"Now I can ride the central elevator for free."
Wang Jixuan walked along the asphalt path in Central Park with his hands behind his back. The park had artificial sunlight and simulated sunrise and sunset according to the time of day outside the fortress. On either side of the large elevator shaft were two huge paintings.
On the east side was "The Abundant Tree," showing a giant tree reaching up to the sky, with the outline of a city visible behind it during the day. The west side featured "Starry Night Moon," depicting a starry sky and a moon, which appeared at night. The east side was realistic, while the west side was abstract, and both had impressive artistic qualities.
The only thing Wang Jixuan appreciated about his landlady was that while living in the wooden building, he could freely read the categorized books that rivaled a standard library in the central area. Previously, he only remembered water being a free resource, but recently he discovered another: books.
All kinds of books. As long as he followed the library's rules—registering to borrow books, returning them on time, and taking good care of them—he could keep reading. This amazed Wang Jixuan.
During his time in the sect, various texts were kept in the scripture pavilion, which was the foundation of the sect and not easily accessible. It wasn't until he became an elder in the Nascent Soul stage that he could enter the highest level of the scripture pavilion to read advanced texts.
But here, it was different. If the library didn't have a specific book, he could search for it on a terminal and reserve it, finding it the next day. Even residents with criminal records could borrow all the books stored in the fortress.
"Not bad at all."
As he was about to turn around the elevator shaft, Wang Jixuan's gaze shifted to a nearby green belt, where he saw a few long benches behind the elevator shaft. Only one girl was sitting there, a tall and slender figure.
Just as Wang Jixuan was about to approach, he instinctively paused. His spiritual sense was subtly stirring. It wasn't a warning of danger; rather, he sensed a powerful presence nearby.
There was no chaotic aura, so she probably wasn’t a spiritual energy user?
Wang Jixuan observed her carefully. This was the first time he experienced a disconnect between his spiritual sense and perception. He didn’t notice anything unusual except for the strange feeling coming from the girl with the high ponytail.
Wang Jixuan let his hands drop naturally from his pockets. He had several talismans and two bone-piercing nails hidden in his sleeves as he slowly moved forward, soon catching a glimpse of the girl’s profile.
Even though he had been surrounded by beautiful sisters and juniors for many years, he still felt a spark of surprise at that moment.
Getting closer, her full appearance came into view. The girl with the ponytail had a very pure aura. She seemed to be in her late teens, her skin smooth and delicate, with peach blossom eyes, slender eyebrows, and a slightly prominent nose that didn’t look awkward. Her slightly pursed lips formed a gentle curve as she focused intently on a thin notebook.
Her exquisite features and long swan-like neck complemented each other perfectly. The creator had clearly put a lot of effort into crafting her unique charm without any flashy elements.
She wore a loose, light yellow, semi-transparent sports top paired with tight black jeans, showing off her nearly perfect figure, with her long legs naturally crossed.
She was indeed a beauty.
But what truly touched Wang Jixuan’s heart was…
A pair of silver mechanical arms, slowly flipping through the book.
The surface of the mechanical arms was smooth, with many tiny, almost invisible seams. It seemed like the arms extended from her chest.
Wang Jixuan couldn’t help but admire her in his heart.
Despite her physical challenges, she faced life with confidence and grace, openly displaying her bodily imperfections. Just this spirit alone was enough for him to learn from.
Wang Jixuan realized that his spiritual sense was reacting to the girl’s mechanical arms. They seemed like a kind of magical tool, and this was his first close encounter with such advanced machinery.
He secretly made a decision.
When he later declined her invitation, he wouldn’t look at her mechanical arms but would focus on her eyes, trying to offer her some encouragement and show kindness as a stranger.
Moving forward, Wang Jixuan reached the bench where the girl was sitting and displayed the calmness of a cultivator and the confidence of a security team leader as he extended his right hand.
"Hello, I’m Mu Liang."
The girl was clearly taken aback, looking up at Wang Jixuan. The smile she had just moments ago faded as she stood up and shook his hand lightly.
The mechanical arm moved smoothly, without any delay.
Wang Jixuan noticed that the inside of the mechanical arm felt very soft, almost like human skin.
"Ling Tong."
She introduced herself.
Ling Tong?
Was that a nickname or a childhood name?
Wang Jixuan felt a bit relieved hearing the name "Ling."
They shook hands briefly before Wang Jixuan asked, "May I sit next to you?"
"Please do, this is a public area."
Ling Tong sat down beside him, appearing relaxed. She marked her place in the romance novel, closed it, and then seemed to drift off in thought, as if reminiscing about something.
Wang Jixuan took the initiative to ask, "Do you know about my situation?"
The girl nodded lightly. "Yes, I’ve seen the file. It’s about demon-slaying and the black storm."
"Uh, they told you about that?"
Wang Jixuan was a bit surprised, turning to look at this "Miss Wen."
Ling Tong’s ponytail swayed gently as she tilted her head slightly and asked softly, "Am I not allowed to know?"
"Well," Wang Jixuan raised a hand to his forehead, "I wanted to live quietly for a while, and now you know everything."
Ling Tong smiled at his expression, her delicate face lighting up.
"Don’t worry; Captain Zhou has instructed me. I won’t say anything.
"I just didn’t expect you to be so… not as deep and rigid as Captain Zhou described, and you’re not that hard to get along with."
