Apprentice

Early morning. Mingzhu Ability Academy. Dawn had barely broken, yet a youth was already jogging around the track on the sports ground. Lap after lap he ran, tireless, as if his body were forged of machinery. A closer look would reveal that the youth ran with his eyes closed, fast asleep the entire time. On the opposite side of the track, Yu Xian, Nora, and Zhang Buyao crouched in the brush, watching him run. Curious, Yu Xian asked, "Yaoyao, are you sure you want to roleplay him?" "Yup, he's the one I'm roleplaying," Zhang Buyao replied with a beam, watching the jogging youth. Nora inquired, "Is there something special about him? Is his ability that strong?" "Very strong, of course. His ability is Infinite grade," Zhang Buyao nodded. Yu Xian nodded. "Infinite grade... that really is powerful." During their stay in Mingzhu City, he had learned that the abilities of the city's Awakeners were divided into grades, with Infinite grade being the highest tier. If Zhang Buyao could take this youth's ability out of this world, she would make a massive profit. "No time like the present, then. While there aren't many people around, I'll go take care of him," Yu Xian said, standing up and eyeing the youth on the track. Zhang Buyao hastily jumped up. "Wait, I should do it myself. Otherwise, the karma will be too heavy for you to bear." "Too heavy a karma?" Yu Xian paused, looking at her in confusion. Zhang Buyao gave an awkward grin. "Ehehe... he's... my dad. Not the genuine article, though." "..." Both Yu Xian and Nora fell silent. Although neither knew just how powerful Zhang Buyao's father was, he had to be at least a Mighty One. If the man happened to hold a grudge, Yu Xian killing this knockoff might actually offend him—and that would incur a massive karmic debt. Still, Yu Xian felt an overwhelming urge to roast her. Zhang Buyao was truly a dutiful daughter. Of all the people to pick, she chose her own father! Even if he wasn't the real deal, this was still way too much. "Be right back!" Seeing their silence, Zhang Buyao could only chuckle awkwardly before darting straight toward the youth in the distance. She was blindingly fast. Drawing her gun as she closed in on the track, she pulled the trigger just as the youth came running toward her, sending a bullet flying his way. Instantly, a hole was blown clean through the youth's head, and Zhang Buyao kept firing, blowing his chest wide open. At that moment, the youth opened his eyes. Panic flickered across his face, followed abruptly by resignation. He mouthed a silent sentence to Zhang Buyao before collapsing. In the blink of an eye, not even bones remained, sparing them the trouble of destroying the evidence. Holstering her pistol, Zhang Buyao dusted off her hands and strolled back. "What did he just say?" Nora asked curiously when Zhang Buyao returned. They had only seen the youth mouth something, but distance kept them from hearing a word. "Nothing much. Just told me to go home once I'm done having fun. As if I'd ever go back," Zhang Buyao answered nonchalantly. Yu Xian's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Zhang Buyao. "So... your dad was just here?" "Pretty much," Zhang Buyao said dismissively. Yu Xian was at a loss for words. He suddenly felt like they were sitting for an exam where the proctor was Zhang Buyao's uncle, and right after the test began, her father walked in to hand her a cup of milk tea. Clearly, Zhang Buyao could leave this world whenever she pleased. For her, this was an open-book exam. ... Noon. After bidding Nora and Zhang Buyao farewell, Yu Xian headed home. He was a kid with a home now. After all, he was Wang Jieming, an inconspicuous nobody in Mingzhu City. "Mom, I'm back! Is lunch ready?" Returning home, Yu Xian immediately sank into a chair, poured himself a cup of water, drank it down, and called out. In the kitchen, a two-meter-tall fox was cooking. "Almost done! Don't rush me. We're having your favorite beef patties for lunch today." A moment later, the fox emerged carrying the beef patties. Fortunately, it wasn't some kind of horrifying dish. After eating, Yu Xian retreated to his room and began practicing his boxing. He could faintly sense that he was close to obtaining some sort of ability. He knew Wang Jieming had to be an Awakener. After all, merely touching Wang Jieming had locked him in a sea of flowers to practice boxing for countless years. It would have been strange if Wang Jieming wasn't an Awakener. The trouble was, there was no way to find out what Wang Jieming's ability actually was. Niman had also been helping investigate, but Wang Jieming seemed completely off the grid, lacking any records whatsoever. There were no records of his ability in hospitals, nor any in schools. It was only after Yu Xian subtly asked his mother that he learned he had never attended school at all. Because he had only pried indirectly, he still hadn't asked what his own ability was. Asking that outright would immediately blow his cover as an impostor. Wang Jieming's mother was clearly keeping his ability secret on purpose. It definitely wasn't weak. Hopefully it was a powerful skill—preferably Infinite grade. Yu Xian threw punch after punch. He had already developed his right fist to an unfathomably profound level, so he was currently focusing on his left. As the saying goes, mastery in one brings mastery in all. Thanks to the high realm of his right fist, his left fist progressed by leaps and bounds; in just a few short days, he had caught up to veteran masters with over a decade of training. Still, compared to his right fist, it was leagues behind. "Xiao Ming, can I come in?" Wang Jieming's mother knocked on the door, her voice drifting in from outside. In truth, the scene was somewhat eerie. Wang Jieming's mother was a two-meter-tall fox, yet her expressions and demeanor were remarkably human. Yu Xian stopped, took a seat, and called out, "Come in, Mom." The door swung open, and Wang Jieming's mother hunched down as she stepped in, looking down at Yu Xian from her height. "Is something wrong, Mom?" Yu Xian asked. Wang Jieming's mother smiled. "Why haven't you been going to Beast King Martial Arts Hall these past few days? I thought you'd last a bit longer." "I haven't been in the best mood lately. I'll go today," Yu Xian answered hastily, momentarily taken aback. He truly hadn't expected Wang Jieming to be a student at Beast King Martial Arts Hall. In that case, wouldn't he be able to scout out the situation inside today? Who knew what kind of terrifying lion's den the Beast King Martial Arts Hall was right now? No. He needed to discuss this with Niman and the others. It would be best if everyone came along as backup, lest an unforeseen incident expose his identity. After all, there were bound to be plenty of people who knew Wang Jieming at Beast King Martial Arts Hall. After appeasing Wang Jieming's mother and waiting for her to leave, he made an excuse to step out, hurrying straight toward Wang Xiaohua's residence. Wang Xiaohua's house was now their base of operations.