How Am I the One Being Pursued?

"Noble Moral Acclaim"

"90/100"

Because of what had just happened, he only needed 10 more morality points before he could draw again.

But that was not the important part. Bai Jun's gaze locked straight onto the ability below, Favor of the Sun.

The status panel, usually utterly unchanging as if it had bugged out, was now flickering with a blazing glow. Thinking of the abnormalities in his body, Bai Jun quickly realized that this ability might be what was suppressing the Sui Emperor.

To verify his guess, Bai Jun swiftly jumped out of bed and grabbed his longsword. Just as usual, the Sui Emperor's power was quickly drawn back into the blade.

The glow over Favor of the Sun on the status panel grew even stronger. At the same time, an unknown force rose within his body, erupting continuously like a volcano. His muscles and bones cracked and popped...

Seeing this, Bai Jun decisively severed his connection with the Sui Emperor, and only then did the abnormalities in his body stop.

He clenched his fist tightly. The power surging through his body left Bai Jun alarmed. Only then did he notice that the muscles in his arm had nearly grown a whole size larger. Amid his shock, a new question slowly surfaced in his heart:

"Why is the Sui Emperor's power connected to Favor of the Sun...?"

Thoughts flooded his mind, and Bai Jun quickly found a lead. He recalled that in the Forging Palace, the Sui Emperor's true form had been a ball of light as dazzling as a star.

He looked out the window. A waning moon slanted lonely through the sky, casting mottled shadows. Bai Jun suddenly realized that the sun and moon within the realm were both artificial light sources. Fundamentally, they had nothing to do with stars.

Perhaps that was what Favor of the Sun's true ability was related to. At that thought, Bai Jun's train of thought suddenly cleared. "Looks like I need to make time to head out these next few days. I need to find a star to bask under, like Superman."

If that did not work, he could always make a trip back to Zhuming and visit the Forging Palace again.

Having settled on a plan, Bai Jun suddenly felt all his previous exhaustion vanish. Perhaps that was another ability of Favor of the Sun. Marveling at the convenience of the skill, Bai Jun stretched. In his good mood, he decided to take a bath.

While bathing, Bai Jun continued mulling over the other abilities he had drawn, especially Sacred Judgment of Heavenly Fire. He seemed to have figured out a few things about that one too.

After he finished bathing, he discovered that the Jade Omen by his bed was still chiming nonstop. The flood of incoming messages had nearly swallowed the entire screen. Sensing trouble, Bai Jun picked it up and found that they were indeed messages from that Silver Hacker.

Silver Hacker: Log in! Log in! Log in!

Silver Hacker: You agreed this afternoon, and now you're bailing tonight?

Bai Jun's heart skipped a beat. He looked up at the clock. It was 21:37.

Thank goodness, he still had a chance to explain himself. To keep his browsing history from being discovered, he hurriedly draped a towel over his shoulders and tapped away at the screen.

Nan Liujing: I'm here, I'm here! I just got off work! I definitely won't bail!

Silver Hacker: ???

Silver Hacker: You better be.

Silver Hacker: Log in already!

Seeing that he had finally managed to brush her off, Bai Jun breathed a sigh of relief. He did not really want to play games, but there was no helping it now.

Besides, she had not said today that he was not allowed to use a longsword, right?

Then whatever, time to log in?

In a room decorated with pink and light-blue paint, game discs and all kinds of equipment were piled everywhere. The shelves were covered with figurines and manga, making it obvious at first glance that the room's owner was a diehard otaku.

And that was indeed the case. But unlike the greasy, overweight stereotype, she was exceptionally cute. Her snowy-white ponytail complemented her fair skin, while her pale calves rested casually on the desk. Her cool little face wore an inexplicable expression of anger, and her large eyes were filled with disbelief at the screen before her.

"Come on, bro, how can you whiff a jumping slash like that?"

Silver Wolf threw her controller onto the bed and covered her face, wondering whether Bai Jun, sitting across from her, was even human.

This could no longer be described as merely painful to watch. It was downright inhuman. She had played games for so many years, yet she had never seen anyone this terrible.

"Ugh, you're giving me a headache."

Silver Wolf rubbed the corners of her throbbing eyes, repeatedly reminding herself not to get angry. After all, this guy was still pretty good as support, which suited her tastes.

She reached out for another sip of soda, only to discover that the bottle was already empty. With an annoyed snort, she tossed it onto the floor, which was littered with empty bottles.

Silver Hacker: Hold on a sec.

Nan Liujing: ???

She paused the game and gave Bai Jun a brief explanation. Whether he understood or not, Silver Wolf did not care. She jumped off the bed and ran barefoot to the refrigerator in the living room for some cola.

