Chapter 9: Birthday

Chapter 9: Birthday

July 23rd, 2223.

Today was Ji Xinghuo's birthday; he was turning 22 years old. As Lu Yunhai had said, this might be the most important birthday of his life.

Because today, Ji Xinghuo would meet his biological parents.

If they were still alive, that is.

In the afternoon, after his cultivation practice, Ji Xinghuo waited until his physical energy and stellar power had mostly recovered before heading out as usual to the Qishan Wutong Archery Hall to practice archery.

He had already signed up for the "Leaf Cup" competition, which was taking place in three days.

Following the practice plan laid out by Lu Yunhai, Ji Xinghuo had been training with moving and random targets, and his progress had been rapid—his accuracy had improved significantly.

As the training session came to an end, Lu Yunhai approached and greeted him, "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks," Ji Xinghuo replied as he packed up his bow bag. "You're really not coming to the birthday banquet tonight?"

Lu Yunhai shook his head. "No, it's a family gathering for you all. I won't intrude."

"Alright, then I'll treat you separately tomorrow."

Ji Xinghuo didn't press the issue further and left the archery hall after gathering his belongings.

Upon returning home, he freshened up and changed into a new set of clothes, looking crisp and clean, and dignified.

However, he didn't leave immediately. He walked over to the wall, opened the glass window, and gazed silently at the bustling cityscape outside, his expression complex.

As dusk fell, Ji Xinghuo's silhouette was elongated by the setting sun, casting a long shadow on the wall behind him.

The neon lights of the skyscrapers illuminated the night, and the maglev cars on the superconducting highways turned on their headlights, forming a dazzling ribbon of light that never ceased to flow.

Ji Xinghuo snapped back to attention and glanced at the time before turning to leave.

It was seven o'clock in the evening.

Ji Xinghuo arrived at the "Weiyang Building" located in the center of Changan. This skyscraper soared to a height of 1,800 meters, ranking among the tallest buildings in the capital. Its design resembled a grand palace reaching towards the heavens, earning it the title of "Celestial Palace."

He took the elevator up to the 228th floor, where a high-end restaurant called "Gu Xiang" was located. He had made a reservation here last week.

"Welcome back to Gu Xiang!"

Ji Xinghuo followed the slender female server through the lavish corridors, passing by well-dressed guests who exuded an air of sophistication and refinement.

He rarely visited such upscale places, but his mind was elsewhere at the moment.

Entering the private room, Ji Xinghuo was greeted by a breathtaking view. One side of the room was a floor-to-ceiling transparent glass wall offering a panoramic view of most of Changan, showcasing the bustling metropolis that was the capital of the Asian Union.

Standing there, he felt as if he were standing above the clouds, looking down upon the masses.

However, Ji Xinghuo didn't linger on the view and instead sat down to order a tableful of dishes before quietly waiting.

A moment later,

"Xinghuo." A tall young man pushed the door open and entered.

He had a handsome face and a sunny smile. As he walked in, he exuded a vibrant and energetic aura, and as he drew closer, one could feel a warmth about him that set him apart from ordinary people, making others feel comfortable in his presence.

"Second Brother."

Ji Xinghuo stood up to greet him.

The two men embraced briefly, and Zhong Ming patted Ji Xinghuo's back firmly before letting go and handing over a packaging box. "This is your birthday gift—the latest model of the 'Chuidianzhe' power shoes. You can use them for daily commuting; I think you'll like them."

"Thanks, Second Brother," Ji Xinghuo accepted the gift without hesitation.

Zhong Ming had a high income, and a pair of power shoes worth tens of thousands was just a few days' salary for him.

He was the most accomplished among the five siblings, having become an Other at the age of nineteen with the "Flame Maniac" profession template.

Last year, at the age of twenty-two, Zhong Ming had advanced to become a mid-level Other and signed a contract with a club after graduating. Now, he was fighting in the B League, already quite famous, and was considered to have the potential to enter the Super League.

"Hmm?"

Just as Zhong Ming was about to sit down, he paused and studied Ji Xinghuo intently for a moment before asking, "Xinghuo, have you become an Other?"

