Chapter 20: I Deserve to Die!

"What’s the point of life anyway, Xiaolin?" This was the second time today Lin Li heard this question. The problem was, this time it wasn’t a person with Jade Syndrome or a guest from a chicken farm, but rather the driver of his car. And following this was the acceleration of the vehicle beneath him. Damn it. "Uncle, don’t be like this, I’m scared." Sitting in the back seat, Lin Li silently fastened his seatbelt. Where are you taking me? Is this still a police car, or has it become a hearse? I was just curious about the profession of a Demon Suppression Envoy, so I asked Yangliang about wages, overtime, promotion prospects, how easy it is to write work reports, and whether it’s simple to handle disputes— just a few small questions, not enough to cause such a rapid emotional shift, right? His mental composure is seriously questionable. Yangliang gave Lin Li a deep look through the rearview mirror: "If you’re scared, then shut up." In the previous conversation, he had mentioned that he actually had already gone home after work, but came out again temporarily. As a result, Lin Li had asked him why. Why? Why isn’t this ’culprit’ who caused the overtime clear about it. Lin Li remained silent, watching the streetscape retreat outside the window while actually checking his system. Task two had not yet been notified as complete, but Lin Li thought about it and figured the reason might be that it required follow-up from the Demon Suppression Bureau since some Hehuan Demons chilling at home after hours hadn’t been captured yet, not meeting the ’eradication’ requirement. Hopefully, it’s as he assumes. Anyway, he’s already done the best he can, but he’s still a bit disappointed and dejected, thinking that it would be done immediately. A light sigh escapes him. "This is the neighborhood, right? Get out and hurry home, don’t keep your parents waiting. Also, say hi to them for me and, by the way, consider starting over with a new account, kiddo, you’ve pretty much wasted this one." Yangliang parks slowly, unlocks the car door, jokingly talking to Lin Li. "Okay, thanks, Uncle, but don’t worry. My dad’s already gone, my mom’s working out there, I’m the only one at home, no one’s in a hurry. As for a new account, that’s even less likely." Lin Li finished speaking and jogged back home. Though it’s just approaching nine, he has to get up early tomorrow, plus he’s got some research to do on the first Chapter of the Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique— Lin Li’s quite busy. Yangliang, who just prepared to get out for a relaxing smoke, trembled slightly, and the cigarette fell straight to the ground. He then extends his trembling hand, places the cigarette into his shaking mouth, and shakily grabs the lighter, failing to ignite it after several attempts. His ears are still ringing with Lin Li’s response, while the image of Lin Li’s just noticed disappointed and dejected face flashes before him. Prior to this, he had never seen such an expression on Lin Li’s face. What sadness, what sorrow. He turned his head to look at the silent and solitary figure running toward the neighborhood in the distance, mouth moving, but none of the words made their way out. After three seconds. "Bang!" Yangliang slapped his own face: "Damn it, I’m really an idiot!" The child’s expression just now, why has the always-present smile on his lips disappeared? Clearly, my words poked at his sore spot! Yangliang suddenly realized something— the abstraction may not be Lin Li’s true nature after all. It’s just the shell he forged to protect his fragile heart! He’s just a pitiful child hiding behind a smile. Damn it, what did I dare to say to such a child! As a cop, hurting a child in this way is unforgivable! Damn it, I’m really an idiot! ... Completely unaware that his normal statements got misinterpreted, Lin Li, whose abstraction was just an inherent nature, was at this moment enthusiastically completing the modern body refining technique. Because of his efforts during the day, this didn’t take much time. Subsequently, in his living room, Lin Li officially practiced the content of the first Chapter of the Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique— no way he’d practice while reading the paper tomorrow, definitely must memorize the contents first. The