Xueyin really enjoyed her life in the Grace Class. She could interact with peers and learn a lot, even though she was born in the Underground City, Aunt Fei taught her many things, which gave Xueyin a good foundation.
Xueyin was very clever, and while there was some bullying and exclusion at first in the class, Xueyin didn't complain. Instead, she started to play smart, showing no fear. How could the city kids outsmart the ones from Underground City? Soon she became the new big sister, with people's support, quite impressive, except she didn't like doing homework; she thought the Grace Class was perfect.
When Li Xin returned home and opened the door, he was still pondering the contents of the newspaper, wanting to analyze and extract some useful information for himself, like about Governor Luthor, perhaps he had some breakthroughs.
...?
In his sight was a beautiful and elegant young lady, in a refined black long dress, revealing snow-white shoulders, a very smooth and beautiful collarbone, with full breasts slightly exposed. The indistinct valleys accentuated the lady's charm vividly, and her waist was tied with a red belt, her slender waist was irresistible.
The beautiful woman was smiling at him brightly, Li Xin quickly scratched his head, "Sorry, sorry, I went to the wrong place."
Embarrassed, Li Xin quickly turned away, he was so lost in thought that he went to the wrong door.
Almost reaching the door, hmm, this yard does seem quite similar, perhaps the style of the housing complexes is quite alike, he really didn't have time to pay attention to the neighbors around, standing at the door, he looked at the door number.
5-17?
He rubbed his eyes, indeed it was 5-17, it was his own house, a guest?
Li Xin suspiciously returned, perhaps a neighbor came to visit, opened the door, that beautiful lady's smile became even broader, ... why does she look a bit like Aunt Fei?
"What, don't recognize me?" Lin Fei was very satisfied with this effect, Lin Xueyin in the corner was covering her mouth, almost laughing with tears.
???
Damn~!
"Aunt Fei, did you change your head?" Li Xin knew Aunt Fei was definitely not ugly, it was just that living in the Underground City she didn't really care about her appearance, but he didn't expect it to be so dramatic; this outcome even surgery couldn't achieve.
"Little rascal, are you teasing me!" she said, pulling his ear and dragging him inside.
"Easy, easy, gentle, you're a lady now!"
"You understand lady, how's this outfit, neighbors are hosting a banquet in a couple of days, invited me." Lin Fei said.
"Haha, Aunt Fei, you're going to amaze everyone, absolutely no problem!" Li Xin promptly gave a thumbs up.
Lin Fei chuckled, "You know how to speak, prepare, I'm going to cook now."
She returned to the room to change back her clothes, Lin Fei had really good skin, not being exposed to the sun underground actually made her skin whiter, and the recent adjustments quickly restored her complexion, turning into an enticingly alluring cold white.
The outfit was the only one she kept, but she didn't plan on really wearing it to the gathering, in the past in the Underground City, she would do some makeup on her face, and her hair was unkempt and half-covered, combined with a shouting personality, a bit like a lunatic, simplifying troubles indeed. Even after returning to the city, she familiarized herself with the environment before changing back, almost forgetting her former appearance when facing the mirror.
Until dinner time, Li Xin still felt a bit dizzy, a bit shocked, mainly because the familiar person suddenly had such a change that he wasn't quite used to—which made him wonder whether he should look or not?
"Ah Xin, you look so silly," Xueyin laughed, "Why do you keep staring at me and mom?"
"Cough cough, nothing, mainly because a long-held question finally has an answer."
Lin Xueyin: ?
The next day, at the Night Patrol base.
Kurt had just completed his mission and returned with his team, Night Patrol not only had Awakened but also plenty of field staff responsible for gathering intel or something, they had certain combat capabilities but mainly focused on reconnaissance, and upon returning he heard there was a new youngster joining, not too old.
Captains generally don't like training newcomers, it's troublesome, but this one was said to be brought back by the main captain from the Underground City, well, like it or not, he'd have to train him.
Li Xin was reading the newspaper, there was an interesting article quoting a line from Governor Luthor during his lifetime: No one is unique, no matter where you're from.
Kurt looked at Li Xin sipping tea and reading the newspaper, raised an eyebrow, heard this kid was the big boss's nephew. What big nephew? The big boss was a loner, possibly an illegitimate child, ... just didn't see much resemblance.
"Li Xin."
Li Xin lifted his head, looking at Kurt, medium in height, exuding an aura of danger and strength, stood up promptly to salute, "Hello, captain."
"You know me?"
"Yes, captain, Sister Casey showed me your picture, it's quite memorable." Li Xin replied, this world had Hex Cameras, supposedly they were quite expensive.
