A New Way for a Supervisor to Slack Off

By the East Sea, the battlefield that had once brimmed with killing intent had now become a massive construction site bustling with activity—and seething with resentment.

Demon Emperor Di Jun, Eastern Emperor Taiyi, and King Father of the East, the three Primordial Chaos big shots who had recently wanted each other dead, now wore dark expressions as they directed their immortal soldiers and demon generals to transport spiritual materials, forge bricks and stones, inscribe formations, and begin construction on the absurd "Purple Cloud Palace East Sea Branch and Primordial Chaos Entertainment, Leisure, and Vacation Center."

The scene was awkward and bizarre for a time.

"Demon Race over there! The North Sea Mystic Ice you're carrying is the wrong size! It needs to be cut into standard spirit bricks, three zhang three in length, width, and height! How many times have I said it?" King Father of the East waved around a construction blueprint transmitted remotely by Xiao Kuang, filled with all sorts of bizarre requirements—including notes for barbecue grills and massage pools—as he pointed and barked at a group of ox demons, trying to reclaim a little of his dignity as an "Imperial Lord."

"Hmph! What does a mere rogue immortal know about artifact forging? Materials like these must be tempered with Solar True Fire to become sturdy!" Taiyi retorted unhappily, directing several Fire Crow demon gods to spew true fire over the materials. They nearly set the beards of several Immortal Court rogue immortals beside them ablaze.

"Shut up, all of you!" Di Jun rubbed his temples in irritation as he watched the optimal construction process calculated by the River Diagram and Luo Script get disrupted. "Follow the Dao Ancestor's blueprints! Whoever makes unauthorized changes again and delays the project will go to Purple Cloud Palace and write a self-criticism!"

The words "write a self-criticism" were like an ultimate curse, instantly making Taiyi and King Father of the East much more obedient. They could only suppress their anger and continue directing this incomparably awkward joint construction crew.

They were good at fighting, but construction... especially this unheard-of "entertainment complex," was truly asking too much of them. Progress was slow, mistakes were everywhere, and the three factions constantly tripped one another up and watched each other make fools of themselves. Their efficiency was outrageously low.

Inside Purple Cloud Palace, Xiao Kuang watched the chaotic construction site through a crystal screen and was deeply dissatisfied.

"These guys are useless at work, but they're experts at slacking off! At this rate, they'll be lucky to finish a toilet in three thousand years!" With a blade of grass in his mouth, he lounged sideways in his chair. "No, I need to personally supervise them! Give them some encouragement from the modern era... uh, from the Dao Ancestor!"

With that, he gave Wangshu and Queen Mother of the West no time to react. His figure flashed, and he vanished from Purple Cloud Palace.

The next moment, Xiao Kuang appeared above the East Sea construction site with a carefree air. Looking at the chaotic scene below, he shouted, "Stop! Stop! Your efficiency is way too low! I'm getting anxious just watching!"

The construction site instantly fell silent. All the immortals and demons looked up at the culprit, their expressions complicated.

Xiao Kuang descended and walked over to a crookedly built wall. He kicked it—the wall was fine, but his foot hurt a little—then said disdainfully, "What kind of garbage is this? Even a dog could chew it straighter! And this division of labor of yours! It's too primitive! You don't have even a shred of industrial assembly-line thinking!"

Industrial? Assembly line? The immortals and demons were completely baffled.

Xiao Kuang did not explain. He simply began issuing orders. "You! You! You! And you lot!" He casually pointed at a group of demon soldiers and rogue immortals. "From now on, you'll be responsible solely for digging! Establish Primordial Foundation Excavation Co., Ltd.!"

"You lot! You'll be solely responsible for mixing mud! Establish the Celestial Court Masonry Cooperative!" "You! Handle brick firing! Establish the Solar True Fire Building Material Firing Plant!" "You Ancestral Witches with the strength! Stop staring, I mean you! Establish the Witch Race Hercules Transport Brigade!" "Di Jun! You've got a good head on your shoulders. Use the River Diagram and Luo Script for project budgeting and scheduling! Establish the Demon Emperor Project Management Consulting Center!" "Taiyi! Your bell is loud enough. You'll handle the work bells and noisy construction when needed! Establish the Eastern Emperor Bell Sound Reminder Service Department!" "King Father of the East! You... you look reasonably presentable. You'll receive any clients who might come—though there aren't any yet—and write the daily work reports! Establish the Immortal Court Image Public Relations Office!"

