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

Should we go or not?

Is there even a need to choose?

Wu You and Wang Qi exchanged another glance, then simultaneously uttered a single word: "Go!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Ye Yi and Hu Lie nodded simultaneously, both with satisfaction on their faces.

"Very good, then I'll report your information." Ye Yi picked up the pen on the table and made a couple of marks on the document in front of her. "The training usually starts around July each year, which is just over a month from now. I'll notify you then."

He raised his head and his gaze fell on Wu You.

"And Xiaoyou, your personal information needs to be updated."

Ye Yi emphasized the words "personal information," her tone carrying a deeper meaning.

Wu You nodded, understanding what the other person was referring to: rank, strength, and the bronze badge.

Hu Lie is right. In the Investigation Bureau, talent and ability are the most fundamental things. Hiding them will only cause you to miss many opportunities.

It was already very late when I came out of the Bureau of Investigation building.

Wu You looked down at his chest—the bronze torch badge had been replaced with a silver one.

His base salary also increased from 300 contribution points per month to 500. Since the Investigation Bureau pays salaries in contribution points, it translates to hundreds of thousands of jade coins per month, making it a high-paying job, though it is a bit dangerous.

In addition, Ye Yi also gave him a position as deputy director of the executive department of the Lanhe City Abnormal Investigation Bureau, saying that he was going to participate in Jiuli's training and should at least have some visible resume.

As for Wang Qi, he has been appointed as the deputy director of the executive department since he became a fifth-level ability user last year. Wu You's position as deputy director can be considered a last-minute attempt to gain experience.

He walked out of the investigation bureau and headed towards Lanxing Residential Area along the familiar street.

A night breeze blew by, carrying the coolness of early summer. One streetlamp after another stretched his shadow long, then shortened, then stretched again.

The road was quiet, with only one or two cars occasionally passing by, their headlights flashing briefly in the distance before disappearing.

It's just a bit of a shame that we didn't run into a single zombie on the way.

There was no extra income.

But that's normal. He's walked this road countless times; he's cleaned it to the point where it couldn't be cleaner.

And it was getting late, so he quickened his pace and headed home.

. . . . . .

When Wu You reached the vicinity of his own building in the residential area, his pace suddenly slowed down.

He saw a familiar figure.

Although it was very dark, with his current strength, his five senses were enhanced many times over, so the darkness was no problem at all.

The dim yellow light of the streetlamp fell on that person, illuminating everything clearly.

She had long black hair tied in a ponytail and was wearing the school uniform of No. 5 Middle School. She was squatting next to a street lamp.

It's Hua Linlin.

She squatted there, hugging her knees with both hands, resting her chin on her arms, her gaze drifting towards the entrance of the building where Wu You's family lived.

That was also the place where he first met Hua Linlin in Lanxing Community.

Wu You sighed.

Although he was also a bachelor in his previous life, his emotional intelligence wasn't that low.

He naturally knew a bit about Hua Linlin's thoughts.

He hadn't taken it seriously before, though. After all, seventeen or eighteen-year-old girls were at the age when their hearts were just beginning to flutter, and it was easy for them to be attracted to his enhanced face. But he figured this attraction wouldn't last; after a while, they'd probably forget about him.

He truly didn't expect that after not seeing her for a month, this little girl would actually come and wait for him downstairs.

And judging from this, this isn't the first time.

It's possible that he always came home very late before, so they always missed each other, but today he came home earlier than usual, which is why they ran into each other.

Wu You stood there, looking at the figure squatting under the streetlight, his feelings slightly complicated.

If this were an ordinary world, getting married, having children, and living a mundane life would be a good choice. But unfortunately, this is not the case. This is a world with zombie species, dark domains, powerful individuals, and all sorts of dangers.

Moreover, he joined the Bureau of Anomalies, which meant he was destined to deal with these things all the time.

So no matter what, he couldn't do as she wished.

The world of zombies and ability users is too dangerous. Even Wu You himself could die from a single mistake. How much more so for an ordinary person like Hua Linlin who hasn't awakened any abilities?

He sighed again; things couldn't go on like this.

He will be participating in the Jiuli training and selection in July. Although Ye Yi did not say the specific location, Wu You knew that this kind of nationwide training would most likely not be held in a small city like Lanhe.

This means he will leave in July.

Let's make things clear now.

Wu You walked over.

. . .

Hua Linlin was squatting by the street lamp, glancing at her phone once again.

The chat interface was still stuck on the last conversation. She typed a few words, then deleted them, then typed a few more, then deleted them again. Her finger hovered over the screen for a long time, but in the end, she didn't send anything.

"Damn it..." she muttered under her breath, biting her lip. "If I didn't not know your house number, I..."

He couldn't continue speaking halfway through his sentence.

She sighed, looking somewhat dejected.

"We haven't seen him for so many days, could it be that he went to university early to register?"

