Standing in the field, Li Chengyi took a deep breath.

He wanted to test out his new flower language ability immediately, but the potential physical changes might draw too much attention. So, he suppressed his urge to try it out.

“Since I’m here anyway… might as well…” 

He looked around, spotting various colors and species of gladiolus. 

Without hesitation, he extended both hands, starting to absorb the evolution energy from his surroundings.

For the first evolution, he needed to absorb energy from mutated flowers—something he confirmed with the wisteria. Standing amidst the flowers, he touched each one, and soon, he’d covered nearly the entire field of gladiolus.

His evolution progress hit 43%.

Once he had absorbed everything he could, he finally stopped, satisfied.

“What are you doing in the field? Get out of there! No one’s allowed in!” A passing worker, spotting him, called out loudly, pointing in his direction.

“I’ll come out right now—I was just taking some pictures. The flowers are beautiful,” Li Chengyi replied quickly.

“You can take pictures from outside the field. If everyone stepped in, there’d be no flowers left,” the man, around his forties with a balding head, replied in a booming voice.

Li Chengyi hurried out of the field, feeling content now that he’d collected enough evolution energy and touched every gladiolus in sight.

After apologizing to the bald man and watching him walk off, his gaze wandered across the field to a patch of sunflowers.

“Sunflowers?” He hadn’t tried these yet. 

The sunflowers hadn’t bloomed before, but now…

Glancing around and noticing no one paying attention, he saw a mother and daughter nearby, gently touching the flowers and whispering about them. Perfect cover.

He coughed, pulled out his phone, and moved toward the sunflower field, pretending to line up a photo.

With large leaves and round, oversized blossoms, the sunflowers’ dark centers made them look like miniaturized durians. Moving closer, he caught a faint whiff of fragrance.

He reached out to touch them.

Immediately, a cooling sensation flowed into his fingers, spreading into the “Flower of Evil” tattoo on his hand.

‘Sunflower: Also known as “Giant Chrysanthemum,” or “Sunrise Flower.” Requires ample sunlight and water. A member of the Asteraceae family, sunflowers are annual plants with edible seeds that can be pressed for oil. Blooms in July-August. The flower head has properties for reducing heat and phlegm, cooling blood, and stopping bleeding; it can also relieve headaches and dizziness. Crushed petals, applied externally, can treat mastitis and various boils.’

‘Flower Language: Crown of Radiance (Upon use, you receive a crown that emits radiant sunlight, with healing effects for minor ailments and the ability to repel cold and darkness to some extent).’

Hiss…

Li Chengyi felt a shiver. This flower language… impressive. With no time limit, its function leaned toward the supernatural.

He couldn’t help but think of the mysterious white-clad boy he’d encountered in Gleis Parking Lot.

There was no doubt that the boy was Dongdi Jagil. But why did he remain in a youthful form? And why did he linger in Gleis? 

‘Could it be… Jagil might have died in that dead end long ago, leaving only a living body? Was that his spirit?’

Li Chengyi’s thoughts spun.

He’d once doubted the existence of spirits, but now, the sunflower’s flower language left little room for uncertainty. The answer was likely a resounding yes.

“Too bad, still not as practical as the gladiolus. Next time… next time, I’ll pick you.” Reluctantly, he gave the sunflower a last touch before turning away, planning to search for more gladiolus variants.

As he started off, his phone rang—a classic old-style ringtone, set to distinguish it from others. A quick glance at the caller ID made his expression tense.

It was his boss, Zhang Sinda.

Answering, he raised the phone to his ear.

“Chengyi, that Meng Dongdong you went in with last time—her dad was planning to come after you. I had Ding Ning intervene and sort it out for you. Ding Ning mentioned it, right?” Zhang Sinda began, sounding pleased with himself.

“Oh… he did. Boss, you called for a reason, right? Just let me know,” Li Chengyi replied, catching the obvious hint.

“Good. I knew you were someone who values loyalty.” Zhang Sinda’s tone was laced with satisfaction. “I need some help on my end. You wanted a basic Feiyi set, right? Help me investigate something, and I’ll give you a basic model as a reward—civilian use only, though.”

“Really?!” Li Chengyi’s voice jumped in excitement. A Feiyi set wasn’t cheap, costing millions. Saving up for it himself would take an eternity.

