Chapter 3

"Commission completed."

"Black market audit passed, funds released."

"Payment received: 130 Alliance Credits."

"Your balance: 139 Alliance Credits."

The identity device flashed with a faint light, emitting a beeping sound.

It pulled Jiang Jian's thoughts back.

In the corner of the screen, a new communication arrived.

Jiang Jian swiped his finger and opened the message.

A man's voice came out.

"Master, I am truly sorry."

"Dealing with the inspection team just now wasted quite a bit of time."

"So the money was sent to you a bit late."

Jiang Jian stared at the screen, his eyes thoughtful.

"The identity device is attached to the wrist; if a citizen dies in the jurisdiction, the inspection team knows immediately."

"But Miao Miao and the stepmother died suddenly one after another, and the inspection team only came to the door today."

"This client has a significant background."

The thought flashed through his mind, and Jiang Jian did not reply to the communication.

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

The commission had already been completed.

Whether it was a family murder or an evil ghost harming people.

It had nothing to do with Jiang Jian.

"Jiang Jian, I'm back."

His sister's voice came.

Shaking his identity device, the screen disappeared, and Jiang Jian walked out of the bedroom.

Jiang Zhao was carrying two lunch boxes and placed them on the table: "The double-pepper chicken lo mein you love."

The lid was opened, and the spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant heat rushed directly to his mouth and nose.

The young girl set out the noodle bowls and looked up with a smile, "The last two portions, only cost 4 Alliance Credits!"

"Uncle Wang takes the best care of you."

Jiang Jian washed his hands and sat down beside her, "If I went to buy it, it would be a solid 6 Alliance Credits, not a penny less."

Jiang Zhao picked up her chopsticks, her fingers as slender and white as scallions, and said: "Because I was born good-looking."

Jiang Jian twitched the corner of his mouth and picked up the bowl to eat the noodles.

"By the way."

The young girl took out two medicine boxes and placed them in front of Jiang Jian, "I bought medicine for you while I was at it; it's enough for fifteen days."

Jiang Jian's chopsticks paused.

He looked up.

He met Jiang Zhao's smiling, yet incredibly earnest eyes.

"I know."

Jiang Jian put away the medicine boxes.

More than ten minutes later.

Jiang Jian put down the bowl, looked at his identity device, and said: "I have to get back to Guangling No. 1 High School before 10 o'clock."

Jiang Zhao was holding her watch, muttering to her roommate.

Hearing this, she turned off the chat box and turned her head: "Remember to take your medicine."

Jiang Jian nodded, packed his schoolbag, and asked: "Aren't you going back to Chen Cang No. 1 High School?"

Jiang Zhao blinked her eyes and said in a low voice: "I'll go back tomorrow morning to save a day's accommodation money."

"As you wish."

Jiang Jian knew her character, brought up the identity device screen, and clicked the car-hailing button.

"The God-Given Grand Exam is approaching; study the notes I wrote carefully, and send a message if you're short on money."

Jiang Zhao shook her head: "I have 35 Alliance Credits, it's enough for now, go quickly."

A mechanical voice came.

"Car-hailing service started, estimated arrival in 1 minute."

Jiang Jian tied his wooden sword with black cloth, carried his schoolbag, and went downstairs.

At the entrance of the seventh public care zone, a hovercar was parked.

"Guangling No. 1 High School."

Jiang Jian sat in the car and swiped his hand across the payment panel.

"Payment successful: 1 Alliance Credit."

"Your balance: 138 Alliance Credits."

Swiping away the payment message.

Jiang Jian put on his headphones, brought up the screen, opened the pre-exam course released by Professor Zhang Laoshi, and began to study.

There were only fifteen days left until the God-Given Grand Exam.

Jiang Jian used all his free time to review, not wasting a single second.

Half an hour later.

"We've arrived."

A hoarse voice came.

Jiang Jian's heart jolted, and his gaze moved away from the screen.

He lifted his eyelids and looked toward the cockpit.

A sense of alarm rose in his heart.

The driver had black hair draped over his shoulders and was not wearing a safety helmet.

The glass separating the cockpit from the passenger cabin had disappeared at some point.

The sky was dark.

Outside the hovercar was an endless, deep darkness.

It was suffocating and heart-palpitating.

"The Shadow Zone doesn't distinguish between day and night; there is only a fake daylight."

"Where is this..."

