"Now we shall commence with your training for the day." Gates proclaimed the moment Mr.Baker had left, "And this is the perfect place to train your abilities to sense your realm."

"Sense my realm?" Mao Lu put the employee and VIP card in his pockets.

"I have told you already that by becoming a Gatekeeper you not only own this realm but you have become this realm. You are realm 145, every speck of dust, every solar flare, and even the smallest asteroid floating in s.p.a.ce is yours and belongs to you."

As Gates spoke the realistic projections of s.p.a.ce in the room moved like lightning, portraying the solar systems and galaxies.

"I already told you the stages, after Awakening then comes Merging. Merging is the process of a Gatekeeper becoming truly one with their realm. You will be able to control your own domain like it is your very own flesh. To get to the Merging stage you must be able to do something basic, and that is sensing your realm. Sensing what is coming in and out of it, sensing what is moving around it. Heightening your awareness so that in your realm you are unbeatable. To do this I want you to get comfortable and close your eyes."

Mao Lu obediently laid on the starry floor and closed his eyes.

"Even with your eyes shut, with your inner eye you should still be able to see the essence around you." Gates voice gently rang across Mao Lu's head.

Gates was right. Even with his eyes closed Mao Lu could still see the swimming time essences, and the life essences, and the other essences surrounding him. Actually with his eyes closed he felt like he could see them even better than before, it was as if they'd really come into focus. The moment the essence appeared clearer Mao Lu wanted to look away from them.

When they were slightly out of focus like before, Mao Lu had thought the time essences had looked rather gorgeous with their glistening blue and eel like features, but now in focus they were rather frightening. He could see their faces that didn't have eyes, they had long jagged teeth which seemed to drip with a weird substance, the bluish light emanating from their claws and scales felt rather sharp, so sharp that he felt as if he was being cut just by looking at it.

All the other essences also seemed much more frightening.

"Do not let the essence overwhelm you. Remember you are in control." Gates reminded.

"I am in control...I am in control.." Mao Lu repeated to himself, as he did so he felt his heart rate slow as he calmed down. Mao Lu felt like a fool for being momentarily frightened, wasn't everything in this realm his including the essence. Only a fool would fear something they owned and controlled.

As Mao Lu steadied himself the essence became gradually even more clearer than before, and it wasn't just the ones next to him but even the ones several meters away began to become much more clear. The range of what he could see and the clarity of it increased and increased.

Even though he felt calm, at the same time Mao Lu felt the peculiar sensation of his mind being stretched. It felt like his head was being pulled in several different directions. It was such a weird feeling.

Gates observed Mao Lu quietly. It was shocked. It had been aware that this boy was extremely talented but it had underestimated Mao Lu. "His mental strength is formidable."

Usually during the process of sensing ones realm most would collapse or need a break within the first minute. When the essence became more clear it was a frightening and overwhelming experience, being able to remain calm and go through with it without much struggle on a first try was almost unheard of. Not to mention Mao Lu's mind was also being stretched beyond its previous limits, as he begins to sense more of the realm he's taking in ma.s.sive amounts of information. For someone that was only a mortal yesterday his mind should have felt the burden in the first 30 seconds.

Yet Gates observed with growing fascination, as an hour pa.s.sed by.

To Mao Lu, as the essence became clearer he began to see other things.

It was like he had become a drone all of a sudden and he was flying through the walls. He could now visualise all the people in the offices who were still busy at work. He could perceive all the essence surrounding them, he could feel the changes in their bodies, from the subtle changes in their heartbeats to the pulsing of the blood within their veins.

With time he felt himself fly beyond the offices, suddenly he was back in B&B law firm. It felt as if all the essence was fighting for his attention.

All the materials were screaming at him, from the materials that made the concrete to the wind blowing from the air conditioners. Even the papers people were reading in a conference room began to whine to him. Begging him for his attention. Everything became so impossibly loud. There was so much just so much to everything.

Mao Lu felt his heart begin to speed up again, and his veins bulge, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I am in control."

In the firm filled with workers he could hear every conversation, he could see every scene within every room. When he felt like he'd absorbed every corner he burst out of the building. The moment Mao Lu felt his consciousness. .h.i.t the evening sky of Beijing, he let out a piercing scream.

Blood began to flow down his ears, his nose and from the corners of his closed eyes. There was just too much. Far far far too much information suddenly. 21 million beijingers voices and noises filled him, the sounds of the clouds, the winds, the planes, the cars, and the people. And so much essence. He couldn't calm himself anymore, he felt like he was choking and drowning in all of it.

