"True, but night shifts are really hard to endure. I'm worried I won't be able to stay awake even if I read."
Bai Jun walked to his desk, took the saber from his cabinet, and casually replied, "If you're sleepy, just sleep. Slacking off in moderation is good for your physical and mental health."
"Haha, no way. I'm afraid I'd sleep straight through until tomorrow morning. If the General Affairs Department's night inspectors catch me, two months of my salary will go down the drain." Songyan gave an awkward laugh and shook his head. Then, as if remembering something, he looked around cautiously before mysteriously asking Bai Jun, "Oh, Qing Yan, let me tell you something interesting!"
"What?" Seeing the wicked grin on Songyan's face, Bai Jun instinctively took several steps back.
Songyan did not keep him in suspense. "You left early, so you didn't see it. That blockhead Da Hao actually went back with Jing Yan! And I think I even heard them discussing where to eat—huh? Why aren't you surprised?"
Songyan had originally wanted to read some emotion from Bai Jun's expressionless face, only to find him as calm as ever. There was not the slightest change in his cool features, and even his azure eyes remained half-lidded and listless.
Bai Jun raised a brow, fastened his saber at his waist, and perfunctorily pulled up the corners of his mouth with two fingers. In a flat reciting tone, he said, "Wow, really?"
"Alright, alright, Young Master Bai, you don't need to force a smile like that." Songyan waved a hand, leaning sideways against his chair as he sighed. "Still, Da Hao finally got a clue. I used to think he was going to die alone."
"Yeah, isn't that a good thing?" Bai Jun felt the touch of his fingertips against his lips, and a barely noticeable curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Honestly, he had not expected things to truly develop in this direction. He had only wanted to tease Da Hao and Jing Yan, who had been eavesdropping nearby, but somehow it had actually worked out.
Still, this was indeed an unexpected blessing.
"Qing Yan... did you just smile?"
Over the past two years, very few people in the entire Public Office had ever seen Bai Jun smile. Though he was easy to talk to and quite approachable, he was still a veritable iceberg. That left everyone puzzled, but it also sparked an intense curiosity: what exactly did Bai Jun look like when he smiled?
Songyan always claimed not to care, but he was actually one of those people.
Although the smile had been extremely subtle, sharp-eyed Songyan still caught it. No, rather than sharp-eyed, it was more that the eye he usually kept narrowed into a slit was surprisingly useful at that moment.
Bai Jun immediately withdrew his smile and returned to his expressionless, dead-fish-eyed state. "No."
"Rea-lly?"
Naturally, Songyan would not buy that. With a lecherous grin, he sidled up beside Bai Jun and took out his Jade Omen. He believed plenty of female colleagues in the Public Office would be interested in this.
"Impossible." Bai Jun's face fell into a catlike scowl as he lifted a foot to leave.
Seeing this, Songyan hurriedly blocked Bai Jun's path and solemnly cleared his throat. Just as Bai Jun thought he had something important to say, Songyan suddenly changed completely.
"Hey, don't go, don't go. Young Master Bai, smile one more time. I want to see~" As he spoke, he placed both hands before his chest, twisted his hips, affected a cutesy voice, and nagged beside Bai Jun's ear with a pitiful expression.
If Tingyun or Qing Que had acted cute like that in front of him, Bai Jun would probably have pursed his lips and agreed. But when Songyan did it, it was nothing but auditory pollution and visual destruction!
Did he really think he was cute? Bai Jun pressed himself against the wall while suppressing the urge to vomit, utterly helpless against Songyan's madness.
Fortunately, the solution to madness was rather simple.
Songyan seemed not to notice Bai Jun's clenched fist at all. He thought Bai Jun had backed against the wall because he could not withstand his offensive, then stepped forward again...
"Take my Ten Thousand Horsepower Magnetic Field Fist!"
"Pugu—"
A dull thud of flesh striking flesh rang out as Bai Jun's right fist crashed into the left side of Songyan's grinning face, sending his entire body flying with one brutal punch.
