One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

"Shandong?" Xu Si's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh. "Hey! What a coincidence! Just before we picked you up, one of our temporary workers went to Shandong to handle a case! Third brother, which village was it again?"

Xu San nodded and continued, "Zhangzhuang. Bao'er set off yesterday." The "Bao'er" he was referring to was naturally Feng Baobao.

Nie Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, the timeline was correct; Feng Baobao had already begun working as a temporary employee.

"That's perfect!" Xu Si clapped his hands again, his face full of "heaven is helping me" (meaning he was very fortunate). "Third brother, make arrangements this afternoon to take Xiao Feng to Shandong to meet up with Bao'er! Firstly, let Xiao Feng personally participate in the actual process of our field mission, which can be considered a pre-job training; secondly, although Bao'er can handle things on her own, sometimes... well, her way of handling things is rather direct. With Xiao Feng by her side, they can support each other and Xiao Feng can adapt to our work style more quickly."

Xu San pondered for a moment, then agreed, finding the arrangement reasonable. "Okay. However..."

His gaze fell on the Snow Drinking Blade on Nie Lingfeng's back, his brows furrowing slightly: "There's a practical problem. Civil aviation has strict security regulations, and this knife of yours... is a controlled weapon that is explicitly prohibited from being carried. Last time you came from the southwest, Director Hao Yi used special channels within the company to get you a train ticket. This time, going to Shandong, we're applying for a similar privilege on short notice, but the process and time may not be enough."

The three of them fell silent.

Nie Lingfeng glanced at his prized Snow Drinking Blade, then at Xu San's troubled expression and Xu Si's thoughtful gesture, and tentatively began, "Third Brother, Fourth Brother, this blade is very important to me; I almost never let it out of my sight. And… it has a problem. If it's removed from my warmth and control for an extended period, the blade will spontaneously and continuously emit a chilling aura, and…"

He paused, then added, "Perhaps due to 'spirituality,' some uncontrollable 'abnormalities' occurred."

Xu Si's lips twitched: "Strange activity? What kind of strange activity?"

"Hmm..." Nie Lingfeng tried to find the right words. "For example, the scabbard might vibrate on its own and make a buzzing sound; or the cold air might burst out uncontrollably, causing a small-scale, continuous freezing phenomenon... In severe cases, it might freeze the safe or room where it is stored, or even cause structural problems." He wasn't talking nonsense. As a divine weapon, the Snow Drinking Blade has its own spirit. If it is unattended for a long time and the environment is unsuitable, it may indeed produce abnormalities.

Upon hearing this, Xu San raised his hand and rubbed his temples, his tone knowing: "No wonder Director Hao had to use his special privileges to arrange the train... This is indeed a big problem."

Xu Si scratched his head, looking somewhat agitated: "This won't do! From now on, for missions, especially long-range and urgent ones, we can't always submit reports and wait for special approval, can we? Wouldn't that tie down a great general like you? Absolutely not!"

The two brothers frowned, clearly stumped by this "happy problem".

Seeing their troubled expressions, Nie Lingfeng chuckled inwardly, but on the surface, he feigned a sudden flash of inspiration and whispered, "Um... Third Brother, Fourth Brother, my master mentioned before that some powerful weapon refiners or extraordinary seniors in ancient times could forge something called a 'storage artifact.' It has its own internal space, capable of storing items—like a mustard seed containing Mount Sumeru—very convenient. However, he said those are all legendary things, and they've probably been lost long ago..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Si suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide like saucers, his face instantly brightening, and he burst into even louder laughter:

"Hahaha! How could I forget that! Xiao Feng, you're truly my lucky star! You're so quick-witted!"

Xu San immediately realized what was going on, his eyes lighting up behind his glasses: "You mean... a magical artifact similar to a 'devouring pouch' or a spatial storage device?"

Nie Lingfeng nodded, a hint of anticipation and uncertainty on his face: "Yes, that's what Master said. If we had such a thing, we wouldn't have to worry about carrying a knife."

"Yes! We absolutely have!" Xu Si waved his hand excitedly. "Third brother, quick! Go look in our evidence warehouse or equipment warehouse! I remember a couple of years ago we were handling a case involving the relics of an ancient weapon refiner, and we seemed to have seized something called something like 'Qiankun Yiqi Bag' or 'Ruyi Pouch'? The assessment report said it was just a low-level spatial storage magic artifact, with limited internal space, only good for storing inanimate objects, and it's been gathering dust in the warehouse ever since!"

This time, Xu San didn't immediately refute that "that's evidence." Instead, he seriously considered the feasibility and adjusted his glasses: "I remember the item's serial number. The assessment report shows that its function is stable, but the space is only about three cubic meters, and it cannot store living things. As evidence, the relevant case has already been closed, and the item is in a state of pending disposal... If we apply for temporary requisition on the grounds of 'issuing special equipment to high-value field personnel to improve mission efficiency and safety,' and go through the emergency process, it should be approved."

"Why bother with procedures! Just take it and use it!" Xu Si glared. "Third brother, you go get it yourself, and say I approved it! We'll complete the paperwork later! What's wrong with a top-tier fighter like Xiao Feng having a storage artifact? It's only natural! This is for maximizing the company's mission efficiency!"

