Concrete Pouring

There are twelve Supreme Goodnesses, the dial is divided into twelve hours, and Chosen Ones below the level of Heavenly Beings are likewise divided into twelve stages.

Below the Heavenly Beings, Chosen Ones are categorized into twelve tiers, spanning the four major Domains of Summoning, Metamorphosis, Rebirth, and Transcendence. If mapped onto a clock face, each sector occupies exactly three hours.

Each stage represents a step closer to the height of the Supreme Goodnesses, while each Domain represents a terrifying, earth-shattering change that is completely different from what came before.

Based on Ji Jue's understanding and speculation, Wen Jie must be an out-and-out Transcendence bigwig—an expert among experts. Just how high she stood, Ji Jue couldn't tell in the slightest. As for that old wretch Lawrence, he was likely in the Rebirth Domain, somewhere between the sixth and ninth tiers, having completely shed the weaknesses of a mortal; even if he were ground into dust, he could instantly regenerate.

It was a pity that he, who had been so desperate to use Dragon Blood to break through to the Transcendence Domain, had encountered the even more unreasonable Wen Wen, who had completely evaporated him from his physical form to his soul with Dragon Lightning.

And Ji Jue... he was still just a Little Fry at Level 1, without even a Matrix.

A blank slate among blank slates, a novice among novices.

The kind who had just created an account and was still online looking up which classes were overpowered.

For a "Roll Dog" with obsessive-compulsive tendencies like Ji Jue, there was nothing more agonizing than watching a progress bar that refused to budge no matter how hard he tried.

If you don't level up for a day, you could call it accumulating virtue, but not leveling up day after day...

Precisely because of this, he was exceptionally anxious.

But anxiety was useless.

Within the three tiers of the Summoning Domain of the First Realm, everything was about the Chosen One's development and breakthroughs in their own abilities. Aside from the domains related to their powers, they were no different from ordinary people. If they ate leftover Braised Pork Rice, they would get a stomachache; if they were shot in the head, they would die on the spot just the same.

The realm where one could punch Lawrence with one hand and kick him with the other, then destroy him with dragon breath like Wen Jie, was simply too far away.

According to Ye Chun, at this stage, he should be diligently training his abilities until he reached a certain node, then seek a new blessing from the Twelve Supreme Goodnesses to successfully level up.

As it turned out, he had gotten stuck right at the very beginning. If he told anyone, they wouldn't believe him, and if they did, they would probably mock him—and after mocking him, they might even write it down in some lousy book.

It was more miserable than a Screaming Chicken.

What's more, he didn't even have a clue about the Matrix, which was the crucial foundation for a Chosen One to advance further.

Nowadays, counting through the Twelve Supreme Goodnesses, there were a total of 221 Matrices registered across various factions that were sufficient to achieve the status of a Heavenly Being. Where wouldn't such things be highly coveted? Wasn't every single one of them a radish in its own hole?

In fact, it was more likely that the hole existed before the radish.

You want one?

Either you are a direct descendant of a major organization, or you've signed an indentured contract even harsher than this, selling your blood, kidneys, and youth for a lifetime just to get a spot in line.

Chosen Ones were common.

Over the years, not to mention the rarest Chosen Conscription, the number of autonomous awakenings due to twists of fate and High-level Summoning caused by souls being tainted by certain things were countless.

Yet, the Matrix—a vital treasure that required countless predecessors to try and fail through trial and error before finally being fixed in sequence and anchored to a Supreme Goodness—was not abundant.

Basically, any that were even slightly decent were monopolized by the major organizations.

With the Federation on the left, the Empire on the right, Central Earth in the middle, the Chongguang Church far away, the Taiyi Ring nearby, and the Wild Bazaar lurking behind... those who truly had no qualifications and couldn't see the light of day simply threw themselves into hellholes like the Dragon Offering Society or Nirvana.

There were simply too many Chosen Ones who wanted to progress but had nowhere to turn.

He wasn't the only one.

Therefore, for the time being, even if he was stuck or glitched, Ji Jue wasn't in a hurry.

Besides, wasn't the Artisan's progress bar moving?

He could just grind whichever one he could, right?

Moreover, wasn't he still alive and well?

Surviving a horror event and becoming Professor Ye's apprentice could be called a turn of fortune; at the very least, he wasn't cursed anymore, and he didn't have to worry about getting hit by a car the moment he stepped outside.

How wonderful!

Ji Jue lay in bed, sprawled out like the character "wood," feeling incredibly relaxed.

Things were looking up. Ever since Lawrence died, everything had started to get better.

In the future, Xiao Er would become an accountant, he would become an Alchemist, and that dog Lu Feng would continue to fix cars. Everyone had a bright future.

Just like that, amidst his chaotic thoughts, he closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

He had no dreams that night.

Under the same night sky, others remained wide awake.

"That kid, he's a big problem."

In an office within a building next to the overpass, a photo taken that afternoon was pushed to the front of the desk. The tracker, who had just rushed back, said decisively:

"There is definitely something wrong with him."

In the photo on the desk, under the dim light of the setting sun, the boy riding the Little Lamb twisted the throttle, leaving a trail of laughter behind him with the girl on the back.

Youthful and beautiful.

"What do you mean?"