Kurt nodded, somehow wanting to mock him but swallowing it back. This kid speaks nicely, seemingly saying nothing yet saying everything.
However, as one of his team members, this isn't child's play. If his skill level is too low, he'll have to talk to the boss about it. The frontline Night Patrol doesn't keep idle people; it's also genuinely dangerous. He can't be a nanny—it's best if the kid realizes how hard it is and quits on his own.
"I just returned from a mission. I heard from Mo Feng that you've completed the training. I'm here to check it out. Our Night Patrol Action Team's daily operations are very dangerous. If you don't meet the standards, you go back where you came from. Got it?" Kurt said casually, making his point clear.
"Yes, Captain. If I can't meet the standards, I'll quit," Li Xin replied.
"Not bad, you even have a bit of that arrogance Old Luo had when he was young. Come with me." Kurt led Li Xin to the training ground only to find a crowd there, including Mo Feng the drunkard with a limp and a bunch of spectators.
Damn, these guys must be here for laughs. Knowing them, they've all passed it off, so they shoved him onto me since I'm the only one out on a mission. Frontline teams despise connections.
Probably so.
In the Night Patrol teams, captains normally select the official members themselves, often choosing from outstanding Canon Law School students or skilled individuals recommended by the Church. This "newcomer training" concept doesn't exist for the Night Patrol.
"Old Mo, let me use your place to test the new guy. You know the rules; if he passes the test, I'll take him. If not, I'll return him to you," Kurt said.
Mo Feng smirked and rolled his eyes, "Big Tooth, are you doubting my training standards?"
"Big Tooth" is Kurt's nickname, something only captain-level members would use.
Kurt snorted coldly, understanding that they were all messing with him. This guy's only been here a few days—sipping tea and reading the newspaper, calling that training?
"You're here every day; who knows whether you're awake or asleep? I need to ensure the safety of my team members; that's a captain's duty."
Hearing Kurt elevate the issue, Mo Feng was a bit annoyed too, "Big Tooth, I drink but never delay things. Didn't I lead you out back then? Now you're lecturing me. Him getting into your team is your luck, don't be clueless."
Kurt frowned slightly, wondering what's up with them. He genuinely was ensuring team safety; was everyone against him? But Mo Feng's seniority was indeed greater, and the drinking was to numb the pain. Choosing not to argue, he said, "Follow protocol, Carlo, take charge of the shooting test."
A tall figure... was it a man? Woman?
For a moment, Li Xin couldn't quite distinguish if it was a male or female. The short hair was a bit stylish, the chest had some curvature but wasn't large, so he didn't speak presumptuously.
"Captain, let's shoot marbles," Carlo said.
Once the voice sounded—although somewhat neutral—it seemed to be female.
"Alright." Kurt produced five silver marbles, tossing them into the air instantly.
Bang, bang, bang, bang... bang.
Carlo swiftly drew her gun, shooting with lightning speed, simultaneously hitting all five marbles, producing crisp sounds. Before the marbles touched the ground, the Hex Demon-Sealing Spear had returned to its sheath, impressively cool.
At some point, Kathy had moved a chair to sit nearby, munching on seeds to watch the show.
Today, Miss Kathy was wearing knight boots matching a neat blazer, exuding a heroic vibe—though the seeds made it a bit incongruous.
The surroundings were lively; Carlo's gun skills were renowned within the Night Patrol, specializing in the Demon-Sealing Spear.
"Your turn; hit them all before the silver balls hit the ground," Kurt said calmly.
"Kurt, seriously, who's using this level for team member tests?" Mo Feng said, mockingly holding a bottle.
Kurt ignored him, focusing on Li Xin, who promptly nodded, "Yes, Captain."
Then, he drew his own Demon-Sealing Spear, adopting his unique two-handed grip, which sparked chatter around—the pose was odd. They had tried it, finding it uncomfortable. Still, Li Xin's aiming was precise, but shooting targets differed from shooting silver steel balls.
"You're allowed to have empty shots," Kurt commented on Li Xin's bizarre stance, and with that, he threw out five steel balls.
Bang, bang, bang, bang... bang!
Equally fast five shots—all hit precisely, albeit not as gracefully as Carlo.
...
Kurt was genuinely surprised—not just by the accuracy—this kid's calm and collected demeanor had a bit of the Night Patrol vibe.
"Captain, this kid's interesting. I want to challenge him again, just for practice," Carlo said, intrigued by his odd stance enabling him to shoot so swiftly and accurately.