Cangnan City, Peace Bridge.
Peace Agency, Underground.
After parting with Yang Jin, Gu Tianchen stealthily trailed Hongying and Lin Qiye, seamlessly replacing the Divine Fire Avatar at the rear of their group.
Even Lin Qiye, lost in grief, didn't notice.
"Want a drink?"
Gu Tianchen asked Lin Qiye, who was sitting on the couch.
"Just water's fine."
Under Team 136's watchful eyes, Gu Tianchen deftly grabbed a cup and poured plain water for Lin Qiye.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Don't be shy—make yourself at home," Gu Tianchen said with a smile.
Wu Xiangnan raised an eyebrow. This kid's really making himself at home, huh?
"You, sit down too."
Wu Xiangnan pointed to the empty spot next to Lin Qiye.
"You're the Seraph Michael agent Old Zhao was tracking?" Wu Xiangnan asked Lin Qiye.
Lin Qiye set down his cup and nodded.
"I'm Wu Xiangnan, vice-captain of Night Watchman Team 136. That guy in black leaning against the pillar is our captain, Chen Muye."
Both turned toward the man Wu Xiangnan indicated—a black-clad figure with hands in pockets, silently observing them.
His gaze was resolute yet weathered, carrying a hint of world-weariness. One of Shangjing's Black and White Impermanence duo, Black Impermanence Chen Muye.
Among the others, aside from the stoic Leng Xuan with a sniper rifle slung over his back, Gu Tianchen had already met everyone else.
Gu Tianchen and Lin Qiye had agreed to insist that Zhao Kongcheng alone slew the Ghost-Faced King.
But Wu Xiangnan, stubborn as ever, kept pressing for details, infuriating Hongying.
To defuse the tension, Captain Chen Muye shifted to a new topic about the two newcomers.
"A month from now, you'll both attend the Night Watchmen's rookie training. Until then, you're just temporary members."
"A friendly reminder: temporary members don't get room and board," Chen Muye added.
Gu Tianchen was fine—his home was in Cangnan—but Lin Qiye visibly panicked.
"No room and board? Where am I supposed to stay for a month?"
"If you need a place, you can crash at mine. It's big enough," Hongying offered.
"Tianchen, little bro, wanna join? The more, the merrier," she asked Gu Tianchen.
"I'm good either way," Gu Tianchen said.
"Alright, I'm off to practice shooting. I'll send you the address later."
Hongying slung her black case over her shoulder, shot Wu Xiangnan a glare, and left.
Wen Qimo approached with a smile. "Let me show you around the base to get you settled."
After a tour, Wen Qimo shared details about the Night Watchmen—special teams, humanity's ceiling, and more.
Lin Qiye was curious about welfare benefits for temporary members, while Gu Tianchen only cared about whose Forbidden Ruin involved flames.
"You guys tired?" Wen Qimo asked.
"Not really," they said in unison.
"In that case, I'll take you somewhere."
"Middle of the night—this place legit?" Gu Tianchen asked.
"I've got hemorrhoids, so no shady detours," Lin Qiye said, deadpan.
Wen Qimo stared at them, speechless. With these offbeat minds, how did they become divine agents?
…
A few minutes later, Wen Qimo drove them to a desolate wilderness.
"This isn't some graveyard, is it?" Gu Tianchen asked.
"You guessed it. Get out."
Wen Qimo led them to the Night Watchmen's cemetery, pointing to Hongying, who was carving a gravestone while crying.
"Sister Hongying? Didn't she say she was practicing shooting?" Lin Qiye asked, puzzled.
"There's an unwritten rule among Night Watchmen: teammates carve the gravestones. Shooting practice was just an excuse. Hongying's here to carve Old Zhao's," Wen Qimo said with a bitter smile.
"Is it a bit creepy, hiding out here at night watching Sister Hongying carve a gravestone?" Gu Tianchen asked.
"Heh, you think we're the only ones hiding?" Wen Qimo chuckled.
On a nearby hillside.
Wu Xiangnan lay in the grass, silently watching Hongying carve Zhao Kongcheng's gravestone, when he heard a rustle behind him.
"Who's there?!"
"Relax, it's me."
Chen Muye, in black, crawled up beside Wu Xiangnan.
"Captain… you're here too?" Wu Xiangnan said, embarrassed.
"Heh, I'm not the only one. Qimo's got those two kids tucked away in the ravine, and Leng Xuan's somewhere around, though I don't know where," Chen Muye said.
"Where's Xiaonan?"
"She's scared of the dark. Didn't come."
"Xiangnan, what do you think of the new kids?" Chen Muye asked with a smile.
"One's the agent of Seraph Michael, the other's Great Xia's Fire God Zhurong. Their potential's limitless."
"With fewer than ten divine agents across all Night Watchmen teams, for Cangnan to get two at once… honestly, we're beyond lucky," Wu Xiangnan said, awed.
"Two divine agents, one of them tied to a Great Xia deity. This might be heaven's gift to Cangnan," Chen Muye said slowly.
"Captain, between Gu Tianchen and Lin Qiye, who're you betting on?" Wu Xiangnan asked.
"What about you?"
"Gu Tianchen."
"Why?"
"Fire God Zhurong is one of Great Xia's own deities. While Seraph Michael stands with humanity, an Outer God is still an Outsider—different kind, different heart," Wu Xiangnan said.
Chen Muye knew Wu Xiangnan hadn't fully moved on from the annihilation of the Blue Rain Squad.
"I can't control divine matters, but I'm optimistic about these two kids," Chen Muye said with a smile. "One's the miracle of Cangnan, the other's the hope of Great Xia."
Atop the hill.
Click!
Leng Xuan snapped the shutter, capturing a series of humorous yet heartwarming moments.
Hongying carving the gravestone, Wen Qimo sneaking around with the two rookies, and two grown men hiding in the woods, whispering like conspirators…
"Heh, their hiding skills are utterly amateur."
Leng Xuan carefully tucked the photos into a delicate box.
Inside were countless snapshots of Team 136's warm, everyday moments.
…
Two and a half hours later.
"You sure we're not lost?" Lin Qiye glanced at Gu Tianchen.
"Nope. Sister Hongying's address is definitely here," Gu Tianchen said, eyeing the grand villa with certainty.
"She's a rich lady?"
"Gotta say, this place is huge."
Click!
The gate swung open, and Hongying waved them in. "Don't just stand there, you two. Come inside."
"We've got plenty of rooms. Want to share one or take separate ones?" Hongying asked with a smile.
"Share."
"Separate."
The first was Gu Tianchen, the second Lin Qiye.
"What, scared I'll eat you?" Gu Tianchen teased Lin Qiye.
Hongying and Si Xiaonan, lounging on the couch with pillows, watched the exchange like eager spectators.
Lin Qiye's lips twitched. "Fine, share it is."
"Alright, I'll prep your room. Xiaonan, cut some fruit for them."
"Sure thing, Sister Hongying."
…
"Good night."
The two divine agents bid each other good night. One sank their consciousness into the Pangu Temple, the other into the Asylum of the Gods.
***
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