Chapter 288: Work Overtime from Today Onwards
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Six in the evening, in the green break room of the System s.p.a.ce.
Fang Ning crawled up reluctantly from his soft bed, before giving himself a large stretch. This slumber was quite good…
How long had it been since he slept 8 hours in one go?
If it wasn’t half a year, then it was probably around 7 months.
Then, a certain Sir’s voice rang out suddenly.
“Big Billionaire, how is your Dream-cultivation Method going?”
Fang Ning rolled his eyes. “Your pressing tone reminds me of my boss one year ago. It hurts my heart and soul.”
The System ignored his grumblings, and continued, “If you don’t explain it clearly, then I’m afraid you won’t have breaks in the future.”
Fang Ning said with a somber look, “The future is bright, and the road is winding. I’ve had some taste of it, and I’ll write you a report soon.”
The System was puzzled. “Is this another of your elaborate ideas to trick me?”
Fang Ning said unpleasantly, “How would I? Am I the kind of person who doesn’t know to rank importance and urgency? With the situation changing, how can I just sleep?”
The System replied, You aren’t… but you can.”
Fang Ning ignored the idiot. He sneaked out the break room, and went to the System Cyber Café to conclude the experience he got in his dreams.
While typing, he muttered, “Watch out, Sir System. I’m going to smack you in the face with the truth.”
The System continued, “Well, you’ll have to smack your own face. I don’t have any face to be smacked.”
Fang Ning was speechless.
He typed quickly, keys clacking. Back then, he was a keyboard warrior too.
Not long later – after two hours, a volume of the “Dream-Cultivation Method” was fresh out of the oven. The whole volume was split into three books, each book having three chapters and each chapter having three hundred words. All of it was also in ancient Chinese.
That’s right. Don’t think that Fang Ning has spent the better half of the year playing games. He, other than learning foreign languages, had also learned ancient Chinese.
He felt smug internally, but mustered a nonchalant demeanor. “How is it? The writing skills and the quality, it won’t come second to those masters and academicians in the ancient imperial palace. After all, I’m half Dragon, half human now.”
The System pretended not to hear. It said, “Let me do an online search. I also need to change the color palette for comparison.”
Fang Ning, having received this heavy blow, immediately spat blood, saying, “You, you, how can you? Has the trust between us deteriorated to this point?”
In the time he used to speak, Sir System had already completed his search.
“Eh, there’s really nothing exactly same. Okay, this time you pa.s.s the test…” Sir System was surprised. He suddenly stopped at that.
Fang Ning stood shocked. ‘This idiot could not possibly realize that I’ve made up most of it.’
Sir System said, “Wait, let me theorize it first.”
Fang Ning was staring. ‘ Even the many thoughts of a wise person would have a mistake among them 1 . I must have slept myself into a mess. How could I have forgotten it?’
System Notification: [The System has attempted to theorize and perfect the Dream Cultivation Method. The method has clashes in logic, untidy language and also inverse content. The System’s theorizing had failed catastrophically, exhausting 3000 Experience Points.]
The System just in, “You’re tricking me after all. No more holidays for you again.”
Fang Ning immediately tried to rescue the situation. “Is there anything that can be done with just a simple process? This is just the initial ma.n.u.script. Just wait until I perfect it.”
The System said with puzzlement, “Really? I’ll give you a week, and if there’s no progress…”
Fang Ning felt as though a large stone had settled in his heart. “There will be progress.”
He thought, ‘d.a.m.n, now I have to work overtime again.’
…
Just like Fang Ning said, the situation was changing.
In the Eastern Pacific, not far from the eastern coast of America, far away from busy sea routes, and near a deserted island.
The place had been covered by innumerable bloodthirsty kelp, thick and tangled, forming layers made out of different species. At a glance, people with trypophobia would consider it their natural enemy.
The island, as well as the surrounding waters, had become the territory of the Giant Kelp Sprites.
Birds did not land, and fish did not surface.
There was no sound of insects calling, nor were there any birds chirping. It was dead quiet.
Black Cat Tom, standing on a reef, looked on with satisfaction.
Later, it turned to Old Man Huang Rui, standing honestly to one side, and said gleefully, “Old Huang, what do you think of this? That Lei Tian has only distracted Vigilante A for a while, yet I’ve already finished arranging things here. Those bloodthirsty kelp, with a supply of blood and flesh, can breed at a very high rate.”
Huang Rui immediately said respectfully, “Master Tom is truly smart. To you, it’s as easy as lifting a hand.”
Tom then signaled meaningfully, “If compared with your new master over the next few days, how’s it?”
Huang Rui said, fearfully, “That War Demon seems sharp, but is in fact an idiot, far incomparable to Master Tom. I’m just pretending to defer to him. Now that he’s in the Draconic Penitentiary, he can never come out to cause trouble again. He’s no longer of value. This is due to Master Tom’s smart tactics.”
Black Cat Tom, internally proud, a.s.sumed a dejected look. “You’re right. That fellow has only the appearance. I’d even thought he’s shoulder to shoulder with me in terms of strategy. Yet, his fighting ability’s extremely powerful. That time I chose to flee, it wasn’t because I didn’t want to take you along.
“However, I’ve already known that he would never be above attacking weaker people. With your temperament, I’m sure you would immediately kneel in surrender. That way, he would never kill you. If I had taken you along, it would be hard to escape him.”
Huang Rui immediately looked touched. “It’s rare that Master Tom’s so caring about his subordinates. I’m very touched. Those last few days of serving evil were just to get into the core of the enemy and get detailed info. Now, I can tell you about it.”
