Unknown Intrusion

Chapter 122 Finding Cai Jiang
I do not know how long it has been.

On the dark, flickering, decaying staircase leading to the basement.

A little girl with long, loose hair and tear-streaked face, wearing a junior high school uniform, ran up.

"—Thank goodness, we're saved!"

She wept with joy, sobbing as she spoke.

However, just as she was about to step off the stairs leading out of the basement, and the door to the room was right in front of her...

Suddenly, a hand reached out from her ankle and grabbed her ankle, which was still resting on the stairs.

"ah--"

With a dull thud, the girl, whose foot was caught, fell forward onto the stairs due to the momentum of her body.

The hand that held her slender ankle dragged her step by step, like a dead dog, forcefully pulling her into the shadows.

Like a merciless predator dealing with its prey.

Clinging to the last vestiges of hope, the girl clung tightly to a broken piece of floorboards, struggling to lift her head.

She crawled toward the door that was so close at hand.

"—Come back!" came the boy's voice from the darkness.

In despair, she was slowly pulled back into the dark basement.

"Please, let me go!" Turning her head back to the dark and terrifying underground passage she had finally escaped from, the girl's face was filled with despair, tears streaming down her face, and she pleaded in a trembling voice.

"I don't dare anymore!"

However, the plea, which would have moved anyone to pity, did not evoke compassion.

On the contrary, the hand gripping her ankle tightened even more, as if afraid she would escape, and accelerated to drag her down.

The girl sobbed a few times, then tried even harder to wriggle her body and crawl out.

But the door that symbolizes hope and freedom is getting further and further away from me.

The despair in her eyes became increasingly apparent.

Finally, with only her outstretched hands futilely gripping the stairwell, she screamed in terror, "Help!"

"I shouldn't have come, I was wrong... Help me... Anyone will do..."

However, for some reason, no one ever noticed what was happening here.

The girl could only watch helplessly as the light gradually disappeared from her sight.

Then there were the sloping staircase steps and the dim ceiling—in the darkness, the boy became her shadow.

"No, no, let me go..." Trembling, the girl's reason was gradually overwhelmed by the desire to survive.

"Anything... I'm willing to do anything!"

"Don't kill me...please...please!" The girl pleaded in a hoarse voice, resigned to her fate.

"I shouldn't have come here looking for a little money, please spare me!"

"system?"

"...Is it the truth?" The boy's face was hidden in the darkness, with only the dim light from the lamps hanging in the corridor casting a faint glow from behind him.

This allows us to see his outline.

"Could it really be a coincidence?" Su Yu frowned.

"If he's really just an ordinary person, it's not appropriate to continue pressing him for answers..."

Su Yu knew that there were still many pieces of furniture and valuables in the abandoned houses. Although it was dangerous, some people took the risk to "search" for them. They called themselves "searchers" because the owners had given up on them.

But in reality, this is a gray area.

However, those who dare to "seek" are often desperate and cannot be cut off from their livelihood, so the authorities remain silent.

However, in order to prevent the spread of dangerous goods, all "hunting" has been legalized—the goods must be appraised by the "hunting guild" before they can be sold.

The original owner receives 30%, the "search for a union" receives 30%, the party involved receives 30%, and taxes are paid out 10%.

Putting that aside, he was actually a little puzzled by the fact that the exam was arranged so immediately.

Professional exams place particular emphasis on practical skills, so it is necessary to go to a special exam venue.

Based on previous hearsay, exam venues are limited and highly sought after.

Originally, an appointment was required, but luckily a new suitable test area became available.

So... Su Yu was lucky enough to snag a spot!
No waiting required, you can take the exam immediately!
"What a coincidence!"

Su Yu was very suspicious. Could it be that the mastermind behind this had a very long reach, even extending to this place? It wasn't impossible.

However, it's impossible to arrange everything. The Green Vine Society and professional guilds cannot be controlled by a single behind-the-scenes manipulator.

