Your Next Words Will Be

"Four hundred and thirty-three million, four hundred and ten thousand ounces."

Crow said flatly, "This time, the settlement was made in the currency most commonly used among Ascenders—Origin Essence Crystals. All of it was of the highest purity that could be mined from the borderlands.

"To obtain it, the Golden Palace, Northern Europe's largest Ascender organization, mortgaged an entire resource-producing borderland under its name just to exchange for that much money from those Dwarf Bankers. The final winner was an Abyssal Archaeological Team under the Astronomical Society Technical Department. At the very least, they won't need to worry about funding for deep exploration for the next ten years.

"Perhaps you don't understand what that price represents, so let me put it this way: 2.1 ounces of Origin Essence Crystal is exactly the total Source Matter possessed by a standard adult. According to today's reference exchange rate from the Astronomical Society, it can be exchanged for more than two million Dongxia Yuan at any of their affiliated departments—and that exchange rate is as exploitative as the money a game system gives you for recycling equipment. On the black market, the price would rise by at least two-thirds, and there's a price without any supply.

"Unless they had absolutely no other choice, no Ascender would ever exchange their Origin Essence Crystals for currency. This stuff is the hardest of hard currency.

"Now you can calculate how long you'd have to work as a Temporary Worker for the Astronomical Society to earn that much."

Seeing Huai Shi look so poor that he couldn't even imagine such a number, Crow seemed to smile. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "That Archaeological Team only got lucky in a Depth 6 hell and picked up a fossil... Now, are you sure you still want to live an ordinary person's life?"

"..."

Huai Shi fell silent for a long time, then looked suspiciously at the Crow before him. "Why do I always feel like you're trying to scam me?"

Crow, whose cane was already prepared but had failed to sell anything, was very sad.

Huai Shi sighed. "Your next words will be, 'Would big sister ever lie to you?'"

"..."

Crow hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

"And then I'll tell you," Huai Shi sighed again, "—yes, you would."

"You suddenly started studying on your own. That makes things very difficult for big sister." Crow lit a cigarette without the slightest shame and shook her head with a sigh. "Big sister was kindly introducing you to a job that makes money."

"Anyone with even a little common sense knows that getting rich overnight isn't advisable. The only job in this world you can do from home with a single repost is being a repeater."

Huai Shi had already made up his mind not to fall for it. "No matter what you say, I won't risk my life for money."

Crow rolled her eyes, utterly unconcerned.

"True Fragrance Warning.jpg."

Huai Shi really wanted to know what idiotic nonsense she looked at online every day on her phone.

After reaffirming his resolve, he got up and headed for the kitchen. He had only eaten a little at noon, and it was barely past three, yet he was hungry again.

But when he opened the cupboard, he froze.

Where are my dried noodles?!

I only bought them last week! Where's that whole shelf full of dried noodles?!

"..."

Crow, whom Huai Shi was glaring at fiercely, rolled her eyes. "Brother, you're blaming me even because your dried noodles disappeared? Do I look that much like the root of all evil?

"Besides, even a hundred pounds of dried noodles couldn't keep up with the way you eat. Five meals a day, half a pot per meal— you'd eat even mountains of rice and noodles empty, okay?"

She paused, revealing a smile that made Huai Shi's skin crawl.

"And... are you hungry again?"

"..."

"Congratulations! Happy growth!"

Crow raised a wing and clapped loudly. "After ordinary people become Ascenders, they enter a second growth period. The soul affects the body, and during this stage, an Ascender's body will grow once more. Every aspect will gradually reach the limits of ordinary people, and in some areas, may even surpass them.

"And you're seventeen, already in a growth period. A growth period meeting another growth period means double the happiness awaiting you—of course, along with four times the hunger and more than eight times the demands.

"So if you don't want to become malnourished or even have your muscles digest themselves, you'd better stop being so stingy that you boil dried noodles in plain water."

For some reason, Huai Shi felt increasingly uneasy.

"Then what am I supposed to eat?"

"Generally speaking, high-calorie food. The higher the calories, the better. Ideally, get yourself the full set: Happy Crisps, Happy Chicken, and Happy Water. Just stuff yourself silly.

"That's also the cheapest option. The downside is that you'll need to use the bathroom more than ten times a day. You'll easily suffer social death amid your classmates' mockery, then develop endocrine disorders and high cholesterol half a year later, followed by illnesses like hypertension and anorexia."

Huai Shi's legs nearly gave out from fright. "Are Ascenders really that miserable?!"

"Of course not. But other Ascenders have money."

At that, Crow sighed helplessly. "What a pity. If only there were a kind person like me to help you make Completion Potions."

She paused and blinked expectantly at Huai Shi. "But without money, big sister can't even afford the raw materials."

"...So this was what you were waiting for, huh?" Huai Shi asked expressionlessly. "If you want to scam me for money, just say so."

"Taking from you and using it on you—how can that be called a scam?"

Crow laughed twice and spoke unhurriedly. "One dose a day, one course per week. In about a month, your growth period will be over. Since we're so familiar with each other, I won't even charge a processing fee. The cost is 2,600 Dongxia Yuan per dose. For one month... well, 100,000 will be enough."

