Star Era 1396, December, First Snow.

A green train wound its way through the mountains, cutting across the vast landscape like a giant dragon.

Snowflakes fluttered outside the window, and a desolate, remote town gradually came into view. The train’s loudspeaker crackled with a less-than-sweet female voice: “Dear passengers, we have arrived at Huadong County. Passengers who need to disembark, please take your belongings, do not push, and exit in an orderly manner.”

As the train began to slow down, the young man in the corner, engrossed in his black-and-white handheld game console, finally lifted his head.

From the previous stop to Huadong County, the young man’s Tetris score had climbed from zero to over 400,000. The rapid descent of the blocks and his astounding stacking skills made this well-known casual game seem like it would never end in his hands.

Upon hearing the station announcement, the young man glanced briefly out the window. When he looked down again, the game screen displayed the words “Game Over.”

The game ended at such a high score, yet the young man showed no signs of attachment. He simply turned off the device and casually stuffed it into his backpack.

A nearby passenger couldn’t help but ask, “Young man, what’s your highest score? With skills like yours, you might break a record or something.”

The young man’s appearance was average, but his eyes were strikingly clear, giving him a clean look. “About the same as just now,” he replied.

The nearby passenger lamented, “If you hadn’t stopped just now, you could’ve scored even higher!”

The young man wasn’t much of a talker. He stood up, ready to disembark, and replied indifferently, “No time.”

He stepped out of his seat, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and moved toward the door with the other passengers.

The passengers in the carriage were from all over the country, chatting in various accents, creating a noisy environment. He passed by the quietest spot in the carriage, where a few uniformed intellectuals, who had boarded at the last stop in Huanan County, were huddled together, quietly discussing a map on the table. One of them, a middle-aged man with a full face, frowned deeply, indicating he was the leader.

Sensing the young man’s gaze, the leader looked up warily, but the young man had already stepped off the train.

The young man wore a black cotton jacket and carried an ordinary-looking backpack. His tall silhouette was quite striking.

But as soon as he stepped onto the platform, he blended into the crowd and disappeared without a trace.

If anyone on the train tried to recall the young man, they would find they couldn’t even remember his appearance.

Star Era 1456.

[14:36:40]

A system projection appeared, showing a time coordinate, causing everyone to perk up: “He’s back! Get ready to make contact!”

Three seconds later, a capsule pod appeared on the transfer platform, containing Ji Yushi, dressed in a black cotton jacket from the 1990s.

A robotic arm detected the arrival of the time traveler and immediately approached to offer a nutrient solution. Time travel caused significant water loss in the human body, and various nutrients needed replenishment.

Ji Yushi pressed the safety button, tossed his backpack aside, and took a few sips of the nutrient solution.

The ordinary, forgettable face he had been wearing began to dissolve, revealing his original, somewhat pale features.

[Congratulations, you have completed a total of 89 B-level missions. Current rating: Two stars.]

Ji Yushi glanced at the transparent panel’s message, then emotionlessly walked out of the capsule pod.

He wasn’t one to talk much, and he immediately began to report in a cool voice: “Prepare the mission log. The 1396 Taliyah Incident: The target boarded the train at Huanan County on December 13th of that year, passed through Huadong County, train number X168. Four companions, all key figures in the Taliyah Incident, a significant discrepancy from historical records. Recommendation: Modify.”

His team members recorded everything.

Before Ji Yushi could catch his breath, a team member approached him, saying, “Professor Ji, Minister Lin is waiting for you outside again.”

Ji Yushi rubbed his forehead, finding this more troublesome than the aftereffects of time travel: “Again?”

The team member chuckled, “Knowing you’d return at this time, he’s been waiting for half an hour.”

After changing his clothes in the locker room, Ji Yushi found Minister Lin of the Ning City Branch waiting for him outside, having lowered himself to come personally.

“Ji!” Minister Lin greeted him with a cheerful smile, patting him on the shoulder. “Congratulations! You’ve completed another mission, bringing you one step closer to your goal!”

Ji Yushi politely replied, “Thank you, Minister Lin.”

Minister Lin got straight to the point: “Young man, you’ve got a bright future! Have you thought about the support mission in Jiang City?”

Ji Yushi responded, “I already told you last time, I’m not going.”

Minister Lin’s smile didn’t waver: “Come on, don’t be so petty. You know how rumors are—by the time they’ve been spread around, the content changes. You don’t need to let a mere rumor hold back your career.”

Ji Yushi replied calmly, “There’s no one to feed my cats.”

The modern obsession with cats hadn’t changed in hundreds of years, and Ji Yushi, a single young man, actually had three cats at home.

The team members eavesdropping nearby thought Ji’s reason was sound and a brilliant refusal!

It wasn’t surprising they were indignant—after all, the Jiang City Branch had been acting unfairly!

Both branches operated under the same Sky Vault Time Management System, but Jiang City and Ning City had different responsibilities.

Jiang City was always tasked with preventing future crimes or disasters, earning them the title of “Guardians.” They often employed extreme combat measures to nip potential threats in the bud.

Ning City, on the other hand, was responsible for documenting and restoring historical events of all sizes. They were known as “Record Keepers.”

Their job was strictly to record history, with no interference allowed—they didn’t even carry guns.