"Open your eyes, calm yourself, come back to yourself!" Gates commanding voice shook Lu's entire being.

Mao Lu's eyes snapped open, they were bloodshot. He gasped and began inhaling and exhaling loudly, sucking in the air around him noisily. His breath came out in black steam that froze at the ends and then scattered like dust.

Mao Lu gingerly stroked his neck, he'd really felt like he'd been suffocating. As he touched it he noticed the blood flowing from his nose, ears and eyes. Yet Mao Lu didn't focus on it. His senses were still tingling. His eyes seemed to have gained x-ray vision, as he could easily see beyond the walls now, he could see the people beyond. He could still hear the objects around him whispering.

"Well done Mao Lu, for your first attempt being able to sense this entire building and even going so far as beginning to sense the entire city of Beijing. Very impressive. With more practice eventually you'll be able to sense this entire realm easily. For now though, I suggest you get some rest. We will resume this practice tomorrow."

Mao Lu nodded slowly, his senses still buzzing.

In a daze he stood up staggering. As he walked towards the door he felt the invisible force of Gates carrying him as it usually did. Unseen by everyone he was taken out of the Gatekeeper Offices and back to his apartment. The moment his head touched the pillow he was asleep.

…..

05:00

"Bip beep... Bip beep... Bip beep" buzzed Mao Lu's phone.

Mao Lu opened his crusty eyes. His head still ached. He wanted to ignore it but after his phone beeped for the seventh time, he crawled out of bed and to the bathroom. He was shocked when he saw the dried blood caked all over him, as soon as he saw it he remembered yesterday.

"I only got as far as slightly sensing Beijing and this happened, how the h.e.l.l am I supposed to sense this entire universe exactly?" He muttered as he washed his face.

"Don't worry it will get easier after this. The first is always the hardest." Gates rea.s.suring voice echoed in the bathroom.

"I hope today's session goes easier then." Mao Lu replied as he entered the shower. In less than 20 minutes he was outside next to the bus stop dressed in his overalls. Gates in the form of a small key chain was hooked to his belt.

"Where are you going today?" Gates asked.

Mao Lu hopped on the bus, "Well I also work part time at JJJ Cleaning company 3 days a week in the early mornings. The pay is quite good. I need to go in today, finish my s.h.i.+ft and give in my letter of resignation. I have a zero hour contract so I only get paid for the hours I work, so I can quit immediately without having to work the rest of the week." Mao Lu mentally told Gates.

"If you can quit and not have to work the rest of the week then why not quit the moment you go in this morning. That way you don't have to work the rest of your s.h.i.+ft?"

"If I quit just like that without giving them any warning or calling in beforehand, that would be rude. At least if I tell them by the end of my s.h.i.+ft today then they'll have time to find someone to replace me for tomorrow. It's called showing respect Gates."

Gates was rather speechless. Mao Lu was far too polite and too self disciplined. He had all this money and status now, he didn't need to act polite if he didn't have to. He could quit all of these jobs now if he wanted to and they probably wouldn't hate him for it. Gates didn't know whether it was annoyed or impressed by Mao Lu's mindset, most Gatekeepers he met usually got very arrogant very quickly.

"Just how many jobs do you have?" It asked.

"Only four; a sales a.s.sistant at the convenience store, a bartender at Roaring Tiger, a Cleaner at JJJ, and a waiter at Cafe E'clair. It's not that much, I used to have eight jobs before I hit my 20's when I was really desperate for cash." Mao Lu leaned his head against the window of the rocking bus. He remembered how he'd worked like a cow over the years. He really couldn't believe it all was coming to an end soon. He wondered if he would be bored not working so much like he used to, but then again being a Gatekeeper was bound to be exciting, difficult, and time consuming.

Gates was slightly aghast. Eight jobs, in comparison it did make the four he had now seem like nothing but four jobs was still a lot.

11:00

"So you're really quitting!" An old man in blue overalls said, his saggy wrinkled eyes scanning the letter Mao Lu handed him. "Well I'll cut you loose then, it's been good having a hard worker like you. If you need a good referral for another job just call me." the old man sighed.

"If I do need a referral I will. Thank you so much for having me all these years!" Mao Lu bowed deeply.

"I can't believe you're leaving us Mao Lu!" A young man wearing a cap and overalls hugged him.

