Awakening Zhongli Template, Retiring on Terra

"Hahaha, you're the star of this party, no need to ask. Even if you don't want to join, we'll drag you there by force!"

He chuckled and said in a joking tone:

"Even though that's the case, you should at least go through the motions, otherwise, it'll make me seem unsociable."

"Hahaha, alright, are you going then?"

"Yeah, I'm starving after working all night."

Hearing this, Texas thought to herself, Isn't Shi Lei the one slacking off the most tonight? Considering the frequent use of Originium Arts is indeed taxing, she decided not to argue with him.

December 3rd, 7:23 PM.

Croissant drove to District Nine and found a mobile barbecue stall pushing a cart, ordering a pile of food.

The stall owner didn't sell alcohol, so they went to a nearby supermarket and got a case of beer to drink along with their beverages.

It was night, and the streets were still bustling with traffic.

The aroma of food grilling over charcoal wafted through the air, and wisps of white smoke filled the streets and alleys, exuding a lively, down-to-earth atmosphere.

"Some more is still grilling, I'll bring it over right away."

The stall owner packed the grilled food into plastic containers and placed them on a small folding wooden table. The fragrant barbecue was appetizing, and all one had to do was pick up a skewer to eat.

Two pieces of grilled meat paired with the slightly cool beer made Shi Lei involuntarily let out a comfortable sound:

"Ah~~~ Can I ask, roughly how much money will each of us get from this?"

Exusiai, who ate meat but not vegetables, answered while chewing:

"We helped out a lot today, so each of us should get at least around 300,000. If the Lungmen Guard Department is willing to give a bit more, it might be around 400,000 to 500,000."

300,000 Lungmen Dollars for one major operation was indeed much better than earning a few hundred for a regular one. No wonder they usually didn't take on regular jobs and outsourced almost all of them.

"Speaking of money, I have something to say."

Croissant put a piece of vegetable into her mouth and explained:

"The weather is getting colder and colder. If you want to keep taking on regular jobs, feel free. We can't always take you along; we only accept a few orders because we're short on money."

After all, a major operation could bring in hundreds of thousands, so it was normal not to care about regular jobs. It was enough to familiarize themselves with the Lungmen map; there was no need to drag others down all the time.

"Mhm, I understand. If I don't take regular jobs either, will the boss say something?"

Seeing his concern, Exusiai comforted him:

"Haha, don't worry. There are only so many people in the company, and our main focus is express delivery for messengers. The outsourcing of regular jobs was personally negotiated by the boss. He specifically told us to ensure the completion rate of major operations, and nothing else matters. If you're too embarrassed to say no, I'll speak to him for you tomorrow. Even if you do nothing for the rest of the half-month, you won't be fired."

Shi Lei, who had worked for two and a half years before transmigrating, couldn't believe such good fortune. He cast a questioning glance at Texas, who nodded upon seeing it.

"Please enjoy your meal, customers."

A short while later, the stall owner brought over the second box of barbecue.

Shi Lei completely let go of his worries and ate to his heart's content. As they drank and chatted, they discussed how they would use the money.

Croissant already had a plan and spoke first:

"I used to hold a shield in one hand and a hammer in the other. Now that I have two hands, it feels a bit off. I want to find a reliable craftsman to forge another identical hammer."

Texas ate sparingly and moved elegantly:

"You can't always rely on his shield, can you?"

Exusiai held the opposite opinion and shook her head:

"We didn't have the capability before, but why not use it now that we do? The boss has only one requirement for us, and that is to complete the mission. As for the method, it doesn't matter at all. If you're worried we'll slack off because of this, ask Zhongli if he'll jump ship? As long as he stays with Penguin Logistics long-term, you don't have to worry about such problems. So, will you jump ship in the future?"

This kind of job where one major operation could lead to a month of slacking off was simply a paradise on Earth. Such a job would be hard to find even with a lantern. Having enough leisure time allowed one to read and exercise, becoming even better.

Facing

their expectant gazes, Shi Lei grinned and answered with high emotional intelligence:

"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be staying with Penguin Logistics long-term. I'm very satisfied with everything, from the work model and the workplace atmosphere to my interactions with all of you."

