Ruan Xing sat up and saw the man turn and leave without the slightest pause.

The man's long, straight legs were wrapped in black boots, and his fitted black uniform accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, highlighting his perfect physique. His tall figure stood out even from behind. At this moment, he was in the middle of a slashing motion. Under Ruan Xing's gaze, the monster was effortlessly cut down. Elegant yet ruthless.

Ruan Xing narrowed his eyes.

"Are you alright?" A woman wearing glasses brought him a blanket, glanced at her wristband, and let out a surprised "Huh?" before eagerly adding, "Your pollution level is only 9%. That’s really low. But your shoulder is injured. I'll bandage it for now. Once we’re back, you should go to a hospital and have a doctor check it properly."

If he remembered correctly, that tall and thin man earlier had said his pollution index was 15%.

Could this number actually go down?

Ruan Xing remained calm and simply nodded.

At some point, most of the surrounding monsters had already been taken care of.

Some had been beheaded in a single slash, some had fatal wounds from being pierced through, and there was even a lingering scent of burnt flesh.

Outside, several well-equipped vehicles were parked.

More people in black uniforms were steadily stepping out of the cars, but even among them, Ruan Xing instantly recognized that man’s silhouette.

"Captain, the area has been cleared. We found a half-human corpse with a pollution level of 60%. His identity is confirmed to be an outer city resident who left the base with his companions three days ago. The other half of the head was bitten off, likely by that companion. No other survivors have been found so far."

A baby-faced subordinate was reporting to the man.

Noticing Ruan Xing’s gaze, the man turned slightly to look over.

His short black hair swayed gently. His features were deep-set and sharply defined. His black dress shirt, the same color as his uniform, made his fair complexion stand out. His expression was distant, devoid of warmth.

Even though Ruan Xing had met countless people, he had to admit that this man was excessively handsome.

"All done!" The woman with glasses called him back to reality.

Ruan Xing asked, "Are you with the Investigation Corps?"

He glanced at the insignia on their chests. It was identical to the one in his own pocket.

"Yup, just finished a mission and were about to head back," the woman replied while packing up her things.

Ruan Xing spoke softly, "Can I go with you? My companions… they’re gone."

His expression was sincere, and his emerald-green eyes carried a pleading look. His pupils were round, and the corners of his eyes tilted slightly upward, like a kitten, beautiful and soft. It struck a tender chord in Su Xiaona's (蘇曉娜, 'Sū Xiǎonà') heart.

She resisted the urge to ruffle his fluffy hair and simply patted his shoulder. "If you don’t mind, you can come with us."

"Hey, hey! Xiaona, don’t just agree to a stranger’s request!" A man with a tiny ponytail at the back of his head had his hands stuffed in his pockets, speaking with little energy.

"He has a name! Be polite, Senior Pei!"

Ruan Xing gave a faint smile and nodded at the newcomer.

Pei Ye (裴也, 'Péi Yě') glanced at Ruan Xing.

When the pollution level exceeds 60%, the process becomes irreversible.

In other words, once a person loses human rationality, the only thing driving them is the instincts of a monster.

But the evidence at the scene suggested that some of the polluted creatures, despite actively feeding, had suddenly turned and left.

That was impossible.

It was as absurd as a half-cooked steak suddenly turning back into a living cow.

And yet, it had happened.

Pei Ye instructed the others to return to the vehicles while he approached the corpse of the man from earlier.

A nearby team member reported, "We found a member of the Second Squad. Their team went on a mission a while ago and never returned."

"Doesn’t look good," Pei Ye muttered, resting his hands behind his head with a sigh.

"Take his nameplate and badge back." Fu Zhi (傅執, 'Fù Zhí'), who had already put away his weapon, calmly ordered as others cleaned up the site.

Flames erupted into the air.

The flickering firelight cast shifting shadows over the man's short black hair. "What about the survivor's identity?" he asked.

A team member tapped on the screen in his hand.

"Ruan Xing. He left the base a week ago. A resident of Inner City, Lige Street. Single-parent household. His father, Ruan Zhi, was a member of the Third Team in the Investigation Corps. Status... deceased."

Pei Ye raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Second Squads' Third Team? The mission where the entire team was wiped out?"

The baby-faced subordinate holding the tablet nodded. "He’s the only one left in his family now."

Pei Ye clicked his tongue twice.

Fu Zhi simply said, "Let’s go. Return to base."

Ruan Xing was placed in one of the three vehicles, riding with Su Xiaona and Pei Ye.

The man who saved him was not in the same car.

Through casual conversation on the way, Ruan Xing managed to piece together a more detailed picture of the current state of humanity.

Seventy-eight years ago, for reasons unknown, the Great Pollution broke out. Under the leadership of the Tower, humanity established bases and formed the Enforcement Division to handle pollution-related matters.

As a branch within the Enforcement Division, the Investigation Corps was primarily responsible for field operations, including but not limited to world exploration, pollution zone cleanup, and resource retrieval.

