Chapter 5 The Counselor’s Fifth Day —No, isekai transmigration…

Chapter 5: Counselor on Day 5 – No, Isekai Transmigration...

"Did I hear that right? From the beginning?"

The handsome, sharp-featured young man with messy short hair sat opposite Mu Lin, his eyes wide with disbelief. The vibrant energy from his contact with the white bird gradually receded from his face, transforming him from a captivating spirit into a ghost worn out by overwork.

Mu Lin felt a pang of guilt: "From the beginning... I only heard you say 'meet a terrible end.'"

The other person seemed to turn completely ashen. The snow-white falcon, referred to as "Doctor," patted his head with its broad wings, giving him a buff.

"How did you die?"

"I died?"

Mu Lin watched as the other buried his face in the bird’s back, took a deep breath, and then lifted his head, his cheeks now flushed with a healthy glow. "It's fine, I’ll start over from the beginning."

"You, Mu Lin, a male human, died suddenly from overexhaustion while staying up late reading a novel." The white bird stomped its robust raptor-like claw on his shoulder, and the other added, "Oh, right, you died while staying up late reading an *interstellar ABO danmei novel*."

Mu Lin struggled to maintain his composure, trying not to let the internal screams breach the dignity of an adult.

—Wait, there are so many isekai transmigration literary works, but none of them require social death first!

"We represent the Time Management Institute. Our colleagues in the System Department found you through a series of calculations and would like to extend a commission to you."

"Complete the task and I get resurrected on Earth?" Mu Lin probed.

The other shook his head: "Resurrecting a person is too unpredictable. The Time Management Institute always adheres to the principle of minimizing impact, so our reward is an opportunity to live in another world. Regardless of the mission's outcome, we won’t revoke it."

"What if I slack off?" If Mu Lin had just graduated from college, he would have agreed without hesitation, but after years as a corporate drone, he knew there were no true charities in the world. He even began to suspect that his death might have been orchestrated by this so-called "Time Management Institute."

"You’ll do your best because the cost of failure falls on you. But there’s no need to be too tense. While the Time Management Institute isn’t a charitable organization, it’s not an MLM scheme either." The other seemed to see through his thoughts, gently stroking the white bird’s feathers. "You like reading novels, so you’ve probably heard of infinite flow? The Doctor and I were once victims of an infinite game. We eventually perished together with it, and the Time Management Institute rescued us, just like they did with you."

The white bird obediently lowered its head, rubbing its beak against the young man’s cheek.

"How do I know you’re telling the truth?" Mu Lin remained skeptical.

The young man opposite pondered for a moment until the white bird nudged him with its wing, prompting him to look out the window. The young man suddenly understood: "Right, outside the window is the World Thread Bundle. Only the Time Management Institute, which exists outside all temporal dimensions, can see it."

Am I inside the Time Management Institute?

Mu Lin was half-convinced, half-doubtful.

Though white auroras seem rare... do white auroras even exist?

He turned his head, and as he saw the tree composed of white light bands, countless stories and people rushed toward him. For the first time, he realized that time is static and ever-present. The morning he died was the same moment he was born, and that afternoon, he walked out of his company with his head bowed, carrying a box.

Previously unimaginable concepts of time felt so real and tangible at that moment. Those interwoven and branching timelines converged into what people call fate, nearly overwhelming his mind.

Smooth feathers brushed past, covering his eyes.

"Now do you believe we’re not frauds?" The young man opposite propped his chin on his hand, smiling kindly. "With the Doctor here, even if it's just a projection, you won’t be harmed."

"Um... what do you want me to do?" Mu Lin struggled to steady himself. The discomfort had been taken away by the white bird’s wings, but the horror of disorientation still lingered in his mind.

The young man smiled: "It's simple. You will go to an interstellar ABO world. We’ll place you at the center of all events. Your task is to prevent those stories from unfolding as intended."

Mu Lin: "So I’m transmigrating into an ABO novel to unpair couples?"

The young man: "More like 'Transmigrating into a Campus Novel to Anti-Dogblood.' We can assure you that if those stories are left to develop on their own, all upright, kind, and innocent people will meet tragic deaths, while the hypocrites will live freely and happily."

"Why me? If you’re an organization, you should have specialized personnel—don’t use the excuse of being understaffed. I’ve undergone onboarding training." Mu Lin wavered but forced himself to stay alert.

The young man sighed deeply: "Because of a paradox. I belong to the 'Gardener' Division of the Time Management Institute. We interfere with worldlines not out of altruism but to prevent organizations that maliciously interfere with time from emerging, pruning world branches that could contaminate the timeline. We’ve already modified other events, but the remaining ones are too closely tied to that organization. If we enter the world with knowledge of it, every action we take would facilitate its birth."

Mu Lin asked: "Can’t you just not know about it?"

"Due to the underlying oath protecting employee safety, no one can bypass it." The young man leaned forward and produced a stack of agreements. "But don’t worry, this isn’t the first time this has happened. We’re professionals when it comes to hiring temps. If there’s anything in the contract you’re unsatisfied with, feel free to discuss it further."

