Gu Jianlin glanced at the newcomer's starter kit, which, frankly, was just a folder.
Inside the folder were several decrypted documents, including:
"Investigator's Code of Conduct"
"General Knowledge for Ascenders"
"Self-Cultivation of the Divine"
"Beginner Spiritual Secret Medicine Redemption Code"
"Generic Alchemy Weapon Redemption Code"
"Postpartum Care for Female Extraordinary Creatures"
Taixu explained thoughtfully, "Considering that most Ascenders, aside from those cultivated by Deep Space Technology or originating from major Ascender families, possess little understanding of the Extraordinary World, the starter kit has been specially packed with relevant materials for your reference."
"Additionally, since you are a rare Self-Ascender, Deep Space has equipped you with a preliminary introduction to the Divine Path, helping you better understand the abilities of the Divine and your future advancement."
"As an honor for participating in the defeat of the Fallen, Deep Space has granted you 100 Merit Points, alongside spiritual secret medicine and alchemy weaponry suitable for your current rank. Enter the redemption code in the Deep Space Network's supply depot to have a specialized courier deliver them right to your door."
"The resources provided to you by the Reserve Section end here. For details regarding the assessment task, you may log in to the Deep Space Network at any time for inquiries. We hope you successfully complete your mission and achieve your promotion."
"Reserve Investigator Gu Jianlin, best of luck to you."
As the shadow of the black-lace maid gradually dissolved, the screen was left with nothing but a backdrop of starlit skies.
Gu Jianlin sat before the computer, interlocking his fingers and pressing them against his forehead, lost in thought.
Through brief contact, he had begun to discern the modus operandi of the Ether Association.
Permissions.
Everything revolved around permissions.
Without permissions, there was nothing you could do.
Even the dossier on the Gu Family that Taixu provided was only a cursory summary.
The truly substantial material was likely still beyond his reach.
"Only by obtaining high enough permissions can one uncover the truth. This is an unknown world; without sufficient strength, what would knowing the truth amount to? You'd still be incapable of acting."
Gu Jianlin took a deep breath. "And then there's that damned curse…"
He rummaged through his suitcase, pulling out an old and yellowed family register, its fragile pages threatening to crumble at a touch.
It was something his father had left him. Hard to imagine, but the names recorded in the register all belonged to Ascenders.
Each and every one of them had fallen victim to a bizarre curse without exception.
However, the information was overly simplistic, lacking any investigation results or even a single accompanying illustration.
Gu Jianlin couldn't deduce the logic behind the curse.
The only thing he had determined thus far was the curse's devastating potency.
It had managed to leave a once-thriving Ascender family reduced to just one remaining survivor—him.
And even worse, it didn't seem to propagate via bloodline, which was downright eerie.
This meant that Gu Jianlin himself would not be spared.
"If the curse operates through a single mechanism, then it's very likely tied to the enigmatic silhouette I saw at the car accident scene. Could it be that somewhere in this world exists a creature capable of slaughtering every member of the Gu Family between the ages of forty and fifty?"
Gu Jianlin muttered, "Has this creature been killing for hundreds of years? And someday, it will come for me too?"
The thought was both chilling and absurd.
Still, to be perfectly honest, he wasn't particularly afraid—his life had already reached this point, after all.
If you've got what it takes, come for me and see who kills who.
But if the curse endangered his new family, he would never forgive himself.
Gu Jianlin set a clear goal for himself.
Under no circumstances could he implicate his family, while striving to uncover every truth to the fullest extent possible.
Then, exact vengeance for wrongs committed and settle all grievances.
If that terrifying creature truly existed, Gu Jianlin would stop at nothing to kill it.
Or be killed by it.
Either way, it beat dying without understanding why.
"Let me send Lu Zicheng a message first."
Gu Jianlin picked up his phone and sent out a WeChat message.
Then he rubbed his eyes, went to the living room to pour himself a cup of coffee, and returned to the desk.
The knowledge of the Extraordinary World still had an immense gap to fill.
·
·
At three in the morning, the top floor of the Hai Zhou Hotel was brightly lit.
"What is spirituality? Spirituality is the source of Ascenders' power—a force perceptible only to those who ascend from the inherent world. Once we awaken and select our ascension paths, spirituality flows within us, just as blood courses through veins. Spirituality, in turn, flows through the soul."
"Ascenders' progression often hinges on the accumulation of spirituality. It's akin to a game's experience bar; only when spirituality reaches a certain threshold can we break through limitations and advance to the next rank."
"Among all inheritance pathways, Alchemists are the most precious. Why? Because Alchemists can create spiritual secret medicine, which aids us in amassing spirituality within us. Without Alchemists, Ascenders would regress to the chaotic periods of ancient times, where advancement would become excruciatingly slow, causing civilization to stagnate or even backslide."
"During such eras, you'd be forced to adopt the clunky methods of ancient ascetics, meditating and breathing exercises day after day, painstakingly sensing residual spirituality from another dimension and claiming it for yourself."
"According to records, even Ancient Gods refrained from using such cumbersome methods."