With a flurry of fierce maneuvers, Xiao Kuang forcibly split the originally chaotic construction crew into dozens of "departments" and "companies" with different functions.

"Listen up!" Xiao Kuang put his hands on his hips. "From now on, follow this process! The diggers only dig, the mud mixers only mix mud, and the brick burners only burn bricks! Everyone does their own assigned task! Do well and there'll be rewards—empty promises. Do poorly and your wages get docked—also empty promises! We'll implement Performance Appraisal and the Last Place Elimination System! Whoever ranks last in workload for three days in a row comes over and massages my legs!"

They did not understand what "performance" or an "elimination system" meant, but the threat of massaging his legs was very real. Under Xiao Kuang's tyrannical rule—and the compulsory enforcement of Heavenly Dao Authority—the entire construction site was forced to operate according to this strange "assembly-line" model.

Miraculously, efficiency really did improve!

Because everyone focused on only one task, their proficiency rose rapidly. Because there were clear "performance" comparisons—though no one wanted them—a faint sense of competition inexplicably emerged. And because of Di Jun's overall planning, material allocation and workflow coordination became much smoother.

Though complaints still filled the construction site, it looked far more orderly, and the construction speed visibly increased.

Di Jun stared dumbfounded at the efficiency increase shown by the River Diagram and Luo Script. For the first time, he felt the slightest... admiration for the Dao Ancestor's "management abilities"? Though the methods were still utterly humiliating.

Taiyi sullenly rang the bell on schedule, feeling as though the prestige of his Chaos Bell had fallen to the ground. Meanwhile, King Father of the East began writing his first work report with a bitter expression: <Report on the First Day's Progress and Existing Problems of the East Sea Vacation Center Project (Appendix: Reflections on the Demon Emperor's Inadequate Planning, Eastern Emperor Bell Disturbing Residents, and Other Matters)>

Xiao Kuang set up a beach chair and parasol beside the construction site. Wearing sunglasses formed from a spiritual treasure and drinking iced happy water, he called it "on-site supervision," but in truth, he had begun a new round of slacking off.

"Mm, not bad, not bad. That's it! Keep up the pace!" He occasionally yelled out a few words before continuing to sprawl there. "Sigh, being the boss is so exhausting. I even have to personally guide the work..."

The first "semi-industrial assembly line" of the Primordial Chaos was born in fits and starts under the Dao Ancestor's slacking-style supervision.

When the news returned to Purple Cloud Palace, Queen Mother of the West was once again dumbfounded. Wangshu watched the orderly yet utterly bizarre construction site on the crystal screen, as well as the supervisor sprawled on a beach chair basking in the sun. After a long silence, she slowly said to Queen Mother of the West, "Perhaps... he isn't completely useless?" It was just that the way he was useful was truly hard to accept.

Heavenly Dao (slight fluctuation while dormant): ...Detected a 250% increase in production efficiency... management model innovation... designated as the "Salted Fish Capital Exploitation Assembly Line"... added to backup database... zzzz...

Just as Xiao Kuang enjoyed the leisure of "supervising"—which was really just slacking off—and thought he could coast along like this until the project was finished, the beach chair beneath him suddenly shook violently!

Immediately afterward, the entire East Sea construction site began shaking intensely!

"Hm? An earthquake?" Xiao Kuang removed his sunglasses.

In the area designated by him for Primordial Foundation Excavation Co., Ltd. to excavate, the ground suddenly collapsed, revealing a gigantic bottomless pit that radiated an immensely ancient and chaotic aura!

A desolate, boundless, terrifying presence, as though it had come from before the creation of heaven and earth, surged violently out of the pit!

Along with that aura, streaks of dazzling Innate Restrictions light containing endless Dao rhythms shot into the sky, bathing the heavens in shimmering colors!

All the immortals and demons were stunned by the sudden change and stopped working.

The River Diagram and Luo Script in Di Jun's hands calculated frantically, yet revealed only chaos! Taiyi's Chaos Bell rang of its own accord, seemingly sensing an enormous threat! King Father of the East was so frightened that he nearly threw away the report in his hand!

Xiao Kuang was also stunned. Looking at the enormous pit and the divine light of restrictions shooting into the sky, he blinked. "Holy shit? Did we dig up a hidden dungeon? This vacation center even comes with an Innate Secret Realm as a supporting facility? I really am possessed by the luck of a king!"

His first reaction was not danger, but... delight!

It seemed that this supervising had hooked a big fish!