As he stood outside, Li Xuan watched a figure slowly approaching through the dimly lit street, his gaze calm yet observant as the night air carried a faint chill. The person wore a loose hoodie, their face hidden beneath its shadow, and their hands covered with gloves, moving with cautious and deliberate steps that clearly showed they were not an ordinary wanderer.
Using his Sage ability without hesitation, he focused his attention and immediately analyzed the approaching figure, his vision sharpening as the information formed clearly in his mind. Name: Bai Lingling. Species: Human. Lifespan: 79 years (Earth life). Ability: Beast Master Sequence – (Beast Tongue, Beast Contract 1/2). Physique: 10.5. Spirit: 12.
The moment he saw the details, his eyes widened slightly in surprise, though his expression quickly returned to normal as he controlled his reaction. "Beast Master sequence…" he muttered inwardly, a trace of excitement flashing across his thoughts as his interest instantly rose.
This was one of the abilities he had originally desired when he first understood the sequence system, and now someone possessing it had appeared right in front of him. He quickly calmed himself and began analyzing the situation carefully, his mind moving faster than his expression revealed. "She must be here for the snake egg," he concluded quietly.
As Bai Lingling approached closer, she noticed a man standing silently at the entrance, his posture relaxed yet giving off an invisible pressure. Her steps slowed slightly as hesitation crept into her mind, but she still gathered her courage and walked toward him, forcing herself to remain composed.
"Excuse me… is this the place where the boss of the New Order stays?" she asked, deliberately trying to deepen her voice and sound more confident, though the faint tremble in her tone betrayed her nervousness.
Li Xuan looked at her with a hint of amusement in his eyes, observing her act without interrupting. "Is she trying to act tough?" he thought to himself, finding her behavior slightly interesting rather than threatening.
At the same time, his mind was already analyzing her ability in more depth, considering its potential and limitations at her current stage. At this level, she could contract two beasts, meaning she had already completed her first contract, which made her more valuable than ordinary sequencers.
"I wonder what kind of beast she has contracted," he thought, his gaze subtly scanning her surroundings as if trying to sense any hidden presence.
Every beast possessed its own unique ability, and forming a contract would grant the user additional power, making the Beast Master sequence highly valuable in both survival and combat scenarios.
He did not answer her immediately and instead continued observing her quietly, deliberately creating pressure while trying to sense where she might have hidden her contracted beast.
Seeing that he remained silent and was simply staring at her without replying, Bai Lingling became even more nervous, her thoughts beginning to spiral. She assumed that her identity as a girl had already been exposed and that he was trying to see through her disguise.
In a sudden panic, she quickly adjusted her hoodie, pulling it down further to cover her face more securely, her movements slightly clumsy due to her anxiety.
Li Xuan could not hold back his laughter any longer, a soft chuckle escaping him as he watched her reaction. "At least you're a sequencer," he said with a faint smile, his tone calm but slightly teasing. "Why are you so panicked? And with your timid nature, why did you choose to come out in the middle of the night?"
His words made her stiffen instantly, as if she had been caught doing something wrong, her body tensing under his gaze.
It had been several days since the appearance of the blood moon, and by now almost everyone had adapted to its terrifying presence. People avoided going outside at night, shutting their doors and windows tightly before it appeared, fearing its unknown effects such as death or paralysis.
Li Xuan had carefully observed its pattern over the past few days, noting that the blood moon usually appeared around 7:30 PM. People had adjusted their routines accordingly, finishing meals early and retreating indoors before 7 to ensure safety.
He had also noticed that the day and night cycle seemed slightly altered, extending by around fifteen minutes, though he was still unsure whether this was due to changes in the Earth itself or some unknown external factor.
When Bai Lingling heard him casually mention that she was a sequencer, her fear deepened immediately, her heart racing uncontrollably. "H-he knows…" she thought, her mind becoming increasingly unsettled.
Trying to maintain some composure, she forced herself to respond, though her voice trembled noticeably. "Why are you here at night… and why shouldn't I be?" she asked, attempting to sound firm but failing to hide her unease.
Li Xuan smirked slightly, clearly noticing her attempt to stay calm. "I'm here to steal the beast egg," he said casually, as if talking about something trivial. "I plan to raise it, become stronger, and dominate others."
He paused deliberately, watching her reaction closely, his eyes reflecting curiosity rather than hostility. "That boss is a fool for wanting to return it. Are you here for the same thing?" he continued, his tone turning slightly playful. "Why not partner up with me and steal it together?"
Bai Lingling's mind went completely blank, her thoughts freezing for a moment as she processed his words. "A thief…?" she thought in horror, her body instinctively tensing.
She had just decided to join the New Order, hoping to find safety and stability, and the first person she encountered turned out to be someone claiming to be a thief. Panic surged within her as her thoughts became chaotic.
"What should I do…? If I refuse, will he kill me?" she wondered anxiously, her imagination running wild with fear.
