045. Former Colleague

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“Twenty thousand a month?”
Li and Ma, veterans of Huanyu, reacted most acutely upon hearing the salary, their eyes wide in disbelief.
Both had worked at Huanyu for over three years, only recently seeing their monthly wages rise to twelve thousand.
And yet Yuan Yuan, a mere fresh graduate, had somehow secured such a high salary?
It was enough to stir envy and resentment.
“Yuan Yuan, even a joke should have its limits. Listen to yourself—”
The port’s defenses were already in place; in the distant horizon, black sails appeared within everyone’s line of sight.
“The tides have turned. In these troubled times, everyone fears for their own safety—who would care about a shrine to He Jin?” Chen Gong remarked, looking at the toppled memorial tablet.
Thus, Herak valued his centurions highly, considering them friends and brothers in his heart. It was for this very reason that, when Sura accidentally killed his second centurion—Herak’s closest friend—he nearly lost his temper with Sura on the spot.
To match the festive spirit of the New Year, the women had bought a bounty of fine ingredients, all needing to be prepared before dusk, before the firecrackers began.
Similar scenes unfolded across Wei. Countless farmers, herders, merchants, laborers, and government employees all received conscription orders. Their reactions were nearly identical: setting aside their work, bidding farewell to their families, and reporting to the recruitment stations.

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“Yes, aside from the guards, only artisans remain in the craftsmen’s district,” replied the military official with a smile.
Jin Mo gently explained to her that this was the plan of other northern Yue ministers, who feared that spies from Dayun might be hidden among them.
Though a single carriage seemed vulnerable, in truth, countless guardians sent by Lady Lingyue lay concealed nearby, maintaining a delicate balance and standoff with the traitors.
“As far as our Vra tribe is concerned, with Sun Wukong among us, we have at least a million years to seek out new ways to survive. For us, Sun Wukong is a blessing,” said Wang Shouhu in his dry voice, yet he made his position clear.
As Lou Chen calmly spoke these words, a sharp, commanding presence arose from her usually gentle demeanor, one that brooked no opposition.
Because Chen Mo’s means defied comprehension, they panicked in the face of methods they could not understand.
Fang Wanwei’s brows twitched as she watched, then she looked up at her for a long moment but said nothing, personally escorting her to the carriage at the front gate.
“Heaven’s will punishes the heart, heaven’s will punishes the heart. Is there truly no way to resolve this?” murmured Chiba.
This demonic fire did not flicker like ordinary flames; instead, it clung to the great man’s palm with a viscous, liquid quality, burning silently.
Shu Xin looked on—weren’t these the same limbs earlier gnawed and guarded by those three? Later, they had transformed into spirit infants.
The campaign against the Dutian cult would have to wait until the end of next month, after the autumn harvest, when the court could muster troops to suppress the bandits.

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That enormous human face seemed to have heard the most hilarious joke in the world, throwing back its head in laughter—but within that laughter, there was deep sorrow.
Her heart suddenly began to race, and she recalled the words of Master Hui: “So near, yet so far.”
Shu Xin glanced at the two, who seemed unlikely to point or lay a hand on her again. She let out a soft, scornful laugh. Hmph, did they think she wouldn’t dare touch them just because they were ordinary people?
It was as if a buffer net enveloped the flesh, weakening any attack it faced.
Su Yi offered a polite smile, already calculating in her mind. Ten o’clock seemed a bit early for sleep—should she try to calmly think things through? If not, she might have to forgo sleeping in the medical pod.
Uncle and nephew sat side by side, eating walnut kernels, their atmosphere even more harmonious than that between father and son.
Fortunately, she was not a cultivator and couldn’t hold her breath underwater for long; once she began to gasp, he would release cosmic energy to shield her.