Lang Lin was still reeling, his heart pounding with excitement. That money wasn't even in his account yet, but soon it would be—and by then, it would be even more. How could he not be thrilled?
"Calm down…" he muttered, closing the Star E-Books site and opening Weipo.
Now there were comments. Lots of them—from readers who had bought the e-book. Nearly every single one praised it as incredibly exciting, begging for volume two as soon as possible. Some even confessed they'd stayed up all night reading, not even stopping for food or water.
For the first time, Lang Lin felt a pang of concern for his fans. He hadn't expected such an extreme reaction. But this only proved one thing—his future works would sell like wildfire. Even if some volumes were weaker, once his name was established, readers would flock to them regardless.
Not that his works would be weak, of course. Every single one was a guaranteed bestseller—from another dimension.
"I should thank them properly," he decided, "for supporting me and pushing my novel to the number one spot in the e-book rankings—in just a single night."
He had already seen the weekly sales chart on Star E-Books: his title was at the top, displayed prominently on the homepage. Such rankings practically guaranteed even more sales. Who could resist the number-one book of the week? People wouldn't hesitate to spend their money. It was proof of quality—nothing reached the top spot unless it was truly good.
For most authors, the path to such heights was paved with sleepless nights, endless revisions, and years of struggle. But for Lang Lin, it was as if he were strolling through a candy land of effortless sweetness. He would never understand the pain real writers endured.
After posting his thank-you note, he didn't bother waiting for the storm of replies. He already knew they would go wild.
"E-book sales are soaring," he said to himself. "But my handmade books need to be just as polished. Packaging matters."
Glancing at the date, he realized the handmade copies would take several more days. He opened an online shopping site and placed a bulk order for one thousand shipping boxes, each with protective padding. Buying in bulk online was far cheaper than relying on the post office, and much more convenient.
He also ordered a printer—there was no way he'd handwrite five hundred addresses by himself. Better to print labels and tape them on.
Knock, knock!
He turned at the sound. Unsurprisingly, it was Zhang Bao. Who else would it be?
"What is it?" Lang Lin asked flatly.
"Uh… Boss, it's noon already. Time for lunch. And… the fridge is empty," Zhang Bao said, rubbing his belly.
Lang Lin's expression darkened. "I thought it was something serious. Turns out you're just hungry—and right on schedule." He glanced at the clock: noon, exactly. Zhang Bao was like a child who never missed mealtime.
If not for him, Lang Lin might have forgotten to eat altogether, too absorbed in his screen.
Was it really the right decision to take him in? Or did I just adopt a glutton?
Still, he handed Zhang Bao some cash. The giant's eyes widened when he saw the amount: one thousand yuan. Enough to buy a mountain of food. But in Zhang Bao's hands, it would vanish into his stomach soon enough.
"Thanks, Boss!" he beamed, bowing before bounding off like an overgrown child.
Lang Lin sighed. "I must have been crazy, thinking he could help me with work. Right, little rabbit?"
Meeew! The little rabbit hopped over and nodded solemnly. It hadn't forgotten the sight of Zhang Bao devouring food like a beast. If this continued, the rabbit would end up starving.
It shook its head helplessly, then curled up in Lang Lin's lap and promptly fell asleep.
"You… are just too cute." Lang Lin stroked its silky fur, then turned back to his laptop.
Before long, Zhang Bao returned, arms full of groceries. His face dripped with sweat, but he was grinning ear to ear.
—Cluck, cluck!
A rooster's crow echoed in the yard.
Lang Lin frowned. Aside from the rabbit, he hadn't raised any animals. Where was that sound coming from?
Meeew! Setting the rabbit aside, he rose and stepped outside.
The sight made his eyes widen.
Zhang Bao stood in the backyard, holding two chickens by the neck. The rest of the groceries had already been set in the kitchen.
"Bao… why did you buy chickens?" Lang Lin asked.
"To cook, of course!" Zhang Bao said proudly, lifting them higher. The chickens flapped wildly, scattering feathers across the yard.
"Cook them?"
"Yes, Boss. Look—these two are plump and healthy. They're Emperor Chickens!"
Lang Lin nearly fainted. Emperor Chickens? They're just regular chickens! The price had to be outrageous. He braced himself. "How much?"
"One hundred yuan each."
"WHAT?!" Lang Lin exploded. "A hundred yuan apiece? I wouldn't even pay twenty! Bao, are you stupid or insane, buying ordinary chickens for that price? Do you think I'm made of money?"
Zhang Bao lowered his head, ashamed. He had believed the shopkeeper's words—that these were "Emperor Chickens."
Seeing his dejected face, Lang Lin sighed and waved it off. He didn't want to fight over poultry. "Fine. You've bought them already. Just… be more careful next time."
"Yes, Boss! I'll remember!" Zhang Bao grinned, flashing crooked teeth. Lang Lin rolled his eyes. Who knew if the fool even understood?
The truth was, he couldn't spend recklessly. His Star E-Books earnings wouldn't be transferred until the end of the month. For now, he was still living off income from handmade book sales. If Zhang Bao wasted money like this every day, they wouldn't last long.
Crunch!
The sharp sound of bones snapping broke his thoughts. He turned to see Zhang Bao twist both chickens' necks in one motion, muscles bulging in his arms. For him, it was effortless. For Lang Lin, in his frail state, even one chicken would've taken both hands.
Slice!
The knife cut cleanly through their throats. Blood spilled into a waiting basin.
Blood…
Lang Lin froze.
Yes—that was it!
He suddenly remembered the vial of ancient bone giant's blood stored inside his dimensional ring. And in that instant, he knew exactly what to do with it.