Ji Xinghuo was about to answer when a surprised exclamation came from outside the door.

"Third Brother! Are you an Other now?"

A young man and woman hurried into the room. The speaker was the young woman, who was in her early twenties.

She wore a tight top that exposed her navel, paired with a colorful pleated miniskirt and over-the-knee tube socks. Her face was lightly made up, and her hair, dyed sea blue, was styled elaborately. She exuded a vibrant and youthful aura.

In contrast, the young man beside her seemed rather ordinary. He was thin and unkempt, with his hands tucked into his pockets, and he maintained a lazy, detached demeanor, deliberately keeping his distance from the girl.

In truth, he was keeping his distance from the floating camera that hovered beside her.

"Feifei, turn off the livestream," Zhong Ming reminded her.

"Second Brother, I'm not livestreaming. I'm just recording my life. If I become famous in the future, this will be material for a documentary!" Liang Qiifei smiled brightly as she entered, maneuvering the camera to fly around the room before focusing it on Zhong Ming and Ji Xinghuo.

Zhong Ming glanced at it and saw that it was indeed just recording. He shook his head helplessly.

"Third Brother, do you mind?" Liang Qiifei asked again.

"It's fine," Ji Xinghuo replied, indifferent to the camera's presence, as he had long gotten used to it.

Since she was eighteen, Liang Qiifei had harbored the ambition to become a globally renowned streamer. She could sing, dance, game, and perform, though she wasn't particularly exceptional in any of these areas. Relying on her above-average looks, she had been streaming for three years and had become a small streamer with a few hundred regular viewers.

Except for when she slept or used the bathroom, she was almost always livestreaming.

There were tens of millions of people across the country who livestreamed their private lives like her, and one could encounter seven or eight of them within a few hundred meters of walking in Changan.

Ji Xinghuo never wanted to be in the frame.

In his "Personal Network Privacy Settings," he had enabled "Portrait Protection" mode.

With this setting, any images of him that were publicly released online—whether in livestreams, videos, or photos, and regardless of who took them—would automatically have his face blurred and replaced with a random, generic face unless he gave explicit permission.

Of course, this protection only applied to public portraits.

In the case of legal issues or investigations, government departments had the authority to access the data and obtain the true information.

"When did this happen?" Liang Qiu Feiyan, who had just found out about it, furrowed her brows. She harrumphed indignantly, "It happened at the beginning of the month, and you didn't tell me for almost three weeks!"

Before Ji Xinghuo could explain, she eagerly asked, "Third Brother, what profession template did you choose?"

Zhong Ming also inquired with concern.

"Ranger," Ji Xinghuo replied with a smile, turning to the young man who had remained silent since entering and had already taken a seat. "Zichen, what have you been up to during your summer vacation?"

"Third Brother, that's such an obvious question..." Liang Qiu Feiyan interrupted, "Other than playing games, what else could he do?"

She continued to tattle, "I live with him, and I hardly see him a couple of times a week. Today, if I hadn't dragged him out, he would have forgotten about your birthday and would still be lying in his gaming pod, rotting away!"

Liang Qiu Feiyan and Wang Zizheng attended the same university and shared a rented apartment.

Both of them were a year younger than Ji Xinghuo and would only graduate next year.

However, their personalities were polar opposites.

Liang Qiu Feiyan was lively and cheerful, always striving for improvement, and was well-liked. On the other hand, Wang Zizheng, the youngest of the five siblings, was introverted and had completely given up on life. At the age of fifteen, he had decided never to work and had no desire to become an Other. He was irredeemably addicted to virtual games.

"I didn't forget. It's just that the boss in this instance was quite powerful, so I couldn't finish it in time, which caused the delay."

Wang Zizheng offered an explanation for himself and then took out a packaging box. "Third Brother, this is my birthday gift for you."

"Thank you!" Ji Xinghuo accepted the gift. Although Wang Zizheng didn't say what was inside, his expression showed that he had prepared it early and put a lot of thought into it.

"Third Brother, I also bought you a birthday present." Liang Qiu Feiyan quickly presented her gift as well, saying with a smile, "Your phone is quite old now. I bought you a new one—the latest 'Magic Star' phone. I specifically chose the black and gold model, your favorite colors."