The spacious living room was especially quiet at the moment. The only sounds were the refrigerator's hum and her bare feet thudding across the floor. Carrying three bottles of cola, Silver Wolf glanced at the empty sofa.

Kafka and Liuying usually liked to sit there and chat with Elio. Blade would occasionally show up too. But recently, Kafka had been away on a mission, while Blade had run off again with My Thousand Ways of Dying to challenge the limits of his body. As for Elio, it was always appearing and disappearing unpredictably. No one knew where it went.

"Good. Everyone should stay busy. Stay busy..."

As she spoke, a graceful figure suddenly flashed behind her and asked curiously, "Hm? Silver Wolf, what are you talking about again?"

The voice that suddenly sounded beside her startled Silver Wolf so badly that the cola in her arms nearly fell. She turned around, and the first thing she saw was an impressively large chest. Only after lifting her head could she see the other girl's face.

"Nothing. I was just making a joke. But you, Liuying, don't sneak up behind people next time," Silver Wolf muttered quietly.

The girl called Liuying wore an emerald-green dress. Her silver hair was gathered into a gentle, elegant bun, and her fair, delicate features were exceptionally lovely. Hearing Silver Wolf's words, she furrowed her brows in confusion. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to remind you to drink less cola. It's bad for your health, and it'll keep you from growing taller..."

"Should I take that as a challenge? You giant!" Since she was carrying cola, Silver Wolf could only ram her head into Liuying, only to be bounced back by her chest.

"G-giant? Am I really that fat? I have eaten a bit too much dessert lately, but I shouldn't have gained that much weight..." Liuying's fair face quickly flushed crimson, delicate as peach blossoms. She covered her chest with both hands, and even her rebuttal grew weaker and weaker.

"I wasn't calling you fat. It's just, it's just... Tch, never mind! I'm going back."

Staring at those peaks rising and falling with Liuying's emotions, Silver Wolf swallowed. Then she quietly lowered her head, only to see her own pale toes. In the end, she could only change the subject unwillingly.

Liuying suddenly reached out and gently tugged on Silver Wolf's clothes. "Um, Silver Wolf, are you going back to play games?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"It's just, it's just..." She lowered her head slightly. Her long hair fell softly, hiding her cheeks, which had taken on a faint blush. Her slender fingers unconsciously rubbed at the hem of Silver Wolf's clothes, sometimes lightly tracing the fabric with her fingertips, sometimes stopping, as though she were thinking about how to speak.

Seeing her shy manner, a bold idea surfaced in Silver Wolf's mind. She tried asking, "Don't tell me you want to play too?"

"Mm! I want to play the game I played here with you a couple of days ago!"

Silver Wolf did not know why Liuying suddenly wanted to play games, but it worked out perfectly. She could let Liuying play with that Nan Liujing while she watched from the side.

So Silver Wolf decisively nodded and agreed.

PS: I've had a fever for three days now, starting from the day before yesterday. The hospital said the inflammation was too severe, and even IV drips weren't helping.

I'm really sorry for the late update. My apologies again.

The Hanya's Request

"Ah, so tired. I played too much again last night..."

Early in the morning, Bai Jun reluctantly crawled out of bed. Looking at the scene outside, where the sun was already high in the sky, he wondered whether this had happened just a couple of days ago. Why did it all feel so strangely familiar?

He sluggishly walked to the bathroom to wash up, then fixed his messy, medium-length silver hair, which looked like a bird's nest. Seeing the dark circles beneath his eyes in the mirror, he was instantly filled with regret.

Damn it, Bai Jun, Bai Jun. You can't keep staying up all night playing games, or you'll really be ruined... But longswords really were fun, huh?

After arriving in the living room, Bai Jun habitually turned on the old radio before starting breakfast. Though calling it cooking was a stretch; he was really just halfheartedly heating up some convenience food.

This is the Luofu Morning News. Good morning, viewers. Next, we bring you today's latest reports.

The Xianzhou Alliance will once again sign a mutually beneficial trade agreement with the Interstellar Peace Company, benefiting both economies, further opening their respective markets, and deepening cooperation in agriculture, industry, medicine, culture, and many other fields, laying a solid foundation for a free, open, prosperous, and mutually beneficial commercial market.

At the signing ceremony, Yukong, Helm Master of the Luofu Tianbo Division, and the spokesperson for the Interstellar Peace Company's Market Development Department amicably exchanged views and reached a consensus on issues such as the impact of the interstellar security situation on the free market.

The familiar female host's voice remained pleasant and professional, steadily and precisely delivering emotionless news.

Bai Jun listened absentmindedly while his hands kept moving. Soon, he stuffed heated cheese, bacon, pickled cucumber slices, and the century egg left over from a few days ago into a steamed bun. Thus, a dark-themed Bai-style burger was born. Aside from looking awful and a little disgusting, there did not seem to be any problem with it?