Su Xiaona and her team had already completed their mission and were on their way back to the base.

"By the way, is there something special about this crow? Why are we bringing it along?" Su Xiaona poked the cage without a hint of concern about getting bitten.

She had already measured the bird’s pollution level earlier, which was only 7%. Getting pecked by it was no worse than a mosquito bite. In fact, some mosquitoes were probably more dangerous than this crow.

"It’s my companion. It guided me on the way here." Ruan Xing smiled.

The crow flapped its wings. "Companion, my ass! Was that what you were thinking when you ditched me and ran?"

Ruan Xing said calmly, "It said, ‘Thank you, brothers and sisters of the Investigation Corps, for saving me.’"

The crow: "..."

At least have the guts to translate my words properly.

"You can understand what it says? Are you an Awakened?" Su Xiaona's eyes lit up as she reached out to stroke the small crow’s head. "No need to thank us, little crow! It’s what big sis should do!"

Pei Ye: "There's no record of you in the registration database."

Awakened individuals weren’t required to join the Enforcement Division, but they had to register, which allowed them to be summoned during critical periods.

Whether someone was Awakened or not made a huge difference in how they were treated within the base.

Awakened individuals had special privileges in the Inner City. They could earn merit points through missions and exchange them for better equipment and high-grade survival supplies.

During special operations, they were conscripted to carry out missions alongside the Enforcement Division, ensuring their safety to the greatest extent possible.

People like Lao San, who foolishly followed freelance mercenaries into missions, were a rare exception.

"I just awakened recently and haven't had time to register," Ruan Xing replied.

Su Xiaona gave him a thumbs-up. "That’s awesome! Make sure to register when we get back, or you’ll miss out on a lot. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

She already knew about Ruan Xing’s situation. Although his father hadn’t been in the same squad as her, they were both members of the Investigation Corps. Looking after a fallen colleague’s child wasn’t a problem at all. In fact, because of Ruan Xing’s appearance and gentle personality, Su Xiaona felt an instinctive urge to protect him.

"Can you not make it sound like registering for marriage?" Pei Ye interjected.

"Don’t joke around!"

"Live in the moment. You never know when your time will be up. Getting married early isn’t such a bad idea."

"Senior Pei!"

"Want some water?" The baby-faced team member handed Ruan Xing a bottle, smiling so widely his eyes curved into slits. "Zero-pollution purified water, exclusively to the Investigation Corps ~"

"Thank you."

In this era, where pollution was everywhere, even normal water was a rare luxury.

The crow cawed twice, signaling that it also wanted some.

Ruan Xing poured a little into his palm and let the bird drink. At the same time, he broke the compressed biscuit he had received and fed it in small pieces.

Lowering his eyes, he moved with calm and practiced ease, making it hard to believe that this young man had just survived a life-and-death situation.

Pei Ye leaned in. "Among the Awakened I know who are connected to animals, some can command mutated grizzly bears to attack, some use rats for reconnaissance, and there’s even a guy with a warning chicken that flies and a fish scout that swims. What can your crow do?"

He glanced at the bird, which was wolfing down food. "Devour rations?"

Ruan Xing thought for a moment before answering seriously, "To put it in your terms, its ability is... trash-talking."

Pei Ye: "???"

The crow cawed twice.

Pei Ye asked, "What did it say?"

Ruan Xing gave him an odd look. "It said, 'My ability is being your dad, dumbass.'"

Pei Ye: "......"

The crow: "......"

Why did he translate it correctly this time?!

—

As dawn broke, the group approached the human base.

Through the window, Ruan Xing saw towering walls stretching endlessly to either side, disappearing into the horizon. Within those walls, a pointed structure extended upward.

As they got closer, he realized that "walls" wasn’t quite the right word. It was more like a fortress. Dozens of meters high, the walls were forged from an unknown metal, forming a steel city that slowly unfolded before them. The pointed structure turned out to be a massive tower.

Humanity was barely clinging to survival within this iron cage.

Their vehicle moved quickly, and they were already nearing the entrance. Compared to the sheer size of the wall, the entrance was insignificant. Just barely wide enough for two armored vehicles to pass through.

At the moment, two lines of people were waiting at the gate.

Most were young and middle-aged men, with only a few women scattered among them. Without exception, every person, or their vehicles, bore marks of battle.

But surprisingly, their faces didn’t show numbness or despair. In fact, many looked excited upon seeing the Investigation Corps. Some even stepped aside on their own, waving enthusiastically in greeting.

The hardships of the world are most evident in ordinary civilians. People would become apathetic, self-indulgent, and lost in vice, gradually abandoning hope. Yet Ruan Xing didn’t see those expressions on these people’s faces.

For the first time, he became curious about the humans of this era.

Their vehicle drove straight in, taking a dedicated lane that led to a building.

Su Xiaona: “This time, you’ll get tested with us. I’ll find someone to register you.”