Xu San looked at his younger brother's "I'm in charge" attitude and shook his head helplessly, but there was no objection in his eyes: "...Alright, I'll go get it. You wait here." After saying that, he turned around and quickly left the training ground.

About half an hour later, Xu San returned, carrying a small, rather old-looking bag, about the size of an adult's palm, grayish in color, and with a texture that resembled both silk and leather. The bag had no decorative patterns on its surface, only some naturally formed, cloud-like fine lines.

"This is it." Xu San handed the small bag to Nie Lingfeng. "Number WJ-073, tentatively named 'Qiankun Bag'. According to testing, the stable internal space is about three cubic meters. It can only store inanimate items. Opening and closing requires injecting a wisp of 'Qi' as a trigger. There are no requirements on the properties of the 'Qi'. This is the basic usage." He briefly explained the key points of sensing with Qi, opening the spatial portal, and storing and retrieving items with intention.

Nie Lingfeng took the Qiankun Bag. It felt light as a feather, yet it possessed a strange sense of weight. As instructed, he separated a wisp of Xuanqing True Qi and poured it into the opening of the bag.

hum...

The air at the bag's opening distorted slightly, revealing a fist-sized, pitch-black, deep hole that seemed capable of swallowing light, from which faint spatial fluctuations emanated.

Nie Lingfeng unsheathed the Snow Drinking Blade from his back and brought the scabbard close to the black hole. Instantly, a gentle yet irresistible suction force emanated from it, and the Snow Drinking Blade, as if drawn by an invisible hand, silently slid into the black hole and disappeared. A thin layer of white frost instantly condensed on the surface of the Qiankun Bag, and the temperature plummeted, but this only lasted for two or three seconds before the frost quickly melted away, and the bag returned to normal temperature, lying lightly in Nie Lingfeng's palm as if nothing had happened.

With a thought, Nie Lingfeng could clearly "sense" that the Snow Drinking Blade was quietly suspended in the three cubic meters of dark space inside the bag, and the cold air emanating from the blade was completely isolated by the spatial barrier, with no leakage.

"It's done!" Xu Si clapped his hands loudly, his face beaming with joy. "Perfectly solved! Third brother, book the tickets! We're flying to Shandong this afternoon!"

This time, Xu San didn't sigh. He simply took out his phone and started booking tickets and arranging follow-up matters.

Holding the lightweight Qiankun bag in his hand, Nie Lingfeng was filled with emotion. This was the world of extraordinary people, with artifacts and methods unimaginable to ordinary people. With this, movement would be so much easier.

In the afternoon, at Tianjin Binhai International Airport.

Xu San handed Nie Lingfeng his boarding pass and a brief mission report: "The flight goes directly to Zibo. Our local field team will pick you up at the airport there and then take you to Zhangzhuang to meet Bao'er. I've already sent you the exact location and Bao'er's contact information to your phone. Remember, this mission report is just a preliminary overview; the situation on-site may be more complex. Safety first. If you encounter any situations beyond your capabilities or unexpected events, don't try to be brave. Contact me immediately, or contact Xu Si directly."

Nie Lingfeng took the item and nodded solemnly, "Understood, Third Brother. I will be careful."

Xu Si then put his arm around Nie Lingfeng's shoulder and pulled him aside, lowering his voice with an unusual seriousness: "Xiao Feng, you'll be working with Bao'er, so be patient with her. She... well, she's a bit special, her way of thinking is different from most people, but she's definitely one of us, kind-hearted, and you can trust her fighting ability. Keep an eye on her if anything happens. Also..."

He winked, a sly glint in his eyes: "When you see Bao'er, don't forget I specifically arranged for you to go 'assist' her. Just say... you were going back to your hometown in Shandong anyway, and you heard there was a case there, so you volunteered to go help out and gain some experience. You know what I mean?"

Nie Lingfeng understood immediately. Feng Baobao was simple and straightforward, and didn't like being overly arranged or "cared for." Xu Si wanted to ensure her safety and support without making her feel special or restricted. He nodded and replied, "Don't worry, Fourth Brother, I understand. Just say I wanted to go to Shandong myself and took on a mission along the way."

"Smart!" Xu Si patted him on the back with satisfaction.

The airport announcement announced boarding.

Nie Lingfeng slung his travel bag, which contained only a few changes of clothes, his old-fashioned mobile phone, and some miscellaneous items over his shoulder—his Snow Drinking Knife and Qiankun Bag were carefully hidden away—and turned to walk toward the security checkpoint.

The plane's engines roared as it lifted off the ground and soared into the sky.

Nie Lingfeng sat by the window, watching the Tianjin landscape gradually shrink and eventually be obscured by clouds outside the porthole, gently stroking the seemingly ordinary gray bag in his hand.

He spent ten years in seclusion in the deep mountains, walking alone in solitude, with only the blade and the cold moon for company.

Upon first entering the world of Southwest China, I was introduced to a new place and realized that there was more to the world than I had imagined.

Now, heading north to North China, I have briefly shown my talent and received a Buddhist artifact to relieve my worries.

The plane was carrying him, flying towards a place where the stories intertwined even more intensely.

Zhangzhuang, Shandong.

Feng Baobao.

Those faces that are about to appear, those events that we already know but will experience firsthand.

The real journey has only just begun.

He, Nie Lingfeng, is gradually walking into the center of this vortex of the world of extraordinary people.