Chapter 5

On Friday, it was Xu Qiao’s turn to work the night shift, from 8 PM to 8 AM.

With the physical constitution of ability users, staying up all night once a week wouldn’t negatively affect their bodies.

After finishing breakfast and getting some rest, Xu Qiao changed into sportswear and began running laps around the Ping’an community.

After running twenty kilometers in an hour, Xu Qiao returned home, drenched in sweat. After a quick shower, it was just past nine.

There was movement outside in the small yard again. Xu Qiao grabbed her tablet and went to the living room balcony. Through the glass window, she noticed that the workers today were the same middle-aged couple she had seen yesterday. They had switched their dusty truck for a shabby-looking transport vehicle, which had a driver sitting inside.

The couple got out of the car, and the woman in work clothes noticed Xu Qiao inside. She smiled and nodded.

Xu Qiao smiled back.

The couple soon disappeared outside the building, but Xu Qiao felt the driver, dressed in all black, staring at her. Maintaining her composure, she looked around at the potted fruits and vegetables before turning and sitting on the sofa.

She had seen Qin Chi’s design plans, and various soft furnishings would not only take up more space than building materials but also be expensive and require careful handling. Therefore, rather than sending multiple trucks from manufacturers who were who-knows-how-far away, which would expose their client’s financial status, it was better to use a compact, concealable space crystal nucleus to do things discreetly.

Since the husband and wife focused on renovations, their combat abilities weren’t very strong, so the company had specially sent a bodyguard driver.

This showed just how precious space crystals were.

Xu Qiao couldn’t help but send Lu Yang a message: 【Don’t say, don’t use, don’t expose.】

Once such wealth was exposed, it could invite deadly trouble. She didn’t even dare mention it in her message, fearing that the communications department might intercept certain keywords.

Lu Yang replied: 【Got it.】

Lu Yang was indeed quite stable and reliable, which put Xu Qiao at ease. She opened her tablet and entered a mercenary forum.

The forum had several sections, such as exchanges, transactions, recruitment, and bounties, where nearly all ability users registered accounts.

Xu Qiao often browsed the exchange area, where the Mercenary Association published the latest beast, plant, and insect charts and danger zone maps, keeping them pinned permanently. Kind-hearted mercenaries would share experiences from exploring, collecting, and combat, while others would publicly criticize underperforming teammates or lambast rival mercenary teams for hoarding resources.

Xu Qiao could learn from the technical posts and understand the character of mercenaries from the bounty posts. Regardless of their truthfulness, it was wise to stay cautious if she ever encountered a notorious mercenary.

After Uncle Lu’s passing, Xu Qiao became a regular in the recruitment area.

The members of professional mercenary teams were generally fixed, with new recruits only being absorbed after casualties, and they had to be professional mercenaries as well.

Xu Qiao, who primarily worked within the base and only took on basic tasks once every six months, was considered a part-time mercenary.

Older part-time mercenaries usually had established teams, but with each year bringing a new batch of fresh graduates from military academies, some of these rookies with connections could rely on friends or relatives, while those without connections and lacking strong abilities had to band together with fellow novices.

Combat-type mercenaries valued ability strength and experience, while healing-type mercenaries mainly focused on medical licenses and experience.

Xu Qiao had a legitimate C-level medical license and worked at a well-known clinic, Huashi, in the second ring, making her quite sought after among the rookie mercenaries.

However, being a “sought-after” candidate meant she wanted to pick a team with both strong abilities and good character.

Strength could be judged by the stars next to their ID, but character could only be initially assessed through black posts and observations during interviews.

As Xu Qiao browsed through the posts, jotting down potential mercenary teams on paper, she suddenly noticed a new private message when she looked up.

She clicked on it.

Zhao Feng: [I did a long-term mission with my uncle at the northwest base last autumn. I just returned a few days ago. I heard Uncle Lu passed away. Haven’t you done any tasks in the last six months?]

Xu Qiao was at a loss for words at first.

She attended the same university as Zhao Feng at the Third Military Academy. Zhao Feng had a Snow Wolf spirit and was a B-level ice-type ability user.

