Celestial Human Diagram

Tian Yu replied, "It’s not just the brain. The brain is merely the most likely area, and a problem there could most easily lead to unforeseen consequences. But it could also be your other internal organs, or your limbs. Any place where a Mutated Organization could grow is a possibility."

She then asked, "Executioners, have you seen your Activity Index scores?"

Yuan Qiuyuan glanced at the value on the display and was suddenly annoyed. ’Why the fuck is it a two? And when did I get infected? They’re not just messing with me, are they?’

He turned his head to look at Qin Qingque. "Executioner Qin, what’s your index?"

Qin Qingque answered truthfully, "Mine is five."

Tian Yu said, "A normal Activity Index fluctuates between one and ten. As long as it doesn’t exceed thirty, there’s no problem."

"Anything below ten is perfectly normal. It will sometimes be high and sometimes low, generally following a fluctuating curve. This is unavoidable after entering a Merging Zone, so don’t worry too much."

"If a Fighter has a stable mind and strong self-control, they can maintain a very low value."

At that moment, Chen Chuan tapped his Lower Realm Token and said, "Let’s share our values with each other. It’ll make it easier to keep an eye on one another in the future."

The three of them added each other’s contact information and established a communication channel, allowing them to see each other’s values at any time.

Yuan Qiuyuan eagerly checked Chen Chuan’s value and found a distinct "zero." He was involuntarily startled. ’It’s that low...’

He knew very well the weight of Tian Yu’s words. ’For a Third Limit Fighter, a stable mind and strong self-control are direct indicators of abundant Essence Blood and a powerful Divine Constant—the cornerstones of their strength.’

He muttered to himself, ’This captain... he’s really something.’

Qin Qingque also saw the other two’s values, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of urgency. ’It goes without saying for Chen Chuan,’ she thought. ’Since he’s the captain, this level of performance is to be expected.’

’But even someone as flighty-looking as Yuan Qiuyuan has a much lower score than me, which means he’s significantly stronger. I need to work even harder.’

Tian Yu glanced at the time on her watch. "It’s getting late. You Executioners have just arrived at the station and still have some procedures to complete, so I won’t delay you any further. You can come back for the rest of the briefing tomorrow. The time is up to you—it can be in the morning or around this same time."

Chen Chuan asked, "Ms. Tian Yu, you mentioned earlier that someone would come to teach us a Breathing Technique to suppress our activity. Do you know when that will be scheduled?"

Tian Yu answered, "Captain Chen, as soon as you get back, just submit a request in your squad’s name. The instructor will then arrange a time with you."

Chen Chuan said, "Thank you." He stood up, looked at his two teammates, and asked, "Have you two eaten? If not, shall we go grab a simple meal together?"

Qin Qingque said, "Reporting, Captain. We have not eaten yet."

Yuan Qiuyuan said, "You’re the captain. It’s your call."

Chen Chuan nodded. "Then let’s go together." He gave Tian Yu a nod and walked out of the screening room.

He had logged into the station’s platform when he first arrived. Perhaps due to resource limitations, it didn’t have as many functions as the one outside; he could only look up text documents and other simple information.

And as captain, he was able to view the files of his two squad members.

Yuan Qiuyuan had distinguished himself in the outer regions and came from a Fighting Master Clan.

He had never attended a Wuyi academy, instead training in the dojo run by his own clan. He had even turned down a recommendation to enroll in the local Wuyi, relying on himself and his clan’s support to become a Third Limit master.

After reaching the Third Limit, he was transferred to Central City and granted citizenship. Anyone could guess that a clan capable of producing a Third Limit master in the outer regions must be incredibly powerful.

His other teammate, Qin Qingque, had a military background. She was a combatant trained at a military academy. Her extraordinary talents were discovered at a young age, so she underwent rigorous military training. She was proficient with all kinds of melee weapons and firearms, could operate various military vehicles, and it was highly likely her parents held high-ranking positions in the Military.

He noticed that, whether by intention or coincidence, both of his teammates had been transferred from outside Central City and had essentially no ties to the various powers within it.

He recalled how Specialist Liang had emphasized his clean record when giving him the mission. It seemed his new subordinates had been chosen for the same reason.

The three of them arrived at the dining hall. It was already past the usual mealtime, but there was an internal cafeteria specially prepared for those returning from missions. Both buffet and set meals were available, with a rich variety of dishes and generous portions.

Yuan Qiuyuan immediately grabbed a plate of braised pork knuckles, took a bite of one, and commented, "Not bad. Tastes the same as what you get in Central City."

Qin Qingque, however, waited for Chen Chuan to select his food before picking her own. She said, "Some of the food here is grown in the mobile garages on-site. The rest is shipped from the rear."

