Work or Get Out

Because Chen Mo had entered the stage where spiritual energy entered his body, both his body and mind had been strengthened. Deliveries that used to take him over six hours now took only four. Of course, that did not include lunch. Still, he had not eaten lunch today anyway—the food had been truly awful.

Especially after ordering a bowl of noodles, he felt the oil scraping at his throat and concluded it was Gutter Oil. But figuring that out was useless. He could only silently abandon the noodles after one bite and go deliver packages on an empty stomach.

More than two hours earlier than usual, he returned to the Express Delivery Point, handed the collected packages over at the counter, and filled out today's work report. Just as he turned to leave, Manager Wu called out to him.

"Little Chen, come here." After seeing Chen Mo finish handing in his work, Manager Wu called him over.

"Manager, were you looking for me?" Chen Mo asked after entering the office.

"Mm! This is for you." Manager Wu took out a folder holding more than ten pages and handed it to Chen Mo. "This is the internship report you mentioned before. I helped you prepare it and stamped it. You can submit it directly to the school as your internship report."

"Manager Wu, thank you." Seeing that it was what he needed, Chen Mo thanked him happily.

"It's nothing major, just a small matter. No need to thank me." Manager Wu smiled.

"Manager Wu, are you..." Chen Mo asked when he noticed that Manager Wu's smile seemed somewhat forced.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. The new manager will start work tomorrow, so this is all I can do for you," Manager Wu explained.

"What? Manager Wu, weren't things going well? Why are you leaving?" Chen Mo asked in confusion.

"Sigh! It's nothing. I just don't want to keep doing this. Chen Mo, work hard. I had wanted to give you a raise this month, but now I can't. Still, I already spoke to the finance office and got you a 2,000 Yuan bonus approved. Go collect it later. Also, everyone has a bonus. Tell them for me." Manager Wu said.

"Okay. Then, Manager Wu, I'll head out first." Chen Mo could only bid farewell. There was nothing he could do; he was just a tiny loser without any ability.

"Go on!" Manager Wu said with a bitter smile.

After Chen Mo informed everyone and went to the finance office to collect his 2,000 Yuan bonus, he vaguely overheard several employees talking about Manager Wu. It seemed that some leader from a department at headquarters had a relative coming over, so Manager Wu had been transferred to a rural township.

Manager Wu had been doing perfectly well, yet disaster had fallen on him for no reason. He had gotten shot while lying down. His whole family was here, and going to a rural township would be extremely inconvenient. Not to mention, his child had just been born and still needed his care. In a fit of anger, he submitted his resignation and distributed all the bonuses before leaving.

After hearing this, Chen Mo could only shake his head and leave. He had no good solution either.

When he got home, having gone hungry all day, he cooked himself a meal using the pots and stove he had bought. Only then did he finally eat his fill with some satisfaction. Though it was all vegetarian food, it was at least much tastier and healthier than bought breakfast and lunch.

Just thinking about it brought tears to his eyes. It seemed he would have to bring food tomorrow. He really could not stomach the dishes sold outside anymore.

After eating, he counted all his assets and gloomily discovered that after two years of saving, rent, tuition, and living expenses had left him with only 10,000 yuan. What could that even do? He probably could not even scrape together the land-contracting fee if he went home.

Forget it. For now, he should cultivate to Qi Refining Layer One. Cultivation was the most important thing right now; everything else could be resolved later. If he really had no money, he could get a loan back home, or borrow some from Oldest Brother and the others. If there was truly no other way, he could go home and farm his family's land. But when he imagined the looks on Dad and Mom's faces, his head began to ache. His family still hoped he could live in the city, yet he wanted to return home to farm. Wouldn't that make the elderly couple lose face in the village?

Forget it. He would first cultivate to Qi Refining Layer One. Where there was a road ahead, there would be a way through the mountain. Once he reached Qi Refining Layer One, many things would become much easier. With that thought, he once again placed the Little White Bead in his palm and began Internal Circulation through the heavenly cycle.