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

The driver turned his head abruptly, his hollow eye sockets dripping with blood: "This is your grave!"

Boom!

The sword light was like electricity!

Jiang Jian was expressionless, holding the wooden sword and slashing fiercely!

Zzzzt!

The translucent sword Qi pierced the ghost face, shredding it into smoke!

A sharp, shrill scream rang out!

"This is absolutely impossible!"

The driver's whole body trembled crazily, black smoke poured from his face, and his words were full of resentment and horror, "A normal person without a God-Given gift can actually hurt me!?"

Jiang Jian's expression was mocking, and he applied a little force to the wooden sword.

The driver was immediately scared and screamed: "Spare my life!"

Jiang Jian sneered and said: "You are not from Guangling City."

The driver was stunned.

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

The driver's ghost face squirmed, unable to speak.

The wooden sword's Qi surged, directly slicing off half of the driver's skull!

"I'll talk!"

The driver tilted his remaining head, his whole body trembling, and he knelt on the ground with a thud, "It was a man in a suit!"

"He found me in the black market and promised a reward of 10,000 Alliance Credits!"

Speaking of this, the driver raised his only remaining hole, "So much money is enough to make people take risks!"

Money makes the world go round.

It can even make ghosts kill people.

Jiang Jian smiled and said: "Very good, the recording is complete, and the evidence is solid."

He glanced at his identity device; the inspection team was on its way.

Jiang Jian's mood became increasingly good.

The laws of the God-Illumination Zone are extremely strict, not comparable to the Shadow Zone.

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

The Zhao family had already been dragged into the water.

"A piece of marriage contract, only sold for 500,000 Alliance Credits, it's still a bit low."

Jiang Jian looked up at the pitch-black sky.

Several bright beams of light pierced the darkness and were rushing here quickly.

Clang!

A fully armed security vehicle arrived first and landed heavily on the ground.

"Who reported the malicious incident just now?"

An inspector jumped out of the car, his gaze scanning between Jiang Jian and the driver, and he asked in a deep voice.

The driver didn't dare to speak.

Jiang Jian withdrew his wooden sword and took out his identity device: "I have evidence."

The inspector looked at Jiang Jian and stepped forward.

With a swipe of his own identity device, the recording was transmitted immediately.

Security vehicles landed one after another, and the inspectors gathered around to watch the recording.

Jiang Jian started recording from the moment the driver turned his head, and it was very clear.

After watching the footage, the inspector walked up to the driver with a look of disgust: "Take out your identity device."

The driver's body trembled, black smoke surged, and he held out a translucent watch.

"Ninghai City, unofficial citizen; this kind of dog thing should have died out long ago."

The inspector showed an 'as expected' expression and spat on the ground.

"Hiding in the sewers and living like a dog is one thing, but you actually dared to assassinate an Earth citizen; who gave you the guts!"

The driver knelt on the ground, nodding repeatedly.

In 2785, gods were born on Neptune.

The brilliance of the gods permeated the sun, using the star's light as a medium to shine on all things.

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

The laws of other planets might differ.

But on Earth, only the human race are official citizens.

The Earth Alliance bathes in divine grace, encompasses all things, and allows all living things to exist.

As long as they don't harm people, they can apply to become unofficial citizens under strict conditions, get an identity device, and live in the Shadow Zone of each city.

"Jiang Jian, you're a student at Guangling No. 1 High School, right?"

The inspector walked up to Jiang Jian, his tone softening, "What's going on with the man in the suit?"

Jiang Jian smiled and said: "I only know that he is from the Zhao family."

The inspector immediately became serious and asked: "Which Zhao family?"

Jiang Jian said: "Guangling City, God-Illumination Zone, the Zhao family that controls the array business."

The inspector couldn't help but be stunned.

He turned his head, looked at the person next to him, then looked at Jiang Jian, his tone full of excitement: "Do you have evidence?"

Jiang Jian raised his hand and held up his identity device: "The recording of the man in the suit negotiating with me, as well as the God-Proof Contract between me and Zhao Jianxue, are all here."

"This time... great!"

After seeing the evidence, the inspector was ecstatic in his heart, almost shouting "I'm rich!"

The next moment, he became even more amiable toward Jiang Jian, "Student, you can call me Captain Wang; come back to the Inspection Court with us, I will apply for a summons immediately to seek justice for you!"

