Recruitment

Holding the little boy, Zhang Yuanqing retreated to the sidewalk while glancing toward the girl rushing over. He clearly saw her hair stand on end as if she had received an electric shock, with faint arcs of lightning flickering across her skin that were almost invisible to the naked eye. But once she saw that her brother had been rescued, her hair immediately settled down, and the leaping electric arcs dissipated. *She really is a Thunder Mage. But she probably hasn't reached the Saint stage yet—her combat awareness and reaction speed are both lacking...* Taking it all in, Zhang Yuanqing formed an estimate in his mind. He then began sizing up the girl's appearance. She had lustrous, straight black hair and wore the uniform of a private school: a light-colored dress shirt paired with a crisp white V-neck sweater vest and a black bow tied at the collar. Below, she wore a pleated skirt. Her legs were long and straight, her skin firm and toned, brimming with youthful vitality. Her facial features were exceptionally delicate, set in a classic melon-seed face with slightly upturned corners of her eyes, radiating a fierce, flamboyant beauty. Her demeanor was somewhat reminiscent of Jiang Jingwei; one look was enough to tell she had a fiery temper. Stopping in front of Zhang Yuanqing, the girl snatched her brother away without a word. She nervously checked him over from head to toe, and upon confirming he was unharmed, she smacked the boy across the head with her palm, her slender brows shooting up in fury. "How many times have I told you to look both ways before crossing the street?! You scatterbrained brat! If you're not going to use that head of yours, I'll tear it off for you!" Though her tone was ferocious, her voice was crisp and clear as an oriole's song, softening the edge of her harsh words. With every sentence she spoke, she cuffed him on the head. Poor Cao Chao hadn't been crying before, but he was pummeled to tears right then and there. *When something like this happens, you should be giving a child comfort and care, not clobbering his skull. Then again, you're a Thunder Mage, which rounds up to a Fire Specialist, so I suppose that makes sense...* Zhang Yuanqing pulled the wailing Cao Chao away and said, "Stop hitting him. He's only a kid." The girl instinctively raised her eyebrows, but she forcibly reined in her temper. Looking at Zhang Yuanqing, she said sincerely, "Thank you! Thank you for saving my brother. I owe you one. If you ever need help with anything in the future, just let me know." She had taken her brother out to buy snacks, but got so caught up shopping that she forgot about him. If not for this heroic bystander stepping in, her poor brother would already be crushed beneath a car, his lifespan ending in the single digits. The tigress at home would have skinned her alive. *Huh, it seems Thunder Mages can control their emotions better than Fire Specialists. Short-tempered as they are, they don't let their emotions rule them...* Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "It was nothing. Consider it a return favor for yesterday's afternoon tea. I really enjoyed the bushuai your mother made." The girl looked at Annie, who wore a mask and sunglasses, and then back at Zhang Yuanqing, realization dawning on her. "You're the new tenant!" Zhang Yuanqing nodded with a smile, then said gravely, "Those guys on the motorbikes seemed to be aiming for Cao Chao on purpose." At those words, the girl gritted her teeth. "I know who they are. Just a bunch of white pigs from my school who specialize in picking fights with our Anti-Black-and-White Alliance. Last time, I taught them a brutal lesson, and now they dare come after my family?! I'm going to... I'm going to skin them alive!" *There it is again, the Anti-Black-and-White Alliance... Escalating a school grudge to retaliating against someone's family? That's going too far.* Zhang Yuanqing ruffled Cao Chao's hair and comforted him, "Come over to my place later for some snacks. Don't cry." Sure enough, Cao Chao stopped crying, his sobs subsiding into small sniffles. The girl took her brother by the hand. "I'm going to take him home to wash his face." Hand in hand, the siblings entered the red-brick apartment building, rode the elevator up to the fourth floor, and unlocked the security door with a fingerprint scan. It was close to dinner time. The landlady was in the kitchen chopping vegetables, while the head of the household, Cao Qing, sat at the dining table sipping tea. Seeing his son's tearful face, Cao Qing immediately frowned and reprimanded his daughter, "Did you hit him again?" "No!" Cao Qianxiu snorted. "Your son was almost hit and killed by a car!" Cao Qianxiu then explained what had just happened to her parents. The landlady charged out of the kitchen wielding a cleaver, her eyebrows raised and her expression murderous. "Where are those bastards?! I'll chop them to pieces!" "They're a few enemies from my school. No need for you to chop them, I'll handle it myself." Cao Qianxiu knew she would be scolded by her parents if she confessed, but she still told the truth; she never made excuses for her own mistakes. Sure enough, the landlady flared up in anger. "You wretched girl! I told you not to cause trouble, not to cause trouble, and it all went right through one ear and out the other! If