translation is accurate. This time, there’s no spraying all over his head, nor the urge to pee, and indeed no warm stream, but Lin Li truly felt a profound change coming from his body, sensing his muscles and bones seem to be spreading open. The effects aren’t exaggerated, a single time won’t have an immediate effect; after all, the cultivation technique itself said it requires time and sweat to accumulate. More than anything, it’s an indescribable, subtle, future-promising feeling as if the flesh is expressing joy— Boxing King Tyson? Eventually, he’ll be nothing remarkable! Practicing eight hundred times a day might really make one become Saitama. He takes a shower, casually video calls his mom, and then Lin Li prepares to go to sleep. ... 10:20 PM. Lin Li stares at the ceiling. Damn it, been lying here for forty minutes and can’t sleep. Even though he was quite tired this morning, after enjoying forty minutes at the massage parlor, he’s not that tired anymore. Plus, today’s experiences were rather novel, combined with finally being able to practice an Earth-unrelated cultivation technique, making Lin Li’s mind quite excited. Today’s the weekend, and his biological clock seems to refuse to allow him to sleep now. Lin Li sighs: "Let’s count sheep." ... 10:40 PM. "Five hundred sixty-two sheep, five hundred sixty-four sheep, five hundred sixty-five, five hundred... Damn it, what was the last number of sheep just now?" Lin Li suddenly sat up, full of energy. He picked up his phone, somewhat defeated. The voice chat of their usual gaming group was still buzzing with conversation; curious, he clicked into it. A cheerful atmosphere pervaded the voice chat, everyone laughed and chatted, but Lin Li somehow felt like someone was talking about someone’s mother or something? Apart from mentioning mothers, words like ’useless trash,’ ’even a chicken throwing keys could play better than you’, ’are you even human?’ echoed classically in there. Lin Li distinguished that out of the five people, only Bai Bufan was gentle and calm, and stayed silent. The mystery was solved; it was him they were cursing. And between 1 to 10, he seriously committed an unforgivable offense. Otherwise, he would always talk back. A good chance for Lin Li, he joined in, and amidst the chaos, also took a few shots at Bai Bufan. "Lin Li, what brings you here?" Being the one cursed, Bai Bufan keenly noticed Lin Li. "Quick, quick, Lin Li, log in, hurry up and replace this beast Bai Bufan, can’t stand him, he’s become the tallest wall on our road to victory." Others quickly chimed in. "Don’t blindly bash, my favorite player once said, there’s no hero called ’Wall’ in League of Legends, if you don’t know the game, don’t narrate it here." Bai Bufan argued stubbornly at this moment. "Nah, I have to get up early for something tomorrow, but I can’t sleep now, and I don’t have things like melatonin at home, so I don’t know what to do. Came up here just to see you guys, made me feel a lot better seeing you like this." Lin Li declined. "Are you still part of the forum, man? Do you even need to ask for this sort of thing? When in doubt, conquer the land— play a county!" One phrase awakened a dreamer! Is there a possibility that after such an exciting day, it’s not his brain that’s excited but his cerebellum! Lin Li immediately hung up the voice chat and went to the bathroom. Entered a URL. www.____.com. ... Bai Bufan is indeed a miracle worker. Lin Li got sleepy. Yawning, he lay on the bed and closed his eyes. ... 3:20 AM. Lin Li... Lin Li was naturally already asleep, sleeping soundly, almost five hours in, and soon enough, his alarm would ring. But someone at that moment still couldn’t sleep. A few kilometers away, a woman getting up in the night found her husband was not in bed, rubbed her eyes, then found him smoking on the balcony, looking perplexed: "Yangliang, what are you doing, it’s already this late, why aren’t you sleeping? Didn’t you agree to take the kids to the amusement park tomorrow?" Yangliang turned his head to look at his wife, his expression a bit worn-out. "I want to go downstairs." But he seemed unwilling to use the stairs or take the elevator. The woman was shocked by Yangliang’s state, immediately concern showing: "What’s wrong?" Yangliang slapped his face: "Damn it, I’m really an idiot!"