"Congratulations on the housewarming!"

Chen Yubo knocked on the door, shoved the money tree, meant as a gift, into Lu Feng's hands, then after mingling in the kitchen for a bit, expertly started munching on tangerines, snatched the remote from the Little One, changed the channel, acting as if he were at home.

"Huh? Am I really the first one here?"

He exclaimed with surprise, "Didn't expect my driving skills to improve so much, used to take forever for a trip over twenty kilometers!"

"It's just that this place is so remote, there's no traffic at all, right?" Ji Jue cruelly pointed out the truth, scrutinizing his appearance, marveling, "But in such a short time, you've gotten so much darker."

"Hey, I've been picking up trash in Spring City lately, always exposed to the elements, such a hassle."

Chen Yubo shook his head, sighed in frustration, "Nowadays, too many scavengers are reckless. Collecting trash has become nerve-wracking, those guys from Tide City have zero respect for street morals, even the bodyguards are about to quit."

"Hmm?"

Lu Feng instantly perked up, his eyes sparkling:

"Do you need security, Boss?"

"Sure, sure, but the gap might be a bit large." Chen Yubo hesitated, "How many people does your company have? I'm afraid such a big contract might be too much for you."

"Twenty-one registered employees, but we can get as many temps as you need."

Lu Feng grinned, "I can pull as many from the Veterans' Association as needed! Just give a shout, they'll be there the same day... Everyone's acquainted, I'll give you a twenty percent discount off market price and break your opponent like a twig! Whatever discount you want!"

"For real?"

"Guaranteed real, Boss!" Lu Feng's smile was sweet as honey, nothing like his past self, notorious for unsavory reviews at the repair shop, pulling out his phone, "After we eat, let's take a drive and find out, I've got some nifty gadgets in the garage..."

"Wow, you have all this?"

"And this... and this..."

"Wait, isn't civilian possession of this illegal?"

"Veterans' collection, viewing pieces, how could it be illegal!"

Ji Jue eyed the two conspiring rapidly right under his nose, not really wanting to speak, sighed, leaving them be.

Though Boss Chen might be troublesome with little self-awareness, at least he pays promptly and generously.

Besides, the hassle beats helping people install cameras in vegetable greenhouses every day, right?

As long as you're happy.

"Is this the home of the easily first-class, trophy-snatching craftsman rising star, Embers, Master Ji?"

After the knock echoed, upon opening the door appeared familiar faces, led by a woman who removed her sunglasses and gave a pleasant smile, "I haven't heard him talk about his grand tales for almost five minutes now."

"Spare me, Sister Wen, I've only talked about it three times." Ji Jue said with a bitter smile.

"But the kids here have talked about it over sixty times."

Wen Wen pointed at the radiant Little An, "Including that story about 'grabbing hold and instantly refining,' he was repeating it to me on the way here."

"Ah this..."

Ji Jue, lost for words, seized Little An for a wild RUA.

Without even a prompt from him, everyone came in. The blissfully naive one wanted to grab Little An to play treasure hunting games, searching for 'Brother Jue's' hidden treasures.

To prevent her from crawling onto Isis's dissecting table, Ji Jue had no choice but to warn with iron fists, forcibly suppressing it.

Old Zhang still in a tank top and shorts, carrying a plastic bag, like an old man anywhere in Cliff City, sat down smiling and started brewing tea, secretly entertained.

Ji Jue's eyelids twitched crazily, damn it, a Vortex System, but loving dramas more than ether!

"Hey, here's a gift, it's been prepared as a surprise for quite some time."

Wen Wen pulled a box from her pocket, stuffed it into Ji Jue's arms, "Go bribe the future association master, Embers prodigy, our Northern Mountain District's gear relies on you."

"Easy to say."

Ji Jue shamelessly opened it right away.

Stunned there.

The contents of the box weren't much, at most it was just a fragment sealed with a Ruins Crystal, like half a bone frozen in ice.

And somehow, it felt familiar?

Seemed like he'd seen it somewhere before...

The moment he realized it, he swiftly closed the box, incredulous.

"Damn—"

Ji Jue broke out in a cold sweat, "Sister Wen, are you serious?"

"Just scrap metal, no need to fuss over it, right?"

Wen Wen was rummaging through the fridge for beer, nonchalantly waving her hand, "Anyway, no use for me, you take it casually, just don't dislike it."

Unlike the usual blank slate newbies, Ji Jue now was somewhat considered an emerging star in the craftsman world, not that blind...

Such vast, surging fierce malice, even the fragment merely smaller than a fist, made Ji Jue nearly suffocate.

To make matters worse, this thing somehow, looked like something Ji Jue had once seen in a simulation... a worm?

"Earth Vein Dragon Marrow?"

A hand reached over the stunned Ji Jue, picked it from the box, examined closely, "After the dragon's end, merged into the earth, returning to all things. Occasionally there may be remnants and minerals regenerating, but didn't expect such a large piece of earth vein crystal, purely restrained, without any pollution or blemishes, truly rare."

Ye Xian marveled, "Miss Wen is quite generous."

"It's something useless to me, might as well gift it."

Wen Wen held up a beer, nonchalantly, "As long as it can be of use, if it's truly valuable, just treat me to drinks a few times later.

Just don't be shy, I can't stand pretentiousness."

"...Thanks Sister Wen."

Ji Jue didn't hesitate, accepting the box, after all, the debt of favors couldn't be fully repaid, accumulating endlessly was normal.

Besides, his Xiang Sword Theory study hadn't started yet, this was the right time to need quality material as a base. Perhaps it could even forge a fine [Pan Ying].

Wen Wen smiled satisfactorily, saying no more.