Bai Jun had put all his strength into that punch. Songyan hung in midair like a broken puppet, spinning dozens of times before hitting the ground. By the time he regained consciousness, his eyes had clearly become much clearer.
"Still want to see?" Bai Jun rubbed his right hand and asked threateningly.
"Really sorry!!" Songyan pressed both hands beneath his forehead and prostrated himself flat on the floor in an impeccably standard dogeza. "I am deeply sorry for causing you trouble. I will absolutely never look again."
Hearing such a sincere apology, Bai Jun finally withdrew his dangerous gaze and helped him up with some helplessness. "Fine, fine. I'm done fooling around with you. I'm going back."
"Take care!" Songyan obediently covered his left cheek and nodded rapidly like a pecking chick.
Bai Jun gave him a long look, then left the Public Office.
Songyan immediately clutched his face, rolled around on the floor, and wailed miserably. His cries were so tragic that those who heard them would grieve, and those who listened would weep.
After howling for a while and confirming that there was no longer any sound outside the door, Songyan abruptly sat up from the floor and carefully pulled a miniature Jade Omen from his sleeve.
Its screen displayed a perfect shot of Bai Jun pressed against the wall, looking all nervous.
"Hehehe, Qing Yan, Qing Yan, this is called the devil rising one foot while the righteous path rises ten! I didn't get a picture of your smile, but this one isn't bad either, right?" Songyan smugly tidied his messy hair, as though the pain in his left cheek had vanished completely. "Oh my, how much should I sell each one for? Two thousand Credits apiece, then. I bet plenty of people will still pay for it."
Perhaps imagining himself making a fortune tomorrow, Songyan grinned lecherously enough that he failed to notice the door silently opening halfway.
"If you make a fortune, you'll have to treat me to a good meal, Mr. Songyan."
"Hohoho, that's right, that's right. Everyone who sees it gets a share, but you don't need to thank me. Just appreciate Qing Yan's good looks—Qing Yan!?" His hearty laughter instantly twisted out of shape. Seeing Bai Jun, who had somehow crouched beside him with his cheek propped up in one hand, listening with great interest, Songyan's tongue froze in his mouth and cold sweat instantly covered his back.
The two stared at each other silently for a moment, yet it was worth more than a thousand words.
Swallowing with difficulty, Songyan's teeth chattered, and he could barely speak. The shrill tremor in his voice betrayed his fear. "I-I... is it still in time if I delete it now?"
Bai Jun shook his head and smiled gently without saying another word.
"Heh... then, can we make peace?" Songyan did not even bother wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as he quietly backed away a few steps.
"Of course... not! Die and apologize, you bastard!"
"Stopppp!!!"
At dusk, agonized screams echoed through the Earth-Balance Commission Public Office in Exalting Sanctum, shattering the rare tranquility.
My Greatsword and I Won't Lose
"Whew, Songyan really had that coming."
After finally getting some exercise, Bai Jun walked down the street in high spirits, carrying a strangely shaped fish lantern in his right hand.
Because he had been delayed, the sky had already darkened. When Bai Jun left the Public Office, he had casually grabbed a flashlight, and now it was finally proving useful.
The lantern cast a warm yellow glow. Stepping along the bluestone-paved walkway, Bai Jun slowly passed through the streets of Xianyun Heaven. Rather than following his usual rigid route home, he took another path, turning toward a winding little lane that twisted away without any clue where it led.
It was dinner time on the Luofu, so there were far fewer pedestrians about, lending the streets an added chill.
The ceaseless wind swept one or two fallen leaves across the bluestone pavement. Since it had rained that morning, the streets looked especially clean.
Looking at the roadside buildings, which shared a similar style with those from his previous life, Bai Jun had more than once marveled at the similarities. During the period just after he had transmigrated, he had been deeply curious about the Xianzhou's civilization. After observing it for some time, he found that the resemblance only grew stronger. It was not merely the architectural style; their customs, holidays, eating habits, clothing, and even modes of thought were all remarkably close.
