Chapter 40: I’ve Been Waiting for You for a Long Time

Headquarters of the Guards. The man with the chiseled face found Secretary Bai and got straight to the point:
“What’s the story with that Gu Changqing?”
Secretary Bai looked up in surprise, not expecting him to bring up this matter. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “He wants to negotiate, but his ability is quite ordinary, so I refused him.”
“His ability is to control blood. Though there’s no one else in the department with the same power, abilities that control bodily functions can only affect oneself, not interfere with others. That’s long been established.”
In fact, other countries had encountered awakened individuals who could control blood. At the time, they considered whether such powers could manipulate other living beings' blood and invested some resources in training them.
But nothing came of it.
According to internal research, awakeners who control their own limbs, fluids, or hair cannot affect other life forms; they can only use themselves as weapons. This is the general consensus.
“So, did something happen?” Secretary Bai asked. The man wouldn’t ask about this for no reason—something must be wrong.
“He killed at least one high-level Wing-class anomaly yesterday. Is that possible?” the chiseled-faced man asked.
“Impossible!” Secretary Bai answered bluntly. “Someone else must have intervened. Not even a Five Elements Yin-Yang awakener could manage that with such a short awakening period.”
“So someone’s pushing him forward?” The chiseled-faced man nodded slightly.
Though Secretary Bai handled external affairs, she was well informed about these matters, and the man trusted her judgment.
Because his own assessment was the same.
…
Gu Changqing walked into Chongming Headquarters, replying to messages on his phone.
The message was from Meng Xi, asking if he was all right. She’d seen the news about a gas explosion at the Garden Community yesterday.
This morning, many people were sharing videos, though they’d been deleted from major websites and forums soon after, but they still circulated in chat groups.
Meng Xi had seen them and immediately recognized Gu Changqing.
After all, the clothes he was wearing were ones she’d bought for him.
She hadn’t asked about it, though—just expressed concern.
“Go buy me a few sets of clothes!” Gu Changqing messaged her directly; Meng Xi had good taste.
It must be said, when a woman is interested in your money, she usually performs admirably.
She’s considerate, knows when to advance or retreat, shows concern for your well-being, never throws tantrums, and focuses all her thoughts on pleasing you.
Upon entering, he saw Li Yue.
“Was it dangerous last night? The others are all in the hospital, but you seem completely fine!” Li Yue sized him up.
“That’s because I’m strong!” Gu Changqing said with perfect confidence.

Li Yue looked at him and believed it.
“I don’t know how long they’ll take to recover. I’ll visit them at the hospital later. Want to come?”
Gu Changqing pulled a thousand yuan from his pocket and tossed it to Li Yue. “Buy a few fruit baskets for me and deliver them to those useless teammates.”
He then went upstairs and pushed open Gao Wenxin’s office door. Gao Wenxin was slumped in her chair, dozing off.
Hearing the noise, she rubbed her eyes and saw Gu Changqing. “What is it?”
“The Guards’ personnel files for Angang, and those of other organizations,” Gu Changqing said directly.
“Oh!” Gao Wenxin pulled a folder from her drawer and tossed it onto the desk.
“Return it when you’re finished.”
Chongming, after all, was backed by the public security system. Though newly established, they didn’t lack intelligence files.
Gu Changqing took the files back to his office, poured himself a glass of juice, put his feet up on the desk, and started reading.
The first thing he saw was a photo of a thin man, looking to be in his early thirties, with a cold expression and thunder seemingly flashing in his pupils.
Even a photograph conveyed an aura of authority, a pressure that seemed to bear down on the viewer.
Qi Wuyang, Level Six Awakener, lightning master.
Head of the Guards in the Angang area.
Gu Changqing memorized this face; the lightning at the port that day must have been his doing, though he wondered about the other party involved.
A Level Six Awakener was probably at the eighth or ninth layer of Qi Refining.
He quickly turned the pages until he found the long-legged woman.
Luo Xiu, Level Four Awakener, ability: body enhancement—speed, burst, balance. Skilled with blades, member of the Guards for five years.
“Five years, still only Level Four…” Gu Changqing muttered.
Level Four corresponded roughly to the fourth or fifth layer of Qi Refining.
After reading Luo Xiu’s profile, he glanced through the others.
The chiseled-faced man was named Chi Hui, Level Five Awakener, ability: physical enhancement, mainly strength and defense. Quite capable, and one of the three squad leaders.
A Level Five Awakener was already a Qi Refining cultivator of the sixth or seventh layer. Even in that other world, the Yu family held great power in Yuanhe, and their Third Elder was only at the sixth layer.
The bespectacled man was Lin Qiu, Level Four Awakener, ability: mental—illusion.
The girl in the camisole was Sang Yeye, Level Four Awakener, ability: mental—psychic attack.
The plain-looking woman was Liu Zhen, Level Three Awakener, ability: enhanced five senses.
Having finished the Guards’ personnel files for Angang, Gu Changqing picked up those for other organizations.

Only two awakened organizations operated in Yongzhou. One was called Spiritfire, very secretive, with a history of numerous crimes. There were eight known members, all wanted.
The other was the Earth Alliance, actually a coalition of smaller awakened groups from Southern Chu.
Near Angang, the active group had no real name—they simply called themselves members of the Earth Alliance. There were six of them, including the man who controlled his own flesh and blood, who carried several murders on his record.
The other five were stronger, but only Level Three or Four Awakeners.
Awakeners needed resources to cultivate. The Guards and Chongming had the backing of the Southern Chu royal family and the public security system, and could earn resources by clearing anomalies. They were wealthy and well supplied.
Scattered awakened groups had a much harder time.
Even when they had money, they often couldn’t buy what they needed. Most of the time, they had to barter.
With scarce resources, some would take risks or even collude with awakened organizations from other countries.
After reading through, Gu Changqing understood the situation.
A faint smile curled his lips.
He was now looking forward to the Earth Alliance coming to him.
He was also interested in the barter among awakeners—he wondered if there was a fixed location.
If there was, he’d like to check it out.
After all, earning points to exchange for resources was just too troublesome.
…
Gu Changqing spent most of the day in his office with nothing to do. After picking up the “Fog Pouch” delivered to the logistics department, he left.
He figured the Yu family in that world wouldn’t search for many more days, so after waiting a bit, he could return and surprise them.
Two days passed. During that time, he heard that another anomaly had appeared in Angang, this time in the North District, but the Guards handled it.
That evening, as he parked his car and stepped out, he saw someone approaching from ahead.
Heavy footsteps sounded behind him.
Gu Changqing turned to look—another person was coming from behind, blocking the road front and back, clearly up to no good.
He had seen their profiles just days ago and remembered them well.
He grinned, his smile stretching to his ears.
I’ve been waiting for you for so long!