"Yh Mao Lu, we'll miss you!" A girl in overalls joined in the hug, "You better still come to our drinking parties."

Mao Lu laughed "I'll make time for them."

In less than five minutes he left the small JJJ building and was walking to the train station.

"Where are you going now?" Gates asked

"To the Chaoyang District." Mao Lu looked at his watch, "It will probably take more than an hour to get there using public transport, so let's get a move on."

----------------------------

12:20

The Chaoyang district in Beijing is considered as one of the best neighbourhoods to live, and is one of the richest districts.

Various greenery and gorgeous nature was scattered across the suburban area. There was a nice mixture of modern residences with that of Hutongs and Siheyuan. A place where typically the most wealthy beijingers would live.

Mao Lu breathed in the air, to him it felt a lot fresher. As he walked down the familiar streets he was. .h.i.t with various waves of nostalgia. When Moa Lu was young his family used to live in Chaoyang Park district near Sun park, they lived in a Siheyuan hybrid house that had been in his father's family for generations upon generations. Mao Lu's ancestors had been loyal ministers or advisors to the royal family.

Fei Bing Bing and Zhao Detong's family homes were in a nearby neighbourhood and they used to always hang out together in Chaoyang.

When Mao Lu's paternal grandparents died when he was 13, his Father being the only child obviously inherited the entire property and other monetary a.s.sets that they'd left behind.

Three years later when the business went bankrupt his Father had put their family home as collateral. They ended up being evicted from the property, most of their belongings were audited, and as far as Moa Lu knew the local council now owned the property.

Siheyuans, like the one his family had owned, were priced in the millions. They were impressive heritage sites of China as Siheyuans dated back further than the Ming dynasty. The local council had bought the Siheyuan his family had owned and were using the more traditional buildings in the property as tourist attractions.

Mao Lu had promised himself that if he ever had the money he would buy back the property. So now he was on his way to the local council in Chaoyang. If it was before, he knew that even if he had the money the government may not be willing to give back such a cultural heritage site, and might possibly refuse to sell it to him, but now Mao Lu was a Gatekeeper.

From the impressive row of t.i.tles he'd inherited he was sure as Gatekeeper he had a higher status in society now. He should be able to reclaim the property he lost.

He lined up at the Chaoyang Government office. When he got to a desk he sat down and smiled brightly at the middle aged woman opposite him. She had spectacles on the end of her nose and her prematurely greying hair was tied up in a bun. On her desk a plaque read "Ms Zheng Yi, General Affairs".

"How can I help you today Sir?" Zheng Yi said in a monotonous tone.

"I've come today about a property that used to be owned by my family but was then purchased by the council eight years ago. I came today because I want to buy it back."

"What's your family name and the properties registration number. And do you have evidence of previous owners.h.i.+p?" Zheng Yi asked with an unchanging expression.

"Yes, yes I have it." Mao Lu rustled around in his bag and found the evidence and information she needed.

When Zheng Yi saw this she began tapping away on her computer.

"Your property was a Siheyuan dating back to the early Ming dynasty. The value of the property today is 175 million Chinese Yuan (RMB), 120 million RMB more than it was eight years ago. The price of Siheyuan properties have rapidly gone up in the market, especially properties like yours that are well maintained and in a district such as Chaoyang Park." Zheng Yi looked over her gla.s.ses at Mao Lu.

Mao Lu's smile didn't falter as he heard this. "The money isn't an issue."

Zheng Yi looked up and down at the young man in his blue jumpsuit. He didn't look rich but then again you couldn't judge wealth by clothes, some of the richest people looked like tramps. She'd read that on the internet recently.

"Well the property isn't just for sale at the moment, it is a heritage site and those in the cultural departments have ranked it as an A grade tourist attraction. I am not allowed to sell you the property unless the tourism and culture departments give the all clear. You can apply to the respective departments to allow this. If you want I will print off the forms for you, but it may not be approved and could take up to a year for these papers to be processed."

"So you're saying that even if I send an application, even if I wait a year you still might not allow me to buy back the property that previously belonged to my family." Mao Lu said calmly.

"Unless you have permission from the mayor of this district, Zhang Tiamin[1] or letter of authority from his offices then I can't sell you this property immediately, you will have to fill out the form." Zheng Yi didn't budge.

"Well then, can you call the offices of Zhang Tiamin so that I can get this permission."