If he had to name a difference, it was only that the Xianzhou's technological level far surpassed that of his previous life.
The Artisanship Commission's industrial assembly lines were no different from those in his previous life. The only distinctive aspect was that, due to the Xianzhou society's extremely slow turnover and its special isolation, they were relatively slow to abandon certain customs. Put another way, they preserved antiquity quite well.
Take the lantern in his hand, for example. It was a portable lighting device, yet the Artisanship Commission had made it in the shape of a fish. Its hollow belly could glow, and it could emit light at different intensities and in different directions according to need. To Xianzhou natives, it might have been an ordinary flashlight, but to Bai Jun, it was an intricate, gorgeous flashlight that could be called a work of art.
To be fair, Bai Jun preferred Xianzhou flashlights.
He climbed the long sloping stairs, and before long, the cramped narrow alleys gave way to a much broader plaza. The streets and lanes were brightly lit, and the bustling cries of vendors rose without end. It was even more lively than during the day.
At the front of the plaza stood Lingxing Gate, built from glazed glass and sandalwood, though in form it resembled more of a paifang.
The plaque above bore only one line of gilded characters—Aurum Alley.
The moment he stepped inside, the scent of everyday life drifted on the wind, mixed with the aromas of food and tea as they entered Bai Jun's nose.
Licking his lips, Bai Jun rubbed his growling stomach and began searching for tonight's meal.
His reason for not going home was not complicated. He simply could not be bothered to cook dinner tonight, but he was unwilling to go hungry. After thinking it over, he could only come to Aurum Alley and pack up some food to get by.
Although Aurum Alley's signature snack street had everything from traditional dishes to roadside snacks, it was actually much the same as anywhere else. The vendors sold only the usual handful of snacks. Yet as long as it was in Aurum Alley, it somehow felt different, as though there were a faint cultural depth behind it.
Bai Jun did not care for such things. He was not nearly as particular as the Luofu's veteran foodies. He simply ordered a bowl of fish balls and several sesame flatbreads, packed up some spicy dried fish, and bought a cup of milk tea. That was enough to settle dinner.
As if remembering something, Bai Jun, who had been about to head home, paused and turned his gaze toward the eastern side of the plaza.
Since I'm already here, should I stop by the new place on the way?
With that thought, Bai Jun bit into a dried fish and leisurely headed toward his new residence as though taking a stroll.
"Hm?"
His feet, which he had assumed would not stop before reaching his destination, suddenly came to a halt. Bai Jun turned his gaze toward a streetlamp some distance behind him.
A bag had fallen to the ground, scattering fruit everywhere. An elderly woman was crouched down, rubbing her ankle.
"Is something wrong?"
The sudden question seemed to startle the old woman. She raised her face, her eyes filled with heavy wariness.
As an Outworlder temporarily living on the Xianzhou, she often faced discrimination from genuine Luofu natives. To avoid being hurt, it was necessary to keep her guard up.
However, once she saw Bai Jun's appearance, the wary look on her face visibly faded, even though he wore a saber at his waist.
Someone with such looks and bearing surely wouldn't have designs on an old woman like me.
"You seem to be in some trouble. Is there anything I can help with?" Bai Jun bent down and extended a hand to her.
"N-No, there's no need. How could I trouble a young master like you..." The old woman waved her hands in panic and forced herself to stand. She could not let herself, fallen on the ground, dirty this young master's hand.
Yet those slender, fair hands supported her without the slightest hesitation. "Please don't mind it. Offering help to those in need is only natural."
Bai Jun gave her a gentle smile. The old woman instantly blushed. The smile displayed by that charmingly handsome youth broke through the last of her defenses. If Bai Jun had asked for her pension at that moment, she likely would have handed it all over without regret.
But Bai Jun was clearly not interested in her pension. His azure eyes were filled with longing for something else!
"Ding—"
Praise for Noble Morality +5 15/100
That's right, this!
Hearing that cold yet familiar mechanical sound, Bai Jun's smile grew even brighter. He was as delighted as a child who had received his favorite toy.
