Home Visit

After realizing there might still be a boss to fight, Ren Yi perked up instantly, but after hesitating for a moment, he slumped back down.

Fight what? He was at home, within the Alliance.

Just then, his phone suddenly began to vibrate frantically.

Actually, it seemed to have been vibrating for a while, but Ren Yi had been so absorbed in his research that he had swiped away all the notifications.

Ren Yi quickly opened the chat window and found that the number on the red badge for the avatar named “Class Monitor” was increasing at a staggering rate.

Zhang Qiuqiu was looking for him?

His gaze swept over the desk, and he slapped his forehead hard.

He had been so focused on studying the crystals from Xin City that he had completely forgotten about the “Extinction” crystal belonging to the Class Monitor. He hadn't returned it yet.

Opening the chat, the earliest messages were still somewhat polite, but they became increasingly murderous as he scrolled down.

【Poke.】

【You there?】

A few minutes later.

【Where are you?】

【Hey, hey, doesn't someone have something that should be returned to its rightful owner?】

【My mom and I just happened to be passing by your building while shopping. She said she might as well knock and see if you're in.】

A while later, the screen was flooded with messages.

【I asked Lu Zihan, and he said you're at home?】

【Ignoring me, are you?】

【Hey, hey, my mom is really coming. I can't hold her back!】

Finally, Zhang Qiuqiu began a countdown.

【Finished shopping.】

【Entered the neighborhood.】

【At the bottom of your building.】

【You're dead.】

Two minutes had passed since the last message.

Knock, knock, knock.

There was a knock at the door.

Ren Yi froze.

He was doomed. The homeroom teacher was here for a home visit, and his guardian wasn't even home.

Despite his panic, Ren Yi’s movements were nimble. He reshaped himself into a humanoid form in a second and shouted, “Coming!”

He quickly grabbed the “Extinction” crystal, forcing a polite smile onto his face the moment he opened the door.

As expected, Ms. Zhang was standing at the door with a beaming smile. Zhang Qiuqiu was hiding behind her, making frantic faces at Ren Yi.

Ms. Zhang adjusted her glasses with an elegant motion. “It’s been a while, Ren Yi. How have you been lately?”

“Hello, teacher.” Ren Yi felt oppressed by a certain aura. “I’ve been doing quite well. My summer activities have been very fulfilling.”

That was certainly true. First, he “rested” for a week after the Awakening Ceremony, then he “worked a summer job” at an Escape Room, followed by “idly watching birds” at a friend’s rural hometown, and finally, he went on a seven-day trip to another world on the public dime.

“Please come in and have a seat, teacher,” Ren Yi said quickly. “My brother isn't here to—”

Before he could finish, a lazy voice suddenly drifted from behind him. “Oh my, it's Ms. Zhang, isn't it? What a rare guest.”

Ms. Zhang showed a puzzled expression. “You are Ren Yi’s guardian? But I seem to recall...”

“Ahem, no, I’m the family doctor.”

Dr. Lin, sporting two heavy dark circles under his eyes, strolled slowly out of Ren Yi’s room, making things up as he went. “His brother asked me to help cook and look after the kid before he left.”

Ren Yi turned his head slowly, his eyes filled with question marks.

Wait, where did you come from?

Then he saw the sleep pod inside the room.

Did he crawl through the network cables?

“Hello.” Ms. Zhang was clearly confused by the connection between a doctor and cooking, but she didn't ask further and waved her hand.

“I won't be coming in. It's mainly because Qiuqiu insisted on seeing Ren Yi, saying there was some transaction that needed to be settled.”

Ren Yi instantly looked at Zhang Qiuqiu.

Wow, you! Acting all serious online and then selling me out the moment you turn around!

“Ahem, teacher, this transaction was made online. At the time, I didn't recognize her by the Class Monitor’s ‘online handle’,” Ren Yi said through gritted teeth.

Zhang Qiuqiu immediately glared at Ren Yi and threw a piece of paper at him. “A debt note. Just bring the materials whenever you're ready.”

Ren Yi took the debt note and quickly handed over the “Extinction” crystal. After a few more polite pleasantries under Ms. Zhang’s interested gaze, he finally managed to see the homeroom teacher and the Class Monitor off.

The moment he closed the door, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

Turning around, he was met with Dr. Lin’s half-smiling face.

“Why are you here?” Ren Yi put on a dead-fish expression.

Perhaps because they were so familiar, even though Dr. Lin was a powerful Great Anomaly, Ren Yi didn't feel nervous at all in front of him.

“Naturally, your brother begged me to come and look after you, a high-maintenance child.” Dr. Lin rolled his eyes and slumped onto the sofa.

My brother... begged you?

Ren Yi fell silent for a second, then asked seriously, “You weren't beaten up by my brother, were you?”

Dr. Lin snapped his head up, looking at Ren Yi in disbelief. “Is that the kind of image I have in your heart?”

“No, no, I was just concerned.” Ren Yi said quickly. “I’ve always been putting in a good word for you.”

“Really?” Dr. Lin gave him a suspicious look before finally turning serious.

“Actually, your brother said you encountered some interesting Participants in the world you visited this time, and he asked me to give you some advice.”

“If you don't need it, then I'm leaving.”

At those words, Ren Yi immediately scurried over and sat properly across from Dr. Lin, looking perfectly obedient.

“I need it, I need it! Thank you, Teacher Lin!”

“Heh, much cuter than your brother.” Dr. Lin crossed his legs. “Tell me, what exactly happened?”

“Uh, let me think about how to explain it to you,” Ren Yi said after a moment of reflection.

“In the world I visited this time, there were two humans. They were far apart, each guarding a city.”

“They were the Pope of the Holy City and the King of Xin in Xin City.”

“They believed that the destruction of the world was inevitable, but they wanted to try and save those who could still be saved.”

“So they communicated remotely and settled on a ‘method of salvation’.”

“They planned to lead a group of people, survive the Calamity collectively, and then find a way to enter the Alliance as NPCs.”

“To do this, they intended to use the mastermind behind the apocalypse, Azure.”

At this point, Ren Yi glanced at Dr. Lin. Seeing no reaction, he continued.

“Azure comes from a world with a mental power system. After arriving in this world, he conducted a large number of soul-related experiments, wanting to fuse the world's will with an Anomaly and then sneak into the Alliance.”

“However, he was also restricted by the world's rules during the fusion. As a result, he ended up hanging in the sky along with the world's will.”

“A prerequisite here is that the soul experiments in this world can fuse the souls of many people.”

“And special souls that can retain self-awareness under soul mutation can leave behind soul crystals that are extremely valuable to us.”

At this point, Dr. Lin finally reacted, his face showing an unidentifiable look of... pity.

Ren Yi pretended not to see it and went on. “And so, their plan began.”