He then reported Lei Tian’s situation to him.
Black Cat Tom, listening, nodded its head occasionally. It knew that the old man must have also leaked some of its information, but so what?
No one could know its own inner secret, and its true ambition.
Now, that prideful Lei Tian was accompanying Anderson.
This meant that it was the smartest, and a big boss that could act in defiance to Vigilante A yet stay safe. It was one, and the ancestor of the Bai Family was another. Except for the two of them, there was none…
Tom, in the end, said pityingly, “Having heard this, I realize that Lei Tian’s also no moron. He wants to invade that Demonic Realm, which is a pretty good move. I’ve long known of its existence, but I don’t have enough power, and am not one of them Demons, so it’s hard to utilize it.
If there was a thing like the Realm of Dead Spirits, then I, Black Cat Tom will surely be its natural head, and will never have to fear Vigilante A. No matter how strong he is, he still can’t get into Azure Mountain, right? He still needed strategies to trap and kill Lei Tian, doesn’t he?
“But now, that Bodhisattva of Spirit Kings has benefitted. He just has to sit and collect his gains. Converting Demons and Buddhas is his special power. Now that the a.s.sociation of Spirit Kings has its base, as well as Spiritual Insects as fighters, they may be unstoppable in the future.”
Black Cat Tom became angrier as he went on. He was no longer as proud of the small success he had made as before.
This was just a roadside stall, and when Vigilante A sees this, he could destroy it with a swipe of his sword…
Everyone else was creating their own arcane realm, building their own base, while it was wandering about, and had to hide from Vigilante A hovering in the skies. How wronged it felt.
Vigilante A now had a Draconic Arcane Realm, the Bodhisattva of Spirit Kings had the Demonic Realm, the Truth Department had the Land of Heritage the size of a province, not to mention Sang Qingshan had already combined his Azure Mountain Arcane Realm with the Heavenly Path…
Even that group of American idiots had already begun developing their own arcane realm. Those powerful nations would soon have their own.
The outside world was their battlefield, and only the arcane realm were secure logistic bases. When it was combined with the Arcane Realm of the Heavenly Path, even saints or G.o.ds could not invade.
Black Cat Tom alertly realized the change in the world scene. In the future, whoever could not get an arcane realm would become wandering vagrants who needed to borrow shelter from others…
Wasn’t that describing itself?
Black Cat Tom, at this, became determined.
With wide, staring eyes, he told Huang Rui, “Go issue an order to alter the strategies of the a.s.sociation. Put down everything first, and focus on finding any arcane realms connected to death. It doesn’t matter if you dangle a heavy reward in the underworld, or steal secrets from the official groups. Use all tricks or pay any price. If anyone gets relevant information, I’ll reward them! From now on, everyone works overtime. No two-day rest until you find clues!”
Its feline face wore such a fierce expression that Huang Rui nearly cowered.
Huang Rui immediately understood how determined the other was, even more than before. If he screwed up this time, he would not end up well.
He was frantic and scared, and dared not speak or otherwise mention any potential difficulties. He immediately carried the order and left.
He did not realize, however, that as his emotions roiled, a gist of black energy flashed.
Black Cat Tom, however, caught that. It watched its formerly trusted subordinate’s rapidly retreating figure, face scrunched and whiskers twitching.
“He had such concentrated demonic energy on him. Does that mean that the War Demon Lei Tian… Has put a shackle upon him. I must find another thinker then. But now, the most important thing is to raise my power, to save having to lose to other compet.i.tors when the Realm of Dead Spirits is found. Those European necromancers cannot be underestimated.”
At that, the corner of its mouth twitched briefly. From the ma.s.s of Giant Kelp Sprites below, a big part of it had separated and moved from the depths of the sea towards somewhere in the east.
……
Qi City, China.
In the southern mountains, a cl.u.s.ter of Western-style bungalows stood on the side of a mountain.
The Son of G.o.d, William Robert, was in one of them, wasting himself in an alcoholic gathering.
Because of that last fiasco, where new guests caused attacks by demons to occur. For safety reasons, he no longer sought new darlings, and surrounding him were sweethearts and babies from before.
He had known them for years, and he had brought his sweethearts out into a farm villa in a part of Qi City for a walk to ensure that they were not demons.
When he had come here, he had only known that the area more than 10 miles around Vigilante A’s farm villa had been designated by the local Special Affairs Department as a no-development area. That meant that no new structures could be built in it.
That was because someone had said that it was, firstly, to avoid disturbing his peace and his daily routines. Secondly, this place would probably become a historical site, which would carry great meaning. So, it had to be protected from now on.
Then, the phone rang
William, looking at the display, helplessly picked up. “Uncle David, have you exhausted all the wealth I have given you?”
A panicked voice said, “William, it’s not good. The American Special Affairs Department has discovered a new situation. A large group of bloodthirsty kelp is approaching the West Coast of the United States. They’re quiet, moving in from the depths, and are expected to reach densely-populated city areas. There’s not enough time for evacuation.”
William immediately withdrew from the party and came into his quiet room. With a somber expression, he said seriously, “Alright, Uncle, I’ll inform the Alliance of Justice…”
A frantic voice came from the other side. “Imbecile, would I call you for this? We’ve already notified them.”
William immediately understood. “Oh, then I know who you want me to inform… the place I’m staying at is very near to that great hero’s home. I shall drive there myself to inform him. Even if there’s a speel formation concealing it, I could still see through it. Okay, the call ends here. I’ll go now.”
“F**K…”
Then the call ended.
William immediately entered his garage, driving his custom-extended Lincoln and heading towards Vigilante A’s farm villa.