Ruan Xing had no objections.

The Investigation Corps’s exclusive testing unit was clearly more professional.

Since the vehicles were equipped with testing instruments, the current test wasn’t just about pollution levels but also included a physical examination and recovery assessment.

The team members who got off the second-to-last vehicle were all injured and were taken away separately for treatment.

Leading the group, Fu Zhi spoke briefly with the testing personnel before walking over to Ruan Xing. “You’ll take the test with me.”

Ruan Xing had to tilt his head to meet the man’s eyes, realizing that Fu Zhi was a full head taller than him.

He used to be a tall guy, standing at 1.8 meters, but after coming to this world, he had turned into a half-cripple, barely reaching 1.75 meters. The thought left him with mixed feelings.

“Alright, I’ll trouble you then.” His tone was polite and obedient.

Su Xiaona raised a brow. “Huh? Come on, Captain, you’re—”

Pei Ye pulled her away. “We’ll go ahead first.”

Only then did Ruan Xing realize that Fu Zhi was their captain. He offered a polite smile. “I haven’t had the chance to thank you for saving me.”

Fu Zhi replied, “No need. It’s my duty.”

He gave a slight nod, his lips curving faintly, yet his eyes remained unchanged. His smile was clearly formulaic, carrying a strong sense of detachment.

Ruan Xing was all too familiar with this kind of fake smile.

He had no intention of warming up to someone who was clearly indifferent, so he quietly put some distance between them after greeting him.

The testing facility had sent an older examiner.

“Major General Fu! So it’s you! That mission was completed so quickly this time!” The examiner led them upstairs while throwing in some flattery.

Fu Zhi barely reacted, responding absentmindedly at best. Ruan Xing, on the other hand, couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge it.

“The Research Institute just delivered new testing equipment. The Tower approved it not long ago.”

Fu Zhi: “Test him first.”

The researcher hesitated. “Huh? And he is…?”

“An insider.”

The blunt introduction made the researcher chuckle awkwardly. “No problem. This little brother goes first, then.”

Are they using him as a test subject?

Ruan Xing blinked but followed the examiner into the glass chamber. He stripped down to his underwear and lay inside the scanning pod.

Beep—

The machine activated, scanning his body repeatedly with a red light.

“Pollution level is 7%. Aside from the gunshot wound on the arm, he’s surprisingly healthy. Honestly, even some high-ranking figures in the Inner City are only at this level!”

“Major General, is this your reserve team member? The First Squad’s average pollution level during missions is usually around 30%. It’s rare to see single-digit values.”

Fu Zhi watched Ruan Xing sit behind the glass chamber, his expression unreadable. “No.”

When Ruan Xing finished dressing and exited, Fu Zhi was already lying inside the chamber.

The examiner handed Ruan Xing a bottle of powdered medicine and gave him a knowing look. “Apply this, and your wound should heal in about a week.”

Anyone close enough to Fu Zhi to be called an ‘insider’ was clearly not ordinary. The examiner didn’t mind currying a little favor.

“Thank you.”

Watching from the side, Ruan Xing was curious. “Is everything normal with him?"

The examiner chuckled. “If Major General Fu ever gets injured, it means the pollutant was at least A-class. Look, no wounds at all, and his pollution level hasn’t even hit double digits.”

Ruan Xing was stunned. “10% is considered low?”

The examiner explained, “For normal Inner City residents, anything under 20% is standard. Taking spiritual recovery potion can lower it even more, but most hover around 15%. After all, daily food and water can’t be completely free of pollution.”

“For the higher-ups in the Tower, it might be even lower, but that’s classified, so I wouldn’t know.”

“That’s just for regular people. Awakened individuals naturally have lower pollution levels and accumulate them more slowly. But for members of the Investigation Corps who frequently go on missions, it’s usually around 50%.”

“The First Squad has the highest standards, and with Major General Fu lowering the average, their pollution levels are the lowest in the entire Investigation Corps.”

Ruan Xing asked, “What’s my pollution level?”

The examiner smiled kindly. “7%. You’d make an excellent investigator.”

Ruan Xing had zero interest in being an investigator. Spending all day around polluted creatures would be pure psychological torture.

He only wanted to find the Mage Tower and recover his strength as soon as possible.

As he turned his head, he saw Fu Zhi stepping out of the scanner, his upper body bare. His muscles were lean, compact, and brimming with explosive power. Without the usual black uniform covering him, the air of restraint was gone, replaced by an overwhelming surge of masculine presence.

Ruan Xing was momentarily dazed.

But it wasn’t because of Fu Zhi’s muscles.

It was because of the pendant hanging from his neck.

At the center of the triangular frame was a vertically positioned eye. The pupil bore a lifelike violet pattern, while the outermost edge was encircled by vines forming a ring. A fine mithril chain suspended it against his well-defined chest.

It looked so familiar.

Wasn’t that the key to his Mage Tower?!!!