Zheng Yi raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You want me to call the Chaoyang district mayoral offices directly!?"

"They will give me the permission." Mao Lu said with a confident smile.

This morning Mao Lu had reviewed the inheritance he'd gained from Baker. He had been given a large amount of t.i.tles, he was literally the advisor to all the heads of state. That meant he was a spin doctor, a shadow leader for the leaders of all the countries across Earth. This obviously included China and its leader Xi Jinping.

This proved to Mao Lu that the government, or at least those in high level positions in the governments across Earth, must be aware of Pract.i.tioners. If that was the case then that meant they should know he was the Gatekeeper.

Zheng Yi was surprised, this young man seemed very certain, like it was a fact. Was he someone of importance?

Zheng Yi only hesitated for a bit before she rang the mayoral office.

"h.e.l.lo I'm Zheng Yi from General affairs. I have a young man here who would like to repurchase a property belonging to his family, however the property is now an A grade heritage site belonging the council. He claims he can get a letter of authority from the mayoral offices to purchase the property….his name is Zhang Lu, presently goes by Mao Lu."

She conversed with the person on the phone for a while.

"Do you have any special doc.u.ments or reasons?" Zheng Yi looked at him

Mao Lu calmly stated, "Just tell them I am the Gatekeeper. If they don't understand then tell the Mayor directly. I'm sure he will understand."

Zheng Yi looked at the boy blankly but then recited the information to the person on the other end of the phone. "Gatekeeper what was a Gatekeeper?" she thought.

She was momentarily put on hold and was surprised when 2 minutes later the person on the phone came back and told her the permission was granted, the letter would be faxed over immediately. The person on the phone also ordered Zheng Yi to apologise to Mao Lu for the wait.

Zheng Yi was dumbfounded.

In seconds she got the letter. She apologized to Mao Lu for the wait as Mao Lu transferred her the money for the property, and she handed him the deed. It all took less than five minutes. They then both had to wait twenty minutes for someone to deliver the keys of the property which was handed to Mao Lu. Zheng Yi had never seen such a procedure go so smoothly.

She really wanted to ask what a Gatekeeper was, but the moment Mao Lu had got the keys he left immediately.

[1] Zhang Tiamin is the real district mayor of Chaoyang. Just because his name is Zhang and Mao Lu's paternal family name is Zhang, doesn't mean they are related.

____________________________________

SENSING THE REALM PT2

The moment Mao Lu had the deed and keys in his hands he ran out of the building at full pelt. Running to the bus stop.

It took him around 20 minutes to get from the council to the Maizidian residential area, near Chaoyang Park, where he used to live.

When he finally stood in front of his old home, he felt tears building up inside of him again. This was where most of his happiest memories resided. This was where he'd grown up.

Excited and br.i.m.m.i.n.g with emotion Mao Lu ran up to the entrance only to be stopped by a police officer.

"Are you a member of a tour group, sadly this residence isn't open for display any longer. So we are telling all tourists that this is now a private property and can no longer be ventured into. I suggest you turn back." The man advised Mao Lu.

Mao Lu pulled out his deed and showed it to the security member. "You're right it is private property and I am the owner. So now kindly move aside."

The security guard blanched and then bowed to Mao Lu, "I apologise, I will notify the others of your appearance."

"It's fine and please do." Mao Lu nodded at the officer as he ran past and into the property.

As he got to the vermillion painted entrance, he glanced at the stone lions[1] that stood outside the doors, he twisted and pushed the copper handles.

Tall walls surrounded the perimeter of the siheyuan. There were two courtyards[2] that were both surrounded by buildings. It was perfectly preserved and looked the same way his family had left it.

There were four main buildings and three backside buildings surrounding both courtyards, positioned along the north-south and east-west axis[3]. The buildings positioned to the north and facing the south are considered the main house[4]. The buildings on the sides of the main house, facing east and west, are called side houses[5].

The northern, eastern and western buildings were connected by gorgeously furnished pa.s.sages[6]. The pa.s.sages served as a shelter from the suns.h.i.+ne and provided a nice area to view the courtyard at night.

The building that faces north is known as the opposite house[7]. Behind the northern building, there was three separate backside buildings[8]. All the buildings had low tiled roofs.

As Mao Lu wandered around the large courtyards he felt tears fill his eyes. It had been eight long years since he saw this place. Mao Lu could almost see his grandfather sitting on the patio of the main building, admiring the bamboo shoots in the courtyard with a smile on his old face. Of course he wasn't really there, it was just an old memory, a phantom sitting in Mao Lu's heart.

