Chapter 108.1: This World Is One Giant Outsourcing Job (1) |
That resentment and fury, so dense it almost felt tangible, came surging in waves. Ji Jue was already breaking out in a cold sweat, little beads of perspiration popping out nonstop.
His face twitched.
Honestly, if you translated Mr. Kunpeng’s experience into human terms, it was basically the kind of tragic backstory that would make people cry, the kind of main character you’d see in a pure angst novel.
Just imagine it. Someone who had been grinding their whole life, competing like crazy from childhood to adulthood, outlasting batch after batch of classmates, going straight through a combined master’s and PhD in a popular field. Finally, they made it big, becoming a top expert in the industry, ready to step out and dominate the scene.
Then, a world-famous company hired them with a high salary, and they signed what was basically a soul-selling contract, thinking they were about to show off their full potential, only to get assigned to the mailroom, collecting packages and reading newspapers every day for a fixed salary. From that point on, day after day, it was the same thing, over and over again.
Meanwhile, colleagues who used to be worse off than them start rising one by one, achieving success and fame. And our protagonist? Still in the mailroom, reading newspapers with a cup of tea and a cigarette in hand, and their ambitions going nowhere.
A year and a half passed like this. One day, the company boss suddenly rushed over in a panic and said, “Bro, the company’s about to go under. Please, you’ve gotta save us!”
By the time they folded up their newspaper and flashed a wicked smile, whatever came out of their mouth would probably be even harsher than what Mr. Kunpeng said.
After figuring that out, Ji Jue felt like his hair was about to fall out. He suddenly had a bad feeling that the meal Mr. Chen had promised might not end up in his stomach after all.
That would be a guaranteed win!
Sure, you’d win, but your dignity would be completely gone. Imagine hearing, “Hey, have you heard? That’s the guy who won the race riding a scooter…”
After earning the legendary title of Scooter God, Mr. Chen probably wouldn’t be able to hold his head up in the sports car scene ever again.
Ji Jue sighed, crouched down, and pressed a hand against the front of the car as he said earnestly, “Bro, I know you’re upset, but calm down. Just hear me out first.First of all, this is an objective fact, and there’s really no denying it. The situation is what it is, the conditions are what they are. But you know how Mr. Chen is. He really can’t drive.
“Look, even if he can’t drive, he’s never neglected you, right? All this time, he has never skipped your maintenance every few months. Your condition is flawless, your engine doesn’t even have a trace of carbon buildup, and the break-in has been done perfectly. Right?
“I know you’re upset, but we’ll definitely solve the problem. As for the future, how about this: I’ll make him hire someone to take you out on a professional track at least once a month. Later, I’ll personally give you a full top-to-bottom service package. Guaranteed satisfaction!”
The moment Ji Jue finished speaking, he felt Mr. Kunpeng’s anger rising like a tidal wave. Ji Jue hesitated for a second, then, left with no choice, activated his ultimate move. “Bro, please do me a favor, okay?”
“…Hmph! You think I’ll just do you a favor because you asked?! Well, I… I guess it’s not impossible…”
Even though it was still burning with rage and on the verge of going berserk, Kunpeng grumbled for quite a while before, unbelievably, gritting its teeth and accepting the proposal.
There’s no helping it. He called me “bro,” said all those nice things, promised me a full service, and even asked me for a favor!
After muttering for a good while, Kunpeng honked its horn to emphasize its seriousness and resolve. “J-just this once, okay…I don’t just do favors for others all the time! Don’t expect me to do you a favor again next time!”
It couldn’t be helped. The favorability boost from Ji Jue’s Deus Ex Machina ability was just absurdly high. Under the influence of that ability, most creations couldn’t resist Ji Jue’s commands at all.
If Ji Jue hadn’t insisted that Kunpeng carry Chen Yubo to the race, it could’ve just picked Ji Jue up and blasted straight through Lotus Mountain. After finishing, it would probably ask, “That fun, bro? I didn’t even go all out. Wanna do another lap?”
Even so, for the sake of its beloved mechanic bro, Kunpeng decided to let it slide, but the lingering anger still hadn’t dissipated. Its headlights flicked over, glaring furiously at Chen Yubo, who was off to the side holding a plate and munching on watermelon.
Chen Yubo looked back, completely baffled as usual, his eyes as clear, foolish, ignorant, and full of trust as ever. “What’s wrong, Mr. Ji?”
