Lin Ciyan's consciousness sank into his mind. When he saw the [Slacker Shop] icon finally light up, he was so excited he nearly bounced right off the bed.
Thankfully, he remembered in time that the core principle of "slacking off" was "lie down whenever you can instead of sitting up." He forcibly suppressed the urge.
"It's open! It's finally open! Let's see what goodies are inside!"
With a slight movement of his thoughts, a virtual screen appeared before him, filled with mysterious patterns of light and yet carrying a faintly lazy air.
[Slacker Shop (Beginner)] [Current Slacking Value: 1020] [Tip: Anything produced by the System is bound to be top quality! (The System reserves the right of final interpretation)] [Auspicious Recliner (Portable Version)] - 80 points Description: Woven from the fluff of an unknown Soul Beast and flexible vines, it comes with temperature control, self-cleaning, and microgravity adjustment. It is the ideal choice for slacking off openly and with dignity. Note: Slightly increases Soul Power recovery speed. It's better than nothing; after all, you can earn money just by lying down. The amount may be small, but it's still something, so surely no one would turn it down. [Gourmet Portable Lunchbox] - 120 points Description: Built around a small spatial Soul Guidance array, it automatically generates a different delicacy from another world every day (flavors are random). Satisfy your taste buds and add a little more flavor to your slacking-off life. Note: The food is for the host's consumption only. It cannot be used to feed others or analyzed. Please do not attempt to understand how it works. [Optical Camouflage Nap Blanket] - 100 points Description: Using the principles of light refraction, it lets you blend exceptionally well into your surroundings when draped over you. It is an "invisibility" wonder for classes, meetings, and other such occasions. Note: This is not true invisibility. It merely makes people instinctively overlook you—in other words, "selective blindness." ["Same Here!" Parrot] - 150 points Description: A small Soul Guidance parrot that mimics the host's last short sentence. It can be used to answer in class, respond to elders' questions, and handle other situations that call for fobbing someone off. Note: Its intelligence is limited, though it does possess basic intellect. Please do not use it for complicated conversations, or it will answer the person asking questions with things like "Yes, yes, exactly," "You're right about everything," "Haozi, take care of yourself," or "That's so cringe." [Automatic Soul Guidance Fishing Rod (Basic Model)] - 80 points Description: It baits the hook automatically and raises the rod as soon as it senses a fish bite. All you need to do is lie down, enjoy the scenery, and collect your catch at the end. Note: Only works when used by the host. Ineffective against Soul Beasts over a thousand years old, and clever fish may even make a fool of you. [Soul Power Driven Mini Fan] - 30 points Description: Inject a tiny amount of Soul Power and enjoy warmth in winter and coolness in summer, creating the perfect environment for slacking off. Falling asleep in the breeze of this mini fan gives you a high chance of having a pleasant dream. Note: Falling asleep to a gentle breeze in the sweltering summer heat is usually a wonderful thing. [Saitama Invisibility Mode (Passive Skill)] - 600 points Description: Passively lowers your presence, making others more likely to overlook your actions and aura. As your strength increases, the effect grows stronger, eventually even blurring others' perception of your strength. Note: Useless in the early stages? No, this is the ultimate ticket to quietly amassing wealth and showing off without anyone noticing! Host, trust the System's judgment! [Ever-Changing Comfortable Loungewear] - 70 points Description: The fabric is exceptionally soft against the skin, and the style can be changed at will within the limits of what is allowed—for example, Shrek Academy uniforms—combining comfort with propriety. Note: Quality sleep is the foundation of efficient slacking off. [Silent Barrier Earplugs] - 30 points Description: Effectively blocks out external noise and can even weaken Mental Interference to a certain extent. Note: Sleep in peace. Refuse to get caught up in the rat race. [Notes on <Five Years of Slacking, Three Years of Practice Tests>] - 1200 points Ability: Upon use, you enter a state of "sudden enlightenment" and quickly master a piece of theoretical or practical knowledge, such as the basics of Soul Power control, Martial Soul Theory, or a musical instrument. The effect is equivalent to someone else practicing hard for several months. The process of comprehension usually looks like daydreaming, spacing out, or sleeping. Note: You think I'm daydreaming? No, I'm doing "quantum speed-reading"! What those study fanatics have to stay up all night and go bald to learn, I can master in my dreams. ["Effortless Victory" Aura (Team-Only)] - 3000 points Ability: Passive skill. When you are part of a team and are subjectively in a "slacking off" state, it slightly increases your teammates' luck, explosive power, and chance of sudden enlightenment. The more you slack off, the stronger your teammates get! Note: I'm not slacking off. I'm providing metaphysical support for the team! The true core member is often the one who looks most like a freeloader.
