Chapter 27: The Twenty-Seventh Cup

Chapter 27: The Twenty-Seventh Cup

Master Zhi Yin displayed his skill tree.

He Wuning looked at the description of his default skill activated at level 1, and his expression was quite complex—

Hair Hardening: Hardens one's hair to a hardness comparable to steel.

Truly a useless skill among useless skills.

Not only could he only manipulate his own hair, but unless someone was adept at headbutting, most people would find this ability almost entirely useless except for vividly demonstrating what "hair standing on end with anger" meant.

Xue Xun and Yi Luo had somehow positioned themselves on either side of him, all three of them stroking their chins as they stared at Master Zhi Yin's skill tree, each with a similarly complex expression on their faces.

Master Zhi Yin, true to being a monk who practiced Buddhism, wore an indifferent expression that seemed to disregard everything. He held his milk tea, waiting for their verdict.

Xue Xun looked a bit nervous and glanced at "the primary doctor" He Wuning, asking, "What do you think? Is there any hope?"

He Wuning thought for a moment. "It can be changed. Two options."

"Change it to use other people's hair, or... change it to body hair."

Master Zhi Yin was silent for a while. He lowered his head, pulled up his pant leg, and looked at his leg, considering seriously, "If I choose body hair, would my legs then have the power of a spiked club?"

"Better to use someone else's hair," Xue Xun pointed to the subsequent skills on the skill tree, "look at these control skills, it's better to use longer hair... more proper, right?"

He Wuning lifted an eyelid. "Not necessarily."

"After I modify his skill tree, all subsequent skill points will require fragments. It's possible that the later skills won't even unlock, so focusing on current enhancements is more important."

Master Zhi Yin scratched his head, hesitating, "But if I choose someone else's hair, I can't exactly swing a person around by their head in a fight..."

The three of them fell into a brief silence before Yi Luo finally spoke up, "Master, have you considered that hair can be cut off?"

Master Zhi Yin silently met his gaze for a moment, then solemnly clasped his hands, "You're right. Have you considered..."

Yi Luo smiled, "No worries, it's just a common thought from someone who's been to a barbershop."

Xue Xun closed his eyes in exasperation, "You deserve to be roasted alive. You're the only one with a mouth, huh?"

"This ability, even if not for a monk, has significant limitations." He Wuning glanced over, "You can only attack with your own hair. It's like asking you to stick your head out for monsters to chop off. With such restrictions, how absurd must your physical condition be?"

"I've trained since childhood, so indeed, my physical condition is much better than average." Master Zhi Yin looked at his palm, which was nearly the size of He Wuning's head.

This was evident from his sturdy arms. They didn't have the exaggerated muscles of gym-goers but looked very solid, giving off an ancient sense of strength.

Master Zhi Yin thought for a moment and said, "If we use game values to explain, when I entered the game, my level 1 health was 2000."

He Wuning's eyebrows twitched, "...And now?"

Master Zhi Yin answered truthfully, "Now, after awakening at level 1, my health is 3000."

He Wuning closed his eyes, and Yi Luo, completely oblivious to the mood, asked him, "What about you?"

He Wuning gave him a silent look, then turned away, answering expressionlessly, "300."

The disparity between people was somewhat ridiculous.

Master Zhi Yin's gaze instantly carried a hint of sympathy.

Yi Luo chuckled, "With 300 health, even after awakening, I had 1800. How can you be worse than a ranged class?"

He Wuning looked annoyed, "Mind your own business."

Xue Xun stepped in to smooth things over, "Brother He put all his points into agility. My health is similar to Brother He's. Yi Luo, don't laugh; as the top fighter in the combat department, can't you handle close combat?"

"Sure—" Yi Luo smiled, "I just think our Brother He is indeed delicate and..."

He Wuning suddenly turned and punched him, but Yi Luo caught his fist quickly.

They stared at each other for a moment, and He Wuning withdrew his hand with a cold snort, looking straight ahead, "Childish."

As if he hadn't been the one to throw the first punch.

Xue Xun shook his head and waved his hand, "Then let's use hair?"

"Let Brother He modify it first. I'll go ask if anyone is willing to lend some hair."

"Hold on a moment! I'll be right back!"

He hurriedly went inside the building.

Xue Xun was always the good-natured type who could talk to anyone. Regardless of whether it was his responsibility or not, he never refused to help, making He Wuning often forget what his actual job was.

He suddenly remembered and asked, "What is Xue Xun's awakening ability?"

"I initially thought it was appraisal, but later found out he seems to send items to the technical department for appraisal."

Yi Luo also paused, "Don't know."

"But maybe he hasn't left the safe zone and hasn't leveled up yet, so he hasn't awakened?"

