House Dogs and Stray Dogs

Nobody slept well last night. It wasn't just Lou Feng; practically no one in the entire outpost had gotten a good night's rest. Well, except for Lord Tao holding down the center—it was said he had slept peacefully through the night, and the next morning he even ate an extra flatbread and drank an extra bowl of porridge. His appetite was hearty. It was just that the side dish served with his meal was a bit horrifying. On the drill grounds outside the office window lay over a dozen corpses draped in white sheets—all the fruits of the Security Bureau's overnight thunderous purge. Yesterday at 6:00 p.m., Tong Shan had returned to his room, and by 6:30 p.m., the report he submitted was already in the hands of Lyu Yingyue, Director of the Yacheng Security Bureau. In the face of Tong Shan's recommendation—prompted by the emergency in the Recycling and Disposal Department—to tighten discipline and administration and root out the black sheep, Lyu Yingyue read it through and wrote her instruction: *Trivial half-measures; scratching an itch through the boot.* By 7:30 p.m., the Security Bureau directors of all three major cities and four minor cities across Haizhou were seated in the same conference room, and by 8:00 p.m., an airship from the Military Department was already hovering above the outpost. The outpost, chaotic for days with factions coming and going, was instantly locked down like an iron barrel; not even a fly could escape. Then three specialized task forces led by Heart Pivot Celestial Chosen combed through everyone from top to bottom, coordinated with the Heavenly Eye Domain, letting not a single soul slip by. Gunfire popped like roasting beans half the night. They successfully weeded out a massive haul of Celestial Chosen with murky backgrounds, including two wanted criminals who had altered their appearances to infiltrate the outsourced patrol teams, three Imperial spies, a bunch of impostor freeloaders hoping to fish for benefits out of Quancheng, and... nine cultists from the Evil Transmutation Cult... When discovered, one of them had already wormed his way into logistics and was just about to take office managing the cafeteria; one could only imagine that the plastic packets in his room didn't contain anything as mild as rat poison. The next morning, Ji Jue yawned as he looked at the rich spoils of war placed before him and the freshly approved First-Class Collective Medal of Honor, unable to conceal his shock: "Holy shit, there really were Evil Transmutation cultists?" "What did you think?" Tong Shan asked back, puzzled. "I thought..." Ji Jue coughed awkwardly a couple of times. *I thought you corrupt officials were talking out of your asses and framing people. Who knew whatever you claimed would actually be there? So among this entire circus of monsters and demons, the Security Bureau's moral baseline is actually the highest?* "Alright, stop daydreaming," Tong Shan waved a hand. For the sake of his own blood pressure, he really didn't want to pursue this topic any further. He continued, "Last night's operation yielded quite a few leads, which added plenty of extra tasks to this mission. How are your preparations coming along?" "All my worldly possessions are right here." Ji Jue reached out and pointed toward Little Niuma behind him. "I even borrowed a bunch of materials from my teacher. If this operation fails, I might just go bankrupt." "Don't worry. Even if something goes wrong, the squad will prioritize protecting your evacuation." Tong Shan took the initiative to extend a hand toward Lou Feng, whose face was fallen in a sullen scowl. "We'll be relying on Mr. Lou's support going forward as well." "Just doing my duty." Lou Feng managed a stiff smile, but the moment he caught Ji Jue looking his way, his face sank right back down, not wishing to acknowledge him. Ji Jue wasn't tactless enough to bluntly ask, "Didn't you say you weren't coming?" Since he had already shown up, there was no need to bring up topics that would only stir up trouble. "Good to have you here," he said, patting Young Master Lou on the shoulder with a heartfelt sigh. "At least we have company, right?" Lou Feng scoffed, shrugging off that not-so-clean hand, and took the lead getting into the vehicle. Haughty and aloof as ever. Holding in a bellyful of frustration, ready at any moment to compete with a certain someone again. Ji Jue's smile grew increasingly amiable. Tsunderes were just too easy to read. There was no need to worry about him slacking off; give him the slightest nudge and he would go all out. A casual "You can't handle it, can you?" would have him spinning a millstone until sparks flew. Now that there was an extra person to help out, even scrounging for materials would be so much easier. And he was a prospective artisan who had inherited the Deft Craft matrix—he had unique advantages in preprocessing and preserving all sorts of materials, keeping them cold, fresh, high-quality, and intact. Without Ji Jue even having to mention it, Lou Feng had brought along a Blessing Cage on his own! Definitely a high-end model. With that capacity, it could hold at least five or more, right? Looking at the lantern-shaped alchemical apparatus hanging from Young Master Lou's waist, Ji Jue's eyes were practically glued to it with envy. He couldn't help it. It was expensive—truly expensive, ridiculously expensive. Among the Blessing Cages openly sold in the association right now, even the lowest-grade ones—shoddy goods that could barely squeeze in a single blessing and had a strict time limit—cost more than an ordinary blessing itself, let alone a composite, custom-made luxury piece like this. He couldn't afford to buy one, lacked the skill and technique to craft one, and could only rely on mooching. Thinking back to the good old days during his first instance run, when he and the puzzle ball had been inseparable, he could only silently wipe away a tear or two. Some things, once missed, were gone for good. The three-month deadline hadn't even passed, yet the puzzle ball had already