"Deputy Zhao, team 0527 just completed two points tasks."
"Currently, they have 350 points."
"Alright, I understand. I'll start calling the team captains to have them compete for points tasks starting tomorrow!"
Xiaobei hung up the phone, looked at team 0527 still ranked last on the electronic screen, with 350 points behind it, and sighed.
"Captain Han Zhan, I'm sorry, I'm just following orders, don't mind me!"
Deep Blue City, a standalone villa.
After a busy day, Han Zhan and Xia Youwei returned here, where Li Shutong had been waiting for some time.
Dinner was already prepared, and they ate while chatting.
"I've heard about your conflict with Deputy Captain Zhao Hu of Deep Blue City's City Guardians," Li Shutong proactively brought up, asking, "Do you need my help?"
Han Zhan shook his head.
Having brief contact with him for the past two days, Li Shutong was already aware of Han Zhan's personality.
Seeing him shake his head, he didn't insist further.
"The City Guardians have quite a few problems. They've taken the name of city guardians but haven't done the duty of guarding the city." Han Zhan pondered for a moment before speaking.
Just reporting for one day, he had already seen the empty reception hall, abandoned district service points for half a year without supervision.
Not to mention, high officials like Zhao Hu who abuse power to suppress dissent.
Others don't have the ability to reach the top directly, but he does.
Upon hearing Han Zhan's words, Li Shutong put down his chopsticks.
"The word 'guardian', we old folks chose together back then. Thinking about it now, it's been seventy or eighty years, time flies indeed."
"As a large organization develops, different voices will emerge, just like occasional mutations in bodily tissues that need to be promptly removed."
"Regrettably, external threats persist, and internal concerns are neglected. Over the years, we've been busy dealing with insect infestations, while the internal 'roots' have slowly decayed."
From Li Shutong's tone, he must be aware of the internal issues within the City Guardians.
It seems this problem is even bigger than Han Zhan imagined.
"The roots have completely rotted, and removing them can't cure the problem, so a fire is needed to rejuvenate it."
"That's also the reason I initially chose you."
Han Zhan was astonished. "Teacher wants me to be that fire?"
"Fire can burn away dead branches, disperse darkness. But fire can always be extinguished. I've said before, the choice of how the future unfolds is in your hands."
Li Shutong picked up the chopsticks again, placed a piece of meat in Xia Youwei's bowl, and continued.
"Let's talk about something cheerful."
"The grand package that Old Five sent you has already been sent to the Longevity Company. In about ten days, they can refine spiritual power and create the realm breakthrough potion."
Spirit Contract Masters and Contracted Spirits need to constantly absorb spiritual power to enhance their realms.
Only when spiritual power accumulation reaches a certain threshold can they break through to the next stage.
Spiritual power exists between heaven and earth but is relatively sparse, making realm advancement extremely slow.
At this moment, the materials of the killed Insect Race, and those natural treasures containing more abundant spiritual power, reveal their value.
The Longevity Company specializes in extracting this spiritual power and producing breakthrough potions.
One bottle of breakthrough potion has reached an extremely high price, and you have to provide your own spiritual materials, making it an unequivocal profiteering industry!
Because of this, Longevity Company has become one of the top five companies above countries.
"This time, the cost of refining spiritual power has been waived by Longevity Company, thanks to my influence."
"However, for future Tier Two, Tier Three... higher tier breakthrough potions, you'll have to figure out a way yourselves."
"Thank you, Teacher!" Han Zhan and Xia Youwei shared a glance and spoke in unison.
Li Shutong waved his hand.
"Teacher, regarding the Eight Urgent Fist, how can we break through to the next stage?" Han Zhan seized the opportunity to ask again.
He had tried numerous times yesterday. But each time he channeled spiritual power, it resulted in failure.
Clearly able to feel the position of the second Urgency, why couldn't he breakthrough?
"To breakthrough the Eight Urgencies, you need to remember four words."
Li Shutong said while raising four fingers on his left hand.
"Between life and death."
"Between life and death?"
"That's right, did you see those 'energy' surrounding your body when you released an Urgency?"
"They are generated between life and death, only when these energies reach a certain level can you break through the next Urgent Lock."
As Li Shutong spoke, he opened his left hand to Han Zhan, where an originally empty palm began to gather a cloud of white energy.
The white energy grew thicker and larger, rising above and even surpassed the size of the dining table!
Such enormous "energy", it's unimaginable how many times Li Shutong must have experienced "between life and death".
"I understand." Han Zhan said seriously.
"Alright, you're tired today, rest early. I won't be staying here, so feel free to do whatever you two want tonight."
"Lest you blame me for lacking tact as a teacher?"
Li Shutong suddenly shifted the conversation,
Xia Youwei's face instantly turned bright red.
...
After dinner, the two returned to the room one after the other.
Listening to the sound of running water from the shower, imagining the water rushing down from towering peaks, winding through mountain streams, converging in secluded valleys.
Han Zhan slapped his forehead, forcing himself to stay awake.
Xia Youwei emerged from the shower wrapped in a bathrobe, her school beauty-level looks further enhanced by her post-bath appearance, making it hard to look away.
Seeing Han Zhan staring at her, she shyly buried her head into her bathrobe like an ostrich.
Completely forgetting she still had two evenly enticing white legs exposed.
"Um, this villa is very white, no, very large, no, very spacious! I'll go find another room..."
"The teacher said all other rooms are already locked," Xia Youwei reminded.
"Then I'll sleep on the floor, it's cool down there, hahaha!"
Han Zhan, who wouldn't even blink while killing Tier Three Insect Race, strangely felt timid in matters like this.
"No way! You have to sleep on the bed today!"
Xia Youwei was so angry she forgot about being shy,
She pointed to the double bed, only then realizing what she had just said.
"That... was my carefully arranged sheet and duvet cover! You can't disrespect my hard work, hm!"
This flimsy excuse gave her much confidence.
"I usually fall asleep the instant I touch the bed, really!"
"Stop talking nonsense, come over here!"
Before Han Zhan could explain further, Xia Youwei suddenly yanked him, causing him to lie on the soft bed.
This was the second time they had been so close to each other.
Xia Youwei, freshly showered, smelled fragrant, with a subtle scent of a young girl.
Her heartbeat skyrocketed, her breath quickened.
Many things she had seen out of curiosity before started flashing wildly in her mind.
Xia Youwei closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttered a bit, like a flower bud ready to be picked.
Two minutes later.
The faint sound of Han Zhan sleeping reached her ears.
Xia Youwei opened her eyes in irritation.
Fell asleep?!
Just as she clenched her fists, planning to give this insensitive guy a good punch,
Han Zhan turned his body, instinctively wrapped Xia Youwei in his arms with his arm.
Feeling Han Zhan's steady breathing and his unique scent, Xia Youwei's dissatisfaction gradually eased.
"This way, it seems quite nice."
She smiled lightly, reversed her hands to hug Han Zhan, and the two embraced as they slept.