Chapter 33: The Advancement of the Warrior Class

Di Ping set aside the joy of his newfound strength and focused on the changes that his profession had brought him. It felt as if something new had appeared in his mind. With a moment of concentration, he discovered that some information had indeed materialized in his consciousness, etched deeply in his memory. This information was as clear and vivid as if it had always been a part of him.

"Skills?"

Di Ping quickly understood what the information was. It revealed three new skills: Slash, Taunt, and Charge. He felt as though he had practiced these skills countless times, and now he could activate them with a mere thought.

At this point, Di Ping was unable to perform internal vision; he could not see what was in his mind. However, if he could, he would notice that five glowing orbs were floating gently within the foggy space of his consciousness. These orbs represented the skills he had learned: the two previous ones, Detection and the talent skill Flame Enhancement, along with the new ones.

Just as he was reveling in his discoveries, Di Ping suddenly felt a momentary darkness. When his eyes adjusted, he realized he had returned to the original scene, where his hands had been pressing against a pillar. He withdrew his hands and moved back toward Wu An, who, along with Bu Ji, was looking at him with expressions of joy.

"Congratulations, Master, on your successful inheritance!" they both exclaimed in unison.

After lingering in the tavern for some time, Di Ping had learned everything he could, which allowed him to leave at ease. He left Bu Ji behind at the base, which he considered his foundation. He was not eager for any issues to arise here, and with Bu Ji present, he was confident there would be no problems. Even if something went wrong, the system would alert him, allowing him to quickly address any situation.

In truth, he was being overly cautious. The system was a highly reliable entity and capable of handling situations without problems.

Upon leaving the tavern, it was nearly six o'clock. The sky was dimly lit with the first rays of dawn, casting a reddish glow through the gaps in the tall trees, illuminating the dewy grass below. The leaves glistened with droplets of water, shimmering under the sunlight in a magical display. With no human noise to disrupt the peace, only the soft breeze rustled the leaves, creating a tranquil atmosphere. It was a world of calmness, a world that Di Ping wished were free from the apocalypse.

He quickly returned to Building 1. The team members on duty at the first floor were surprised when they opened the hallway door. They hadn't noticed when Di Ping had left, and now, seeing him return drenched from the morning dew, they immediately knew he had just returned from outside.

"Di Ge? You're back?" one of the two team members said, his face familiar, but Di Ping couldn't recall their names.

"Did everything go smoothly?" Di Ping asked as he entered, brushing off the dew from his clothes.

"Yes, Di Ge, everything was safe! We stayed up all night and didn't notice anything unusual!" replied the younger, dark-skinned man, his voice filled with respect.

"Good!" Di Ping replied, relieved that nothing had happened. He looked at the young man and asked, "What's your name?"

"Di Ge, my name is Li Shuang!" the young man said, his face flushing with excitement, pointing to the short man next to him, "This is Wang Fang, our teammate."

"Di Ge, hello!" Wang Fang greeted him eagerly.

"Great, thanks for your hard work, brothers!" Di Ping smiled and nodded. He was pleased with Li Shuang's response; not only was he quick to act, but he also made sure to introduce his teammate, giving him the opportunity to recognize his friend. This person had potential, and Di Ping considered him someone worth mentoring.

As Di Ping made his way upstairs amidst the admiring gazes of the two men, he was stunned when he opened the door to his room. It was filled with people—everyone was awake, sitting in silence. The room was thick with a heavy, almost maddening stillness, with everyone staring blankly at one direction. Only Nannan, cradled by Yu Shujie, was peacefully asleep on the couch.

The others were caught in a trance, their eyes dull and lifeless. When Di Ping entered, the group suddenly snapped back to reality, standing up in unison. Their expressions shifted to ones of concern, reproach, joy, and even relief. Yu Shujie's eyes were filled with joy, tears on the verge of falling, though she held them back, biting her lip. Even Liu Bingyu and Ning Nan showed a mix of worry and happiness. Only Ye Lu seemed to avoid Di Ping's gaze.

"Why are you all sitting here? Did something happen?" Di Ping asked, puzzled by their behavior. Their darkened eyes and tired expressions made it clear they hadn't slept, and he wondered if something had gone wrong.

"My god! Where have you been? We've been so worried!" A shout broke the silence as the chubby Chen Gang rushed forward and grabbed Di Ping in a hug, his voice full of relief.

Di Ping was taken by surprise, caught off guard by Chen Gang's speed. He didn't enjoy being hugged by men, especially this one, who hadn't bathed in ages. The smell was unbearable, and Di Ping nearly fainted from the stench.

"Get off me, you fat slob! I'm not interested in you!" Di Ping twisted his body to free himself, kicking the chubby man away, sending him flying onto the couch.

"Di Ge! You're so heartless! I've been worried about you all night!" Chen Gang whined from the couch, his face showing exaggerated sorrow.

"Ugh! Don't gross me out, you fat pig!" Di Ping groaned, glaring at the man before laughing along with the others, the atmosphere lightening in the process.

After a round of lighthearted banter, Di Ping finally learned what had happened. After he left, no one had thought much of it at first, assuming he was on patrol. But as time passed, they grew concerned when he didn't return. Eventually, they searched the building but couldn't find him. In a panic, they decided not to cause a scene, as the organization had grown beyond just a few people, and the thought of something happening to Di Ping was too much to bear. They continued searching in secret, not daring to alert others.

By midnight, fear had set in. They had exhausted all possible search areas, and no one dared venture outside due to the dangerous night. Despair took hold of them, and they waited in the hopes that Di Ping would return safely. It was near dawn when they had almost lost all hope, only for Di Ping to return, and their relief was overwhelming, like finding water in the desert.

Seeing the concern in their eyes, Di Ping suddenly felt a weight in his heart. It was then that he truly understood what responsibility meant. While he had always wanted to protect others, this moment made him feel it more acutely than ever before. Everyone was relying on him, and this hope gave him both pressure and warmth.

"I'll show you something good later!" Di Ping said, deciding not to explain where he had been. The castle was something he hadn't planned to reveal yet, but seeing the affection his team had for him made him rethink. He realized that most of them genuinely depended on him, and there was no point in keeping the castle a secret anymore.

"What is it?" Chen Gang asked eagerly, desperate for any news.

"A good place to take a bath! You stink!" Di Ping shot back, rolling his eyes at the smelly, chubby man.

"Ah! No! Please, Di Ge, spare me!" Chen Gang groaned dramatically, covering his face with his hands.

"You better wash up, or you won't be eating!" Yu Shujie teased, her voice light-hearted.

"Yeah! No bath, no food!" the others chimed in, laughing.

"Ah! You're all terrible!" Chen Gang cried dramatically, covering his face.

Everyone laughed, and Di Ping stood up. "Prepare breakfast, then we'll head out. Afterward, I'll show you something that'll surprise you!"

As Di Ping entered his room to freshen up, his team speculated on what the "good thing" might be. They knew that when Di Ping spoke of something being special, it was bound to be extraordinary. To them, he was almost like a god, capable of anything.