class 5, Year 1 of the Middle Division at the Yuanxing City Punisher Academy: Yu Mingyang.
Yu Mingyang stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, clutching a large bouquet of red roses, his entire body as tense as a bowstring. He wasn't particularly tall for a Punisher, standing at about 175 centimeters, with a slightly chubby build and an honest-looking face. At the moment, his expression was a mix of intense nervousness and anticipation.
He was something of a minor second-generation rich kid; his father ran a medium-sized enterprise in Yuanxing City. Furthermore, he had awakened an ability and become a Punisher, meaning he and his family had essentially touched the threshold of high society.
Quite a few people were already sitting in the room, most of them classmates who were on good terms with Yu Mingyang. While most weren't exactly close friends, they were there to provide moral support.
“Brother Luo!” Seeing Luo Yang enter, Yu Mingyang looked like he had found a lifeline and rushed over in three quick steps. “You're finally here!”
“I said I'd be here in ten.” Luo Yang scanned the room. “Where's Lin Ze?”
“He went to pick her up. She'll be here any second!” Yu Mingyang's voice was trembling. “Brother Luo, look at me. How do I look? Is anything out of place?”
Luo Yang looked him up and down.
Yu Mingyang had clearly dressed up today, wearing a well-tailored deep blue suit. His usually messy hair was slicked back with gel, and his leather shoes were polished to a mirror shine.
“You look fine,” Luo Yang nodded. “Your tie is just a bit crooked.”
Yu Mingyang hurriedly looked down to adjust his tie, his fumbling making Luo Yang chuckle.
“Don't be so nervous. If she's interested in you, it won't matter what you wear. If she's not, no outfit will save you.”
“Don't drop those truth bombs on me now,” Yu Mingyang said with a long face.
The door pushed open, and Lin Ze walked in.
Unlike Yu Mingyang, Lin Ze was tall with sharp features and clean-cut short hair, exuding an air of competence. He was a regular in the top fifty of the academy's Ladder Rankings, possessed decent strength, and was somewhat well-known among the young Punishers of Yuanxing City.
“She's here. Parking downstairs,” Lin Ze said, his gaze falling on Luo Yang. “Oh? Even the Luo God showed up?”
“Don't use that weird nickname,” Luo Yang frowned.
“Fine, fine, Brother Luo,” Lin Ze corrected himself with a smile. He walked to the table, poured a glass of water, and downed it. “Little Yu, did you memorize your lines?”
“I... I did...” Yu Mingyang swallowed hard. “I'm just afraid I'll forget everything once I get nervous.”
“Then just speak from the heart,” Luo Yang said, finding a spot on a sofa. “Sincerity is better than a script.”
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of light footsteps came from outside.
The door opened, and a girl in a light blue dress walked in.
Her name was Su Tian, a third-year student at the Punisher Academy. She was sweet-looking and cheerful, making her extremely popular at the school. Yu Mingyang had noticed her from the day he enrolled, but in two whole years, he hadn't dared to say a single full sentence to her.
“Student Yu, did you want to see me?” Su Tian's voice was clear and pleasant, tinged with curiosity.
Yu Mingyang froze completely.
He opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.
Lin Ze gave him a shove from behind, causing him to stumble forward two steps, nearly dropping the roses.
“Th... That... Su Tian... I...” Yu Mingyang's voice was like the buzzing of a mosquito, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.
Su Tian tilted her head, patiently waiting for him to continue.
Leaning back on the sofa, Luo Yang already had a bad feeling about this.
Yu Mingyang took a deep breath, then another, before finally seemingly using every ounce of strength in his body to shout the words he had rehearsed countless times in his head.
“Su Tian, I like you!”
His voice was so loud it echoed in the spacious room.
But as soon as he finished, his voice dropped off sharply, like a deflated balloon.
“Since... since the day I started school, I've liked you. I... I watch you every day. When you're training, when you're laughing, when you're talking to others... I think you're wonderful, really, really wonderful...”
His eyes began to redden, and his voice shook more and more.
“I know I'm not good enough. My Ladder rank isn't as high as yours, I'm not handsome, I... I don't even dare to talk to you... but I really like you so much that I can't sleep at night...”
Su Tian's expression shifted from initial curiosity to seriousness.
She didn't interrupt him, listening quietly until he was finished.
The room was deathly silent, save for the light music flowing from the speakers.
“Student Yu,” Su Tian spoke, her voice gentle yet firm. “Thank you for liking me.”
Yu Mingyang looked up, his eyes full of hope and unconcealable tension.
“But, I can't say yes.”
Those words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.
Yu Mingyang stood frozen, the roses in his hand slowly drooping.
“It's not because you aren't good enough,” Su Tian quickly added, her tone carrying a hint of sympathy. “It's just... do you really know me?”
Yu Mingyang opened his mouth but found no words.
“Do you like the version of me in your head, or the real me?” Su Tian looked at him earnestly. “We've barely spoken. You don't know what I like to eat, what I like to do in my free time, or what I hate or fear. What you like is the Su Tian you've watched from a distance and filled in with your own imagination.”
Yu Mingyang's eyes were red, but he didn't argue.