When he finished his Internal Circulation a little after five in the morning, he felt his connection with the Little White Bead grow a little closer. He was delighted. Based on the sensations during cultivation, once he reached Qi Refining Layer One, he might be able to uncover some of the Little White Bead's secrets.

However, his body was once again covered in black substance. Without Spiritual Energy nourishing it, just how many toxins would accumulate in the body?

After washing up, tidying himself, and eating breakfast, he walked to work. However, he now carried a lunchbox in his hand—his prepared lunch.

Chen Mo's work at the Express Delivery Point was actually simple. Every day, he was responsible for delivering and collecting packages in one designated area. But because he worked a part-time job, he was not assigned to a fixed area for deliveries and collections. Any packages that had not been delivered in an area, any collection jobs that needed to be handled promptly, and any areas short-handed due to someone taking leave were all his responsibility. He was like a brick, placed wherever he was needed.

But today, no one left after arriving at work. They gathered together to wait for the new manager's instructions. Manager Wu had already completed the handover, and the new manager had officially taken office.

Not much was said during the morning meeting. A supervisor from headquarters introduced the new manager, Guo Xing, and then Guo Xing offered a few encouraging words before dismissing everyone. They went back to whatever they needed to do, no different from usual. Chen Mo did not take it to heart and simply continued working as usual, though he still felt some regret over Manager Wu's departure.

A week passed like this. As his cultivation time increased, the amount of black substance expelled from his body decreased. His skin became somewhat smoother and more tender, while his body and mind remained in a constant state of well-being. It even seemed that he had grown taller. His once-average height had suddenly shot up, nearly reaching 1.8 meters.

Chen Mo discovered that he seemed able to touch the threshold of Qi Refining Layer One. During cultivation the previous night, he had faintly sensed a blockage somewhere in his Meridians. As long as he broke through it, he would reach Qi Refining Layer One. The Transmission Jade Talisman had explained this, and Chen Mo was overjoyed. He even wore a smile on his way to work.

"Chen Mo, come here!" When Manager Guo saw Chen Mo arrive at work, he called him over.

"Manager Guo, what is it?" Chen Mo asked. Since Manager Guo had arrived, he had not really summoned anyone for anything. Only two days ago, a new employee had joined, and people had been spreading rumors that the newcomer seemed to be Manager Guo's Uncle. But it had little to do with Chen Mo, so he did not pay attention to it.

"Starting today, you'll be responsible for deliveries in Area Four," Manager Guo said.

"Area Four? Isn't Su Huaiming in charge of it?" The Su Huaiming Chen Mo mentioned was Manager Guo's Uncle. The Express Delivery Point divided its territory into several areas, identified by numbers.

On the second day after Manager Guo started work, he brought in his Uncle. However, all the positions were within the County Town, and a newcomer could not immediately replace an experienced worker, so he could only arrange for his Uncle to fill an opening. It just so happened that the courier for Area Four had resigned, so his Uncle Su Huaiming took over the position.

"If I tell you to handle it, then handle it. Why are you talking so much nonsense?" Manager Guo said impatiently.

"Then do I no longer need to handle the leftover packages and the shift-covering work I'm currently responsible for?" Chen Mo asked.

"You'll still handle those. That's why I'm only assigning you the delivery work for Area Four. Su Huaiming will still be responsible for collecting packages," Manager Guo said.

Chen Mo immediately felt disgusted. Everyone knew deliveries did not make much money and were exhausting enough to make someone cough blood. Package collection, on the other hand, was a great job. Every package collected earned a one-yuan commission, making it easy and profitable. He had not expected Manager Guo to have such a scheme.

"Manager Guo, that doesn't follow the rules. If I'm responsible for Area Four, then the collection work should be handed over to me too," Chen Mo said. He could not just work without eating, could he?

"Are you the manager, or am I the manager? Will you do the work I assigned you or not? Either get to work now, or get the hell out!" Manager Guo said. He had long disliked Chen Mo. Not only did Chen Mo return earlier than everyone else every day, he also left early. He had been watching him for a week, and today he wanted to use him to light his first fire after taking office!