Great! I'm surrounded by villains!
Chapter 38: Steady and Positive Progress

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Steady and Positive Progress

This matter not only involved the company but was also related to the Night Disaster.

"Old Duan, although I trust your strength, if the company helps, this may be the best opportunity to eliminate the Night Disaster."

Da Jiang lowered his voice, and after deep consideration, he believed that accepting the company’s commission was the best choice at the moment, while the future relationship with Universe Company could be determined after dealing with the big problem of Night Disaster.

The Night Disaster was the most dangerous monster they had encountered so far, and if its abilities were allowed to grow, the entire Yunlong City might be submerged in a flood of calamity.

Luckily, he didn’t have to face it alone this time.

He had found two comrades-in-arms worthy of trust, and their side-by-side battle when cleaning up the house had already fostered an unmatched understanding and friendship.

That’s why he had rushed here tonight to share his thoughts with them in person.

"Mr. Da Jiang, you’re right."

Jiuyue, who had been unwelcoming to him since he entered, suddenly changed her attitude and seriously analyzed the situation, "We are the biggest variable, and right now, the Night Disaster must be thinking about how to deal with the company, it wouldn’t even consider the possibility of us as a surprise force!"

"Exactly, Jiuyue!"

Da Jiang was pleased. Although Jiuyue’s temperament had become worse recently, she had never let him down on major issues of right and wrong.

After reaching a consensus, the two of them turned their gaze to Duan Mingyuan, who was in deep thought.

"Indeed, it is an opportunity."

"Great, I’ll give them a reply when I get back. Once they pay the deposit, we can use that money to buy some equipment, like that ’Combat Power Tester’ of yours, Old Duan, which I find quite interesting."

At a glance, it could reveal the strength or weakness of an opponent, allowing them to formulate a strategy to either confront or retreat.

"It’s called the Life Energy Tester."

Duan Mingyuan corrected him.

Standardized terminology in the industry was very important, as it greatly increased the efficiency of work communication. As Yunlong City’s liaison and one of the most experienced practitioners, Da Jiang should pay even more attention to these details than others.

"Oh, right, the Life Measurement Instrument."

Upon Jiuyue’s stern protest, Da Jiang had no choice but to skip the drinking part. The little fox was right, with a formidable enemy ahead, they all needed to keep a clear mind and stay away from distractions.

"Let’s have a drink together after everything settles down," he said.

"Mr. Da Jiang really has only himself on his mind, Mr. Mingyuan is a good man who doesn’t smoke or drink."

The gentle tone only added to Da Jiang’s pressure.

"Ah? Is that so?"

Duan Mingyuan did not confirm or deny it. He didn’t have the habit of drinking and abhorred the company’s drinking culture. He would avoid any gatherings he could, and if he had to go, he would politely refuse drinks on account of his health.

He couldn’t stand seeing his colleagues become a mess after getting drunk, spewing nonsense or getting sick, which left him with soaring blood pressure after every such event.

By a conservative estimate, if he frequently attended these gatherings, he would surely lose ten years of his life due to high blood pressure.

"I’ll put this bottle away."

Jiuyue picked up the bottle of wine, adopting the demeanor of a household’s mistress and declared mightily, "This wine could be used for cooking. We appreciate your sentiment, Mr. Da Jiang, but please don’t bring any more wine in the future."

Duan Mingyuan looked at Jiuyue with some surprise.

Sometimes he envied this kind of directness. In the workplace, he had to consider interpersonal relations and his own image. Even if he sometimes wanted to knock someone’s head, he maintained a proper smile on his face.

This was the price a "reliable adult man" had to pay.

And this little fox, she had a free life.

He now fully supported Jiuyue’s refusal on his behalf of Da Jiang bringing wine to his home.

After seeing off Da Jiang, Jiuyue naturally tied on an apron, covered the remaining half of the big plate chicken with plastic wrap, stored it in the refrigerator, and wearing waterproof gloves, she took the empty bowls and plates into the kitchen.

"I’ll do it."

Duan Mingyuan followed inside, and Jiuyue’s arrival had indeed brought significant changes to his life, a life where doing the dishes had seldom been a part. The other advantage of takeout food was that you could just toss everything once you were done, saving a lot of cleaning effort.

However, he didn’t mind it, feeling something indescribable.

He saw Jiuyue make room for him and, in a good mood, he hummed a little tune, his tail wagging as he responded, "Then I’ll scrub the pots."

Reasonable teamwork made everything harmonious and smooth.

Maybe this was what people meant by stable and improving development.

"Mr. Mingyuan, are you happy with your life now?"

Jiuyue, who stood beside him, suddenly asked out of the blue, and for a moment, Duan Mingyuan felt as if she could see right into his heart.

This little fox often seemed silly, but at times she was exceptionally sharp.

As Jiuyue washed pots, her eyes were on him, the warm light of the lamp reflected in her pupils, casting a dazzling shine.

She waited for an answer with earnestness.

It was a serious question.

"Much better than before."

Duan Mingyuan quickly concealed the fleeting flutter in his heart and gave an ambiguous answer.

It was now 20:47. What would he have been doing at this time before?

Probably working overtime at the office, preparing for the impending head office inspection.

His dinner might have been various kinds of bread, junto a cup of instant coffee, followed by working overtime until the entire building sank into darkness and silence.

"I see."

Jiuyue nodded gravely, taking it as a positive response.

Mr. Mingyuan was a reserved man, never one to reveal his true emotions in front of others unless he was completely infuriated by her mismatched socks tactic.

After a moment, she suddenly said, "Then, let’s start special training from tomorrow."

If they were to take action aimed at defeating the Night Disaster, Yang Ping and Tang Qianqian were far from ready, including the intern Red-eyed Demon whom she held in high regard. If they were pushed into a real battlefield now, there would be only one possible outcome.

They would all die.

Once it involved the company, it was no longer the child’s play battles of everyday life.

And by then, she wouldn’t have the leisure to look after every detail.

Based on her understanding of Mr. Mingyuan, if Yang Ping and Tang Qianqian died, it was likely that Mr. Mingyuan would be upset, right?

After all, Mr. Mingyuan had said that he hated knives the most.

He would be upset for a long time if a movie he was watching showed a blade, which is why she found "Monster Rally," a light-hearted and funny show with no knives throughout.

"Weren’t you going to watch ’Monster Rally’?"

"It can wait."

Jiuyue mustered a small smile, "The ’Auspicious Fox Cultivation Notes’ says that in a relationship between two people, one can’t just focus on their own happiness. After all, I’m your companion monster, and making you happy is my job."

"Don’t smile like that anymore."

Duan Mingyuan became serious.

"Huh?"

"Your smile just now reminded me of those characters in dramas who hide a lot of secrets and then are about to deliver shocking twists to the audience."