Lin Li lost.
The Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique really can't beat the White Tiger automatic rifle.
After all, beyond seven steps the gun is fast, within seven steps the gun is both accurate and fast without needing to aim.
Bai Bufan, like a victorious general, turned his head pridefully, swaying his hips like a peacock as he pranced to the bathroom.
Lin Li chuckled and followed suit, thinking that a 'Thousand Year Kill' would calm down such a silly kid.
"Lin Li, you son of a—"
Lin Li ignored him because after practicing martial arts, he felt his body needed to release some heat.
So he stood up and went to the bathroom as well.
...
"For the math weekend homework, just finish the exercises corresponding to these two sections. Class dismissed, and everyone be safe when you go home." Today is Friday, the last class was Xue Jian's math class. When the bell rang, he didn't hold the class over time. After a simple reminder, he left with the thermos a middle-aged man invariably carries.
No one knows why, even when drinking plain water, Xue Jian uses the thermos lid to skim off the tea leaves.
"Sweet!"
Everyone immediately got up, packed their things, and prepared to leave the classroom.
"Lin Li, are we gaming tonight?!" Bai Bufan jumped up like he'd come to life, grabbing his backpack and getting ready to go without bringing anything else.
——At this boarding school, the weekends basically don't last a full two days but go from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, with regular self-study on Sunday nights. So as long as there's not too much homework, everyone usually saves it for then.
"Playing with you shortens my lifespan; I might not play this weekend." Lin Li waved his hand.
Although the main reason is that he has to go fight demons this weekend, playing games with them really is a pain.
Bold words in the beginning, nonsensical talk in the middle, silence at the end; tilt a cigarette, point it, and your teammates' parents are in danger; blaming others, plucking strings, this time it's really bothersome; chatting casually when winning, discussing family when losing; occasionally losing, but often just occasionally...
This is the state of playing games together.
"So many people beg me to play games with them, yet you don't appreciate it."
"Like who?" Lin Li asked with a smile.
"Oh man, my grandma's giving birth to my dad; I have to check if it's a boy or girl, can't talk, bye." Hearing this question, Bai Bufan quickly made a run for it.
Lin Li chuckled, glanced at the system, and saw the progress bar for the 'serious study task' was nearly three-quarters complete, meaning he'd have to finish next Monday.
He casually packed up his things. If it weren't for needing to take the Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique photocopy home, Lin Li typically wouldn't even carry his backpack home for the weekend.
The reason he was taking it back was that the photocopy had been filled with Lin Li's notes and annotations.
It's all sweat and effort.
Because he had to complete his tasks and couldn't not pay attention in class, this was the result of utilizing every minute and second during breaks, lunchtime, and irrelevant classes like English.
Although due to insufficient knowledge and the inconvenience of searching on a phone at school, he hadn't completely translated it yet, Lin Li found that when translating and understanding it himself, he remembered the content particularly well. Sometimes when he 'guessed' the meaning right, it felt like a revelation.
Like smoothly solving the final big question in mathematics, feeling an inner sense of satisfaction.
Of course, that's under the assumption that the answer looks like an answer.
If the solution yielded an overly complex fraction with three or four radicals and additions, subtractions, multiplications, and divisions, then it's not satisfaction but utter failure.
As the Cultivation Technique describes, this is a manual to strengthen the body through martial arts, divided into eight chapters. From the translation of the first two chapters, the second chapter seems to require Spiritual Qi to nourish the body, but the first chapter doesn't need it at all.
After confirming the uncertain translation points when I get back, I can practice this chapter tomorrow morning.
The morning's excessive training has already shown signs; Lin Li's limbs feel weak and sore.
Just the right time to hit a wellness center for some recovery.
Mom already said she wouldn't be home this weekend, so Lin Li first ate out and then went back to change clothes.
——Wearing a high school uniform to the brothel would be too disrespectful for them, considering it basically screams 'underage'.
Slicking his hair back like an adult, dressed in a hoodlum outfit, the imagined beauties awaiting him~~
Singing while watching a few anti-vice videos and learning the ropes about such places, Lin Li bolstered himself with the resolve to potentially face social death, heading into battle.
...
Eight o'clock in the evening.
The weekend made the store seemingly much busier; by the time Lin Li went in, there was even a queue at the front desk.
"Hello, have you already purchased a package on the platform? Then just scan the code." It was quickly Lin Li's turn, and the receptionist, after glancing at him, looked down to continue tapping at the computer, asking.
"I haven't bought it yet." Lin Li said calmly, "The packages here aren't to my satisfaction, my local friend recommended me here and mentioned that there are more attractive deals than on the platform. I'd like to see what they are."
The receptionist glanced at Lin Li again and then called someone over the intercom. Soon, a woman in her late twenties or almost thirty came over: "This way, young man, follow me."
They bypassed the second floor, Lin Li followed her straight to the third floor; though the lighting was bright instead of the purple ambient lights he imagined, most rooms were tightly closed.
It looked really busy today, business was good.
Guided to a corner room with an open door, Lin Li entered; the layout inside wasn't anything special, just two massage chairs and a large projector.
The massage chairs could recline and lay flat, barely usable as a bed.
The woman closed the door, handed a tablet over, and asked, "What services would the guest like? Here is the list of projects and prices."
Lin Li didn't take the tablet, knowing what he wanted wouldn't be on there, given its likely hidden nature. So he directly asked, "The options my friend recommended aren't here; are there any others?"
"Sorry young man, we only have these projects."
"While my friend didn't explain in detail, we all know what's up, no need to dance around. If these are all you have, I'm leaving." Lin Li feigned impatience.
Frequent spa-goers know many places offer clandestine services with extra time, but according to the system's task description, this place wasn't just about skirting such lines.
The woman seemed convinced, smiling as she put away the tablet and then introduced:
"Apologies young man, this is a necessary procedure, after all, none of us want to get caught, right? Our store has four hidden packages, 399, 699, 1299, and 3699, which would the guest like to choose?"
It's here, finally here!
"What do each of them include?" Lin Li quietly released the recording function on his phone from the moment he entered, so it could better capture audio.
"The 399 package includes an hour-long massage with hand and mouth services..."
"699..."
Lin Li broadened his horizons.
The adult world is truly extravagant.
Even though the play style is varied and novel, 3699—is this gold-plated?
Although Lin Li's never eaten pork, in his recent studies, he's seen plenty of pigs running around.
Isn't it said that the high-quality companions charge about the same?
Remember, this is Xiling Town; most people working half a month don't even make that income—before tax.
3699 for one night means ten thousand a month, a million a year, doesn't it?
Get through this bit of hardship, and the future will be no more hardship, wow!
Lin Li calculated the numbers, feeling an urge at this moment to enter the 'farm' and become a duck.
If only a 175 cm loyal and devoted 36D millionaire girlfriend could keep him, he'd be okay with living large in a mansion with a luxury car.
With practice of the Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique, those baseline qualifications should be top-tier among ducks...
Dammit!
As a Cultivator, I almost lost my mind to it!