CHAPTER 174: CHAPTER 149: GOODBYE MOM, TONIGHT I SET SAIL

It was close to midnight on Monday night.

Less than twenty-four hours remain until the holiday ends.

Lin Li was lying in bed, just like last night, waiting for the stroke of midnight to arrive.

Today, Lin Li did nothing but two things: this and that:

He got up early and continued practicing the Spiritual Qi Chapter in his room. His efforts over the last two days had almost finished the fourth Chapter of the Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique, enhancing the efficiency of his use of Spiritual Qi once again.

Even though he had spent much more time on the flesh Chapter than the Spiritual Qi Chapter, the third part was still not completely mastered.

However, progress on both sides was already quite fast. It seemed, at this pace, as long as the supply of Spirit Stones could keep up, completing Task One’s one-month duration might allow him to nearly master all eight Chapters of the Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique.

Originally, after finishing his practice in the morning, he had planned to make some deliveries like he did yesterday morning, but Wu Min hadn’t woken up.

Considering it was a rare chance for his mom to sleep in, and even though he could take another nap, Lin Li still didn’t want to disturb her.

There was no need to contact Shen Kai either, so Lin Li spent his morning learning, apart from taking a nap himself.

He made deliveries in the afternoon and evening.

But because he had gained a lot more experience, his efficiency was no worse than yesterday’s. Now the progress on Task Four had reached (26/30).

He was confident he could finish it before tomorrow evening’s self-study session, worse comes to worst, he’d just take another leave.

It’s worth mentioning that his account balance jumped from 4.0 to 10.0, becoming three digits — a legendary improvement.

The improvement prompted Wu Min to keep urging Lin Li not to think of making deliveries anymore.

As soon as the clock struck midnight, Lin Li immediately went to the [Store] to exchange items.

[Low-grade Spirit Stone].

This damned probability: even when facing bad luck, trying one’s hardest is of no avail. Lin Li sighed with regret.

He exchanged for the "Power-enhancement Tool (+1)" again.

"Used to feel like there was nowhere to use it, but how come now there’s only 570 of system currency left?" Lin Li whispered to himself.

[You have used the Power-enhancement Tool (+1) on Charging, updated to Charging (+1)]

[Charging (+1): Causes your right hand to be completely paralyzed for two hours, after which you can accumulate one use opportunity. For the subsequent hour after using it, the output strength, power, and skill effects of the right hand will be doubled. Paralysis and skill usage cannot be halted, with a storage limit of 3 for charging ability.]

The charging storage condition was demanding, requiring a two-hour paralysis, but with the output effect now tripled, Lin Li found it worth it.

His late-night operations were completed.

Just a bit of time on the phone, and then he could sleep once more. Tomorrow, no, today would be another busy day.

On his phone, a few people had left him messages, and he even spotted a notification for a red envelope in the group chat.

After all, today was Tuesday, the day when boarding students must return, and it was also the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time when some classmates had the habit of sending holiday greetings in the group chat.

——Sending holiday greetings on minor festivals is something done either by the quite young or the quite old.

Lin Li politely responded one by one, grateful that they chose to include him in their mass messages.

TA thought of me.

「Yao Qiaoqiao: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Lin Li.」

There was one that wasn’t a bulk message, although, it wasn’t sent right on time either. Felt like it was sent to people one by one on the list.

Warmed him throughout the day.

「Lin Li: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to you too.」

「Yao Qiaoqiao: "Hehe"」

The essence of humanity is repetition. Also, your meme was nice, but now it’s mine.

「Lin Li: "Hehe"」

「Yao Qiaoqiao: "New Hehe"」

Lin Li: Too lazy to reply, hehe.

「Wang Ze: On August 15th, the bright moon shines; With friends and family, enjoy the moon and flowers; A time of reunion, damn you; Share past stories, full of blessings; A bright moon, look ahead; Mid-Autumn Festival, may everything go well!」

Just as Lin Li was about to send "Are you kidding me with a mass message too, right?" he squinted and noticed something amiss.

Hiding it pretty deep, aren’t you?

You sneaky bastard.

「Lin Li: Wang Ze, are you sure you can eat mooncakes instead of steamed buns today? I feel like you’re missing some stuffing.」

It took Wang Ze a few minutes to respond.

「Wang Ze: ?」

「Wang Ze: Even if it was a mass message, it doesn’t need to be this violent, right?」

「Lin Li: What are you pretending for? Want me to report your face-changing, do you, little brother. "Pat Head" 」

「Wang Ze: What are you talking about?」

「Lin Li: I’ve spotted the profanity in your blessing, it’s too obvious, dumbass. Next time, hide it better like in acrostic or telestich poems.」

Wang Ze didn’t reply immediately.

Looks like he was furious after being exposed.

Half a minute later.

「Wang Ze: Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!!」

「Wang Ze: Lin Li, I’m screwed, damn! This was Zhang Haoyang’s post in our dorm group, I didn’t notice "damn you" and directly mass sent it!

You guys deserved the insult, but the problem is I also mass sent it to several family groups and relatives!

"Oh crap, it’s been two minutes and I can’t retract it anymore! Argh!! What do I do now!!"

