Gratitude

"Cheers!" The bustling open-air food stall was a scene of lively chaos, patrons coming and going. The air was thick with the aroma of barbecue and crayfish, and beer foam spilled over the rims of their glasses. Inside the slightly shabby corrugated-iron private room, the air conditioner hummed along. Beneath the somewhat dim, yellow light, discarded shrimp shells and leftover metal skewers lay strewn across the table in disarray, while the television kept playing the news. Compared to finer places, it was certainly low-class and completely devoid of style, yet it made people extraordinarily relaxed and uninhibited. When they raised their glasses once more, even amidst the reluctance of parting, bright smiles remained. Crisp clinking sounds rang out. Ji Jue lifted his beer mug and took a sip, while Wen Wen, as bold and generous as ever, tilted her head back and chugged—gulped it down in one breath. Tong Hua was already clinging to her, arms wrapped tight and refusing to let go, tears and snot practically streaming down her face: "Waaaah, Sister Wen, I can't bear to let you go! Sister Wen, Sister Wen, take me with you! How am I supposed to survive without you—" "Alright, alright!" Wen Wen grabbed the back of her collar and, for who knew how many times, placed her back into her seat: "It's just six months of advanced training. If things go smoothly, I'll be back in three or four months. It's not like we're parting forever in life and death." Transfer orders always came without warning. A single order from the Warden had made Wen Wen a special representative of the Haizhou Security Bureau, transferring her to the Void Abyss for this rotation. Within the Security Bureau, this was an advancement track that countless people dreamed of, and one of the most valued credentials in the eyes of the Midtown General Bureau. Nominally a rotation, it was practically a training period. Complete the tour, and upon return would come commendation and promotion. From then on, one would break free from the local tier and enter the General Bureau's shortlist for advancement. That such a precious opportunity had landed on a troublemaker whose daily hobbies were beating up colleagues and flipping tables shocked no small number of people. And Wen Wen, who had never cared for that sort of bureaucratic ladder in the past, had actually accepted the transfer this time. In two more days, she would be setting out. Tong Hua couldn't stop worrying: "I heard the Void Abyss connects straight to the Vortex, and that eruptions and riots break out erratically. Won't it be super dangerous?" "Come on, if everyone knows it's dangerous, the defenses and security are bound to be top-tier. Besides, if the sky falls, the Celestial-Humans will hold it up. That lazy bum Su Biluo has been lying flat in the Void Abyss for all these years, what risk could there be?" Wen Wen comforted her: "Tong the Vegetable went there a few years back, and I didn't see you worrying this much about him." "The Vegetable is the Vegetable, and Sister Wen is Sister Wen! How could you compare the two? Besides, I'm really worried about you!" Tong Hua's eyes reddened again. Just as Wen Wen was about to throw her head back in a laugh and ask who on earth could kill her, Tong Hua's resentful grumbling reached her ears: "After all, Sister Wen, once you get worked up, you love to buy, buy, buy! You max out your credit cards every month, you can barely support yourself, and you beat up colleagues the moment you get drunk! You have zero workplace social skills and never notice when people plant landmines for you—what if you get ostracized? "And your personal life is a total mess! You don't style your hair for ages, you never use cosmetics, and you won't touch skincare unless someone stands over you to watch. All the perfumes I gave you are just gathering dust, your wardrobe is entirely jackets and trousers, you never wear dresses, not a shred of woman—mmph mmph—" Before she could finish, her dog mouth was clamped shut. Clamped tight. "Enough, enough. You don't need to say another word." Wen Wen kept her head down, avoiding Ji Jue's gaze as she picked up a glass from the table and poured it into the silly girl's mouth. Gurgling bubbles rose; she was practically suffocating. Ah, looks like she stopped moving. Wen Wen hastily let go. After a fit of choking coughs, Tong Hua, already three sheets to the wind, leaned in once more. Wiping her tears, she