Endorphin Machine

Chapter 43 Vol·4 [Endorphin Machine]

Ten minutes later.

Xiao Qi woke up--

--The moment she regained consciousness, she found herself lying on a bed in the infirmary.

Jiang Xueming sat beside her, motionless.

Seventh Brother's little head hadn't caught up yet, but when she saw the ring box, she completely froze.

The once sharp and generous tomboy had turned into a shy young girl.

"Mr. Xueming. You can't just pull out a ring like that, you should give me some warning, right? Next time, you could send me a text or something. And people don't do direct approaches these days, you could hide it in a cake or somewhere else. That would seem more romantic."

Jiang Xueming opened his eyes, rousing himself from a half-asleep state.

He ignored Seventh Brother's coy demeanor and had no intention of handing over the ring box, because Seventh Brother's reaction was a little too alarming--if this girl had actually suffered a serious health issue, a cardiovascular problem.

Would that be considered intentional homicide or manslaughter?

He put the matter of the ring aside for now, treating it as a routine task.

"The things I asked you to find, did you get them? Seventh Brother?"

"Oh! I got everything! I'll bring them to you right away!" Xiao Qi rolled off the bed and ran out the door as if heading to an execution.

When she returned to the staff lounge with all the miscellaneous items from the note, and Mr. Xueming didn't mention the ring again, she inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

--Aiya! I really am a fickle person!~ I don't want to be responsible at all!~ I'm such a scumbag!~ I just want his body!~ Jiu Wu Er Qi! You are truly a woman burdened by sin!~

Seventh Brother's inner monologue was particularly dramatic. She didn't dare to make eye contact with Jiang Xueming, merely pushing the bag to the bedside, then in front of Jiang Xueming.

Jiang Xueming instructed again, "Find a room, somewhere quiet, secluded, with a table."

"Okay!" Xiao Qi nodded vigorously and ran out again.

Five minutes later, Jiang Xueming, carrying all his luggage, arrived at the thirty-sixth floor of the Council of Five Kings. This was a hotel suite provided by the station for its crew.

Xue Ming instructed Xiao Qi to lock the door, then began to tinker with the miscellaneous items, preparing for departure.

He set aside the Spirit Clothes and the brocade box, and took out the suitcase containing the Panacea.

There was one last vial of Panacea. The syringe had no markings for volume; he estimated it contained about two hundred milliliters of Panacea.

Jiang Xueming took out a hydrophobic liquid collection device and transferred this syringe of Panacea into other syringes for storage.

He gripped the bayonet fitting of a circular-toothed syringe, inserted a plastic gasket into the fitting, sealed it with nitrile rubber, and lined them up on the desk.

The circular-toothed needle could create twelve puncture marks on the skin, allowing for faster injection and being safer and more convenient during strenuous activity.

If not modified, it would be too tragic to lose a life just because the needle bent and the infusion was obstructed when this Panacea was needed to save someone.

Last time, the cat-tree lady beside BOSS had said that the dosage was completely unnecessary for contusions and bruises from dislocated arms. At that time, Jiang Xueming had planned to divide this Panacea into five portions using these circular-toothed syringes.

He tested the friction of the plastic gasket and felt it was just right. With a single thumb, he could push open the gasket and remove the fitting, then press the circular teeth of the long syringe into the skin.

These syringes were designed with air pressure difference, so they would automatically deliver the Panacea into the body. Even when on the verge of death, with only one hand available, self-rescue would be possible.

Xiao Qi watched from the side, half understanding, and asked, "Mr. Xueming, can you still give injections?"

"Last time I went with A Xing to investigate Fang Feng, I looked up first aid methods. I only know a little." Jiang Xueming was still uneasy and added, "Help me bring back two bottles of glucose."

Xiao Qi followed Xue Ming's instructions and brought the items.

Then, she saw Xue Ming start using the circular-toothed syringes to draw and inject liquid.

He first injected into his thighs, then his neck, and finally jabbed his buttocks through his clothes.

The scene made Seventh Brother's teeth ache.

By the time one bottle of glucose was finished, Xue Ming had sixteen tooth-like marks on his body. Xiao Qi found the sensation difficult to describe.

