One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

"Then..." He swallowed, his voice even hoarser, "Why did you join the company? With your abilities, you could easily make it on your own."

"I had no choice." Nie Lingfeng spread his hands, palms up, with thin calluses from years of holding a knife. "My master took me into the deep mountains when I was a child, and I stayed there for ten years. A few months ago, the old man passed away. Before he died, he told me to go down the mountain and 'enter the world.' But I hadn't been down the mountain since I was six years old. Once I entered the forest, I was like a headless fly. I wandered around for two months and still couldn't find my way out. If it weren't for Brother Qiu—Wang Zhenqiu from the Southwest Region, who happened to be on a mission in that area and dragged me out of the forest, I'd probably still be inside gnawing on tree bark."

"Brother Qiu told Uncle Hao and the others that someone like me, with my unique abilities, either had to join the company and be under unified management, or register and be under close surveillance—I chose the former because the latter had too many rules and I felt uncomfortable. Then my master said that my hometown was in Shandong and told me to come back and visit. Uncle Hao arranged for someone to take me to the North China region, and as soon as I arrived, my third and fourth brothers were already waiting for me there. At least I felt that my third and fourth brothers were very kind to their own people."

Then Nie Lingfeng smiled and looked at Zhang Chulan: "So you see, I'm actually pretty much the same as you. We were both just thrown into this strange world not long ago, completely clueless, and didn't know any rules. But I'm a little better off than you—my master is gone, my family is long gone, I'm all alone, with no ties. Even if I die, no one will cry for me."

As Zhang Chulan listened, the anger and resentment he felt at being deceived, used, and treated as a pawn slowly receded like the tide, revealing something more complex beneath.

He sensed a poignant honesty in Nie Lingfeng's words. There were no flowery words, no false promises, just a simple and straightforward "I had no choice, and you had almost no choice either."

"So what do you think..." Zhang Chulan lowered his head, looking at his tightly clenched hands, his voice almost inaudible, "I joined the company, right?"

Nie Lingfeng didn't answer immediately. He stood up, walked to the window, and reached out to open a crack in the blinds. Outside was a bustling underground work area, people hurrying by, screens flashing, and telephones ringing incessantly.

"Chu Lan, is there any absolute right or wrong in this world?" He looked out the window, his back to Zhang Chu Lan. "I can only say that, given your current situation—possessing the secret of the Qi Source Flow, being targeted by Quanxing, and being completely clueless about the world of supernatural beings—joining the company will at least give you an official protective shell. The company is a legitimate organization with rules and regulations, ethical standards, and the backing of the state. Under the company, Quanxing won't dare to openly harm you, and other forces will have to think twice about the consequences before they try to interfere."

"As for whether it's right or wrong..." He turned around, leaned against the windowsill, and looked back at Zhang Chulan. "This is your path, and you have to walk it yourself. I can only tell you that no matter which path you choose, you must be prepared to bear all the consequences. The rules of this world are much crueler than those of ordinary society."

Zhang Chulan fell silent.

He leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Countless voices seemed to be arguing in his mind—his grandfather's kind smile, his father's departing figure, the icy blue giant blade that cleaved the night last night, Liu Yanyan's cold yet crazed eyes, Feng Baobao's empty gaze, Xu San's serious face, Xu Si's cynical yet subtly sharp smile…

And then there were Nie Lingfeng's words just now: "I had no choice, and you had pretty much no choice either."

Yes, did he even have a choice?

From the moment his grandfather implanted that "qi" into his body, from the moment his grandfather told him "never to let anyone know," his path had already been set.

Just as his thoughts were in turmoil, a sharp, female scream suddenly came from next door.

The screams were filled with pain, fear, and a desperate sob, still clearly audible through the walls: "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! Please...please...please stop! Third Brother! Third Brother, save me—!!"

Then Xu San, suppressing his anger, snapped, "Xu Si! That's enough! She's still a child!"

Xu Si's lazy, chuckling voice followed closely behind, sounding distorted as it came through the wall, making it even more chilling: "Third brother, that's how interrogations have to be done. Otherwise, she'll think we're just inviting her for tea and a chat. The Liu family's little girl is tough as nails; without some tricks, she can take the secret to her grave."

The screams gradually weakened, turning into intermittent, suppressed whimpers, like those of a wounded animal.

Zhang Chulan suddenly shivered, as if the blood in his body had frozen instantly.

He recalled the last thing that flashed in Liu Yanyan's beautiful eyes when she was taken away last night—not anger or hatred, but pure, deep-seated fear.

The sound of the doorknob turning.

The door opened.

Xu Si walked in, a white towel in his hand, slowly and meticulously wiping his fingers—one by one, very carefully. His expression was relaxed, a slight smile even playing on his lips, as if the screams and cries from next door had nothing to do with him. Behind him, Xu San's face was grim, his lips pressed into a stern line. Feng Baobao remained expressionless, her gaze lingering for a moment on the towel Xu Si was using to wipe his hands.

