Chapter 92 - 88: This Is What You Call Professional
Chapter 92: Chapter 88: This Is What You Call Professional
It opened its mouth and swallowed all the dislodged dirt and rubble.
It worked with immense enthusiasm.
If thoughts could take physical form,
a line of text would be floating above the crocodile’s head right now.
-
’Those fat, thick octopus tentacles must taste amazing grilled. I can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait to eat them!’
’Crabs are delicious, delicious, delicious.’
’It’s all delicious.’
-
The only other one still awake was... Wang Kui.
...
「Inside Cave No. 1.」
Holding the Token, Wang Kui stood before the City Wall that blocked the entrance to Cave No. 1’s Warehouse. He took a deep breath, slowly raised the Token, and said in a hoarse, serious voice, "Open!"
The next moment!
The City Wall before him, which completely sealed the cave’s entrance, slowly receded into the ground, revealing the passage to the Warehouse.
Witnessing this,
the wrinkles on his face trembled with excitement. He jubilantly raised the Token again.
"Close!"
The City Wall obeyed his command once more, rising from the ground to completely seal the entrance.
"Heh heh..."
He glanced back cautiously at the Station Head’s Wooden House. The oil lamp was out. Confirming that the Station Head was likely asleep, he excitedly took the Token in hand and continued to test it. The Token in his hand didn’t just have the authority to open this City Wall.
It also granted him permission to open the camp’s main City Wall.
However, he didn’t dare test it on that one.
After all, it wasn’t dawn yet.
If a Ghost Object was lying in wait outside the camp and rushed through the opening the moment the City Wall came down, he would be a traitor to the camp. Even his death wouldn’t be enough to atone for it.
This Token, and the authority it represented, was a sign of absolute trust in him.
And this Warehouse, specially constructed by the Station Head,
also gave him real authority.
From now on, all resources moving in and out would have to go through him.
After testing it a few more times, he walked, still wanting more, down the passage to the cave that housed the Warehouse. He looked at the structure before him, which seemed almost like a natural wonder. It had no roof to speak of.
It was simply a massive Cyan Jade Raw Stone.
Its interior had been hollowed out.
"So perfectly smooth..."
Wang Kui stepped forward and pressed his face against the surface of the giant stone, reveling in its warm, sleek texture. Grinning with excitement, he put his hands on his hips and struck a wildly triumphant pose.
He stepped into the passage and arrived at the entrance of the "Jiezimai Room."
He pressed his index and middle fingers together and thrust them out like a sword.
The emerald mist flowing inside the Warehouse instantly responded to his command, sweeping up the Copper Pipes stored in the Jiezimai Room and sending them dancing through the air.
...
After playing around for a good while,
Wang Kui, thoroughly satisfied, walked out of the Warehouse. He sat down at the entrance and gazed up at the rock ceiling of the cave, his expression gradually growing distant.
’How long has it been since I’ve been this happy?’
’Thirteen years...’
’Even a dog you’ve raised for thirteen years deserves a few good meals, right?’
’I thought my life was set in stone, but the early arrival of the rainy season changed everything. Let me think... When exactly did my fate change?’
’Was it the moment I learned Chen Fan’s identity and sent Xiaoyu to get on his good side?’
’Or was it when I learned the rainy season was coming early, sought him out, and prepared to evacuate with him?’
After a long while,
he suddenly started to laugh.
’Actually, I should thank myself.’ Even after thirteen years of stagnation in the Wang Family, he hadn’t just given up. He kept looking for a chance to advance. When he met someone who might be his benefactor, he still did everything within his power. He hadn’t abandoned himself despite years of failure.
"Time to get to work."
He took a deep breath, pushed himself up from the ground, and walked out of the cave toward the old Warehouse. He cherished his current position. All he had to do was perform well.
He had figured it out over the past few days.
Here, he didn’t need to worry about how to advance at all.
In a rapidly growing power, as long as you join early and don’t make mistakes, even a dog could rise to a high position. A big reason he could never get promoted in the Wang Family was that the family itself was stagnant. There were no positions opening up for him.
Hard work is important.
But *where* you work hard is even more important.
In the quiet camp,
Wang Kui panted as he pushed a cart, moving supplies from the old Warehouse to the entrance of the new one, item by item. He then used the emerald mist to lift, sort, and arrange the supplies inside the new Warehouse. The emerald mist only flowed within the Warehouse and could only be used there.
