"Here is your re-issued identification card."
"…"
Azona led Shen to the nearby regional office to redo his papers and whatnot before heading into the player management office.
Currently, he was looking at the receptionist in slight disappointment.
'I can't believe no one reported that I was missing.'
Right before coming in here and while in the aircraft, he was racking his brain the entire time on how to explain the details of his Murim journey, including how many years he had stayed there, and all those things, to appear somewhat normal.
After all Shen knew that the tallest tree would always be the first to get blown up by the wind. He wasn't even entertaining the idea of relaying the information about his powers.
Yet all of those thoughts and brainstorming he had done before coming into the office vanished into dust after the receptionist suddenly gave him his new identification card.
There were no questions, no shock, and not even slight suspicions, but instead a completely natural process.
'Are you telling me that none of my family members issued a missing persons warrant about me?' Thinking this much, he suddenly felt a sting in his heart.
Sigh...
He wasn't too much bothered by it, given that he forgotten most of the details about his family, but still...
Shen bitterly looked at his new identification card.
'Well, none of that matters anyway; this is even better for me.' Brushing away those thoughts, he went to where Azona told him she would be waiting for him.
"You are done already? Good, I don't have much time left, so I'll be leaving you alone from this point onwards," Azona briefly thought about it and took out a phone out of her pocket and handed it to Shen.
"This will be yours from now on, if you need anything of urgent importance, you can call me. I have placed my number in it. Just keep in mind that I won't always answer since of how busy I usually am."
Shen just nodded his head, not too much bothered by this situation; the title of great commander didn't come in vain, and helping this much is already commendable to begin with.
"About the two questions?" He couldn't help but inquire about this; he felt the information he could get from this woman with her position of power, would be very helpful if she kept her promise.
'Trying to make me feel ashamed of asking about those after showing me around and giving me a phone? Dream on,' Shen chuckled, knowing full well Azona would not refuse.
Azona narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at the young man before her. A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes for a split second:' He is not giving up those, isn't he, didn't he get my hint already?'
"Send two messages of your questions anytime, and I'll reply honestly." Right after saying these words, Azona boarded her aircraft and left. The speed of her disappearance was so fast that even Shen could tell that she was a bit pissed.
'Seems like I was right in my guess, the questions aren't of her goodwill but instead a must for anyone who stumbles upon a gate survivor. Still, there is no way she will reply if I ever call her in the future, the two messages are where things end.'
Shen wasnt that much bothered and casually placed his new phone in his pocket. He already bought new clothes, so appearance-wise, everything wasn't an issue. The only problem he had now was that he didn't know where to go!
'Well, this isn't the Murim so I should be asking around, people on earth are angels compared to the others.'
As he guessed, it didn't take a few minutes till he a guy stopped in his tracks and gave him a few directions, surprisingly enough, all of the Important buildings related to ID, players, and tests were all in the same region.
'Now that I think about it, this feeling of so many people coming and going, busy with their work and others going in and out of buildings as they completed their daily routines is truly fascinating.'
"I'm really back," Shen muttered to himself.
Reaching the place where the person directed him towards, Shen felt shocked for a brief moment before his mouth opened agape.
The building he was looking at was a 100-story-building that spanned over kilomters, easily placing the airports he faintly recalled in shame.
Taking a moment to calm down, Shen couldn't help but marvel at his decision,' Truly coming back to earth was the right decision. If this is the treatment of all players, then imagine the treatment for the top-tier players.'
Ha-ha-ha-ha!
His joy was so immense that he even failed to control his laughter, attracting a lot of weird looks from the passerbys.
Suddenly, as he was about to go in, his phone rang.
'Hmm? No one knows of my existence except Azona, there is no way it's her right?' Feeling a bit of curiosity, he picked up his phone, only for a holographic image of a middle-aged man to appear in front of him.
"Mmm, hello?" Shen didn't know how to react as he locked eyes with the man in front of him, the situation felt so akward that he wanted to hung up right at this moment. But since he felt this would be important he kept being patient and waiting on what the other party had to say.
The hologram flickered for several moments before it stablized and a voice sounded out.
"Shen Lost. Gate survivor classification confirmed."
Shen's brows twitched.
"By order of the Empress of Justice, you are required to undergo an evaluation."
"…Evaluation?" Shen muttered.
"College-level final examination. Disagreement isn't an option and further punishments will follow in case of absence."
Shen stared at the message in pure amusment.
College?
Before he could respond, new notifications flooded his vision, citizenship clearance, temporary privileges, a transfer of funds.
The hologram vanished.
Everything happened so fast that Shen stood there in silence, not knowing what just happened.
"…This world really has gone insane."
'Did it just.... wait? Is this even the same earth?' Shen was momentarily lost for words as he failed to understand what just happened. In a whim, he looked at the year and day.
He had a bad premonition of what just happened...