When Nan Zhi woke up the next morning, she discovered she had actually slept directly on the floor the previous night.
A night of peaceful sleep.
Corn was sprawled out on its back near her feet, snoring away. Its round belly rose and fell rhythmically, and its long golden fur was a messy, fluffy tangle.
—Quite cute.
Nan Zhi stretched her limbs.
She had never felt better.
Her limbs, which were usually stiff from sitting for long hours, were now as flexible as a high schooler's. When she straightened her arms, she could even hear the crisp popping of her joints.
It felt so comfortable, as if someone had massaged every joint in her body and cleared all her energy channels.
Nan Zhi couldn't wait to open the game and check her character panel.
【After a night of cultivation, the cultivator has comprehended the technique 《Moon-Worshiping Breathing Method》. Gained insight: Constitution +7, Combat Power +10.】
【Achievement unlocked: "Second Cultivation Technique." Obtained Heavenly Treasure Tree Lottery Ticket x3.】
【Cultivator: Nan Zhi】
【Bone Age: 18】
【Level: 7】
……
【Currently Equipped: "Butcher’s Daughter", "Nan Village Slaughtering Knife"】
【Cultivation: Qi Refinement stage 2】
【Cultivation Techniques: 《Small Huanzhen Manual》, 《Moon-Worshiping Breathing Method》】
It worked!
Practicing different techniques in reality and the game at the same time hadn't slowed her down. Instead, it had pushed her cultivation to the next level!
Nan Zhi was ecstatic.
At this rate, whether in the game or out of it, she had double the cultivation time of anyone else!
The ringtone of her phone in the bedroom went off, signaling the arrival of another dreaded Monday.
Usually, Nan Zhi would arrive at the office just in time, as long as she could clock in on the dot.
But today she was in a great mood. Not only did she leave twenty minutes early, but she also stopped at the breakfast stall downstairs for a hot meal.
The fresh savory tofu pudding was pure white, sitting in the bowl as smooth and tender as blocks of agar.
It was topped with fried peas, shredded wood ear mushrooms, pickled mustard greens, chili oil, and chopped cilantro, then finished with two large ladles of savory gravy. One stir with a spoon and it was ready.
With one bite, the aroma of soy and gravy danced between her teeth. The crispy peas paired perfectly with the refreshing, slightly salty mustard greens, and the cilantro added a hint of freshness. The aftertaste was endless.
Ding!
Just as Nan Zhi took a sip of the tofu pudding, her phone's browser pushed a barrage of new headlines:
【Bigfoot tracks discovered in the Shennongjia Forest District; twenty seven year forest ranger speaks out.】
【Loch Ness Monster photo controversy: A clever hoax or evidence left by a witness?】
【Frequent disappearances in the Tarim Basin; audio and video recordings of missing tourists exposed...】
【Major breakthrough in the Beihu Province dismemberment case! Victim's relatives insist the victim's ghost sent them a dream—】
【"Angel's Halo" appears over the Vatican, suspected divine manifestation? St. Peter's Basilica responds: "It is the will of God."】
"There have been more and more strange occurrences lately. It's like we're heading toward a Spiritual Resurgence.
They push this stuff to me every day, but I have no idea what it has to do with us laborers?"
The office worker sitting across from her drinking soy milk had clearly received the same notifications and couldn't help but complain.
Going to work on a Monday, the resentment radiating from him was heavier than that of an old ghost who had been dead for centuries.
"If a Spiritual Resurgence really happened and everyone started cultivating, I'd be the first to quit this crappy job and declare that my fate is mine to command, not the heavens'."
"You're dreaming. If a Spiritual Resurgence really happened, we'd still be working like dogs for the capitalists. The job market would probably be even more competitive than it is now,"
A colleague nearby biting into a bun added coldly:
"How do you know those capitalists don't have people cultivating? When the time comes, we'll still be the beasts of burden working for them."
"Sigh..."
"That's too real, sigh..."
"That really hits home, man."
As soon as those words were spoken, a chorus of sighs filled the cramped breakfast shop, everyone's expressions turning grim.
Nan Zhi, holding her bowl: "..."
She felt like even the cilantro in her tofu pudding didn't taste as good anymore.
...
Even though Nan Zhi was already at Qi Refinement stage 2—which, in an old school cultivation novel, would at least make her a decent lackey—reality was harsh. She had no money.
Mortgage, car loan, property fees, water, electricity, and living expenses.
It was easy to talk about, but when one penny could break a hero, she realized what it meant to be in a tight spot.
Nan Zhi had considered whether she should just hand herself and the tablet over to the state. Under the protection of the motherland, she could just lie back and be a happy little parasite.
But then she thought about it. While the life of a parasite was beautiful, there was always a trade off.
If she actually did that, she would have no privacy or freedom left to speak of.
Nan Zhi was naturally someone who disliked being restrained. Taming her temper and going to work obediently was already the greatest compromise she had made for life.
So, she decided to remain an invisible citizen, a marginal piece of society, quietly developing and cultivating in secret.
By the time the others arrived at the office with expressions ranging from exhaustion to deep resentment, a refreshed Nan Zhi had already started working.
"My god, Nan Zhi, you're barely human lately!"
Zhang Qiuyu wailed, using both hands to shield her eyes from Nan Zhi's glowing face.
"What kind of decent person is this energetic on a Monday morning? Wake up, friend!
You're literally covered in holy light right now! Holy light!
I can't take it. As a bottom feeder whose only goal is to slack off and whose head is full of trash, I must return to my safety zone immediately—ugh!"
With that, she clutched her chest and slumped over her workstation, pretending to be dead.
"Very good! Young people should have this kind of vitality and drive!"
The supervisor walked past the workstations holding a thermos filled with goji berries and offered a casual compliment.
"Look at Little Nan. She's got a neat ponytail, looking sharp and capable. It's wonderful!
Don't always come to work with a down jacket over a big sweater and shirt. Where are your uniforms? Your work pants?
Even though our department doesn't handle clients, the higher ups said that starting this month, there will be assessments for personal appearance. Everyone needs to mind their image!
And for the men in the office, stop wearing slippers to work. The weather is getting hotter, and your feet... they have an odor. How can we turn on the air conditioning like that?
Speaking of air conditioning, who moved the money tree on my desk the other day?
Didn't I say you can't just water a money tree whenever you want? It's like a person soaking in water for too long; they'll get bloated..."
The supervisor was a middle aged man in his early fifties with a good temper. He had a son and a daughter, and his family life was very happy.
However, this had also led to his habit of being incredibly long winded.
Every meeting was guaranteed to go off track. Once he started rambling, it would last for over half an hour, covering everything from client needs to the current global economic situation.
From the maintenance of office plants to the prospects of new energy vehicles.
He was practically a living Tang Sanzang.
In the office, everyone let his words go in one ear and out the other. No one was actually listening to what he said.
"Working is annoying enough, and now we have appearance assessments? This garbage company... I really can't stay here another day."
Zhang Qiuyu groaned, burying her head in a pile of documents in protest.
"Why do people have to work? Can't we just do nothing and have our bank balances automatically go up?"
"You're dreaming. That kind of life only exists in dreams,"
Nan Zhi replied while she worked.
Look at her. Even at Qi Refinement stage 2, she still had to work.
Nan Zhi felt her mind was exceptionally clear and her logic was sharp. She handled her tasks with ease.
Work that would normally take two days was completely finished before she even left for the day.
Could it be...
Is cultivation really just for the sake of being a better beast of burden?
Is the end of the universe just labor?
Nan Zhi fell into deep thought.
Rate on N.U.