Wang Jixuan chuckled awkwardly.
He didn’t know why he was being a bit more talkative today.
Ah, it’s the sense of security. When he was with this girl, he felt a strange sense of relaxation, as if he was safe.
Was it because of her mechanical arms? They were indeed impressive and new to him.
"I used to be a bit hard to approach. I didn’t know how to face this cruel world. Now I feel… everyone is interesting, and the knowledge in books is profound, with many ideas I hadn’t even considered before.
"There’s still so much I need to learn… Enough about me, let’s talk about you."
"Me?" Ling Tong looked a bit confused.
Wang Jixuan smiled and said, "I read in a book that it’s best to focus the conversation on the other person and not just talk about yourself."
"Is it that book 'Fortress Men and Women'? I’ve read it too."
Ling Tong looked ahead, sighed softly, and gazed at her palm.
Her mechanical arm had a unique beauty.
Wang Jixuan quickly changed the subject. "Do you like music?"
"I listen to some from time to time," Ling Tong said with a gentle smile, a glimmer in her eyes. "You’re very good at reading emotions; you’re completely different from what Captain Zhou said."
Wang Jixuan felt he should encourage this girl with a disability.
He had just not wanted to do this before; he was over a hundred years old and wasn’t incapable of it.
Wang Jixuan spoke in a calm, slightly deep tone:
"It really depends on who you’re with.
"Like Dr. Wei Na, she feels like a ball of fire. If I don’t dodge, I’ll be turned to ashes.
"Captain Zhou is like a landscape painting; every time I think I see the whole picture, he reveals a different view hidden in the ink, like his charming personality or his background."
Ling Tong tilted her head and asked, "And what about me?"
Wang Jixuan’s gaze fell on a flower in the green belt.
He immediately thought of a perfect description: "A flower."
"A flower?"
Ling Tong said softly, "Flowers look delicate, and they exist to bear fruit."
Wang Jixuan shook his head, mimicking Captain Zhou’s encouraging tone, and said gently:
"Comparing a woman to a flower isn’t just because flowers bloom and wither for the sake of plants. It’s also because when flowers bloom, they add a rare color to the world.
"In the gentle gaze, in the blooming flowers.
"When I see flowers, I feel happy, and I feel the same when I see you. That’s why I thought of this metaphor. On behalf of our patrol team and the few members I know, thank you for adding a bit of color to the dim fortress."
Ling Tong looked a bit stunned.
She quietly stared at Wang Jixuan, slightly opening her mouth, and softly said, "If I weren’t…"
"Hmm?"
"Never mind, chatting with you is very interesting," Ling Tong said casually, biting her lip lightly.
Wang Jixuan sighed inwardly.
He hoped his encouragement would bring her some joy, helping her escape the pain of losing her hands for a few seconds.
Suddenly.
Wang Jixuan discreetly looked to the side.
At an entrance to Central Park, a chaotic aura entered his perception.
A spiritual energy user.
A powerful spiritual energy user.
This presence was even stronger than the ones he sensed before, who had pressured Captain Zhou!
There was no killing intent; it seemed like they hadn’t killed anyone?
But a strong spiritual energy user appeared here, walking straight toward them.
‘A handgun won’t work.’
Wang Jixuan silently stood up, feeling a bone-piercing nail in his palm.
Facing someone stronger than Wen Qian, he knew he had little chance of winning in a direct confrontation, but he also wasn’t going to just sit back and wait.
The person suddenly rushed down the corridor, and the chaotic aura began to surge.
Here they come!
A man in a mask and hat burst out of the passage.
Wang Jixuan was about to strike, but the guy seemed to anticipate it. He extended his left arm, and a glowing plasma shield appeared. He pulled out an exaggerated revolver and aimed it at Wang Jixuan, ready to pull the trigger…
The man was faster than Wang Jixuan running at full speed!
Realizing the danger, Wang Jixuan immediately tried to push the girl beside him away and dodge.
Buzz, whoosh—
What the heck?
Before Wang Jixuan could react, a powerful gust of wind hit him from the side.
Ling Tong suddenly lunged forward, her mechanical elbow generating a strong airflow!
In just two quick steps, her speed was so fast that she left an afterimage!
Bang!
The revolver fired a net crackling with electricity, but as soon as it opened, Ling Tong’s mechanical arm sliced through it like tofu!
Ling Tong spun gracefully, her left mechanical arm punching the plasma shield head-on, knocking the masked man backward. The shield instantly failed, leaving the man exposed!
A long, athletic leg came down, pinning the masked man to the ground. Ling Tong extended her right arm, fingers spread, aiming at the man’s head.
Click, click, click, click.
An orange-red glow appeared in her palm, and her forearm expanded outward, generating a powerful magnetic field and energy flow constrained by it.
Destruction laser cannon level one ready.
"Ling Tong! It’s me! Cough, cough!"
The man pinned to the ground shouted, pulling off his mask to reveal a thin, middle-aged face.
"Calm down! Turn that thing off!
"I was just joking with this young man! Why are you reacting so strongly?"
"Oh."
Ling Tong shook her right hand, deactivating the destruction laser cannon mode, and her mechanical arm returned to its normal slender form.
She turned to Wang Jixuan, showing a slight smile and nodding gently.
"He’s one of us, probably."
(End of Chapter)