THE SYSTEM IS NOT MINE

“Stop!”

Tan Suzi’s voice cut sharply through the narrow street but as if he couldn't hear her, the bearded man ahead of her did not slow at all.

His steps were quick but controlled, as if he already knew the streets well.

When the crowd looked at the bearded man approaching them, they parted slightly as he moved through it while his clothes brushed around the edges of the stalls.

"Stop!"

Tan Suzi pushed and continued to chase after him.

For a moment the man glanced back, his beard was thick and uneven, and his eyes carried a strange calm that did not belong to someone being chased.

Then he turned into a narrow alley and rushed inside

Tan Suzi halted for a second and then followed.

The alley swallowed them both.

Six days later.

The road to Sunset City stretched across the plain beneath a pale afternoon sky.

Yan walked alone.

Golden Eagle City had already faded far behind him.

The Han Defu unit who survived the training had scattered. Some returned home, others remained in the city to train further under Commander Leo.

Chen Yu was among the ones who stayed.

There were six more months left before war resumed.

The war might have ended, but the atmosphere had become much heavier.

Before leaving, Chen Yu and other soldiers who stayed had walked with him to the gates, his hands held bread.

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Leo arrived next to Yan and said, "You are my student, remember what I taught you, don't forget it"

Then Chen Yu came forward, "Yan.." and trembled.

Yan immediately placed his hand on Chen Yu's shoulder and he stopped trembling.

"Chen Yu, I believe in you" Yan said

Chen Yu clenched the bread, the memory of that still was fresh in his mind.

Now Sunset City stood ahead, its tall stone walls were unchanged, but the air around the city carried a faint unease.

“…another berserker…”

“…they say it happened in Morning Dew City…”

“…cases have increased a lot...”

Even before entering the gates, Yan heard fragments of conversation but he did not slow down at all.

The streets were busy, but restrained, there were less number of civilians moving around than the city guards.

Yan moved through the streets until he reached a familiar house at the outer market.

Before Yan could even come near the door, he noticed the lock on it.

Then he turned to the neighbour's house.

When he stood outside the neighbour's house, the neighbour woman was pouring water into the plants inside her courtyard.

While pouring the water, she noticed Yan and looked over.

"Excuse me, Have you seen Tan Suzi? " Yan asked.

Right then a man who was walking past Yan stopped.“Well, it has been a week since she has come to my shop to buy groceries.”

The neighbor woman stayed silent for a second, and kept the mug of water aside.

She pulled her forefingers closer to each other, and said, “About, that, I saw her chasing some guy six days ago"

Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Have you seen her again after that?”

“No.”

Yan did not ask anything.

"She was a good customer.." The man was still talking about something but Yan closed his eyes.

Spiritual qi flowed downward through his leg, his mind traced the steps on the ground.

Especially, those heavy, which were faster, back by back, and repeated multiple times over a large distance.

And he pictured her legs and her feet, and matched her feet size to the steps and soon identified them.

There were other heavier footsteps on the ground apart from that, they were heavier, larger, likely belonged to the man.

They had moved away from the house.

Yan opened his eyes and rushed, he traced the trail.

He walked through the stalls, passed through several streets, then a narrow alley and after passing through that he stopped.

The steps were still there but were buried by several steps and traces of carriage tracks.

But something else was on the ground, Yan crouched again and brushed the soil aside.

The ground was sticky and cold, he pulled the soil up.

And noticed the small part of soil was green in color, he brought the soil to his nose.

The Green Liquid.

The familiar smell ran through his nose.

Yan stared at it for several seconds.

Ren’s letter surfaced in his mind, the information on it was true.

Yan slowly stood.

The wind moved faintly through the empty street.