Points System, After the Annual Meeting...

The vast training ground gradually fell silent.

Everyone waited for Gu Yan's instructions.

Gu Yan first glanced around at the crowd, then his gaze landed on Shitou and Little Bai standing at the front, their eyes shining with joy.

Finally, he spoke in a gentle tone, "Many of you may not have seen me before."

"But I know each and every one of you."

"Though I haven't visited often, I've always kept an eye on all of you."

"On every new member who joins our big family, the Beacon of Hope."

Pausing here, Gu Yan shifted his attention to a boy hiding at the back and smiled. "For example, you, little one. Your name is Wang Yishan, right?"

The boy, suddenly called out, blushed shyly but couldn't hide the spark of delight in his eyes. "Y-you... know my name, sir?"

"Yes. Or rather, I know all of your names."

Gu Yan chuckled softly. "As I said, I've been watching over each of you."

At that moment,

a girl with bright orange hair suddenly raised her hand. Her face was thin, but her eyes gleamed as she stared at Gu Yan. "S-sir! Do you know my name too?"

Gu Yan turned to her and grinned. "Linlin, isn't it?"

Linlin's eyes brightened even more. A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she clenched her fists and nodded eagerly. "Yes!! That's me!"

"Little Bai is my best friend! I really, really wanted to meet you!"

Little Bai was one of the first girls to join the Beacon of Hope.

She and Shitou were siblings, and in the original story, she had been one of the antagonists swayed by Leng Qingqiu's manipulations.

Now, hearing her friend mention her, Little Bai's face flushed red. She looked up and saw Gu Yan smiling at her.

For a moment, she felt nervous—but the desire to speak to him overpowered her hesitation. She met his gaze and stammered, "Because you're so kind! I wanted everyone to know how good you are to us!"

"And..."

Her voice dropped to a whisper as she clutched the patched-up cloth doll in her hands, her head bowing slightly. "I... I missed you too."

It had been a month since the Night King incident, and Gu Yan hadn't visited the Beacon of Hope since.

The next second,

Gu Yan reached out and gently ruffled Little Bai's hair, his smile warm. "I missed you too, Little Bai. And all of you."

The touch, combined with his tender words, made Little Bai's eyes well up. Her voice trembled. "S-sir..."

Then,

Gu Yan withdrew his hand and studied the expressions of everyone present.

Thanks to his earlier actions, the fear and tension had vanished from their faces.

Now, all that remained was anticipation—pure excitement for what he would say next.

He spoke again, his tone measured and soothing, careful not to unsettle the children. "The world outside is harsh and filled with danger."

"But here, though the training is tough, your efforts and sacrifices will be rewarded."

With a faint smile, he continued, "I’m sure you’ve all noticed the changes in Beacon of Hope."

"The amusement park, the delicious food, the beautiful clothes, the library..."

"Here, all of these are available—and everyone can enjoy them."

"And... they won’t cost you a single coin."

Gu Yan paused, letting the suspense linger.

The children's eyes widened in disbelief and delight.

N-no money?

Though they had been training, many had glimpsed the newly built recreational areas—either while running on the tracks or peeking through windows.

At their age, they naturally yearned for such wonderful things.

They had all secretly dreamed of visiting an amusement park or wearing new clothes someday.

Gu Yan took in their reactions before continuing. "Of course, while they don’t cost money, they do require something else—[Points]."

"Points are the internal currency of Beacon of Hope."

"Starting today, the instructors will no longer provide meals or lodging for free."

"You’ll need to spend Points to cover your daily needs—food, clothing, shelter."

"But don’t worry."

"Each of you will start with 100,000 Points."

Then, his expression turned serious as he locked eyes with every child. "Listen carefully."

"Points are the only currency that matters here. With them, you can buy every resource Beacon of Hope has to offer."

"For example—"

"Everyone will undergo basic training daily. But if you want to grow stronger, you can spend Points for one-on-one coaching from an instructor."

"The first and second floors of the library are open to everyone."

"But beyond that? The higher floors contain martial arts manuals and secret techniques—each requiring Points to access."

"If you get injured and want to recover faster, you can spend Points to have the medical staff treat you."

"In short—"

"The more Points you have, the better your life here will be... and the faster you’ll grow stronger."

By now, the children’s expressions had shifted—nervous excitement flickering in their eyes.

Little Bai, who had been silent until now, raised her hand. "Sir, how do we earn Points?"

"Simple."

Gu Yan looked at her, then swept his gaze across the group. "Complete missions assigned by Beacon of Hope, and you’ll be rewarded with Points."

"Missions vary in difficulty—and so do the rewards."

"Additionally,"

"All of you will be reassigned into four classes—A, B, C, and D."

"Class A will receive the highest daily resources, while Class D gets the least."

"Resources here refer to education, training equipment, and so on."

"Your class is a team. Succeed together, fail together."

"Beacon of Hope will hold regular class competitions or individual matches. Winners—whether individuals or entire classes—will earn Points and generous rewards."

Gu Yan’s lips curled into a faint smile. "And trust me, the rewards will exceed your wildest expectations."

"As for more details..."

He glanced at Demon Claw, who stepped forward carrying two black briefcases.

Placing them on a table, he opened them to reveal dozens of sleek black wristbands.

"These are Beacon Bands—custom-made for you using the world’s most advanced technology."

"Your starting Points have already been loaded."

"You can also check Beacon of Hope’s new regulations through them."

"Fifty-three of you, fifty-three bands."

"Little Bai, Shitou—distribute them, please."

As Gu Yan finished speaking,

Little Bai and Shitou took a deep breath, stepped forward, and began handing out the bands.

Old Gao watched everything unfold from the sidelines.

Admiration gleamed in his eyes.

The young master truly is remarkable...

This system has turned this place into an exceptional training base for martial artists.

With strict disciplinary rules, well-balanced recreation, a points-based currency system, mission-based rewards, and team battles...

Young Master... If this "Ray of Hope" continues to grow...

It might stir up a terrifying undercurrent in the world...

Young Master, just what are you planning?

......

....

By the time Gu Yan left the Ray of Hope, it was already late.

Due to his arrival, the children had been given half a day off in the afternoon. He spent time teaching them how to use their wristbands properly.

He took them to the amusement park and food street, letting them experience everything to the fullest.

Though playing with kids was exhausting, it was a necessary step.

Gu Yan sat in the back seat of the car, a specially customized laptop open in front of him.

On the screen were the profiles and data of all 53 children from the Ray of Hope.

Systematic class assignments were essential to match them with suitable instructors.

Though it appeared random, he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Finally... time to move to the next phase."

Gu Yan closed the laptop and leaned back lazily against the seat.

With systematic training and the modification of their cells, these children from the Ray of Hope would be combat-ready as martial warriors within a month.

And by then... it would also be time for him to set his plans into motion.

"The annual gathering..."

Gu Yan gazed out the window as neon lights flickered across his face.

Occasional shadows reflected the conflicted expression in his eyes.

After the gathering... the most critical step of his plan would begin.

When the time came... would he be able to go through with it?

Even with Qingqiu's help, the final step still rested on his shoulders.

One second... two seconds... three seconds...

Countless scenarios of hesitation flashed through his mind.

After a long pause,

Gu Yan took a deep breath, his gaze hardening with resolve.

No matter what.

Nothing would stop him from seeing his plan through.

After the annual gathering...

He must obtain the Dagger of Night!

Even if it meant... stripping Qingqiu of the Power of Night!!!

Having made up his mind,

Gu Yan closed his eyes.

In the darkness, he let out a quiet sigh.

Forgive me, Qingqiu.

This is part of the plan.