Conquering Shadows: The Enchanting Tale of the Demon-Sealing Pass

"Dinner is on the table, heat it up yourself." "Tomorrow is the Awakening Assessment, don't stay up late tonight." A middle-aged man in a slightly old-fashioned but neat suit, with a rose in his mouth, meticulously styling his hair in front of the mirror. Despite being in his middle age, under the blessing of his good looks, he exudes a unique mature charm. Especially the somewhat unrestrained smile at the corner of his mouth, it easily captivates even the middle-aged ladies. Yusheng sat in front of the dining table, looking somewhat absent-minded, merely responding with a perfunctory acknowledgment. After preparing everything, the middle-aged man carefully took out a small bottle of perfume and sprayed it in the air, letting the fragrance evenly envelop his body. "If there's nothing else, I'm off on a date!" "Good luck with your assessment tomorrow!" After saying that, the middle-aged man hummed a tune and left home. Once the middle-aged man left, Yusheng took out his phone and dialed a number. "Hello, is this the police?" "I want to report a crime." "Tonight, around 8 o'clock, Room 302 at the Sophie Hotel, there may be an indecent incident." "Yes, I'm sure, I saw his room card." "What's my relationship with him?" Yusheng pondered for two seconds, "He is my father." "It's alright, serving the people is an obligation that cannot be shirked." "Alright, goodbye, officer." Hanging up the phone, Yusheng once again drifted away in his thoughts. His name was Yusheng, and the person who had just left was his father, Yusan Shui. However, the word "father" was somewhat vague in his memory. He had lived in the City of Sin since childhood, and even the knowledge of having a father himself was only discovered a few months ago. The City of Sin, so dark. No rules, no laws, and fairness was non-existent. To survive, one would resort to any means necessary. Until he finally obtained that precious opportunity to leave the City of Sin. Tomorrow would be his Awakening Ceremony on his 18th birthday. But... How many tattooed eggs could he hatch? And the picture of dead objects that had been appearing in his mind since childhood, would it undergo a change after awakening? The more Yusheng thought about it, the more he wondered. The sky gradually darkened. Yusheng sat at the dining table, earnestly eating his meal, savoring each bite. Although it was just ordinary food, in Yusheng's eyes, it was an immensely precious thing. Yusan Shui? Yusheng glanced at the time, it was already past 9 pm. Did the security guard mess up? "Speak." Yusheng answered the phone lazily. On the other end of the line, Yusan Shui's voice was filled with frustration, "I don't know which bastard reported me. They detained me! I'm at the Security Office, and they insist I solicited prostitution." "It was consensual, can you call it soliciting?" "Hurry up and bring some money to bail me out; otherwise, I probably won't be able to get out in a few days!" Yusheng's voice remained calm, "I don't have any money." "I know you don't, go to my bedroom. There's a box under the bed." "There's a key in the box." "Turn left after you leave the house. This key can open the back door of Mrs. Wang's place." "There's a vegetable pot at the back door, and the money is underneath it." After hanging up the phone, Yusheng followed Yusan Shui's instructions and found a stack of banknotes under the vegetable pot at Mrs. Wang's back door. It amounted to around 2,000 yuan. He calmly collected the money, returned to his own home, washed the dishes, swept the floor, and made the bed. A while later, the phone rang again. It was from the Security Office. Yusheng answered the call. "Yes, I am a family member of Yusan Shui." "No, I won't bail him out." "I believe we should stop such immoral behavior to better purify the social environment." "So, please go ahead and carry out the most profound transformation on him." "Well, it's not a problem. Time is not an issue." "As long as he can become a useful person to society, everything will be worth it." As Yusheng spoke, his expression gradually became serious. "Prosperity, a wise ruler, civility, harmony, justice, the rule of law, patriotism, dedication, integrity, kindness! These are the positive values that MoGe has always promoted!" "Even as ordinary people, we are always ready." After finishing his words, Yusheng hung up the phone and lay down on the bed, falling asleep in the darkness of the night. In his dream, an ancient scroll slowly unfolded in his mind, faintly depicting something, but it was dim and blurry. A ray of starlight penetrated through the window, covering Yusheng. ... Morning arrived. Yusheng opened his eyes, freshened up, and prepared breakfast. Once everything was ready, he casually slung his school bag over his shoulder and headed out to school. For him, who grew up in the City of Sin, going to school was a novelty. Initially, he had some expectations when entering the school gate, but after getting to know his classmates, he felt that school was just like any other place. A bit naive. A group of children who had never seen blood, fantasizing every day about how they would conquer the world, be invincible, and uphold world peace. At the school gate, many parents excitedly accompanied their children. The Awakening Assessment, held once a year, determined the fate of most people. If their innate talent was not sufficient and they didn't have any fortuitous encounters, they would likely end up as ordinary workers for the rest of their lives. If they were lucky and had connections, they might enter the Security Office, leading a more comfortable life. During this time, Yusheng also saw a few classmates, but he didn't greet them. Those classmates almost subconsciously ignored Yusheng. In the classroom, the homeroom teacher stood at the podium, his expression icy. Liu Qingfeng, a former frontline soldier, it was said that he had fought in the Monster-Subduing Pass before. However, his right pinky finger was torn off by a monster, rendering him unable to grip a sword and leading him to this remote small city to become a teacher. He always had a cold expression, training them in military-style exercises, causing everyone to complain bitterly and secretly call him "Liu Crazy." "In one hour, the Awakening Assessment will begin!" "Perhaps you all have aspirations about how, after awakening, you'll have excellent talents, rapid cultivation, slaying monsters, and guarding the city, earning the admiration of thousands." "But how many can actually achieve that?" "Bathing in blood, killing enemies, and contributing to the prosperity of the Human Race is indeed admirable." "But what's wrong with serving the people in the rear and working for the well-being of the citizens?" "Therefore, calm down!" "In the last hour, adjust yourselves," Liu Qingfeng's cold and realistic voice echoed, and the classroom fell silent. However, no one refuted him. Because they knew that what Liu Qingfeng said was true. "To serve the people..." "Or to be served by the people..." At that moment, Yusheng's voice faintly resounded in the quiet classroom, clearly audible. The students collectively fell into petrification. A second blow, leaving them at a loss. So, they were not even worthy of serving the people. Although everyone understood this in their hearts, saying it out loud... It inevitably weighed heavily on their spirits.