EFB Chapter 84 wasn't a complete waste of time, was it...?
Chapter 84 wasn't a complete waste of time, was it...?
On the Starry Sky Train.
Lu Li watched the mother and daughter embracing and weeping in the snow on the screen and silently put down the sunflower seeds in his hand.
For some reason, he felt that the sunflower seeds tasted unusually salty today.
"well……"
He let out a long sigh.
"Finally... a happy ending."
"Yes," Himeko's voice came through the communicator, tinged with a hint of emotion. "Although the process was a bit convoluted, thankfully no tragedy occurred."
"Speaking of which, I really have to thank you this time."
"If you hadn't reminded Xing beforehand and made her wary of Cocolia, things probably wouldn't have gone so smoothly."
"Hehe, it's nothing, not worth mentioning." Lu Li waved his hand.
"But speaking of which," Lu Li changed the subject, rubbing his hands together with an expectant look, "since I've done such a great service this time, shouldn't I give myself something in return?"
"For example... a doubled year-end bonus? A year of paid leave?"
"or……"
"Or," Himeko interrupted his daydream with a smile, "starting tomorrow, your combat training will be doubled."
Lu Li: "?"
His smile froze on his face.
"No, Sister Himeko, did I hear that right? Doubled?" Lu Li's face instantly fell.
"I just performed a meritorious service, how did I suddenly become a 'criminal'?"
"This is not punishment, this is called 'teaching according to aptitude'."
"This incident involving Ariello-VI has shown me another side of you besides being a 'salted fish'."
"You possess keen insight and extraordinary intuition."
"Even..." Himeko raised an eyebrow, "you can often foresee danger happening, that's quite an ability."
Lu Li's heart skipped a beat.
Oh no, I've acted too much and made Himeko misunderstand.
But he couldn't exactly tell her that it wasn't a premonition, but rather the original plot, could he?
"Ahem, well, it's purely coincidental, just a coincidence."
Lu Liqian chuckled and scratched his head. "I was just guessing randomly, who knew I'd actually be right?"
"And I... I often go to Danheng's room to read!"
"Maybe it's because they have more knowledge that they can guess accurately?"
"Oh? Is that so?" Himeko smiled faintly. "Then I'll have to ask Danheng next time if he has a book called 'The Self-Cultivation of a Salted Fish: How to Become a Master of Foresight'."
Lu Li: "...Isn't this a bit much, Sister Himeko?"
Hearing Lu Li's utterly hopeless voice, Ji Zi finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Okay, I'm not teasing you anymore."
"Lu Li, I know you have many secrets, and we won't force you to tell us if you don't want to."
"But you must understand one thing."
"You are no longer the Lu Li who could hide in the background and comfortably handle logistics."
"As we said before, the appearance of the celestial curtain, along with your power, has propelled you to the center of the stage."
Whether you like it or not, you have to learn how to face all of this.
"And all we can do is help you adapt to all of this as quickly as possible, so that you have enough power to protect yourself."
Himeko's words silenced Lu Li.
Yes.
Himeko is right.
He can never go back.
From the moment the system was activated and the sky was released, his life trajectory had already undergone an irreversible change.
He can choose to continue being a salted fish, but only if he has the means to be one.
In this perilous universe, without strength, there is no voice.
They don't even qualify to be a salted fish.
"I see."
a long time.
Lu Li let out a long breath, as if he wanted to expel all the frustration in his heart.
He looked up, and his eyes had lost some of their laziness.
There was something... indescribable.
"Double the training, right?"
"Okay, I'll take it."
"However, I have one condition."
"Oh?" Himeko was somewhat surprised. "Go on."
"...Could you please not slap my face during training?"
Himeko: "..."
What time is it? This guy is still worried about his face.
Himeko took a deep breath and told herself to stay calm.
We shouldn't stoop to the level of this guy with such a peculiar way of thinking.
"Okay," Himeko squeezed out the two words through gritted teeth.
"And one more thing," Lu Li began to push his luck, "Could we add a chicken leg to the training meal?"
"I'm growing and need more nutrition."
"……Can."
"After training, could I have half a day off so I can take a nap?"
"Lu Li." Himeko's voice already carried a hint of danger.
"Ahem, never mind."
Lu Li shrank back and decisively admitted defeat.
……
Lu Li hung up the call and breathed a sigh of relief.
Forget it.
In any case, this expansion has finally come to a smooth conclusion.
and so……
Lu Li waited expectantly for a moment.
system:"……"
Lu Li: "..."
system:"……"
Lu Li: "..."
No.
Cocolia survived, and the plot has changed.
Where is my mystery prize?
The system is still pretending to be dead.
Lu Li: "..."
Although he was very reluctant to think that way.
But since there's no notification, it means the task is still not complete.
Since the mission was not completed, it means that "changing the plot" is not a condition for completing the mission.
If we exclude this option, then the condition for completing the hidden quest would be...
Lu Li: "..."
This system is truly amazing.
Then all my efforts were for nothing.
Lu Li lay speechlessly on the sofa, looking at the screen.
On the screen, Bronya is holding the unconscious Cocolia, tears streaming down her face.
Lu Li: "..."
Lu Li sighed.
Forget it.
It's not a complete waste of effort to change a tragedy.
and.
Lu Li sat up from the sofa and went to the window to look at the snow-white planet outside.
Arillow-VI, Bellberg...
And then there are those who struggle to survive in the freezing cold.
Their fate changed because of his arrival.
This feeling... seems pretty good?
"Maybe being a hero isn't so bad."
Lu Li stretched and muttered to himself.
of course.
The prerequisites are that there can be no overtime, no salary deductions, and that there must be five social insurances and one housing fund, as well as paid annual leave.
Well, it would be even better if we could have a March 7th as a personal assistant.
Lu Li thought to herself with a smug smile, then slumped back onto the sofa.
……