whimpered, "How could you have the heart to abandon our family, young and old alike? If you leave, what will Beishan District do when something unsolvable comes up?" "Beishan District is tiny as a fart. What could possibly be unsolvable?" Wen Wen sighed. "If some blind punk really tries anything, Lao Zhang could handle it in the time it takes him to go on a stroll." "Look how old Lao Zhang is, Sister Wen! How could you be so cruel!" "Ah, yes, yes, exactly." The retired old man nodded vigorously, fanning the flames just to enjoy the show: "Oh my, I've gotten old lately. My arms and legs always ache, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." He put on the pathetic act of an old candle flickering in the wind, completely glossing over the freakishly long health bar and monstrous constitution unique to the Vortex lineage. Given proper care, Ji Jue might die of old age and he'd still be puttering around looking just like this. "If Lao Zhang doesn't have time, just go find him." Resigned, Wen Wen pointed a finger at Ji Jue, who was sitting nearby eating edamame while enjoying the spectacle. "Huh?" Ji Jue went blank. "What?" Wen Wen chuckled, teasing him playfully: "Now that Mr. Ji does millions in business every second, you wouldn't forget your poor, hard-working brothers and sisters, would you?" "It's my bounden duty, Sister Wen." Without a second thought, Ji Jue thumped his chest and smiled faintly: "When I get back, I'll install a few sets of surveillance monitors and two missile launch racks for Beishan District, hooked up directly to the Security Bureau database. Whenever a wanted criminal is scanned, just push a button in the office and blow them to bits with artillery. You won't even need to step out the door. Simple, easy!" Jokes and banter aside, there was no way he would ignore trouble if it happened. While he wouldn't go so far as to unleash weapons of mass destruction in the city, even if Ji Jue didn't lift a finger personally, casually issuing a few directives would be more than enough to handle any small-time punks who, at most, smuggled a little contraband. "I don't want missiles! I want Sister Wen, waaaah—" Tong Hua threw her arms around Wen Wen and nuzzled back and forth against her ample chest. For a moment, it was impossible to tell whether the wetness she left was tears or drool. Soon enough, she retreated to the side with a fresh lump on her forehead. Amidst the lively hubbub, Xiao An was as well-behaved as ever, hands busy peeling crayfish for everyone while barely eating a few himself. Not having seen him in a while, Ji Jue noticed he had grown considerably taller. Ji Jue couldn't help but sigh, marveling at how quickly time flew. In the blink of an eye, it felt like everything had changed. Yet looking at the silly girl still sprawled on the table sniffling and crying, a wave of reassurance washed over him. Nothing had changed at all, had it? It was truly comforting. Though she cried and bawled, it was nothing more than the reluctance to part. Once she realized Wen Wen's mind was made up, could she really hold her back and demand she spend her whole life playing together? Riding the alcohol, Tong Hua fooled around for a bit, only to drink herself into a stupor and promptly collapse in sleep. When parting, she stuffed a bunch of things into Wen Wen's hands before finally getting into a car and leaving. After seeing off the well-behaved Xiao An and Lao Zhang, who strolled home with his hands clasped behind his back, it was Wen Wen who stood there, full of sighs. Looking back at the food stall that had become the Beishan Section's regular late-night haunt, an ache of melancholy washed over her. Setting aside the trials and storms after leaving home, during all these years in Yacheng, it had felt just like home to her, growing familiar and dear. Now that she was leaving for so long, she was the one who felt the deepest attachment. She sighed softly and looked at Ji Jue beside her: "If anything happens in Beishan District, I'll leave it in your hands." "Don't worry, rest easy." Ji Jue nodded firmly. Just as he was about to say something, he saw her brilliant, crystalline eyes looking at him beneath the scattered neon glow. "I'm leaving in two days, you know. Don't you have anything you want to say?" "Uh... safe travels?" "And?" Wen Wen leaned closer, her smile growing increasingly sly. "If there's anything else, take this." Ji Jue retrieved a farewell gift he had