A faint, almost imperceptible smell of rust filled the air.

"How's it going, kid?" Xu Si casually tossed the towel into the corner trash can, sat down again on the sofa opposite Zhang Chulan, sinking into the soft leather. "Have you figured it out?"

Zhang Chulan took a deep breath, a deep and rapid breath, like the first breath of a drowning person surfacing.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Xu San and Xu Si in turn, finally landing on Feng Baobao's blank face by the door.

"I'll join," he said, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "but on two conditions."

"Speak," Xu Si raised an eyebrow.

"First of all, Sister Bao'er can't hit me! She can't cut me with a knife! And she can't call me a slave!" Zhang Chulan almost shouted, his voice trembling with excitement.

As soon as she finished speaking, a gleaming kitchen knife appeared in Feng Baobao's hand with a "whoosh." The blade gleamed coldly under the light, and near the handle, a crooked "Bao" character was engraved on the blade.

Nie Lingfeng silently raised his hand and covered his face.

Xu San and Xu Si's expressions instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Zhang Chulan realized his wording was inappropriate and quickly corrected himself: "No! What I meant was... we need to cooperate! Cooperate! Sister Bao'er... Sister, please put the knife down! I, I'll say it again!"

Feng Baobao tilted her head, twirling the kitchen knife between her fingers in a beautiful flourish, the blade hissing as it sliced ​​through the air. "So what did you just say?"

"I...I'll say..." Zhang Chulan swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I'll join! I'll sign the contract! But you have to guarantee my basic human rights and safety! You can't treat me like a disposable expendable!"

Xu San's expression softened slightly. He picked up the contract documents he had prepared earlier from the table, pushed them onto the coffee table in front of Zhang Chulan, and made a soft "thud".

"Sign it." Xu San's voice returned to normal. "Sign this contract, and from today onwards, you will be a temporary worker at All-Tong Express Company, and also an officially recognized member of the Extraordinary World. Welcome to... the real world."

Zhang Chulan looked at the contract. The paper was thick, the cover was dark blue, and it was printed with the company logo and the words "Confidentiality Agreement and Employment Contract". He reached out, and his fingertips trembled slightly when they touched the cold paper.

He opened the contract, and a dense array of clauses filled with legal jargon made his head spin. But he forced himself to read through it line by line—rights, obligations, confidentiality clauses, code of conduct, risk disclosure…

Turning to the last page, his name was already printed in the signature section: Zhang Chulan.

Next to it is the signature column for the recommenders: Xu San and Xu Si.

There is also a guarantor column: Feng Baobao and Nie Lingfeng.

Nie Lingfeng's name was already signed; the handwriting was vigorous and unrestrained, carrying a sharp, razor-sharp quality.

Zhang Chulan picked up the pen. It was an ordinary black ballpoint pen, the plastic barrel slippery in his hand. He stared at the blank space for a long time, so long that Xu Si began to tap the ground with his toes in impatience.

Finally, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them, and with a forceful stroke of his wrist, signed his name on the horizontal line.

The three characters were written crookedly, as if he had used up all his strength.

The moment the pen left the paper, he felt as if something had been pulled from his body—his past, his ordinary life. At the same time, something heavier pressed down on him—his future, unpredictable responsibilities and dangers.

"Alright." Xu San took the contract, carefully checked the signature, and then locked it in his desk drawer. "Welcome to NaDuTong. Your specific work arrangements, access permissions, and basic training will be handled by someone later. Now, go back to school with Xiao Feng, maintain a normal student life, and don't attract unnecessary attention."

"Wait a minute," Nie Lingfeng suddenly spoke up, raising his hand like a student asking a question in class, "Fourth Brother, it seems I... haven't signed a formal employment contract yet? I signed a temporary agreement before."

Xu Si's smile froze instantly.

"...Yes! Absolutely!" He quickly bent down and pulled out another bound document from the bottom drawer of his desk, his movements slightly flustered. "Your contract is definitely here! But... Xiao Feng, you're a 'special talent' specially recruited by Third Brother. Your salary, benefits, and performance bonuses all require a special application process, so they might not be paid according to the standards for regular employees in the North China region for the time being. We have to wait for headquarters' approval..."

"It's alright." Nie Lingfeng took the contract, glanced at the cover, and deftly turned to the last page. He took the pen from Zhang Chulan and scribbled his name in the signature area, his handwriting as flamboyant as ever. "Basic salary is enough, enough for food and lodging. But Fourth Brother, I have a suggestion."