He Wuning nodded, putting aside the topic for now and focused on Master Zhi Yin's fragment.

The fragment Master Zhi Yin brought was also 5%, and changing his entire skill tree required 4%.

Yi Luo still seemed a bit unhappy, "Why is it more expensive than mine?"

He Wuning ignored him completely. The fragment merged with the key, and He Wuning reached out, gently tapping the skill.

Familiar scenes reshaped and flashed before his eyes, followed by the drop of a black iron bracelet identical to the Administrator's Key.

The Master put on the bracelet somewhat uncertainly, flexing his wrist as he asked, "Is this it?"

He said solemnly, "If I am fortunate enough to obtain more fragments in the future, I will certainly give them to you; 1% is still too little."

He Wuning waved his hand, "Test the ability first."

Master Zhi Yin's gaze swept over their heads, causing both He Wuning and Yi Luo's hair to suddenly sprout stiff tufts at their crowns.

He Wuning: "..."

He reached up to press down the stiff strands on his head, his expression darkening as he gritted his teeth, "What I meant was, wait for Xue Xun to come back before you try."

"Let my hair down."

Yi Luo, however, had no qualms about his image. He touched the tip of his hair, "It's quite hard."

He suddenly tilted his head, pointing the sharp tip of his hair at He Wuning, "Come on, shall we fence?"

He Wuning: "..."

Before He Wuning could lash out in anger and commit a crime, Xue Xun returned carrying a cloth bag. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and called out from afar, "I'm here! I got the hair!"

"Huh, that's a lot," Yi Luo, completely unaware that he had narrowly escaped a disaster, approached and peeked into the bag, "Our combat department has some pretty thick hair, huh?"

The bag contained mostly black and flaxen hair, with a bit of silver mixed in, indicating its owner was not young.

Xue Xun pointed to the hair in the bag, catching his breath, "I asked girls with longer hair for it. Sister Zhao shaved her head right there, and several girls from the tech department cut their braids. Oh, someone must have spread the word that collecting hair can help fight monsters, even Teacher Yan sent some hair. This bit of white is hers, take a look!"

"And here's a big bunch from Xiao Yao. If someone hadn't stopped her, she would have pulled off her bangs too!"

"If I hadn't run fast, they would have brought a cart full!"

He Wuning thought he was exaggerating, but then a girl holding a braid appeared behind him, shouting, "Director Xue! Are you the one who needs hair? Can it really help fight monsters? Mine is hard!"

Xue Xun laughed and sighed, "Enough, enough, let's try it first!"

"My dear ladies, please leave some hair for yourselves!"

She handed the hair to him generously, "Then try it a few times! You wouldn't believe it, but the girls at the treatment center and trading center, those who couldn't join the combat team, were all eager to help when they heard they could contribute!"

Xue Xun quickly pulled her aside, "Tell them it's enough, don't shave anymore. If I need more, I'll send an official notice, okay?"

"Got it!"

She ran away, waving at them.

Xue Xun let out a long sigh of relief. Turning around, he saw Master Zhi Yin with tears streaming down his face and was startled, "Master, what's wrong..."

The Master wiped his eyes, clasped his hands together, and sighed deeply, "I wished to sacrifice myself for all beings, but it turns out they are saving me."

"My master said my cultivation lies not in the mountains but among people. Now I understand."

He bowed deeply to the bag and then solemnly took it.

Xue Xun initially found it comical to see the Master's immovable face tear up, but facing such a sincere gesture of gratitude, he felt something indescribable...

Perhaps it was a kind of enlightenment beyond ordinary people's comprehension. In simpler terms, it was—

"Well, no problem, unity makes us strong."

He Wuning turned around as the phone on the milk tea cart rang loudly. He nodded towards the Master, "We have a job. Want to try out your new ability?"

The Master nodded slightly and bid farewell to Xue Xun, "Thank you, I'll go."

Yi Luo sat in the vehicle, gun at the ready, to prevent any unexpected situations. Leaning against the chair, He Wuning chuckled softly, "It's like getting a weapon, but it doesn't enhance much. Why does he act like he's wielding a divine artifact?"

Yi Luo also laughed, "He has faith. Now he's fearless of gods and demons, unafraid of anything."

"What about you?"

"I don't believe in Buddha," He Wuning closed his eyes briefly and turned his head slightly, "I just occasionally... have a bit of heroism."

"Occasionally?" Yi Luo laughed, "When exactly is that occasional moment?"

"When I find humanity endearing."

---

Yi Luo: Only mine is a ring, everyone, got it?

He Wuning: Who said it's a ring.

Yi Luo: What else could this be if not a ring? Show-off.jpg

He Wuning: It's a pull tab from a can.

Q: Gag gag gag gag gag gag gag