"Hahaha, did you hear that, Texas? It's so much better to be happy like this every day. Don't overthink things. Zhongli, welcome to the Penguin Logistics family. To a brighter tomorrow, cheers!"

Four glass beer bottles clinked together with a crisp sound.

"Cheers!!!"

047 A Day of Leisure

After asking Croissant about her plans after receiving her pay, it was Exusiai's turn. But her plan was no plan; she would just buy whatever caught her eye.

Texas had nothing she wanted to buy and decided to save the money, making her the most rational spender among the three.

"Zhongli, what about you? What do you want to buy?"

Shi Lei pondered for a moment, thinking that besides his phone, there was nothing else he particularly needed.

He could actually buy books at the library, but it wouldn't be very meaningful. None of the publications in this world overlapped with the books from his previous life, and there were enough free ones for him to read.

"Other than buying a phone for easy contact, I don't think I need anything else. Do you guys know about this stuff? Can you recommend a good phone with high performance?"

Exusiai finished her drink with a gulp and wiped her mouth.

"Ah, don't worry about that. I'll take you to Taigu Plaza tomorrow, just pick the most expensive one. Texas, Croissant, do you want to come?"

Texas nodded in agreement, while Croissant shook her head.

"I won't be going. I bought too much maintenance fluid and rust remover recently, and I've been setting up a stall to clear out my inventory..."

As she said this, she suddenly seemed to have a brilliant idea, her eyes fixed on Shi Lei.

"Why are you looking at me? I don't need anything."

"You don't need it, but the Lungmen Guard Department does. If anyone from their department looks for you, be sure to let me know. I can promote it then, and hopefully clear out a lot of my stock."

Shi Lei was indifferent, only confused.

"You've mentioned rust remover a few times now. Isn't its applicability quite limited? Can it even sell?"

"Yes, it's generally used for maintaining shields and heavy armor. The product quality itself is excellent, otherwise, I wouldn't have bought so much. If someone from the Lungmen Guard Department needs it later, I can sell it to them at a discount to recoup some costs."

"Alright, I can help connect you. But I can't guarantee if they'll be interested, and you can't force them to buy."

Croissant gave a thumbs-up. "Haha, I know my limits with this kind of thing. If you're worried about the product quality, I can give you a can to try at your place. By the way, now that you've got the money, are you still planning to stay in the safe house? Why not rent a place nearby?"

Mentioning this, Exusiai had something to say.

"Texas and I live in the same neighborhood, why don't you move there? It'll be convenient to visit you then!"

Knowing her love for parties, if she moved there, wouldn't it be a constant stream of gatherings and late-night revelry?

Shi Lei thought the safe house was fine. It was right downstairs from the company, and he didn't have to pay for utilities. Plus, he didn't have many personal belongings, so his accommodation requirements weren't high.

"Uh, wouldn't it be inconvenient for me to move there? I'm quite comfortable here for now, and I don't need to move yet. I'll ask you guys again if I need to later."

Seeing that she seemed prepared to continue persuading Shi Lei to move in, Texas quickly changed the subject.

"Do you need a handy weapon? Croissant can help you forge one when she finds a craftsman."

Shi Lei currently only had the abilities implemented in the game, which boiled down to three skills: a six-stage consecutive gun attack, an elemental skill that summoned a Rock Spine, and an elemental burst called Meteorite.

He could forge a spear, but there was no need.

If Shi Lei became a combatant, he wouldn't be able to slack off anymore. With Exusiai, Texas, and Croissant as his muscle, he just needed to do his support work and didn't need to fight himself.

Moreover, he would reach the Immortal Realm next month. With the Rex Lapis's power, he should be able to conjure a rock spear, right? Conjuring a rock spear with his bare hands was better than carrying an iron one.

"No need. I use Originium Arts with my bare hands, and those standard weapons wouldn't help much. Plus, they can't be retracted in daily life, which feels like a hindrance."

Seeing his refusal, Texas didn't press further. The topic had already shifted, and as long as it didn't veer back to renting an apartment, it was fine.

Everyone ate until half-past ten before preparing to head back. Croissant first took Exusiai and Texas home, then brought him to the company, and finally left on her own.