returned to its dragon king throne, forever out of Ji Jue's league. He could only reminisce about those bygone sweet times. Just like that, after completing maintenance, submitting applications, obtaining clearances, and passing the checkpoint, the two vehicles departed the outpost one after the other, driving toward distant Quancheng. In the deepest reaches of the desolate white fog, everything grew distant and hazy. Under the watchful gaze of the Heavenly Eye from above, they gradually faded out of sight. *** Last night, in Master Kong's lounge. After returning from his hard day's work, Lou Feng had reported the day's experiences and discoveries in full detail, including Ji Jue's invitation. "You're not going?" Master Kong, who had been studying blueprints with her head lowered, looked up with an expressionless face. "Why not?" Lou Feng was momentarily taken aback, bewildered. He didn't see what was wrong with his natural refusal, nor did he understand why his teacher took it so seriously. "I just felt... there was no need?" "..." Master Kong said nothing. In silence, she finished reviewing the blueprints in hand, marked down key construction notes and suggestions, set down her pen, and finally looked at her restless student sitting nearby. A soft sigh escaped her. "I finally understand why I always felt you were lacking something," she said with sudden clarity. "Your life has just been too comfortable." "Huh?" Lou Feng froze. "I don't mean to accuse you of being out of touch with the common folk or ignorant of hard labor. For a prestigious clan like the Lou family, researching such things might only invite ridicule." Master Kong spoke slowly. "Over the past two days, you've at least tasted a bit of the hardship and suffering you were due. I'll ask you just one question: if you were any member of the Recycling and Disposal Department and encountered something like this, what choice would you make?" Lou Feng fell silent, strangely finding it difficult to answer. Thinking it through, if he judged others by his own standards, he would certainly think there was no need to wade into these muddy waters. But when he tried to imagine the circumstances of the others, he suddenly hesitated, unable to give an answer. And it was precisely this hesitation that made Kong Qingyan unable to hide her disappointment. The hard labor over these past few days had merely been a formality for Lou Feng, never sinking into his heart. Judging by this afternoon's incident, he still had some spine and decisiveness in his bones, yet after so many days, he hadn't even gained the slightest understanding of the colleagues around him... Faced with such a question, some would certainly nod without hesitation, and others would just as certainly refuse; it was never a question with a single correct answer. Whatever Lou Feng answered wouldn't have been wrong; the only mistake was not answering at all. Because he didn't know. Kong Qingyan could certainly understand Lou Feng's reasons for refusing. To stay peacefully in the workshop, devoting himself heart and soul to practice and research—wasn't that far better than risking life and limb for a trivial crumb of benefit? He was, after all, a young master of the Lou clan. He had the means, the wealth, and the pedigree. He could comfortably follow the established path, accumulate steadily, and eventually become a respectable, conventional artisan. Neither extraordinary nor lacking. He would never make a misstep, never be in danger, and under such an ideal state, his future would be as secure as it was thoroughly unremarkable. To be sure, this was an opportunity and privilege that others could only dream of, yet at the same time, it was a cage that Lou Feng was destined never to break out of. As his teacher, she could only watch and sigh in silence. In the lingering silence, Lou Feng ultimately gathered the courage to ask, "Teacher, I just don't understand what I did wrong." "You did nothing wrong," Kong Qingyan said, slowly shaking her head. "Often, speaking of right and wrong is meaningless, because human foresight is limited and the future impossible to fathom. At most, it is simply a difference in choice." Had she encountered such a dreamlike opportunity back in her apprentice days, far from hesitating, she wouldn't even have blinked at taking out a loan just to buy her way into the team. Led by a rising star of the Tong family, backed by the Security Bureau, supported by numerous powerhouses of the Tianyuan lineage, and even overseen by a Celestial-Human holding the fort. Others braved the landmines while you were called in to share the spoils—guaranteed profit regardless of the weather, steady payouts of gold. No one would stab you in the back out of greed, no one would band together to ostracize you into tripping traps, and no one would turn on each other over uneven spoils... If this offer were made to any other apprentice, they would suspect you were running a scam because it sounded too good to be true. "What do you think of me as a teacher?" Kong Qingyan asked suddenly. Without waiting for his response, she waved her hand and asked another question: "What do you think of Ye Xian?" Lou Feng was tongue-tied, not knowing what to say. "That's fine. I know you don't understand, and even I can't claim to know her deeply enough." Kong Qingyan pinched the bridge of her nose. Under the lamplight, she gave a self-deprecating smile. "That woman became an apprentice at seventeen, obtained her artisan license at nineteen, and defected from her master's sect at twenty. Everyone thought she was courting death, too ignorant to know the heavens were high and the earth was thick. No one expected that by twenty-four, she would achieve the rank of master. "What was I doing back then? "I was still babysitting my master's kid." Her eyes lowered as she reminisced softly: "Back then, I remember the kid threw a tantrum wanting firewood porridge, so I had to go light the stove. "I've forgotten everything else, except that smoke filled the room. Holding half a torn newspaper, I stared at her photo and the news article. Tears streamed down my face, and I couldn't even tell whether it was from the stinging smoke or something else. "I only felt that, for the very first time, I understood what it meant to go mad with jealousy and resentment—" "Back then, all I wanted to know was: *how did she do it? Why her?