Shopping After Training

After the afternoon's mecha combat training ended, the entire training ground was filled with an exhausted, dispirited atmosphere. Wu Zhangkong stood in the center of the field with a cold expression, his gaze sweeping over everyone like a blade before finally settling on Xie Xie. "Xie Xie, your attention was scattered, your steps were unsteady, and your punches were weak. Your condition today wasn't even thirty percent of your usual standard." His icy voice echoed through the empty training ground.

Xie Xie lowered his head, his lips pressed into a straight line. He had no way to argue. All afternoon, his mind had been elsewhere—on that greasy plate of braised pork knuckle Gu Yue had devoured, and on how Tang Wulin had carefully served Gu Yue food while tossing him a small rib with barely any meat on it. Every detail kept circling through his mind, leaving him restless and irritated. During training, his movements had been half a beat slower than usual, and his reactions far duller. Wu Zhangkong mercilessly pointed out every one of his mistakes, his tone growing harsher each time.

"The angle of your raised arm is wrong. Again."

"Your stance is unstable. Do another twenty sets of squats."

"Your timing for blocking was completely wrong. Did you leave your brain at home?"

Every sentence was like a little hammer striking Xie Xie's already agitated heart. He gritted his teeth as sweat slid from his temples into his eyes, stinging painfully. Xu Xiaoyan secretly gave him a comforting look, while Tang Wulin pressed his lips together, his brows slightly furrowed as though worried about him.

"Zhangkong." A gentle voice interrupted. Long Bing had somehow come to Wu Zhangkong's side and lightly tugged at his sleeve. "The children have been training all afternoon; they're tired. Xie Xie might not be feeling well today, so don't be too harsh on him." She looked at Xie Xie, warmth and reassurance in her eyes.

Wu Zhangkong frowned, his lips moving as though he wanted to explain something—about the dangers of losing focus in battle, about how even the slightest negligence could one day cost someone their life. But seeing Xie Xie's pale face and Long Bing's disapproving gaze, he ultimately swallowed those harsh words, turning them into a nearly inaudible sigh. "Bing'er... this... forget it. Rest for fifteen minutes, then continue."

Those fifteen minutes felt especially long to Xie Xie. He sat against the wall and closed his eyes, feeling as though every bone in his body had fallen apart. His training uniform was soaked through with sweat and clung unpleasantly to his skin. He heard Gu Yue whispering something to Tang Wulin, her voice carrying its usual lightness and a trace of barely detectable excitement. He could not be bothered to listen.

By evening, when Wu Zhangkong finally announced, "That's enough for today," most of the trainees collapsed to the ground as if granted a pardon, or slowly shuffled toward the changing rooms. Xie Xie dragged his heavy feet, feeling as though he could fall asleep on the spot at any second.

"Wulin! Wulin!" Gu Yue's crisp voice broke the exhausted silence. She skipped over to Tang Wulin, her eyes sparkling, looking nothing like someone who had just completed intense training. "That big Soul Tool Technology Lifestyle Store in the central district is having limited-time discounts today! Shall we go take a look? I heard they have the newest multifunctional Soul Tool communicators and lots of fun portable Soul Tools!"

Tang Wulin wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave Gu Yue's expectant expression a helpless smile. "You still have the energy to go shopping?"

"Of course I do!" Gu Yue swung his arm. "Training is training, life is life! It's good to relax a little! Xiaoyan, come with us too, okay?" She turned to Xu Xiaoyan, who was packing up her things.

Xu Xiaoyan hesitated, glanced at the sky, then at Tang Wulin, and nodded. "Sure. I want to see whether there are any new Soul Tool lamps."

Listening to their conversation, Xie Xie felt a deep despair rise within him. He struggled to lift his eyelids, which felt as if they had been filled with lead, and spoke weakly. "Gu Yue... are you a monster? After an entire afternoon of training, intense mecha simulation battles, and endurance challenges, my Soul Power and stamina are almost depleted... Where did you get the energy to go shopping? I can't do it anymore. I'm really about to kick the bucket... Right now, I just want to go back to the dorm, lie down, and become one with my bed..."