"This batch of Ghost Stones... they go in the Jiezimai Room."
"Hmm... this is the octopus for Hey Hey to eat tomorrow. I’ll put it in the ’Vitality Room.’ It won’t taste as good if it dries out."
"This batch of bones goes in the Jiezimai Room. Stack them neatly, neatly."
Muttering to himself, Wang Kui stood in the Warehouse corridor, directing the emerald mist to stack everything neatly, like building blocks.
...
「The night passed quickly.」
The darkness receded as always, but the incessant rain continued to hide the sun.
After a long while, it wasn’t until late morning that the camp gradually came to life. Chen Fan lay in a rocking chair on the City Wall, gazing at the unending rain outside. He let out a long sigh and murmured,
"When the rain stops, I’m definitely going to bask in the sun."
"It’s been so long since I’ve seen the sun."
"Lunch is ready!"
Qi Chong’s shout echoed through the camp. Congee, steamed buns, and side dishes were brought up to the City Wall, and everyone gathered to start their lunch.
"Station Head."
Wang Kui hurried over with a bowl of millet congee. "I was up a bit late last night. I’ve finished taking inventory of all the resources."
"Right now, the camp has a total of 2,922 Ghost Stones."
"Over a thousand dried Ghost Object corpses, various bones and other Ghost Materials, and two dropped Exotic Treasures. They’re all in the Warehouse now."
"That’s it for Ghost Stones?"
Chen Fan frowned. "Last night’s octopus was named Qian Hu. He was one of the Ghost King’s four main lieutenants and was carrying a year’s worth of accumulated Ghost Stones. You didn’t find that batch?"
Wang Kui froze. He glanced at Zhou Mo and the others, subconsciously shaking his head. "No, that’s all the Ghost Stones I received..."
Almost instantly, Lame Monkey reacted. He slammed his bowl down, opened the left gate without a second’s hesitation, and charged toward the canyon pass, leaning on his Godslaying Spear as he limped.
Zhou Mo also understood immediately. He sprinted deeper into the camp, vaulted onto his horse, and galloped out, quickly overtaking Lame Monkey.
A few hundred breaths later,
Zhou Mo charged out of the canyon pass on his Skeleton Horse and skidded to a halt below the City Wall. "Station Head," he called out anxiously, "there aren’t any Ghost Stones in the canyon!"
By now, everyone understood.
Since the Ghost Stones weren’t found last night, it meant the creature must have stashed them somewhere before launching its main assault.
"..."
’Could it be that another group of Ghost Objects was left behind in the canyon to guard the stones?’ Chen Fan’s brow furrowed slightly. ’And if something went wrong, they were ordered to retreat immediately?’
’That doesn’t add up.’
’Qian Hu showed up in person. Would it really have held back some of its forces?’
’Besides, if they were in the canyon, they should have coordinated an attack from both sides to break through the City Wall when it rose at the junction with the Celestial Pit.’
He stood on the City Wall and looked down at Zhou Mo, his voice low.
"Don’t panic."
"You and Big Fish split up. Search the area around the canyon entrance carefully. While you’re at it, check the coast. Last night’s Ghost Tide made landfall there."
"That Ghost Tide last night was powerful. Ordinary Ghost Objects wouldn’t dare go near the path they took."
"The stones might still be there. Go find them."
"Yes, sir!"
Receiving their orders, Zhou Mo and Big Fish quickly mounted up and charged out of the canyon to begin their search.
"Tsk..."
Chen Fan sat back down on the City Wall and picked up his bowl, slurping from the rim. If that creature from last night really did leave a contingent of Ghost Objects to guard the stones and ordered them to retreat at the first sign of trouble, well, he’d just have to accept the loss.
If Ghost Objects were getting that cunning, what could he do about it?
"This is a huge loss."
Lame Monkey, now back on the City Wall, was seething with anger. "Those Ghost Objects are too damn cunning."
"What did we lose?"
Chen Fan glanced at Lame Monkey and couldn’t help but laugh. "So not gaining is the same as losing, huh?"
"It’s just... the camp could have had five more big chests."
Lame Monkey said, a little embarrassed.
"Relax."
Chen Fan felt a twinge of regret, but he wasn’t particularly disheartened.
"If you get it, you’re lucky. If you lose it, it’s fate."
"What’s meant to be mine will be mine. Just stay calm."
"Besides..."
"I’m seventy percent sure they’re just sitting on the coast. Zhou Mo will be hauling them back any minute now."