Her thoughts spiraled uncontrollably as she felt her situation becoming increasingly hopeless. "It looks like I used all my luck just becoming a sequencer…" she thought bitterly, her confidence collapsing.
Even her Beast Master ability had not been of much help so far, as her timid nature prevented her from contracting dangerous creatures. The only beast she had successfully contracted was an ant, which she used merely for scouting purposes.
Now, at the moment she wanted to rely on something stronger, she had encountered a supposed thief trying to steal the very thing she feared.
Her eyes darted around nervously, searching for an escape, but the door behind Li Xuan was firmly closed, leaving her with limited options.
Suddenly, she made a desperate decision and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Boss! There's a thief trying to steal your egg!"
Without waiting for any response, she turned and ran at full speed, her instincts pushing her to escape as quickly as possible.
Li Xuan burst into laughter as he watched her reaction, clearly amused by her actions. "She's actually trying to alert me…" he thought, shaking his head slightly.
Bai Lingling continued running while shouting repeatedly, her voice echoing through the silent street as she tried to attract attention and buy time.
Her loud cries woke some people from their sleep, while others who were still awake became alarmed. A few cautiously opened their windows to peek outside, while most remained hidden, unwilling to risk exposing themselves at night.
Inside the building, the girls were startled awake by the sudden noise, their expressions filled with confusion and concern. Seeing that Li Xuan had not returned immediately, they did not dare to step outside.
They remembered his warning clearly, his serious tone still echoing in their minds. "Ghosts at night will try to lure you out," he had told them before.
Without hesitation, they covered their ears to block out the sound, choosing to remain inside for safety. The four hostages, though confused, quickly imitated their actions, unwilling to take any risks.
Outside, Li Xuan suddenly appeared in front of Bai Lingling, using his ability to block her path instantly. Before she could react, he reached out and grabbed her wrist firmly.
No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't free herself, her strength completely overwhelmed by his grip.
Panic surged through her as fear filled her mind. "He's going to kill me…" she thought, her face turning pale as despair crept in.
Even then, she still hoped that the real boss would appear and save her from this situation.
Li Xuan sighed lightly, no longer interested in continuing the act as the commotion had already drawn enough attention.
"Do you know who I am?" he asked calmly, his tone steady and direct.
"I—I don't know!" she replied quickly, her voice trembling with fear. "Please let me go… I won't tell anyone… I won't even tell the boss!"
Li Xuan facepalmed, clearly exasperated by her misunderstanding. "Then why did you come here at night if not to steal the egg?" he asked, his tone slightly sharper now.
"I came to join the New Order…" she said, her voice breaking as tears formed in her eyes, unable to hold back her emotions any longer.
Li Xuan froze momentarily, surprised by her answer. "You came to join?" he repeated in his mind, reassessing the situation.
He had assumed she came for the egg, possibly intending to use it as her second beast contract, but her response contradicted his expectations.
"Then why don't you want the egg?" he asked, genuinely curious now.
At the mention of the snake, Bai Lingling began crying even more, her fear clearly visible. "I'm scared of snakes… and spiders… and cockroaches…" she said helplessly, her voice filled with genuine fear. "Why would I want something like that?"
Li Xuan stared at her silently for a moment, carefully observing her expression and behavior.
Her fear appeared completely genuine, without any sign of deception.
After a brief pause, he spoke casually, "You passed."
Bai Lingling blinked in confusion, unable to understand what he meant.
"You're now officially a member of the New Order," he added calmly, as if stating something obvious.
"W-what?" she asked, completely lost, her mind struggling to catch up.
"I'm the boss," Li Xuan said simply. "That was your interview."
Bai Lingling's thoughts froze once again, her brain failing to process the sudden revelation. "That… was a test?" she wondered, feeling both relieved and embarrassed at the same time.
Li Xuan sighed softly and gestured toward the building. "Come inside," he said, his tone returning to normal.
She hesitated briefly but followed him carefully, still unsure whether to fully trust him but having no better option.
After entering, he closed the door behind them and led her toward the living room without explaining further.
The girls inside looked at them with confusion, their eyes moving between Li Xuan and the tearful Bai Lingling. The scene made it seem as if he had brought someone back forcefully.
Li Xuan noticed their expressions and frowned slightly, understanding what they were thinking.
"What are you all looking at?" he said irritably. "She's a sequencer who came to join at night. I tested her, and she started crying."
He pointed at Bai Lingling and added, "Explain the rules to her and tell her whether I'm the boss or not after she calms down."
The girls exchanged glances before nodding in understanding, their expressions softening slightly.
Sang Zhi stepped forward and gently guided Bai Lingling to sit down, her tone calm and reassuring as she began explaining the rules, responsibilities, and confirming Li Xuan's identity.
As Bai Lingling listened, her embarrassment grew stronger, her cheeks turning slightly red as she recalled her earlier actions. "I actually cried in front of the boss…" she thought, feeling both ashamed and relieved.
At the same time, a small sense of relief slowly formed in her heart.
At least… she had survived.