She supported herself on her knees to stand up.

But she had been squatting for too long and her legs were numb. She couldn't stand up for a moment and her body swayed. Even so, she first grabbed a long, narrow object beside her, and then used her other hand to support herself on the lamppost next to her.

Just then, a voice came from the side.

"Hua Linlin."

She turned her head abruptly.

The figure she had been longing for stood less than two meters away from her. White T-shirt, black casual pants, and that face she couldn't forget for the past month.

"what?"

She rubbed her eyes.

My first reaction was disbelief.

Only after confirming that she hadn't misread it did a look of ecstatic joy appear on her face.

Her eyes lit up suddenly, and her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something. But quickly, she bit her lower lip, swallowing back the words that were about to slip out.

She lowered her head, took a deep breath, and when she raised her head again, she had almost controlled her expression, except for the tips of her ears, which were still red.

"Ahem." She cleared her throat, her voice deliberately calm. "What a coincidence. I heard you were accepted early, right? Don't you need to register at school early?"

Wu You shook his head: "More reports in July."

"July? So early?" Hua Linlin almost lost control of her expression again.

Her fingers clenched unconsciously.

But Hua Linlin, the master of facial expression management, managed to keep her composure, though there was a slight, almost imperceptible tremor in her voice.

"Uh, no, I meant shouldn't school start in September?"

Wu You blurted out, "That's how the early admission process works."

A palpable sense of disappointment appeared between Hua Linlin's brows.

"oh."

The "oh" was very soft, as if it were squeezed out of her throat. She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes casting a small shadow under the streetlight.

After a two-second silence, she suddenly remembered something, picked up the long, narrow object beside her with both hands, and handed it to Wu You.

The object was clearly heavy; she was struggling to lift it, and her arms were trembling slightly.

"Congratulations! You can go to university without taking the college entrance exam." Her voice became lighter. "This is a gift for you."

When the word "gift" was mentioned, Hua Linlin's face visibly flushed slightly under the streetlight.

"We didn't make it to that shop the last two times, so this is kind of compensation." She paused, "But don't overthink it. My cousin bought this sword before, and I'm just giving it to you as a gift. After all, I don't need it."

Seeing her struggling, Wu You didn't expose her clumsy lie. He took the sword wrapped in the cloth bag and said, "Thank you anyway."

The bag was opened, revealing the sword sheath inside.

Made of purple sandalwood, it has a restrained luster, a rich texture, and delicate wood grain. It feels warm and smooth to the touch. The scabbard opening and end are inlaid with silver metal fittings, making it look quite expensive.

Wu You drew his sword.

The sword gleamed with a clear, cool light under the streetlights, and a shallow blood groove ran along the blade from the guard to near the tip.

He held it in his hand and weighed it in his hand. The center of gravity was three fingers in front of the handguard, and it felt quite good.

He waved it a couple of times.

Although it cannot compare to weapons like the Four-Colored Crystal Longsword, which are made of special materials, it is still a rare and excellent sword.

Hua Linlin, who was watching Wu You wield his sword, was stunned.

Wu You wasn't wearing his glasses at that moment.

That already exquisitely beautiful face seemed to be imbued with some indescribable charm the moment the sword was swung.

It's not just about being good-looking; it's about an aura that emanates from within—sharp, aloof, and with a touch of elegance.

As the sword flashed, his features appeared as if washed by moonlight, so clean that he seemed otherworldly.

Hua Linlin was stunned.

Her mouth was agape, her eyes unblinking, and she even forgot to breathe.

Wu You sheathed his sword and handed it back to Wu You.

"It's a fine sword," he said, "but I can't accept it. It's too valuable."

Hua Linlin then came to her senses.

"Ah...ah?" She blinked, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "It's just a sword, nothing valuable! Besides, I don't need it. If you don't want it, I'll have to carry it back. Are you trying to kill me with work?"

Wu You shook his head again.

"It's getting late," he said. "Let me take you home."

Hua Linlin fell silent immediately.

She looked into Wu You's eyes, which held no ambiguity, no flickering light, only a calm and gentle... rejection.

Although she has never been in a relationship, she is not stupid.

She certainly understood the refusal in Wu You's words.

Rejection in various senses.

Her eyes turned red at a visible speed, the redness spreading from the corner of her eye like a drop of ink falling into water, quickly spreading throughout her entire eye socket.

Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she said nothing.

Then she snatched the sword from Wu You's hand and ran away.

She ran very fast, her ponytail swaying behind her head.

Then a voice, tinged with sobs, drifted on the night breeze.

"Fine, I don't want it! I don't want you to send it to me!"

The sound grew fainter and fainter, fading into the distance.

Finally, it disappeared into the night.

Wu You stood there, watching the figure run away, past the streetlights, into the shadows, and into the light of the next streetlight.

He sighed but finally took a step.