He’d been waiting for his boss to bring this up. Zhang Sinda had already hinted at it by bringing in Ding Ning once he showed interest in the Feiyi.

“Of course.” Zhang Sinda chuckled. “Escaping that last incident confirmed your skills. If you can prove yourself externally this time, the company will certainly invest more in you.”

“Got it. Thanks a lot, Boss!” Li Chengyi’s heart raced with excitement. Feiyi might have its downsides, but its power was undeniable.

Ding Ning had once told him over drinks that a skilled Intellective Engineer could even snipe targets thousands of kilometers away with pinpoint precision.

Given its destructive potential, Feiyi was strictly regulated worldwide.

Only two nations produced it independently—Yiguo and Baixing. Other countries could only manufacture basic parts for the standard model, while Yiguo and Baixing had their proprietary versions.

“Come to the office. I’ll introduce you to another company contractor.” Zhang Sinda added before hanging up.

Feeling energized, Li Chengyi briskly made his way toward the park exit.

Feiyi might be a glass cannon—high offense, low defense, and costly—but with his Flower Scale Armor, he could layer its force fields for near-impervious defense.

In close combat, when an opponent finally broke through the Feiyi’s attacks and got within range, expecting victory, he’d activate his armor. With defenses rivaling a fully-modified cyborg…

Anyone would feel crushed, their hopes dashed in an instant.

And he could take advantage of that moment to launch a swift counterattack and finish them off.

Exiting the botanical garden, he hailed a cab directly to New Century Tower.

The young woman driving had the radio on, humming along to the music.

“Could you switch to the news, please?” Li Chengyi asked, unable to handle her off-key singing.

“Sure,” she agreed, tuning to the daily news.

Short reports rolled out in rapid succession, filling the silence.

“Kim Side Group’s first-half financial report: revenue of 457.7 billion, a 1.4% increase, with net profits of 33.9 billion.”

“Fortune hosts an all-star sky stage concert, with 131 out of 133 stars attending. A city-wide event of pure sound.”

“Baixing star Elfa Dela announced her marriage last night.”

“Yiguo Foreign Minister Wu Fu meets with Ernesia’s President Gorman for diplomatic talks.”

“A coalition of 115 publicly traded companies announces the formation of the New Terra Ecosystem Trade Union, planning investments or buyouts for 71 heavy space prisons in low-Earth orbit. This commercial initiative has received international court approval.”

The news pulled Li Chengyi out of his deep contemplation.

“Space prisons… you mean the Gate Prison?” he mused aloud.

“The Gate is the most famous, but there are over a hundred other space prisons under international jurisdiction,” the cab driver replied, clearly well-informed from her daily news.

“Still, the decisions all come down to Yiguo and Baixing, right?” Li Chengyi chuckled.

“True, but it sounds better to say it’s a united front. The smaller countries might be small, but they still need unity,” she replied with a laugh.

“I heard the Gate Prison has a visitor program. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to go,” Li Chengyi sighed.

“There are open periods, but it’s expensive. For us regular folks, it’s out of reach—one-way tickets alone cost tens of thousands,” she replied. 

The car slowed to a stop.

“We’re here.” She quickly printed the fare receipt and handed it to him.

After paying, Li Chengyi stepped out and spotted the pencil-browed woman from the company waiting at the curb.

This time, she wore a gray suit with a knee-length skirt and sheer black tights, accentuating her shapely legs.

“Let’s go. The boss has been waiting for you,” she said softly.

“Who else is there?” he asked as they walked into the building.

“Mr. Sima Gui is here too,” she replied.

Sima Gui?

Curiosity sparked within him. He’d heard the name several times—Sima Gui was one of the boss’s most seasoned contractors, having survived three dead-ends. Compared to him, who’d only survived one, Sima Gui was a veteran.

As they entered the elevator, the numbers shifted, and she suddenly spoke.

“Mr. Chengyi, please be careful.”

“?” He glanced at her, puzzled.

“Mr. Sima Gui has a… challenging temperament. Frankly, most survivors of dead-ends aren’t… entirely normal. You’re one of the more easygoing ones,” she remarked, her expression showing faint resistance.

“Thanks for the warning.” Li Chengyi nodded. He had a feeling the boss was orchestrating something big.