“That’s good, but… next time, could you splurge a little on the ice cream? It’s rare for you to treat someone, yet you’re still so stingy.”
The speaker was another man, his face concealed by a Monkey King mask, who crouched beside the man in the delivery uniform.
In his hand, he held the remaining half of a Wangwang crushed ice pop.
Under the sunlight, the masked man’s silhouette shimmered, almost illusory.
He pushed his Monkey King mask up, revealing a stubbled chin, and slurped the last of the crushed ice pop.
“Your bonus has already been deposited. Next time, you should at least treat me to an ice cream that costs ten yuan or more, right?”
“Next time, definitely next time,” the delivery man chuckled, standing up.
“Once your Black Tower fully settles my project bonus, I’ll treat you to something good.”
“Alright,” the masked man replied with a hint of resignation, tossing the empty ice pop wrapper into a trash can.
“You’re supposedly part of an evil organization, yet you’re so disciplined and law-abiding in your daily life?” The delivery man tossed his plastic wrapper onto the ground.
“Learn from me! Litter a little, understand?”
The masked man tapped his mask.
“I’m just an ordinary worker, not a member of any evil organization! Don’t spread rumors, or I’ll sue you for defamation.”
“Also…”
He lowered his voice. “The boss wants me to tell you personally that the mutated insects are performing well. Keep up the good work and try to complete the deployment before the large-scale Void Realm descends upon Ying City.”
****
Huang Xiu had originally prepared for a week-long business trip.
However, she never expected that her and Yun Ning’s combined efforts would be so incredibly efficient. Everything was resolved in just one night.
Of the four sets of clothes she had packed, only one was used.
Moreover, because the operation was completed so quickly, they went out to celebrate and she ended up eating an ice cream.
She nearly shed ‘little pearls’ from the cold.
What’s more, due to their extreme efficiency, when Huang Xiu returned to her dorm late that night, she discovered that the entire room was, quite literally, empty save for her.
Ying Zhiyu and Jia Qianrou were still exploring Tiandu City!
‘So, being too fast isn’t always good!’
Huang Xiu sighed leisurely.
Then, in the empty living room, she suddenly threw her arms wide, declaring with grand ambition, “This entire realm belongs to me!”
No one responded, only the footsteps of Huang Xiaoxian from the bedroom.
‘Alas, a scene witnessed by no one loses its significance.’
With her enthusiasm waning, the ‘empty-nester’ Huang Xiu returned to her room and neatly put away her belongings.
She sat before her computer, a smile she imagined to be utterly ruthless gracing her lips. However, paired with her adorable face, it looked anything but terrifying.
She had made up her mind.
She would seize the golden opportunity of the weekend to study fiercely, out-competing her two roommates to death.
‘He who touches pitch shall be defiled therewith.’
After spending less than a day with Yun Ning, Huang Xiu felt that she, too, had been somewhat influenced by his ‘study king’ aura.
‘Also… I need to ask Fang Miaoging if she’s free tomorrow to discuss the plant cultivation and enhancement.’
With this thought, Huang Xiu first contacted Fang Miaoging.
It turned out that Fang Miaoging was currently enjoying herself in Tiandu City and wouldn’t be able to return on the school bus until tomorrow evening.
‘Oh, really? Everyone’s off playing in Tiandu City, are they?’
Huang Xiu gritted her teeth and opened her social media feed.
Scrolling down, she found, as expected, a deluge of photos from various scenic spots and delicious meals.
‘My fists are hardening, my fists are hardening!’ As a homebody, Huang Xiu harbored a natural, physiological aversion to such ‘social butterflies’.
In a fit of extreme indignation, she furiously reviewed for two hours, then played games all night until dawn before finally falling asleep.
However, Miss Xiu was never one to hold a grudge; her anger came and went quickly.
Especially when her two roommates returned in the afternoon, bringing her a pile of snacks and drinks. Any lingering resentment from her ‘lonely elder’ status instantly vanished.
That evening, Huang Xiu met with Fang Miaoging, who had just returned, for dinner. Over the meal, she laid out her ideas completely.
“You’re saying you’ll use your ability to cultivate plants…”
Fang Miaoging pondered for a moment before slowly speaking. “It sounds very plausible, but can I first know the extent of what your ability can do?”
“Of course, if your ability needs to be kept secret, then pretend I never asked.”
She made a zipping motion across her lips.
“It’s not an ability that needs to be kept secret, actually.”
