Chapter 196 Domestic Dogs and Wild Dogs

No one slept well last night.

Not only Lou Feng, but also the entire outpost probably had no good sleep. Well, except for Tao Gong who was in charge of the center, it was said that he slept well all night and ate an extra cake and drank an extra bowl of porridge the next morning.

It works up an appetite.

The food is a bit scary.

On the playground outside the office window, there were more than a dozen corpses covered with white cloth - all of them were the result of a thunderous cleanup by the Security Bureau overnight.

At six o'clock yesterday afternoon, after Tong Shan returned to his room, the report he submitted at half past six reached the hands of Lu Yingyue, director of the Yacheng Security Bureau.

Faced with Tongshan's report's suggestion to enforce strict discipline and management and root out the bad apples due to the sudden incident in the Recycling Management Department, Lu Yingyue made a comment after reading it: It's just a small fight and doesn't even scratch the surface.

Then at half past seven, the security directors of the three big cities and four small cities in Haizhou were already sitting in the same conference room. At eight o'clock, the military's airship had already landed above the outpost.

The outpost, which had been in chaos due to the comings and goings of people from all sides for days, instantly became an iron barrel, and not a single fly could fly out. Then three special action teams led the Chosen Ones of the Heart Pivot to go through them one by one from top to bottom, and with the help of the Sky Eye Circle, they did not let anyone go.

The sound of gunfire rang out like frying beans in the middle of the night.

A large number of unknown chosen ones were successfully found, including two wanted criminals who disguised themselves and sneaked into the outsourced patrol team, three spies from the empire, a group of poor people who pretended to be poor and wanted to get some benefits from Quancheng, and nine followers of the evil cult...

When they were discovered, one of them had already infiltrated the logistics department and was about to take over the management of the cafeteria. The plastic bags in the room were probably filled with something more than just a mild supplement like rat poison.

The next day, Ji Jue yawned, looking at the rich results of the battle and the first-class collective honor that had just been approved, and couldn't help being shocked:
"Fuck, there really is a cult?"

"if not?"

Tong Shan asked back in confusion.

"I thought……"

Ji Jue coughed a few times awkwardly.

I thought you bunch of dog officials were just talking nonsense and forcing women into prostitution, but I didn't expect that what you said would come true. It turns out that among such a bunch of monsters, the bottom line of the Security Bureau is still the highest?

"Okay, stop thinking about it."

Tong Shan waved his hand. For the sake of his blood pressure, he really didn't want to continue the topic, and continued: "Last night's operation did find a lot of clues, and this operation has a lot more work to do.

How are you preparing?"

"All my belongings are here."

Ji Jue stretched out his hand and pointed at the little calf behind him: "I also went to my teacher to borrow a lot of materials. If I fail this time, I might go bankrupt."

"Don't worry, even if something goes wrong, the team will prioritize your evacuation."

Tong Shan took the initiative to extend his hand to Lou Feng, who had a gloomy face, and said, "I will also rely on Mr. Lou's support from now on."

“It’s my job.”

Lou Feng forced a smile, but when he saw Ji Jue looking at him, his face suddenly fell again and he didn't want to pay attention to him.

Ji Jue was not blind enough to ask directly, "Didn't you say you wouldn't come?" Since he was already here, there was no need to talk about topics that would only cause disputes.

"It's good that you're here."

He patted Mr. Lou's shoulder and said with emotion: "At least you have a companion, right?"

Lou Feng snorted coldly, shook off the not-so-clean little hand with his shoulders, and got into the car first.

She is noble and cool, as always.

Holding a lot of anger in my heart, I am ready to compete with someone again at any time.

Ji Jue's smile became more amiable.

Tsundere is so easy to understand.

There is no need to worry about him not paying attention. He will go all out with just a little encouragement. Just a simple "Are you not good enough?" will make him work so hard that sparks fly.

Now that there is one more person to help, even searching for materials is much easier.

He is also a quasi-craftsman who has inherited the matrix of good craftsmanship. He has unique advantages in the pre-processing and preservation of many materials, and can not only keep them cold, fresh, and ensure quality and quantity.

Without even Ji Jue reminding him, Lou Feng took the blessing cage with him himself!
Definitely a high-end model.

With this capacity, it can hold at least five, right?
Looking at the lantern-like alchemical work hanging on Young Master Lou's waist, Ji Jue's eyes almost became tearful, and he was truly envious.

no way.

It’s expensive. Really expensive. Too damn expensive.

The blessing cages currently on sale in the association, even the lowest-grade ones, can only barely fit one, and are crappy stuff with a time limit. The price is higher than that of ordinary blessings, not to mention this kind of complex customized high-end goods.

I can't afford it, and I don't have the technology and level to make it, so I can only rely on free stuff.

Thinking of the wonderful life I had with Ball when I first started, I can only wipe away two tears silently. Some things are missed and they are missed forever.

Before the three-month period was over, Qiu Ge had already returned to his throne as the Dragon King, and Ji Jue could no longer reach him.