The old man behind the desk paused, then frowned. "Are you saying he really has some connection to that woman?"

"Perhaps, it's possible."

Qi Qin, a middle-aged man with a face full of stubble, puffed on his cigarette and said in a muffled voice, "Over half a month ago, at the same time the Chosen Summoning occurred, the biggest event in the entire Yacheng was the mess stirred up by the Dragon Offering Society.

"Yet, among all the survivors, he was the one most closely connected to that woman surnamed Wen...

"That woman kept her lips sealed and spoke in vague terms about the entire operation. Is it possible she was trying to cover up the presence of a Chosen Summoner in that operation?"

"...Are you insane?"

The old man, Jiang Jin, froze for a moment, then looked suspicious. "Are you serious?"

The Chosen Summoning, which had suddenly appeared after decades of silence, had already turned all of Haizhou upside down. In these past few days, who knows how many people had put out bounties, searching for any trace of a Chosen Summoner.

Likewise, it had also aroused the vigilance of many others.

Even though Wen Wen hadn't said a word, never mentioning anything about Ji Jue, her several visits could not be hidden from the prying eyes of those lurking in the shadows.

In reality, it wasn't as if no one had suspected that Ji Jue might be a Chosen Summoner.

Because almost every person of interest had been dug up; hardly anyone suspicious had been left out, including Ji Jue. But very quickly, after thorough investigation and scrutiny, he was the first to be ruled out.

"Get this straight, he is a Curse Bearer!"

Jiang Jin was furious. "You want me to take this to them to close the case? Are you crazy? Do you think anyone would believe such nonsense?"

"Since something as absurd as the Chosen Summoning has already happened... it shouldn't be that hard to accept a Curse Bearer becoming a Chosen One, right?"

Qi Qin pondered for a moment, gauging the old man's expression, and pushed on. "Besides, even if this guy named Ji Jue isn't a Chosen One, he definitely has some kind of relationship with that woman surnamed Wen, right?"

Jiang Jin paused slightly, not knowing what he was getting at.

"Just yesterday afternoon, I saw them riding the same motorcycle at Tianmen University with my own eyes. If I hadn't seen it myself, I never would have thought that woman could actually smile."

Qi Qin lit another cigarette and took a deep drag. "Is it possible she's dating?"

"..."

Jiang Jin's eye twitched, spasming more than before.

Qi Qin continued, "...To be honest, that kid looks like a pretty boy; who knows how many young girls he's fooled. Besides, an iron tree is still a tree. Spring has arrived—who's to say the iron tree won't bloom?"

Jiang Jin's expression shifted slightly.

No matter how ridiculous it sounded, what if it were true?

If that were the case, there would be plenty of ways to exploit that kid.

After all, even within the Security Bureau, there were plenty of people who wanted to see that woman surnamed Wen meet with misfortune.

Furthermore, if they could really get a handle on this Plague God, the difficulty of making a living in the North Mountain District would undoubtedly decrease for everyone.

More importantly, what was the stance of "that side"?

"You go out first."

Old man Jiang Jin remained calm. Qi Qin immediately stood up and left.

A long time later, a voice came from behind the door: "Come in."

The old man in the office put down the phone, his expression shifting. After a long silence, he spoke: "Do as you said, investigate... dig deep and get to the bottom of it."

He paused, a fierce look appearing in his eyes. "If there really is something, take care of it, understand?"

If he was just a lucky pretty boy who managed to hook up with Minerva, he could be used to some extent.

It was already something many people didn't want to see—that menace Wen Wen gaining a firm foothold in the Security Bureau. If she had a weakness, everyone would feel more at ease.

But if she were truly cultivating a powerful Chosen Summoner as an ally... no one knew what kind of disaster that could cause!

"Don't worry, Boss."

Qi Qin grinned, revealing two rows of teeth stained yellow by smoke. "I'm a professional."

With that, he patted his chest and made a bold guarantee.

And then...

The days of "serving time" began.

Setting aside what the lurkers in the shadows wanted to dig out of Ji Jue, tracking a "Roll Dog" who would risk his life for credits, papers, and grades was, without a doubt, not a rational idea.

Especially when this Roll Dog was leashed and dragged off to be a graduate student before he had even graduated...

He would only become even more of a grinder.

Fake graduate student routine: Pretending to shake test tubes in a brightly lit lab with advanced equipment, looking at mysterious liquids, and nodding and smiling at colleagues in front of the camera.

Real graduate student routine: Picking up trash, doing manual labor, and pouring concrete.

Depending on the situation, one might also have to babysit the mentor's children, participate in legendary middle school tech competitions where big shots were everywhere and PhDs were worth less than dogs, and incidentally cook, do laundry, and perhaps even sacrifice one's chastity and body.

Fortunately, Professor Ye had never married and had no children; her only niece was her senior. Aside from a purely academic interest in Ji Jue's body, mind, soul, and abilities—and a desire to toss him into a furnace or put him on a dissection table—she had no other demands.

Therefore, for Ji Jue, the alchemy apprentice on his first day of work, the tasks he faced—aside from running errands to buy milk tea for the senior in charge of supervision, fetching lunch, playing games to rank up, and chatting about gossip—were spent entirely on...

Doing hard labor!