Huang Xiu’s ability had obvious drawbacks. Anyone who had fought or teamed up with her could generally get a rough idea of its capabilities. Keeping it secret was practically impossible.
She thought for a moment, carefully choosing her words, and then explained all the pros and cons of her ability to Fang Miaoging in detail.
“That amazing? It really is you, Sister Xiu!” Fang Miaoging exclaimed with admiration. “In that case, I think this plan is highly feasible!”
“I’ll apply to the school for a research project first. I happen to know a senior male student who’s… well, quite reliable.”
Fang Miaoging looked at Huang Xiu. “If you’re willing, I can ask him if he’d like to join.”
“If you think it’s good, then it’s good. After all, your Research Department is professional in this area, and I still have a lot to learn. Besides providing my ability, I might not have much time to help,” Huang Xiu said, somewhat embarrassed, expressing her desire to be a hands-off manager.
“Hehe, your help with the ability is more than enough; you’re irreplaceable,” Fang Miaoging said, her face beaming.
“And I’m already so happy that you thought of me. This is a case of ‘the tower nearest the water gets the moon first,’ and it truly proves our deep friendship as besties.”
She looked triumphant.
‘If I can secure a project in the first semester of freshman year, it will absolutely let me crush all my classmates on my resume.’
‘Besties… It’s even worse than ‘close friends’ or ‘good friends’!’
Huang Xiu’s eyelid twitched.
Thanks to her mother’s hellish training, she forcibly suppressed the retort that almost escaped her lips.
“After all, we’re classmates,” she replied.
Fang Miaoging propped her head on her hand, correcting with a smile, “Now we’re besties, we’re sisters!”
She loved seeing Huang Xiu flustered.
That look always reminded her of her adorable, clumsy younger sister from before.
Huang Xiu took a deep breath.
Seeing Fang Miaoging like this, she always felt that the quiet Fang Miaoging from her high school memories was just a filter; this was the real her.
‘The one I used to like was just the Fang Miaoging in my memories!’
‘This Fang Miaoging, who keeps teasing me, is truly detestable!’
“Whatever you want!” Huang Xiu gave up. Unable to refute or resist, she would simply enter ‘give up’ mode.
After their playful exchange, the two continued to discuss the project arrangements.
They ultimately decided to first conduct a feasibility study for the project themselves. This involved purchasing several fruit plants that could be grown in pots.
Huang Xiu would then perform taste-enhancing mutations on them to see if the effects could be inherited.
Once inherited, they would immediately take the successful results to the school to establish the project and begin large-scale breeding.
As she spoke of this, a vision of vast farmlands filled Huang Xiu’s mind, with plants thriving joyfully.
Her innate ‘farming genes’, like those of a rabbit, stirred restlessly.
She yearned to grab a hoe and charge into the fields to start planting immediately.
Fang Miaoging possessed remarkable initiative.
Immediately after confirming the plan at the dinner table, she went online and identified the fruits to be cultivated: potted four-season strawberries and kumquats.
She then promptly ordered the corresponding mature potted plants online.
Thanks to the internet and online shopping, they no longer had to wait until the weekend to go to the city to buy them, which would have delayed them by another week.
Now, they could simply order them online for delivery.
However, speaking of deliveries, all packages sent to Tiandu University had to go through a unified collection point within Tiandu City.
From there, the school would collect and deliver them to the campus.
Sending packages out was easier, as the school had dedicated postal points.
Huang Xiaoxian’s ‘sleep-inducing’ package, which she had developed feelings for, was only delivered to Huang Xiu after being transferred once.
“Hmm, it should arrive around Thursday.”
Fang Miaoging checked the logistics information, noting that the potted plants would take five days to be delivered.
She had, of course, paid extra to have the fastest courier, Dongfeng Express, handle the shipment.
“I’ll come find you then to strengthen the plants first.”
Huang Xiu nodded.
Fang Miaoging intended to keep the potted plants in her own dorm room for easy observation.
“I’ll use these three days to self-study some botany and agricultural knowledge.”
The thought of establishing a project filled Fang Miaoging with renewed vigor.
Huang Xiu covertly wiped a bead of sweat, marveling that she was indeed the woman who had once dominated for two years.
When she got serious about studying, she truly didn’t seem to care about her own life.
After settling their affairs, the two parted ways happily.
As soon as Huang Xiu returned to her dorm, her phone vibrated with a *thump*. Opening it, she discovered that her mission報酬 had already been credited!
Seeing her bank balance happily increase by twenty-five thousand, pushing it close to the thirty-thousand mark, Miss Xiu could no longer suppress the smile on her face. She burst into laughter as she returned to her dorm.
