Source Realm Biotech has obtained something far ahead of the competition.

Night had unknowingly descended upon this Origin Realm.

For the first time, Su Qi found himself with the leisure to gaze up at the sky here.

The night sky of the Origin Realm was fractured.

On the side where the military base stood, the heavens were illuminated by a soft, artificial glow—bright as day, with not a single star in sight.

But on the other side, stretching toward the untamed wilderness far from the base, the scene was entirely different—a bizarre and unsettling spectacle.

Against the deep ink-blue expanse hung three moons of varying sizes, each emitting a ghastly pale light, while strange luminous ribbons drifted lazily through the clouds.

Light and strangeness.

Two halves of the sky, sharply divided.

It seemed even this Origin Realm wasn’t entirely under Great Xia’s control.

Rather, each side held dominion over half.

Inside the cave, the campfire crackled softly.

Liu Yuan was fast asleep, her small frame curled up on a soft rug, her breathing steady, her long lashes casting faint shadows in the firelight.

Su Qi watched her quietly.

After a moment, he stood and, moving with deliberate care, draped a thin blanket over his little sister.

No helping it.

Even after all this time, she still hadn’t kicked the habit of kicking off her covers.

Her feet were always so restless.

Then, listening to the even rhythm of her breathing,

Su Qi confirmed she was truly asleep.

Only then did he slip silently out through the waterfall’s curtain.

The icy mist from the cascading water washed over him, cooling the restless irritation that had been simmering inside him.

Without hesitation, he strode toward the cluster of brightly lit buildings.

……

Inside the military command center, Lin Xiao paced irritably.

The massive screen on the wall was nearly overwhelmed by the data streams of No. 22, Yunhuang.

The energy-level curve, after surging to an astonishing peak earlier that afternoon, had since maintained a steady yet relentless upward climb.

This speed defied everything he’d learned in over two decades as a superhuman.

“Report!”

A guard pushed through the door.

“Speak,” Lin Xiao said without turning.

“No. 23… has returned.”

Lin Xiao spun around, about to snap something, only to see Su Qi himself sauntering in, hands in his pockets.

He looked as drowsy as ever, yawning and glancing around as if he hadn’t been the one who vanished without a trace earlier.

“Instructor Lin,” Su Qi greeted lazily.

Lin Xiao’s temple throbbed. He took a deep breath, forcing down the fury rising in his chest.

“Where were you?”

“Just took a walk. Needed to clear my head.” Su Qi’s reply was infuriatingly casual.

Lin Xiao’s fists clenched.

He jabbed a finger at Yunhuang’s outrageous data line on the screen. “This. As team leader, you’d better have some explanation.”

“Oh, that?” Su Qi glanced at it. “Gave her a little training advice. Looks like it worked out.”

Lin Xiao choked on his own breath.

A little advice?

Dr. Qin from the research division had already lost his mind, locking himself in the observation room with a pile of data, muttering about “the key to a new era” and “a miracle that rewrites textbooks.”

“I came to file a request,” Su Qi cut straight to the point.

“What request?” Lin Xiao’s tone was sharp.

“Permission to leave the Origin Realm.”

Lin Xiao froze, certain he’d misheard.

“What?”

“I want to grab some barbecue,” Su Qi said, dead serious. “The food here’s too bland.”

The command center fell into stunned silence.

Even the guard delivering the report halted mid-sentence, staring at Su Qi like he’d just sprouted a second head.

Lin Xiao’s face visibly cycled through shades of white, red, and finally purple.

“Barbecue?” His voice was a hiss. “Su Qi, what do you think this is? A resort?”

“Everyone else is training like their lives depend on it—pushing themselves day and night for rankings, for their futures!”

“And you? You disappear, then waltz in at midnight to tell me you want to go out for barbecue?”

“Is that not allowed?” Su Qi countered, all innocence. “The rules state team leaders aren’t scored on hunting points, only cultivation progress. I haven’t slacked on that.”

Technically, he hadn’t.

Because he hadn’t cultivated at all.