Because he knew Su Tian was right.
“However—” Su Tian changed the subject, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. “I don't dislike you.”
Yu Mingyang snapped his head up.
“Even though I don't know you well, I know you're hardworking. You never slack off during training, and you're good to your friends.” Su Tian's voice softened. “I also know that whether I'm training or in class, there's always someone watching me from the sidelines. I'm saying no today only because I believe a relationship shouldn't be built on a one-sided fantasy.”
She took two steps forward, standing in front of Yu Mingyang and looking up at him slightly.
“I can give you a chance.”
Yu Mingyang's eyes went wide.
“What... what kind of chance?”
“Try to let me get to know you.” Su Tian smiled, a look as warm as spring sunshine. “You're always afraid to talk to me or get close, so how am I supposed to know what kind of person you are? If you can change, try to show more of yourself, and talk to me more...”
She paused, her tone turning a bit playful.
“One day in the future, I might just say yes.”
Yu Mingyang was stunned for several seconds before nodding frantically, tears streaming down his face at some point.
“I will! I'll definitely change! I... I'll let you get to know me!”
Lin Ze, watching from the side, felt his nose tingle and turned away, pretending to drink water.
Luo Yang leaned back on the sofa with a faint smile.
It wasn't a success, but it wasn't a total failure either.
For Yu Mingyang, this might actually be a good thing. It would force him out of his comfort zone to truly face the person he liked, rather than hiding in the distance forever.
“Then it's a deal.” Su Tian reached out her hand. “Starting today, let's try being friends. We'll talk more, spend time together, and let me see what kind of person you really are.”
Yu Mingyang reached out a trembling hand and shook hers.
His palm was covered in sweat, but Su Tian didn't mind, instead gripping it a little tighter.
“Also.” Su Tian glanced at the roses in his hand and couldn't help but laugh. “These flowers are quite pretty. Aren't you going to give them to me?”
Yu Mingyang finally snapped out of it and hurriedly handed over the bouquet.
Su Tian took the flowers, leaned down to smell them, and then looked up to wink at him.
“Thank you. I'll take the flowers for now, but the position of boyfriend isn't yours just yet.”
Yu Mingyang laughed through his tears, wiped his face hard, and stood there grinning like an idiot.
Lin Ze finally couldn't take it anymore and walked over to smack him on the back of the head.
“Alright, alright, stop grinning like a moron.”
“I'm just happy!” Yu Mingyang rubbed his head, his eyes squinting into slits on his chubby face.
The atmosphere in the room gradually became lively. Yu Mingyang sat next to Su Tian, carefully maintaining some distance but unable to stop stealing glances at her. Su Tian was quite natural about it, occasionally initiating conversation to ask what he liked to do or eat, as if conducting a serious interview.
Yu Mingyang was so nervous he could barely speak straight, but he tried his best to answer.
Watching this, Luo Yang realized that Su Tian was indeed someone special.
She hadn't embarrassed him with a direct rejection, nor had she forced herself to agree out of pity. Instead, she had given the boy a direction—a path he had to walk himself.
Whether he could reach the finish line depended entirely on Yu Mingyang.
Time ticked by as the night outside grew deeper. The clock hands pointed toward 2:00 AM.
Just as everyone was immersed in their own thoughts, a violent explosion suddenly thundered from downstairs.
The entire building shook. Fine dust fell from the ceiling, decorative paintings on the walls slid askew, and glass cups rolled off the table, shattering on the floor.
“What's going on?!” Lin Ze was the first to stand up, looking around warily.
Yu Mingyang instinctively moved in front of Su Tian, his smile instantly replaced by terror.
Su Tian's face went pale, but she didn't scream, instead gripping the edge of Yu Mingyang's jacket tightly.
Luo Yang's expression remained unchanged. He walked quickly to the window and pulled back a corner of the curtain to look out.
On the street below, several burning cars lit the night sky in a crimson glow. A crowd of people was scattering in all directions, a cacophony of screams, cries, and explosions.
And in the center of that chaos, a humanoid creature shrouded in dark red light was wreaking havoc.
Its body was twisted and deformed, its limbs bent at impossible angles like an insect that had been forcibly straightened and then twisted into a pretzel. Its face lacked features, save for a massive crack running across it that constantly spewed dark red mist.
“Heterosequence,” Luo Yang whispered a word that made everyone's blood run cold.
“Heterosequence? What rank?” Lin Ze's voice was tight.
He didn't ask why a Heterosequence would appear so openly in the city to cause destruction, because he knew asking such a question right now was pointless.
Luo Yang stared at the creature for a few seconds, his mental power expanding to sweep over the dark red Heterosequence.
“At least Shadow rank.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.
A Shadow-rank Heterosequence was roughly equivalent to a level 5 Clear Heart human Punisher.
It was the same rank as the one he had dissected in the banquet hall that day.
Was there a connection?
Luo Yang didn't have time to overthink. Right now, there was only one thing to do: protect his classmates.
Questions could wait; life only happened once.
Luo Yang's mind was racing, but the others were on the verge of mental paralysis.
