On the way into the city, Lin Xinyan learned the truth about Shi Ji being expelled from General Star Hero Academy.

She’d actually been debating whether to ask him. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant question to bring up. She chatted a little about General Star Hero Academy, hoping to gradually steer the conversation toward Shi Ji’s expulsion. But halfway through, she lost her nerve. She just couldn’t bring herself to say it. Digging up an old wound like that was really rude.

Shi Ji wasn’t stupid. Of course he understood what Lin Xinyan was getting at. Being expelled didn’t mean a thing to him. It was what he’d wanted in the first place. Seeing how curious Lin Xinyan was, he brought it up himself.

As Shi Ji told the story, Lin Xinyan finally understood what had happened. He’d never intended to stay there, and getting expelled had been expected. As for the story about how he’d happened to pass through Xiyu, taken care of a barely surviving aberrant, and then attracted enough attention to get into General Star Hero Academy—she didn’t believe a word of it. She’d seen Shi Ji’s incredible strength with her own eyes just yesterday.

Shi Ji revealed that his Star General really was a Soldier. She’d never heard of a Soldier-Rank Star General being this powerful.

“You’re so strong, Shi Ji. You’re bound to become a high-ranking Hero someday.”

With aberrants appearing everywhere these days, the world needed talented people like Shi Ji. Lin Xinyan was working hard, too, pushing herself to the limit to get stronger.

Shi Ji had always hated it when people brought up Heroes. But after yesterday’s little incident and getting to know Lin Xinyan today, he thought she was a pretty decent person—someone he got along with. Well, the most important thing was that she’d readily offered to treat him to something to eat.

When Lin Xinyan brought up becoming a Professional Hero, Shi Ji gave a faint smile and shook his head.

“No, no. I’m not interested in Heroes. People have such an abstract idea of what a Hero is these days. It doesn’t feel like something that suits me. Let me ask you this: is someone who helps a blind person cross the street a Hero?”

Lin Xinyan froze, unable to answer. Shi Ji’s words struck a deep chord in her. People really had redefined what it meant to be a Hero. You applied, took a physical fitness test, and so on—and if you passed, you became a Hero. And among them were people who didn’t seem very heroic at all. They wore the mask of a Hero, but behind the scenes, they did things they couldn’t let the public see. Calling them Heroes was too generous. They were scum.

When Lin Xinyan fell silent, Shi Ji smiled faintly.

“Looks like you get it. If you can help someone, then that makes you a Hero, doesn’t it? What does it matter whether you’re a Professional Hero or not?”

Lin Xinyan smiled, too.

“You taught me something today. Thank you. I understand what you mean now.”

Before hearing Shi Ji say all that, Lin Xinyan had never given the question much thought. His words had given her a new understanding of what it meant to be a Hero. And she genuinely admired him. He was powerful, and he had a perspective on Heroes all his own. She couldn’t help wondering: was Shi Ji really as simple as he seemed?

“All right, all right. Let’s drop this subject. We’ve been walking forever. Where’s this place you mentioned? If we don’t get there soon, we’ll be eating lunch instead of breakfast.” Shi Ji pretended to complain.

He knew when to be serious and when to relax. Watching Shi Ji, Lin Xinyan suddenly felt that he wasn’t annoying at all. He was easy to get close to.

“Look at you getting all impatient. Come on, it’s in this alley. We’ll be there in no time.”

Shi Ji followed behind Lin Xinyan. As he watched her from the back, a thousand thoughts ran through his mind. From the first time he’d seen her on the bus yesterday, he’d known she was different. Meeting her again in the same place—maybe this was what people meant by fate.

“What an interesting girl. Let’s see what kind of person you really are.”

…