Chapter 3: Wind Penetrates, Cold Seeps

Task completed.

Black market review passed; payment released.

Payment received: 130 Alliance Coins.

Your balance: 139 Alliance Coins.

The identity device glowed faintly, emitting a soft beeping alert.

It pulled Jiang Jian’s thoughts back.

A new message appeared in the corner of the screen.

Jiang Jian swiped his finger to open it.

A man’s voice came through.

“Master, I’m truly sorry.”

“I had to deal with the Inspection Team and wasted a lot of time.”

“That’s why the payment arrived late.”

Jiang Jian stared at the screen, eyes thoughtful.

“When the identity device is worn on the wrist, the Inspection Team knows immediately if a citizen dies in the district.”

“Yet Miao Miao and my stepmother died one after another, and the Inspection Team only showed up today.”

“This client has deep connections.”

A thought flashed through his mind, but Jiang Jian did not reply to the message.

Instead, he swiped it away and moved it to the trash folder.

The task was already completed.

Whether it was a family murder or a ghost’s malice,

it had nothing to do with Jiang Jian.

“Jiang Jian, I’m back.”

His sister’s voice came through.

Jiang Jian shook his identity device, the screen vanished, and he stepped out of the bedroom.

Jiang Zhao placed two meal boxes on the table: “Your favorite spicy chicken noodles.”

As the lids opened, a steaming wave of spicy, numbing, savory aroma rushed to their noses.

The girl set down the bowls and smiled up at him, “Only two left—cost just 4 Alliance Coins!”

“Uncle Wang always looks out for you.”

Jiang Jian washed his hands and sat beside her. “If I bought them myself, it’d be a solid 6 Alliance Coins—no less.”

Jiang Zhao picked up her chopsticks, her fingers pale and slender as sliced scallions, and said, “Because I’m pretty.”

Jiang Jian tugged at the corner of his mouth and lifted his bowl to eat.

“By the way.”

The girl pulled out two medicine boxes and placed them before Jiang Jian. “I bought you medicine too—enough for fifteen days.”

Jiang Jian’s chopsticks paused.

He looked up.

His gaze met Jiang Zhao’s eyes—smiling, yet utterly serious.

“I understand.”

Jiang Jian tucked the medicine boxes away.

More than ten minutes later.

Jiang Jian put down his bowl, glanced at his identity device, and said, “I need to get back to Guangling No. 1 High School before ten.”

Jiang Zhao held up her wristwatch, murmuring to her roommate.

Hearing this, she closed the chat window and turned to him. “Remember to take your medicine.”

Jiang Jian nodded, packed his bag, and asked, “Aren’t you going back to Chencang No. 1 High School?”

Jiang Zhao blinked, whispering, “I’ll go back tomorrow morning—save a day’s dorm fee.”

“Do as you like.”

Jiang Jian knew her nature; he pulled up his identity device screen and tapped the ride-hail button.

“The Divine Bestowal Exam is coming soon. Study my notes carefully. If you need money, send a message.”

Jiang Zhao shook her head. “I have 35 Alliance Coins—enough for now. Go quickly.”

A mechanical voice spoke.

“Ride-hail service activated. Estimated arrival: one minute.”

Jiang Jian tied his wooden sword with a black cloth and slung his bag over his shoulder as he descended the stairs.

At the entrance of Public Sector Seven, a hovering vehicle waited.

“Guangling No. 1 High School.”

Jiang Jian stepped inside and swiped his hand across the payment panel.

“Payment successful: 1 Alliance Coin.”

“Your balance: 138 Alliance Coins.”

He swiped away the payment notification.

Jiang Jian put on his headphones, called up the screen, opened Teacher Zhou’s pre-exam lesson, and began studying.

The Divine Bestowal Exam was now only fifteen days away.

In every spare moment, Jiang Jian devoted himself entirely to review—not wasting a single second.

Half an hour later.

“We’ve arrived.”

A hoarse voice spoke.

Jiang Jian’s spirit trembled; his gaze tore away from the screen.

He lifted his eyelids and stared into the cockpit.

A sharp warning surged within him.

The driver had shoulder-length black hair and wore no safety helmet.

The glass separating the cockpit from the passenger cabin had vanished without a trace.

The sky was dark.

Outside the hovering vehicle stretched an endless, profound darkness.

Suffocating, heart-stopping.

