Chapter 49: Chapter 43: Seeking That Ability!
A roaring Ghost Fire Motorcycle sped through the clouds, racing towards the building and stopping on the upper floors, over a hundred stories high.
Shen Ye leapt through the open window, gestured, and stored the motorcycle in his ring.
The door immediately sounded.
Shen Ye opened the door to find two fully armed professionals standing in the hallway.
"What was that noise just now?" one asked.
"I took the bike out for a spin in the clouds, nothing to worry about," Shen Ye said with a smile.
"It's too noisy, don't do that at night, besides, it's not safe," the other one said.
"Sorry, it won't happen again," Shen Ye replied.
The door closed.
Shen Ye heaved a long sigh of relief.
First, he took a shower, then grabbed something to eat and drink from the fridge, sat cross-legged at the dining table, and while eating and drinking, he recalled that video segment.
As per what Song Qingyun had said.
Did such a thing really happen when he was a child?
Upon careful recollection, it seemed that such an incident did occur when he was five or six years old.
It's ironic.
All this time, he had been searching his memory for someone he might have offended, as a reason for being targeted and chased down.
Who would have thought that it was all because he had helped two girls, that's why he was targeted!
Shen Ye couldn't help but shake his head.
Damn.
These clan young masters are really inhuman.
He just didn't know what they would do once they found out he wasn't dead.
Since sending assassins was merely "playing around" in their eyes, what would they do once they got serious?
Shen Ye involuntarily flexed his wrist.
Damn it.
He had no means of attack.
It wasn't until high school that one could learn various techniques... he must pass the exams at The Three Prestigious Schools this time!
For now, he needed more Attribute Points.
His phone suddenly rang.
Picking it up, Shen Ye raised an eyebrow slightly.
It was a number that had never contacted him before, labeled only with "Shen Family."
"Hello?"
Shen Ye answered the call.
"Shen Ye?" a deep and authoritative male voice spoke.
"That's me."
"I'm your uncle."
Uncle, huh...
Shen Shuopeng from the Shen Family.
He was his father's brother, and was in charge of the daily affairs of the Shen family.
He remembered every Chinese New Year when he visited, his uncle's cold looks were the most numerous, and he never paid any attention to his mother or himself, sometimes even mocking his father.
What was he calling for?
"Hello, uncle," Shen Ye said.
"How have you been recently?" Shen Shuopeng asked.
"Quite well," Shen Ye replied.
"I heard you were sick a while ago," Shen Shuopeng said.
"Yes, but I'm better now," Shen Ye responded.
It seemed—
Xiao Mengyu really did let the cat out of the bag.
The matter was already causing some initial effects.
This call from his uncle was nothing more than a gesture, a sign that the Shen Family was paying attention to this issue.
Shen Ye shook his head.
If the Shen Family really cared about him, they should have sent someone to find him by now, to understand the whole situation, and to protect him.
Instead, all he got was a phone call.
"That's good—I actually have something to discuss with you," Shen Shuopeng said.
"Oh? Please go on," Shen Ye replied, somewhat surprised.
"Do you remember how, when we went back to the Shen Family for the New Year, there used to be visits from scions of other noble families?" Shen Shuopeng asked.
"I remember," Shen Ye answered.
"You were reckless in the past and caused a lot of trouble. I will make arrangements, and in a few days, you'll come back and publicly apologize to the young masters from the other noble families," Shen Shuopeng instructed.
"Apologize?" Shen Ye repeated.
"This is for your own good. You have offended too many people as a child. Now, you need to come forward and publicly apologize, to get their forgiveness. It will also make us, the Shen Family, look good, you understand?" Shen Shuopeng explained.
Shen Ye slowly caught on.
He was the real victim of the chase—
And now that the Shen Family was aware of it, they wanted him to step forward and apologize.
Apologize?
If he apologized, it would be as if the victim was voluntarily absolving those noble scions; hoping that no one would pursue their accountability.
Would his uncle gain some favor for this?
—Or was there another benefit?
Shen Ye picked up the pineapple juice from the table, took a sip, and spoke deliberately:
"I remember the incidents from my childhood, and it seems I did not offend anyone."
"—Perhaps my uncle could recall a few instances? Who was it? How did I offend them? When did it happen?"
"You don't need to worry about the details, just do as I tell you when the time comes," Shen Shuopeng said sternly.
Shen Ye silently laughed.
If he didn't know the truth, he might really believe that he had offended someone.
If he had ever bullied anyone, and now in order to avoid conflict, the family stepped in to ask him to apologize, he would be willing to say sorry to that person.
However—
Now that he knew the truth,
They still thought to deceive him?
Impossible.
"Uncle," Shen Ye said thoughtfully, "there's a problem here, and if this problem isn't resolved, I simply can't follow your instructions to do this."
"What is it? Is it about the Marrow-Supplementing Pill? Hmph, at such a young age, you haven't learned much, but you certainly learned quickly to be profit-driven," Shen Shuopeng said with scorn.
"It's not that issue; it's a doubt in my mind that has been stopping me from obeying your orders since earlier," Shen Ye said.
"What doubt?" Shen Shuopeng asked.
Shen Ye cautiously inquired, "Who do you think you are?"