anything had happened to your brother, see if I wouldn't skin you alive!" She glared at her daughter several times, then lovingly wiped the tear tracks from her son's cheeks. "Thank heavens you're all right, thank heavens you're all right..." Cao Chao snuggled into his mother's embrace and wailed, "It was the big brother next door who saved me!" The landlord and his wife froze, then looked at their daughter. Cao Qianxiu gave an affirmative hum. "Yeah, that guy next door snatched him back." The couple exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised. The landlady said gratefully, "Then we have to thank him properly." Cao Qing gave a slight nod, his favorability toward the new tenant soaring. "Daughter, go talk to them and invite them over for dinner tonight." He then cautioned her, "When it comes to conflicts with classmates, resolve them if you can. Try not to let things escalate... By the way, what was the young man next door called again?" The landlady thought back for a moment. "I think his name is Zhang Qingyang." *Ding-dong!* The doorbell rang. Zhang Yuanqing, who was sitting in the living room chatting with Guan Ya, Xiao Yuan, and the Palace Mistress, put away his phone and went to open the door. Standing outside was the slender, graceful girl. She had fair skin, neat, dark eyebrows, and slightly upturned eyes, radiating an air of sharpness and beauty. The girl peeked inside, then looked at the young tenant's handsome face. "My parents want to invite you two over for dinner tonight to thank you for saving my brother." Zhang Yuanqing had anticipated this. He smiled. "All right!" At seven that evening, Zhang Yuanqing brought Annie and knocked on the door to apartment 401. Since it was an appreciation dinner thrown by their hosts, he hadn't brought any gifts—only an appetite and a stomach full of digestive acid. The landlady had prepared a table laden with delicious dishes, predominantly meat, prepared in a light style typical of Soup-Brewing Province cuisine. The light cooking of Soup-Brewing Province didn't mean eating only vegetables; rather, it meant delicate preparation methods emphasizing freshness. If something could be enjoyed fresh, it was never overcooked; if the original flavors could be preserved, heavy seasonings were avoided. The drink served was rice wine brewed at their restaurant. During the meal, Cao Qing, as the head of the house, engaged in enthusiastic conversation. As a businessman, he was well-versed in social interactions, and Zhang Yuanqing was equally adept at socializing. After a few cups of wine, the two were already bantering like brothers. Even so, Zhang Yuanqing could tell that Cao Qing was a shrewd, worldly veteran of society. Every sentence Cao Qing spoke touched upon their homeland, and every question subtly probed Zhang Yuanqing's background. Zhang Yuanqing countered with half-truths. Cao Qianxiu listened attentively, occasionally nodding or looking pensive, lost in her own thoughts. By the time dinner ended, it was already nine-thirty in the evening. Taking his leave of the hosts after a satisfying meal, Zhang Yuanqing headed back next door with Annie. Cao Qianxiu took the initiative to see them out. Once outside the apartment, she glanced at Annie, who was typing in the door code, and stepped closer to Zhang Yuanqing, lowering her voice: "Can I speak with you alone for a moment?" She pointed toward the stairwell. Zhang Yuanqing glanced back at her. "Sure!" The two stepped into the quiet stairwell. Cao Qianxiu waited until she heard Annie enter the apartment and close the door before speaking: "You're a Spirit Realm walker, aren't you?" As she spoke, her bright, spirited eyes fixed on Zhang Yuanqing. "Don't bother denying it. The speed you showed today was far beyond the limits of an ordinary human. Of course, to be fair and show my sincerity, I'll admit my own class first: I'm a Thunder Mage. This is my biggest secret; even my family doesn't know." *The only one who doesn't know is probably your eight-year-old brother. Not only do your parents know you're a Spirit Realm walker, they are too...* Zhang Yuanqing sighed. "I didn't want to expose myself. In the Second District, it's very dangerous for an unaffiliated rogue walker to expose their identity. The authorities only tolerate rogues who submit to management and disclose their background." Cao Qianxiu nodded slightly. "I've heard from my companions that unaffiliated rogues in the Second District have it rough. The First District is comparatively freer; as long as you don't stir up trouble, Heaven's Punishment won't bother you. By the way, what class are you?" "Scout!" Zhang Yuanqing said. A Scout at the Transcendent stage showcased their abilities primarily through close-quarters combat. As long as someone was strong enough in battle, they could easily impersonate one without outsiders being able to tell the difference. Realization dawned on Cao Qianxiu. "No wonder you're so fast! And when I called you out just now, you didn't look surprised at all. You must have already deduced that I noticed your identity, right?" *You came up with all of that yourself, I didn't say a word...