The Bureau Shows Up

"Uh… You’re Lu Ding, right?"

A man’s voice called out.

Lu Ding turned around.

He had already noticed the two earlier but had been too focused on killing the monster to bother with them.

However, what really caught his attention was their reaction—

Neither of them had panicked at the sight of the monster or the battle.

That meant they knew something.

"I’m Lu Ding. And you are…?"

The man smiled, his attitude friendly.

"We’re intern investigators from the 749 Bureau.

My name is Zhou Jie, and she’s Long Shanshan."

"We’re here to ask you about the incident at the construction site.

This isn’t the best place to talk—can we go somewhere more private?"

The Infamous 749 Bureau

749 Bureau.

Just hearing the name sent a thrill through Lu Ding.

Whether in his past life or this one, this organization was shrouded in mystery.

Rumors mixed truth with fiction, making it impossible to verify.

And now—they had come to him.

Interesting.

Lu Ding nodded.

"Let’s talk at my place."

He turned, planning to collect his spoils of war—

But then he froze.

The Wuxiang’s corpse was gone.

"Wait—what?!"

Long Shanshan explained,

"That was a Mu Wuxiang—a wood and stone spirit.

Once dead, it dissolves into the earth."

So that’s how it works.

Lu Ding hadn’t known that.

What a waste.

If he could have preserved the body, who knows what he could’ve used it for?

Zhou Jie and Long Shanshan exchanged glances.

They had reviewed Lu Ding’s file before arriving.

Aside from his excellent academic record, he was completely ordinary.

At most, a bit mature for his age.

Considering his orphan background, that was understandable.

But now—this reaction was anything but normal.

Not only had he faced an unborn Stubborn Stone of Nanshan head-on, drilling it apart without fear—

He had then brutally slaughtered a Mu Wuxiang, and now he looked disappointed because he couldn’t keep the corpse.

You’re telling me this guy is just an ordinary person?!

A Dangerous Attraction

Back at Lu Ding’s apartment, the moment the two agents stepped inside—

Their eyes locked onto the Stubborn Stone fragments in the living room.

Both of them let out a long breath.

Zhou Jie hesitated before speaking.

"Lu Ding… you can’t just leave the Stubborn Stone of Nanshan out like this."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because it's the essence of the heavens and earth—similar to Taishui.

It attracts all kinds of spirits and demons."

"That Mu Wuxiang was probably drawn here because of it."

Lu Ding’s eyes lit up.

This thing could attract more monsters?!

Perfect!

If he paraded it around town, monsters would come to him—no need to go looking!

Seeing his expression shift, Long Shanshan quickly intervened.

"Don’t even think about it!

Attracting a Mu Wuxiang is one thing—but what if something truly terrifying comes?

You wouldn’t even have a chance to run!"

That made Lu Ding reconsider.

He wanted more rewards, but if he accidentally lured in something way out of his league…

That’d be a disaster.

Reluctantly, he put the stone fragments away.

The three of them sat down.

Zhou Jie activated a recorder on his chest.

"Alright, let’s begin."

The Awakening Process

"Lu Ding, did you awaken your powers while killing the Stubborn Stone of Nanshan?"

"Awaken?"

Lu Ding frowned.

He didn’t quite understand.

Zhou Jie patiently explained,

"People like us are called Cultivators of Qi—similar to the 'cultivators' in novels."

"But in reality, there’s no such thing as a 'spiritual root.'

Instead, it all depends on innate talent."

"If you have talent, you have it. If not, you don’t."

"For most people, this talent remains hidden—only revealing itself when triggered by an external stimulus or after undergoing a baptism."

"External stimulus is self-explanatory. Let’s focus on baptism."

"Baptism—also called spirit activation—involves using a powerful artifact to awaken one’s natural talent."

"The Stubborn Stone of Nanshan is one such artifact."

"Its blood and essence qualify as natural treasures."

"That means your ability to unleash slashes most likely came from absorbing its power."

"But you should also have a second, natural talent."

"Have you noticed anything?"

Lu Ding paused.

This was great—

Now he didn’t need to explain anything himself.

As for his natural talent…

He could save that detail for later—might come in handy for future rewards.

He shook his head.

"But… is it possible to gain more abilities like this in the future?"

Zhou Jie immediately denied it.

"Impossible."

"Absorbing an artifact’s power only works once, during the first awakening."

"After that, you can still learn spells and techniques, but they won’t feel as natural as your core abilities."

Lu Ding nodded.

Made sense.

He followed up, "So, does that mean I’ve already awakened?"

Zhou Jie and Long Shanshan exchanged glances.

Bingo.

A baptism through the Stubborn Stone of Nanshan was uncommon, but it made sense.

However—absorbing its power directly?

That was rare as hell.

It meant Lu Ding was now a dual-talent cultivator.

He was already ahead of the competition.

And considering his insane combat ability right after awakening…

Some people trained for years and couldn’t achieve that.

Zhou Jie and Long Shanshan silently cursed their luck.

Some people were just built differently.

If they had known a Stubborn Stone of Nanshan was involved—

They wouldn’t have sent interns.

A Job Offer

The questioning wrapped up.

Then—

Zhou Jie got to the real reason they came.

"Here’s the deal, Lu Ding."

"For people like you, 749 Bureau has two management options."

"First—join us."

"As an intern investigator, complete ten missions or contain ten monsters, and you’ll be promoted to a full investigator."

"Full investigators receive comprehensive benefits, a base salary of 50,000 yuan per month, and additional pay per mission."

"Interns receive 30,000 yuan per month and also get paid per mission.

You’re required to take at least one mission per month."

"Plus, you’ll have access to training materials, cultivation techniques, and experienced mentors."

"Essentially, it’s like joining a sect in a novel."

"You’ll also get special privileges, including:

* Firearm licenses

* Cooperation from local authorities

* Temporary command authority during missions"

"Second option—stay independent."

"But you must:

1. Report to the local 749 Bureau once a month

2. Never leave the country

3. Promise not to harm civilians"

Only an idiot would refuse.

Joining 749 meant free resources, training, and official backing.

And frankly—

Lu Ding felt a sense of loyalty to his country.

The only reason he had survived this long was thanks to government aid.

Now, he could repay that favor—

While also getting stronger.

Besides—

Cultivation?!

That was the most tempting part.

Lu Ding’s eyes gleamed.

"You mentioned cultivation…

Tell me more about that."