It was like his neck had been bitten by another woman.

Seventh Brother knew that Jiang Xueming was doing this as a precaution, to test the flow performance of these syringes.

Jiang Xueming then said, "The needle teeth might deform under severe impact. The needle opening is long enough to pierce clothing. Can you change to another set for me? Xiao Qi? Change to an eighteen-hole one. This needle is food-grade stainless steel. If there were better materials, like titanium-coated 4-series steel, or titanium alloy needles, that would be great."

"Oh, okay! Wait for me, I'll go find them." Xiao Qi rushed out again, from the thirty-sixth floor to the first, then rode her motorcycle to a farther research station and pharmaceutical unit.

All the way, she felt that Mr. Jiang Xueming was becoming more and more charming.

This man had a special charisma. When he was focused on a task, he was completely absorbed in his work, and nothing could distract him.

And that rigorous and solemn attitude was very interesting. She could feel the endorphins secreted by Mr. Jiang Xueming, like waves of happy energy overflowing and infecting others.

It was like the equipment in a laboratory; the liquid collectors or individual small parts were all neatly arranged.

The Panacea was transferred from the syringe into other small bottles without a single drop spilled, giving a sense of satisfaction as a messy room was gradually tidied up.

When she returned to the guest room with the other tools.

Jiang Xueming wasted no time.

He took out boots, leather pants, and a thermal vest, trying on each item for size.

From Xue Ming's loose pants, and the way he stretched his waist...

From the scars on either side of his abs, Xiao Qi glimpsed another familiar pair of mermaid lines.

Her cheeks began to heat up, as Jiang Xueming looked incredibly tempting, like a little cake.

To facilitate movement and allow for large strides while running, the hard leather pants had been specially altered into an ultra-low-rise style.

Xiao Qi thought to herself—how could pants be so suggestive, as if they might fall off at any moment.

And that tank top, oh my, oh my, oh my.

She didn't dare to steal even a direct glance.

"Seventh Brother, prepare some needles, thread, and scissors for me. I need to alter some clothes later," Jiang Xueming said in a flat tone. "If you have any metallic threads like gold, silver, or tin, bring those too. I'll need a soldering station and a hot air gun for welding, with a maximum temperature of over three hundred degrees Celsius."

Xiao Qi was surprised. "Ah? You can alter clothes too?"

"Yes, my family was poor, and we couldn't afford new ones," Jiang Xueming explained. "I mended and patched for four years. My work clothes went from long to short, and short ones were made into a 'youth edition.' I know a little bit."

"What do you need a soldering station for? Planning to fix phones?" Xiao Qi placed the items on the table.

Xue Ming replied casually, "An iron's temperature isn't enough, and it's too crude. For low-temperature work in the hundreds of degrees, a soldering station and a hot air gun, combined with ice, can achieve more precision."

Before Xiao Qi could ask.

Xue Ming preempted her. "I used to work in a battery factory. I know a little."

"Got it! I'll go find them!"

Xiao Qi nodded and rushed out of the room again.

"Oh, right!" Jiang Xueming added. "I need a dry powder fire extinguisher, a fire bucket, two pairs of gas masks and work gloves, and a portable medical kit with refrigeration capabilities. Safety first."

Seventh Brother finally understood—

—Xue Ming was treating this place like a workshop.

After she had tired herself out finding everything and returned to the guest room, she squatted beside Jiang Xueming, acting like a curious child.

She remembered how her father used to tinker with things like this when she was little—making furniture at home, installing soundproofing cotton on the ceiling, and repairing televisions and washing machines, and so on.

She felt like she had returned to her childhood, catching the strong scent of pine rosin, hearing the clatter of various metal objects and tools. She also saw the fine sweat on Xue Ming's forehead, and a sweat stain on that tank top.

That tank top...

Hee hee hee hee hee.

"Wipe your drool, Seventh Brother," Jiang Xueming kindly reminded her. "You dripped on my pliers."

"Oh, oh, oh, oh! Sorry!~" Seventh Brother took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth clean, then wiped the sweat from Xue Ming's forehead. Her actions were quite mischievous.

But Xue Ming didn't mind—

—as long as it didn't interfere with his work, anything was negotiable.

