The undead have descended upon the world? I possess a sword that can cleave the heavens once more!

Outpost A114-3, Dayun City, Yunshang Province.

The incandescent light on the ceiling of the interrogation room was still on, its cold white light pouring down without obstruction, illuminating the unconscious figure on the floor clearly.

Qin Tian was squatting down with the bronze-badged torchbearer with thick eyebrows, examining the bespectacled man who had fainted on the ground.

Qin Tian still held the tablet in his hand, but his gaze was not on the screen; instead, he was intently watching the every move of the torchbearer with thick eyebrows.

The man with thick eyebrows holding the torch was clearly an expert. His hands moved cleanly and efficiently during the inspection, like a precision instrument, without any unnecessary movements.

He first pressed his fingers on the side of the bespectacled man's neck, feeling the pulse and temperature under his skin. His fingertips paused slightly, as if counting the beats.

Then he quickly moved his hand to the other person's nostrils and checked their breathing, the movement was swift and seamless.

"Breathing is slightly weak, but still within the normal range; pulse is weak; body temperature is normal."

The torchbearer with thick eyebrows spoke at a moderate volume and pace, appearing methodical and organized.

"Basic vital signs are basically intact."

As he spoke, he removed his hand from the other person's neck.

Qin Tian, ​​meanwhile, was quickly taking notes on the tablet, the capacitive stylus tip making a series of very soft tapping sounds as it glided across the screen.

Immediately afterwards, the torchbearer with thick eyebrows continued his actions.

He took off the man's glasses, used two fingers to pry open the man's eyelids, and then took a small flashlight out of his pocket with his other hand.

Press the switch, and a beam of cold white light pierces straight into the other person's pupil.

"The pupils are dilated and the light reflex is sluggish."

He stared at the spot where the light had shone, his gaze lingering quietly for a moment.

"Confirmed to have lost consciousness and fallen into a coma."

Qin Tian immediately wrote down those words upon hearing them.

After doing all this, the bearded torchbearer stood up.

His thick eyebrows were furrowed tightly, as if he were thinking about something terrible.

After finishing his notes, Qin Tian looked up and saw this scene, and his expression was somewhat uneasy: This really had nothing to do with him. He had strictly followed the procedures in the inquiry manual.

He swallowed hard, glanced at the unconscious bespectacled man on the ground, and said somewhat apologetically, "Brother Zhong, I'm sorry, I..."

It was Brother Zhong who saved him from the zombies and took a liking to him, which led him to join the Torchbearers' unofficial team and give him a salary from the Investigation Bureau.

This is only his first mission since joining the unofficial team, and he's already botched it.

Thinking of this, his face showed even more shame.

Upon hearing Qin Tian's words, the thick-browed torchbearer known as Brother Zhong didn't even turn his head, but simply waved his hand at him.

After glancing twice at the bespectacled man on the ground who had fallen unconscious but was still radiating ritual energy, the torchbearer with thick eyebrows turned around and looked at Qin Tian:

"This is not your problem, you don't need to blame yourself."

"Similar situations have occurred in other inquiry rooms at this hub, and even at other hubs."

Upon hearing this, Qin Tian was also shocked: "What? This situation has occurred in other places as well?"

The man with thick eyebrows, holding the torch, nodded.

Then he walked toward the door.

Just as he was about to walk out the door, he seemed to remember something, paused, and then tilted his head to add:

"To be able to handle an inquiry task so methodically for the first time is already quite impressive."

"Keep up the good work, and we look forward to you officially joining us."

After saying that, he strode out of the interrogation room.

Upon hearing the last two sentences from the torchbearer with thick eyebrows, Qin Tian was momentarily stunned:

"I..."

"You did a great job...?"

Qin Tian didn't know how long it had been since he had heard such words of affirmation.

He remembers that when he was a child, he was a very lively and outgoing person who wanted to try everything.

But how did I gradually become that lazy, unambitious person I used to be?

It was probably after his parents divorced, and neither of them wanted him, so he had to grow up with his grandparents.

When his grandparents were still alive, things were fine; there were people who could care for and love him.

However, his grandparents were not in good health to begin with, and they passed away one after the other when he was in junior high school.

He had no choice but to move back in and live with his mother.

But by then, his mother had already started a new family with someone else, and he was just an unwanted hindrance.

"A superfluous hindrance"—this wasn't how he described himself, but rather a phrase he heard from his mother.

So when he started high school the following year, he moved out and began a long-term boarding school life, including Saturdays and weekends.

Even so, his personality had already undergone tremendous changes over time.

He became taciturn, no longer liked to talk, no longer liked to try new things, and lost interest in everything.

This caused his classmates to distance themselves from him because of his unsociable nature, and he had no friends.

He gradually shut himself off from the world.

Over time, he became a complete, lazy bum, just waiting to die.

Even though he awakened to his abilities by chance and entered the extraordinary world, he still couldn't muster any interest in anything and remained a nobody.

But now, how can someone say they "did a good job" after messing up the task?

Qin Tian stood at the door of the interrogation room, watching the black figure walk further and further away, and let out a long breath.

He muttered to himself, "Qin Tian, ​​Qin Tian, ​​you can't let others down again!"

If being rescued by the torchbearers and witnessing that elusive figure slaying through the horde of zombies rekindled his inner flame and made him truly want to change himself...

These words of affirmation from the torchbearer with thick eyebrows were like a bucket of fuel poured on the flames in his heart, making him completely determined in his thoughts.

Even if it was just a few simple, affirmative words.

But how long has it been since he last heard such simple words?

Yes, how long has it been exactly?

Anyway, he couldn't remember it anymore.

next moment.

buzz-

The vibration notification from his mobile device pulled Qin Tian back to reality.

He tapped the screen on his wrist, and saw a message displayed:

Zhong Ling (A114-3, leader of the fourth unorganized squad):

"All squad members, please immediately cease all ongoing tasks and proceed to the assembly point at the main entrance on the first floor!"

And Zhongling is the name of that man with thick eyebrows holding a torch.

. . . . . .