"Are you proud Grandpa!" he yelled "I got the house back, ancestors are you happy!" He felt choked as he yelled this. The dead can't answer, but he felt like he'd made his ancestors proud.

He wandered towards the north building and used one of the keys to enter. It was rather dusty inside. The interior of the buildings in the first courtyard hadn't been on display. This was probably because all the buildings in the first courtyard had been modernly renovated with modern amenities. His family had lived in the buildings surrounding the first courtyard.

The northern main house had a wide living room, the one he used run about as his Mother chased him. All the old furniture was gone and it was entirely empty now but he felt a warm sense of comfort from this building.

He then went to the west side house using the pa.s.sages, that were just as lovely as he remembered, truly traditional housing was the most gorgeous.

Mao Lu used the key and entered his old room. He used to have the west building all to himself. His parents would be in the East building and his Grandparents in the South. They'd use the backside buildings as a bathhouse, there was a wide bath in there a shower and two toilets. There was also the boiler, generator, and water meter in the back buildings.

Just like the main house, the west building was dusty and there was no furniture, but Moa Lu still felt a wave of nostalgia as he looked inside.

After exploring every building of the first courtyard he went to the second courtyard. As he went into the buildings he saw that they were completely clean, polished, and gleaming. The architecture and the old style benches were very well maintained. These buildings had obviously been put on display for tourism.

Mao Lu then went to the West building of the second Courtyard. He kowtowed before the door before he unlocked it. He was glad that this door was locked, it showed that the council had been respectful.

The west building of the second courtyard was filled with old tombstones, all with the family name Zhang on them. This was where his ancestors had been put to rest. This was where his Mother's tombstone should have also been put. Now that Mao Lu had the place back he wanted to move his Mother's tomb here.

Mao Lu rummaged through his bag and found the cleaning cloths he'd brought. He diligently cleaned and dusted every Zhang tombstone. When he was done he lit incense sticks and put them around the tombstones. He clapped his hands together and then silently prayed as he kneeled before the graves.

"Please watch over me." he whispered.

After praying he went back to the other buildings of the first courtyard and began intensely cleaning. In his large duffel bag he'd bought with him sprays, cloths, a foldable mop, a dustpan and brush and other cleaning appliances.

By the time he was done everything was sparking and gleaming and it was beginning to turn five o'clock.

Mao Lu wanted to stay longer to clean more and buy furniture but it was getting late and he had a s.h.i.+ft at Roaring Tiger in the evening. If he was going to get in some training today, he needed to probably do so now.

Mao Lu locked up the other buildings and then sat on the patio of the north main building of the first courtyard. From there he had a nice view of the setting sun.

Mao Lu closed his eyes, eased his body and reminded himself, "I am in control".

He opened his inner eye for the first time that day and he felt all the information flood into him at once. He heard the buzz of every insect in beijing, every animal, every breath, and every movement. All at once he could sense the millions of people and creatures living in Beijing.

This time, just as Gates had told him, it wasn't as overwhelming as it had been the first time. It wasn't as shocking as the first time either. He'd gotten somewhat used to all of the noise. He was even able to focus on specific noises.

He found Tanaka Kato sitting in his home with Bei Lao, they were watching some j.a.panese drama and Tanaka was crying over a scene as Bei Lao held his hand. It was such a small touching moment that Mao Lu had just eavesdropped on, it made him smile, "How sweet."

He then sensed Zhao Detong he was with Fei Bing Bing and they were…. Mao Lu went bright pink and tried to focus his brain elsewhere.

He witnessed the birds flying high above the clouds, he could sense the subtle movement of the clouds themselves as well.

"Very good. Now try going beyond Beijing and to the whole of China." Gates softly instructed.

Mao Lu carefully and slowly expanded his range. More and more people filled his brain, more and mores essence, more and more scenes. He sensed all kinds of events from children playing in the park, heartwarming family scenes, people working their jobs, students studying, daily lives, tears of frustration and struggles.

He saw some people getting beaten, he sensed a brutal murder, he sensed all kinds of things the negative and positive becoming intertwined with each other. He was surprised that he didn't go mad, it was like his brain was unconsciously filing away and organising all this information just as it got to him. Rather than overwhelming it was like he was watching a river flow by him, and he had the power to pick and choose what affected him.

