After a moment of shock, Fang Fang dived out of his bed like a seal. He rolled in the desert sand and scanned the surroundings, but Wichai Lee, the broad-faced teenager, had vanished like a wisp of smoke.
In this serene night, most of the beast-humans sat or lay in silence, their gaze fixed either on the starry sky above or the towering gate that gleamed brighter than the moon above it.
It struck Fang Fang that none of the teenagers had closed the tent covers of their beds. The young hopeful eyes reflected either the stars in the sky, or the crescent moon, or the big square light of the Gate of Liberty. Their future in the city was limitless.
A long sigh escaped his lips.
With a sense of unease about his uncertain future, Fang Fang turned back and made his way to the bed. The key, numbered 68, lay there upon the pristine white sheets. Pushing aside his emotional turmoil and the world around him, he resumed his cultivation.
However, despite his efforts, a frown crept onto his brow as he found it difficult to concentrate on the breathing technique. Deciding to take a short break, he reached for the key and stepped out of the bed.
He began searching along the side of the wooden structure, his fingers tracing the edges until he located the keyhole. With a little effort, he inserted the key and turned it. The base of the bed shifted, revealing a large drawer. Inside, he found an assortment of items - two pillows, colorful sheets, a mirror, quilts of varying thickness, and an array of boxes.
'The treatment of youngsters when compared to adults is like the difference between heaven and earth.' Fang Fang thought as he observed his youthful face in the mirror; it appeared to be that of a 14-year-old. Hope ignited within him as he realized the 500-year-old him was being given a fresh chance to pursue his dream.
With newfound motivation, he returned to his cultivation practice.
The breathing technique session extended late into the night. The first stage of the cultivation method from his past life involved molding the body into a vessel for Qi by developing an aperture.
Initially, Qi didn't form inside his body, but he wasn't concerned. Sometimes, Qi only began accumulating after the complete development of the aperture.
He managed to create an aperture measuring 2672.43 cubic inches. The volume was double that of his past life.
But despite having fully developed an A-grade aperture, the unease inside his heart grew as not a single drop of Qi appeared. This was a rare situation that could usually be resolved with the use of cultivation pills.
'Cultivation should have been easier with the memories from my past life, but why can I not transcend past the Qi Acceptance realm?'
However, he then remembered Wichai Lee's comment: "My grandpa didn't succeed, tell me if you make it past the snores."
If the 'snores' referred to the 'breathing technique' then it meant Wichia's grandfather also didn't progress beyond the Qi Acceptance stage.
Unable to continue, after this discovery, Fang Fang drew open the tent's canvas with the intent of finding Wichai Lee.
Even after wandering around for a while, he couldn't find Wichai Lee. However, he noticed that the sleepless teenagers who saw him did not avert their gazes, which left him feeling uneasy. He frowned, realizing that something was amiss.
Soon, a guard scolded him. According to the rules, people weren't allowed to roam freely unless they were heading straight to the bathroom building located behind the tents.
Fang Fang could only grumble to himself as he returned to his bed.
'Stealing a strong Embernit for the time being should be enough for the cultivation test tomorrow. It also seems like the city values young talents.
'Maybe, I am rushing things. I am still 14 years old and have a lot of time. I should learn more about the world and explore the city before continuing cultivation.'
Fang Fang wanted to sleep, but then he noticed a person approaching him. It was an adult male, as Fang Fang could guess from the person's built. However, due to the blinding light from the Gate of Liberty, he couldn't see the man's face clearly. This individual seemed to be coming straight from the direction of the gate.
As the man got closer, Fang Fang recognized him as the guard who had been standing with Wen Chyou.
He was the middle-aged man named Ben Austin. In his hands, he held a small wooden box and a corked milk bottle, which he handed to Fang Fang.
"Daniel asked me to deliver this to you," Ben Austin said.
Earlier today, this man had backed every word spoken by Wen Chyou, making things difficult for Fang Fang.
It struck Fang Fang as odd that this man, wearing a two starred hat, who could have assigned the task to one of his subordinates, was personally delivering this package.
Suspicion crept into Fang Fang's mind as he eyed the glass bottle and wooden box.
"A subordinate's life in the presence of their boss is rough," Ben Austin added after handing over the wooden box and bottle. "The rest of the staff is also following the strict orders of not letting your brother and his friend leave."
The low light hid most of the age signs on Ben's face as he tried to appear kind. He also looked like someone who had received battle training.
On receiving no response from this young fellow, Ben Austin decided to emphasize his sincerity. He removed his cap, revealing a head with sparse hair, and in that moment, his face seemed to age by ten years.
"Even though I work here," he began, his tone gentle and sincere, "I'm also a supporter of the Conservative Party." It was a lie, but his face wore an expression of a genuine middle-aged man.
"How are my brothers?" Fang Fang opened the wooden box and found it contained bread sticks.
"Your brother's condition is quite serious. He fainted shortly after arriving at Liberty, but rest assured, the head doctor is personally attending to him. Mr. Young, on the other hand, is better."
'Ah, so he still thinks I am Daniel's brother.' Fang Fang analyzed. 'And this person wants to curry favor.'
"I understand," Fang Fang calmly said.
From his spot, Ben Austin could clearly observe Fang Fang's face and attire. Having done the same before, the contrast in demeanor and clothing began to raise questions in his mind. He couldn't help but wonder if Fang Fang was the true heir to Mr. Score, while Daniel might be nothing more than a bastard child.
Ben Austin bid Fang Fang goodnight with a sense of relief, turning away to leave. 'After my marriage, I don't like to keep all my eggs in one basket. My decision of helping Mr. Score's son will definitely serve me in the future.'
At that moment, an individual discreetly observed Ben Austin's departure. They extracted a small diary and noted down: "Watch Commander Ben Austin conducted a late-night meeting with the suspected immigrant and subsequently transferred possession of a suspicious box."
Subsequently, they tore out the page, which vanished with a faint flash of light.