The Unseen Applicant and the Absent Trainee

Early morning.

A conflicted expression etched upon her features, Xiu Lan crouched beside a parked sedan.

It was 9:45 AM, well past the start of school.

Lured by the promise of generous compensation, she had unleashed her shadow abilities, traversing the distance to the designated address in a mere thirty minutes, guided by the map’s precise pinpoint.

But… this was far too legitimate.

Her gaze sweeping over the ceaseless flow of people entering and exiting the park, Xiu Lan found herself grumbling inwardly.

She had initially envisioned some peculiar organization, one that required young women for ‘special services,’ a scenario that would have perfectly justified her intentions to extort them without a shred of guilt.

But this place…

Xiu Lan’s eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the sign above the entrance as she meticulously read each character aloud: “Dongchuan Cultural and Creative Park.”

‘I seem to have heard that name somewhere before.’

Xiu Lan pulled out her phone and searched the map again.

‘Oh, so this area is the city center…’

‘…Perhaps I should just not go…’

The gray-haired girl’s resolve wavered, a strong urge to retreat taking hold.

A legitimate company would undoubtedly demand a face-to-face meeting, and the mere thought of being recognized—and the subsequent deluge of trouble—was enough to make her head throb.

‘Still, why would a legitimate company recruit people on the dark web?’

“Beep beep.”

“Beep beep.”

“Excuse me, miss, could you please move? I can’t drive my car out with you standing there.”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’ll leave right away.”

Repeatedly bowing in apology to the driver, Xiu Lan scurried behind another parked car, leaving the driver to his awkward bewilderment.

‘Seriously, did moving a little require such a grand apology? Was I really that frightening?’

The driver glanced at himself in the rearview mirror.

While he wouldn’t describe himself as benevolent, he was at least approachable, he thought.

Shaking his head, he drove away.

‘But if they really offer that much money…’

Slipping into another secluded corner, Xiu Lan cast a worried glance at her phone’s digital wallet, where her balance hovered precariously below 50.

Ever since The Doctor and his associates were imprisoned, the Mutual Aid Society had ceased operations.

Not only were there no new tasks, but even basic salaries weren’t being paid!

‘They still owe me a month’s worth of wages!’

‘…At this rate, I won’t even be able to afford food, let alone rent. Damn it, I’m going to report them to the regulatory agency for violating labor laws.’

For the sake of her future livelihood, Xiu Lan decided to give it a try.

After all, jobs that offered high pay with low requirements were few and far between.

Once the morning rush hour subsided, she proactively sent a message.

[I’ve arrived at the park entrance. Would you mind coming out to meet me?]

‘It’s strange that they only gave the park’s location, not a specific address.’

[That quickly? Wait at the entrance; I’ll be right out to get you.]

After a tense wait, Xiu Lan spotted a woman in sunglasses, her features obscured, speaking with the security guard in the distance.

Simultaneously, a message popped up on her phone: [Where are you? I’m at the guard post.]

‘That must be her.’

Waving her hand, Xiu Lan jogged over, calling out, “Here, over here! I’m here!”

“You’re the applicant?”

“Ye-yes, that’s me.”

Xiu Lan stammered in response.

The woman before her, clad in a crisp formal suit, her face an enigma behind dark sunglasses, possessed a tall, imposing stature that radiated the aura of a formidable career woman.

Her decisive, no-nonsense demeanor nearly stole Xiu Lan’s breath.

“Are… are you sure?”

She scrutinized Xiu Lan from head to toe, and even through the sunglasses, Xiu Lan could sense her hesitation and confusion.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

“Hmph, never mind… just follow me for now,”

With that, she turned and led the way.

****

Inside the Xuyang Combat Department’s training room.

With a swift sidestep, Villy evaded her opponent’s attack, effortlessly flicking the male student’s weapon from his grasp.

Brandishing her black longsword, she pressed her advantage, landing several precise strikes amidst his frantic, bewildered flailing.

[Shield energy below 30%, defeat.]

With the chime of the electronic voice, the battle concluded.

The defeated male student simply sat on the ground, waving a hand dismissively. “I give up, I give up, no more fighting,” he sighed. “Good heavens, it’s only the first day, but you fight as if you’ve been training for ages. You’re not some ‘卷王’ (TL Note: A slang term referring to someone who is extremely competitive and works excessively hard to outperform others), are you?”

Villy merely smiled, offering no reply.

The black longsword in her hand dissolved into a blue light, retracting into her wristband.

She then turned to Chen Gu, who was observing nearby, and asked, “Senior, did I pass?”

“Battle time: 5 minutes 13 seconds. Weapon collapses: 3 times. Shield remaining: 65%. Congratulations, Villy, on achieving fourth place on your very first day of practical training.”

Taking the training shields from both of them, Chen Gu reviewed the combat log, nodding in satisfaction as he awarded an excellent rating.

As a beginner, Villy’s performance was undeniably brilliant.

In a five-minute battle, her weapon only collapsed three times, indicating remarkable stability—a significant lead among a group of novices who couldn’t even maintain their enhanced states.

What truly impressed Chen Gu, however, was her combat awareness and skill.

He wondered if Rosa had secretly given her private lessons the day before.