He was a prominent figure among combat-type mercenaries, and after hearing about a healing-type beauty with a Lotus spirit, he came to check things out. After that, he persistently pursued Xu Qiao. It was only thanks to Uncle Lu’s intervention that Zhao Feng began to back off and stopped chasing her around Ping’an Community.

Zhao Feng’s defining characteristic was his love for showing off; his first message not only mentioned his A-level uncle but also boasted about completing a long-distance mission.

However, Zhao Feng indeed had the capital to show off.

Xu Qiao glanced at the two silver stars next to Zhao Feng’s ID. The silver indicated that he was a B-level ability user, and the two stars meant he had accumulated at least fifty contribution points.

Every time a mercenary took on a task of the same level, they earned one contribution point, and the points doubled with each higher level.

Zhao Feng was a professional mercenary. Xu Qiao hovered her mouse over his silver stars, and a pop-up showed that Zhao Feng’s specific contribution points were “251.”

Having graduated together, Zhao Feng was already at the mid-level of two stars, while Xu Qiao had not even fully filled one copper star, with her meager “3” contribution points.

Zhao Feng: [I don’t mean anything bad. Even though I had some disagreements with Uncle Lu, every professional mercenary who dares to venture out deserves respect. I’m not gloating; I just want to help you.]

Zhao Feng: [Xu Qiao, I’m different now than when we were in school. I won’t pursue you shamelessly anymore. We’re alumni after all, and I don’t want you to get into trouble by picking the wrong team. Besides, I’ve formed a B-level team myself, and you’d be a welcome healer.]

Xu Qiao: [Don’t you have your own healer?]

Zhao Feng: [We do, but you can never have too many healers.]

Xu Qiao wanted to laugh; healers in the base were precious. Outside the base, they were both a treasure and a burden, so small teams would only recruit one healer. Having more than that would risk being unable to protect all the healers.

Xu Qiao: [Thanks for the kind offer, but I’ve already found a team. It wouldn’t be appropriate to switch now.]

Zhao Feng: [There’s always a risk of danger outside the base, so don’t be reckless.]

Xu Qiao: [I won’t take risks when it comes to life.]

Zhao Feng: [Alright, if you change your mind later, you can contact me anytime.]
—-
After browsing the posts in the morning and taking a nap in the afternoon, Xu Qiao’s alarm went off at six o’clock, waking her up on time.

She turned off the alarm and disabled the silent mode on her communication bracelet. Immediately, two messages popped up.

16:45, Qin Chi: [Didn’t go to work today? I saw your bicycle.]

18:01, Lu Yang: [Are you awake?]

Xu Qiao replied to Lu Yang first, then to Qin Chi: [Yeah, I have a night shift tonight and just woke up from my nap. Did Mr. Qin move in?]

Qin Chi: [Yes, we’ll be neighbors from now on. I prepared gifts for you and Lu Yang. Is it convenient to deliver them now?]

Gifts for moving in?

Xu Qiao was taken aback for a few seconds: [Thank you, just a moment.]

She quickly changed her clothes and washed her face. Since she had never interacted with such polite neighbors before, Xu Qiao hesitated for a few minutes about whether to prepare a return gift. Ultimately, she chose to give up because she didn’t have anything worthy to offer.
—-
Having seen the luxury of the Qin family’s renovations, she felt embarrassed even to offer lemon slices.

Wearing slippers, she opened the door and found the door of 102 across the hall wide open. Just as Xu Qiao was amazed by the bright and luxurious decor inside, she heard the sound of steady footsteps, and Qin Chi walked over from the living room. He was wearing a dark gray long-sleeved T-shirt, holding an exquisite gift bag in his left hand and a white porcelain vase in his right.

The vase was filled with four or five delicate pink peony flowers.

Those were precious flowers that Xu Qiao had only seen in books or on television.

Although it was getting dark, Xu Qiao felt that the dim stairwell became brighter because of those few pink peonies.

Qin Chi noticed her surprise and felt pleased that he could bring such joy to his young neighbor, explaining, “The flower basket I ordered was too crowded, so I picked some out, thinking you might like them, Miss Xu.”

