Chapter 104.1: A Sweet Dream Is Easy to Wake From (1) |
“I’m suffering… I’m really suffering…”
A few days later in the afternoon, Ji Jue finally couldn’t hold it in and let out another wail. By the time he finally crawled out of the library, covered in dust and looking utterly miserable, he was practically on his last breath.
It was just like those kids who, right before summer break ends, suddenly start missing school and longing for it again, only for that initial excitement to vanish and be replaced by academics pinning them to the ground and grinding them into dust.
Earlier, he had even thought he had at least gotten a basic grasp of modern alchemy. And then Professor Ye, through practical action, relentless questioning, and continuous pressure, told him, No, you haven’t. Not even close.
After a round of testing, she casually tossed him a paper that she politely graded at 59 points, then handed him a reading list so long it could bury him alive, telling him his task for the next few months was to finish all of it, write reports based on his own understanding, and periodically undergo her inspections and “beatings.”
The reading list contained A Brief Discussion on the Four Fundamental Elements of Alchemy,An Exploration of Divergent Theories of the Path of Elevation,Modern Alchemy Basics I, II, III, IV,Analysis of Past Registered Craftsman Exam Questions (300–400 Years),A Few Observations on Waste Recycling via Quenching Processes, and more.
At first, Ji Jue was worried about how he would even find so many books in such a massive library. Then Ye Chun simply led him to a corner, pointed at six rows of bookshelves, and told him there was no need to search. He just had to read everything here.
Once she realized Ji Jue’s comprehension ability was already good enough for self-study, Professor Ye’s teaching style became much more brutal. She made him cram all the study materials first, then she focused on what he was weak at. Afterward, she’d make him go back and reread everything again. It had gotten so bad that even when Ji Jue dreamed, he was still doing practice questions and memorizing theory.
Now, just smelling the library alone was enough to trigger his PTSD. Who on earth had invented such a vicious thing called alchemy?
He was just being messed with all day, every day. It was so bad that Ji Jue’s mind was already going fuzzy. He lay on the ground limply, wriggling and groaning like a worm.
“Is life always just about getting screwed over? Or is it only like this during apprenticeship?”
Ye Chun patted his head as if he were a dog, trying to comfort him. “Young people shouldn’t get discouraged just because they’re getting beaten up at the start. You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t want this! I still have such a bright youth ahead of me…” Ji Jue covered his face and wailed. “Chun, save me!”
Ye Chun, whose hair was a mess from pulling all-nighters to rush papers, laughed coldly. “I’m still salty about how competitive you were back then! You chose this yourself, you idol! When you were outcompeting others in the past[1], did you ever wonder when it’ll be your turn to suffer? This is what happens to workaholics like you! A miserable death, a thoroughly miserable, inhumanly miserable death!”
The more she spoke, the angrier she got. She grabbed Ji Jue by the neck and shook him hard.
“One day, I’m going to scatter your ashes into Tianmen Lake, aaaaaah!”
In the living room, the TV was playing. Horsey poked its head out of the room, with a small bird perched on top of its head, watching the scene of mutual torment with curiosity. Soon, it lost interest entirely and turned back to the TV, focusing again on the cooking show.
Gloria watched the roast chicken being pulled out of the oven and gulped. “Looks so delicious.”
Hearing that, Horsey glanced up at the bird-like alchemical construct sitting on its head, seemingly of the same species as the one on TV. It nodded in agreement, suddenly looking eager. The two little ones, taking advantage of Ji Jue not paying attention, quietly crept toward his backpack, trying to use his phone to order takeout.
Ji Jue saw them, sighed, but didn’t stop them.
At the very least, it was better than their earlier “clever idea” of sneaking out at night with a plastic mannequin, letting Gloria hide inside its head to order food, and scaring a waiter into fainting. Thanks to them, North Mount District now had yet another urban legend about a midnight food-seeking ghost customer…
Besides, he was hungry too.
Perfect timing. When the delivery arrived, he’d just snatch it from them. Food always tasted better that way, anyway.
Mr. Ji is under pressure, so Mr. Ji gets the first bite!
He had recently become so “generous,” even casually ordering takeout, largely because his financial situation was no longer on the verge of bankruptcy at any moment. The trip to the rift realm hadn’t been for nothing. Considering his situation, Professor Ye had helped him sell off some of the materials he had brought back, the ones he didn’t need immediately and weren’t especially precious.
The funds had arrived just yesterday morning. After deducting his own and Lu Ling’s student loans, he still had over seven hundred thousand Fedra left. If he was careful, it was enough for him to coast through life for ten years.
For the first time in his life, Ji Jue had an absurd amount of money sitting in his account. In a rare extravagance, he not only bought gifts for everyone at home, but he even went and got a family membership card for Mr. Zhang’s massage shop.
He still needed to deduct what he owed Layla, but she flatly refused to issue a bill, only saying it was just help between friends. Since that was the case, Ji Jue didn’t argue further. He simply accepted the favor and decided he’d just help her out in the future if needed.
In this bitter life of forced cramming, sweet money had become Ji Jue’s emotional pillar. Every time he got beaten into despair, he would pull out his phone and check his account balance.
And he couldn’t stop smiling.
“Great, here we go again.” Ye Chun rolled her eyes, glancing at Ji Jue grinning foolishly at his phone. Helplessly, she shook her head.
Forget it. People like him will still drool over nothing even if he got his insanity cured. It’s rare for him to encounter such a sweet dream, so I’ll let him sleep a little longer. Reality will come and slap him sooner or later, anyway.
After lunch in the afternoon, Ye Chun received a call and sent Ji Jue off to pick up a delivery with a cart.
At the workshop entrance, a black van had stopped. A man in a neat suit stepped out, smiling warmly and enthusiastically. He shook hands with Ji Jue, handed him a business card, and even offered him a cigarette. He was so friendly it was almost excessive.
After helping load a small, sealed container onto the cart, he stood there waving until Ji Jue entered the workshop. Only then did he return to the van and drive away.
“Are sales really this competitive these days?” Ji Jue curiously fiddled with the sealed jar, which was about the size of a human head but absurdly heavy. “What’s inside it?”
Ye Chun glanced at it. “Aren’t you trying to practice Fluid Alchemy? This is purified transmuted mercury ordered by Auntie from the Balance Chamber of Commerce. It’s hard to get, and it only arrived today.”
After undergoing spirit matter fusion and qualitative transformation, this mercury was far easier to handle than the crude converted mercury Ji Jue had been making himself.
After a simple adjustment from Ji Jue, it immediately became like an extension of his own body. Like a snake charmer, he casually waved his hand, and the mercury in the jar slowly rose into the air, writhing and flowing in response to his movements. At times it formed Ji Jue’s face, at times Ye Chun’s. It was extremely agile.
Ji Jue’s eyes lit up. “So convenient! I’ll order some at home later! This little bit isn’t enough at all.”
“That’ll be a bit troublesome. If the order volume is too small, the Balance Chamber won’t bother dealing with you,” Ye Chun said without looking up, biting her pen. “Minimum order is about half a kilogram.”
1. The RAW writes 卷别人, which means pushing yourself through excessive effort, overcommitment, or unconventional competitive tactics to outdo peers or colleagues, forcing others to follow and raise the level of competition.
This behavior often shows up as striving for extremes in everything just to overwhelm others. It’s commonly described as “very competitive” or someone being a “competition king,” and is characterized by irrational, self-consuming rivalry.