"Go ahead," Xu Si said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"You two had better arrange for someone to keep an eye on the internal forums, dark web chat rooms, and those hidden contact points of the supernatural community right now." Nie Lingfeng put his pen back in the pen holder, his tone calm, but the content made Xu San's expression change drastically. "Although we managed to suppress those people from Quanxing yesterday, they may have already spread the news that 'Zhang Chulan is the successor of the Qi Source Cultivator.' Once the news spreads, it's like spilled water; it can't be taken back. We need to control public opinion as soon as possible. Delete what can be deleted, guide what can be guided, and if all else fails, we have to release some smokescreens to confuse the public—otherwise, Chulan might be targeted by supernatural beings who appear out of nowhere, not only at school but even on the street."

Xu San suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping the floor with a harsh sound: "You're right! I'll arrange for the information team to handle it immediately!" He grabbed the internal phone on the table, dialed quickly, and began issuing instructions in a rapid-fire manner.

Xu Si gave Nie Lingfeng a deep look, his gaze containing both admiration and a deeper consideration. He patted Nie Lingfeng's shoulder firmly: "Alright, Xiao Feng is very thoughtful. Take Chu Lan back to school first, keep communication open, and wait for our news."

The three of them left the office.

When Zhang Chulan reached the top of the stairs, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the heavy solid wood door that had been closed again.

Behind the door was a contract he had just signed, a contract that would completely drag his life into another dimension. The wood grain on the door panel appeared exceptionally deep in the dim light, like the veins of some indescribable destiny.

"Let's go." Nie Lingfeng gave him a push on the back, the force neither too light nor too heavy. "Don't look back, it's too late to go back. The road is ahead, not behind."

Zhang Chulan staggered a step, took a deep breath, turned around, and stepped onto the upward stairs.

The three walked out of the warehouse's back door and returned to the sunlight.

The morning sun had become bright and scorching, its rays somewhat dazzling on the face. The traffic on the streets began to increase, with horns, engines, and voices mingling together, creating a noisy and vibrant atmosphere of everyday life.

Feng Baobao followed behind them for a few steps, then suddenly stopped, touched her stomach, looked up at Nie Lingfeng, and stated in a calm tone, "I'm hungry."

Nie Lingfeng: "...Sister Bao'er, it's only 9:07 AM."

"You can be hungry at 9:07." Feng Baobao said matter-of-factly, a rare glimmer of clear longing for food appearing in her usually vacant eyes. "My stomach is growling."

As Zhang Chulan watched this scene unfold—his "master," who could kill people without batting an eye, easily subdue supernatural beings, and give him nightmares, was now earnestly complaining because he was hungry—the heavy, suffocating feeling in his heart, which was almost crushing him, suddenly eased a little.

Absurd. Ridiculous. Yet strangely...real.

"Let's go," he heard himself say, his voice surprisingly calm. "It's on me. We'll go to the soy milk and fried dough stick shop behind the school. All you can eat."

Feng Baobao's eyes suddenly lit up, like two glass beads that had been wiped clean of dust: "Great! Add more chili oil!"

Nie Lingfeng laughed, raised his hand and put it around Zhang Chulan's shoulder. It was a real weight with body heat: "Alright, today we're going to eat your living expenses for this month."

The three walked side by side down the street, which was gradually becoming bustling. The sunlight cast their shadows long and overlapping on the ground.

Zhang Chulan walked in the middle, with Nie Lingfeng on his left, his long hair tied up, carrying a long sword (though wrapped in cloth), and possessing a unique temperament; and Feng Baobao on his right, wearing a pinafore dress, her twin ponytails swaying back and forth, her eyes vacant but paying special attention to the roadside food stalls.

The two "strange people" are both eccentric.

Strangely, the unease and fear that had been lingering in his heart since last night was slowly being replaced by a strange, unfamiliar calm.

Since the way out is cut off, and since there is no other choice.

Let's keep moving forward then.

At least, I'm not alone.

He subconsciously touched his pants pocket, where his phone was. The screen unlocked, revealing several new numbers in his contacts: Nie Lingfeng (roommate/bodyguard?), Xu San (boss), Xu Si (another boss), and the company's emergency contact number.

There's another number labeled "Owner," belonging to Feng Baobao.

This is his new world.

It is bizarre and dangerous, yet full of unknown possibilities.

And he had already stepped inside.

Ahead, the proprietress of the soy milk and fried dough stick shop is standing at the door, attracting customers. Steam rises from the steamer, the oil sizzles, and the aroma of scallions wafts far and wide.

"Hurry up," Feng Baobao urged, already jogging along, the hem of her pinafore dress billowing in a small arc. "The fried dough sticks have to be freshly fried and crispy."

Nie Lingfeng followed with a smile.

Zhang Chulan watched their retreating figures and then started walking.

The sun is shining brightly.

At least for this moment, things are good.