Regarding the matter of awakening lightning abilities after transformation

She looks so delicate, how come she's so good at fighting?!

Before Zhang Ye could even figure out what was happening, Gu Cheng had already dealt with the assailant cleanly and efficiently.

This should have been a classic hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress scenario... He pondered for a long time and realized that things weren't so simple.

"Miss Gu..."

"Hmm?" Gu Cheng turned around and twirled a strand of black hair that was hanging by her ear.

"Thank you for what happened on the subway," Zhang Ye said politely, his gaze towards the girl softening even more.

"It was nothing." Gu Cheng smiled gently, her long eyelashes trembling slightly in the evening breeze. She then adjusted her hat brim and quickened her pace; all she wanted now was to go home and take a relaxing hot bath. Zhang Ye stared at her blankly, lost in thought.

"You used to practice martial arts?" As they parted, he couldn't suppress his curiosity.

"Martial arts training? Not really, just some regular physical training." If he continued to ask, Gu Cheng would have no choice but to bite the bullet and keep making things up. She pushed open the living room door, turned on the light switch, and the room became bright.

"Um..." Zhang Ye scratched his head, as if he had something difficult to say.

Do you have some free time lately? I'd like to invite you to dinner.

"Huh?" Gu Cheng was stunned for a moment, as if she didn't understand what he meant.

"Consider it a token of my gratitude." Zhang Ye swallowed hard, trying his best to make his voice sound normal.

If he doesn't take the initiative when such a golden opportunity arises, the two of them may never have any further contact.

Gu Cheng didn't think much of it, but she still instinctively sensed that something was wrong.

"Forget it, I have a lot of things to do lately."

She hadn't said that on the subway. Zhang Ye sensed the subtle refusal in her words and gritted his teeth, wanting to persist a little longer.

"Anytime is fine, I've been available these past few days." As long as Gu Cheng agreed, he would make time to keep the appointment even if he didn't have time.

Zhang Ye had been in two relationships, both times initiated by the women. He had no experience pursuing girls, and if he were more experienced, he wouldn't have said much after such a clear rejection. Besides, they weren't even that close yet, and the more he tried to get involved, the more likely he was to annoy her.

In other words, Zhang Ye was too hasty.

Gu Cheng took off her hat, letting her long hair fall naturally over her shoulders, and turned around to look earnestly at Zhang Ye. She could see sincerity, expectation, and a hint of deep affection in his eyes.

As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him from head to toe, Gu Cheng's whole body began to break out in goosebumps.

Could it be... that he wants to pursue me? Gu Cheng belatedly realized this, and a chill ran down her spine. Her gaze towards Zhang Ye instantly changed.

"Thank you for your kindness, but really, it's not necessary."

The intense gaze was to continue throughout the entire dinner, and what she found most unbearable was that the source of that gaze was a man. The thought alone made her nauseous, and Gu Cheng decisively declined Zhang Ye's invitation.

Oh no... Zhang Ye sensed that the girl in front of him seemed a little unhappy, and her tone was much colder than usual, as if she was deliberately drawing a line between them.

"Okay, let's talk about it another time."

"Okay, goodbye." No chance left! Gu Cheng quickly closed the door without the slightest hesitation.

She looked so beautiful with her hair down, Zhang Ye thought to himself, but little did he know that he had already been blacklisted by her.

"Why not accept? It's just dinner." Back in her cozy home, Gu Cheng had just buried her head in the sofa when that untimely voice echoed in her mind again.

"Are you a pervert? If you want to accept it, then go ahead and accept it." The girl pressed a button on the air conditioner remote and replied to him irritably.

“If you’re willing to relinquish control of your body, I don’t mind dating him.”

"...You're far more disgusting than I imagined." Gu Cheng didn't doubt the truthfulness of the other party's words. In her eyes, this guy who called himself Gu Chengyan was utterly shameless.

"But why did you remind me?" This guy doesn't seem like the kind-hearted type at all. Strangely enough, if he hadn't mentioned it on the subway, Gu Cheng probably wouldn't have noticed the pickpocket.

"I just wanted to see your reaction."

"So, are you satisfied with my reaction?"

"More or less." As usual, his tone was neither sad nor happy.

With her mind at peace, Gu Cheng was happy to have some free time. Resting on the sofa for a while, she felt the cool breeze from the air conditioner, and the unpleasantness of the evening seemed to be blown away along with the sweltering heat.

After taking another hour's bath, I changed into my crocodile pajamas and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling light and airy.

"Buzz~" The hairdryer was turned on, and she slowly and methodically styled her hair. Gu Cheng's hair was of very good quality; even when wet, it wouldn't stick together. A simple comb would send it cascading down her chest like a waterfall, black and smooth. Although she had initially considered cutting it, she had put it off due to various reasons, and over time she had gotten used to it. Now, having short hair made Gu Cheng feel empty.

Looking at the girl in the mirror, Gu Cheng suddenly remembered a picture from the forum.

Today I'm a real tough guy too.jpg

That said, it had been a long time since she'd visited the anonymous section, so she specifically asked Su Wanxi to help her upgrade her access. She entered the familiar website address, and the screen displayed that she had logged in successfully.

After her permissions were upgraded, she could see significantly more things, and the previously grayed-out search bar lit up.

Click to confirm using "degenerate organisms" and "parasites" as keywords, and a dense text will pop up the next second.

The title, "My Story of Being Parasitized by a Descended Creature," immediately caught Gu Cheng's attention.