* Zhang Yuanqing sighed again, nodding with a wry smile. Cao Qianxiu continued, "I heard that Scouts have the vocational attributes of soldiers—disciplined and meticulous. Out of all the Second District classes, Scouts are the ones I admire most, and Fire Specialists are the ones I hate most, because I heard Fire Specialists have no brains." With that, she looked at Zhang Yuanqing as if seeking confirmation. *How does a Thunder Mage have the nerve to mock a Fire Specialist? That's the pot calling the kettle black...* Zhang Yuanqing replied solemnly, "Fire Specialists are indeed hot-tempered and reckless, which doesn't make them very popular. But they're straightforward and don't play underhanded games. In my opinion, they're better than many other classes." His tone and expression were the very picture of a rigid, serious Scout. Cao Qianxiu nodded thoughtfully. "My mother said you plan to stay in New York County for six months?" Zhang Yuanqing gave a simple hum of agreement. Cao Qianxiu said, "Even though I just mentioned that the First District is comparatively free, discrimination is extremely severe here. Whether it's Heaven's Punishment, other Orderly organizations, or even evil classes, they're all deeply racist. If an unaffiliated walker in the First District doesn't align with an organization, once their identity is exposed, evil classes will hunt you down, and Orderly walkers will extort you to take your props and money." Zhang Yuanqing asked in response, "What are you trying to say?" Cao Qianxiu had been waiting for that question. She immediately said, "I'd like to invite you to join my organization. In Chinatown, there are several civilian organizations formed by Chinese walkers. Our principle is mutual aid and solidarity. A few years ago, the local factions in New York County launched several crackdowns against Chinese walkers. It was only because we stood united that we weathered the initial crisis, until Heaven's Punishment halted the conflict under the condemnation and intervention of the Five Elements Alliance." "Is that organization called the Anti-Black-and-White Alliance?" Zhang Yuanqing caught on. The girl was recruiting him. Cao Qianxiu nodded. "Yes. The Anti-Black-and-White Alliance is one of the Chinese walker organizations in Chinatown. There are many civilian groups founded by Chinese walkers throughout New York County, the largest of which are the Black Dragon Hall, Baolin Hall, and the Hong Gang. "Those three organizations have decades of history and assimilated into the local scene long ago. They don't care about the lives of ordinary Chinese walkers; they only chase profit. Sometimes, they even collude with local forces to screw over our own people. "Our Anti-Black-and-White Alliance is an emerging power—younger and more vibrant. At the same time, we resolutely defend the dignity and bottom line of Chinese walkers in New York County." *The First District has far more civilian factions than the Second District, and the situation is much more complicated. No wonder the boss said the waters in the Free Federation run deep...* Zhang Yuanqing now had a clearer appreciation of the situation. He said, "All right, I can join you. But I won't be staying in New York County for too long." He reasoned that having more contact with local civilian organizations was equivalent to expanding his own channels, which had no downsides. Cao Qianxiu let out a small sigh of relief. A smile crossed her pretty face before she quickly straightened her expression. "That's fine. At least for these six months, we'll be companions. Tomorrow, I'll bring you a form. Once you fill it out, I'll submit it to my superiors; approval should go through quickly. Um, would you mind telling me your level?" "Level 2 Scout." Hearing that, Cao Qianxiu lifted her chin proudly. "I'm Level 2 as well, but my exp bar is almost full. One more dungeon run and I'll reach Level 3." Zhang Yuanqing was somewhat surprised. For her age, that was already very talented. Little Green Tea and Asano Ryo were of similar age to her. In the first half of the year, Asano Ryo was Level 3 and Little Green Tea was Level 2, and both were already regarded as talented rising stars within major organizations. "With your aptitude, why didn't you join Heaven's Punishment?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, puzzled. "Heaven's Punishment is more than happy to accept Thunder Mages." "Why would I join Heaven's Punishment? To get workplace bullied?" Cao Qianxiu said with blatant disdain. Having grown up in New York County, she was all too familiar with the local anti-Chinese sentiment, and her parents' early struggles starting a business here had left a deep impression on her. "Then you could consider returning to the homeland. With talent like yours, the Five Elements Alliance would be glad to take you in and nurture you," Zhang Yuanqing pointed out. "It's difficult for rogue walkers to get dungeon guides, which makes progression hard." At the mention of the Five Elements Alliance, Cao Qianxiu sneered even more. "I'd rather join Heaven's Punishment than that. I don't want to be hounded to death like Yuanshi Tianzun. You're a Scout from back home, so you must know of Yuanshi Tianzun, right?" Zhang Yuanqing said, "I had the fortune of crossing paths with him." Cao Qianxiu asked curiously, "Was he really as incredible as the legends say? What kind of person was he, really? Word within our alliance says he was driven to his death, but Heaven's Punishment seems to claim he was a degenerate."