“Little Ni? What brings you here at this time? Shouldn’t you be in school? Did something happen?”
“Nothing’s wrong, it’s just… I was in a bad mood back then and felt I let everyone down. I felt a bit embarrassed, so I came today specifically to apologize to everyone.”
After speaking, Si Junni introduced Tu Yaoyao and Jiaoyue. “These two are my classmates. They were afraid I’d be bored alone, so they specially came along with me.”
Tu Yaoyao twitched the corner of her mouth. You definitely wouldn’t be bored—you’d probably even pull down a passing bird just to chat with it. How could you possibly be bored?
As for Jiaoyue, everything seemed new and fascinating to her, and she didn’t pay any attention to the conversation at all.
Lin Ruifeng felt deeply moved for a moment. A child without a mother by their side… truly grows up in an instant.
The old Si Junni would never have spoken such considerate words.
With a slightly choked voice, he patted Si Junni on the shoulder. “You don’t need to say such formal words to your uncle. In the future, whether you’re short on money or run into any trouble, just come find me.”
Si Junni was also touched. These days, such good people were truly rare.
“Junni… yesterday…”
Lin Ruifeng wanted to ask about the Awakening Ceremony, but he was afraid the young girl might overthink it. Si Junni had always been quite sensitive.
Si Junni took the initiative to bring it up herself. “Uncle Ruifeng, I successfully Awakened a special ability! My university is also settled now, so you don’t need to worry about me anymore.”
“Good, good! That’s… that’s truly wonderful. Your mother… would definitely be proud of you if she knew.”
Si Junni smiled faintly. As for this “mother” who had already passed away, Si Junni didn’t harbor any extra emotions. Perhaps it was because she had never had family before and didn’t quite understand such feelings.
“Little Ni! Long time no see!” Si Junni turned to look. It was another colleague of her mother’s. The original owner had only been relatively familiar with Lin Ruifeng and didn’t know the others well.
Nevertheless, she greeted them warmly. “Hello, Auntie Zhao.”
Zhao Wenling’s expression was full of relief. “Good child, I never expected you to Awaken such a rare special ability, and with such a high Talent Level at that. You’ll definitely get better and better in the future.”
The smile on Si Junni’s lips suddenly faded. She carefully looked up and scrutinized this “Auntie Zhao” from her memories.
“Auntie Zhao, your news is quite swift.”
Lin Ruifeng was full of confusion. “What special ability?”
Zhao Wenling was slightly taken aback and said with a smile, “It’s just my son. After he came back yesterday, he excitedly said that Little Ni had Awakened a Support Healing Type, and he was so envious.”
“Heal…”
“Let’s talk somewhere else!” Lin Ruifeng suddenly became nervous and looked somewhat displeased at Zhao Wenling.
After arriving at Lin Ruifeng’s office, Zhao Wenling took the initiative to apologize. “I was just too excited and didn’t pay attention to the setting when I spoke!”
Lin Ruifeng nodded. “The Awakening Ceremony is supposed to be kept confidential and not widely publicized, let alone a rare Talent like Little Ni’s. You really… were too careless.”
“Yes, yes, yes. But we’re on our own turf here, so I let my guard down for a moment.”
“You… sigh.”
“It’s fine, Uncle Ruifeng. I came today because I have something I’d like to ask for your help with.”
Lin Ruifeng was clearly on guard and stopped Si Junni, first sending Zhao Wenling away.
“Alright, just wait a moment. Wenling, I’ll chat with the child. You go ahead with your work.”Zhao Wenling nodded somewhat awkwardly and left the room, smiling at Si Junni before she went, her expression quite meaningful.
“Little Ni, what’s the matter? Is something wrong?”
“I… came to ask about my mother’s survivor benefits…”
Si Junni had originally intended to find some injured people to practice her special ability on—she couldn’t keep cutting herself, after all. Blood replenishment was also quite expensive.
She had no connections at the hospital, but the Guard Department seemed suitable too. Si Junni remembered there was a separate Healing department here.
She really didn’t want to keep cutting herself anymore… Even putting aside the blood replenishment issue, although she could heal herself, it still hurt, and losing too much blood left her weak.
But after arriving, she realized this place wasn’t simple, so she changed the topic temporarily.
“It’s already been processed, but I noticed the bank account number was your… father’s. It must be old information from years ago that was never updated.
I held it back, thinking I’d ask you about it first. Since you’re here today, just sign some paperwork and it’ll be transferred to you soon.”
“Thank you, Uncle Ruifeng.”
Si Junni hesitated for a moment before asking, “How exactly did my mother… sacrifice herself? What mission was it? What went wrong? Can you tell me?”
Lin Ruifeng hesitated briefly but decided to tell the truth. Today’s Si Junni seemed noticeably more mature; it was time she knew some things.
“We received intel about a Fifth-tier Demonic Beast, a Crimson-tailed Lizard, in the northern district. Your mother led a team to handle it. After successfully eliminating the Crimson-tailed Lizard, on their way back, they were ambushed and attacked by people from the Divine Domain.
Your mother and her team hadn’t fully recovered their special abilities, and the enemy had a Sixth-tier Lightning-type Awakened among them, so they were completely outmatched.
The attackers were well-prepared. They didn’t give them a chance to call for reinforcements… it was all over within ten minutes.
All twelve members of the squad… no one survived.”
Si Junni frowned. The Divine Domain…
It was an anti-human organization, delusional about ruling all of humanity. As for human Awakened, they either recruited them or killed them… The most troublesome part was that they had their own belief system, from top to bottom, all of them were brainwashed fanatics.
They resembled a cult. Such people were sometimes even more despicable than mutant beasts and Monster Beasts!
Something didn’t feel right to Si Junni. Her mother was a Fifth-tier Fire-type Awakened and the squad leader. She had spent enormous amounts of time on cultivation and building team synergy.
So much so that she hadn’t even had time to spend with her only daughter.
Emotionally, she might have been somewhat detached, but when it came to official matters, she was very intelligent.
If their special abilities had truly been depleted, she definitely wouldn’t have rushed back. She would have surely rested on the spot to recover or sought reinforcements.
There must have been some hidden circumstances in between…
“Thank you, Uncle Ruifeng. I should head back to school now.”
“Don’t rush. I’ll take you back. It’s been unstable lately, right after the Awakening Ceremony.”
“Uncle Ruifeng… do you trust me?”
“Of course I do. Why do you suddenly ask? Has something else happened?”
Si Junni grinned. “It’s like this…”
…
When Si Junni, Tu Yaoyao, and Jiaoyue left the Guard Department, they ran into Zhao Wenling again.
“Little Ni, heading back now?”
“Yes, I need to return to school for classes. Goodbye, Auntie Zhao.” Si Junni smiled and waved.
“Come visit again when you have time.”
As soon as they stepped out of the guardroom, Si Junni turned back and asked Tu Yaoyao, “Did you do any cultivation after going back yesterday?”Tu Yaoyao nodded with a simple, earnest expression. The reason she had come to see Si Junni so early in the morning was precisely to discuss this matter.
…….