He's Very Annoying

After all, Lord Cha had used this suitcase to trick them into the Instance.

Although the process had been harrowing, the final result was undeniably good.

Not only had he successfully obtained a key that could be used to customize a personal Anomaly Artifact, but he had also unexpectedly unlocked a one-year Anomaly Web Platinum membership—essentially a massive windfall for free.

In a way, the suitcase had been used. It was just that the way it was used differed significantly from what he had envisioned.

He had originally intended to drag the suitcase along, settle comfortably into the school dorms, and begin a brand-new campus life.

He never expected it would end up as the "bait" Lord Cha used to lure them into the Instance. It was both frustrating and hilarious.

Ren Man didn't press the matter further, nor did he poke fun at his brother's slight embarrassment.

He simply stood up slowly, brushed the dust off his clothes, and spoke in a tone as flat as ever. "Let's go. We're going home."

Ren Yi sighed helplessly. He bent down to drag the heavy suitcase and followed Ren Man toward the parking area at the school gate.

The familiar electric scooter was parked by the roadside.

Ren Yi climbed onto the back seat with practiced ease, clutching the large suitcase tightly in his arms. The luggage was so big it took up nearly half the seat, forcing him to sit slightly sideways.

It was the same seat and the same back he always saw, but this time, he had a useless giant suitcase squeezed in beside him.

"Hold on tight," Ren Man's voice drifted back. A second later, the electric scooter surged forward, carrying the two of them through the streets at high speed.

They wove through the gradually darkening streets. The evening breeze brushed against his cheeks with a hint of coolness, finally giving Ren Yi a sense of closure.

A lot had happened today.

They rode in silence, and the electric scooter soon stopped in front of their house.

Ren Yi dragged the suitcase inside after Ren Man. As soon as he stepped through the door, the rich aroma of food hit him.

However, today's meal seemed a bit special...

It was far too lavish.

Although Anomalies didn't need to eat human food to survive, and Ren Man had even stated plainly that he didn't need to eat, the two of them still maintained the habit of eating at regular times.

After all, the pleasures of the palate were universal. Whether human or Anomaly, there was no shame in enjoying a good meal.

Speaking of which, since his awakening, Ren Yi's daily perceptions had undergone significant changes—including his sense of taste.

But strangely, the flavor of Ren Man's cooking didn't seem to have changed at all.

Had his brother secretly adjusted the recipes?

Regardless, today's spread was clearly different from their usual fare.

The table was covered with the home-cooked dishes Ren Man excelled at—cola chicken wings, tomato and egg stir-fry, and steamed fish. They were all his favorites.

But normally, a family meal wouldn't be this grand, with the table completely full.

Ren Yi knew that a spread like this usually only happened on three occasions: birthdays, holidays, or... before something important.

In his previous life, for example, parents would often prepare a feast for a student about to take the college entrance exams—treating them like a national treasure—to nourish them. It was a "sending-off" feast.

He walked to the table, looked up at Ren Man who was setting out the bowls and chopsticks, and asked curiously, "Brother, why did you make so many dishes today?"

Ren Man's movements paused. He looked up, blinked, and said with complete sincerity, "I thought you were leaving tomorrow."

Ren Yi: "..."

The air went silent for a few seconds as the smile froze on Ren Yi's face.

Great. The misunderstanding was still ongoing.

He finally understood. Ren Man thought he was going to participate in that Unowned World combat exam tomorrow and would be away from home for a while—maybe even a long time.

So he had specifically made a feast as a "send-off."

Except, the way he phrased it felt strange, as if he were being sent to the gallows. It was a bit ominous.

Well, regardless, it seemed Ren Man knew about the exam.

Ren Yi's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes lit up.

Most of the questions he had asked Lord Cha that afternoon had only received surface-level answers.

But his brother definitely knew more. Perhaps Ren Man could give him some different insights?

The two sat down at the table. Ren Man picked up his chopsticks and began earnestly piling food onto Ren Yi's plate.

Ren Yi ate while casually tossing out questions, trying to figure out how to "pump" his brother for information.

In the end, he decided to be direct.

"Brother, do you know the specifics of that Rank Exam?" Ren Yi asked through a mouthful of chicken wing.

However, Ren Man shook his head, his tone flat. "I don't know."

Ren Yi was stunned for a moment. Refusing to give up, he pressed further. "Then how did you know I'd be leaving for a while? Why make all this food?"

"Lu Zihan's mother told me."

Ren Man was brief as he continued to serve Ren Yi. "She said you were taking an exam and might be away for a while."