Ji Xinghuo was touched. "Thank you, Feiyan. You really went all out."

"Last week, a 'small capitalist' joined my livestream and was very generous, tipping me tens of thousands of dollars. So, I used that money to buy you this phone, hahaha..." Liang Qiu Feiyan looked quite proud of herself.

Ji Xinghuo and Zhong Ming exchanged a glance, both of them with a hint of worry in their eyes.

Zhong Ming said seriously, "Feiyan, you need to be careful about protecting your personal information while livestreaming. If anything happens, be sure to let us know immediately."

"I know!"

Liang Qiu Feiyan's face turned cunning. "I'm not a child anymore. I know exactly what those rich guys in my livestream are thinking. I'm going to be a big star in the future, so I have to avoid serious relationships. How could I possibly mess around with someone just for a little money?"

Ji Xinghuo felt a little more relieved and nodded. "As long as you're confident about it."

The four of them sat together and chatted casually.

Today was Ji Xinghuo's birthday, so it was natural that he was the center of attention.

Zhong Ming asked curiously, "Xinghuo, wasn't your previous goal always the 'Titanium Cobalt Dragon Man'? Why did you choose to be a ranger instead?"

Liang Qiu Feiyan and Wang Zizheng were also curious.

"The competition for Titanium Cobalt Dragon Man is too intense. I would need at least two more years of training to have a fifty percent chance of success. But I just couldn't wait that long." Ji Xinghuo had prepared an excuse before coming, and he continued, "Also, I recently discovered that I have a talent for archery when practicing with my classmates. It suits the ranger profession very well."

His words were mostly true, with only a slight twist in the order of events.

The three siblings didn't doubt him at all.

"What a pity!"

Zhong Ming shook his head regretfully. "Your talent is higher than mine. If you had become a Titanium Cobalt Dragon Man, you would have soared to great heights."

He and Ji Xinghuo grew up together, shared the same aspirations, and trained together, so they knew each other's situations very well.

Ji Xinghuo's talent was indeed the highest in the family!

Among the five siblings, only Ji Xinghuo could be considered a true genius.

Although Zhong Ming had achieved the most and was the strongest among them, he was well aware that Ji Xinghuo had become an Other later to build a solid foundation. He knew that Ji Xinghuo would definitely surpass him in the future. He just never expected that Ji Xinghuo would fall short in the last two years and couldn't persist.

The gap between a ranger and a Titanium Cobalt Dragon Man was just too huge!

Zhong Ming felt nothing but regret and sadness for Ji Xinghuo, but he didn't show it on his face. After all, it was Ji Xinghuo's choice.

"Yeah..."

Liang Qiu Feiyan and Wang Zizheng also looked disappointed.

The two of them had average talent and willpower. They couldn't endure the hardships of training, had mediocre physical fitness, and failed the tests of the Starry Realm Department, making their chances of becoming Others extremely low.

The room fell silent for a moment.

To change the subject, Ji Xinghuo asked, "Where's our big sister? It's already half-past seven."

Among the five siblings, the eldest was Ye Dongyun, their big sister.

She had graduated a couple of years ago. After failing to fuse with an exotic species, she gave up on the path of becoming an Other and took the civil servant exam, becoming a government official. Now, she was busy every day, rarely speaking in their group chat. Occasionally, she would appear and forward some government-related messages.

"Big Sister has been working on some key project lately. If she does well, she might get promoted."

Liang Qiu Feiyan, who was closest to the big sister since childhood, kept in touch with her privately.

"She's here! She's here!"

Before the person arrived, her voice reached them first.

As she finished speaking, a woman dressed in a refined and capable manner pushed the door open and entered.

She carried a briefcase and a gift box in her hands. The moment she entered, her originally solemn expression immediately transformed into a warm smile.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting, my dear siblings."

"I had something urgent to attend to in the afternoon, so I had to make a trip to Tianfu City. As soon as I finished, I rushed back here, but I'm still half an hour late." Ye Dongyun explained with a smile on her face and presented the gift she was holding. "Third Brother, happy birthday!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end