Among those present, Lin Ze was at level 3 Core Consolidation, while Yu Mingyang and Su Tian were at level 1. The others hadn't even reached the Core Consolidation rank yet. As for Luo Yang...
He never showed off his strength at the academy, so they didn't know his specific level. But everyone assumed that even if he were strong, there was a limit.
After all, they were still just students.
“What do we do?” Yu Mingyang's voice was shaking, but he still shielded Su Tian, refusing to back down.
Luo Yang didn't answer.
He was calculating rapidly in his head.
Against a Shadow-rank Heterosequence, the others facing it head-on would be suicide. He would have to take the lead to stop the thing. If he didn't do something, the civilians downstairs would definitely be slaughtered.
However...
Luo Yang's gaze swept across his fingers, landing on the space ring he was wearing.
He had enough weapons.
But after this fight, at least half of the gear he had just fleeced from Qiu Shubai would be gone.
Last time, he had been able to subdue the Ying Xiu with only four Grantee Longswords primarily because the Ying Xiu's own combat power was lacking, and secondly because Qiu Shubai and An Youxing had already drained a significant portion of its energy and killed two of its vital shadow hounds.
This Heterosequence, however, seemed to be a solo combatant.
Though it didn't appear very intelligent, every one of its attacks was incredibly powerful.
“A muscle-head, huh,” Luo Yang grumbled internally.
“Lin Ze,” Luo Yang suddenly spoke, his voice calm, unlike an eighteen-year-old.
“Take everyone out through the back door. Retreat to a safe place first.”
“What about you?” Lin Ze stared at him.
“I'll stay behind to stall it.”
“You're crazy!” Yu Mingyang blurted out. “That's a Shadow-rank Heterosequence! How can you stall it alone!”
“Whether I can or not, I have to.” Luo Yang pulled a pistol from his space ring, skillfully checking the magazine. “This area is too crowded. There are hundreds of people downstairs. If I do nothing, they're all dead.”
He paused, looking at Yu Mingyang, his tone suddenly lightening.
“You just made a huge step tonight, so don't you dare die. You still have to let her get to know you.”
Yu Mingyang opened his mouth, his eyes red, unable to say a word.
Su Tian gripped his sleeve, her lips pressed white, but she didn't cry.
She looked at Luo Yang and suddenly said, “Be careful.”
Only two words, but they carried immense weight.
Lin Ze was silent for two seconds before drawing his weapon from his waist—a second-tier mass-produced dagger, the Gale-breaking Dagger.
“I'm staying with you.”
“No,” Luo Yang shook his head. “You have to take them away.”
“They have legs; they can walk themselves.” Lin Ze's blade glinted in the light. “I'm a level 3 Core Consolidation Punisher. I can't just stand by and watch you go to your death.”
Luo Yang looked at him and didn't try to argue further. Instead, he walked over to Lin Ze and clapped him firmly on the shoulder.
The moment they made contact, a streak of light shot into Lin Ze's body.
A sharp pain suddenly hit, and Lin Ze felt his neck tighten before he lost consciousness.
Luo Yang hadn't used an ability; he had simply used his surgical precision with blood energy to apply pressure to Lin Ze's carotid sinus, inducing vasovagal syncope without causing any lasting damage to his body.
He turned to Yu Mingyang and Su Tian, his voice softening.
“Take Lin Ze and the others out the back. Call the police immediately once you're out and send your location to the Ability Bureau. Remember, don't look back.”
Yu Mingyang gritted his teeth and nodded hard.
He hoisted Lin Ze over his shoulder, took Su Tian's hand, and turned toward the door. At the threshold, he stopped and looked back at Luo Yang.
“Brother Luo... you have to come back alive.”
Luo Yang didn't answer, only giving him a small smile.
The smile held a hint of helplessness and something else that was hard to define.
The moment the back door closed, the smile vanished from Luo Yang's face.
He took a deep breath, raised his pistol, and looked through the attached scope at the Heterosequence below.
The dark red mist was growing thicker, and the creature had already destroyed half the street. Several police cars were parked in the distance, sirens wailing, but not a single officer dared to approach.
Ordinary weapons were useless against a Heterosequence of this level.
“Well, I'm already here. What else can I do? Might as well fight,” Luo Yang muttered to himself as he pushed open the door of the private room.
The corridor was a mess, most of the ceiling lights shattered, and the carpet beneath his feet was torn by deep gashes. Screams and cries echoed from the distance, and the entire building continued to tremble.
He pushed open the stairwell door, and a thick scent of blood hit him.
The first-floor lobby had turned into a slaughterhouse.
Broken glass, overturned furniture, scattered bottles, and several bodies of those who hadn't escaped in time.
The Heterosequence stood in the center of the lobby, dark red mist billowing from the crack on its face, filling the entire space. It didn't seem to be in a hurry to kill; it was enjoying the chaos and fear.
Luo Yang hid behind the stairwell door and held his breath.
Calmly, he raised his pistol, the red dot of the scope steady on the crack on the Heterosequence's face.
“Three,” he counted down in his head.
“Two.”
“One.”
A bullet made of a specialized alloy whistled through the air, streaking toward the creature's twisted face.
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