prepared from his pocket—a cat-shaped pendant the size of a finger, thoughtfully fashioned into a keychain. Just as he was about to speak, Wen Wen had already snatched it away. After inspecting it closely, her smile turned even more delighted. "It's rare for you to make something so lovable." She clipped it to her belt. "Not bad. Thanks." No, that's actually a tracker and vitals monitor... At this point, those words could no longer be spoken. Let's just pretend it's a trinket! Ji Jue coughed twice and said solemnly, "In any case, stay safe." "Then I'll leave Beishan District in your care." Wen Wen patted his shoulder one last time. "You've repeated that plenty of times. I know." Ji Jue sighed helplessly: "Nothing will go wrong, don't worry." "No, what I mean is..." Wen Wen paused. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she suddenly leaned in and whispered a parting word into Ji Jue's ear: "When I come back... I'll thank you properly." "..." Ji Jue froze, rooted to the spot. "Well then, see you later, Ji Jue." Wen Wen stepped back, admiring his stunned expression. With that, she smugly twisted the throttle. Twisted the throttle—wait. Why wouldn't the throttle turn?! No matter how many times she flicked the switch, the engine remained dead silent. Only then did she feel a hand press down on her shoulder. Her body stiffened abruptly. Uh-oh. "Actually, there's no need to wait until you come back, Sister Wen." That familiar face slowly poked out from behind her shoulder. Tilting his head, he observed her nervous expression, then suddenly broke into a grin: "How about... thanking me in advance?" Once more, he gazed into those brilliant eyes. Inches away. Her gratitude was exceptionally sincere. Through ten minutes of firsthand experience, Ji Jue had felt it to the fullest. It was just a pity that the next expression of thanks wouldn't come until months later. So, to save Sister Wen the trouble, Ji Jue had simply accepted all of her gratitude in one go. As the saying goes, a kind word warms three winters, while harsh words chill the height of summer. A simple expression of gratitude was enough to keep a man in high spirits all day long. It wasn't until the next day, when he returned to Xinquan and saw Lou Feng's bloodshot, resentful eyes after several consecutive all-nighters, that he finally remembered... Oops. Yesterday, he had used dinner as an excuse and completely skipped out on work! Well, he couldn't entirely blame himself. It wasn't every day someone else shouldered the heavy burden for him—wasn't he allowed to enjoy a bit of quiet peace and gentle days? As for Lou Feng's colorful cursing, let him curse. A verbal jab never took a chunk out of anyone. Besides, he wasn't petty; it wasn't like he would give the guy tight shoes or anything, right? Relying on the thickness of his skin to tank Lou Feng's verbal barrage, Ji Jue smiled with breezy composure, already plotting how to pile more work on him. Then, he saw the motherboard Lou Feng had finally finished upgrading after several sleepless nights. Even though Ji Jue had habitually pinched pennies to the extreme during the initial design, cutting costs to the bone, Lou Feng's improvements to the technology and structure had miraculously slashed the cost by another quarter! At the same time, the processing difficulty had been cut by more than half. For a moment, in sheer shock, the size of the "tight shoes" in Ji Jue's mind expanded by two whole sizes. "How could it be this much cheaper?" he gasped in disbelief. "Spiritus studies, kid," Lou Feng sneered. "If it's just hosting an animus of creation that's barely hatched inside the Lord of the Flies, there's no need for the motherboard to use spiritus crystals at all. "Quicksilver purified through Fluid Alchemy is more than enough. As long as you blend in spiritus during the purification process, the fusion is complete. I've already written up the technical documentation on the table; go read it yourself later." "Will it suffer from malnutrition?" Ji Jue was rather cautious on this point. "Nutrition? That construct from your Gas Alchemy naturally absorbs ambient dispersed spiritus to reinforce itself. Why gild the lily? "Besides, the development of sapience doesn't depend on the sheer volume of spiritus. Rather, gradually experiencing external stimuli and feedback in the course of work is far more important." Lou Feng tossed the motherboard into Ji Jue's hands. "Take it back and