I can only miss the good old days.

In this way, after preparation, application, approval and customs clearance, the two cars drove out of the outpost one after the other and headed towards the distant Spring City.

In the deepest part of the bleak white fog, everything becomes distant and hazy.

From the perspective of the Sky Eye, they gradually disappeared.

Last night, Master Kong's lounge.

After returning from a hard day's work, Lou Feng reported in detail his experiences and discoveries during the day, including Ji Jue's invitation.

"Don't go?"

Master Kong, who had been looking down at the blueprint, raised his head and said expressionlessly, "Why not go?"

Lou Feng was slightly stunned.

at a loss.

I don’t understand what’s wrong with my self-evident refusal. Likewise, I don’t understand why the teacher is so serious.

"It's just a feeling. It's not necessary, right?"

"..."

Master Kong didn't say anything.

After silently reading the drawings in his hand, marking the construction key points and opinions, he put down his pen, and finally looked at the student who was fidgeting next to him.

A sigh.

"I finally understand why I always feel like you're just a little short of it."

She said knowingly, "You are living a very good life."

"what?"

The building is sealed and stagnant.

"I don't want to say that you don't know the difference between grains or that you don't know how to work. For a family as prestigious as the Lou family, studying those things might make people laugh."

Master Kong said slowly, "You have at least experienced some of the suffering and pain you deserved in the past two days. I only want to ask you one question - if you were anyone in the recycling department, what would you choose when you encountered this kind of thing?"

Lou Feng fell silent.

I don't know why, it's hard to answer.

As he thought about it, if he put himself in other people's shoes, he would definitely feel that there was no need to get involved in this mess. But when he imagined the situations of the others, he actually hesitated for a moment.

There is no answer.

It was this hesitation that made Kong Qingyan unable to hide her disappointment.

The hard work these days was just a formality for Lou Feng, and he didn't take it to heart at all. Judging from the sudden incident this afternoon, he still has some willpower and determination in his bones, but after so many days, even his colleagues around him have never understood...

Faced with this question, there will definitely be people who nod without thinking, and there will definitely be people who refuse. This is not a question with a standard answer at all.

There is nothing wrong with Lou Feng’s answer. The only mistake is not answering.

Because he doesn't know.

Kong Qingyan could understand the reason why Lou Feng refused.

Isn't it better to stay in the workshop peacefully and concentrate on training and research than to risk one's life for a little bit of sweetness? After all, he is the young master of the Lou family. He has the conditions, financial resources, and qualifications. He can just follow the rules, accumulate experience, and then become a decent craftsman.

But not lost.

There will be absolutely no mistakes, absolutely no danger, and at the same time, in an absolutely ideal state, the future will be stable and increasingly unremarkable.

Admittedly, this is an opportunity and treatment that others would never ask for, but at the same time, it is also a cage that Lou Feng is destined to be unable to break free from.

As a teacher, I can only watch and sigh silently.

After a long silence, Lou Feng finally mustered up the courage to ask, "Teacher, I just don't understand where I went wrong."

"You did nothing wrong."

Kong Qingyan shook her head slowly, "Many times, it is meaningless for us to talk about right and wrong, because people's vision is limited and the future is difficult to predict.

At best, they are just different choices.”

If she could have encountered such a dreamlike thing during her apprenticeship, she would not hesitate at all, and she would not even frown even if she had to take out a loan to join the team.

Led by the newcomers of the Tong family's generation, the Security Bureau formed a team, with many strong men from the Tianyuan system as backup, and even a celestial being in charge.

If there is a risk, others will take the risk. If there is profit, you will be asked to share it. You will have a guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood, and you will make a steady profit.

No one will attack you from behind just for the sake of money, nor will they gang up on you and force you to take risks, nor will they fight and kill each other because of uneven distribution of spoils...

If this happened to any other apprentice, he would doubt whether you were trying to cheat by saying you were so beautiful.

"What do you think of me, teacher?"

Kong Qingyan suddenly asked, and without waiting for his answer, she waved her hand and asked again, "What do you think of Ye Xian?"

Lou Feng was speechless, not knowing what to say.

"It's okay. I know you don't understand, and even I don't understand deeply enough."

Kong Qingyan rubbed the bridge of her nose and laughed at herself under the light: "That girl became an apprentice at the age of seventeen, got a craftsman's license at the age of nineteen, and betrayed her master at the age of twenty. Everyone thought she was ignorant of the world, but no one expected that she would achieve the status of a master at the age of twenty-four.

What was I doing at that time?
I'm still babysitting my teacher's kids."

She lowered her eyes and sighed silently: "At that time, I remember the children were clamoring for firewood porridge, so I had to light the stove.

I forgot everything else. I just remember that there was smoke everywhere. I was holding a half-broken newspaper in my hand, looking at her photo and the news on it. Tears were falling, and I didn't know if it was because of the fire or something else.

I just felt that for the first time, I experienced what jealousy and desire meant—"

“At that time, I wanted to know, why?”

