Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“433 million and 41 thousand ounces.”
Crow said nonchalantly, “This time, elementium crystals—which are the most commonly used currency among Ascenders—will be used as payment. They’re all of the highest purity that can be mined at the border.
“To obtain those crystals, the Golden Palace, the biggest Ascender’s enterprise in Northern Europe, mortgaged a whole resource-based border under their name, and only managed to exchange it for a small amount of money from that group of dwarf bankers. In the end, the winner was an abyss archaeological team from the Technical Department of Astronomical Association. They won’t have to worry about funds for in-depth exploration for at least another ten years.
“Perhaps you don’t understand what this price represents exactly. So, I’ll put it this way: 2.1 ounces of elementium crystals is the exact amount of elementium in a standard adult. According to the Astronomical Association’s reference exchange rate today, they can be exchanged for more than 2 million East Xia yuan at any of the association’s subordinate departments. This exchange rate is like the tricks used by gaming systems, whereby the money is given to you when you recycle your equipment. The black-market price for the crystals will be at least two-thirds higher than the original price, and there’s hardly any stock available.
“Unless they had no other choice, Ascenders would not exchange their elementium crystals for money. After all, it is the most stable of hard currencies.
“Now you can try and calculate how long it will take for you to earn that much money while working as a temporary worker for the Astronomical Association.”
Looking at Huai Shi, who appeared as if he was so poor that he could not even fathom the numbers, Crow seemed to smile. She leaned toward his ear and whispered, “That archaeology team got lucky in a hell six layers deep and picked up a fossil… Now, are you sure you still want to live the life of an ordinary person?”
“…”
Huai Shi was silent for a long time as he eyed the crow suspiciously. “Why do I always feel like you’re trying to deceive me?”
The crow, who had prepared this argument beforehand, was sad that she could not pull it off.
Huai Shi sighed. “Your next words are going to be ‘would sister lie to you?'”
“…”
Crow wanted to say something but decided against it.
“Then I’ll tell you.” Huai Shi sighed again. “–Yes, you would.”
“You suddenly started picking things up, and it’s making life hard for me.” Crow did not look ashamed at all, and simply lit a cigarette, shook her head, and lamented, “Sister was just being kind and recommending a high-paying job to you.”
“Anyone with even the slightest bit of intelligence would know that you cannot become a billionaire overnight. The only job in this world that only requires you to click a forward button is a repeater.”
Huai Shi had made up his mind to not be deceived. “I don’t care what you say, I won’t sell my life for money.”
Crow rolled her eyes, completely unbothered.
“Penitence warning.jpg.”
Huai Shi really wanted to know what kind of weird things she spent the whole day on her phone looking at.
He strengthened his resolve again and got up to walk to the kitchen. Even though he had already eaten something at 1 pm, and it was now a little past three, and he was already starting to feel hungry.
However, when he opened the cabinet, he was stunned.
‘Where is my vermicelli?
‘I just bought it last week, where’s all my vermicelli?’
“…”
Crow, who Huai Shi was glaring at fiercely, rolled her eyes. “Brother, you’d blame me for vermicelli you lost? Do I look like the source of all evil to you?
“Moreover, even a hundred pounds of noodles would not be enough to withstand your appetite. You eat five meals a day and have half a pot for each meal. You as an individual have already consumed a mountain’s worth of rice and noodles.”
She stopped for a moment and revealed a faint smile that made Huai Shi’s skin crawl.
“On that note, are you hungry again?”
“…”
“Congratulations! Happy growing!”
Crow lifted both her wings and flapped them wildly, making the sound of applause. “After a normal person becomes an Ascender, they will enter their second puberty. When this happens, the spirit affects the body, and the body of the Ascender will undergo growth once again. Many aspects of their body will gradually reach the limits of an ordinary person, or in certain cases, even exceed them.
“Having said that, for the seventeen-year-old you, who is currently already going through your first puberty, you will go through your second puberty simultaneously. Double the happiness awaits you, and of course, there will also be four times the hunger, and more than eight times the needs.
“So, if you don’t want to be underdeveloped, or for your muscles to start digesting themselves, don’t pick up any more water-boiled vermicelli.”
He did not know why, but Huai Shi suddenly felt uneasy.
“Then what should I eat?”
“Generally speaking, something high-calorie. The higher the better. You should have Fatty Happy Cookies, Fatty Happy Chicken, and a Fatty Happy Drink in a set. As long as you eat as much as you can, you’ll be fine.
“This would be the cheapest option too. The only disadvantage is that you’ll have to go to the toilet at least ten times a day. Under the laughter of your peers and as you go through social suicide, it’ll also be easy for you to develop endocrine disorders and high cholesterol, then high blood pressure, anorexia, and whatnot, after six months.”
Huai Shi was so scared that his legs nearly gave out. “Are the Ascenders really that miserable?”
“Of course not, but all the Ascenders are rich.”
Speaking of that, Crow sighed helplessly. “It’s a shame. It would be nice if there was a kind person like me who would help you create supplementary medicine.”
She stopped for a moment and blinked at Huai Shi in anticipation. “But if you don’t have the money, sister won’t be able to afford the raw materials either.”
“…You were just waiting for me to come around, weren’t you?” Huai Shi asked, his face expressionless. “If you’re trying to cheat me out of my money, just be straightforward about it.”
“You’ll be taking the end product, and you’ll be using it. Why would you call this cheating?”
Crow laughed and continued steadily, “If you take it once a day, one term per week, your puberty will end in about a month. Seeing that we’re such close friends, I won’t even charge labor fees. The cost for each tube would be 2600 East Xia yuan. If it’s for a month’s supply…yup, one hundred thousand should be enough.”