look over it again. If there are no issues, once the production line is assembled, we can officially start manufacturing. "The only problem is that once mass production begins, the consumption of animuses of creation will be absurd." Lou Feng paused, his brow furrowing. "Although scaling the Lord of the Flies' numbers is simple enough as long as there's sufficient spiritus, wasting such mature animuses of creation on ordinary industrial products is truly a crying shame." "Huh? Waste? Why would it be a waste?" Ji Jue asked back in confusion: "Once we finish selling them, we just buy them back, don't we?" [???] Lou Feng was stunned, turning around to stare at him. "Look, from infancy to maturity, it takes roughly six to nine months for the sub-sapience of the Lord of the Flies to be nurtured, learn, and develop inside the motherboard, right?" Ji Jue counted on his fingers: "All we have to do is release a new model every now and then with minor, cosmetic tweaks and upgrades, and offer a trade-in discount to buy back the old models! "When the time comes, we can set up a second product line, implant the matured animuses of creation into higher-end, more expensive equipment, and sell another batch! Then, once they're trained enough, we buy them back again." "Oh, right! On top of that, right from the start, we can launch a subscription membership service alongside the product!" Ji Jue's eyes suddenly lit up, inspiration bursting forth: "As long as they buy a membership, they get free system updates, accessory repairs, and replacement discounts for an entire year! "As for pricing, let's tentatively set it at one-third the price of a complete unit! "If it's bulk procurement of ten units or more, we can negotiate the discount further. That way, clients won't just avoid complaining—they might even praise us as a company with a conscience!" Conscience? Where the hell was your conscience?! You've tossed it all away! It sounded flashy and cheap, but in reality, you were having others pay out of pocket to buy your equipment, help you raise and train animuses of creation, and pay you ongoing rental fees on top of it! Any customer who crossed paths with a dog like you had truly run into a damn ghost! "It'll work. Let's do it this way. Down the line, we can roll out a few configuration tiers and multiple colors. "Then, the membership services can be split into different tiers to differentiate them. "That way, once the depreciated trade-ins come back, we just clean them up a bit and rent them out as perks for individual members. They won't even need to buy the machine—just pay a monthly rental fee!" For some reason, Ji Jue felt inspiration flowing like an endless spring. Rich tycoons' money was money, but wasn't scrap scavengers' money also money? Besides, some wasteland scavengers might even be richer than the tycoons in the city! Look at the perilous, monster-ridden wilderness out there, folks—who didn't need security?! Even if the Riot Guard Cat couldn't mount any weapons, couldn't it still feature GPS positioning? When the time came, they could launch an emergency security and backup dispatch service. As long as someone subscribed to the service, anytime and anywhere in Haizhou, the Haian Security Department's backup and firepower could rain down from the sky at a moment's notice! Just imagining such a scenario made Ji Jue drool. What an underhanded racket. "Alright, stop daydreaming for a second." Having once again witnessed the sheer disparity in moral character and professional ethics among craftsmen, Lou Feng had completely abandoned all hope for Ji Jue's bottom line. In truth, the fact that this guy hadn't yet started planning some Ten Thousand Soul Banner scheme was already something Lou Feng counted as a blessing. He held shares in Haian Tech as well; if it developed well, Lou Feng naturally wouldn't object. Conscience or no conscience was another matter entirely. The most critical issue at hand was: "We've settled the product design and production, but how are we going to sell it?" No matter how brilliant the future was, it was still just the future. However wonderful hope seemed, it was merely hope. No matter how grand the prospects, if they couldn't grasp them, they would remain forever out of reach. The market was right before their eyes. So, how were they going to kick that door open and deliver the product into the hands of those who truly needed it? Ji Jue didn't speak. He only smiled.