He adjusted Panacea's new syringe to its optimal state and recorded the syringe's dimensions in a notebook, so it would be easier to produce more later.

He then cut Spirit Clothes open with a single slice, transforming the long garment into a loose jacket. The entire process was done with great care—

—the original gold thread embroidery on Spirit Clothes was slowly blown open with ice and a hot air gun, then re-threaded and sewn shut with gold thread edging.

The remaining fabric was cut into two fingerless gloves that exposed the fingertips.

There was still some left over—

—so he cut these scraps into one-inch wide fabric strips.

He immediately pulled over his greatsword and, following the pattern of the grip wrapping on the sword hilt, wound the fabric strips around it to form a handle.

When Xiao Qi looked at Panacea on the table again, it had already been put into the medical kit and refrigerated by Xue Ming.

After finishing these tasks, Jiang Xueming filled the other syringes with glucose solution, matching the bottles to size. He then marked the positions for pockets on the hard leather pants with a pencil, and began altering the pockets, magazine pouches, and temporary storage compartments.

The needle of the luer-lock syringe was difficult to penetrate the tough leather. He made incisions on the sides of his thighs, near the major blood vessels, and sewed on bright orange reflective fabric to make the emergency injection points easily visible to medical personnel and himself in the dark.

The crotch of the pants was cut open with a single slice, with no covering, as Xue Ming was reserving it for the MOLLE system's strap attachment points.

In Xiao Qi's eyes—

—those work pants had transformed from ordinary to exceptionally suggestive.

She found this fashion sense hard to comprehend, as bizarre as a rock star from the 1950s or 60s, yet with a strange allure.

Finally, he finished the edges of these modified openings, the gold and silver threads dancing up and down with his rough hands.

He was like an endorphin machine, completely absorbed and meticulous when working.

Xiao Qi reminded him, "Are you done?"

"Not yet," Jiang Xueming stood up, stretched his muscles, and arched his back. He took off his tank top and handed it to Xiao Qi. "This tank top is good, no need to alter it. Wash it for me, and prepare a few more."

"Okay." Xiao Qi prepared to head to the laundry room again.

"Wait a moment, bring these for me," Jiang Xueming glanced around the room, as if he had suddenly blanked, unable to recall.

After more than an hour of high-intensity labor, his eyes and brain were extremely fatigued. The heat from the needlework and the welding gun made his body feel a bit overwhelmed.

He followed Xiao Qi out into the corridor, wanting some fresh air.

"I remember now. Please bring me two files, 600 grit. Grinding stones of 800, 1000, and 1500 grit. A bottle of 3000 grit automotive polishing paste, a bottle of silica coating liquid, thank you. And also, a foot and a half of pearl fish skin."

Xiao Qi's expression shifted from shock to disbelief. "What do you need these for?"

"The BOSS gave me an iron rod, but it's too rough and scrapes my hand. I'm just tidying it up," Jiang Xueming explained. "I used to do machining and lathe work at a battery factory, you know?"

Xiao Qi covered her mouth and chuckled. "You know a little bit?"

"Yeah, exactly," Jiang Xueming replied with a smile.

At this moment, Ms. Zhao Yangchun hurried over.

She walked while asking, her tone aggressive. "What are you two doing in the guest room? It sounds like sparks are flying, and people upstairs and downstairs are complaining!"

However, they were about ten meters apart.

Zhao Yangchun's expression turned strange.

She saw Jiang Xueming shirtless, his muscles covered in bright red scars, sweating profusely.

She walked up to them and then saw that the room was tidy, with fire safety equipment present. She finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Ms. Yangchun, however, took another look and noticed the ring-shaped teeth marks on Mr. Jiang Xueming's body.

"You guys... play that rough?"

"No, no, no!" Xiao Qi's face turned red as she flusteredly explained, "It's not what you think!"

"Alright!" Ms. Yangchun smiled mischievously. "I won't bother with the complaints today! I'll move these guests to other rooms and take a day off! I won't disturb you! I get it! You're getting injections!"

With that, the woman skipped away like a young girl.

Seventh Brother looked at Xue Ming with an innocent expression.

Xue Ming looked at Xiao Qi with a serious demeanor.