Then Wang Ze frantically started spamming gifs, flooding the chat.

Lin Li: "?"

"Lin Li: ᓖ뮤? Are you kidding?"

"Wang Ze: If I’m lying, may I be infertile while my descendants are aplenty, and may my colon develop taste buds! I really wish this wasn’t real!"

Lin Li: "..."

This vow is so extreme, you have to believe it now.

Considering Wang Ze’s current predicament, Lin Li could feel himself breaking out in a sweat.

This is terrifying.

Sending it to guys is fine, sending it to girls...still kind of okay, but sending it to elders...

Lin Li called, and Wang Ze picked it up immediately. Lin Li quickly said, "Wang Ze, I have a way that might alleviate your current issue a bit."

"Tell me quickly, what should I do now?" Wang Ze’s voice sounded anxious.

"Do you have a computer nearby?" Lin Li was much calmer.

"Yes, I do!"

"Start it up, connect your phone via USB, then click on the link to the cloud drive I sent you on WeChat and download it."

"Give me a moment, give me a moment. Damn it, Lin Li, it’s lucky I have you, otherwise I really wouldn’t know what to do." The sound from Wang Ze’s side immediately became filled with rustling, seemingly getting out of bed, with the sound of a notebook being opened and keys being tapped, and a tone full of gratitude.

Then the gratitude abruptly stopped, and Wang Ze’s voice turned stiff and mechanical, voice acting as if stating: "...Why the hell are they porn?"

"This way you can have a last hurrah before you go. I highly recommend it, remember to watch it on a computer, big screen, much more enjoyable!" Lin Li happily said.

Wang Ze: "..."

Seeing that Wang Ze wasn’t speaking, Lin Li then added, "If you’re not in the mood for that right now, I also have a link with an amazing video of a line of sows falling into a ditch. It’s really funny; do you want to watch it?"

"Screw off Lin Ziqiao! You freaking bastard!" Wang Ze roared, "Your respiratory tract and vocal tract are conjoined, spewing nonsense at a time like this!"

"Ha, good one, saving this for next time when cursing out Bufan." Lin Li laughed even while getting cursed at.

"Oh well, you can’t undo it. If you want, you can resend a group apology, but be forewarned, it’ll make those who didn’t notice now pay attention, especially those who thanked you, it’ll be more awkward. It’s a dead end."

After having his laugh, Lin Li offered a barely helpful suggestion, then comforted:

"Sometimes, when things go wrong, changing perspective might make them less terrible. Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa – to us, it’s crooked, but to Hawking, it’s straight. That’s the charm of perspective.

So, changing a perspective, your silly act could be seen as a massive friend test.

A friend like me, who quickly noticed your hidden foul language, truly cares and should be revered like ancestors, preferably with a 200-yuan tribute;

While those who don’t notice the language by tomorrow are fake friends, and removing them isn’t a pity."

"What if true friends turn into fake friends after seeing this message?" Wang Ze asked.

"Then they deserve to be removed." Lin Li calmly analyzed.

Wang Ze: "..."

You bastard.

Wang Ze didn’t speak; after a few seconds, sobbing sounds came through.

The day before yesterday Zhou Baowei cried, yesterday Bai Bufan cried, and today Wang Ze cried.

Lin Li should have felt guilty for doing such a terrible thing.

But the problem is, the sobbing sound was somewhat familiar to Lin Li, sounding distinctly feminine, and unlike a local person. With memory now better than before, Lin Li remembered it seemed to be from that movie he just sent.

You bastard.

"Why the hell are you already watching it?" Now it was Lin Li’s turn to be silent.

"You sent it, I downloaded it, the computer is already on, might as well watch it. Hmm, not bad taste." Wang Ze’s tone was emotionless.

The ethereal sound made Lin Li feel a bit remorseful.

Some people sound alive but have been dead for a while.

This isn’t watching a movie; this is seeking spiritual solace, like watching the Spring Festival Gala just to make the room less quiet during New Year.

Watch it, watch it, if the kid loves to watch, let him watch more.

"Knock knock knock!" On the phone, the sound of knocking suddenly came.

"Wang Ze, come out! What did you just post in the family group!" A middle-aged woman’s heartfelt call followed.

"Lin Li, thanks for the video. I have to go, gotta hang up." Wang Ze said, taking a deep breath and laughing once.

Beep—Beep—

Wang Ze hung up.

Just now, I shouldn’t have cursed Wang Ze; Wang Ze certainly had true friends, but the problem is, it seems Wang Ze’s true friends may lose one of their own.

Not sure if I’ll still see him during tomorrow evening’s study session.

Lin Li shared the story, and everyone built their joy upon Wang Ze’s misery, all laughing happily.

When a whale falls, all things arise. Wang Ze only paid with his life to trade for so many people’s cheerful smiles. Surely he’ll rest in peace in the Underworld.

Of course, not everyone was amused:

"Zhang Haoyang: Can someone raise a cry-fund for me to get two Resurrection Armors? If two’s too many, just one for my mom will do; I just got a death threat, urgent."

Zhang Haoyang, you’re quite the filial one, huh.