He kneaded Director-General Shen's shoulders.
Unfortunately, he couldn't have her lie flat on her back for a thoroughly satisfying blind massage.
His technique was just right, causing Director-General Shen, whose eyes were already half-closed, to squint even further.
Even her breathing seemed to become much smoother.
“...making the esteemed Director-General Shen find the Bai Xiaodu before her increasingly pleasing to the eye, to the point where she can't resist the urge to quickly recruit him, handpick a deity suited to his talent, meticulously map out his future path, and waste no time grooming him so he can take over as her successor.”
Director-General Shen opened her eyes.
Of course, the words above were not what she was thinking.
She tilted her snow-white neck slightly, forcing Bai Xiaodu to adjust his hand placement.
“Do you always provide narration with your massages?”
Bai Xiaodu said with a serious face, “A massage therapist needs to be smooth-tongued. By the way, Director-General Shen, I'm also really good at giving body scrubs. Would you like to try? Don't worry, as long as it's your request, it's completely free. If you're worried about my character, I can wear sunglasses and you can just pretend it's a second-floor blind massage service...”
Director-General Shen closed her eyes again, pretending she hadn't heard Bai Xiaodu's words.
Her beautiful face remained completely unfazed, calm as a placid lake.
However, the slight shift of her shoulders and the 0.1 increase in her Affection value gave her away.
Bai Xiaodu didn't press further, only subtly adjusting the pressure of his hands.
Work hard, live well.
Right now, he was massaging Director-General Shen, so his job was to massage Director-General Shen.
If the client was unhappy, it was his responsibility to cheer her up.
Of course, that was Bai Xiaodu's thought before Director-General Shen let twenty minutes pass without telling him to stop.
Director-General Shen finally sat up.
Bai Xiaodu stopped accordingly. His hands were sore, and he was quite annoyed.
He didn't know what rank Director-General Shen was, but her skin had a peculiar resilience to it.
This kind of client was the hardest to massage.
He wanted to frantically take a few deep breaths over his hands to gross her out, but he didn't quite dare.
He could only continue to be annoyed.
Bai Xiaodu glared fiercely at his hands. Just wait until I get home, then I'll deal with you.
Director-General Shen made no comment on this little interlude.
She calmly adjusted the buttons of her suit, smoothing out the wrinkles on her shoulders caused by the massage.
Lowering her head, she pulled out a stack of numerous and complex documents.
Only one or two belonged to Pingshan District. Bai Xiaodu couldn't make out the logos of the other cities.
Just as he tried to stretch his neck to get a better look, her signature indifferent voice drifted into his ears.
“You will die on the evening of April 27th, during an ascension ceremony for the Warlock transcendent class.”
Bai Xiaodu's wandering wine-red eyes froze.
He found it somewhat unbelievable and turned his head to look at Director-General Shen in utter confusion.
But she merely repeated her words.
“You will die on the evening of April 27th, during an ascension ceremony for the Warlock transcendent class.”
Bai Xiaodu took a deep breath.
What an interesting way to die.
April 27th was about half a month from now, a very precise timing.
Based on his current progress, he should be able to reach Proficient rank in about three spells by then.
Even after putting in so much effort, would a mere Tier 1 Warlock ascension ceremony still claim his life?
The heavens are truly unjust...
Director-General Shen watched him quietly, observing his face shift from a moment of confusion to anger, and even to a fierce hostility.
Then, she spoke softly.
“I think you've misunderstood something.”
“What?”
“Why do you assume that this ascension ceremony is yours?”
Bai Xiaodu choked back the deep breath he had just taken, quickly pasting on his habitual professional smile.
This woman always paused dramatically at the most crucial moments.
It felt like she just wanted to see his reaction. What a twisted sense of humor.
Director-General Shen continued, “You know that the Federation's current mortal enemies are the machine civilization, pure-blood dragons, and the Scourge Zerg, right?”
Bai Xiaodu nodded.
“There are also the Starry Void Beasts, but since they don't form large-scale groups and don't solely target the Federation, they aren't always included in the statistics.”
Director-General Shen nodded in agreement.
“The machine civilization and pure-blood dragons are the most intelligent and cunning enemies. They excel at disguise and infiltration, causing countless small regions to fall, and even medium-to-large cities have not escaped this fate.
“The Warlock ascension ceremony that will cause your death is being planned by a lifeform belonging to the Skyborne race of the machine civilization.”
Bai Xiaodu's breathing quickened slightly.
Did Director-General Shen mean she was going to help him avoid his death in advance?
Her predictions were indeed formidable. In gaming terms, she was a top-tier information source.
“Do you have more information about this? Perhaps it would give me a better chance of winning.”
Director-General Shen smiled faintly.
“Of course.
“Awuna, genderless, of the machine civilization's Skyborne race. Rank 0.9. ID number is 1102922920029201B. Currently residing in Room 202, Unit 2, Building 6, Xingfu Estate, Gongshan Road in the West Sector of Pingshan District. Contact number is 27339654889. The contact signal is thirty-three knocks on the balcony window of Room 202 at 3:30 AM.”
Holy crap, doxxed again.
Hearing those strings of familiar yet foreign numbers, Bai Xiaodu was filled with awe.
Director-General Shen was a true master of doxxing.
At this moment, the last shred of doubt Bai Xiaodu had about his own info being leaked completely vanished.
Without any hesitation, he immediately said, “For the people of the Federation, we cannot allow the enemies of the machine civilization to continue harming them. Let's go kill him!”
Director-General Shen was in no hurry.
“Killing him is easy, but gathering the materials needed for the ceremony is difficult. Just the common materials alone start at three million credits.
“Not to mention, many of the materials for this ascension ceremony are unique to the machine civilization. Although they aren't exceptionally powerful or rare on their own, they are still hard to come by.
“If this ceremony can be utilized by the Federation, it would be far better than simply killing a Rank 0.9 Skyborne.”
Bai Xiaodu blinked, instantly catching her drift.
But instead of spelling it out, he asked tentatively, “So, what do you mean?”
Director-General Shen rested her head on one hand while her other hand slowly stroked Bai Xiaodu's fox ears.
They were fluffy, with soft cartilage inside, and felt incredibly satisfying to squeeze.
She spoke very calmly.
“I think you can take his place. I still have a few vacant positions under me and have been struggling to find capable subordinates. Perhaps once you ascend to a Tier 1 Warlock, you'll be able to shoulder the responsibilities of the position.”
Awesome!
She was practically dragging him up the career ladder!
Having lived two lives—especially since his previous life was on the Blue Planet—Bai Xiaodu desired nothing more than to climb the ranks.
His eyes instantly lit up, and he snapped to attention.
His wine-red eyes were incredibly sincere. Bai Xiaodu was certain that his gaze right now was even more steadfast than when he had lied to the older sister who sold phones, telling her 'I love you' in his past life.
“I swear my life and loyalty to Director-General Shen!”
Without changing her posture, Director-General Shen swept her gaze up and down over him.
“There will be danger. You need to think it through.
“Also, you seem to be on good terms with the second young lady of the Vampire Clan?”
Startled, Bai Xiaodu finally realized who she was referring to.
“You mean Xin Hai'an?”
She nodded in confirmation.
“Send her my regards. And tell her that there is a mole within Pingshan District's Vampire Clan trading with the machine civilization, and they must be rooted out without mercy.”
Rate on N.U.
