First-Year Internship—And You Went to Site 749 to Contain Monsters?!

Lu Ding looked at them: ”I won’t ask for your names. For this Great Jing mission, those who accomplish great deeds will earn their place and be remembered. Those just along for the ride to gild their resume, we’ll part ways later. There are countless people in this world; there’s no need for us to become acquainted just because we’ve crossed paths.”

The people gathered here weren’t particularly old in age.

So, they had all basically lived through the era of mass literacy campaigns.

Even though Lu Ding’s words were very tactfully phrased.

They could still grasp the underlying meaning.

If you accomplish something noteworthy and earn respect, then sure, we can get to know each other.

If you’re just tagging along for a prestige-boosting trip, then there’s no need to get acquainted, don’t waste everyone’s time and brain cells.

These words sounded as arrogant as they could possibly be!

But his numerous deeds, his various titles and reputations, all served to confirm one thing: Lu Ding had the capital to be this arrogant.

As for whether someone was just here for the prestige.They’d find out when things got real!!

At this moment, all eight hundred investigators had fire in their bellies.

No one here was an ordinary character, and Lu Ding wasn’t an ordinary character either.

Both sides had their own pride.

You, Lu Ding, are indeed impressive, but that’s your business. You’re not sharing any of that fame or benefit with me, so I don’t necessarily need to get to know you.

But if you’re going to put it like that...

Then I really do have to get to know you now.

With just one sentence, Lu Ding had set the tone for the atmosphere of the eight hundred investigators’ mission to Great Jing.

Fu Xinghe adjusted his glasses, thinking to himself: ”Brother Lu is truly Brother Lu, leveraging his own advantages to the absolute limit.”

He glanced at these eight hundred investigators who were now fired up.

Mentally calculating.

”I wonder how many of them will follow Brother Lu back to the new city after this journey.”

Fu Xinghe had a deep appreciation for Lu Ding’s personal charisma.

There would be no exceptions, only a question of more or fewer people.

Under the weight of eight hundred gazes that were distinctly different from before, Lu Ding turned, his large sleeves swaying, and walked out of the door without looking back.

Eight hundred investigators followed him out. The transition from light to shadow, a palpable sense of pressure washed over them.

Each and every one of those eyes carried ambition!

Great Jing awaits, no sheaths for our blades, let’s move out!

Meanwhile.

On the other side.

Great Jing.

The Filial Prince’s Mansion.

Having broken through to the Heavenly Human Second Restriction, An Wuyang was in no hurry to leave seclusion. Remaining in his cross-legged meditation posture, he took out paper and brush.

[Seeing these words is like meeting face-to-face - may reading them bring you joy.]

[Imperial Mother... your child is bothering you again. I have now reached the Heavenly Human Second Restriction cultivation level. This realm was something I never dared to imagine before. If I had this level of cultivation back in the Third Circle, why would I worry about great matters not...]

[Actually, that probably wouldn’t work either. If I exposed Heavenly Human cultivation in the Third Circle and became invincible under heaven, the powerful ones from Great Han would probably descend from the heavens to be my enemy.]

[Not being able to meet Lu Ding is the greatest regret of my life.]

[It’s been a long time since we last parted. Your child actually misses him quite a bit. After all, he’s the only friend I have.]

[The Second Circle’s Jing Dynasty is full of deceit and schemes; you simply can’t make friends here. A bunch of feudal ancients, lacking in everything, underdeveloped technology, everything relying on imports, utterly inconvenient.]

[There are clearly excellent technologies that could benefit the people, but these people in the Jing Dynasty actually call technology ’clever but frivolous tricks’?]

When he wrote this, An Wuyang laughed, speechless.

[I feel like I’ve returned to that era again. Great Jing remains arrogant and self-important. The wheel of history seems to be rolling right over me.]

[Sigh... Imperial Mother, if I had a chance to do it over, I truly wouldn’t come to Great Jing again. Wouldn’t it be better to just stay peacefully in Great Han?]

[But if I hadn’t come to Great Jing, I probably wouldn’t have broken through to the Heavenly Human Second Restriction this quickly.]

[I guess you could say misfortune and fortune are intertwined.]

