The night falls, and West State City's lights begin to glow.
The fried chicken shop is brightly lit, filled with the aroma of high-calorie food. There are many customers, bustling and chatting with lively energy.
In the booth in the corner, Fang Xiaoyu is dressed casually, with her hair in a bun, chattering nonstop to vent.
"…I don't even know how long I've been working overtime!
"Before entering the Immortal Technique Committee, I thought this job would be pretty leisurely.
"Who the hell knew it would be so intense, it's just unreasonable…"
Bai Mo sits across from her, nibbling on his original recipe chicken, noticing Fang Xiaoyu's complexion is truly not good. Her face is sallow, with dark circles under her eyes, overworked, and lacking energy.
Fang Xiaoyu takes a sip of cola to moisten her throat and continues to vent.
"That family in the Fuqing Hotel, their celebration turned into a mourning, many died, many crippled, many injured.
"For every person, every household, we have to discuss confidentiality agreements, compensation, have conversations, sign contracts!"
At this point, Fang Xiaoyu instinctively looks around, lowering her voice.
"You know, I'm really about to die from exhaustion; I don't know how many calls I've made or how many contracts I've printed, and most importantly, people are injured, crippled, they have emotions, they cry on the phone for over half an hour, and I can't hang up!
"People will also curse, they'll curse me on the phone for over half an hour, and I still can't hang up…"
This girl in her twenties, graduated from college and joined the Immortal Technique Committee right after passing the exam. These days of high-intensity work have nearly driven her insane, she's venting like a submachine gun.
"Those hundreds of people are infected by Blood Qi of Ancient Immortals. Although they've been released from control, there's still residue in their bodies. They're still in the Committee's medical department, receiving treatment from Professor Zhang and his colleagues. The procedures, communications, and a bunch of administrative work actually got tangled with me...
"I'm almost going crazy!
"Luckily, I shamelessly begged the director for a day off to come find you to vent!"
Bai Mo doesn't know how to comfort her; hesitating for a moment, he sees the girl already munching on a chicken fillet, taking a bite with a crescent shape, devouring half a chicken fillet in two bites. Her red lip stain turns glassy as she chews with satisfaction, eyes slightly squinted… no comfort needed.
The two of them eat while casually chatting about things outside work.
Bai Mo wipes his mouth corner and suddenly thinks about his fox apprentice. Only White Ears, White Gloves, and Flying Legs have tasted fried chicken; the other nine thousand nine hundred ninety-seven apprentices haven't yet. If he could arrange fried chicken for all of them, it would be great!
Bai Mo is tempted; he takes out his phone and checks his WeChat balance. This month's salary combined with various random subsidies adds up to hundreds of thousands. Looking at the fried chicken shop's menu, original recipe chicken is ten yuan a piece.
If every apprentice tries a piece of fried chicken, he would immediately become poor again. The 'Fox Mountain Fried Chicken Popularization Plan' will have to wait.
Bai Mo sighs and puts his phone back in his pocket.
Suddenly, sitting across from him, Fang Xiaoyu's complexion suddenly turns red, her eyebrows furrow and eyes widen, she pulls out her vibrating phone from her pocket!
It's her work phone!
After finally getting a day off, work messages again!
Can life go on like this?
She takes a couple of breaths, unlocks her phone screen.
Taking a glance, she feels somewhat relieved.
"It's not the Fuqing Hotel's matter...
"Expert Bai Mo, the Committee wishes to request your help."
She sits up straight, her expression shifting from 'friends gathering to vent about work intensity' mode to 'Expert Bai Mo's secretary' mode.
"During the Immortal Grass Cultivation Base ribbon-cutting event, your Pet Beast discovered the kind of Red Line Insect early on.
"The Committee wishes to ask if your Pet Beast could make a round in the association to check if there are still any Red Line Insects?
"Of course, there is compensation for this.
"We all understand, asking a Pet Beast to work requires a cost.
"We can discuss this cost, we can bear it on your behalf."
Bai Mo furrows his brows.
Cost?
Fang Xiaoyu looks at the message on her phone and shifts from 'Expert Bai Mo's secretary' mode to 'gossip-loving colleague' mode.
"The Committee also asked Master Chong and Master Hu Gou among others.
"Their Gu Insects, Pet Beasts, or other supernatural beings can help, but the costs are a bit outrageous.
"Master Chong's Gu Insect wants a live human! Damn, what kind of black magic is this?
"Master Hu Gou's stray dog Pet Beast wants two tons of blood.
"The president means if your cost is hard to meet, he'll coordinate with a blood bank to invite Master Hu Gou for assistance."
Bai Mo ponders for a moment; looking at the plate with only one piece of original recipe chicken left, he makes up his mind.
"My Pet Beast is quite special. The cost needed… it's actually considerable.
"It's just, fried chicken!"
Fang Xiaoyu furrows her brows, wondering if she heard wrong.
She looks at Bai Mo's face, his expression very serious.
She looks at Bai Mo's finger, pointing to that piece of original recipe chicken.
She hears Bai Mo speak again.
"But… it has to be ten thousand pieces!"
…
The sun shines brightly, with a gentle breeze.
At the entrance of the Immortal Technique Committee, Director Zhang, a middle-aged man with a general's belly in charge of logistics, along with a dozen Immortal Technique Committee members, smilingly welcomed Bai Mo off the car.
"Expert Bai Mo, today you'll have to work hard.
"Oh dear, I've always found your Pet Beast quite impressive and particularly pleasant. Unexpectedly, the cost for asking it to step in is so adorable, so down-to-earth! Hahaha.
"Rest assured, I've contacted the parent company of that shop; they will soon deliver a batch of the freshest chicken, using the best oil, fried by the most skilled chefs."
Bai Mo feels a bit guilty, nods and exchanges a few polite words with a smile.
White mist rises at his feet, and Peach Blossom Eyes emerges from within. It has known today's task in advance and emerges from the mist, restraining its anticipation and drool, standing upright, puffing out its chest, baring its teeth, glaring its eyes, lifting its tail, showing a professional demeanor!
Before coming today, it had washed its eyes in advance!
These Committee buildings, along with that piece of wasteland herb garden, will be patrolled with absolute seriousness; don't even mention Red Line Insects, even a speck of Red Line Insect droppings will not be allowed!
Some Immortal Technique Committee members tighten their muscles instinctively upon seeing this fiery red fox. They know of some cases and have seen fugitives killed by this fox, aware of its terrors.
Others can't help but take a few more glances, wanting to see what's special about this fox.
In fact, if pressed, it doesn't seem much different from foxes in a zoo.
The biggest difference is its chubbiness! Entirely rotund, plump to the point of having no neck, it's much fatter than zoo foxes!
No wonder it can eat ten thousand pieces of fried chicken.