Abyss Sequence

Putting on the long dress from last year's graduation party and applying the makeup from then too, Wang Lingyu looked at herself in the mirror, took a deep breath, clenched her fist to cheer herself on, then stepped out to catch a taxi to the reunion venue.

In their class, no one anticipated that their class president was actually the son of the 10th richest person in Lingquan City, a true fourth-generation rich kid.

Even Wang Lingyu, the committee member's daughter, had no idea.

During all three years of high school, the class president never once mentioned his background, unlike the always flamboyant Li Yiming.

Thinking of Li Yiming, Wang Lingyu couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Two days ago, when she and Guo Xu invited Yan Luo to the class reunion, Yan Luo genuinely couldn't remember who Li Yiming was.

To Yan Luo, Li Yiming's existence was insignificant, neither particularly liked nor disliked, so he simply forgot about him to save memory space.

Yan Luo had the same attitude not just towards Li Yiming but towards many classmates; within just a year, he forgot about more than half of them.

The class reunion was held in a grand golden-glittered hotel, with a huge banquet hall exclusively hired by their class president.

The banquet hall usually only hosted large weddings, costly but merely a trivial expense for their class president.

Getting out of the floating taxi at the ninth-floor parking area of the hotel, Wang Lingyu tidied her dress and hair, and walked into the hotel in high heels.

Reporting the banquet hall's name to the service android waiting in the corridor, the android verified the attendee list, confirmed Wang Lingyu's identity, and sent the route and hall door key to her personal terminal.

Wang Lingyu sat on a hover chair that carried her over.

On the way, she met two female classmates coming up by elevator, they joyfully hugged, and together flew to the banquet hall.

[Lingquan City Third Middle School Class 1387 Reunion] — the banner was already hanging above the banquet hall door.

Stepping down from the hover chair, tidying her appearance, Wang Lingyu entered arm-in-arm with the two female classmates.

They didn't arrive particularly early; some classmates were already there, and upon seeing the three of them, everyone smiled and greeted them.

Many classmates hadn't seen each other for a year, faces becoming somewhat unfamiliar, but after chatting a bit, everyone quickly warmed up.

This class reunion allowed 'partners,' but only a year had passed; many hadn't found a partner, and even if they had, the relationship wasn't close enough to bring to the reunion.

However, this was just for the 'majority.'

Wang Lingyu looked towards the center of the crowd, asking a classmate who arrived early: "Who's that next to the class president...?"

The classmate whispered back, "The class president's fiancée, said to be a childhood betrothal, two years older, graduated college a few years ago."

Wang Lingyu realized, understanding that today's wealthy favored equal matches, pairing off suitable younger generations while instilling the notion that romance was unsuitable, especially marriage.

Growing up, they might mock those ideas, yet subconsciously scrutinize when facing ordinary people.

Class president Xu Zhiyuan, gentle-looking, smiling warmly, and standing with the beauty beside him, seemed a golden couple.

Wang Lingyu approached, greeting the class president.

Xu Zhiyuan greeted Wang Lingyu first, then quietly introduced her to the woman beside him.

The woman brightened her eyes, smiled, and nodded at Wang Lingyu, clearly aware Wang Lingyu was Min Jinglan's daughter.

Soon after, Guo Xu arrived.

In a year, he'd cut his mop-top hair to a simple buzz cut, dressing more subdued.

Upon Guo Xu's arrival, he glanced around and found Li Yiming among those around Xu Zhiyuan, he immediately chuckled with a slightly sinister smile.

At this moment, Xu Zhiyuan looked around, saw almost everyone arrived, and with it the start time, so he announced the reunion officially began.

The first activity of the reunion was a joke contest, everyone had to tell a joke based on their profession.

This was too easy; whether a student or someone already working, everyone managed a tale or two.

Just one round into the joke contest, the atmosphere livened up.

Midway, a few latecomers arrived at the venue, penalized to tell an extra joke.

Left waiting for Yan Luo, Wang Lingyu sent him messages receiving no reply.

Yan Luo always kept promises; though he agreed to attend, something surely came up.

Despite some melancholy, Wang Lingyu understood Yan Luo's plight.

As time passed and the reunion progressed halfway, Xu Zhiyuan counted the attendees and found only Yan Luo missing.

Perplexed, he asked Wang Lingyu and Guo Xu, "Is Yan Luo not coming?"

Wang Lingyu opened her mouth to explain for Yan Luo, but received a message, bright eyes and smiling: "He's on his way now, held up by some Forbidden Demon Abyss matters earlier."

The pretty girl by Xu Zhiyuan's side curiously asked, "Can I ask what happened?"

With an Abyss Entrance in Lingquan City, even the most laid-back person couldn't forget this matter.

"Demon attacked our supply station and fortress set up in the Forbidden Demon Abyss," Guo Xu answered her question, "Yan Luo told me they fought for almost half a day!"

Not only Wang Lingyu contacted Yan Luo, Guo Xu had also reached out to him.

The attendees murmured amongst themselves, unable to comprehend what 'half a day of fighting' meant for the Hunters.

Xu Zhiyuan clapped to grab everyone's attention back, smiling: "Let's discuss these matters when he arrives, since our guesses here won't reveal the truth, right?"

Classmates agreed with Xu Zhiyuan's reasoning, ceased related discussions, and re-focused on reunion activities.

About ten minutes later, the banquet hall's doors opened, and everyone's eyes shifted towards it.

"Sorry, for being late."

An oppressive terrifying presence seeped from the door crack; even without seeing Yan Luo, only hearing his voice, many people instinctively held their breath.

Taller by over ten centimeters since graduation, Yan Luo walked in, clad in military boots, combat pants, and a black sleeveless vest, muscular, contrasting everyone present.

"Fortresses were hit by a demon wave today, I had to rush back to support, only resolved it half an hour ago, my apologies."

Yan Luo composedly sat beside Wang Lingyu and Guo Xu, pulling out a chair, oblivious to classmates' dumbstruck expressions, asked Xu Zhiyuan, "What phase are we at now?"

Resurrecting from daze, Xu Zhiyuan smiled warmly, "We're at the drinking stage, you're late, you must be penalized."

"I don't drink."

Yan Luo's remark stunned everyone, even prompting Wang Lingyu to tug his clothing, gesturing to read the room.

Yan Luo immediately added, "But indeed I was at fault this time, I should be penalized."

Xu Zhiyuan foresaw Yan Luo's reaction, had a service android fetch three bottles of beer, tossing them to Yan Luo.

Without looking, Yan Luo casually caught the three bottles, holding them between his fingers.

The dexterity surprised many.

Blowing over the bottle tops made them fly off, spinning mid-air, stacking on the table before Yan Luo.

Yan Luo tilted his head, pouring the three beers simultaneously, the streams cascading like waterfalls into his mouth.

Within seconds, empty bottles were set down, his face unchanging.

"Bravo!"

Oddly enough, Li Yiming was the first to applaud, drawing surprise from others, with some showing subtle disdain.

Li Yiming noticed but remained impassive, shamelessly continuing his applause.

Xu Zhiyuan joined, clapping and smiling, "Punishment drink fulfilled, let's not omit the activities we've done so far, starting again with the first program!"

Anticipating what Yan Luo next faced, classmates beamed.

"Time for joke-telling!"