Hao Yun took a deep breath of the cold, fresh air, feeling accomplished after completing his first task as an assistant to the Spirit Mold Catcher. Through this experience, he not only glimpsed the vast world beyond, but also the intricate power dynamics at play. He learned that the spiritual realm was the creator of the world before him, silently guarding it from the shadows. Moreover, he realized that this world was not as tranquil as it seemed; it was fraught with dangers.
To Hao Yun's eyes now, conflicts between individuals and wars between nations seemed like mere child's play compared to the real threat posed by the Mold Energy in this world and beyond.
Hao Yun couldn't help but recall the legendary Divine War mentioned by Dao Lao and Master Gu on more than one occasion. From their words, he gathered that it was an epochal battle between the spiritual realm and the Mold Energy. Hao Yun was deeply curious about the nature of that war. However, since Dao Lao and Master Gu seemed reluctant to discuss it, he refrained from pressing the issue. After all, he would eventually learn about the Divine War sooner or later. There was no need to rush. Having just completed his first fantastical adventure, Hao Yun now simply wanted to relax. So, he set aside his curiosity and, after a lazy stretch, accompanied Dao Lao and Master Gu out of the residential area where Xiao Yong and Xu Fang lived.
On their way back, the trio passed by the same food street they visited before. Despite the resurgence of mutant gastrointestinal diseases in the past two days, it couldn't deter the appetites of two food enthusiasts from other provinces. Thus, even in the late night, the street remained brightly lit, with many diners enjoying a variety of late-night delicacies while maintaining a safe distance from each other.
Food enthusiasts Dao Lao and Master Gu couldn't resist the bustling night market. Therefore, in high spirits after successfully completing their mission, Hao Yun generously treated them to a barbecue feast. Sizzling skewers of meat, accompanied by ice-cold beer, lifted the spirits of Dao Lao and Master Gu. They began to share many amusing anecdotes from their past missions while eating.
The three of them continued to eat and chat until past three in the morning, humming incomprehensible songs as they returned to Hao Yun's home. However, since Hao Yun's home only had two bedrooms, it was clearly not enough for three grown men. Nonetheless, Master Gu, not feeling sleepy at this hour, conscientiously moved Hao Yun's computer to the living room, turned it on, and opened the website Hao Yun had previously shown him. He then immersed himself in admiring the beauty of Gulnaza and Dilireba. Seeing Master Gu, now transformed into a pure-hearted fanboy, enthusiastically watching a variety show featuring the two goddesses, Hao Yun could only shake his head helplessly. After preparing some snacks and drinks for Master Gu, Hao Yun returned to his room to rest.
Although it was almost half past four when Hao Yun went to bed, he sat up straight when his alarm clock rang at seven in the morning. Despite sleeping for just over two hours last night, Hao Yun felt as refreshed as if he had slept for eight or nine hours. Surprised by the speed of his recovery, he jumped out of bed and quickly changed his clothes. He noticed that not only had his mental energy recovered rapidly, but even his resistance to cold had significantly improved. In the chilling morning of the southern winter, Hao Yun, wearing only shorts, felt no trace of cold.
Seeing such a dramatic change in his resistance to cold overnight, Hao Yun immediately rushed to the bathroom and bravely took a cold shower. The result was naturally satisfying. Because Hao Yun's body now seemed to have the ability to regulate its temperature, as soon as his skin touched the cold water, his body automatically raised its temperature to counteract the biting cold of the icy water.
"Now, if I were to participate in a winter swimming competition, wouldn't I easily break records? Hehe, then I wouldn't have to worry about my milk tea shop going out of business, right?" Hao Yun thought gleefully.
However, the next moment, Hao Yun chuckled self-deprecatingly. As an assistant to the Spirit Mold Catcher of the Divine Realm, he was actually thinking of using his special physique to make money? Wasn't that a bit too tacky? He could easily find a more dignified way to earn money now!
However, the excitement Hao Yun felt because of his strengthened physique dissipated instantly when he thought of his barely surviving milk tea shop. In the past few days, he had been too busy catching Mold Energy with Dao Lao and the others, neglecting to take care of his shop. So, Hao Yun quickly came out of the bathroom, changed his clothes, and called the shop manager to inquire about the business situation these days.
The situation at the milk tea shop was as usual—poor business and barely hanging on. Then, Hao Yun called his parents to report his safety. After all, no one was sure if natural disasters would strike again, coupled with the unresolved issues of various mutant infectious diseases. Therefore, if he frequently lost contact with his family due to his missions, it would inevitably cause his parents to worry. Fortunately, his parents had been busy with work everywhere, so they didn't have much time to take care of Hao Yun, and naturally, they wouldn't pay too much attention to his whereabouts. After all, Hao Yun was already an adult, and he had his own career to attend to. It was perfectly normal for him to occasionally forget to contact his family.
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Finally, Hao Yun contacted the manager of his moon-rise coffee shop and casually made up a reason to explain why he hadn't been to work these past few days. However, since the coffee shop's work was not on a shift basis, there was no salary if he didn't work. Moreover, the coffee shop's business had not yet recovered. Therefore, even if Hao Yun didn't come to work, the shop manager would not raise any objections.
