“Xiaonan, aren’t you going to follow them and take a look?” Wen Qimo watched Zhao Kongcheng, Hongying, and Leng Xuan lead Lu Ming toward the logistics department, hesitating slightly.
Si Xiaonan shook her head.
“Lu Ming is too flippant, and his motives for joining the squad aren’t pure.
I don’t want to get too close to him.
If you want to go, Qimo, go ahead.
I’ll pass.” Si Xiaonan harbored doubts about Lu Ming’s sudden appearance.
Joining the Night Watch right when the Seraph’s Agent showed up, and possessing a forging-type Forbidden Realm she had never even heard of—she could not shake the feeling that something was deeply amiss.
Wen Qimo hesitated a moment longer before shaking his head as well.
“I won’t go either.
There’s nothing interesting about a bunch of corpses.
I’ll head back with you.” Si Xiaonan nodded.
Side by side, the two walked off in the opposite direction of Lu Ming and the others.
*** “Captain, regarding Lu Ming’s situation…” Wu Xiangnan stood before Chen Muye’s desk, looking hesitant.
He felt Chen Muye had agreed far too quickly; he had not even conducted a background check on Lu Ming yet.
If there was an issue with Lu Ming’s origins, it could endanger the entire Cangnan City Night Watch squad.
“Xiangnan, don’t worry about it.
I know who he is.
Besides, regardless of whether Lu Ming’s claim about forging Zanpakuto is real or fake, the power of that Forbidden Realm: Senbonzakura is already close to the ‘River’ Realm.” “Welcoming Lu Ming into Squad 136 benefits everyone…
Moreover, there is no issue with his identity.” Wu Xiangnan’s brow furrowed tightly.
He remained skeptical as to why the captain was so certain.
Chen Muye patted Wu Xiangnan on the shoulder.
“Xiangnan, trust me.” “Of course, you may investigate using your own methods.
If doing so puts your mind at ease, go ahead.” Five minutes later.
Chen Muye stood alone in the empty room, clutching his chest as he murmured in a low voice: “Lu Ming, nine years ago, you and the entire Cangnan City were wiped out by Shiva’s Lament.
Even now, you remain tied to it.” “And in this final year, you have somehow obtained the power of this Forbidden Realm.
In that case, join me in doing everything we can to protect Cangnan City until the very end…” *** On the way to the morgue.
“Lu Ming, when you were messing around with that Ghostface corpse earlier, was it just to gather materials for forging this Zanpakuto thing?” Recalling Lu Ming’s strange behavior before the logistics team earlier, Zhao Kongcheng asked in hindsight.
Following behind Zhao Kongcheng, Hongying and Leng Xuan both reflexively glanced back at Lu Ming.
Truth be told, they were intensely curious about how he planned to process the corpse of a Mystery.
At the same time, they wanted to see what his so-called forging Forbidden Realm actually looked like.
Hearing this, Lu Ming glared at Zhao Kongcheng.
“What do you mean by ‘messing around with corpses’?
That was proper corpse disposal!
And Old Zhao, show some respect to my Zanpakuto, or I won’t forge one for you.” Sensing the hidden yearning in Zhao Kongcheng’s eyes, Lu Ming had long since seen through his thoughts.
As a veteran soldier, Old Zhao was obsessed with obtaining a Forbidden Realm—bordering on possessed, even.
Now that he had heard Lu Ming could forge Zanpakuto, and that wielding one granted a Forbidden Realm, his heart had already been thrown into turmoil.
Had Hongying and Leng Xuan not been standing right there, he probably would have begged Lu Ming to forge one for him already.
Seeing his inner desires exposed, Zhao Kongcheng gave a sheepish grin.
He truly craved a Forbidden Realm of his own, but what it actually meant to become an Agent of a Zanpakuto was something he still did not understand.
Moreover, a Zanpakuto was ultimately a Forbidden Relic.
Based on his experience, forging one was unlikely to be an easy task.
