29 Joining the Establishment

The bridal sedan chair drifted lazily into the void and vanished.

Wan Hao and the Wind King stood there, stunned.

"What was that? I couldn't even stop it!"

"Could that be the Ghost Bride from the Peking University incident?"

The towering mecha emitted a low hum: "No biological signatures detected within a hundred-mile radius. Since the situation is under control, I’m heading out. Although we’ve found a way to break through the Ghost Domain crystals, that thing is still too dangerous."

With that, the mecha vanished into the horizon, leaving behind a trail of shimmering light.

"Liu Rurong, Liu Lang, Liu Fei'er, I sincerely invite you all to join the Special Operations Brigade! We are all comrades gifted with extraordinary abilities, dedicated to resolving supernatural incidents across the country!" The Wind King, as captain of the brigade, extended an olive branch.

Wan Hao chuckled. "Little Rong has already agreed to join our Kunlun Academy, and she’s even secured a spot for Liu Lang. Of course, Liu Lang’s potential has already met our admission threshold."

The Wind King felt annoyed. Had he not been tied up with other matters, he wouldn't have arrived a step too late and let this guy seize the opportunity. Still, for those on the path of cultivation, Kunlun Academy was undeniably the better choice.

"Miss Liu Fei'er..." Before the Wind King could finish, Liu Fei'er interrupted, "I go where Liu Lang goes."

Wan Hao laughed heartily, clearly relishing the Wind King’s frustration. Not only had they resolved the Fujian Ghost Domain crisis, but they had also recruited three talented youths; the Dean would surely praise him for this.

"Um... I would like to join the Special Operations Brigade... is that possible?" Liu Lang asked. Even though he had already begun practicing the *Imperial Spirit Sage Canon*, a top-tier cultivation technique, his "alien spirit power" made cultivation twice as hard for half the result. To improve efficiency, he could only rely on dual cultivation with Little Rong. Furthermore, Whiteboard, the previous wielder of the Sky Blade, had come from the Special Operations Brigade, and it remained the only cultivation method he could master independently. Besides, he had heard that Dai Li would also be joining the brigade, and Liu Fei'er’s growth was currently inseparable from Dai Li’s research.

The Wind King clapped his hands and smiled. "A fine choice indeed. Welcome aboard!"

Little Rong glanced at Liu Lang, remaining silent for several seconds.

Wan Hao’s mood had been on a rollercoaster, swinging from extreme joy to deep sorrow. Both girls were clearly interested in this Liu Lang...

"That’s fine too. Everything is in Tianjing, not far apart," Little Rong said indifferently. Her words acted as a sedative for Wan Hao; this Little Rong was the true genius their Kunlun Academy coveted!

Liu Fei'er looked disappointed. She had been willing to go to Kunlun Academy, but she hadn't expected it to be in Tianjing. Being in the same city as that "vixen" made her feel quite uncomfortable.

"I do have one request, though. I still want to attend university so I don't have any regrets. Can I be a part-time member of the Special Operations Brigade while I'm at school?"

"Kunlun Academy is a proper university, a 985 institution, no less..." Wan Hao was still uneasy, feeling that if he could bind Liu Lang to the academy, Little Rong would be more content to stay.

The Wind King grew anxious. "In light of your significant contributions, I can apply for a special admission slot at Tsinghua University for you!"

"That’s just an application; it’s not guaranteed to be approved..."

The Wind King manipulated the air around Wan Hao’s mouth, preventing his voice from carrying.

"And as for your benefits: a monthly salary of 15,000, bonuses are calculated separately, a 700-per-month cafeteria subsidy, plus talent apartments in Xiong'an..." Fearing the boy might change his mind, the Wind King hurriedly dangled the enticing perks.

"Xiong'an? We’re living in Tianjing..." This time, Wan Hao was genuinely shocked. Before the Wind King could seal his mouth again, Liu Lang spoke up.

"My parents are doing business in Tianjing; I can stay with them. It’ll be more convenient for school that way."

Little Rong nodded. She knew Liu Lang’s parents were in Tianjing. If he stayed with them, that little vixen wouldn't be able to run wild.

The Wind King breathed a sigh of relief, though as an S-rank powerhouse, he felt a faint sense of helplessness. So what if he was S-rank? He still struggled to bring up the topic of compensation during recruitment.

Liu Fei'er felt a bit awkward. It didn't matter where they lived as long as she was with Liu Lang, but this felt like meeting the parents! She was nervous. Should she persuade Liu Lang to go to Xiong'an, where it was closer to work?

"Liu Lang, this is for you." The Wind King handed him a phone and gestured for him to open it.

Seeing a file named "Sky Blade," Liu Lang gripped the phone tightly. He reflexively looked at the Wind King, who nodded and said with a smile, "Whiteboard, an A-rank powerhouse, sacrificed himself here. He was the deputy captain of the Special Operations Brigade. Since you’ve inherited his Sky Blade, you were already one of us."

"Tell me about what happened before he died."

Liu Lang and Liu Fei'er felt a pang of tension. The Sky Blade was indeed inherited, but perhaps not in the way others understood. Although they hadn't done anything wrong, they still felt a bit guilty. For the sake of keeping their abilities secret, they disclosed everything except for the method of acquisition.

"Whiteboard was a lone wolf. I hope you remember him."

"Alright, enough with the heavy topics. Come back to Tianjing with me tomorrow. Someone else will handle the cleanup here."

Liu Lang nodded.

Four figures, including Uchiha Ichigo, appeared at the bottom of the cliff.

"A terrifying thing indeed, but luck was on our side. Let’s head back." As for the Ghost Domain crystals, Abe and Yachi were enough to handle them; he wouldn't participate.

"Lord Nin-Hero," Minato Meiren said, "I wish to stay undercover."

***

In Tianjing, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline drooled as he stared at the beautiful legs on the street, radiating an aura of perversion.

"Hey, you. If you keep acting like such a loser, I’m not helping you anymore," Tu Ning said helplessly. She had changed her face and body; no one could recognize her now.

"Boss, I think that guy looks good—handsome and in good shape. Let’s take that one." Ouyang begged Tu Ning to change his face and body.

"Fine." Tu Ning kicked her small leather shoes. Her current body was very young, only eighteen or nineteen. "But let’s get this straight: I can’t change your temperament. Even if you change your face, you’ll still reek of sleaze, and you’ll never be able to pick up girls."

"Hehehe, thanks for your concern, Boss. I’ll work on it."

Following the handsome man into a deserted alley, Tu Ning and the stranger emerged a few minutes later. In the alley lay the middle-aged, bloated corpse of a man whose head was now a featureless blank slate.

Not long after, the body was discovered, and the police were called.

"No surveillance?"

"None in the alley, but there is some outside. I’ve sent someone to retrieve it."

"What do you make of this case?"

"It’s eerie."

"There have been a lot of eerie cases lately, but they’ve all been transferred. I think we should hand this one over too."

"Agreed. That featureless face... it gives me the creeps."