Kong Qingyan looked up and asked, "Why do you think she did that?"

"...Talent?"

Lou Feng was uncertain: "Effort?"

Kong Qingyan laughed, sarcastically.

Everyone has talent and everyone can work hard.

There are so many talented people who can become masters. Who has less talent? Who has worked less?

Is it because you have good talent that other craftsmen's hidden treasures, secret skills, and theories and data that are absolutely impossible to share publicly are given to you like candy beans?

There is only one answer.

To fight, to rob, to plunder and loot by all means possible.

If there is no investment, then look for investment, ask for help or promise lies. If there is no help, then look for help or use coercion and inducement. If there is no secret, then look for those useless people who hold the secret but are powerless...

It was an absolute bloody storm!
Seventy years ago and up to now.

There has never been such an exaggerated example.

On all the long roads she has walked, every step was paved with opponents - either stepping on cold corpses or paying a lifetime of fame and achievements, without exception.

Why did she dare to look down on everyone during the association meeting?

Is it because of the profound theory? The fruitful results? Or the lofty status?

neither.

There was only one reason, because all the people present combined, did not have as many craftsmen killed by her...

Now Ye Xian likes to reason, not because she is old, but because all the people who don’t reason with her are dead.

"She has already walked on her own path, moving forward steadily. There are many others, so there is no need to worry. Even if there are many other unique secrets in front of her, she is too lazy to take a look at them."

Kong Qingyan said slowly: "Because as long as you can find the path that belongs to you, you are already standing at the door of the Grandmaster."

All those who lost to her no longer dared to care and either bowed their heads or gritted their teeth and endured it.

What's more, we are proud of it.

Lou Feng was stunned for a long time, then he said incoherently: "It is unfortunate..."

"That's crazy, isn't it?"

Kong Qingyan smiled. "She came from such a dead end. She never looked down upon mediocre people. Her students are the same. They look modest and kind, but they are actually cut from the same cloth as her. They are even more lawless than her."

She turned around and looked at her students: "Do you dare to compete with such an opponent?"

Lou Feng remained silent and did not answer.

No answer is needed.

They all knew the answer. It had happened once before, more than once.

In a life-and-death struggle at the critical moment, how could the pampered young master and the mad dog who runs around with his life hanging on his belt be the same?
"I……"

Lou Feng opened his mouth subconsciously, but no sound came out: "I..."

Kong Qingyan looked over.

This time, he did not avoid the teacher's gaze after all, his face flushed, he tightly grasped his knees, and wanted to speak. But in the end, he saw the teacher's smile.

So pleasant.

"Whether you are jealous or angry, it doesn't matter. The essence of the ember is to be unwilling to be inferior to others. When you can calmly accept the reality, you will be dead as a craftsman."

She nodded in satisfaction, and then her smile disappeared, without any warmth: “From now on, except for theoretical courses, your supply of materials will be stopped.

I will go and talk to the Lou family.

If you still want to improve, go grab it yourself!"

She smiled one last time, ignoring the student’s shock and confusion, and told him: “If you are not satisfied with the stability of a domestic dog, then go and try the life of a wild dog.

Let me, as a teacher, see what kind of future you can create for yourself."

Lou Feng was unable to sleep all night.
.
Even now, sitting in the car, he couldn't tell how much of his decision to come here as agreed was out of desperate measures, and how much of his decision was to compete with that bastard Ji Jue.

At this moment, in the gradually growing anxiety and confusion, he subconsciously looked at Ji Jue beside him, wanting to find the answer. But the seat beside him was already empty.

Listening to the familiar DJ music, he realized that during the short period of time when he was distracted and drowsy, Ji Jue had actually blended into the team and become one of them.

In the noisy atmosphere, Ji Xue patted his shoulder carelessly, saying, "...Since we are so familiar with each other, I will call you Xiao Ji from now on!"

Ji Jue smiled, without any displeasure, and instead looked at her curiously, "Will there be any confusion?"

Ji Xue was stunned for a moment, glaring and elbowing amid the laughter of the crowd.

Ji Liu, who was sitting in the front row next to Tong Shan, laughed especially loudly, "Hahahaha, you can call her Little Ji, I'm her brother, you can just call me Big Ji!"

The laughter became louder and louder, and even Tong Shan burst out laughing.

Only Lou Feng was stunned.

Ideals are cruel, but reality seems even more cruel, and a bit obscene... Can you guys stop being so dirty!
Lou Feng sighed silently toward the sky, missing the workshop and his teachers more than ever before.

Life away from home is so helpless.

　Sorry for being late. It was too hot these past two days and the elevator in my apartment was broken. I had to climb up and down the stairs every day and my old illness relapsed. My hip bone was in severe pain as if it was cracked. I was in a really bad condition.

　　I'm going to take a day off tomorrow and lie down for a while, but I really didn't succeed in beating the monkey. Big Head has already shattered my dream of becoming a Monkey King with three slaps.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)