“Nothing. We’ve ‘talked it out.’ There won’t be any problems with tonight’s race.” Ji Jue smiled, offering no further explanation. “The car’s in great condition. Nothing else needs adjusting. We’re just one final step away from being race-ready, but I’ll need your cooperation for it.”
“Huh?” Dazed, Chen Yubo watched as Ji Jue lugged over a massive incense burner from the back of the shop, placed it right in front of Kunpeng, and handed Chen Yubo a lit incense stick.
“Everything has a spirit. Tonight, this is what’ll help you win the race. Bow and offer some incense. That’s not too much to ask, right?”
“Uh? D-does this… actually work?” Chen Yubo stood there, stunned and confused. Wasn’t Mr. Ji an alchemical craftsman? Since when did he start doing ritual dances?
Seeing how serious Ji Jue looked, he eventually took the incense from the young man. He didn’t have many strong points, but one thing Mr. Chen excelled at was going with the flow and trusting the people he used. Since he had already said he’d follow Ji Jue’s arrangements completely, he naturally wouldn’t object over something this small.
Especially since Ji Jue had solemnly reminded him to be sincere and not just go through the motions, he followed the instructions exactly. Besides, he’d already bowed countless times in temples before. What was the big deal about showing some respect to his car?
With utmost sincerity, Chen Yubo clasped the incense in both hands and offered a heartfelt prayer. He bent down in a deep bow toward the sports car in front of him. “Mr. Car, Mr. Car, I’m counting on you tonight.”
Before he could even straighten back up, a violent gust of wind and a thunderous honk hit him head-on. A blinding burst of light suddenly appeared right in his face.
The previously silent sports car let out a loud screech and lunged forward, covering several meters in a split second before slamming the brakes and stopping less than a cun from Chen Yubo.
The twin high beams shone straight onto his stunned, frozen expression. The screech of tires spinning in place sounded almost like mockery.
“Holy—!” Chen Yubo collapsed onto the ground, dumbfounded, not even caring about his pants as he shouted, “It actually worked?!”
Ji Jue copied the stern, detached expression he’d learned from Professor Ye and calmly said, “Imbuing a spirit is quite troublesome, and maintaining it is even harder. You’ve got a good eye for picking cars, but this one has quite a temper. From now on, it’s best if you take it to a professional track a couple of times every month, or have someone drive it in a few races. That way, even if its spirituality isn’t as strong as it is now, it can still be maintained for many years.”
Seeing Young Master Chen agree without even blinking and immediately pull out his phone to start booking professional tracks and race studios for the next half year on the spot, Kunpeng’s anger and resentment finally began to fade.
Good. The machine spirit was pleased.
While Young Master Chen excitedly held up his phone to take selfies with Kunpeng, patting the hood and saying all sorts of cheesy things, Ji Jue quietly wiped away a bit of cold sweat. Making three million wasn’t easy, and he even had to moonlight as a mediator, helping resolve “family disputes” like this.
“Oh, right.” Ji Jue turned to Lu Feng, who was slacking off nearby. “Lu Feng, let’s install a couple more seat belts on the driver’s side in a bit. Also, grab a roll of plastic bags and stick them in the glove compartment.”
Seat belts, Lu Feng could understand. But plastic bags? He looked puzzled. “What do we need those for?”
Ji Jue glanced at Kunpeng, which was clearly holding back, ready to go all out, and sighed. “In case someone throws up in the car, obviously.”
Amid polite knocking, two large trucks packed with all kinds of cooking equipment pulled up at the back door. Chefs carrying fresh seafood and various wine bottles walked in one after another. After greeting the boss, they set up in the backyard and started cooking on the spot. Some people unloaded tables and chairs, spread tablecloths, and began arranging the dining area.
The third and the youngest children, who had never seen such a grand scene before, ran around the backyard cheering excitedly. Mrs. Lu sat behind the counter, watching them play with a warm smile. She called Lu Ling to come home for the feast. If she missed this and wasn’t told, with Lu Ling’s stubborn personality, she’d probably end up crying under the covers for quite a while that night.
Watching the lively atmosphere unfold, Ji Jue smiled but didn’t join in. Carrying his heavy toolbox, he turned and walked toward the workshop. There was still some time before the meal. He rolled up his sleeves and pulled off his work gloves. Intricate matrix-like patterns glowed faintly across his hands, reflecting off the mirror-smooth surface of the car.
Pacifier manifested!
With a sweep of his fingertips, complex spirit matter circuits appeared across the car, spreading, extending, and winding as they grew, instantly enveloping the entire Kunpeng.
