"Qu Yi, you seem to have leveled up a bit again—around level thirty-seven?"

After Qu Yi and the other two emerged, Ye Thirteen’s gaze swept over them before settling on Qu Yi.

Surprised, Qu Yi asked, "Uncle, how could you tell? Doesn’t it take Alliance equipment to detect the exact level?"

In the official ranking system, Demonhunters were divided into only nine major tiers.

Yet each tier could be subdivided into ten minor levels.

Though not yet formally adopted by the Alliance due to immature technology, this system was widely used among Demonhunters.

Even a High-tier Demonhunter could usually only identify which major tier a lower-ranked one belonged to—not the precise minor level.

But Ye Thirteen? He could spot Qu Yi’s tiny breakthrough after cultivation. Practically like reading it off a screen.

Ye Thirteen: "..."

*Could I say I was the one who proposed the ten-level subdivision per tier?*

*Do you know whose standard the Alliance’s detection gear follows?*

*Yep. Yours truly.*

Of course, he said none of that. Rubbing his nose, he replied casually, "Just experience talking."

After that half-hearted explanation, he asked, "Qu Yi, when did you last level up?"

Qu Yi tilted her head, tapped her chin with her index finger, and pondered. "Hmm… about twenty days ago?"

Lai Yingxin chimed in beside her, "Yeah, roughly three weeks."

Ye Thirteen smiled. "Then you might reach the fourth tier in just two months."

Qu Yi leaned close, eyes wide. "So fast? Grandpa said it’d take three!"

"Wait and see. I believe in you."

He didn’t elaborate—just gently patted her head.

All three girls possessed excellent talent, absorbing potions and demon beast ingredients with remarkable efficiency.

With top-tier resources and optimal methods, advancing one major tier per year was entirely achievable.

True, progression grew harder with each tier—difficulty spiking every three tiers—but Ye Thirteen was confident they’d reach Soldier Rank, even General Rank, before turning twenty.

"Yay~ I’ll break through to Elite Level of the fourth tier in two months!" Qu Yi declared, cheeks flushed with excitement after his pat.

Lai Yingxin and Han Xiangxue exchanged glances and shook their heads fondly.

They got along well, but playtime was over.

Qu Yi and Ye Thirteen still had patrol duty in Sector 069.

Lai Yingxin and Han Xiangxue remained at base: if an incident occurred far from Qu Yi’s location, Han Xiangxue—the designated responder—might arrive first.

Depending on threat level, Lai Yingxin would also decide whether to deploy.

Patrol teams didn’t just hunt demon beasts; they also targeted rogue Awakened offenders.

Not every Awakened individual became a hero. Some chose crime.

Such people weren’t called Demonhunters—they were rogue Awakened offenders.

Without proper resources, their progress stalled. Few ever reached high tiers.

Some got caught immediately post-awakening and sent to the Reform Bureau for rehabilitation. Others hid away, training in secret—yet years of effort barely matched another’s single year, falling further behind.

Rogue offenders were common years ago, but rare now.

Smart ones joined the Dragon Realm’s fold or allied with powerful families once they saw the landscape.

Rare—but today, Ye Thirteen and Qu Yi still ran into one.

They’d been casually eating at a mall when a robbery unfolded.

Ye Thirteen didn’t lift a finger. Qu Yi took the arrogant offender down in seconds.

Popcorn bucket in hand, Ye Thirteen looked down at the kid—pinned, face pressed to cold tile, wrists locked behind his back in specialized cuffs—and shook his head.

*Middle schooler, probably.*

*Just awakened. Thought he was invincible. Got greedy.*

"Let me go! I’m a Demonhunter! You’ll regret this!" the kid snarled, still defiant under Qu Yi’s foot.

In the Dragon Realm, Demonhunters rarely showed off publicly. High-tier ones guarded demon fronts or spiritual sites. So newly Awakened civilians often overestimated themselves.

Surrounded by ordinary people, yes—they *were* stronger.

Alliance match videos floated online.

And arrogant viewers always thought: *I could do that too.*

Sighing, Ye Thirteen said, "Kid, you’re barely an Awakened individual. You’re not worthy of the title Demonhunter."

"Let me go! Wait until I—"

His threat died mid-sentence. Terror flooded his face.

Qu Yi’s cuffs were special—designed to seal supernatural power for hours.

Only Dragon Realm-certified Demonhunters handling rogue offenders could carry them.

Civilians? Forbidden. Even government staff.

Unauthorized forging meant treason charges.

These cuffs worked *too* well. With Demonhunter-civilian relations stable, strict control was essential.

(Ye Thirteen knew a secret: they only worked on those below Entry-Rank. At Soldier Rank? Useless.)

But for a freshly Awakened kid? Pure nightmare.

Power gained in a flash—gone just as fast. His eyes brimmed with panic.

"W-what did you do?! My power! Give it back!"

To him, Qu Yi and Ye Thirteen were demons.

Amused, Ye Thirteen smirked. "I confiscated it, kid."

"No!" the boy shrieked.

Qu Yi pressed down slightly harder. "Don’t move. Or you won’t be heading to the Reform Bureau—you’ll be rushed to the emergency room."