Chapter 6: Zheng Yuan’s Thoughts

Li Mingxing sat there for a long time, deep in thought, before finally approaching the beautiful bartender. “I remember my mentor once said that when a skill is upgraded from level one to level two, there are certain tasks to be completed. Are these tasks also managed by my mentor?”

“Only the first task,” the bartender replied. “That task is the final one every mentor assigns to their student. Once it’s done, the bond between them is severed.”

“Where do I pick up my tasks after that?” Li Mingxing’s voice was unusually tense, though he couldn’t say why.

“From me,” she answered calmly. “Actually, you’ve always received your tasks from me. Your mentor merely exercised his privilege to select tasks best suited to you.”

Li Mingxing nodded. Now he understood: a mentor’s role was not only to teach him everything about the hidden world, but also to ensure he started from a higher, better position than most. His current starting point was above that of other heroes, but how much of it was the result of his own effort? He didn’t need to think too hard; if luck hadn’t favored him, he would still be striving endlessly.

Now, with such a good foundation—and with his mentor’s help—he might build something truly solid. Yet, his ambitions were lofty; he yearned to raise himself to the level of ordinary heroes. He realized that if he missed this time to lay a strong foundation, he would have to select all his tasks himself in the future, and it would no longer be so easy to climb so high.

With a sigh, Li Mingxing said to the bartender, “Let me look at the tasks once more.”

She gave him a curious look, but still placed the task list before him. For the first time, Li Mingxing calmed himself and read through every task on the list.

When he finished, he silently pushed the list back to her and rose to leave.

Watching him, the bartender hesitated before calling out, “If you don’t accept a task, even if you bring back the task item, it won’t count.”

Li Mingxing didn’t turn his head. “I didn’t look at the list to find a suitable task. I just wanted to see how far I still have to go.”

He returned to the real world, and it was already past ten at night. Li Mingxing didn’t hurry home; instead, he took out his phone and dialed Zheng Yan.

He didn’t know where Zheng Yan was, but when she answered, she sounded surprised. “Hey, kid, what’s got you in the mood to call me tonight?”

Hearing her voice, Li Mingxing suddenly felt a surge of emotion he couldn’t express. He stood in a daze in the middle of the street.

Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Zheng Yan grew anxious. “Are you alright, kid? Where are you? Do you want me to come find you?”

Without thinking, Li Mingxing blurted, “I’m tired. I want to find a place to rest for a while.”

Zheng Yan was silent for a moment before replying, “Come over to my place. I’m at home right now.”

She gave him her address, and after hanging up, Li Mingxing was startled by what he’d said. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to go to Zheng Yan’s place; instead, he wandered the streets aimlessly.

But while he hesitated, Zheng Yan didn’t forget him. When half an hour passed and he still hadn’t arrived, she began calling him repeatedly.

He wanted to come up with an excuse, but couldn’t find the words. Eventually, under her persistent urging, he made his way to her apartment complex.

At the entrance, he saw Zheng Yan pacing anxiously. Though it was early summer, the night air was still chilly. She had waited so long that her beautiful face was pale from the wind.

But when she saw him, she ran over happily. As she reached him, her excitement faded, replaced by a fierce look. “What’s wrong with you, kid? Trying to mess with your senior, huh? Do you know what time it is? Come on, get inside. I cooked something for you—it’s still warm.”

She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. The apartment was small, just one bedroom and a living room, and Li Mingxing saw something simmering in the kitchen.

From the pile of packaging in the trash, he could tell she’d only recently bought and started cooking the food.

It was obvious that Zheng Yan’s concern for him had grown beyond an ordinary relationship between senior and junior.

She seemed to realize this herself, her cheeks reddening as she explained, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I just got hungry myself, so I cooked a little extra.”

Li Mingxing smiled and said nothing, taking the opportunity to observe the room while she fetched food. He noticed a thin blanket and a large plush dog piled on the sofa.

Just then, Zheng Yan came out holding a bowl. Catching him looking at the sofa, she blushed and hurried to explain, “The dog is what I sleep with. Without it, I can’t sleep well.”

She paused, then added, “You called to say you were tired, right? There’s only one bedroom here, so I’m letting you use it. Sleep as long as you like—no one will disturb you.”

She glanced at him, then set the bowl down abruptly. “Why are you smiling? Don’t like my arrangement? What, do you want me to sleep with you?”

Seeing her feisty demeanor, Li Mingxing finally laughed, pulling her into an embrace and whispering in her ear, “Now that’s the Zheng Yan I know. That shy little woman just now was a bit unfamiliar.”

“You brat, a little kindness and you think you can run wild. If I don’t teach you a lesson tonight, you’ll never know your place.”

Their playful banter only drew them closer.

After eating Zheng Yan’s late-night meal, Li Mingxing was pushed into her small bedroom. Lying on her bed, he felt a rare sense of peace, as if, for the time being, he could forget all the battles and pressures of the hidden world.

After lying in bed for a while, Li Mingxing hesitated, then got up. He pushed open the half-locked door and went to sit beside the sofa.

Zheng Yan was already lying there, clutching her plush dog just as she said she would. When she heard Li Mingxing approach, she sat up. She wore pajamas adorned with puppies, her half-open collar lending her an air of temptation.

But she didn’t seem to care about that, instead asking, “What’s wrong? Can’t sleep?”

Li Mingxing shook his head and sat on the floor. “Zheng Yan, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

Seeing his seriousness, she grew worried and sat upright, watching him closely. “Hey, kid, did you do something?”

“No, not really.” He started to deny it, but seeing her worried expression, he sighed. “It’s nothing, really. Just that I found a difficult job, and the pressure’s huge.”

“What kind of job?” she asked, curious.

Li Mingxing didn’t explain. He pulled out a spare gemstone and placed it before her. “A job where you can use this as a pebble.”

She hesitated, picked up the gemstone, and examined it closely. “Is this real? Kid, you’re not smuggling gems, are you? That’s illegal.”

“Of course not.” Li Mingxing shook his head. “This isn’t worth much. You can treat it as a glass bead.”

“You’re lying,” Zheng Yan said, staring at him intently. “If you still consider me your senior, tell me everything.”

“It’s precisely because you’re my senior that I can’t tell you. All I want to say is, if I get tired, I hope you’ll let me stay here for a few days. If I ever disappear, don’t worry. I might just turn up again after a while.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. If you say that again, I’ll throw you out. I treat you as... as...” She couldn’t finish the sentence, realizing she didn’t even know how she truly felt about Li Mingxing.

Hearing her words, he was stunned. He hadn’t expected the bold and spirited Zheng Yan to react this way. Faced with her vulnerability, all his thoughts retreated, and the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly awkward.