“The Shadow Zone knows no day or night—only false daylight.”

“Where… is this?”

Jiang Jian reached out and gripped the hilt of his sword, wrapped in black cloth.

The driver whirled his head around—his hollow eye sockets gushing blood: “This is your grave!”

BOOM!

The sword’s radiance flashed like lightning!

Jiang Jian’s face expressionless, he swung his wooden sword down with brutal force!

SIZZLE!

A semi-transparent sword qi pierced the ghostly face, shredding it into smoke!

A shrill scream erupted!

“This is impossible!”

The driver convulsed violently, black smoke billowing from his face, his voice thick with hatred and shock: “A commoner without Divine Bestowal—how dare you injure me?!”

Jiang Jian’s expression was mocking; he applied slight pressure to the wooden sword.

The driver screamed in terror: “Spare me!”

Jiang Jian sneered. “You’re not from Guangling City.”

The driver froze.

Jiang Jian asked: “Why did you come to kill me?”

The driver’s ghostly face twisted, but no words came out.

The wooden sword’s aura surged, slicing clean through half the driver’s skull!

“I’ll talk!”

The driver, his head half-gone, trembled violently, then collapsed to his knees. “It was a man in a suit!”

“He found me on the black market and promised ten thousand Alliance Coins!”

Here, the driver lifted his remaining eye socket. “That much money is enough to make anyone take the risk!”

Money can make ghosts push mills.

And even make them kill.

Jiang Jian smiled. “Good. The recording is complete. Evidence is solid.”

He glanced at his identity device—the Inspection Team was on the way.

Jiang Jian’s mood improved further.

The laws of the Divine Illumination Zone were brutally strict—nothing compared to the Shadow Zone.

Whether it was the Zhao family’s intention or the suit man acting on his own.

The Zhao family has already been dragged into this.

“A marriage contract sold for only fifty million Alliance Credits? That’s still too little.”

Jiang Jian looked up at the pitch-black sky.

Several bright beams pierced the darkness, speeding toward this location.

CRASH!

A fully armed security vehicle arrived first, landing heavily on the ground.

Who reported this vicious incident just now?

An inspector jumped out of the vehicle, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Jian and the driver, asking in a deep voice.

The driver remained silent, stammering.

Jiang Jian sheathed his wooden sword and pulled out his identity device: “I have evidence.”

The inspector glanced at Jiang Jian, then strode forward.

With a swipe of his own identity device, the video uploaded instantly.

Other security vehicles landed one after another; inspectors gathered around to watch the footage.

Jiang Jian had started recording from the moment the driver turned his head—the footage was crystal clear.

After watching the video, the inspector walked up to the driver, his expression filled with revulsion: “Hand over your identity device.”

The driver trembled, dark smoke swirling as it lifted a semi-transparent wristwatch.

“Ninghai City, non-citizen. Creatures like this should’ve been wiped out long ago.”

The inspector wore a look of “I knew it,” and spat on the ground.

“You hide in the sewers just to survive, yet you dare assassinate an Earth citizen? Who gave you the nerve?”

The driver knelt on the ground, stammering in fear.

In 2785, a god was born on Neptune.

The god’s radiance stained the sun, using stellar light as a medium to illuminate all things.

Only then did spirits, ghosts, and demons gradually appear on the surfaces of other planets.

The laws of other planets may differ.

But on Earth, only humanity are official citizens.

The Earth Alliance, bathed in divine grace, embraces all life, permitting all sentient beings to exist.

As long as they do no harm to humans, they may apply under strict conditions to become non-citizens, receive identity devices, and reside in the shadow zones of every city.

“Jiang Jian, you’re a student at Guangling No. 1 High School, right?”

The inspector stepped before Jiang Jian, his tone softening. “What’s the story with the suit man?”

Jiang Jian smiled and said: “All I know is, he’s from the Zhao family.”

The inspector immediately grew serious. “Which Zhao family?”

Jiang Jian replied: “Guangling City, Shenzhao District—the Zhao family that controls the array business.”

The inspector froze in surprise.

He turned to glance at the man beside him, then looked back at Jiang Jian, his voice tinged with excitement: “Do you have proof?”

Jiang Jian raised his identity device: “The video of the suit man negotiating with me, and my divine covenant with Zhao Jianxue—all here.”

“This is… perfect!”