Several inspectors were glowing with excitement, surrounding Captain Wang, whispering to each other, all of them eager to take action.

At this moment.

An inspector wearing an armband of the Shadow Zone walked up to Captain Wang, feeling a bit lacking in confidence, and asked in a low voice: "This Jiang Jian is a resident of the Shadow Zone; according to common sense, this case should be given to me..."

Boom!

The next second, the inspector flew backward more than ten meters and hit the hard armored vehicle heavily!

He lay on the ground like a dead dog, vomiting large mouthfuls of blood, breathing out more than breathing in, not knowing how many ribs he had broken!

"Get out of here!"

Captain Wang withdrew his fist, his expression icy.

The other inspectors from the God-Illumination Zone also showed sneers.

"Student Jiang Jian, don't be afraid."

Captain Wang walked to Jiang Jian's side and squeezed out a smile, "The public security in Guangling City is strict, and now such a malicious case of hiring someone to kill has occurred; it is truly unforgivable!"

"The Captain is right, we will definitely help you seek justice!"

"The Inspection Court is upright and will never tolerate any crime!"

"Please rest assured, student, this murder case will definitely be brought to light!"

Many inspectors spoke one after another, filled with righteous indignation!

A young inspector stood side by side with Jiang Jian, righteous and awe-inspiring: "Don't be afraid, junior! I was also a student at Guangling No. 1 High School! So what if it's the Zhao family!"

"Gods are above, justice is clear!"

"I swear to bring the real culprit to justice, otherwise I will resign on the spot!"

Jiang Jian watched his hard performance, his mood as calm as water, but his face showed emotion: "Senior, what great courage!"

The young inspector winked and replied: "Junior, what great fortune!"

Jiang Jian was puzzled: "What do you mean by that?"

The young inspector put his arm around Jiang Jian's shoulder and lowered his voice: "I heard that Zhao Jianxue of the Zhao family has a fairy-like appearance that puts flowers to shame."

"Junior, you have a God-Proof Contract with her. Once you turn 18, you will automatically become husband and wife in the eyes of the law; isn't that great fortune?"

Jiang Jian smiled and was noncommittal.

"Junior Jiang Jian, my name is Zhou Chi, two years ahead of you, and I also climbed up from the Shadow Zone."

The young inspector put his arm around Jiang Jian, walked onto the armored vehicle, closed the heavy door tightly, and said sincerely, "Actually, the Inspection Court in the God-Illumination Zone hasn't been able to pay bonuses for three months."

Jiang Jian's expression was surprised, and he asked: "Has it reached this point?"

Zhou Chi snorted coldly: "The laws in the God-Illumination Zone are strict, and almost no one breaks the rules; where would the bonuses come from?"

Speaking of this, his face was gloomy, "If I had known, I would have stayed in the Shadow Zone Inspection Team; although life was about looking up to others, at least there was grease to scrape."

Jiang Jian wrapped his wooden sword with black cloth and listened quietly.

Zhou Chi knew that Jiang Jian was just a student and didn't expect him to be able to keep up with the conversation, so his gaze fell on the wooden sword: "This wooden sword looks good; is it something to ward off evil?"

Jiang Jian looked up and smiled: "Senior has a good eye; this sword is a family heirloom and is most effective at restraining spirits and monsters."

Zhou Chi was unimpressed and said: "Looking back hundreds of years, whose ancestors didn't have a level 3 God-Given gift? My family has a handed-down long knife, which was obtained by my great-grandfather's generation when they were favored by the gods; it is a genuine 'Weapon'!"

Jiang Jian's tone was surprised: "It's actually a 'Weapon' among level 3 God-Given gifts!"

Zhou Chi showed a look of pride: "That's for sure! Even in today's Guangling City, the old man could be considered a generation of geniuses! Your wooden sword is far from my great-grandfather's long knife!"

Where ordinary people couldn't see, the wooden sword trembled slightly.

Jiang Jian lowered his eyelids, stroked the hilt, and smiled with the corners of his lips curled up.

The next second, he looked up, his tone filled with reverence, and asked: "Senior, I wonder what realm your ancestor once cultivated to, so that I can take it as an example."

"This..."

Zhou Chi's expression was a bit unnatural.

"Although the great-grandfather was favored by the gods, his state of mind was indifferent, and he had no intention of killing, so he wasted his cultivation and stopped at the God-Given Realm."

(End of chapter)