Monday, left the house at 5:30 AM, got home at midnight.

Tuesday, left at 6:00 AM, home at 11:40 PM.

Wednesday, this bastard came home last night just to take a bath and use the toilet. At 4:30 AM, he's sprawled out in front of the workshop door, banging on it to get Ye Chun out of bed...

Then came Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

This bastard just doesn't know the meaning of a day off!

He's totally flouting labor laws!

The middle-aged man doing surveillance, with bloodshot eyes, held up his binoculars to watch the silent workshop, his mind filled with thoughts of reporting him.

Are you even human?!

At first, he thought, young people have energy to burn, like to show off their strength. But after getting used to it, they'd come to know the suffering of a corporate drone, the difficulty of work, and would naturally start slacking off and getting distracted.

But this bastard, in the second week, he just packed up his bedding and moved in?!

He's not leaving!

Doesn't even show his face every day?!

Seriously, bro, are there gold and silver mines or beauties and handsome guys inside? Do you love working that much?

If it wasn't for the fact that Ye Xian owned this whole factory district and was a master in Cliff City no one dared to provoke, the middle-aged man would have rushed in long ago to smack Ji Jue around: Wake up, idiot; at least take a break outside! Even if you're not hooking up with Wen Wen, at least let me confirm whether you're the Chosen Summoner or not?

It wasn't just the one doing surveillance; even Ye Chun was about to cry.

No, she was already crying.

"Bro, Ji Jue, you're my senior, okay? Spare me, please; here's the keys. Wherever you want to go, whatever you want, you get it yourself, okay? Don't drag me into this."

After realizing she had dark circles under her eyes from several nights without sleep, Ye Chun couldn't stop her tears: "Upperclassman, I really can't compete with a freak like you!

Can't you just go out and get a date? If you can't find anyone, I could introduce you to a junior sister..."

"Where does that even come from?!"

Ji Jue erupted in anger: "We must work together and make progress! Have you forgotten the earnest advice Professor Ye gave us before he left?

You wouldn't want him to come back and find that other than gaining weight, you've made no progress on your papers, would you?"

Ye Chun was already itching to punch him.

Just cool it, will you?

She finally understood why her aunt had left without assigning homework and just walked out the door... From the day she allowed this dog into her den, she couldn't escape her fate of being dragged into this mess.

"How many days have you gone without a bath, man?"

She looked at Ji Jue's scruffy beard, bloodshot eyes, matted hair, and haggard appearance, and wanted to call the cops: "If you're going to work yourself to death, could you not do it in the workshop at my house?"

"Who needs baths? Who needs sleep? Why date?!"

Ji Jue's eyes widened as his pale face broke into an increasingly excited smile: "I love studying, okay! I love alchemy! The workshop is my home!"

Bang!

Inside the Melting Furnace, the broken blade rang out, as if an army were roaring from a sea of blood and fire. Within it, the towering Shadow of the Throne reveals itself from the spiritual material!

And so, amidst Ji Jue's wild, cackling laughter, following Ascension, entropy, and Ruins, the fourth totem, overseeing disaster, conflict, non-cooperation, and slaughter, was accomplished.

—Superior·[the crowd]!

"Ha ha, hahaha—"

Ji Jue, looking at the watch that was now one-third of the way complete, laughed heartily with his hands on his hips: "This is the true worth of a professional workaholic, get it?

If not for me, Ji Jue, the world of workaholics would be in eternal night!

To alchemy—"

Amid his crazed laughter, he felt the world darken before his eyes and his laughter grew quieter.

He collapsed backward.

Click, crunch.

Following the crisp sound of munching on chips, Ye Chun sighed expressionlessly, "I knew it; one of these days, you workaholics will work yourselves to death."

Beyond saving, lost his breath, time to contact the crematorium.

I will arrange for you the most prestigious funeral and a grand mourning ceremony, then scatter your ashes in Tianmen Lake, telling every new junior boy and girl that this is the end of a workaholic!

Muttering to herself, she reached into the cabinet and took out a seriously sealed bottle, carefully extracted 1 milliliter with a dropper, diluted it with 300 milliliters of water, and finally poured the orange-red liquid down Ji Jue's throat.

Visibly, a hint of rosiness returned to his pale face.

His eyelids twitched.

Ji Jue opened his eyes, confused, and saw Ye Chun's resigned expression.

He remembered nothing of what had just happened.

"Long-term lack of spiritual material has caused these side effects; occasional blackouts and loss of energy are just early symptoms. If you don't rest, I might as well take future juniors to see your crazy state in a mental hospital."

Ye Chun, without any politeness, pinched and kneaded his face recklessly: "Get, go, rest, you hear me?"

Ji Jue really wanted to say he could keep going, but seeing Ye Chun's sharp gaze, so like Professor Ye's, he involuntarily swallowed and nodded vigorously.

"Rest well, rest well, I love resting now!"

Feeling the pressure like a sword on his back.

Followed Professor Ye and learned nothing good, all the bad habits!

Thus, with resentful memories and lingering affection, turning back every three steps, Ji Jue picked up his pack and, after five days, finally crawled out of the workshop and went home to wash and sleep.

Far away, even further away, the surveillance person lay in the car, barely breathing, glanced up once more and withdrew his gaze.

Dammit, I'm worn out, let it all end.

"All these days and you haven't found out anything? What are you good for?"

The aged voice on the phone was utterly cold: "Do you know how urgent they are on the other side? All this time, doing nothing, not even keeping watch. Maybe you should consider, switching employers, how about that?"