He took a huge bite. Mm. As expected, it did not taste very good either.

Just as Bai Jun grimaced while dealing with the consequences of his own creation, the next news report suddenly caught his attention.

We interrupt this broadcast with major news. Miss Guinaifen, the Halovian singer born on Penacony and renowned throughout the galaxy, will perform on the Xianzhou Luofu during the next stop of her universal concert tour. Music lovers from all over the universe will gather together. Whether you are a devoted fan of classical harmony or an admirer of galactic pop music, this rare auditory feast is well worth experiencing!

"Guinaifen? That name sounds really familiar..."

Bai Jun thoughtfully swallowed the last bite of his burger, then got up and walked over to the CD player he normally used for music. He pulled out an album titled Lonely Swing. Its cover depicted the figure of a young girl with exquisite brushwork, while the name on the back was Guinaifen.

No wonder it sounded so familiar. I really had heard her before... To be fair, though, Bai Jun thought she really did sing well. If he got the chance, he would buy a ticket and support her concert.

His gaze swept over the clock. There was barely any time left before work. Bai Jun sighed helplessly and put the album back.

"Alright. I need to work hard to survive another day."

After once again making a meaningless declaration, Bai Jun pushed open the door, parted the chilly morning fog, and took his first step toward getting off work!

Exalting Sanctum, Earth-Balance Commission Public Office.

Three minutes late, Bai Jun pushed the door halfway open and poked his head inside to look around. After confirming that no one had noticed him, he suppressed his secret delight and quietly slipped back to his desk.

The moment he sat down, Pure Ink Steward approached from afar like a carnivorous beast that had smelled blood, carrying a massive stack of documents.

"It's all yours!"

Without explaining the details, Pure Ink simply dumped the documents onto Bai Jun's desk, gave him a thumbs-up, and then strode away stylishly.

Bai Jun picked up the case files with trembling hands, then looked at the mountain of documents before him. The joy that had just risen in his heart vanished without a trace.

Work at the Earth-Balance Commission could be busy or relaxed. Tasks such as patrolling the streets, finding lost pets, or mediating disputes between neighbors were relatively easy.

On the other hand, handling case files and paperwork was far more troublesome. So most officers would rather endure wind and sun while working out on the streets than fight paper and pen inside the Public Office.

The reason Bai Jun had chosen to remain in the Public Office while still finding plenty of time to slack off every day was naturally because he had genuine skill. With the experience of being an exemplary corporate workhorse in his previous life, he found this sort of routine paperwork fairly easy to handle.

Less than two hours later, he had finished the entire pile of documents. Bai Jun tossed his dried-out brush onto the desk, pulled out an idle book, and began slacking off for the day.

"Ding~"

The Jade Omen's message notification rang. Bai Jun put down A Career Unsuitable for Dolls and looked at the screen.

"Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business" has requested to add you as a friend.

Who are you?

Bai Jun carefully examined the person's avatar and pondered the name. In the end, he came to a conclusion—this was probably another toilet salesperson.

He had already seen more than enough boring toilet advertisements, so Bai Jun decisively rejected the request.

But he had barely set down the Jade Omen and turned only a few pages before it began chiming again. He picked it up and saw that it was indeed that person again.

"Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business" has requested to add you as a friend.

This time, Bai Jun accepted the request. He wanted to see exactly what this person was trying to do.

Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business: Hello, hello~

Heh, definitely a salesperson. Only those people used lines like that. Next would come the boring toilet advertisement, right?

Bai Jun sneered inwardly and decided to blacklist her.

But before his finger could even swipe to her profile, several more messages arrived in rapid succession.

Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business: This is Elena. Do you remember me, Brother Bai Jun?

Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business: Oh my, I went through so much trouble just to get your contact information.

Elena?

Bai Jun still remembered that pretty girl who carried around a strange piggy bank quite clearly, so he was somewhat surprised.

Nan Liujing: Miss Elena? What do you need from me?

Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business: Um, didn't Zhang Zhang bite you last time? I've always wanted to properly apologize to you.

Nan Liujing: There's no need to worry about such a small matter. Besides, didn't you already apologize to me back then?

Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business: That apology was too perfunctory. I'd like to treat you to a meal as an apology!

Bai Jun's fingers froze in midair. His instinct was to refuse, but thinking of Elena's personality, he felt that she would not give up easily. Rather than that, it would be better to go along with her. Perhaps that was the right decision.

Otherwise, if Elena showed up at the Public Office entrance after work with flowers in hand, he really would never be able to clear his name.

Nan Liujing: Alright. You choose a time.

Do Not Disturb Unless Necessary, Contact My Work Number for Business: Hm? You agreed? That's wonderful! I was already prepared to come apologize at your door with flowers! In that case, let's make it tomorrow!

You were actually serious about that!?