Yuan Qiuyuan said, "I heard about that. They say the land here can be cultivated, but there’s some kind of problem with it, so all the ingredients are transported from the rear."

Chen Chuan knew this was a privilege reserved for the station’s officers and the Upper Layer. Ordinary soldiers, unless it was a day off, simply ate Nutrition Paste.

But he didn’t care one way or the other. As a Fighter, he could stomach Nutrition Paste just fine.

Once they were at a table, he poured three glasses of a beverage and raised his. "To both of you. From now on, we’re a team. I hope we can cooperate well. After all, we will be advancing and retreating together, teammates who can entrust their backs to one another."

The two of them also stood up. Yuan Qiuyuan raised his glass and said, "Since you’re the captain, we’ll listen to you. But Captain Chen, I’m a blunt person. I say whatever’s on my mind, and it might not always be pleasant to hear. I hope you don’t mind."

Qin Qingque said very seriously, "Captain, I will follow all orders and do what a squad member is supposed to do." Only then did she pick up her glass with both hands.

The three of them clinked glasses, took a sip, and then sat down to eat.

After the meal, Chen Chuan took the two of them to complete the necessary procedures, formally accepting them into his squad. They also received a new set of uniforms and weapons.

Because he was a First Level Executor, he also received a matching side sword. It was not just a symbol of his rank, but also a finely crafted weapon.

Starting from First Level Executor, each promotion came with a different side sword, with the quality naturally improving with each rank. The one he had now was the lowest in both quality and grade, so it was little more than a memento. He planned to find a box to store it in when he got back.

The station had arranged accommodations for them. As Third Limit Fighters, they each received a private dorm room with 24-hour electricity and hot water.

As captain, Chen Chuan was also equipped with a telephone and a radio. And though his rank didn’t technically warrant it, the higher-ups had still assigned him an orderly for guard duty.

He first took a quick shower. After coming out, he organized his belongings, browsed through the station’s files for a while, and seeing that he still had time, took out a vial of a special medicine.

Here, however, the fluid inside seemed brighter, as if brimming with a rich Life Force as it swirled.

After observing it for a few moments, he uncorked the vial and drank it down.

A moment later, a strange noise reached his ears. But it was different from before. Back in Central City, the sensation had felt distant and chaotic, but now it was much clearer, as if some presence existed in a direction he could almost perceive.

And even though he was inside the fortress, he saw large clumps of shadow swim across the walls and ceiling. The floor beneath him seemed to ripple, and a RUSTLING sound came from behind him, as if something was right there, drawing closer.

At the same time, he looked at the Activity Index on his Lower Realm Token and saw it was jumping continuously, quickly surpassing ten.

He watched it calmly, then shifted all of these incursions to his Second Self. As he did, the strange noises and movements quickly vanished, and everything before him returned to normal. The Activity Index on his Realm Token dropped back down to "zero."

He then entered a state of deep, undisturbed meditation.

Meanwhile, in a public phone booth in the fortress, Yuan Qiuyuan was on a call, standing in an open area. The snowfield under the searchlights was as bright as day. He glanced at a passing patrol in the distance and spoke into the receiver, "My impression? It’s alright, I guess."

"By the way, let me ask, what’s the deal with my captain? What’s his background?"

"An arrangement from the higher-ups? You don’t know either?"

"I get it. I won’t ask any more questions."

"Understood. No taking special medicine here. But then again, who would take it here?"

"I’ll just behave myself, alright?"

"Alright, alright, that’s enough. You guys are always saying resources are tight. Don’t you feel bad using up so many for a long-distance call?"

"Hey, hey, I’m not saying you’re nagging... Okay, fine, I got it. That’s all for now..."

After ending the call, he hung up the receiver, stepped outside, and let out a long breath. ’When did my sister get as annoying as Mom?’ he thought.

Although it was late, the open ground was brightly lit, and heavy snow was drifting down from the sky. He wasn’t sleepy in the slightest. After all, he had just arrived at a new place and was still buzzing with excitement.

After a moment’s thought, he returned to his dorm, grabbed a special collapsible baton, and headed to the training room to burn off some energy.

In another dorm, Qin Qingque had changed into her training clothes. She was sitting cross-legged in mid-air, supporting her entire body weight with a single fingertip pressed to the ground, while her other hand was raised, its back facing the sky.

She appeared motionless, but in reality, all the Mutated Organizations in her body were being mobilized with every breath. Before long, sweat beaded on her forehead and rolled down, only to be evaporated by her rising body temperature before it could hit the floor.

Through her Force Application, the Activity Index on her Realm Token slowly decreased, stabilizing once it reached "one."

And so, with the three of them engaged in their respective training and cultivation, their first night in the Merging Land passed.

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