The Spirit of Craftsmanship

The next morning.

Inside the Nezha Burger shop, business was bustling.

But this time, it wasn't Su Yun or the reluctantly roped-in Xiao Wu standing busy by the fryer—it was four local staffers in matching red uniforms and sanitary masks.

"Watch the oil temperature! Must be kept at 180 degrees!"

"Smile! Even if someone's just borrowing the bathroom, show eight teeth! We're selling the service experience!"

Su Yun clasped his hands behind his back like some feudal landlord surveying his domain, pointing and critiquing behind the counter.

He walked over to the cleaning area, knocked on a table he'd just wiped, and with a dead-serious face began spouting top-tier management philosophy.

"Remember our corporate culture! What defines ultimate hygiene?"

Su Yun pointed at the bathroom in the corner of the shop.

"How clean should the toilet be? Clean enough that you can scoop up the water and drink it straight! That's what qualifies!"

The four local staffers' faces turned green. Their eyes went wide as they stared at the bathroom, trembling, stomachs churning.

Drink...

Drink toilet water?

Was this the rule of a big clan?

Terrifying!

Su Yun ignored their horror and turned to the dishwasher.

"And the plates! The SOP manual says wash them seven times—so it has to be seven!"

"One less is cutting corners, one more is wasting resources! Not a single time off! What's that called? That's the spirit of craftsmanship! Get it?"

Though they couldn't understand why they had to drink toilet water or why one extra wash was a waste of resources...

This set of extremely strict, ritualistic, and logically self-contained theories instantly made these unsophisticated locals feel the young boss was unfathomably deep.

They didn't get it, but it sounded impressive!

"Yes... yes! Boss! We'll definitely wash them seven times!"

"Can't hear you! Can't hear you at all!"

"With a voice that small, how are you gonna run a burger shop?!"

The staffers straightened their backs, a new awe for advanced culture in their eyes.

"YES!! YES!! BOSS!!! WE'LL DEFINITELY WASH THEM SEVEN TIMES!!!"

"Good! That's the spirit!!"

Su Yun nodded in satisfaction, took off his apron, and tossed it to the sharpest-looking young man.

"Alright, the shop's in your hands. You, Wang Er, are promoted to store manager. If the accounts are off by even one copper coin, I'll hold you responsible."

Su Yun took off his apron, tossed it to the sharpest-looking young man, then put back on his signature tactical sunglasses.

"Xiao Wu, let's go! Time to register at the academy!"

"Coming, coming!"

Xiao Wu had a cup of bubble tea dangling from her mouth and a bag of freshly fried fries in her hand, hopping along as she followed.

Now that they had a business that let them earn money while lying down, they could finally free up their hands to do some proper soul master work.

But...

Because the morning staff training had taken too long, by the time the two of them strolled up to the main gate of Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, the sun was already tilting westward.

Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, Academic Affairs Office.

"Sorry, only the Seventh Dorm is left."

The registrar, Director Su, didn't even look up, quickly sorting through a stack of files in a businesslike tone with no room for negotiation.

At the counter, Su Yun pushed up his sunglasses and glanced at the slightly worn-out surroundings.

"Teacher, I have money."

Su Yun pulled a gleaming Gold Soul Coin from his pocket and casually placed it on the table with a crisp clink.

He explained patiently:

"I can pay double—no, triple—the dorm fee. I want a single room, or even a double. Money's no object; I just want peace and quiet."

As a modern Earthling with hygiene standards, he really didn't want to squeeze into that legendary communal bunk room.

"It's not about the money."

Hearing the sound of the gold coin, Director Su finally stopped writing and looked up.

He first glanced at the coin on the table, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, but then, when he saw Su Yun's bizarre outfit and the little girl beside him slurping her bubble tea without a shred of dignity, his brow furrowed.

"You two came too late. In another hour, the registration system closes."

Director Su tapped the table, his face full of helplessness.

"The normal fee-paying student dorms, First through Sixth, were all fully occupied as of yesterday. Those were booked a month in advance."

"Right now, the only spots left in the entire academy are a few empty bunks in Seventh Dorm. That's the work-study student dorm. The conditions are a bit rough, but it's your only option."

With that, Director Su paused and pushed the gold coin back.

"Put your money away. The academy has its rules. Unless you can pull off some magic and conjure a room out of thin air, otherwise—"

He pointed at a wooden sign on the wall behind him.

"Seventh Dorm, turn left and go to the end. If you don't want to sleep on the street, get moving."

Su Yun looked at the gold coin that had been returned, his brow slightly furrowed.

Money that couldn't be spent? This was a first.

"No other choice?"

"No other choice."

Su Yun took a deep breath.

Fine.

Since I'm here, I'll make the best of it.

"Alright, Seventh Dorm it is."

After all, for him, it didn't matter where he stayed.

"Xiao Wu, let's go. Time to check out our new nest."

"Oh... slurp..."

Dormitory building, in front of Seventh Dorm.

"Su Yun, this place doesn't seem... very clean."

Xiao Wu pinched her nose, her two rabbit ears standing alert.

Even before stepping inside, the smell seeping through the crack in the door—a mix of sweat and foot odor—was already suffocating for this cleanliness-loving rabbit.

Bam!

Su Yun lifted his foot and kicked open the door of Seventh Dorm.

The noisy dorm instantly fell silent.

In this large communal room that could hold fifty people, dozens of kids were either roughhousing or picking at their feet.

Now, dozens of eyes stared in unison at the two newcomers who didn't fit the scene at all.

A cool-looking kid in an expensive tactical suit, wearing sunglasses.

A delicate, pretty little girl holding a milk tea cup.

This combination was like two white swans wandering into a wild boar pen.

"Oh? We're getting this kind of material in Seventh Dorm this year?"

A burly, crew-cut youth jumped down from his bunk.

His name was Wang Sheng, the current boss of Seventh Dorm.

Wang Sheng sized up Su Yun, his gaze finally settling on Su Yun's brand-new, spotless tactical boots, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes.

"New guy?"

Wang Sheng, with a few of his underlings, swaggered to block the middle of the aisle, arms crossed, his face full of menace as he looked at Su Yun.

"I heard you're a fee-paying student who couldn't find a room and got shoved in here? Hmph, no matter what kind of young master you were outside, in Seventh Dorm, if you're a dragon, you coil up; if you're a tiger, you lie down!"

"I'm the boss here. According to the rules, if a new guy wants to come in, he has to fight me first! The loser handles emptying the chamber pots for the whole dorm!"