As a poor student whose money had never exceeded three thousand, having thirty thousand yuan now…
She had never dared to imagine such a thing before.
The first thing Huang Xiu did after becoming rich was to call her parents.
Her parents were so startled, thinking something had happened to their daughter, that they immediately initiated a video call.
“It’s nothing! I earned all this money by helping out, and I’ll have more opportunities to earn even more in the future. Once I make a fortune, you two can just relax and enjoy life!”
Huang Xiu waved her hand grandly. “From now on, I can also manage my own living expenses. You don’t need to pay anymore.”
Even with Huang Xiu saying this, her mother was still a little worried.
She wasn’t foolish. What kind of ‘help’ could earn twenty-five thousand yuan, unless she was being kept?
Her mother said earnestly:
“Xiu Xiu, although I don’t know what kind of help you’re offering, and your father and I don’t fully understand Awakened individuals’ affairs, it must be dangerous, right? Otherwise, the money wouldn’t be so much.”
“Your father and I don’t ask for much. We just hope you can safely finish college, grow up, find an ordinary job, and whether you marry or not is entirely up to you.”
Her father nodded.
“Xiu Xiu, you absolutely must not put too much pressure on yourself. If you truly can’t bear it, our family can still afford to support you.”
“Alright, alright!” Huang Xiu pouted. “I was just trying to share good news with you, and now I’m getting lectured again.”
“I’m hanging up now!”
With that, she ended the call and turned off her phone.
The light from the fluorescent lamp shone on the black screen of her computer monitor, perfectly reflecting the image of a cute girl with slightly reddened eyes.
She tilted her head up for a moment, then lowered it, patting her face. “Alright, keep working hard!”
On Monday morning, the Void Realm Knowledge class had a small incident.
Perhaps someone didn’t believe it, or for some other reason, but a student actually skipped class, despite Teacher Hua Song truly remembering everyone’s faces and names in the class.
This large class had over 150 students from five different sections.
Huang Xiu believed that besides the student’s roommates, even their own classmates probably wouldn’t have known they skipped class.
Yet, Hua Song stood on the stage, lectured for two minutes, then scanned the room and actually discovered someone was absent.
The students below, realizing that someone had indeed skipped class and been caught, fell into a sudden silence.
Hua Song stood rigidly on the stage, placing the blackboard marker precisely on the edge of the desk.
“Very good. What did I tell you?”
He raised a hand. “If this student, Liu Xinya, doesn’t have a compelling reason for his absence, please inform him that twenty points will be deducted from his usual score, and he will directly fail the course.”
“He can really tell? I thought he was joking,” Ying Zhiyu said, surprised, sitting beside Huang Xiu.
“Failing after being caught twice… I don’t know whether to say the rules are strict or not.”
“Baocheng Fertilizer Plant,” Bu Chenghua mumbled, his face blank. “It’s fine, as long as you don’t skip class.”
“That’s true. Who would skip class for no reason?”
Ying Zhiyu mumbled, her mindset almost representative of all the students.
Having finally passed the re-examination and made it to the Awakened Higher Vocational College, no one was there with the intention of just coasting by.
That afternoon was still the Ability Development class, and this time, Yuan Fei finally had no excuse to skip.
However, his very first sentence in class was an immediate bombshell.
“Hmm, I’ve received your assignments, and many were submitted on time, but I won’t be looking at them, nor will I be commenting on them.”
He explained, “Ability development is a very personal endeavor, and its effects are equally personal. So, I won’t examine them or offer any advice. My only responsibility is to check if they’ve been submitted. Of course, you’re welcome to submit a pile of useless documents if you choose.”
“All I can teach you is experience and methodology—the ability development experience and methodology of someone ranked fortieth on the Hundred Sages List.”
No sooner had his voice faded than a round of enthusiastic applause erupted in the training room.
‘What an overwhelming aura!’ Huang Xiu thought to herself.
‘After three days apart, it’s indeed that familiar flavor.’
In truth, what Teacher Yuan Fei said didn’t seem to be entirely wrong.
Regardless of what others said or taught about ability development, ultimately, one’s own ideas were what truly determined the outcome during actual development.
However, Huang Xiu always suspected that the most likely reason Yuan Fei spoke this way was simply that he didn’t want to grade homework.
‘After all, even if others don’t agree or acknowledge it, he could still offer development and modification suggestions! At least they could serve as a reference.’
Huang Xiu increasingly felt that Yuan Fei was unreliable.