"Now try bigger, you can easily sense this entire planet go for it." Gates urged.

Mao Lu's face went slightly red and his heart rate quickened. The river of information became bigger and bigger. So many people, so many lives, so many animals, so many creatures, so many insects, so many objects. So much of everything. He was able to sense it all.

As his consciousness spread wider and wider he could see beyond the clouds. It was only when his mind touched the edges of the atmosphere that he reached his limit. The amount of information in s.p.a.ce was trillions of times bigger than the Earth. It was like his body was a Dam containing all this information. When he reached his limit he felt that internal dam fill him to the top and begin to spill over. Blood filled Mao Lu's mouth and he spat it out onto the floor of the courtyard.

He opened his eyes this time they weren't bloodshot but they bulged as he gasped for air.

"Well done, that was very good, you're improving faster than I thought you would. Maybe there is hope for the next meeting." Gates praised.

Mao Lu didn't respond as he sucked in the air around him and greedily drank the water from his water bottle.

He rested for a few minutes, he wasn't lethargic like last time, actually he felt like he was buzzing with energy. He jumped a little and flew several metres into the air, as he did this the time essences around him got excited and swirled around him. The wind that had blown past him suddenly began rewinding and blowing again like it had been put on a loop. It also got stronger and was suddenly suspending him in the sky.

"I'm...I'm flying!!!!" Mao Lu shouted excitedly. So he could use time like this, how fascinating.

"The time essences like you so they're just playing around." Gates explained, "But if you order them to they will do such things for you. But I must remind you that your control of the time essences isn't that good yet if you don't focus they might-" Mao Lu fell hard to the ground. "drop you." Gates said a little late.

"Ow ow ow." Mao Lu rubbed his sore b.u.m and then looked at his phone. "s.h.i.+t it's 19:30 my s.h.i.+ft starts at 20:00, we have to go!!!"

Mao Lu called a nearby taxi service and travelled all the way to the Wanping district where the Roaring Tiger club was. It took 38 minutes by car. Mao Lu had cash on him and did not mind paying the taxi fee. In the past he dreaded Taxis since they tended to be very expensive but now he was relieved since the cost now caused him no issue.

He rushed through the backdoor into the club and ran into the staff room, opened his locker and began getting changed.

"Look who it is crawling in here, don't you know Manager Xu is looking for you, he'll have your head for skipping out last night." Fang Kai tapped Mao Lu on the shoulder.

"Why would he, I was ill!! And I've never missed a s.h.i.+ft before." Mao Lu muttered.

"O come on, you know Manager Xu hates your guts, he only keeps you on because you're a good worker and he's had no excuse to fire you. But look you just gave him the excuse." Fang Kai shook his head and took a cigarette from his pocket and a lighter.

"But why does he hate me, I never understood that. I've literally always been the best to him." Mao Lu was irritated as he b.u.t.toned his s.h.i.+rt.

"Lu, didn't you know that four years ago Manager Xu's wife ran off with some male model. Ever since Xu has hated good looking guys, he always avoids hiring guys that look too nice. But of course if all the staff were ugly he wouldn't get that many customers right so he started hiring only woman. That's why we've got so many female staff. The day you were hired it was Manager Rin that hired you remember, not Xu. The moment Xu saw you he's hated your guts." Fang Kai breathed out a ton of smoke. "So if you're not careful this s.h.i.+ft he's gonna fire you."

"That's so dumb, but it doesn't matter since I'm going to quit." Mao Lu said as he closed his locker. Fang Kia dropped his cigarette in surprise, he then quickly picked it up.

"What! How come?"

"I've come into some money recently. I was able to pay off my debt and I got a new full time job so I've been quitting my other jobs"

"Whoa really!!! That's awesome man congrats. You better come round mine for drinks even after you quit. My sister wants to see you y'know, she still runs that tattoo parlour so if you want to get more done and more piercings my sis will give you a big discount like last time." Fang Kai excitedly rubbed Mao Lu's shoulders as he said this, Mao Lu laughed but then he froze as he turned and saw Manager Xu standing there glaring at him.

"If you're gonna quit then get out. I don't need you working this s.h.i.+ft! And you can forget any pay you were expecting this month! I expect you out of here in five minutes!" Manager Xu roared and then stormed off.

Fang Kai paled, "d.a.m.n, how long was he standing there, don't tell me he heard us gossiping. s.h.i.+t. And curse his sister, doesn't he know it's illegal not to pay you for your work. I'm sure he's just bluffing."