*" Kong Qingyan looked up at him. "How do you think she earned that?" "...Talent?" Lou Feng ventured tentatively. "Hard work?" Kong Qingyan chuckled, dripping with derision. Everyone has talent; anyone can work hard. There are plenty of prodigies in the world, but among those who manage to become masters, whose talent was inferior? Whose effort was less? Just because you're gifted, other artisans would willingly hand over their life's savings, secret arts, and theories and data they would never share publicly, handing them over to you like pieces of candy? There was only one answer. Fight, seize, and stop at nothing to plunder and strip away everything you can. If you lacked investment, seek investment, beg for aid, or promise lies; if you lacked allies, hunt for allies, or use coercion and bribery; if you lacked secret heritages, go after the useless trash who hoarded secrets but couldn't use them... It was an unadulterated storm of blood and gore! Looking seventy years into the past, or all the way to the present day, there had never been such an outrageous precedent. Every single step of the long road she walked was paved with her rivals—she either stepped over their cold corpses or forced them to forfeit a lifetime of reputation and achievement. Without exception. Why did she dare look down on everyone during association conferences? Because of her transcendent theories? Her bountiful achievements? Or her lofty status? None of the above. There was only one reason: because even if you added up everyone present, all of them combined hadn't had as many artisans die at their hands as she had... That Ye Xian preferred to be reasonable nowadays wasn't because she had grown old, but because everyone who refused to reason with her was already dead. "She is already walking her own path, advancing steadily. The masses left behind are beneath her concern; even if countless other exclusive heritages were laid before her, she wouldn't bother sparing a glance," Kong Qingyan said slowly. "Because once you can find your own path, you are already standing at the threshold of Grandmaster." All those who lost to her dared not bear grudges anymore; they either bowed their heads or gritted their teeth and endured it. Some even took pride in it. Lou Feng was stunned. After a long pause, he gasped, "Isn't that a bit too..." "Too insane, right?" Kong Qingyan laughed. "She's someone who clawed her way out of a road where only death was guaranteed. Mediocre fools never caught her eye. And her student is the same—he looks modest, mild, and friendly, but in truth, he was cast from the exact same mold, perhaps even more lawless than she is." She turned back to look at her student. "Competing on the same stage against an opponent like that, do you have the guts to fight?" Lou Feng was silent. He didn't answer. Nor was an answer needed. They both knew the answer. It had happened once already, maybe even more than once. When it came to putting your life on the line in a life-or-death pinch, how could a pamper-bred young master compare to a mad dog running wild with his life strapped to his belt? "I..." Lou Feng opened his mouth subconsciously, but no sound came out. "I..." Kong Qingyan looked at him. This time, he didn't evade his teacher's gaze after all. His face flushed red, his fists gripping his knees tightly as he struggled to speak. Yet in the end, what he saw was his teacher smiling. A smile of genuine pleasure. "Whether it's jealousy or fury, it doesn't matter. Refusing to stay beneath others is the true essence of Embers. The moment you can placidly accept reality is the moment you're truly dead as an artisan." She nodded in satisfaction. Then her smile vanished, leaving no trace of warmth. "Starting today, with the exception of theoretical coursework, all your material supplies are cut off. "I will speak to the Lou family. "If you still want to improve, go plunder it yourself!" She gave one last smile, ignoring her student's shock and bewilderment, and told him, "If you aren't content with the security of a house dog, then go try the life of a stray dog. "Let me, your teacher, see what kind of future you can seize for yourself." Lou Feng had tossed and turned all night. *** Even now, seated in the vehicle, he couldn't tell how much of his showing up as agreed was out of throwing caution to the wind, and how much was still wanting to contest superiority with that bastard Ji Jue. At this moment, amidst growing unease and confusion, he subconsciously looked toward Ji Jue beside him, hoping to find an answer. But the seat next to him was already completely empty. Over the familiar, pumping DJ tracks, he realized that in the short time he had dozed off, Ji Jue had already blended into the squad and become thick as thieves with them. Amidst the raucous atmosphere, Ji Xue was clapping him on the shoulder without an ounce of reservation. "...Since we're already this close, I'll just call you Xiao Ji from now on!" Ji Jue chuckled, not displeased in the least. Instead, he cast a curious glance at her. "Won't people get confused?" Ji Xue froze, then rolled her eyes and threw an elbow at him amidst the roaring laughter of the group. From the front passenger seat next to Tong Shan, Ji Liu laughed especially loudly. "Hahahahaha! You can call her Xiao Ji, and I'm her brother, so you can just call me Da Ji!" The laughter grew even louder; even Tong Shan couldn't help snorting with laughter. Only Lou Feng was left dumbfounded. *The ideal was brutal, but reality seemed even more fucking brutal—and downright vulgar to boot... Can you guys stop being so filthy?!* Lou Feng sighed silently toward the heavens, missing his workshop and his teacher more than ever. Life away from home was so exhausting.