The duel was almost a unilateral crushing victory for Villy, with her shield value double that of her opponent.

Her move to disarm, in particular, earned his effusive praise.

‘Of course, I can’t actually say that out loud.’

“However…” Chen Gu continued to scroll through his tablet, a frown creasing his brow as he asked, “You’re quite familiar with that kid named Liu Yu, aren’t you? Do you know where he is? While combat classes can indeed be boring, skipping on the very first day is utterly lawless.”

“Uh… she wasn’t feeling well today and is resting at home.”

“Is that so? Please tell him that if he doesn’t show up tomorrow, he needn’t bother coming at all.”

Despite the casual tone, Villy sensed the simmering rage beneath Chen Gu’s words.

Missing the first day of class without even showing his face or submitting a sick note was excessive, even for Villy, who usually indulged Xiu Lan the most, she felt that this guy was going too far.

Although she wanted to speak up for the little rascal, the thought of her not answering her calls or replying to her messages made her feel a shared indignation with Chen Gu.

“Don’t worry, Senior,” Villy assured him, even shaking a fist. “Tomorrow, I’ll drag her here if I have to.”

“You are…”

“Waaah!”

“C-could you… could you please give me an autograph!”

As the two conversed, a sudden clamor erupted from the entrance.

The students, who had been practicing, seemed to have spotted a celebrity, as they all rushed towards the commotion.

‘These brats.’

Seeing the students neglecting their duties, a pale blue light coalesced in Chen Gu’s hand, forming a long whip.

He strode menacingly towards the disturbance, occasionally lashing out at the scrambling students.

“What’s going on here? Why are you all crowding? Think you’re tough, do you? Get back to your training, all of you! Anyone who doesn’t complete their training tasks today will have three points deducted!”

Scolded by Chen Gu, the crowd scattered.

The man surrounded at the entrance breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing the familiar senior approach, he awkwardly greeted him, “Long time no see, Senior Chen Gu.”

“…Tsk, seeing your face here at school is truly nauseating, Yao Jing.”

“Do you know the history between Senior Yao Jing and Senior Chen Gu?”

Observing the tense standoff at the entrance, the male student who had been lazing on the ground suddenly perked up as if discovering a new continent.

All traces of his previous fatigue vanished as he sidled up to Villy, chattering about gossip he’d heard from who-knew-where: “It’s all because of Senior Sarah! I heard Senior Yao Jing liked Senior Sarah even before he graduated, and Senior Chen Gu was also pursuing her at the time.”

‘A classic love triangle, then…’

Villy mused inwardly about the clichéd tale.

The male student’s rambling wasn’t over.

He continued, “I heard from some older seniors that they even dueled once for Senior Sarah’s affection. Though no one knows who won, Senior Chen Gu never approached Senior Sarah after that.”

“But what’s strange is that Senior Yao Jing also graduated in a hurry later on. The question of who actually won became a school urban legend.”

“Student, please refrain from gossiping in front of people.”

“Still have energy to chat, it seems your training wasn’t enough. How about you come and train with me?”

“Eek—no, please!”

Watching the gossiping male student being dragged away, Villy could only pray that Senior Chen Gu would go easy on him.

“Here, take this.”

Ignoring the chatter around them, Yao Jing pulled out a square box.

Seeing Villy’s confusion, he explained, “This is a [Spatial Box], a small spatial device issued by the Regulatory Bureau. I’ve put 10 vials of vampire inhibitors and some equipment inside. You decide when Xiu Lan should take them, but you must inform me of her condition after she uses the medication.”

“…Alright, but is it really okay for me to hold onto this?”

Taking the small box, Villy asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Entrusting such military-grade equipment to an ungraduated combat student—if she lost it, wouldn’t she be facing a court-martial for stealing military secrets?

“Don’t worry, I’ve already registered it in your name with the Regulatory Bureau.

The box also has a built-in, state-of-the-art positioning system.

If you lose it, just contact the relevant departments, and they’ll take immediate action.”

‘…’

‘That sounds even more terrifying.’

“Of course, if you’re still uneasy, would you like to hear a personal reason?”

Yao Jing looked into Villy’s eyes, which were filled with unease and apprehension.

He smiled and said, “While it might be a bit meddlesome, that child truly seems to trust you. For now, at least, you’re the most suitable person to look after her.”

‘Trust… me?’

Yao Jing departed after speaking.

Pondering his parting words, Villy’s cheeks involuntarily flushed.

Although they had only known each other for a few days, their relationship had progressed at an astonishing pace, almost as if it couldn’t be stopped.

This gave her an unreal, dreamlike sensation.

Was this truly the “friendship” she deserved to experience?

‘Or was it under the influence of some other power…’

‘Never mind, no need to overthink it. Life is about being happy, and at the very least, being with Xiu Lan makes her feel incredibly comfortable.’

‘Phew, time to get down to business.’

Patting her cheeks, Villy roused herself from her strange reverie.

She checked her phone and, as expected, there were still no replies.

‘Could something have happened?’

As Chen Gu announced the dismissal, a worried Villy decided to visit Senior Rosa.

As Xiu Lan’s nominal guardian, Rosa would likely have Xiu Lan’s home address.