Forgotten Photo Studio

Chapter 77 Promotion Registration
Morning light streamed through the old windows of the photo studio, cutting slanted beams of light through the pervasive dust.

When Xu Yan woke up, he found that Chen Zhiwei was already awake, lying on her side, quietly looking at him.

Her face was still pale from her illness, but her eyes were clear, with a gentle and dependent light that he had never seen before.

The gaze traced his brow bone and nose bridge, finally settling on his slightly pursed lips, carrying an almost greedy sense of cherishing.

It was as if if you looked away for even a moment, the person in front of you would disappear.

"woke up?"

His voice was hoarse from just waking up, but his arm naturally wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

The movement was so smooth, as if it had been done a thousand times.

Only he himself knows how many times such real touches are needed to quell the trembling in his heart from the loss and rediscovery.

"Hmm. Inkstone!"

Chen Zhiwei snuggled closer to his shoulder, finding a more comfortable position. The clean yet slightly gunpowder-scented scent emanating from him filled her nostrils, making her feel incredibly at ease.

"You're sleeping so soundly." What she didn't say was that she was afraid that if she closed her eyes again, this peaceful morning would just be a dream.

Last night, she almost fell asleep counting his heartbeats; each regular beat was a remedy for the terrifying images in her memory.

Xu Yan lowered his head, gently stroking the top of her head with his chin, inhaling the faint scent of soapberry in her hair.

He could clearly feel the frail body in his arms and its faint warmth; a feeling mixed with pity and a sense of responsibility filled his chest.

He tightened his arms around her, confining her within his own territory, as if this would shield her from all the storms of the outside world.

Neither of them spoke again, but in the gradually brightening morning light, they quietly shared the immense and peaceful tranquility brought about by their survival and the change in their relationship.

The silence of this moment is more powerful than any words.

After breakfast, the workspace was temporarily converted into a training ground.

Xu Yan stood in the center of the room, holding the Soul-Sealing Camera in his hand. Opposite him was a target marked with special symbols, simulating the source of spiritual energy disturbance.

"Move half a step to the left, and shift the angle by another ten degrees." Chen Zhiwei sat on a chair to the side, wrapped in a blanket. Her voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

Although she was too weak to go on stage herself, her eyes and mind were Xu Yan's best calibration instrument.

Xu Yan made the adjustments as instructed.

He took a deep breath, trying to find the most stable posture that could capture the "moment" instantly.

But the emptiness in his right shoulder blade returned, and the "quick snapping posture" that was originally as natural as breathing and combined with the strength of his steps and core muscles now seemed sluggish and awkward.

His movements were a beat slow, and the camera felt somewhat heavy in his hand.

"Don't use brute force," Chen Zhiwei gently reminded him. "Remember what Grandpa said? 'Photography is the art of capturing light, while capturing the essence of shadow is the art of capturing the spirit.' Your body is not a support, but a gimbal. Use your heart to 'focus,' not just your eyes."

Xu Yan closed his eyes, discarding the muscle memory he was trying to recall, and instead recalled the feeling when his master taught him—to integrate mental energy with the coordination of the body, just like adjusting the aperture and shutter speed of a camera lens.

He raised the machine again. This time, although his movements were still not as fluid as at his peak, they were less stiff and more composed.

When he looked out through the viewfinder, the world seemed to be recalibrated.

"Click."

There was no actual shutter sound, but he felt that a certain blocked joint seemed to have "opened up" a little.

Through several practices, Xu Yan gradually realized that what he had lost was not the ability itself, but a kind of "shortcut".

He needs to re-understand the essence of "capturing" like a beginner, and more profoundly integrate the photographer's focus with the ghost hunter's decisiveness.

During a training break, Xu Yan picked up the encrypted terminal. The screen displayed a contractor promotion assessment notice published by the "City Emergency Response Center".

The huge red countdown sign exudes an undeniable sense of pressure.

Chen Zhiwei looked at his tightly pursed lips and focused profile, and her heart clenched.

