At dawn, Aunt Fei and Xueyin were already asleep.
When they were living in the Underground City, Aunt Fei was always on high alert. A slight noise in the middle of the night would wake her up. In the beginning, she even kept a knife under her pillow and forced herself to act calm during the day.
Li Xin knew that when they first moved to the city, the sheer quietness made it hard for her to sleep. But as days went by and things stabilized, she gradually adjusted.
Li Xin closed the door. Ever since he responded to the call of the Zodiac Celestial Disc, it was like Pandora’s Box had been opened. The Die had become more and more active. Was there a connection between Divine Relics and other sacred artifacts? Or was there some link between the Die and the Celestial Disc itself?
Either way, the only way to find answers was to head to the Sacred Grounds.
He cleared a small area and took out a small, intricately designed silver box. The surface of the box bore the markings of the Moon Goddess Church. Inside was a red, viscous paste that looked almost appetizing. The market price was two hundred lira, and a single box wouldn't last long.
Spirit Paste was one of the basic materials for psionics. It could be used in certain formations and abilities, as well as for marking. The Night Watchmen, the Order Academy, and even the Church needed to use it regularly. It was a regulated item. Non-official personnel had to seek underground channels to acquire it, and the price would easily double, with the added risk of buying counterfeit goods.
For Night Watchmen, it was available at a twenty percent discount, but all purchases had to be reported to prevent resale. If the quantity wasn't excessive, no one would really care. The one in Li Xin’s possession was a newbie benefit — he didn’t have to pay for it.
Should he use it or not?
Today’s plan was originally to enter the Sacred Grounds. At the very least, he could try to resolve the issue with the Divine Relic. But after listening to Aunt Fei’s words, Li Xin felt something was off.
Luo Jin was the Night Watchmen’s Captain — a man of absolute authority. He had held this position for over ten years, which meant his strength and perception were far from ordinary. Would he have noticed that Li Xin was carrying a Divine Relic?
This wasn’t just about awakening psionic abilities. Divine Relics didn’t just appear out of thin air; they always had a backstory. And the Night Watchmen had definitely investigated Li Xin’s past. All his records started from the moment Aunt Fei took him in. But what about before that?
And this Moon Goddess Medallion...
Li Xin took it out again. Could it have some other use?
Now, he had two options for using the Die’s ability.
One, predict whether entering the Sacred Grounds would be beneficial.
Two, predict whether confessing to Luo Jin would be advantageous.
Based on his current mastery of the Die, he could only predict one event at a time. There was also the possibility of a null prediction — a blank result. Pushing himself to use it a second time without resting wasn’t something Li Xin dared to try. His intuition told him the consequences would be severe.
Li Xin chose the latter. The Sacred Grounds weren’t an urgent priority yet. Gaining Luo Jin’s support would significantly impact not just his own life, but Aunt Fei’s and Xueyin’s as well.
“Confessing to Luo Jin will be advantageous.”
Li Xin threw the Die. It spun in midair for a while before landing on eight.
A valid prediction. This meant the probability of positive outcomes from confessing to Luo Jin was exceptionally high.
This aligned with Li Xin’s own judgment. From his observations and from what he had heard about Luo Jin, the man’s character and integrity were widely acknowledged. What kind of harm could a solitary, serious man like that really do?
It was undeniable that Luo Jin had a high opinion of him. From the clues he had gathered over the past week — especially Ou-ge’s hesitations and unspoken words — it felt as if they were just waiting for him to make a move. And now, the Die had confirmed it.
Now, all he had to do was get through tonight and tomorrow.
Lying in bed, Li Xin hadn’t been resting for long before a splitting headache struck him. “Excruciating” wasn’t enough to describe it. The intense pain was accompanied by severe nausea and dizziness, but paradoxically, his mind and body were painfully alert. His senses even felt amplified.
Pain wasn’t something that could be overcome by sheer willpower. No matter how strong one’s will was, it couldn’t make the pain stop. All he could do was keep his body from making any sound. Cold sweat beaded on Li Xin’s forehead as he endured the agonizing pain, unable to utter a single sound.
At that moment, the markings on the surface of the Moon Goddess Medallion suddenly lit up, followed by a faint red glow that gradually spread, enveloping Li Xin.
Bathed in that red light, the unbearable headache began to subside. While it didn’t completely disappear, it became more of a numbed sensation, like taking a potent painkiller. Li Xin finally managed to take a deep breath, like a drowning man who had just been given air.
Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
When he woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. For once, he felt surprisingly normal. And it was all thanks to that peculiar Moon Goddess Medallion.
Looks like he’d need to have a talk with Luo Jin on Monday. It would be a joke to pretend that Luo Jin hadn’t already noticed the Divine Relic.
At the same time, it was no surprise that the members at the Roundtable seemed so calm about the side effects of Divine Relics. They must all have their own methods for dealing with it. It made sense. Every power had its rules. If there was a problem, there had to be a solution.
With that thought, Li Xin felt much more at ease and spent a pleasant weekend with Aunt Fei and Xueyin.
Early Monday morning, Li Xin arrived at the Night Watchmen’s base and prepared for the day’s work.
When he reached the Captain’s office, he realized that Luo Jin hadn’t left all night. He was just about to tiptoe away when —
“You’re here early,” Luo Jin said. He was already awake.
“Haha, Uncle Luo, pulling another all-nighter? You need to take care of yourself. The work will still be there tomorrow. I’m young; I can take on some of the burden,” Li Xin said.
Luo Jin sat up and stretched. He had long grown used to the grueling work of the Night Watchmen. No matter how dangerous or exhausting, there was a sense of fulfillment that came with it.
People like him were born workaholics. Even when his body was screaming for rest, his mind found solace in his work. Taking on a cushy role at the Order Academy felt stifling in comparison. It wasn’t his domain, and he felt like his strength had nowhere to be unleashed.
Logically, the Order Academy was a far better post than the Night Watchmen — safer, more prestigious, with brighter prospects. The First Archbishop had gone against the odds to secure this position for him, and it wasn’t a matter of whether he wanted to do it or not — he had to. If he failed, it wouldn’t just ruin him but also jeopardize the Archbishop’s standing. And a decline in faith was the last thing the Moon Goddess Church could afford.
“How are you adjusting to life as a Night Watchman?” Luo Jin asked.
“It’s mostly just drinking tea and reading newspapers. Everyone’s treating me too well, like I’m here to retire, not to work,” Li Xin said helplessly.
Luo Jin couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s something others can only dream of.”
Li Xin hesitated for a moment. “Uncle Luo, there’s something I need to confess and ask for advice. I’ve got a bit of a situation. I accidentally absorbed a Divine Relic. I’ve been barely managing to control it. Before, when the side effects got too bad, I’d just go into the forest alone and wait it out before returning to the Underground City. But now, as a Night Watchman, I’m afraid it might affect others.”