[But I don’t want to fight for any throne. It’s too boring, utterly lacking in freedom, too exhausting. I’m just a prince with no real power right now, and they already demand my speech, behavior, clothing, food, housing, and travel must all conform to standards. Luckily, I haven’t forgotten everything, but then they pile on other new things for me to learn. Sigh...]

[Even when I wanted to wear the leather jacket Lu Ding gave me, that old emperor wouldn’t allow it.]

[I can only wear it hiding inside the prince’s mansion, can’t let anyone see it...]

Writing this, An Wuyang felt a deep sense of frustration.

Not being able to wear such a cool leather jacket for others to see, to enjoy the surrounding looks of envy and admiration, made his heart itch like a cat was scratching it.

So damn annoying!!

An Wuyang continued writing.

[Imperial Mother... do you think Lu Ding will blame me for leaving without saying goodbye back then?]

[I just wanted to look cool for a moment. He looked cool the entire journey in Wei Gao; what’s wrong with me looking cool for a bit?]

[I originally wanted to meet him again when we were both at our peaks. Who could have imagined, once I came here, I couldn’t leave...]

Back then, An Wuyang’s abrupt departure without a word was purely because he heard news about the Second Circle’s Jing Dynasty from the 749 Bureau’s Deputy Chief Director in the Third Circle.

He thought he’d come to Jing Dynasty first to take a look. Although it wasn’t revisiting an old haunt, it was somewhat similar to returning home.

Then, leveraging Jing Dynasty’s resources to break through to a higher realm, surpass Lu Ding by a level, and when they met again someday, say ’Lu Ding, long time no see.’

Wouldn’t that be cool!?

So cool!

It would absolutely max out the atmosphere and the act of showing off!

But the gap between reality and fantasy was too vast...

An Wuyang sighed again.

[That imperial grandfather of mine, who knows how many generations removed in bloodline, said that once I break through to the Fifth Restriction cultivation level, I can do whatever I want.]

[From the sound of it, he seems to want to pass the throne to me. Isn’t that just setting me up for disaster?]

[I have no backing, no support from powerful figures, no money. A single log can’t support a whole structure; what qualifies me to inherit the throne...]

[Although with my talent, the Fifth Restriction is no trouble at all, ascending to godhood would be a breeze. I’m only a bit worse than Lu Ding. Aside from him, I don’t respect any of these old, rigid bastards in Great Jing with their outdated thinking.]

[But will the others really let me smoothly cultivate to the Fifth Restriction? Royal families have no affection, only drawn blades, much slaughter, no mercy, piling bones to reach the summit. Flipping through all the history books, it boils down to just four words: fight to be emperor.]

[Imperial Mother, I’m so tired. Back in the Third Circle, Uncle wanted to dig me up to be the Tianli Sect leader. Here in the Second Circle, this imperial grandfather, who knows how he’s even counted, is now sending signals that he favors me and wants to pass the throne to me.]

[From the day I emerged from the earth until now, the happiest time of my life was undoubtedly the journey to Wei Gao with Lu Ding...]

As he wrote, An Wuyang touched the leather jacket.

In this treacherous environment of deceit and schemes, a single misstep meant a bottomless abyss. He was all alone, and a sense of loneliness gradually took over An Wuyang’s heart.

Before his slumber in the underground palace, he was also a child, and back then he was carefree because no matter how big the trouble was, it wouldn’t fall on his shoulders; there were many people ahead of him rushing forward one after another.

But now, as it turns out, he has to bear all this, while all those who rushed forward before are finished.

Originally, An Wuyang could have endured the darkness, if he had never seen the light. He could have also nursed deep grievances and forged ahead through hardships.

But the journey to Wei Gao with Lu Ding was just too joyful, full of the vitality of living people.

Which led to the current gap being too great.

Thinking back, the fact that the Wei Gao chaebol sisters, Kim Yeon-ju and her sister, could encounter Lu Ding and himself was like running into a heaven-sent stroke of great fortune.

But now, who could come to be his great fortune...

Suddenly.

An Wuyang thought of Lu Ding.

He shook his head: ”Too far away. And I used all these resources just to break through to the Second Restriction. I’ve had almost no rest since coming up here. Even if his talent is good... he’s probably only at the Third Restriction...”

”How could I have the face to ask him for help?”