“A hundred thousand for a Grow Up Happy set?” Huai Shi pointed at himself. “Do I look insane to you?”
“But it is a conscientious price. After all, no one would think that an Ascender wouldn’t even be able to fork out a hundred thousand.” At that, Crow cast Huai Shi a sideways glance. “Besides, don’t you know the difference between paying and non-paying players?
“If you don’t build a strong foundation during your puberty stage, you won’t be just a little behind others. If you can achieve the best results, you have the potential to become the greatest based on your physical fitness alone.
“By the way, the set provided by the Astronomical Association costs more than 300,000, while the results are discussed separately. Of course, you might be able to get them to sponsor you, but you have to sign a contract with them. After all, there’s no free lunch in this world.”
“…”
When he thought about it, he realized that this was also impossible.
“Therefore, work harder, youngster. It’s 100,000 bucks, you just have to put in the effort and work for it, okay?”
Crow retrieved a test tube from under her wing, dangled it in front of him, and spoke in a voice was akin to a succubus seducing her prey, “You can try it first and pay later.”
“In your dreams. Even if I, Huai Shi, starve to death, I’ll make sure to jump…jump…jump…gulp…”
The last sound he made was of him swallowing his saliva.
As he stared at the test tube before him, along with Crow’s dangling motion, an enticing smell slowly wafted from the opening of the test tube. An unspeakable hunger awakened within him, and every single cell in his flesh and bones began screaming for the hunger to be satiated.
His heartbeat sped up, he started drooling, his pupils dilated, and his stomach and intestines contracted.
His hunger made him kick his previous resolve aside before completely folding for the pale green medicine. It pulled at Huai Shi’s mind, screaming wildly into his ears, “Drink it! Drink it! Drink it!”
After ten seconds, Huai Shi let out a deep breath. He felt the mellow taste of fine wine spreading through his mouth. It felt as if his limbs were submerged in a hot spring as he could not help but shed a tear of regret.
“Damn it!”
“You’ve finished it?” Crow asked kindly.
“Are you going to start rushing me to pay?” Huai Shi suddenly snapped to attention.
“No, what I meant was since you’ve already finished it…”
Crow turned into the Silver Pen and summoned the Book of Destiny from Huai Shi’s soul.
“—then let’s start with a simple and happy digestion exercise.”
Before Huai Shi could say anything, Deceptive Split was pointed outward.
Huai Shi’s vision turned dark.
Then, he died again.
In that instant, Huai Shi saw a storm descend from the skies. It was borderless. as if it had drowned the whole world. However, at the same time, he felt like he was being bathed in fire.
Viscous gases rose from the flames, shrouding him inch by inch.
Caught in a huge explosion, he could feel his body being torn apart. However, unexpectedly, he felt no fear, rather, he felt relieved.
Even the corners of his mouth could not help but curl upward into a faint smile.
He had never experienced such a calm death before. it was so peaceful it made him a little scared. He did not bear even the slightest trace of resentment or hatred.
He had just accepted it as it was.
He closed his eyes and waited for the end.
Even when the death records ended, Huai Shi did not respond and remained in a state of peaceful numbness.
The death this time was so profound.
It was so profound that he had forgotten to breathe, and did not even remember that he was still alive.
He only responded when he was about to suffocate. He could not help but gasp violently and choke, almost throwing up the vermicelli that he had eaten last night in the process.
He quickly covered his mouth, worried that he might throw up.
He had just consumed a tube of medicine that cost a few thousand bucks. If he were to throw up now, then it would be wasted!
‘Money calms me.’
“Oh! It seems like you’ve gained some great understanding!”
Crow sighed. “This kind of extricated death is quite rare, so it might be good for you to experience it more often. I did not expect that the guy in the red gloves to be able to realize a higher level of essence during his death, but good for you. So, how was it? How do you feel now?”
“I just feel really hungry.”
Huai Shi looked up at her with an expressionless face. “I want to eat roasted crow, in particular. It can be cooked to make a fine meal.”
Just thinking about that kind of peaceful death made his skin crawl. Even though it was rare to be able to feel such a peaceful and calming death, the fear that he felt with this death was so much deeper and stronger than in any of the other deaths that he had previously experienced.
It was so calm. You could even say it felt indifferent.
There was not the slightest bit of attachment or reluctance. Even when he was about to die, he had no hatred toward himself.
It was as if… his own life had no meaning.
“What’s so precious about this kind of thing?”
He rubbed his forehead, trying hard to dismiss that calm and silent state of death from his mind. He did not know what the hell that sudden sage-like state was.
“Look at it yourself.”
Crow flipped open the Book of Destiny and let him leaf through the records.
At the front section, other than the words “Developing Stage” being removed, there were no other changes. However, there was now one more eclipse mark, which represented his successful ascension.
The divine seal and the stigma section were both empty, and there were no changes beneath.
But…
“The Premonition of Death skill is now at Level 1?” Huai Shi was stunned.
How was one death experience able to completely awaken the skill, which had previously remained gray despite his multiple deaths? Half of the reason why he was able to make it this far was because he had relied on this skill to seek fortune and evade disasters. In the end, he just had to die once for it to inexplicably be upgraded?
“Once again, it’s a rare death type. It probably has something to do with life experiences as well. Just forget about it for now, the night is still long…”
Crow paused for a moment, and once again smiled in a way that made Huai Shi extremely uneasy. “Hmm, would you like to try the Book of Destiny’s new function after achieving ascension?”
“Goodbye!”