A week ago, a Guardian from Jiang City was seriously injured during a mission, just as the team was about to embark on a new task, leaving them short of an essential team member.

In the Sky Vault work system, every position was crucial, and it was almost impossible to find a temporary replacement who could meet all the requirements. In a moment of inspiration, someone from above suggested that Ning City had a suitable candidate who could be seconded, and they issued a transfer order to send him to Jiang City.

Ji Yushi was quite famous within the Sky Vault System, with many rumors surrounding him.

It was said that he had an exceptional memory and was a knowledge-hungry bookworm—so much so that, despite the times, his home was still filled with piles of paper books, leaving barely any space to walk.

It was said that he was extraordinarily good-looking, with delicate features, but was physically weak—he couldn’t even open a bottle cap.

It was said that he was timid and didn’t dare spend the night alone at the branch, leading to special treatment—he was the only one in the Ning City Branch who had never taken a night shift.

And so on.

As a result, the captain of the Jiang City team needing support wasn’t pleased and publicly refused: “What’s going on? Can’t they send us a real man who can fight? We’re risking our lives out here; we don’t need a little genius who can speed-read quantum wave fluctuations!”

This statement quickly traveled the distance to reach Ji Yushi’s ears.

Ji Yushi immediately returned the transfer order, stating: “I’m not going.”

The leadership was as frantic as ants on a hot pan.

Minister Lin declared resolutely, “Oh, it’s just three cats! Bring them to the branch, and we’ll have people take care of them! Three meals of fish snacks a day, with different flavors each time!”

The eavesdroppers behind the door: “???”

Ji Yushi: “I’m not used to the environment there.”

Minister Lin: “I’ll arrange for a whole space car filled with Ning City specialties! Whatever you want, you’ll have it!”

Ji Yushi: “I’m shy.”

Minister Lin: “You just need to do the missions; there’s no need to get to know those illiterate fools who look down on others!”

Ji Yushi’s lips moved slightly: “I’m gay.”

The eavesdroppers behind the door: “!!!”

Minister Lin was struck as if by lightning: “Ji… Ji, you…”

Ji Yushi calmly played his trump card and stated matter-of-factly, “If I go to a place with an increased male population, I’m worried I won’t be able to control my emotions, which could lead to undesirable relationships and disrupt the harmony of the Jiang City Branch.”

Without waiting for further persuasion, the cold and ruthless Ji Yushi nodded to his superior, turned around, and walked away, leaving his achievements and reputation behind.

However, Minister Lin spoke up again: “Ji, Ji…”

After all, the other party was his superior and an old friend of his father’s.

Ji Yushi had no choice but to stop and turn back, exasperated. “Minister?”

Minister Lin’s expression was strange, but he was a seasoned leader who quickly regained his composure. With a heavy tone, he said, “Well, in that case, you don’t need to worry about it. That Captain Song… he’s deeply homophobic. In fact, the whole team is.”

Ji Yushi: “…”

Ji Yushi from Ning City was coming.

This news quickly spread throughout the Jiang City Branch, causing quite a stir.

In the holographic training room, the team members involved expressed their nervousness.

“He’s really coming?! His psychological endurance must be something else!”

“He’s really coming! I just saw him from afar. He’s very good-looking, with a face and demeanor like something out of a movie.”

Everyone exchanged glances, realizing they had been sent a mere pretty face.

The youngest team member tried to comfort his teammates: “Hey, don’t worry, as long as a few of us can fight, it’ll be fine. At worst, we can just protect him and still complete the mission.”

“Sure, but don’t mention that in front of Captain Song. Have you forgotten about Old Yu?”

“Can this guy be compared to Old Yu?”

“At least Old Yu received special training.”

The team’s observer, Old Yu, had been seriously injured during a mission and was still unconscious in the hospital.

“Still, it’s not all bad. As you said, at least he’s good-looking. We’ll have something pleasant to look at, which is a plus, right?”

“A plus, my foot! Do you know why he suddenly decided to come?”

“To tag along with us on an A-level mission and raise his star rating?”

“Bullshit,” someone interjected angrily. “He didn’t come when they said he had no combat skills, didn’t come when they called him a pretty face, but the moment they mentioned we’re all homophobic, he decided to come. Who knows if he’s coming to challenge us or to prove his charm!”

Everyone gasped in shock.

They all swore under their breath.

To this group of straightforward soldiers, the newcomer seemed like a disaster waiting to happen.

A short-haired guy with small eyes voiced his genuine concern: “This is bad. People like him aren’t usually picky. What if he falls for me? I’m the only son in three generations—”

Before he could finish, he was smacked hard on the back of the head.

A familiar male voice sounded behind him: “Did you forget to look in the mirror before leaving the house?”

The young man who had just stepped into the training room had a strikingly handsome face, with long brows and a sharp, blade-like aura.

He was very tall, his black combat uniform outlining a perfect physique, complemented by a pair of long, strong legs, naturally giving off an overwhelming sense of presence.

The short-haired guy held his head, pulling a long face: “Captain Song.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Song Qinglan’s gaze swept over the group of slackers, his dark eyes cold as a deep pool, yet with an unmistakable air of a rogue.

He spoke again, this time lazily: “Where is he?”