After being chosen by the Ice Queen

Gu Yan didn't bother to use his sense of danger; the other party's slow movements were full of flaws in his eyes. He casually reached out with his right hand, not fast, but precisely grabbed the thief's wrist as the thief touched the dagger at his waist.

The thief felt as if his wrist was being clamped by iron clamps, and a sharp pain shot through him, causing him to involuntarily loosen his grip on the dagger hilt. He looked at Gu Yan in horror, trying to struggle, but felt an irresistible force coming from the other's hand, pulling him off balance.

Gu Yan's other hand had already swiftly reached into the other person's pocket and snatched the light-colored wallet. The whole process was so smooth that, under the cover of the noisy crowd around, almost no one could see what happened.

Gu Yan released the thief's wrist and gave him a gentle push. The thief staggered back several steps, blending into the crowd. He glanced at Gu Yan in panic, then turned and ran, not even bothering to pick up the dagger that had fallen to the ground.

Gu Yan didn't bother to chase after her. He took his wallet and turned to walk towards the young woman who was still anxiously looking around.

"Excuse me, is this yours?" He handed over the wallet.

The woman was taken aback at first, but when she saw her wallet, her face lit up with a delighted smile. She nodded repeatedly, "Yes! It's mine! Thank you so much!" She took the wallet, checked it, and found that her important documents and cards were all there. She was even more grateful. "There were so many people just now, I didn't even notice... Thank goodness you were here! How... how did you grab him? Are you alright?"

The woman was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with exquisite makeup and a good temperament. At this moment, her cheeks were slightly flushed with excitement and gratitude, and her eyes were full of curiosity and thanks as she looked at Gu Yan.

"It's nothing, I just happened to see it." Gu Yan smiled faintly, not wanting to say more. "Be more careful in crowded places in the future." After saying that, he nodded to her and turned to go back to his classmate.

"Wait!" the woman called out to him quickly. "Um... my name is Su Wanqing. Could you tell me your name? At least... let me buy you a drink as a thank you?"

Gu Yan turned around and saw the woman's sincere and expectant eyes. He also caught a glimpse of his classmates not far away, winking and making faces, with Zhang Hao even secretly giving them a thumbs up.

"It was nothing, no need to mention it," he politely declined, though he was secretly pleased. "I have friends waiting, so I'll be going now. Bye-bye."

After saying that, without waiting for the other person to speak again, he quickly walked back to his classmates.

"Wow, Gu Yan! You're a hero who saves the damsel in distress, and you've been keeping it all hidden!" Several classmates immediately surrounded him and teased him.

"That girl is pretty, why don't you get her contact information?" Zhang Hao nudged his shoulder and winked.

Gu Yan shook his head helplessly: "Stop fooling around, it was just something I did on the spur of the moment. Let's go, didn't you want some milk tea?"

The group continued on their way, laughing and joking, the little incident quickly overshadowed by other topics. Gu Yan glanced back; the woman named Su Wanqing was still standing there, looking in his direction. When she saw him turn around, she seemed about to wave, but in the end, she just smiled slightly and turned to leave.

Gu Yan quickly forgot about the trivial incident.

The holiday continues. I spent the day shopping with my sister and saw a movie. I borrowed a few books from the library about mythology and the history of cold weapons, just to get some background information for my next mission. I also spent another day hiking alone, practicing my swordsmanship at the summit facing the sea of ​​clouds, feeling the subtle resonance between the natural energy and the interplay of light and shadow…

The peaceful days passed quickly. They were fulfilling, but he gradually began to feel a little...bored.

It's not physical or mental exhaustion, but an indescribable sense of maladjustment to the mundane routine.

Having experienced life-or-death battles, wielded extraordinary power, and delved into the secrets of mythology, returning to a routine and uneventful life always feels like something is missing. The power within him yearns to be released from its slumber, and the sword in his hand murmurs softly in its sheath, as if it too longs for the sharp sound of cutting down evil.

Sitting by the window of his rented room, gazing at the bustling street scene below, Gu Yan stroked the smooth, lustrous hilt of his knife, pondering in his mind.

Less than a third of his two-month vacation had passed. The Ama-no-Kurakumo Sword instance was still more than a month away. Lin Xue and Lei Kun didn't seem to have any intention of arranging any other training or missions for him.

Are we just going to wait until the next event begins?

He recalled Lei Kun saying that travelers could proactively apply to participate in some regular, relatively low-risk traveler events to accumulate experience and resources. Although he currently had a sufficient amount of Source Points, who would complain about having too many resources? Moreover, actual combat is always the best way to improve strength and consolidate one's realm.

Perhaps... I could apply for a short-term, low-intensity mission? For example, exploring and collecting items in a low-magic or technologically advanced world, or solving some minor problems? This way, I can get some exercise and accumulate points without delaying my preparations for the Kusanagi Sword dungeon.

Once this thought arises, it spreads like wild grass.

He walked to his desk, turned on his computer, and logged into the internal mission platform (limited access for trainee trainees) belonging to the "Order Maintenance Council" through a special encrypted link.

On the screen, the list refreshed. Brief task descriptions scrolled by:

【Bing-Yin-5541: Assist in maintaining order in the city of 'Steam Difference Engine' (Low Magic/Technology Hybrid, Low Risk, Requires Basic Combat or Mechanical Knowledge, 7-Day Time Limit)】

[1123, Ding-Mao Year: Collecting 'Fluorescent Mushroom' Samples (Primitive Ecosystem, No Intelligent Species, Moderate Environmental Risk, Time Limit: 10 Days)]

【Bing-Wu-8876: Investigate the periodic "nightmare" phenomenon in the town (low-level paranormal phenomenon, requires basic mental strength or purification ability, risk is controllable, time limit 5-15 days)】

【Ding-Wei-3345: Recover Abandoned Outpost Data Core (Post-Apocalyptic Ruins Background, Mild Radiation Contamination, Survival Skills Required, 12-Day Time Limit)】

……

There are many types of tasks, and the difficulty and risks are clearly marked. With Gu Yan's current strength and the characteristics of the Obscure and Unfathomable, many of these tasks seem worth trying.

His fingers tapped lightly on the mouse, his eyes scanning the messages, weighing the gains and risks, the remaining vacation days, and the growing desire within him for the unknown and new challenges.

Outside the window, the city's neon lights lit up one after another, announcing the arrival of yet another night. But Gu Yan's thoughts had already drifted to those bizarre and fantastical parallel worlds.

Perhaps it's time to take on a mission and have some fun?