Light Fortress

"Because of the fire, the place you were living in has been burned down, but let it be burned...you didn't have anything particularly valuable anyway. Out with the old, in with the new."

In front of an apartment in Da Teng City.

"What do you mean 'let it be burned'?" Gu Shen stood at the entrance, drawn to the fingerprint and iris recognition lock, bending over and squinting to try and test the function, he was unhappy when he heard that comment, "Am I the kind of person who likes new things and hates the old?"

He fiddled with it for a long time, not knowing how to use it.

This lock...it's quite high-end.

"Oh?"

Nan Jin glanced at the young man, then entered swiftly after swiping her card.

The nearly two hundred square meter apartment was filled with excellent lighting, bright and clean, and as the door was pushed open, layers of lights came on, with a full set of smart home devices equipped, the curtains fluttered in the wind, displaying the sunset from the twenty-ninth floor.

The woman in a trench coat and sunglasses stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, slightly bent over, making a token welcoming gesture, "Here you go, Mr. Gu Shen, honored and homeless...take a look, the new home I've prepared for you."

"My goodness..."

Gu Shen was stunned by the sight before him, though he had thought during the ride that Zhou Jiren, the old guy, was definitely going to chum the water for him, but no matter what, he couldn't easily give in.

After all, an entire house had been burned down, and he'd probably have to deal with the landlord's trouble.

At the very least, he should be arranged to live in a place that's comparable!

Seeing the expression on Gu Shen's face, Nan Jin silently chuckled.

Those who knew her well were aware that she was a woman who seldom smiled. To her, the most important thing in life was probably practicing with her blade...Mr. Shu kept her file very well-kept; almost no one in the Judgement Institute knew her background—just that she was someone who worked extremely hard, putting her all into every mission she took on.

So, everyone guessed that someone who worked so hard must have a very lonely and suffering past.

When taking care of Gu Shen, Nan Jin read his files.

This boy, he was the truly lonely one, raised in an orphanage from a young age, living off the meager subsidies provided by the government, and leaving the orphanage after turning sixteen to make his own living.

The thinner the records of Gu Shen's past seventeen years were.

The more pitiful the boy's background seemed.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel..."

Gu Shen tried not to let his eyes dart around, stubbornly saying, "This place...is just okay, I guess. Barely livable, suits my status."

But three seconds later, he couldn't resist the urge to take in the whole apartment and gave in.

"Alright...I admit I'm a country bumpkin," Gu Shen embarrassedly conceded with a bashful face, "It's just...what about the landlord?"

"I've already taken care of it for you, just had to pay some money."

Nan Jin, having said that, immediately loomed in Gu Shen's eyes as a great Buddha.

He suddenly felt the urge to cling to her coattails...

"Right."

Gu Shen suddenly remembered something—the Truth Ruler, as well as the orange cat...they were still back at the old building!

Just as he was about to speak, he heard the soft sound of a door being nudged from the bedroom.

"Mew..."

An agile orange cat tiptoed over to Nan Jin, rubbing its head against her leg, rolling over to show its belly, and purring affectionately.

"Purr..."

The cold, trench coat-clad woman unexpectedly squatted down very cooperatively, her five snow-white fingers gently scratching the chin of the orange cat, "Everything in that old house was almost completely burned. When we arrived, this cat was still alive; it was lucky, only some of its fur was burned."

Seeing Chu Ling appear, Gu Shen's first reaction was nervousness... but he quickly relaxed.

Given the ungraceful posture, the one rolling around seeking affection must be his own silly cat's true form, and for some reason, the consciousness of the young girl Chu Ling had already left the orange cat.

"After the fire... aside from this cat, there's nothing left in my house?" Gu Shen asked tentatively.

"What else were you hoping to be left?" Nan Jin raised an eyebrow, "Apart from a broken table and a broken bed, what else is there in your home?"

"...Yeah," Gu Shen scratched his head.

It seemed they hadn't discovered the "Truth Ruler"... had Chu Ling hidden it?

"You can rest up these next few days," Nan Jin gave the orange cat a couple of firm rubs and then stood up with the little guy in her arms. "As for your Extraordinary Ability, the Judgement Institute is still making a determination... There will be an audit in a few days, and you can go through it once your body has mostly recovered."

"An audit? What kind of audit?"

"Everyone's awakened Extraordinary Ability is different, and so is the level of danger... Although according to Mr. Turing's theory, the level of danger of Extraordinary Power is related to its development, there are always some people who, upon just opening their eyes, are already steps ahead of others. Some people's awakened Extraordinary Abilities might only be able to bend a spoon, while others... can easily burn down an entire building." Nan Jin used a simple metaphor and reminded with profound implication, "The scale of last night's fire was truly alarming, and the Judgement Institute may very well give you an S-level strength rating."

"..."

Gu Shen covered his forehead, suddenly feeling very apprehensive, "To be honest... I might not be as powerful as you all think."

"Don't underestimate yourself."

Nan Jin shook her head, eyes blazing, "I've seen the photos from the rooftop, your lethality is terrifying, far exceeding that of most newcomers. It's been a long while since Qinghe District has seen a monster like you... What ability is this, can you use it again?"

Gu Shen looked at his own hands.

Without the Truth Ruler, he was just an ordinary person... what did that have to do with Extraordinary Power?

Having come this far by a series of flukes, Gu Shen only felt that the troubles entwining him were growing bigger and bigger.

When the day of the audit arrives... the truth of his lack of Extraordinary Power would seem to be revealed.

What should he do?

He fell into deep thought.

"It seems you haven't fully mastered this power yet... no matter, take it slow," Nan Jin expected as much and said softly, "But there's something else I need to tell you. This time, to fight for your allegiance, my mentor and the Judgment Chief from the prison almost came to blows... With the 'Special Exemption Order' invoked, many within the Judgement Institute are discontent."

"People always envy, despise, and oppose those things that shine brightly; they always want to tarnish, topple, and destroy them," Nan Jin put down the cat and looked directly at Gu Shen, speaking with a slow cadence, "The more others go out of their way to try and crush you, the more it shows your boundless potential and promising future. Instead of shrinking back, giving up, and willingly becoming mediocre, it's better to rise up, fight, and carve out a transcendent path for yourself."

The orange cat meowed and jumped away.

Nan Jin enunciated each word, "Heavy lies the crown that wears it."

Heavy lies the crown that wears it.

Gu Shen looked up thoughtfully, "Did Mr. Shu say these words?"

"Because of the Special Exemption Order, my mentor is now busy dealing with those stubborn old men at the Judgement Institute, all singed and frazzled."

"That was my spur-of-the-moment creation," Nan Jin's sunglasses slid down, revealing a sly look in her eyes, "After all, you did swear me in as your big brother. I have to comfort you, the newcomer, somehow. How was that for a speech?"

"That was a good speech from big brother..." Gu Shen sincerely praised, then added with a twist, "But don't ever give it again."

"Tch."

The trench coat woman seemed unimpressed, pushed her sunglasses back up, and while checking the dagger beneath her coat, she said, "I've got important matters tonight, so I won't keep you company. Get some good rest."

Before leaving, she dropped a card.

"Here, the PIN is your birthday. There's some money on this card, consider it compensation for your indenture fee. It should cover your everyday expenses. The mentor asked me to pass on a message for you to take it easy... the audit result isn't that important, after all, he had his eye on you even before that fire."