"Shen Ye, I'm warning you, don't refuse the wine only to be forced to drink a penalty," the voice from the other side angrily said.
"It seems you think rather highly of yourself," Shen Ye said with a playful laugh, "Since you're so capable, why don't you go and grovel before those people yourself?"
Shen Shuopeng paused in his speech, surprised, "You know?"
"What do I know?" Shen Ye asked in a tone of surprise, "Uncle, are you really going to shake your tail in front of those people?"
"This is not for you to decide. Do you think you can defy your grandfather's decision?" Shen Shuopeng said.
The call suddenly ended.
A smirk appeared at the corner of Shen Ye's mouth. After thinking it over, he dialed his mother Zhao Xiaochang's number and mentioned nothing else other than that his uncle had called to inquire about his situation.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Xiaochang's angry voice came through the handset immediately:
"Hmph, we wanted to go back and ask for a Marrow-Supplementing Pill, but he scolded us and didn't even let us through the Shen Family's main gate. How could he be concerned about you?"
"Don't answer his calls anymore!"
Shen Ye's heart became even more enlightened.
He consoled his mother for a while and chatted about family matters until her mood improved before hanging up the phone.
The matters of the Shen Family, he wouldn't care about them in the future.
Even if asked, he wouldn't return!
The phone suddenly rang again.
"Hello?"
"Hello," a girl's voice came through the receiver, tinged with a slight laugh, "I am Yan Qiuling from Southeast Phoenix Island. I guess you must have heard of our Yan Family's reputation."
"Ah, of course I've heard of it, you're the famously prominent noble family, known to everyone—What can I do for you?" Shen Ye asked.
"You're Shen Ye, right? I want to invite you to my midnight party. There are many girls here, and everyone wants to meet you," the girl still sounded amused.
"That doesn't sound too great, it's already too late, and it's not convenient for me to leave the house," Shen Ye said.
"No worries, just do me this favor, and I'll send a Flying Shuttle to pick you up," Yan Qiuling said confidently, as if there were no doubts to be had.
"That won't be possible. We boys can't just go out at night willy-nilly; we have to protect ourselves. Thanks for the kind gesture, goodbye."
Click.
The call ended.
A cold smile lingered on Shen Ye's lips.
—Xiao Mengyu had said that the matter was already out in the open.
These noble families are always the best informed; they must have gotten wind of the whole affair, which is why a scion of a noble family had given him this call.
"The man Song Qingyun wants to marry."
They were just curious and wanted to see what kind of person he was, that's all.
To be honest, if you want to invite someone you've never met to an event, shouldn't you prepare and notify them in advance?
Whomever calls you at the last minute basically doesn't respect you.
—Except for your closest bros, of course.
The phone rang again.
"Hello?"
Another female voice spoke up: "You've really disrespected Sister Yan, do you know how much of a blessing—"
"But I'm scared," Shen Ye said in a plaintive whisper, "with so many women there, I fear you'll get me drunk, toy with me, and then point at my muscular body and say, 'Look, that's the kid'."
The voice on the other end paused.
Shen Ye hung up again.
He turned off his phone.
Stretching lazily, he stood up and began to move his body slowly.
—Strength is what matters most.
Thinking of treating me as some exhibit, huh? Would they dare command me like this if I were a "catastrophe" myself?
A thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.
That special event—
"If the next Evaluation Entry you receive is again a Green Entry 'One of Us', you will be awarded with the special honorific entry for 'a Normal person who exceptionally received the same Evaluation Entry three consecutive times'."
"This honorific entry will trigger a powerful resonance, calling forth a Hidden Ability to descend upon you."
"You have, and only have, one opportunity to gain this Hidden Ability."
Hidden Ability.
Shen Ye murmured to himself, while taking a deep sigh.
In this world, can there really be such a thing as defeating all your enemies from the comfort of your home?
No!
Even "The Skinner" had confronted him face to face.
If he hadn't gone there then, Xiao Mengyu would have inevitably been defeated and died, and none of it would have come to light, nor would things have progressed to where they are now.
So right now, what he most needed to do was to enhance his strength.
Whether it was to fight back against his family's arrangements or to kill those Clan Young Masters and avenge all the innocent ones and himself, he needed Strength!
—Strength to sweep everything away!!!
It seemed he must strive a bit and see if he could gain this Hidden Ability.
"Door."
A door quietly appeared before Shen Ye's eyes.
What was different this time was that rows of faint, glowing letters began to surface on the door:
"There are 7 minutes until midnight."
"In the new day, the first time you enter through this door you will receive an Evaluation Entry."
"You now have the opportunity to gain a special Hidden Ability."
"To qualify:"
"Receive the 'One of Us' Evaluation Entry for the third time."
"Given that you have already obtained the 'One of Us' Evaluation Entry twice, in your actions, you will receive some 'Key Reminders'."
"Remember, this is your only chance to gain this Hidden Ability!"
7 minutes.
After pondering for a moment, Shen Ye opened the refrigerator, loaded up on some food and drink into his Ring, and began to wait in silence.
Time swiftly passed by.
The clock on the wall ticked away.
—Midnight had arrived!
Shen Ye pushed open the door and stepped through, instantly finding himself in a dense forest.