Just then, Leng Xuan, wearing his baseball cap, stopped outside the morgue doors and voiced his true thoughts: “Lu Ming, is it very difficult to gain the recognition of a Zanpakuto?
What does one need to do to become a Zanpakuto Agent like you?
I want to become one.” Like Zhao Kongcheng, he lacked a Forbidden Realm.
If a Forbidden Realm was Zhao Kongcheng’s inner demon, the same held true for him.
As a long-range support specialist, Leng Xuan usually occupied a relatively safe position within the Night Watch.
Yet it was precisely because of this role that he had watched countless comrades die right before his eyes.
That was also the reason he had developed the habit of recording his teammates’ daily lives with his camera.
Now, Lu Ming claimed he could grant ordinary humans a Forbidden Realm through a Zanpakuto.
Even though it had not been verified, Leng Xuan did not want to let this opportunity slip away.
He wanted a Forbidden Realm.
He wanted the ability to help his teammates.
He wanted the power to protect Cangnan City!
The four of them stood in silence before the morgue.
Leng Xuan’s request came as a surprise; after all, he and Lu Ming had never spoken before, making him the most distant of the three.
It was precisely for this reason that Hongying and Zhao Kongcheng admired Leng Xuan all the more upon hearing his plea.
Leng Xuan was cold on the outside but warm on the inside—a man who hated dealing with strangers.
For his very first words to Lu Ming to be a request, both knew he must have endured immense internal conflict on the way here.
Just as Leng Xuan understood Zhao Kongcheng, Zhao Kongcheng understood the struggle behind Leng Xuan’s words.
He looked toward Lu Ming.
What Leng Xuan had just asked was the exact question burning in his own heart.
Not only did Leng Xuan want to become a Zanpakuto Agent, but he wanted to become one as well, to possess a Forbidden Realm of his own.
No matter how difficult it might be, could it possibly be more dangerous than using the Ghost-God Draught?
*** Lu Ming met Leng Xuan’s gaze.
While he could not clearly see the man’s face beneath the cap, he could feel the resolute determination in his eyes.
Toward this man who, in the future, would deal a fatal blow to Loki, the God of Mischief, with a mere mortal body, Lu Ming harbored a deep respect of his own.
A ruthless individual capable of enduring solitude might seem like a bit of a background character in the early stages due to lacking a Forbidden Realm, but no one could deny his finest hour.
His vigil alongside Si Xiaonan was truly magnificent.
“You need exceptional willpower, you need to understand your own mind, and you must learn to commune with the Zanpakuto…” Lu Ming suddenly smiled slightly, addressing both Leng Xuan and Zhao Kongcheng: “I believe in the capabilities of you two.
You should both be able to become Zanpakuto Agents!” Zhao Kongcheng and Leng Xuan were both caught off guard.
This was technically their first time meeting Lu Ming today, yet for some reason, the young man seemed remarkably familiar with them.
Not only was his demeanor completely natural and unreserved, but he also had an uncanny grasp of their personalities.
Leng Xuan hesitated for a few seconds before giving a heavy nod.
“Lu Ming, if I truly can obtain the power of a Forbidden Realm through a Zanpakuto, even if it’s a harmless one, I will be profoundly grateful!
If you ever need anything in the future, I will not hesitate for a second.” Lu Ming spread his hands, the corners of his mouth curving upward.
“My Zanpakuto will never produce a harmless Forbidden Realm.
Every Zanpakuto I forge is made for killing.” With that, Lu Ming reached out and pushed open the morgue doors.
As the heavy doors swung open, a wave of frigid air washed over him.
Strange, grotesque corpses entered his view, but his attention was fixed entirely on the faint white glows hovering above them.
[As expected, as long as it’s a Mystery, lingering souls usable for forging Zanpakuto remain after death.] [Joining Squad 136 was definitely the right choice.] Watching the increasingly twisted smile spread across Lu Ming’s face, Hongying and the others felt the temperature inside the morgue plunge even further.
*This new recruit, Lu Ming…
is he really a normal person?*