She knew he was destined to walk into the eye of the storm, but watching him prepare to push open that dangerous door himself, worry still clung to him like vines. She asked softly, "Yan, have you thought it through?"

Xu Yan's fingertip swiped across the screen, finally resting on the virtual "Registration Confirmation" button. He didn't press it immediately, but turned to look at her.

His gaze was calm, yet unwavering: "Yes! Lost instincts can be regained. But if we miss this opportunity to access the core and uncover the truth about the 'Judge' and Father, we may forever remain on the fringes."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, "I have to go. Only by gaining higher authority and reaching a sufficiently high position can I take control of the situation, instead of passively responding when danger comes knocking again."

More importantly, he needs enough power to build a fortress that can truly protect her.

He kept those words to himself and never uttered them.

Chen Zhiwei understood the resolute look in his eyes, and she also understood his unspoken protection.

She reached out, her icy fingers covering the back of his hand holding the terminal, and together they pressed the button that would decide their fate.

In the instant their skin touched, she conveyed not only support, but also a vow to stand together through thick and thin.

“Okay,” she looked at him, her eyes like those of a staunch ally, his figure reflected in her clear eyes, “Then let’s go together.”

You take care of charging ahead and fighting on the front lines, while I'll stay behind and help you calibrate all the 'focuses'—whether in battle or in life.

The screen lights up with the message: "[Registration information has been submitted and is under review.]"

The sunlight outside the window was just right, falling on their clasped hands, as if coating their future path with a warm hue.

The road ahead is unknown and fraught with danger, but this time, they will step into that turbulent undercurrent with new identities and attitudes, becoming each other's shield and blade.

The reception hall of the city's emergency response center resembles a honeycomb constructed of glass, steel, and cold light.

The air was filled with disinfectant, ozone, and a faint, mixed smell of various strange energies.

A diverse group of men and women gathered here, some dressed in specially made combat suits, others adorned with strange accessories, their eyes revealing a mixture of tension, ambition, and a barely perceptible fear.

This is the starting point for ambitious individuals and outlaws, and also the gateway to another world.

Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei walked into the hall, standing out from the surrounding noise.

He was still wearing that slightly worn photographer's vest, while she was wrapped in a plain-colored thin blanket, her face pale but her steps steady.

Their calmness stood out starkly against the backdrop of the surrounding commotion.

There was a long queue at the registration desk.

When it was their turn, the staff didn't even look up, their fingers flying across the screen as they asked in a formulaic manner: "Name, aptitude, and level of assessment you're applying for?"

"Xu Yan. Photographer. Applying for Gold-level promotion assessment." Xu Yan's voice was calm and even.

The staff member paused in his typing, frowned, looked up, and glanced at Xu Yan's empty chest and the frail Chen Zhiwei beside him, his tone filled with undisguised doubt:
"The system shows you are now a registered Silver-level contractor. If you're already Silver, why aren't you wearing your rank badge? And, 'Photographer'?"

His voice wasn't deliberately lowered, which drew sidelong glances from several waiting participants, who then revealed undisguised sneers.

A burly man covered in talismans sneered, "Photographer? You've come to the wrong place, buddy! The wedding photography studio is just across the street!"

Before Xu Yan could speak, Chen Zhiwei stepped forward, her voice clear and gentle, yet carrying an undeniable calmness:

“The missions he carried out previously involved a high degree of secrecy, and he had not yet collected the badge after the missions.”

Her words were reasonable, but they seemed to confirm the suspicions of those around her that she was "unworthy of the title" or "a person with connections," and the snickers around her grew louder.

The staff member's face held a hint of disdain mixed with a businesslike indifference:
"According to regulations, applicants for promotion must verify their current level and status. Please present valid proof; otherwise, you will have to be reassessed from the basic bronze level."

These words were like an invisible wall, trying to keep Xu Yan outside the real threshold.

Xu Yan said no more.

He took out the old, encrypted terminal, tapped it lightly, brought up his personal identity page, and calmly pushed it towards the staff.

(End of this chapter)