Lin Li lost.
The Eight-Section Body Refining Skill couldn't compete with the White Tiger Automatic Rifle.
After all, the gun was fast beyond seven steps, and within seven steps, it was both fast and accurate without needing to aim.
Bai Bufan, like a victorious general, turned around and strutted away, proudly walking with his chest out and hips swaying, performing an exaggerated catwalk as he headed to the bathroom.
Lin Li chuckled and followed suit. For this foolish kid, a quick prank was enough to get him to behave.
"Lin Li, you mother—"
Lin Li ignored him. After practicing martial arts earlier, he felt his body needed to release the warm energy flowing through it.
So, he stood up and headed to the bathroom as well.
…
"Finish the exercises for these two sections for your weekend math homework. Class is over; be sure to stay safe on your way home," the final bell rang, signaling the end of Friday's last class—Xue Jian's math class. After a brief reminder, Xue Jian didn't drag the class out. He simply grabbed his thermos and left.
For some reason, Xue Jian, even if he was just drinking plain water, always had to use his thermos lid to strain the tea foam.
"Ah, refreshing!"
The entire class immediately stood up, packed their things, and got ready to leave.
"Lin Li, are you gaming tonight?" Bai Bufan, full of energy, jumped up and grabbed his bag, ready to head out.
—In a boarding school, weekends weren't a full two days off. Instead, it was from Friday night to Sunday afternoon, with Sunday night's study session as usual. So, as long as the homework wasn't too much, everyone typically left it to finish during that time.
"Gaming with you guys would shorten my lifespan. I don't think I'm playing this weekend," Lin Li waved his hand dismissively.
Though the real reason was that he had to go hunt demons and eliminate evil, playing games with them was indeed a form of torture.
Boasting in the beginning, nonsense in the middle, and then silence in the end. One wrong move and it all fell apart— teammates in danger, blame shifting, piano playing, all leading to "I'm really fed up with this game." Talking about families when things are going smoothly, talking about parents when things aren't going well; occasionally losing, but often just barely…
That was the reality of gaming.
"A lot of people ask me to game with them, but I don't agree," Bai Bufan said, his voice full of dramatic emotion.
"Like who?" Lin Li smiled and asked.
"Ah, my grandma's about to have my dad, so I need to see whether it's a boy or a girl. I'm out of here!" Upon hearing the question, Bai Bufan quickly fled.
Lin Li smiled and glanced at the system. The progress bar for the "Study Hard" task was almost three-quarters full, so he would have to finish it on Monday.
He quickly packed up. If it weren't for the fact that the copy of the Eight-Section Body Refining Skill needed to be brought back, Lin Li wouldn't even carry a bag on weekends.
The reason he needed to take it was that his notes and annotations were all over the copy.
It was all hard work.
To complete the task, Lin Li had no choice but to pay attention in class. The work was done during breaks, lunch, and even during English class, all those "unimportant" times, racing against the clock.
Although he hadn't fully translated it due to lack of knowledge and the difficulty of researching things without a phone at school, Lin Li found that he remembered the content extremely well. Sometimes, when he guessed the meaning correctly, it felt like an epiphany.
It was like solving a complicated math problem, and the sense of satisfaction when it worked out felt refreshing.
Of course, that was only if the answer turned out to be correct.
If the answer had turned out to be some ridiculously complicated fraction with square roots and complicated operations, it wouldn't have been refreshing, it would've been a disaster.
As the martial arts manual described, this was a book for strengthening the body. It was divided into eight sections, and the first and second sections were mostly translated. The second section seemed to require Spiritual Energy to assist in nourishing the body, but the first section didn't require any.
After confirming the uncertain translation points when he got home, he could start practicing that chapter tomorrow morning.
The effects of his earlier excessive training were already showing. His limbs felt weak and sore.
It was time to go to the wellness center for some rest.
His mom had already mentioned that she wouldn't be home this weekend, so Lin Li had dinner outside first before heading home to change clothes.
—If he went to the wellness center wearing a high school uniform, it would be too disrespectful. After all, it would make it obvious that he was underage.
He styled his hair to look more adult and changed into a street-style outfit that made him feel like a rebellious delinquent. When he saw the chickens, he was sure it would be quite the sight, imagining it all.
While singing and watching a few videos on the rules of such places, Lin Li, with a sense of determination to avoid social death, headed to the battlefield.
…
8:00 PM.
It was the weekend, and business at the shop seemed to have picked up. When Lin Li walked in, there was even a line at the front desk.
"Hello, have you already bought a package on the platform? If so, you can just scan the code." When it was his turn, the front desk lady glanced at him before lowering her head and typing on her computer.
"Not yet," Lin Li remained calm, replying flatly, "The packages on the platform don't really appeal to me. A local friend recommended me here, saying you have more attractive options. I'd like to see what you offer."
The front desk lady looked him over again, then spoke into the intercom. Moments later, a woman who looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties came over. "This young man, please come with me."
They bypassed the second floor and went straight to the third floor. The lighting here was still bright, though not the purple ambiance Lin Li had imagined. Most of the rooms were tightly closed.
It seemed like the place was really busy today, business was good.
She led him into a room at the corner that was still open. Lin Li entered and found that the layout was quite ordinary—two massage chairs and a large projector.
The massage chairs could recline flat, almost like a bed.
The woman closed the door behind them, handed him a tablet, and asked, "What service would you like? Here's the list of packages and prices."
Lin Li didn't take the tablet, knowing that what he wanted would definitely not be listed. He directly asked, "My friend recommended me, and I know the usual options aren't what I'm after. Do you have anything else?"
The woman looked at him again and then smiled. She spoke into the intercom, and soon a different tone emerged from her voice. "Sorry, young man, these are the only available options," she said, but there was a subtle shift in her attitude.
Lin Li pretended to show some impatience. "If these are the only packages, I'll leave."
Those who frequently visit wellness centers know that many such places will provide "borderline" services for extra fees. But according to the system's description, this place wasn't like that at all.
The woman finally seemed to understand and smiled as she put away the tablet. "Sorry, young man, this is just a necessary procedure. None of us want this to be discovered, right? We do have four hidden packages available: 399, 699, 1299, and 3699. Which one would you like?"
Here it came, finally!
"What does each package offer?" Lin Li secretly relaxed the phone that had been recording since he entered the shop, letting it capture better sound.
"The 399 package offers an hour of massage, plus hand and oral services…"
"699…"
Lin Li's eyes were opened.
The adult world was truly full of flashy things.
And 3699—did it come with gold plating?
Although Lin Li had never experienced it, from his recent tutoring sessions, he'd seen more than enough examples.
Wasn't this the standard price for high-end services?
This was Xiling Town, after all. Most people here worked hard for half a month and still didn't earn this much—before tax!
One night for 3699, a month could easily make 10,000 yuan, maybe even 100,000. That's a million a year, right?
Lin Li did the math in his head and couldn't help but feel a yearning to join the "duck farm" (a metaphor for the industry).
If he could have a 175 cm tall, loyal, and generous 36D beauty as a sugar mama, even if she made him drive luxury cars and live in a villa, he'd be willing to do it.
Once he mastered the Eight-Section Body Refining Skill, he'd be top-tier among the "ducks"...
Damn!
As an aspiring cultivator, Lin Li almost lost his focus!