When he reached the bottom, Lin Ciyan was puzzled to find only some of the products listed. And why were there no products that cost over ten thousand points?
[Ding! The host needs to work hard to accumulate Slacking Value to unlock more content!] [Ding! Products costing over ten thousand Slacking Value have not yet been unlocked for purchase. Unlocking them requires accumulating more than ten thousand Slacking Value.]
Although he couldn't see the products that cost over ten thousand points, the dazzling array of items below that price had already left Lin Ciyan overwhelmed and drooling.
[The Eternal Comfort Recliner] (ignores environmental disturbances)
[Gourmet Lunchbox] (can generate delicacies from another world on demand)
[Slacker Strike] (instantly unleashes accumulated lazy energy; its power is proportional to the length of time spent slacking off)
[Great Dream Spirit Travel] (cultivation in dreams, twice the efficiency)
["Carefree" Protective Energy (Passive Skill)] (converts some of the physical impacts you receive into the pleasant sensation of a massage)
The [Slacker Strike] and [Great Dream Spirit Travel] especially made him itch to try them, but unfortunately, he couldn't afford them.
"Let's start with something that'll immediately improve my quality of life!" He rubbed his hands together and began spending.
[Purchased "Auspicious Recliner" successfully! -80 points] [Purchased "Optical Camouflage Nap Blanket" successfully! -100 points] [Purchased "Ever-Changing Comfortable Loungewear" successfully! -70 points] [Purchased "Silent Barrier Earplugs" successfully! -30 points] [Purchased "Soul Power Driven Mini Fan" successfully! -30 points] [Purchased "Automatic Soul Guidance Fishing Rod (Basic Model)"! -80 points]
Watching 380 points disappear in an instant, Lin Ciyan checked that he had 630 points left and winced. But then he thought of how much more comfortable his life was about to become, and decided it was worth it.
His gaze finally settled on the [Saitama Invisibility Mode], priced at 600 points. It was the only thing costing over 500 points that he could currently afford.
"Six hundred points... That's way too expensive! It's almost as much as most of the savings I'd built up before!" He furrowed his little brow in indecision. "Lowering my presence? It doesn't sound very useful. It's not like I'm going to be a thief..."
But the eight golden characters that read "Anything produced by the System is bound to be top quality" shimmered brightly in his mind.
"Forget it, I'm buying it! I'll consider it an investment in the future! Who knows, it might actually come in handy someday?" He gritted his teeth and stamped his foot—at least, in his mind—and chose to buy it.
[Purchased "Saitama Invisibility Mode (Passive Skill)" successfully! -600 points] [Current Slacking Value: 30]
A faint, cool sensation flowed through his body, then vanished. It seemed as though nothing had changed.
Lin Ciyan took stock of himself and felt nothing special. He could only reassure himself: "It's top quality, definitely top quality..."
After finishing his shopping, he left the shop, completely satisfied.
His gaze landed on the section of Golden Tree trunk beside the bed, its golden light flowing and warm vitality radiating from it. His eyes lit up all over again.
Recliner, blanket, pajamas, earplugs, cooling fan... All set!
All that was missing was the ultimate wonder—the Golden Tree Hammock! He could practically see himself lying in a hammock woven from a divine tree,
drifting peacefully into a dream in the breeze by Sea God Lake, breathing in the wonderful life energy with every breath.
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow I'll go find Qian Duoduo, the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department! No matter what, I'm getting this hammock made! Sleep is the ultimate essence of slacking off!"
Filled with boundless anticipation for his "sleeping god" lifestyle, Lin Ciyan hugged his newly purchased loungewear, breathed in its sunshine-like comfort, and fell fast asleep.
A few days later, by Sea God Lake.