If that's the case, then there's no need to control yourself; you can just eliminate yourself directly.

Therefore, Su Yu initially suspected that the girl had a problem.

But it doesn't seem so.

"Or perhaps, they hope I'll accidentally kill her?"

"The evil spirit controls her; a novice could easily shoot and kill everyone involved."

"This doesn't constitute a crime. Even a seasoned criminal would have the authority to enforce the law in this situation, let alone a newcomer."

"But its rating will undoubtedly drop significantly."

"Could that be the intention?"

The evaluation dropped significantly, and if I have to find a way to retake the exam, it will take at least six months to a year.

Thinking about it this way, it seems that all the questions can be answered at once.

—Aside from the mastermind behind it all, Su Yu couldn't think of anyone who would go to such lengths.

"But unfortunately, my progress has exceeded your expectations..."

Treating Su Yu as an ordinary quasi-professional was a serious mistake they made.

In fact, every skill acquired through the courtyard system starts as "proficient" or even "masterful," because the little people in the system have spent many years or even more than a decade honing their skills.

In that delicate moment, Su Yu still managed to kill the puppet, but without harming the girl.

"I hope what you said is true."

"What is your name? Who are you? Tell me."

"My name is Zhao Xi, and I live at number 17 in the Bath district."

The girl immediately let out a mournful cry, tears streaming down her face. She covered her face and groaned, coughing violently, as if she had choked on her own tears.

"Straighten your clothes and come out with me."

The bloodstains on the stone steps gleamed dimly under the gaslight. As Su Yu, dressed in a trench coat, stepped across the threshold, his pocket watch showed exactly 5:15.

The incident was resolved in fifteen minutes without any damage, creating a stark contrast with the girl behind her, who was wearing a tattered skirt and stumbling along.

The professor's cane paused, landing on the steps, and he asked, "Have you finished your exorcism?"

His beard was damp with mist, and his trench coat rustled in the wind.

The female student behind him stood under the archway, holding a copy of "The Taxonomy of Evil Spirits," looking somewhat surprised.

The night watchman was an old man; a red dot appeared on his brass pipe, but he remained silent.

"It's done. This is Zhao Xi, the survivor who was once possessed. According to the rules, I should hand it over to you?"

"They don't hand it over to us; they transfer it to the local police station. We're only responsible for supervision, not for handling these kinds of follow-up matters."

The professor used a quill to write "pass the exam," and ink seeped through the parchment, forming the slanted characters of Su Yu's full name, thus completing the task.

"I have recorded all of your assessments," the professor said, taking off his glasses to wipe them. "The specific scores will be reviewed and announced tomorrow."

The professor seemed to add a few more words: "By the way, my name is Kim Byung-chi."

"Hello, Professor Jin!" Su Yu bowed, watching the girl stumble and rush over, then burst into tears, as if the night watchman's uniform had given her great courage.

Su Yu remained silent, keeping a slight bow, and watched the four of them ride away in their own carriage.

"[+120 Ashes (Senna)]"

"It seems the system is telling me that I've changed my fate? And I even have an extra piece of gray crystal. Well, whether I'm tired of it or not, the assessment is complete, but the boss's matter doesn't seem to be settled yet!"

Boss Cai Jiang was the direct executor of his own schemes in both his past and present lives. In his past life, he at least had a peaceful death, as he survived the original owner's death. But this time is different.

If you are given an ultimatum, you lose your legal status and can be killed.

As long as we find Cai Jiang.

In this world, or any world, most people desire to be "unrestrained," but most people who want to be "unrestrained" end up hanging themselves on streetlights.

Not to mention now, Su Yu felt that even if one relied on a system, one would still need to be strategic and methodical.

Fist is power
Society must follow rules

You must have strategy
This is a trinity; not only is there no conflict, but they complement each other. Su Yu smiled slightly and walked away quickly.

(End of this chapter)