Of course, considering that Hao Yun was a well-known barista in the shop and also the apprentice of the shop's manager, the manager also expressed that he would not fire Hao Yun just because he hadn't come to work these past few days. After all, there were many other baristas waiting to be scheduled, and not working meant not needing to pay wages. Therefore, if Hao Yun needed to work again, he just needed to inform the manager in advance, and the manager would arrange his shifts.
Regardless, the coffee shop job was finally secured. Feeling slightly relieved, Hao Yun let out a heavy sigh, thinking to himself, "With the frequent outings accompanying Dao Lao on missions, Hao Yun's work hours at the coffee shop will surely be reduced, leading to another sharp decrease in his income. In this way, he may soon lose the ability to support the expenses of the milk tea shop completely. Alas! If things don't improve, he'll have to find a way to sell off the milk tea shop entirely and at least get some money back, avoiding a total loss of his entrepreneurial venture."
Actually, regarding income, Hao Yun had consulted Dao Lao last night. He asked Dao Lao if, since he had joined the Divine Realm, Dao Lao could directly take him back to the upper world of the Divine Realm and help him find a place to stay there. That way, he could move his entire family away from here and save another significant expense.
The answer Hao Yun received was no. Because Hao Yun was still in the internship phase and he didn't possess the sanctity of a divine spirit. According to the rules of the Divine Realm, Hao Yun was not allowed to reside in the upper world permanently. Moreover, Hao Yun had just joined the Divine Realm and needed further growth to fully adapt to the rhythm of life there. Therefore, it was more suitable for Hao Yun to stay in the lower world for now, where the pressure was relatively lower, and receive training. This was the most suitable way for his growth at this stage.
Moreover, due to work reasons, Dao Lao didn't have a fixed residence in the Divine Realm. So, if Hao Yun went back to the upper world with Dao Lao, Dao Lao could only take Hao Yun to mooch food and drink around. However, mooching around alone was definitely more convenient than with two people. Besides, foodie Dao Lao loved the world's cuisine, and Master Gu was deeply obsessed with the world's two superstars, so they both hoped to frequent this place. Therefore, Hao Yun couldn't run away anywhere now; he could only continue to live in this world with peace of mind.
From the outside, as an assistant to the Divine Realm's Mold Energy Catcher, Hao Yun seemed glamorous, but in his own world, he was a struggling entrepreneur whose business was on the brink of collapse due to natural disasters and could only sustain himself by making coffee. To Hao Yun, this stark contrast added a touch of mysterious legendary color to his life. However, the drama of an ordinary passerby quietly guarding the world behind the scenes couldn't alleviate the embarrassment Hao Yun felt due to his financial difficulties.
Because, if it were just Hao Yun, everything would be manageable. But now, looking at Dao Lao, who was drinking the last two bottles of milk in the refrigerator while picking his toes, and Master Gu, who was smiling foolishly at the computer screen, Hao Yun suddenly had a very bad feeling. Oh no! They couldn't be—no, wait? I was afraid that something might happen, so I hid those videos and websites a long time ago, didn't I? Could it be that they found out? But even if they saw it, they wouldn't act like this, right? They are representatives of absolute sacredness and absolute justice, upright and righteous divine officials of the Divine Realm! How could worldly indulgence poison their minds?
So, with a awkward expression, Hao Yun quickly stepped behind the two elderly men to see what was going on. What he found was that, leaving aside whether worldly indulgence could corrupt the minds of the two divine officials, worldly cuisine had indeed deeply affected their minds. Because, what Dao Lao and Master Gu were watching now wasn't any salacious imagery, but the fragrant aroma that could be smelled through the screen, the famous delicacy of Rongjin City that was popular all over the world—butter hotpot.
"Wow, brother Hao! What—what kind of soup is this? It looks both dangerous and very tempting to try!" Master Gu swallowed and asked with anticipation.
"Yeah! Look at the screen, when the host swishes various ingredients in that pot of boiling red-hot water, and then dips them in the sauce and sends them into the mouth, the expression of pain and enjoyment is so difficult to prevent viewers from salivating uncontrollably!" Dao Lao said with a profound air.
"The creatures here are truly fortunate! They can create such delicious delicacies out of thin air. It's a pity that we don't belong here and don't know how to enjoy such delicacies! Coupled with the lack of funds, it's probably only a regret to admire the moon and draw cakes to satisfy hunger, which is really regrettable!" Master Gu shook his head, speaking with envy and regret.
Then, the two old men turned their heads simultaneously, looking at Hao Yun with pitiful eyes, without saying a word. Hao Yun was filled with black lines, enduring his anger, eating eggs while cursing in his heart: These two damn old farts, they're too good at acting, aren't they? How long have you been staring at the screen here? You can't even see the big title of "Exploring the Famous Hotpot Restaurant in Rongjin City" on the screen? You can't understand human text? You're pretending to be confused with me? What bad things did I do in my past life? Letting me meet you two hungry ghosts who can't be satisfied?