After reviewing the evidence, the inspector’s heart leapt with joy—he nearly shouted, “We’ve hit the jackpot!”

The next moment, he became even more amiable toward Jiang Jian: “Student, you can call me Captain Wang. Come with us to the Inspectorate. I’ll immediately apply for a summons to seek justice for you!”

Several inspectors, faces flushed with excitement, clustered around Captain Wang, whispering eagerly, all eager to act.

At that moment,

an inspector bearing the Shadow Zone armband stepped forward to Captain Wang, his voice hesitant and low: “This Jiang Jian is a Shadow Zone resident. By protocol, this case should be handed to me...”

BOOM!

The next second, the inspector flew backward over ten meters, slamming hard into a armored vehicle!

He lay sprawled like a dead dog, spitting blood, barely breathing, ribs surely broken.

“Get lost!”

Captain Wang retracted his fist, his face icy.

The other Shenzhao District inspectors all wore cold smirks.

“Student Jiang, don’t be afraid.”

Captain Wang walked beside Jiang Jian, forcing a smile: “Guangling City’s law enforcement is strict. For such a vile hired-assassination case to occur—unforgivable!”

“Captain’s right! We’ll help you get justice!”

“The Inspectorate stands for justice—no crime will be tolerated!”

“Rest assured, student, this murder will be fully uncovered!”

The inspectors spoke one after another, brimming with righteous fury!

Even a young inspector stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiang Jian, radiating moral conviction: “Younger brother, don’t fear! I was once a student at Guangling No. 1! What of the Zhao family!”

“Above, the Divine! The truth is clear!”

“I swear to bring the true culprit to justice—or I’ll resign on the spot!”

Jiang Jian watched their performance, his mind calm as still water, yet his face showed heartfelt emotion: “Senior, you have great courage!”

The young inspector winked and replied: “Younger brother, you’re lucky!”

Jiang Jian frowned: “What do you mean?”

The young inspector slung an arm around Jiang Jian’s shoulder and lowered his voice: “I’ve heard Zhao Jianxue of the Zhao family possesses celestial beauty—flowers blush, the moon hides.”

“You have a divine covenant with her. Once you turn eighteen, you’ll legally become her husband. Isn’t that great fortune?”

Jiang Jian smiled, saying nothing.

“Student Jiang, I’m Zhou Chi. I’m two years ahead of you, and I also climbed up from the Shadow Zone.”

The young inspector, arm still around Jiang Jian, stepped onto the armored vehicle and shut the heavy door tightly, speaking sincerely: “Actually, the Shenzhao District Inspectorate hasn’t paid bonuses for three months.”

Jiang Jian looked surprised. “It’s that bad?”

Zhou Chi snorted: “Shenzhao District’s laws are strict—hardly anyone breaks them. Where do bonuses come from?”

His expression darkened. “If I’d known this, I’d have stayed in the Shadow Zone Inspectorate. Sure, I’d be living under others’ thumbs—but at least there’d be some grease to scrape.”

Jiang Jian wrapped his wooden sword in black cloth, listening quietly.

Zhou Chi knew Jiang Jian was just a student and didn’t expect him to respond. His gaze fell on the wooden sword: “That wooden sword looks decent—is it for warding off spirits?”

Jiang Jian looked up and smiled: “Senior, sharp eyes. This sword is family heirloom—it’s especially potent against spirits and monsters.”

Zhou Chi dismissed it: “Hundreds of years ago, every family had ancestors who received Level Three Divine Gifts. My family has a legendary longsword—bestowed by the Divine upon my great-great-grandfather. It’s a true ‘Weapon’!”

Jiang Jian’s voice held astonishment: “A Level Three Divine Gift—‘Weapon’?”

Zhou Chi beamed with pride: “Of course! Even today in Guangling City, he’d still be considered a prodigy! Your wooden sword? It’s nowhere near my great-great-grandfather’s blade!”

Where no ordinary eyes could see, the wooden sword trembled slightly.

Jiang Jian lowered his eyelids, stroking the hilt, a faint smile curling his lips.

The next instant, he looked up, voice filled with reverence: “Senior, what realm did your ancestor reach? I’d like to have him as a model.”

“This...”

Zhou Chi’s expression turned awkward.

“My great-great-grandfather, though favored by the Divine, had a tranquil heart and no taste for killing. He abandoned cultivation and stopped at the Divine Gift realm.”

(End of Chapter)