Lin Xiao’s chest heaved. He wanted nothing more than to punch that lazy face into next week.

But he couldn’t.

Su Qi was right. The regulations didn’t restrict team leaders’ movement.

While this training camp was closed for participants, leaders had some freedom to come and go—they just needed to file notice.

“You—” Lin Xiao struggled for words, but nothing came.

He had the distinct feeling that any rule, no matter how airtight, would be twisted into a loophole by this guy, exploited in the most maddening way possible.

“Approved or not?” Su Qi pressed.

Lin Xiao glared at him.

Finally, he spun around, snatched a stamp from the desk, and slammed it onto an exit application with enough force to crack the table.

“Sign this waiver, then get out.”

“Thanks, Instructor.”

Su Qi took the form, now practically radiating Lin Xiao’s rage, gave a casual wave, and left without another word.

Lin Xiao watched him go, then drove his fist into the metal desk with a resounding BANG.

……

Passing through the Origin Realm’s gateway,

Su Qi returned to the real world.

The city at night glittered with lights, a stark contrast to the desolate strangeness of the Origin Realm.

He didn’t hail a cab, instead strolling leisurely down the street, his mind replaying the coordinates traced by the [Holy Sht! The Box!] card.

It led to a top-tier office tower in Shanghai’s new urban district.

He didn’t expect his target to still be there.

People running secret organizations weren’t fools—they’d likely relocate after a single communication.

This trip might end in a dead end.

Su Qi was prepared for that.

If he found nothing, he’d have to work indirectly, maybe ask Elder Feng for help.

Then he’d just find a street vendor and enjoy some proper barbecue.

Maybe bring back a couple skewers for Lin Xiao.

Proof he’d actually gone out for food.

After all, that’s what he’d told Lin Xiao.

A man should keep his word.

Half an hour later, he stood before the office building.

The structure, sheathed entirely in black glass, loomed like a silent beast in the night.

Su Qi glanced up, then stepped forward.

Just as his foot touched the plaza steps,

He stopped.

Standing perfectly still, he tilted his head slightly, as if listening.

A faint energy ripple lingered in the air.

So subtle most superhumans wouldn’t notice.

The fading echo of some violent outburst.

But to Su Qi, it stood out.

And it felt… familiar.

Yet he couldn’t be sure.

The energy trace was shallow.

Like a single grain of sand dropped into a lake, its ripples nearly invisible.

But to him, it was unmistakable.

The scent of the Lord of Stars.

Without missing a beat, Su Qi continued forward, the picture of a man out for a midnight stroll.

But there was something off about this aura.

It felt like a crude imitation of the original masterpiece—despite its desperate attempt to mimic the essence, it lacked the core principles and truths, coming across as impure and fundamentally unstable.

His gaze swept casually over a dimly lit corner across the street.

There stood two figures.

One appeared to be an ordinary human—a middle-aged man in a well-tailored suit, his hair meticulously combed.

The other…

Su Qi’s movements didn’t falter, but a ripple of unease stirred in his heart.

The second figure was humanoid, its frame identical to a human’s, but its skin bore a sickly gray pallor. Beneath the skin on either side of its neck, faint traces of fine scales could be seen.

Unless this was some bizarre performance art…

Then it could only be—a creature from the Source Realm.

And yet, here it was, walking unscathed in the real world.

Su Qi slowed his pace further, subtly circling the pair in a wide arc.

Maintaining the perfect observation distance.

“Did you bring it?” The Source Realm creature spoke, its voice grating like sandpaper rubbing together.

“Naturally,” the middle-aged man replied, his tone steady, carrying the composure of someone long accustomed to authority. “But I haven’t seen the target yet. I’ll only pay the deposit for now.”

“All this fuss just to capture some ordinary girl?”

The creature’s voice dripped with confusion and greed.

“That’s none of your concern,” the man said flatly.

The Source Realm creature tilted its head slightly, its inhuman, coldly gleaming vertical pupils shifting toward Su Qi’s direction.