During a mission, I was accidentally parasitized by a creature that descended from a rift... The author meticulously describes the behavioral characteristics of this type of creature, and also includes his everyday tips for suppressing it.

Gu Cheng read the text line by line. It was somewhat different from her own situation, but there were still many things she could learn from it.

As Gu Cheng watched, she noticed something was off.

"The next morning, I found that the descended creature had turned into a delicious white-haired loli lying next to me."

What kind of development is this...? The girl suppressed her doubts and continued reading.

What's next? That's all. The last sentence of that poster was very simple.

I can't make this up anymore. This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. I have a vested interest in this matter, so I'm going to stay anonymous.

Scrolling down further, there are still a bunch of people urging for an update.

"Yeah, it's fake. I've been fooled," Gu Cheng thought dejectedly, leaning against the pillow.

"Can't you at least mark the title when you're making up a story? You're just wasting my time. And if you're going to make one up, can't you at least finish writing it?" The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and she angrily closed the page.

I scrolled through several posts, but they were mostly uninformative. The only thing I found was a comment.

"Descending organisms should have the ability to learn."

I refreshed the page again, and the comment was gone, as if it had never appeared at all.

Section 47, Chapter Forty-Seven: Tracking

It was nearly ten o'clock at night when a man in his mid-twenties leaned against a street corner. He was wearing a black trench coat, was thin, and had a yellow cigarette between his slightly thick fingers.

He covered the lighter, lit a cigarette, and turned around to continue his aimless wandering. There were no stars tonight, nor could the moon be seen, only the pale light shining on him.

The old cement ground still retained the heat from being exposed to the sun all day, and the leaves on both sides of the street rustled.

Qi Bei is very familiar with this road from the old town to Huixing Middle School.

"Ring ring~" A crisp bell rang in my ears, and soon after, students who had finished their evening self-study session walked out of the school in groups of three or five, pushing their bicycles.

They wore school uniforms, sneakers, and carried books or handbags. Occasionally, a few would stop by the roadside to buy some snacks.

Qi Bei sat on a public bench, legs crossed, quietly watching them.

"Sigh, you know what? That person actually likes..."

"Have you seen that really popular TV series lately? The male lead is so handsome."

"Of course I watched it, I secretly watched it under the covers..."

The rustling of insects on the lawn, combined with the laughter of men and women, made me feel as if I had returned to my high school days.

After stubbing out his cigarette, Qi Bei bent down, put his left hand to his forehead, and peered through the gaps in the bench to catch glimpses of scattered light falling to the ground.

After a long while, the surroundings returned to silence, leaving him alone on a bench.

"Let's go get a drink," or rather, he didn't have anywhere else to go. Bypassing the bustling commercial street, Qi Bei slipped into a dimly lit alley.

"Get out of here, stop dawdling!" A rough shout came from the end of the alley, accompanied by the muffled thud of flesh colliding.

Qi Bei frowned and continued forward according to the planned route.

In the shadows, three students in school uniforms formed a circle, while a boy of about the same age lay in the center.

His clothes were covered in dust, and his trousers were tattered with a few specks of phlegm stuck to them. The leader seemed dissatisfied, cursing and kicking the other man in the stomach.

They're just kids after all, they don't know their own strength. Qi Bei clicked his tongue and stepped forward.

"Almost there."

Upon hearing the sound, the three of them were startled for a moment.

"Mind your own business." They saw that Qi Bei might be a little older, but he was still just one person, and his figure was so weak. The three of them, who were in the middle of their fun, were unwilling to give up.

Upon hearing this response, Qi Bei didn't bother to offer any advice and simply adopted their method of handling the problem.

In less than ten seconds, the three little devils were scrambled out of the alley. Qi Bei dusted off his hands and walked out. The one who had fainted on the ground would struggle to run home on his own without much attention.

As for what happens next, that's none of his business.

......

In a jazz bar, Zhou Li sat at the bar and ordered a Manhattan. It had been over a decade since he last visited a place like this, when bar culture in China was just emerging. As a trendy young man of that generation, Zhou Li spent a lot of time in bars. The Manhattan was also one of his favorite cocktails back then.

Overall, the facilities here are well-arranged, but the environment is noisier than before. Maybe young people nowadays like this style, and he's just out of touch with the times.

"Your Manhattan, please enjoy." The bartender handed the prepared cocktail to Zhou Li, who accepted the glass and nodded politely.

Tiny bubbles rise from the bottom, turning into air the moment they touch the water's surface and escaping. Ice cubes also make a low, rumbling sound as they hit the glass walls while being shaken.

With its rich aroma and sweet taste, it is a fine product even without the added touch of nostalgia.

Zhou Li picked up the wine cup and savored it carefully, while keenly observing his surroundings.

He came not simply to drink, but because he had a mission assigned by Director Song.

Parchment... As a veteran Awakened in the Hermit Bureau, Zhou Li had only heard of this organization. According to the above, the establishment of the Jazz Bar was inextricably linked to parchment.

This wasn't Zhou Li's first time staking out this place. Following his routine of drinking a different drink every day, he had already sampled most of the drinks at the bar, but he still hadn't been able to find anything unusual.

It seems like this really is just an ordinary bar.

A message came through on Zhou Li's phone from Qin Kexin. This girl wasn't afraid of getting bored, staying home all day. Zhou Li's brow relaxed slightly, and he typed a message to chat with her.

Just then, a man in a black trench coat walked in and sat down next to Zhou Li, ordering a Mint Julep.