Oh, so it was Auntie Lu.

Ren Yi realized what had happened. Lu Qing had always looked out for him. He hadn't expected her to specifically come and notify Ren Man, fearing he wouldn't know or that no one would be around to take care of things.

But would parents normally make a point of informing each other about such things during casual chat?

Could it be that she really viewed Ren Man as a parent who "couldn't quite take care of himself" and saw Ren Yi as a child in need of extra attention?

What was with this feeling of "the wealthy parent in class looking after the disadvantaged kid"?

He quickly shook his head, clearing the strange thought from his mind.

No, no, no. Their family definitely couldn't be considered "disadvantaged," right?

"By the way, Brother..." Ren Yi thought for a moment. He had wanted to ask this for a long time but had never found the right opportunity.

"Does Auntie Lu know that you're... you know... an Anomaly with a special identity?"

Certain things were definitely impolite to say in public, but here at home, with just the two of them, there was no harm in discussing it.

Of course, there was no doubt that Lu Zihan's family treated him well. Auntie Lu always looked after him, and Lu Zihan was like a brother. He was simply curious.

He truly couldn't figure out what kind of relationship existed between the Great Anomalies.

Seeing Ren Man's approachable manner—lacking any air of superiority and always acting so plain—he didn't seem like someone who cared about hierarchy at all.

However, Ren Man simply shook his head, his tone still flat as he repeated, "I don't know."

Ren Yi blinked, then realized Ren Man meant that Lu Qing didn't know his situation.

This was somewhat different from what he had imagined.

Ren Yi was surprised. "So, Auntie Lu doesn't know your true identity?"

He had thought that a powerful Anomaly like Auntie Lu looking after him must have something to do with that connection.

"Mm." Ren Man nodded. "She doesn't."

"Then how did you two meet?" Ren Yi asked, his curiosity piqued again.

Ren Man set down his chopsticks and was silent for a few seconds, as if trying to recall or thinking of how to phrase it. After a moment, he spoke slowly.

"【Enke】 introduced us. He and Lu Zihan's father belong to the same... category?"

Category? Ren Yi frowned, his expression blank.

Did "category" refer to the Anomaly's race?

But if that were the case, shouldn't they be called "family"? So they had a connection, but weren't that close?

Or did it refer to their ability type? Or something else entirely?

Ren Man's explanation was too vague; he couldn't even begin to guess.

But wait... Ren Yi's mouth twitched. He suddenly thought of a possibility—a very ridiculous one.

If he followed that logic, did Enke find Lu Zihan's father and point at Ren Man, saying, "Help me look after this guy, he's not very good at taking care of himself"?

And then Lu Zihan's father agreed, and even asked Auntie Lu to help look after him and keep an eye on Ren Yi?

"Brother, are you absolutely sure Auntie Lu and the others don't know your identity?"

To this question, Ren Man, as expected, looked completely blank.

Ren Yi covered his face. He realized that Ren Man always seemed to go to Enke for help over small things.

And Enke seemed more than happy to manage these "trivial matters."

Whether it was back at the entertainment city when Ren Man asked Enke for help, or now, with Ren Man meeting Auntie Lu's family through Enke's introduction.

Could it be that his brother and Enke were actually very close?

Ren Yi's thoughts began to drift toward the complex relationships within the circle of Great Anomalies.

What kind of Anomaly was Enke, anyway?

He seemed to have his hands in everything, yet he was idle enough to manage Ren Man's petty affairs. It was incredibly strange.

Ren Yi thought for a long time but couldn't make heads or tails of it. If anything, he was more confused than before.

In any case, it seemed his plan to get exam information out of Ren Man was a total failure.

Ren Yi thought for a bit. Fine, these daily, trivial matters were indeed a bit much for Ren Man; he was never good at handling them.

But there was one other thing Ren Man definitely knew.

Thinking of this, Ren Yi's interest was instantly piqued. He set down his chopsticks and asked with an expectant look.

"Brother, do you know what 'Death' is like?"

This time, Ren Man finally had a unique reaction.

He frowned and set down his chopsticks, looking at Ren Yi with a serious gaze.

His expression looked as if Ren Yi had just uttered a foul word, carrying a trace of subtle disgust and irritation.

Ren Yi was stunned, looking confused. What was with this reaction? He just asked what Death was like. Was it worth such a big reaction?

Then, he heard Ren Man speak, his voice carrying a hint of indefinable complexity. He said only three words.

"He's very annoying."