Chapter 13: Separation

“Boss, two bottles of beer!”

Yu Zishan called out to the shop owner.

Soon after, two bottles of ice-cold beer were placed on the table.

“Why on earth are you drinking this?”

Bai Nian looked at the beers on the table, puzzled.

Yu Zishan replied matter-of-factly, “Eating skewers, of course you have to drink!”

“Can you even drink?”

“What’s there not to know? Don’t look down on me!”

Yu Zishan popped open a bottle, poured herself a full glass, then raised her cup.

“To our friendship, cheers!”

“Cheers.”

The clink of glasses rang crisp and clear as they each downed their wheat juice.

They ate the skewers in their hands and sipped their drinks while chatting casually, without mentioning anything about awakening—just like old times.

One bottle was drained in the blink of an eye.

Yu Zishan’s cheeks were slightly flushed, but she still looked pretty spirited.

Bai Nian was a bit surprised that she hadn’t drunk it all at once.

“Nian Nian, try this abalone—it’s really fresh and juicy.”

She handed one over, but Bai Nian frowned.

“Zishan, you ordered way too much. We won’t be able to finish it.”

“Then we’ll just pack it up,”

she mumbled, staring blankly at the abalone on the table.

“Hey, Nian Nian, doesn’t this look like… hmm…”

Yu Zishan hadn’t finished speaking before Bai Nian quickly covered her mouth.

“I know what you’re about to say, but don’t say it.”

“Then… does it look like you?”

Yu Zishan suddenly leaned in close to Bai Nian’s ear.

Yu Zishan!

Do you even realize what kind of blasphemy you’re spewing?!

Bai Nian tapped her forehead.

Great, this girl’s definitely had too much to drink…

Seeing the embarrassed look on her face, Yu Zishan couldn’t help but laugh.

“Just kidding. Were you thinking I drank too much just now?”

“People who drink too much always think they didn’t.”

Bai Nian rolled her eyes at her.

“Not true!”

Yu Zishan immediately insisted.

“Alright, alright, I believe you.”

“Nian Nian, did you really dispel the first-level portal at Third High School?”

Yu Zishan tilted her head as she asked Bai Nian, who was busy showing off her crayfish.

Then, as if realizing it was inappropriate, she quickly shook her head and added, “Nian Nian, I’m not doubting you…”

Bai Nian took off her disposable gloves and pulled out the Disaster Core from her pocket.

“Here, take a look.”

“Ah, this is… a Disaster Core?!”

Yu Zishan’s voice was filled with surprise.

Unlike Bai Nian, she was still stuck in theory when it came to portals, so seeing an actual Disaster Core naturally shocked her.

“Nian Nian, look at this…”

She pulled out her phone, worry tinting her expression as she handed it over to Bai Nian.

It was a news report from Tianmu City about Third High School.

“Tianmu City’s Third High School genius Su Su, with nothing but an ordinary body, successfully dispelled a first-level Region-level Disaster Portal!”

“A Heaven-rank Profession holder with an A-rank talent, the strongest genius Tianmu City has ever seen!”

“The Huaxia Alliance is rising, and yet another genius is born!”

The headlines all covered the sudden appearance of the Region-level Disaster Portal.

An unawakened high school student single-handedly removed a first-level Disaster Portal.

The media was stunned.

Keep in mind, it was a first-level, not Zero Rank.

Achieving this without any professional aid, purely on talent, was nothing short of genius.

At the same time, the Copy inside the removed first-level Disaster Portal was released.

It told the story of how Su Su escaped from the Spirit Hospital to save her classmates.

Of course, the details about her selling her body and nearly being gutted after a failed escape attempt were omitted.

Bai Nian had no knowledge of Su Su’s true experience.

“Doesn’t matter,” she said nonchalantly.

With her own talent, she wouldn’t even get into university.

At best, it’d just be a note in her records.

“That won’t do. They’re stealing your credit, Nian Nian. I’m going to report them,”

Yu Zishan said indignantly.

“We have the Disaster Core right here, let’s see how they spin it!”

“Zishan.”

Bai Nian suddenly called out.

Yu Zishan turned and met her gaze.

“What’s up?”

“My awakened profession is Yellow-rank [Hypnotist].”

It wasn’t that she wanted to lie; the awakening system just showed her initial information.

That one sentence silenced Yu Zishan.

She fully understood what Bai Nian meant.

“Nian Nian…”

She looked at her with some sympathy.

Bai Nian wore a carefree expression.

“It’s fine, don’t comfort me. Who doesn’t want to be a genius? If everyone got what they wished for, there wouldn’t be Disaster Portals in the world.”

“Yeah, most of us are just ordinary people,”

Yu Zishan sighed.

She’d hoped they’d both be geniuses or both be useless so they could remain the best of friends.

But on the day of awakening, their paths diverged.

She worried their relationship would grow distant.

As if sensing her thoughts, Bai Nian smiled, “We will always be best friends.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Yu Zishan nodded firmly and laughed, “Nian Nian will always be my wife!”

On the way back, they walked slowly, as if trying to stretch this moment indefinitely.

“Zishan, you haven’t told me your profession yet.”

She had held back to avoid upsetting Bai Nian but now that Bai Nian asked, she didn’t hide it.

“My awakened profession is Heaven-rank [Ghostwalker], and my talent is A-rank [Blade God].”

“I heard it’s a powerful combat profession, perfectly matching my talent.”

Yu Zishan added with a smile, then laughed, “I’ll protect you from now on.”

“Wow, Zishan, you’re so cool~”

Bai Nian teased playfully, “From now on, I’m your little fangirl~”

They were the same age, though Yu Zishan was a few months older.

“Who in their right mind picks up a knife and just slashes around? I wish I had an ordinary profession,”

Yu Zishan sighed.

The profession was good, but not exactly fitting for a girl.

Well, at least the name wasn’t fitting.

Before they knew it, they reached a fork in the road and naturally stopped, gazing at each other.

“By the way, Nian Nian, a first-level Region-level Disaster Core is worth at least fifty thousand. You should sell it—it’ll make life easier.”

Yu Zishan suggested, unable to bear seeing Bai Nian struggle so much.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Maybe by the time you graduate, I’ll already be a millionaire,”

Bai Nian joked.

“Okay, I believe you.”

Yu Zishan looked at her intently and suddenly stepped forward to hug her tightly.

Feeling the softness of her body and the faint fragrance she carried, Bai Nian comfortingly patted her back.

“Why make it sound like a farewell? It’s not like we won’t see each other again.”

Yu Zishan said nothing.

After a moment, they parted.

She spoke reluctantly, “I should go now.”

“Good luck. I’ll always support you.”