"No, no, boss, we've already got a lead."

The middle-aged man, sweating profusely, said, "I've already made contact with the 'nightmare', just waiting for that kid to show his face. By tomorrow at the latest, I'll dig up those few glances he threw at someone surnamed Wen for you!"

"It better be that way! Otherwise, you go explain it to them yourself!" the elder Jiang Jin, completely out of patience, hung up the call.

Only the middle-aged man remained in the van, too cost-conscious to even turn on the air conditioning. He was drenched in sweat as he held the phone, hesitating time and again before finally making another call.

"The boss doesn't want to wait anymore," he said. "You'll have to make a trip."

"Why didn't you just say so earlier? You've been dillydallying for so long."

Over the phone, the person known as 'nightmare' mocked, "A dead kid, and you've been trembling over him for ages, not daring to even plant a bug. What results can you expect?"

"We're still not sure if he is the Chosen Summoner. What if he is? In cases like this, it's better to be cautious."

The middle-aged man looked up, glancing at a distant vanishing figure; for some reason, he suddenly felt a chill: "Be careful yourself, that kid is definitely not normal—I see something sinister about him."

"Alright, alright, just transfer the money over."

The nightmare began to chuckle, "The thing you want, I can dig it out for you, but if he turns into an idiot, you can't blame me... you know my style, a bit rough."

"Don't leave any traces or slip-ups, okay?"

The middle-aged man's final instruction, "The boss doesn't like it when people mess up their jobs. If by any chance we're discovered..."

"Don't worry, it won't involve you. I'm off to the Empire tomorrow. Even the mighty Security Bureau can't catch me all the way in Rhein Port with wings, can they?"

The laughter of the nightmare grew more peculiar, "Who would've thought, I'd get to have a little fun before I leave."

The call ended.

The middle-aged man silently smoked, never speaking again, only, for some unknown reason, he began to contemplate retirement.

But after so many years, following this Jiang surnamed man, involving himself in all these shady dealings... could his luck really last until retirement?

Forget about retirement. Without their protection, by tomorrow afternoon, his body might just be floating out to sea.

In the afternoon sun, he looked at his scruffy, ghastly reflection in the rearview mirror and suddenly envied the figure who had ridden away on a motorbike, humming a tune.

Even if he appeared utterly ignorant and foolish.

At least, he could still live in the light...

...

On the other end of the hung-up call, melodious music and a prompt sounded from the broadcast system.

At the customs entrance, the nightmare hung up the call, strolled leisurely through security checks and verifications, and entered the first-class lounge.

"Please enjoy your tea, sir."

The server brought over some tea with a smile like a blossoming flower, mysteriously feeling a sense of goodwill toward this stranger.

"Thank you."

The man known as the nightmare set down his briefcase, looking like any other traveling businessman as he leaned back on the lounge's sofa, seemingly exhausted: "I need to rest for a bit, would you mind not letting anyone disturb me?"

"Of course, sir."

The server took two steps back, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

And so, only the man and the steam rising from his tea were left in the silence. Outside the grand floor-to-ceiling windows was the hustle of the airship platform.

One flying airship after another, vast as buildings, traversed the skies, heading in all directions.

He was not actually going to the Empire tomorrow, but tonight, right after completing this last job, he planned to leave posthaste.

And it wasn't the Empire he was headed to, but the islands beyond Central Earth.

Just like his employer's subordinate said to him, safety comes first. Who knew if those people, knowing he knew too much, intended to silence him with this 'last job'?

It's always smart to have a backup plan.

After all these years in Hai Province, he had amassed a sizable nest egg in an untraceable bank account, enough to buy himself a mountain and a fishing farm in the islands, where he could comfortably fish and surf until his dying days.

Taking this last-minute job was merely to upgrade his future yacht by another notch.

Maybe add a karaoke set? He wasn't much of a singer, but the island girls were renowned for their melodious voices...

So, amidst his scattered thoughts, he sipped his tea and pulled out a document from his briefcase - one that had been delivered to his hands already. Looking at the photo and the records, he couldn't help feeling a twinge of regret.

He had been told he might catch a big fish - a Chosen Summoner - which, if sold, could've brought him a windfall. Turns out it was just a clueless, foolish young boy.

And a Cursed one at that, with a significantly higher likelihood of mutation than average.

Has old Jiang Jin lost his wits, or was it a desperate gamble?

It didn't matter to him.

At least, he could still have one last fling.

From a feeling of long-lost craving, he leaned back on the couch, closed his eyes, and slowly his breathing slowed. Soon after, he fell into a deep sleep.

And just before his eyes shut, the sinister glint that flickered in them had already vanished.

At this moment, in this place, only an empty shell remained.

The Dream-eating Rhinoceros had embarked on its journey from within a dream, heading for a new playground.

Meanwhile, Ji Jue, who had just gotten home and taken a shower, couldn't help but yawn. Suddenly, the drowsiness that had been somewhat bearable surged like a tide.

So much so, that he couldn't even dry himself off completely.

"Wait, something doesn't feel quite..."

Right?

He stumbled a couple of steps forward, half-falling onto his bed, and before he could even clamber onto it, he fell into a deep sleep.

His snores began to rise.

Suffering from long-term spiritual depletion and weakness, his powers didn't even react; before he could understand what was happening, he had plummeted into the dreams woven by the Rhinoceros.

Utterly defenseless.

Then in the void, endless nightmares rose like a tide!

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