"Spend 100,000 on a Happy Growth package?" Huai Shi pointed at his own nose. "Do I look insane to you?"

"But that really is a fair price. After all, no one would think an Ascender couldn't even come up with 100,000." Crow glanced sideways at Huai Shi. "Besides, don't you understand the difference between paying and not paying?

"If you don't build a solid foundation during your growth period, the difference later won't be minor. If you achieve the best results, then purely in terms of physical ability, you could become the king of soldiers.

"And by the way, the Astronomical Society's packages start at 300,000, and the effects aren't even guaranteed. Of course, they can provide them for free too, as long as you sign a contract with them—if you think there's such a thing as a free lunch in this world."

"..."

Anyone with a brain would know that was impossible, right?

"So work harder, young man. It's only 100,000. Put some effort into it and won't you have it soon enough?"

Crow pulled out a test tube from beneath her wing and waved it before him, lowering her voice in a tone like a demon offering temptation. "Try before you pay."

"Dream on. Even if I, Huai Shi, starve to death, jump from here... jump... jump... gulp..."

The last sound was him swallowing.

Huai Shi stared at the test tube before him. As Crow swayed it, an enticing scent slowly drifted from its open mouth. An indescribable hunger awakened within his body. Every cell in his limbs and bones screamed with thirst and hunger.

His heartbeat accelerated, saliva flowed, his pupils dilated, and his stomach contracted.

The instinctive hunger kicked his freshly made, still-warm resolve aside, then plunged headfirst into that tube of pale green potion, yanking Huai Shi's mind over and screaming madly in his ears: Drink it! Drink it! Drink it!

Ten seconds later, Huai Shi let out a long breath. The rich flavor of fine wine spread through his mouth, and his limbs felt as though they were soaking in a hot spring. Unable to help himself, he shed tears of regret.

"So good!"

"Finished eating?" Crow asked kindly.

"You're going to demand payment now, aren't you?" Huai Shi immediately became alert.

"No, I mean, since you've finished eating..."

Crow transformed into a silver-white pen and summoned the Book of Destiny within Huai Shi's soul.

"—then let's start with some simple, enjoyable exercise to help you digest."

Before Huai Shi could speak, a branch of events was selected downward.

Huai Shi's vision went black.

Then, he died again and again and again.

In that instant, Huai Shi saw torrential rain falling from the sky, endless and boundless, as if it had submerged the entire world. Yet he was bathing in fire.

Flames rose from sticky gasoline, covering him inch by inch.

Amid the massive explosion, he could feel his body being torn apart. Yet unexpectedly, he felt no fear. Instead, there was the peace of mind that came from finally being freed.

Even the corners of his mouth rose into a smile.

Never before had the experience of death been so tranquil—so tranquil that Huai Shi felt afraid. There was not the slightest resentment or hatred.

He simply accepted everything calmly.

He closed his eyes and waited for the end to arrive.

Even when the death record ended, Huai Shi did not recover. He remained in that nearly numb calmness.

This death had been incredibly profound.

So profound that he even forgot to breathe, forgot that he was alive.

It was not until his face had nearly turned blue from holding his breath that he came back to himself. He started gasping violently and coughing so hard that he nearly threw up the dried noodles he had eaten last night.

He hurriedly covered his mouth again, terrified that he would vomit.

He had just drunk a potion worth several thousand. If he threw it up now, wouldn't he have drunk it for nothing?!

Money makes me calm.

"Oh! It seems you've gained an incredible insight!"

Crow clicked her tongue in amazement. "A liberation-type death like this is truly rare. Experience it more; it'll benefit you. I didn't expect that guy Red Glove to grasp an even deeper essence when he died. What a bargain for you. So, how do you feel now?"

"Just very hungry."

Huai Shi raised his eyes and stared at her expressionlessly. "I especially want to eat roasted Crow. Boiled is fine too."

Whenever he thought of that tranquil death, his scalp tingled. Though he could tell how rare such a quiet and peaceful death was, the terror it gave him was deeper and stronger than any other death.

It was so calm and composed that it could even be called indifferent.

There was no attachment, no reluctance. Before dying, he had not even felt hatred toward himself anymore.

It was almost as though... his life had no meaning at all.

"What could possibly be precious about something like that?"

He rubbed his forehead, trying hard to drive that calm, deathly state from his mind. He had no idea what this sudden sage-like state was supposed to be.

"See for yourself."

Crow directly turned the Book of Destiny around and showed him the record on its title page.

Other than the words Stress Period having disappeared from the previous categories, nothing had changed much. There was an additional eclipse emblem representing his successful Sublimation.

Both the Divine Miracle Inscription and Stigmata sections were completely empty, and the skills below had not changed much either.

Except...

"Death Sense is actually Level 1?" Huai Shi was stunned.

One experience of death had completely formed a skill that had remained gray no matter how many times he died? Half the reason he had survived until now was because he relied on this skill for Fortune and Misfortune Avoidance, yet it had leveled up just because he died once for no apparent reason?

"After all, it was a rare type of death. It probably has something to do with life experience too. Put that aside for now; it's still early tonight..."

Crow paused, then revealed that smile again, the one that made Huai Shi uneasy.

"So, do you want to experience the Book of Destiny's new function after sublimation?"

"Farewell!"