But if anyone thought he deliberately did good deeds for the reward, they would be completely wrong!
How vulgar!
Sociality and altruism—these were among the clearest traits that separated humans from beasts, and also the reasons humans were fundamentally distinguished from animals!
Why would people feel sad when they encountered an unfamiliar living being on the road and it died shortly afterward? Because humans were creatures with too much time on their hands. Yet that was also humanity's greatest virtue. What a wonderful thing it was to be a creature with room in its heart.
Helping others was the right thing to do. If one could receive the appropriate reward, then that joy would become even sweeter, like a bountiful harvest. Besides, why would he not pick up free morality points? How could that be called utilitarianism?
Bai Jun helped the old woman into a nearby clinic and paid the fees for her out of his own pocket.
On the way back, Bai Jun rubbed his flat, empty frog wallet and fell into brief contemplation.
Where did my money go?
Although Bai Jun usually did not care much about his savings and spent money generously without much thought, it was only the middle of the month. No matter how much he had spent, it should not have reached the point where he had not a single Credit left, right? Imagining the miserable days ahead, with steamed buns, pickles, and tofu for the rest of the month, Bai Jun held his forehead and sighed in stomach pain.
Sigh, it looked like he had to go collect that debt from the blond brat, or he would not even be able to survive like this.
Bai Jun put away his pitiful frog wallet, took a sip of milk tea to soothe his taste buds, and used it to comfort his empty soul.
He had spent some time on the way, and by the time he reached his new residence, dusk had long since deepened.
Using the key he had gotten from that Outworlder, Bai Jun opened the front door and entered the pitch-black room with his flashlight. Following his memory from that morning, he went to the electrical panel and turned on the lights.
Bzzzt...
The dark room was enveloped in white light, the filament in the incandescent bulb shining brilliantly.
Simple without feeling crowded, clean without feeling bare, warm without feeling cramped...
Looking at the room before him, whose layout and decorations suited his preferences quite well, Bai Jun nodded in satisfaction. "Mm-hm, that Outworlder's taste is pretty good. Fine, I forgive him for badmouthing me in his heart this morning."
It was not that he was narrow-minded, okay? He was only a tiny little bit vindictive.
What had been said about this room during the day sounded frightening, but it was not actually that mysterious. It had merely exaggerated one's emotions and senses too much. For an Outworlder who had just arrived, there was an eighty-percent chance he had watched too many Xianzhou horror movies.
Drip... drip...
An ill-timed dripping sound rang out, seemingly proving that the Outworlder had not been lying. Bai Jun set down his half-finished milk tea and turned toward the bathroom.
The faucet in the bathroom had already been tightly shut, but the dripping continued without pause. Even so, Bai Jun's expression remained utterly calm.
Why was he not afraid?
"Looks like I really need to have a proper talk with the Aurum Alley Chamber of Commerce about their water valve problem. They've already scared off three or four Outworlders this month."
He raised his head. On the side of the connected pipes above was an inconspicuous valve. With practiced ease, he tightened and closed the valve that controlled the faucet, and the irritating dripping immediately stopped.
Bai Jun helplessly brushed rust flakes from his hands. It seemed the issue of Aurum Alley's aging water valves needed to be put on the agenda.
All residents of Aurum Alley knew that the water valve problem had not started just recently. Because of serious aging, water would always drip along the pipes at night unless the valves were fully shut. Not only was it noisy, but the lingering water stains also worsened the rusting, creating a vicious cycle.
Yet even so, the Aurum Alley Chamber of Commerce continued to turn a blind eye and stubbornly deny the issue, always brushing people off with lines like, "Individual problems should not be elevated to group issues!" If that did not work, they would shift the topic by saying things such as, "This needs to be reported to the leadership!"
They had no idea that this only caused new tenants who did not know the truth to think the place was haunted, so they would flee after living there for only a few days.
The Outworlder merchant Bai Jun had met that morning was one such victim. Although similar issues had arisen before, Bai Jun usually solved them on the spot. Yet this time was an exception.
Before you continue