“Hey, there’s someone over there. I think he was watching us just now. Should I go deal with him?”

The middle-aged man didn’t even glance back, his confidence in his disguise absolute. “Don’t cause unnecessary trouble at a time like this.”

“He was definitely looking at something else.”

He paused, his tone laced with near-fanatic arrogance.

“My master wields nearly thirty percent of an unfathomable existence’s power.”

“Under the cover of ‘The Star,’ we are completely untouchable. Even if a deity descended, they wouldn’t easily see through our disguises.”

Hearing this, Su Qi finally understood the odd feeling he’d had earlier.

So it was just a shoddy imitation.

Thirty percent? The audacity of this so-called “master”…

Based on Su Qi’s perception,

even ten percent was a stretch.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to follow them.

After all, this was the very reason for his boldness.

The middle-aged man pulled a file from his coat and handed it over.

“This is the target.”

The creature took the file, glanced at it, then closed it again. “And the deposit?”

The man stared at it, the weight of his scrutiny making the creature squirm.

Only then did he relent. “Follow me.”

A faint, cold smirk tugged at the man’s lips as he led the way.

When the Source Realm creature hesitated, he explained, “I know humans don’t have the best reputation among your kind—breaking promises, betraying trust—but don’t overthink it. It’s just not safe to carry the goods on me.”

“The surveillance in Demon City is tight.”

“You know as well as I do that if any of us operatives are exposed, none of us will make it out alive.”

The creature fell silent and followed.

The two crossed the street, heading straight toward Su Qi.

Moments after they passed him,

Su Qi scratched his head, fiddled with his phone for a bit, then suddenly turned and continued down the sidewalk, eyes glued to the screen, his pace leisurely and unremarkable.

“That guy’s still tailing us,” the creature muttered, tension creeping into its voice.

“Coincidence,” the man replied, his tone unchanged, almost annoyed. “Did you see him just now? Clearly lost.”

“Pulled out his phone to check some crappy map and realized he went the wrong way.”

The creature finally dropped it. “Man, sometimes I envy you humans and your brains.”

“Those little phones are something else.”

“Even commoners can access maps, intel, communication—just like that.”

“Meanwhile, if my kin and I get separated, sending messages is a nightmare.”

Suddenly, the creature spoke up again. “I want to renegotiate.”

“I want the blueprints for those phones.”

“We can trade resources for it.”

It was clear—this creature might not be friendly toward humans, but it was probably a decent leader.

Not a matter of right or wrong.

Just different sides.

“Fine. 100,000 Source Crystals, and I’ll give you the schematics for a Purple Aura System phone. Even in Great Xia, it’s years ahead.”

“Seriously? You’d just hand over something that advanced? No tricks?”

“Of course not. Business is built on trust.”

“If you don’t believe me, disguise yourself as a human and ask any random person on the street. Ask them about Purple Aura phones—ask if they’re years ahead.”

“It’s not like I, a man in the shadows, could have every passerby in on the act, right?”

The creature grinned. “Then I’m getting one hell of a deal—something years ahead.”

…

Ten minutes later,

the two turned into a quieter alley.

Su Qi followed, now holding a soda from a vending machine. He twisted the cap off, took a sip, and let out a soft ah.

“He’s still following,” the creature muttered, now wary.

“Same route. Stop being paranoid,” the man snapped.

The alley wasn’t long. At the end stood a dimly lit establishment, its neon sign glowing pink with flamboyant cursive letters: “Dream Paris.”

The man and the creature stopped at the entrance, seemingly about to enter.

Su Qi halted at the mouth of the alley, sliding into a seat at a still-open food stall. He called out to the owner, who was wiping down the grill.

“Boss, 20 beef skewers, 10 tendon skewers—extra spicy.”

In the alley, the middle-aged man paused mid-step. He glanced back at Su Qi, now seated at the stall, and curled his lips in a mocking smirk.

“See? Told you it was a coincidence.”

“Guy’s just grabbing a late-night bite.”

The creature finally relaxed and followed the man through the doors of “Dream Paris.”