Shi Lei let out a satisfied burp, feeling that the day had been exceptionally fulfilling. After returning to the safe house, he quickly fell asleep.

December 4th, 9:00 AM.

The sun was shining brightly, the flowers were red, and the grass was green.

Shi Lei clocked in at nine, and everyone went down to the warehouse with him to help with inventory and shipping.

Normally, this task was rotated among the three of them, with one person responsible at a time. After Shi Lei arrived, he was implicitly assigned to handle it. Since it wasn't very busy lately, if all four of them worked together, they could probably finish in half an hour.

During this time, Croissant received a call and stepped out to talk. After they finished their work, she came back to apologize.

"I'm so sorry. Miss Sora's agency has suddenly added a fan meeting for her today, and I need to be there for security. You guys take him to Taigu Plaza. If you run into anyone from the Lungmen Guard Department, please remember to ask them about the rust remover and maintenance fluid for me."

"Sure, but only Exusiai should say that. If I say it, it'll seem too deliberate and might annoy the Lungmen Guard Department, affecting our future cooperation with the company."

Croissant gave a thumbs-up, indicating that it was fine. After she left, the three of them got into Texas's car and headed to Taigu Plaza in the city center.

It was Shi Lei's first time in Core City. The streets were clean, with abundant greenery and towering skyscrapers. It felt more like a modern city than the upper district.

Exusiai led him into a phone store and picked out the most fashionable and popular smartphone of the moment.

It was only a little past nine in the morning, and the payment from the Lungmen Guard Department hadn't arrived yet. Texas paid for the phone, as Shi Lei's income was currently managed by her.

Seeing the man with a Sarkaz on his left and a Lupo on his right attracted envious glances from passersby.

After the phone was connected to the internet, Exusiai first downloaded a social chat app similar to WeChat. She then reached the registration screen and handed the phone over.

"Here, Zhongli. Register an account and add me as a friend, then we can chat on there."

Shi Lei did as he was told and added her as a friend.

Exusiai's username was "exusiai," and her avatar was a picture of her extending her left hand holding a slice of cheese pizza against a tomato-red background.

Texas's username was "texas," and her avatar seemed to be the system default, unchanged.

As for the phone's functions, Shi Lei planned to explore them slowly later. Anyway, the Rex Lapis didn't use such things, and using them wouldn't increase his role-playing value.

After leaving the phone store, the three of them went to other areas of Taigu Plaza. Exusiai browsed leisurely, asking Texas to pay for anything she liked.

Gradually, Shi Lei realized something was off. He had come to buy a phone with two companions, but now he was the one accompanying them shopping, even helping carry their shopping bags.

By noon, Exusiai received a notification that the funds had been transferred. Each person had received 350,000 Lungmen Dollars. She immediately patted her chest and declared she would treat them to lunch.

As they walked, they noticed a crowd of onlookers ahead, and no one knew what was happening.

048 Rich Woman's Happy Shopping Spree?

With Exusiai and another person flanking him, Shi Lei easily pushed through the crowd. A Feline woman was sitting on the ground, with a middle-aged man of the same Feline race and two burly men beside her.

She clutched the man's leg and cried out to the surrounding crowd for help:

"Please, someone help! My landlord saw that my shop was making money and suddenly raised the rent by 100,000 Lungmen Dollars a month. This is impossible to live with!"

The landlord pushed the woman away and sneered, "What violation? I'm the landlord, and my rules are the rules! You can either re-sign the lease today or vacate the premises. I'll refund you the difference, isn't that fair enough?"

The onlookers grumbled indignantly, "That's too overbearing!"

To their surprise, the landlord was unfazed and retorted directly, "What? Are you going to stand up for her? Think about whether you have the guts before playing the hero."

The onlookers glared with hatred but were powerless and turned away dejectedly. The scene became even more silent, as quiet as watching a circus performance.

Aha!

Seeing someone openly defying a Pact, Shi Lei's interest was immediately piqued. This was free acting value, so why not take it? He stepped forward in two strides:

"Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Since you have a Pact between you, you should abide by its terms. The rule of transaction is the Pact, and the overarching principle is fairness. If fairness is lost, then the Pact becomes meaningless and merely a tool for malicious wealth accumulation."