Xu Qiao nodded instinctively, “I like them. I’ve never seen such beautiful real flowers up close before.”

The fruits and vegetables she grew could also bloom, and they could brighten her mood, but peonies were an entirely different type of flower.

She sincerely complimented him, but suddenly, her spiritual entity stirred in her mind. Xu Qiao was taken aback and quickly concentrated to suppress her spiritual entity, casually adding, “Maybe only some floral spiritual entities can overshadow your peonies.”

Qin Chi was first surprised by her somewhat abrupt comment, then he quickly understood.

Xu Qiao, who was only at his chin height, didn’t notice the subtle and fleeting change in her new neighbor’s expression. She took the gift bag and the peonies, expressing her gratitude once again.

Qin Chi: “Just a small gesture, no need to be polite. I’ll give Lu Yang’s gift to him in person when he comes back.”

A delicious aroma wafted from behind Qin Chi. He smiled and said, “I’m cooking. Have you eaten yet, Miss Xu? If you don’t mind, you can try my cooking.”

Xu Qiao thought of the single chair and table in his restaurant and realized this was just polite conversation. She quickly replied, “No, we provide two meals for the night shift staff at our clinic.”

Qin Chi nodded, “Alright, I’ll get back to cooking then. See you next time.”

He retreated to the hallway, smiling as he closed the door.

Xu Qiao sighed in relief. Dealing with a new neighbor always brought some pressure.
—-
Back in her home, just as Xu Qiao closed the door, her lotus spiritual entity popped out on its own, intentionally leaning against the vase of peonies. The five peonies clustered together barely matched the size of its flower head.

The white with pink lotus stood gracefully, its four green leaves swaying slightly as if asking Xu Qiao who was more beautiful.

Spiritual entities were a part of ability users, like hands and feet, and were definitely under the control of the user’s consciousness. However, spiritual entities could also have their own little temperaments. It was said that this temperament related to the personality of the ability user—either mirroring their frequently exhibited traits or revealing a side that was deeply suppressed.

Xu Qiao was puzzled; she wasn’t vain at all, so why did her spiritual entity have a competitive streak about beauty with other flowers?

“Of course, you’re more beautiful. You’re the most beautiful!” Xu Qiao hugged her spiritual entity and kissed it, laughing, “I’m just being polite with Mr. Qin; it’s social etiquette, so don’t take it to heart. Now, go back quickly; don’t let anyone see you.”

Hearing the compliment, the lotus obediently returned to Xu Qiao’s body.

She placed the peonies on the coffee table and opened the gift bag from Qin Chi.

Inside, there was actually a set of lotus leaf green porcelain tableware!

The exquisite porcelain was considered artwork in the Old Era, and it became even more precious in the New Era—beautiful and valuable, Xu Qiao couldn’t bear to use it.

She carefully stored the set of porcelain in the storage cabinet in her bedroom.

Before heading to work, Xu Qiao watered the peonies in the vase with a bit of wood-type ability, hoping to extend their blooming period for a few more days.

Pushing her bicycle onto the road, Xu Qiao inadvertently glanced at the window of 102.

The light golden curtains were tightly closed, blocking the prying eyes of passersby.

Xu Qiao didn’t think much of it and rode off on her bicycle.

Meanwhile, in the living room of 102, a giant dragon covered in golden-red scales opened its mouth wide and bit down on a bright orange rose.

Seeing the beautiful flower but finding it contained no absorbable energy, the dragon displayed a look of disdain and spat the flower out.

Qin Chi emerged from the kitchen carrying two plates of food and was greeted by the sight of flowers strewn all over the floor.

He frowned.

The dragon shot a golden-red fireball at him.

Qin Chi let the fireball hit him, instantly absorbing it.

Facing the fierce dragon head looming close, Qin Chi calmly said, “You wanted to come out for some fresh air. If you dare to damage even one flower or blade of grass here again, I won’t hesitate to exert more effort to suppress you.”

The fierceness in the dragon’s eyes immediately turned into docility, and it obediently shrank its body, curling up on the single sofa in the living room.