Mu Lin read the contents of the written agreement and felt reassured that the "Time Management Institute" was a well-regulated large company. The terms were clear and comprehensive, specifying the rights and obligations of both parties, and even included thoughtful explanations of terminology. However, when he flipped to the last page, he asked: "The term is one year?"

"The critical period only exists within that year." The door to the room opened, and the white bird flew to the newcomer, transforming into a wreath-like crest on his head, holding back his cascade of long hair.

The young man greeted him affectionately: "Doctor! Is the System Department done?"

The white-haired doctor nodded and placed a jade-colored thin sheet in front of Mu Lin: "This is the 'Golden Finger' reading system mentioned in the agreement. Considering your habits, we designed it to resemble the Jinjiang Literature City page you were reading before you died."

Mu Lin once again suppressed the urge to flee from social death.

"To activate it, maintain eye contact with your target for five seconds. After that, you’ll be able to see their detailed actions 24 hours before and after the moment of eye contact. We’ve kept the... ahem... adult content highlighted in red to help you identify them promptly." The doctor coughed awkwardly, and Mu Lin felt somewhat relieved that he wasn’t the only one experiencing social death in the room.

"The side effects are a headache from the influx of information. It’s harmless to your health, but it’s a reminder to avoid overreliance or abuse."

Mu Lin pressed his finger against the thin sheet, finding it icy cold: "Let me confirm again. My task is to prevent any melodramatic events involving my students from happening within a year?"

"Not that broad. The events you need to focus on must involve at least one protagonist who is your student." The Doctor also sat opposite Mu Lin. "Basically, ensure your students study hard and don’t drop out."

The young man: "By the way, after a year, we’ll retrieve the system and inform you of the mission’s outcome. If you fail, run as far away as possible. We’ll find a way to send someone else to clean up."

Mu Lin lowered his head, and as he did so, a pen materialized in his palm.

He signed his name, and the next moment, he abruptly woke up at another desk, facing a freshly signed intern counselor contract.

...

He looked up. The Counselors had already begun exchanging survival tips for the rainforest; the Drill Instructors seemed to be discussing underhanded tricks to deal with students, with the Class Two Drill Instructor letting out an eerie snicker.

The Class Four Counselor looked at him with concern: "Teacher Mu, since you just finished dealing with student matters, would you like to rest first? We’ll compile the materials and send them to you later."

"No need, I was just a bit tired. I’ve recovered." Mu Lin joined the group of friendly colleagues. The metallic gleam of the Drill Instructors' prostheses reflected sharply out of the corner of his eye. With advanced interstellar medical technology, injuries requiring metallic prostheses were undoubtedly severe, and those forcing early retirement were even more unimaginable.

If such people were to meet tragic ends, it would be utterly unfair.

"...Let’s end it here for now. Tomorrow morning, everyone can choose a convenient time to meet with student representatives. After all, we’re departing the day after."

After the Class Four Drill Instructor called the meeting to a close, the other Counselors gathered around:

"Oh, by the way, Teacher Mu, I have a template for incident reports. Would you like a copy?" "If needed, I also have a template for student unexpected heats."

Mu Lin thanked them with gratitude.

The first thing after taking the first step to save the world was attending a meeting, and the second was writing reports. No wonder he wasn’t a savior—just an average otherworldly employee.

Sighing, Mu Lin left the small break room, only to find a hand suddenly appearing in front of him.

Mu Lin: ?

Cheng Jingnian blinked: "Send it to me. I’ll help you write it."

"Brother, you’re my hero!"

"? " A passing student seemed to hear someone's voice strained with excitement. Taking a peek, they saw Counselor Teacher Mu and Drill Instructor Teacher Cheng standing together. Teacher Mu was speaking with his hand extended; every part of him, from his fingertips to his hair, exuded impeccable elegance; though only his back was visible, Teacher Cheng stood tall and straight. Neither of them seemed like the type to make such an explosive sound.

Perhaps he was just a Beta after all, without the freakishly sharp hearing of Alphas or Omegas, and he must have misheard.

The student snuck away quietly.

Mu Lin clasped his hands together and gave a slight bow to Cheng Jingnian in gratitude.

Cheng Jingnian looked puzzled. "Why go to such lengths to maintain a perfect image in front of the students?" Wouldn’t it be better to just relax a little?

Mu Lin fell silent.

He glanced at the person standing before him.

A height easily mistaken for an Alpha’s, intimidating muscle definition, metallic silver hair, and sharp, war-machine-like bionic prosthetic arm, along with an air of cool detachment hinting at a mysterious but unmistakable military background.

My friend, have you ever considered that you effortlessly conceal your nurturing 'mom friend' quality, while I have to struggle desperately not to expose myself as a clumsy, ridiculous loser?

"Because teachers need to keep a certain distance from their students’ personal lives," Mu Lin finally explained.

Author’s Note:

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The two friends on duty at the Time Management Institute are from the "Infinite Flow as a Temporary Worker" arc. I’ll try to release this pre-save when I have time.

Slight schedule adjustment—I might update daily around this time or every other day. If you like it, please bookmark so you don’t miss out! [Owl emoji]