Gu Yue glanced at him and snorted. "Who told you not to eat meat at noon? Then you spent the afternoon getting scolded for being distracted, so you used up even more energy. Come on, come on. Move around and get some fresh air; you'll feel better. Wulin already agreed!" Without giving him any choice, she grabbed Tang Wulin with one hand and somehow yanked Xie Xie up from the floor with the other. "Hurry up! If we're late, all the discounted items will be gone!"

"Hey! I haven't agreed yet... Gu Yue! This is kidnapping! And you ate all the meat—" Xie Xie's feeble protest was quickly drowned out as Gu Yue dragged him away. Tang Wulin shot Xie Xie an apologetic yet helpless look. Xu Xiaoyan covered her mouth and giggled as she followed behind.

And so, Xie Xie was swept into the evening crowd heading toward the commercial district, utterly devoid of hope. Like a soulless puppet, he staggered behind the three enthusiastic people.

The moment they entered the brightly lit Soul Tool Technology Lifestyle Store, filled with a futuristic atmosphere, Gu Yue was like a fish returning to water. She pulled Tang Wulin along, weaving through the dazzling rows of shelves and display counters.

"Wulin, look at this! The newest wristband-style Soul Power reserve monitor can even record body data!"

"Wow, this portable environmental simulation Soul Tool is so cute! It can simulate a starry sky! Let's buy one for the dorm!"

"This set of combination tool Soul Tools is so complete. We'll definitely need it when making Soul Tool components later!"

"This Soul Tool thermos is said to maintain its temperature for seventy-two hours..."

Gu Yue seemed to want to pick up and examine nearly everything she saw, letting out delighted little cries from time to time. At first, Tang Wulin could still look over the items seriously and offer a few opinions, but later even he became overwhelmed. He could only smile helplessly and let Gu Yue hand him the things she liked to carry.

Meanwhile, Xie Xie's role quickly fell from "companion" to "human mobile rack." The things Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan bought—the boxes were not particularly large, but there were plenty of them—soon filled both his hands before bags began getting hung from the crooks of his arms. There were elegantly packaged Soul Tool instrument boxes, shopping bags holding cute little trinkets, and several metal boxes that looked like they contained Soul Tool materials.

"Xie Xie, hold this carefully. It's fragile." Gu Yue cautiously placed a box containing an exquisite Soul Tool glass ornament on top of his already overloaded arm.

"Brother Xie, could you carry this too..." Xu Xiaoyan said somewhat embarrassedly as she handed him a long paper bag containing a new Soul Tool lampshade.

Xie Xie felt like crying without tears. His arms ached, the shopping bag handles cut painfully into his fingers, and some unknown soft pouch seemed to be hanging around his neck. Looking at Gu Yue ahead of him, still full of energy and browsing around, then at Tang Wulin beside him, who was carrying a few bags but still looked fairly relaxed—clearly, Gu Yue's main target of "exploitation" was Xie Xie—he deeply understood what it meant to be treated differently.

"Gu Yue... Sister Yue... isn't this enough?" Xie Xie pleaded. "If we buy any more, I won't be able to carry it all... And my Soul Power is really empty. My hands are shaking..."

Gu Yue turned back and looked at Xie Xie's miserable state, swaying on the verge of collapse and surrounded by all kinds of shopping bags. At last, her conscience stirred—or perhaps she had merely temporarily satisfied her shopping urge. She blinked. "All right, then we'll stop here for today. Xie Xie, thanks for your hard work! I'll treat you to a drink later!"

Xie Xie did not even have the strength to roll his eyes. He could only weep silently in his heart. His arms no longer felt like his own, and his legs felt as though they were stepping on cotton. The journey back seemed especially long, every step accompanied by the rustling of shopping bags knocking against each other and his own heavy breathing.

As the streetlights came on, the glow of the Soul Tool lamps spread across both sides of the street. Tang Wulin and Gu Yue walked side by side in front, quietly discussing the operating principles of some interesting Soul Tool they had seen today. Xu Xiaoyan followed quietly beside them, occasionally adding a comment. Xie Xie, meanwhile, hung his head like an utterly exhausted camel loaded down with goods, trudging along at the very back. All he wanted was to instantly teleport back to his own bed, which was not large but now seemed incomparably warm and welcoming.

Tomorrow, tomorrow I absolutely have to stay far away from every one of Gu Yue's "leisure suggestions." Xie Xie swore to himself.