Lin Ciyan was lying on his brand-new Auspicious Recliner,
covered by the camouflage nap blanket and enjoying the gentle breeze of his Soul Guidance mini fan.
He was testing out the comfort of his new gear, feeling as though life had reached its peak.
Just then, Mu En's familiar wheelchair sounds approached from nearby.
Lin Ciyan lazily raised his eyes.
Beside Mu En walked a boy about his own age.
The boy wore a neat blue outfit, and his short, tousled blue-purple hair stood out in the sunlight.
He was very handsome, but his face was expressionless, his eyes lowered.
A silence far beyond his years surrounded him, like an unrelenting gloom hanging over him.
"Ciyan, your new setup is getting more and more complete," Mu En said, smiling when he saw all the gear.
Lin Ciyan rolled up like a lazy fish and sat up, grinning. "Grandpa Mu, if you want to do a good job, you need the right tools! This is all so I can keep you company and contemplate the world!"
His gaze naturally shifted to the blue-haired boy, and he put on a suitably curious expression. "Grandpa Mu, who's this young fellow?"
"This is my great-grandson, Bei Bei, whom I mentioned to you before," Mu En introduced him warmly.
He gently patted Bei Bei's shoulder. "Bei Bei, this is Lin Ciyan. His grandfather is the elder Lin Qingmo. You two should get to know each other."
Bei Bei lifted his head and looked at Lin Ciyan. His eyes were still somewhat vacant. He gave a slight nod, lips pressed tightly together, but said nothing.
Lin Ciyan knew the story.
Mu En's family line had not been an easy one to continue. When Bei Bei was born, his mother died in childbirth, and after losing his beloved, his father was gloomy and despondent every day.
Later, after accepting an extremely difficult mission from his clan,
it was said that several years ago, while escorting important supplies through a perilous mountain range along the border between two countries,
he had been attacked. He fought to the death to protect the supplies and his companions, leaving no body behind.
As for Lin Ciyan's own parents, they had disappeared even earlier during a mission to explore the ruins of a remote island overseas.
They had triggered an ancient restriction and vanished without a trace, with neither their lives nor their deaths confirmed.
Both were tragedies, but for different reasons.
Mu En looked at Bei Bei, and a deep pain and resolve flashed through his eyes.
A few years ago, the Shrek Inspectorate had finally traced the disaster back to its source.
There were suspected signs of an Evil Soul Master's involvement, and they had found the place where that Evil Soul Master was hiding in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Usually, when Evil Soul Masters showed up, the Shrek Inspectorate took care of them.
But this time, he planned to go himself. Not for justice, but for revenge.
A Limit Douluo was going to crush a rat hiding in a gutter.
"Speaking of which, wasn't Sister Lexuan someone Grandpa Mu brought back from the Heaven Dou Empire last time?"
Lin Ciyan suddenly thought of Zhang Lexuan, the cool, exceptionally talented young woman.
She was more than ten years older than Bei Bei and should already be making a name for herself in the Outer Court of Shrek Academy.
Mu En continued, "Ciyan, speaking of age, the two of you are about the same age. You're even a month older than Bei Bei."
"Then I'll make sure to help Bei Bei cultivate and be a proper big brother," Lin Ciyan said with a smile.
Looking at the blue-haired kid before him, who practically had "shut-in" written all over him, Lin Ciyan's thoughts began to turn.
This was the future Dragon God Douluo, Mu En's precious boy! Building a good relationship with him could only help!
He immediately put on what he considered his friendliest, most harmless smile.
He hopped down from the recliner, walked over to Bei Bei, and held out his hand:
"Hey, Bei Bei! I'm Lin Ciyan! Isn't this recliner comfortable? And this little fan blows cool air. It's really fun! Want to give it a try? I'll treat you to some tasty snacks!"
"Hey, Bei Bei! I'm Lin Ciyan. Lin like the woods, Ciyan as in 'bidding farewell,' and Yan as in 'clear skies.' We're friends from now on!"
"Isn't this recliner comfortable? Want to lie down for a while? And this little fan blows cool air. It's really fun!"
"Want to give it a try? I'll treat you to some tasty snacks!"
He decided to start by sharing the joy of slacking off and open up the heart of this future big shot! He'd build a good relationship with him.
That way, they could slack... ahem, help each other out more smoothly in the future!