"Don't just stand there. I'll go wash my face. I'll wait for you to bring the stuff back so we can continue working. Your boss is off duty, so you don't have to worry about disturbing other guests. Could you bring me another clamp if it's convenient? And maybe an angle grinder?"

"Angle grinder? What's that?" Xiao Qi asked.

Jiang Xueming pushed Seventh Brother out, signaling for them to leave.

"I knew you were just being cheeky."

Two hours later.

Jiang Xueming finally finished the polishing work on the greatsword.

After repairing the sharp edges of the iron rod and grinding away the oxidized rust on the blade, the repeated polishing and grinding consumed half a ton of water.

He cleaned the iron rod, which looked like a greatsword and was named "Magic Wand," removing the diamond grinding paste with oil and air.

He then infused the fragile pores with highly self-cleaning silver. Silver is a relatively soft metal and works well as a structural buffer for this rod.

The fine pores on the sword's surface, which originally looked like terrifying wormholes riddled with holes, transformed into a shimmering sea of stars with the addition of silver.

He then sealed it with anti-oxidation grease, wrapped it with fish skin and a handle grip. He bound it tightly with silver threads and finally used a heat gun to melt the threads and secure them completely.

"Sorry, I didn't have enough time this time, so I just gave you a basic grinding package," Jiang Xueming said, holding up the sword and speaking to it kindly, as if negotiating. "Next time, I'll get a steelmaking furnace."

Before he could finish speaking, suddenly—

—a heart symbol appeared on the sword's surface.

This bizarre scene left Jiang Xueming utterly bewildered. "What's going on?"

Xiao Qi was equally confused. "The BOSS's stuff is all weird. How should I know?"

Immediately after—

—a blinding light engulfed them.

The last time it lit up, it was eight hundred lumens.

This time, Jiang Xueming was prepared. He quickly closed his eyes, but he could still feel the intense light penetrating his eyelids, illuminating the capillaries beneath.

This time, it was at least eighteen hundred lumens.

It was comparable to a tactical flashlight used for flashbang attacks and street combat.

"You need to listen," Jiang Xueming said kindly to Magic Wand, negotiating. "You only light up when I tell you to, understand? Otherwise, I'll turn you into a toilet plunger."

Magic Wand immediately returned to its ordinary appearance, with no more words or symbols appearing.

Jiang Xueming turned to discuss with Seventh Brother, about to speak.

Seventh Brother, covering his red eyes, had already learned to preempt him. "Got it, two pairs of sunglasses."

Jiang Xueming instructed, "Three pairs. Bring one for A Xing too."

Xiao Qi was about to walk out when—

Jiang Xueming called out again.

"Wait! Seventh Brother, I'm actually quite curious. This rod, for example, was given to me by the BOSS. So, in other words, did the BOSS give you anything?"

"Yes," Xiao Qi replied, pulling out the rod from her collar. "Two of them!"

They were a pair of silver chopsticks.

Jiang Xueming was stunned, not knowing what to say for a moment.

"You're fine now, you can go. Your staff... is pretty impressive."

Half an hour later--

--A Xing finally returned, or rather, the manager helped him back.

As soon as he entered, he rushed into the restroom and then started vomiting frantically.

Jiang Xueming couldn't figure it out--

--Why could a bowl of hot and sour beef soup noodles, combined with motion sickness, make A Xing throw up for several hours.

The lobby manager waited by the door, holding A Xing's Spirit Clothes and staff, along with a large lock inlaid with fiery red gems. It seemed these were A Xing's three forms of insurance.

Xue Ming stepped forward and asked, "Excuse me, sorry to trouble you. Did something happen to his health? He's been throwing up for hours?"

"No," the lobby manager replied expressionlessly, his tone indifferent. "He and Old Spirit went to the large entertainment room on the Four Directions Terrace and drank their way through every bar."

The vomiting sounds coming from the bathroom were astonishing--

--Xue Ming and the manager just stared at each other, neither speaking for a long time.

Xue Ming broke the silence, "Didn't BOSS do anything about it?"

The manager put down the items and prepared to leave, leaving behind a single sentence.

"BOSS joined them and drank their way through again."