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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

n“A customer…gave me those…”

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nZhang Hui slipped into deep thought as he picked up the plastic cup.

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nThe leaves that were floating on the surface of the water had a golden radiance.

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nZhang Hui was certain that there were no such species of plants in this world.

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nBut that was not the most important thing.

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nThe most important thing was…

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nHe raised his head and looked all around at the bookstore.

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nThe floorboards were trembling slightly and creaking constantly.

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nRustles within the wallpaper were also clear to his ears.

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nThe ancient deity who seemed to have awakened was a little cat. It was looking at itself in the mirror.

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nZhang Hui nodded slightly at the cat as a sign of respect.

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nThe little cat meowed in reply.

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n“Customer, did you like the book you got yesterday?” They heard Ling PingAn, the owner of this bookstore and potentially an awakened ancient god, ask a question.

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n“I do! I do!” Situ He replied in a hurry.

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n“I’m glad that you do.” He sat down on a sofa across from them. He was holding something that looked like a teacup also as he said to Situ He and Zhang Hui, “Don’t hold back, you two…”

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nSitu He picked up his cup now.

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nHe took a small sip of tea.

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nSweet!

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nThat was the first sensation that he had.

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nComfortable!

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nThat was how his soul reacted.

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nHe had only taken one sip, but Situ He felt that his soul had become more steady.

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nZhang Hui opened his eyes wide.

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nIn the past, he had always thought that miracle drugs were things that only existed in legends.

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nHowever, he now finally knew that they were not legends. They were real.

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nIt was only that he hadn’t been aware of these drugs, and he hadn’t come into contact with them.

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n“Tasty, isn’t it?” the ancient deity sitting opposite them asked.

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n“Very!” Situ He answered. “Thank you, mister. Thank you for letting us try such tasty and wonderful tea.”

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n“You’re too polite.” He picked up his cup and drank his tea

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nHis head looked like a ball of fog.

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nOther than the eye sockets, he had no other visible organs.

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nHowever, he could drink tea like any other person.

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nThey did not know how he was drinking the tea.

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nZhang Hui and Situ He only saw him pick up his teacup and place it where his chin might be.

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n“Mister…” Situ He swallowed. He decided to use conversation to divert this guy’s attention. He was afraid that he might want to taste his flesh if he thought too much about the situation.

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n“This friend of mine…” Situ He looked at Zhang Hui and continued, “…he heard that you have several exceptional books. So he came here with me to have a look at them. What do you think about this?”

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n“You’re welcome to look around.” He seemed very happy. He put down his teacup and looked at Zhang Hui. He asked, “I wonder what genre of books this customer prefers?”

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nZhang Hui thought for a while and chose his words carefully. He then said the first thing that came into his mind, “Mister, what kind of books do you think I’d like?”

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nHe pretended to be relaxed and laughed as he said that.

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nHowever, he’d involuntarily placed his hands on the side of the sofa.

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nIn actuality, his stomach and legs were trembling.

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nThat was because he could clearly feel something in that instant that he’d uttered those words.

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nSomething was twitching on the cushions of the sofa underneath his buttocks.

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nHe could also sense clearly that something was sliding down from the ceiling above his head.

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nA thick liquid was being secreted from the body of that object.

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nThat made Zhang Hui feel as though a person was pointing a gun to his temple.

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n……

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nLing PingAn put down his teacup and stood up.

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nHe observed his new customer closely.

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nThis customer looked about 40 years old.

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nHe had the standard short hair that all the officials of the Federal Empire had. He was wearing a suit of formal attire that looked a little dated but was ironed to perfection, without any creases or stains.

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nThis kind of formal wear was an attire that had been promoted many years ago.

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nIt was different from the traditional office attire of the literati.

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nTheir new-style attire had three pockets and lapels.

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nThis customer’s clothes were very tailored and made the wearer look stern.

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nThis had been all the rage at some time in the past.

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nHowever, as time passed, more and more young men felt that this attire was overly stern.

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nThus, this attire had been quickly relegated to being the attire only for civil servants or employees of major corporations.

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nNot many people would wear it outside in private situations.

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nHe then thought long and hard about this new customer who had come this evening.

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nLing PingAn could guess about the identity of the new customer without thinking too deeply.

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nBirds of a feather flocked together.

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nHe would also be an old Republican.

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nHowever, unlike the customer who had come in last night, this new customer must work in an organization of the Federal Empire or a national organization.

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nHe might even be a minor official.

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nHe could deduce that from the way the customer sat.

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nHowever, his position was probably not too high. He could also deduce that from the way the customer sat.

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nThe customer might seem to be sitting up straight, but his body was involuntarily leaning to the front.

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nThis was an act of listening.

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nIt meant that his role might be one of carrying out policies or executing orders.

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nA person like that was an executive within the corporation or organization.

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nThe level of an executive was historically not high in the Federal Empire.

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nAfter all, a person who worked with his mind ruled over the people, while a person who worked with his body was ruled by others.

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nLing PingAn had gotten a general understanding of these types of people after he’d thought a little about it.

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nHe smiled and said, “Sir, have you felt a huge amount of stress for a long time?”

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nHe was an executive after all. He was the person who took all the blame.

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nHe was not credited if things went well, but would be blamed if there were any problems.

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nIt would be odd if he was not under a huge amount of stress.

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n“Do you frequently have nightmares?

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n“Do you frequently dream of terrifying events?”

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nThat was obvious.

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nHis supervisor would scold and rush him every day.

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nFrom the start of the month to the end of the month. There would always be a mountain of work.

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nHe must have to work through the night after he returned home. He might even have to use his personal time to settle the personal problems of his supervisor.

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nEven if he slogged away his life like that…

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nThe risk of being fired and replaced was always present.

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nHe was also at a very awkward age.

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nHe might still have parents that he had to support.

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nHe also had to provide for the parents of his wife.

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nHis friends and relatives might always feel that he had vast connections and could do almost anything.

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nFor his reputation, he might have no choice but to tough it out on many occasions.

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nHis children would be in a crucial stage like junior college or high school.

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nHe had to supervise their studies and especially take time out to coach them in their homework. He might even have to establish connections and ask for favors so that his children could go to good schools.

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nHe only wished to send his child to a good school under a good teacher in a good class.

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nThus, he had to use every means at his disposal to keep his job and position.

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nHe had to work hard at every moment to prove his worth.

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nHe could not let himself be eliminated. He could not let himself become a part that could be replaced.

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nUnder such pressure, it would be odd if he did not have nightmares and was not scared awake at night!

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n“Do you frequently think of obtaining something that you do not have, yet worried that you would lose the things that you have obtained? You always feel that you might make a mistake at something that you did…”

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nAs Ling PingAn continued to make his conjectures…

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nThe expression of the customer sitting across from him changed gradually.

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nLing PingAn saw that and smiled.

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nHe said, “Customer, I know what kind of book you need!

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n“Please wait here for a moment…”

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