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Zhou Chen tried to refuse politely several times, but he couldnât hold out against Li Xiaoxiaoâs pestering. Left with no choice, he "compromised" and agreed to go for a walk with her.
As expected, a large amount of Star Dust materialized in the Wish Bottle. It slowly gathered with the Star Dust he had accumulated over the past few days, fusing into a brand-new, brilliantly shining star.
This was now the fourth star in the Wish Bottle.
âHis Soul integrity is already back above the warning threshold. Since it isnât a good time to focus on restoring my Soul, I can use these stars for other things... like learning Alchemy...â Zhou Chen mused. He decided to find an opportunity soon and get started on the basics of Alchemy.
âThen I wonât just be able to craft Flash Bombs by hand, but a whole range of Alchemy Creations, like High-Explosive Alchemical Bombs. On top of that, once I officially become an Alchemist, I can take commissions through the Alchemy Associationâs platform and live a comfortable life among the elite, never worrying about food or clothing again...â
âOf course, while Alchemists make a lot of money, they also burn through it. But if I donât pursue higher levels of Alchemy Knowledge and just choose to coast and be content with the status quo, then I wonât have to deal with that problem.â
Just then, Li Xiaoxiao, who was clinging to his arm, made a suggestion. "Senior, letâs go for a walk by the river. Itâs cool there at night, and there are tour boats. We can also see the amusement parkâs Ferris wheel..."
"I donât mind either way."
"To the river then! Letâs go, letâs go." Li Xiaoxiaoâs face instantly bloomed into a radiant smile as she pulled him toward the river.
Lights twinkled across the riverside plaza, where a musical fountain sat in the center. Its jets of water danced up and down to the rhythm of an elegant melody, but the music itself was barely audible, completely drowned out by the thumping beat of music for the square dancers nearby.
Next to the lines of dancers, a group of children played, zipping around on rollerblades or hoverboards and chasing each other in small, boisterous groups.
A crowd had gathered by the riverside railing, and naturally, there were plenty of anglers. You could spot one every few dozen feet. Whenever an angler reeled in a fish, it would draw a round of cheers from the onlookers.
Soon, the two of them descended the stairs at the end of the plaza. They strolled slowly along the bank, enjoying the evening breeze. It was as if they were suddenly cut off from the world, with only the faint, peaceful sound of lapping waves in their ears.
"Senior, we should go to the amusement park someday. A classmate of mine owns it, so I can get a couple of all-day passes..."
Li Xiaoxiao gazed at the brilliant, slowly turning Ferris wheel in the distance, a look of longing reflected in her eyes.
Before Zhou Chen could answer, she pointed to the riverâs surface and exclaimed in delight, "Senior, look, look! Itâs a duck! Itâs so cute!"
CLICK, CLICK. She pulled out her phone and snapped several pictures in a row before turning to Zhou Chen excitedly.
"Senior, could you take a couple of pictures of me? Itâll be quick, please~? Senior~"
Li Xiaoxiao grabbed Zhou Chenâs hand, shaking it back and forth insistently as she pleaded in a cloyingly sweet voice.
âI canât take this anymore. Can we please just fast-forward to the test...â Zhou Chen sighed internally, but his expression was that of someone whose heart had softened and was about to give in.
He took Li Xiaoxiaoâs phone, raised it, randomly snapped two pictures, and handed it back to her.
"Uh, Senior... your photography skills arenât that great."
Li Xiaoxiao wore a complicated expression. Sheâd never seen photography skills so abysmal they defied critique. âForget composition, angles, or any kind of technique,â she thought, âcould you at least get it in focus?!â
"Excuse me, miss? Could you take a picture for us?" She stopped a girl who was walking by and asked for her help.
"...Okay." The girl was startled for a moment but didnât refuse. She took the phone and aimed it at the couple.
Li Xiaoxiao quickly looped her arm through Zhou Chenâs, pressing her body intimately against his. She beamed with the sweet smile of a girl deep in the honeymoon phase of a new romance.
"Got it." A moment later, the passerby handed the phone back, feeling a mix of envy and bitterness. âWhen will it be my turn to be this happy...â she wondered.
"Thanks so much~" Li Xiaoxiao said politely. She watched the girl leave, then tapped the screen to look at the photos. "Wow, Senior, youâre really photogenic."
"Am I? Itâs fine, I guess," Zhou Chen said casually after a quick glance.
They continued to walk along the bank, stopping here and there. Before long, a dark, abandoned warehouse loomed ahead. Li Xiaoxiao hesitated for a moment, then, as if mustering her courage, her cheeks flushed red and she began pulling Zhou Chen in that direction.
"Why are we going over there?" Zhou Chen asked, confused.
"I... I just... Oh, stop! Donât you think this is exciting, Senior?" The blush on Li Xiaoxiaoâs face deepened.
âThis must be the place...â Seeing that the time was right, Zhou Chenâs expression turned cold. He wrenched his arm from her grasp, instantly drew the Flintlock Pistol from inside his jacket, and pressed its muzzle to the center of Li Xiaoxiaoâs forehead.
"Stop pretending. Who sent you?" he asked, his expression cold and emotionless.
Li Xiaoxiao looked terrified, trembling uncontrollably as tears welled in her eyes. "Senior... Senior, what are you saying...?"
"The campus belle of Jinzhu University suddenly starts throwing herself at me. You didnât really think Iâd buy that, did you? Tell me, whatâs your real reason for approaching me?!" Zhou Chenâs gaze was frigid, his finger resting on the trigger, ready to shoot at a momentâs notice.
Suddenly, in the silence, Li Xiaoxiao let out a soft laugh. The Fear on her face and the tears in her eyes vanished without a trace. Her demeanor changed in the blink of an eye; one moment she was the picture of pitiful vulnerability, and the next she was calm and composed, giving him a smile that seemed to say, âYouâre not bad.â
"Birdman said you were very capable, and it seems he was right. I might have been a bit too obvious and given the game away, but youâre certainly decisive. To just pull a gun like that... arenât you afraid of being seen?"
"Youâre with Birdman?" Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes.
"Thatâs right. Iâm here to conduct your final assessment." Li Xiaoxiao pointed to the pitch-dark warehouse. "Your âfinal examâ is in there."
"Final exam?" Zhou Chen put away his Flintlock Pistol. "If I pass this, will your group really accept me?"
"Yes. So, come with me."
Li Xiaoxiao turned and pushed open the doors to the abandoned warehouse. It was pitch-black inside. She glanced back, gesturing for Zhou Chen to follow, before stepping into the profound Darkness.
The moment Zhou Chen stepped into the warehouse, dim lights flickered on.
The warehouse was cluttered with all sorts of junk, draped in cobwebs, and coated in a thick layer of dust. The air hung heavy with the stale, musty smell of decay.
Two young men, both strangers to him, had clearly been waiting for some time. A few seconds later, Jiang Cheâs voice came through his earpiece, informing him that both men were students from Jinzhu University.
Right now, however, Zhou Chenâs attention wasnât on the two men. Instead, it was fixed on the figure in front of themâsomeone tied to a chair with thick ropes, a black hood covering their head.
"Who is this?" he asked.
Li Xiaoxiao lifted her chin. Taking it as a command, one of the men stepped forward and pulled the hood off the captive, revealing a face Zhou Chen knew all too well.
âYang!
"This is your final exam," Li Xiaoxiao replied with a smile.