Mao Lu sighed, "I was only planning on helping before I leave but since he wants me out I guess I'll leave now. Give this to Manager Xu will you." Mao Lu gave Fang kai his resignation letter.

Fang Kai nodded, gave Mao Lu a big hug, and in less than five minutes Mao Lu was out on the streets and walking towards the nearest station.

"What an unpleasant person that Manager Xu is, since he's so rude there's no reason you should have given him face and came in today." Gates grumbled.

"It's fine, it's not like everyone will appreciate everything good or nice you do, but just because they don't appreciate it doesn't mean you shouldn't do it." Moa Lu said as he breathed into his hands, the night air was chilly. With his sense of the realm he saw a taxi driver two streets away. Mao Lu ran towards it.

If Gates had a body it would have had widened eyes, Mao Lu had a rare wisdom that went beyond his years. Some people could say such things but it took a rare type of character to be able to say and do it.

As Mao Lu ran to the taxi, Gates shuddered suddenly. Mao Lu also stopped in his tracks, he felt as if his head was splitting open. He fell to his knees, blood dribbled down his nose.

"What's happening Gates?" Mao Lu weakly murmured through gritted teeth.

"Someone has entered this realm without permission...using a Gatekeepers key." Gates said, sounding extremely angry.

"A Gatekeepers Key?"

"Do you remember the third rule?" Gates asked Mao Lu, as the painful sensation stopped.

Mao Lu put his hand to his bleeding nose, "Do you mean the rule not to reproduce."

"Yes. Four billion years ago the previous Gatekeeper of the realm 1, violated this rule and had a child. Reluctant to kill the child he hid her away. Any child of a Gatekeeper will inherit that Gatekeepers abilities but they won't have the restrictions of the rules, which is why they're forbidden."

"This child grew up to become an unstoppably evil force that didn't see the point in the existence of Gatekeepers and wanted to unite all of the 400 realms into one huge realm, where she was the ruler. She caused a 1billion year war. Her power and intellect was beyond anything ever seen. It took a hundred Gatekeepers, and countless sacrifice, to finally kill her.

Before she died one of the tools she developed was the judgement keys now known as Gatekeeper keys. They have the ability to breakthrough a Gatekeepers barriers, allowing the bearer of the key to enter any realm without permission.

We destroyed 92 of the 100 that she made, but there were eight that we lost. Just now someone has used one of these lost keys, and they have now entered your realm. That's what you're feeling. "

"What do I do?" Mao Lu asked as his nose stopped bleeding.

"Find, interrogate, and punish them. No one is allowed to use a key."

.....

IN THE ATMOSPHERE

Next to a floating satellite, dust began to collect and then suddenly formed bones, flesh and blood. Eventually becoming a person. When Chàng Bo opened his eyes he could see a blue planet right in front of him. He was floating in s.p.a.ce, he felt the chill freezing the wounds from his bursted veins. The poison was still burning inside of him.

Unable to muster any strength he let the atmosphere pull him further in. Soon he was getting hotter and hotter as he began falling. He burned as he entered the Blue Planet's atmosphere, luckily his skin was extremely tough so the burning didn't hurt but it was unpleasantly tingly being surrounded by flames.

He fell at an extremely quick velocity and just as he was about to hit the ground hard, he stopped abruptly. Something was holding him in the air.

"How dare you barge into my realm" A cold voice came from behind him.

Slowly his body was turned by the invisible force and Chàng Bo's starry blue eyes came into contact with light brown/black ones.

[1] The entrance of a Siheyuan is usually painted vermilion, has copper knockers, and is in the southeast. There is a screen wall near the gate, like a wall used to ward off evil spirits, near the entrance. Two stone lions are often outside the gate.

[2] Some large siheyuan compounds would have two or more layers of courtyards and even private gardens attached to them. Such is a sign of wealth and status in ancient times.

[3] The courtyard dwellings were built according to the five elements and displayed on the eight trigrams. The entrance is made at the southeast where the wind element is, and the main house is on the north side which is water. This type of structure is believed to prevent fires. A simple courtyard represent morality and confucian ethics

[4] The main house is called zhèng fáng

[5] Side houses are called xiāng-fáng

[6] Pa.s.sages are called chāo shǒu yóu láng

[7] The opposite house is called dào zuò fáng

[8] Backside building are called hòu zhào fáng