"When did the teacher arrive?"

"While you were daydreaming, Mrs. Lu opened the door for me." Ye Xian nodded towards Lu Ma glancing out from the kitchen, Lu Ma chuckled.

Regarding Ji Jue's teacher, she'd heard a lot, never expected him to be so composed. The girl beside looked bright and wise, nowhere like a parasite.

This kid all day, just says ridiculous things.

Just...

"Xiao Ling."

She lowered her voice in the kitchen, sneakily observing the guests in the living room, "The girls outside seem to be quite familiar with Xiao Ji..."

Lu Ling paused for a moment, then sighed helplessly, "Oh mom, it's normal for boys and girls to make friends nowadays, don't overthink it."

"Am I overthinking?"

Lu Ma glared at a certain tag-a-long who's followed the second brother since childhood.

Good intentions mistaken for a donkey's liver, whatever, cook a bowl of pig brains to vent!

And give the fool some brain nutrition while I'm at it.

Laugh? You're already losing from the starting line, and still laughing foolishly over there!

In the future, when your second brother is holding hands with the big sisters, there you'll be, crying while biting a little handkerchief!

Originally, Ji Jue thought it would be awkward with so many people gathered, but he found out that they seemed more familiar with each other than he was, there was no need for courtesy at all.

Ever since Ji Jue started tidying up, it hadn't been this lively.

Especially after Ye Chun and Tong Hua began drawing turtles with their third sister...

It wasn't until near dinner time that there was another knock on the door.

A face slightly pale from overwork appeared outside the door.

"Sorry, I'm late." Tong Shan handed over a gift, a hanging scroll painted by his family's old master, "There've been a lot of things going on at the bureau lately, always working overtime."

"Emmm..."

Ji Jue turned his head, looking towards the Beishan Group who were already drinking heavily by the table.

The Beishan Group members looked over with innocent smiles.

"..."

Tong Zhiwu's expression twitched, revealing a hint of undisguised heaviness and exhaustion: "This is one of the reasons I work overtime."

Because apart from myself, everyone else is slacking off!

Ji Jue patted his shoulder admiringly, once again appreciating the sterling quality of the Security Bureau's weightlifting champion!

Without you, the Cliff City Security Bureau would definitely collapse...

When not working, Tong Zhiwu was quite personable; after work, naturally he wouldn't say: It's such a coincidence that everyone's here, why don't you come back with me after we eat and work overtime together...

Maybe he wanted to say that, but he was already being plied with liquor by the Beishan Group.

Stop the boss's nonsense mouth.

Especially his simple-minded sister, who was most enthusiastic in heckling, even daring to slap the table and reprimand him for keeping fish!

When Tong Shan glared at her, she just shrank next to Sister Wen, putting on a weak, helpless, and pitiful look.

Then smugly stuck out her tongue a little.

"To be honest, I have a dog-beating stick that Brother Feng just made, perfectly suited for beating younger siblings," Ji Jue sneered and suggested, "Brother Shan, I'm not the type to stir up trouble, but if I were you, I would..."

"No worries, I have a new one."

Tong Shan looked meaningfully at his silly sister, patting the sword-shaped pendant at his waist: "I'll beat her once we get home tonight."

Tong Hua proudly hooked her arm around Ye Chun's:

"I'm not going home tonight!"

"That's fine, you'll get beaten tomorrow at work just the same." Tong Shan remained calm: "I'm teaching the bureau's self-defense class this month."

"There's no such self-defense class!"

"If I say there is, there is."

Tong Shan raised a beer, tilted his head, and drank it all in one go, smiling.

"You seem to forget, I'm the acting director."

"Tong Zhiwu, you'll regret this!"

...

The rare lively meal had some happy, some unlucky, and some stirring the pot for entertainment.

After Ye Xian declined Ji Jue's offer to escort him, he got up and left.

Leaving behind Ye Chun, who rarely let loose, to continue playing.

Her workshop is just a few hundred meters away, no need for superficial gestures. Besides, young people can't really let loose with her around celebrating.

As for the workshop Ji Jue wanted her to see, truthfully, for the sake of her blood pressure and mindset, she didn't want to know more. Her requirements weren't high, as long as Ji Jue didn't accidentally blow it up.

After Lu Ma and the others left, taking the drowsy Third and Little with them, Chen Yubo's designated driver, who had finally mustered the mental preparation, nervously drove his sports car out.

As for the other Chosen Ones, who were still in high spirits, they started drinking dice games, even pulling Tong Shan in with them.

When Ji Jue turned his head back, they were all nearly drunk.

Until Ji Jue finally realized a blind spot.

Suddenly startled.

"Wait a second..."

He looked towards Ye Chun's side, finally noticing that something was missing from the thermos her teacher left her: "Where did the Ghost Work Ball go?"

"Huh?" Ye Chun lowered her head in surprise, finally realizing it.

In her new home, the metallic bird Xiao Jiu, playing a game of Truth or Dare, peeked its head from the ceiling: "I saw it just now, after big brother went out, Uncle Ghost Work rolled over that way!"

As he said this, he raised his wing, pointing towards the direction of the basement.

"Uh..."

Ji Jue's expression twitched, suddenly having a bad premonition.

He couldn't sit still.

Until suddenly, the Ghost Work Ball appeared out of nowhere, biu~, and landed on the drinking table. The once pure white spherical body was now covered in black scorch marks and mercury traces.

"Damn!"

The Ghost Work was shocked speechless: "Dude, that woman in your basement is terrifying!"

"..."

In an instant, the noise ceased, and a deathly silence arrived.

In this unspeakable silence, only one profound gaze after another was directed at Ji Jue from the drinking table.

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