Bab 121: The Daughter of Destiny
The Dawn Pharmacy hadn't changed much. It still sported its punk style, with neon lights on the sign casting a faint glow that felt oddly out of place against the sleek, futuristic buildings surrounding it. Sabo, the treasurer, had significant power and was responsible for renovations, but he preferred to keep his unique aesthetic.
It was early morning, and the store was empty. The two girls typically worked during the day, using the nights to either sleep or read. In this world, people worked hard; those who had faced hardship tended to cherish their hard-earned rewards even more.
As Bai Yi stepped inside, he immediately spotted Irene at the counter, absorbed in something she was manipulating with great interest.
Knock, knock.
Irene looked up, then quickly hid what she had behind her back, a sheepish grin spreading across her face. "Hey, boss! You're back!"
"Less gaming, please. If Luo Ning's rank catches up to yours, I'll have to deduct your salary," Bai Yi replied, feigning annoyance. Life sacrifice was a prestigious profession—basically the pinnacle of the nanny world—yet here was Irene, goofing off.
Irene's expression faltered, and she averted her eyes. "I know…"
Footsteps echoed as Luo Ning rushed out, a bright smile on her face. "Boss, you're back!"
Bai Yi took a moment to assess her. Wait a minute—Luo Ning is now mid-Bronze level? Her level was impressively high for someone her age. A thirteen-year-old Bronze-level fortune teller? If word got out, the councilors from the capital would likely arrive overnight to claim her.
As he examined her, Bai Yi noticed that since the quality of her food had improved, she had filled out a bit; the baby fat on her cheeks made her look adorably cute.
"Luo Ning is doing great. Your salary has been increased to 800," he said, glancing disdainfully at Irene. "Same for you, but from now on, you can only close the clinic after working for 16 hours."
Irene looked surprised for a moment but then sulked. "Oh… I see."
She turned away, retrieving the game console she had bought for three gold coins and silently shoving it back into her pocket.
"Boss, this is the salary card you asked me to keep," Luo Ning said, her voice timid as she handed him a Dawn Badge.
"Practice well," Bai Yi replied, ruffling her hair before heading toward the laboratory. "Call me if you need anything."
"Um… boss?" Luo Ning's voice stopped him. She looked at Bai Yi, confusion flickering in her eyes.
Bai Yi turned back, his expression gentle. "What's wrong?"
"Wait a second." Luo Ning dashed into the backroom and quickly returned, a book in hand. She flipped through the pages, brow furrowed, then looked up at Bai Yi, concern etched on her face.
"Boss, your destiny seems a little diminished. Are you being targeted by someone?"
Bai Yi paused, remembering the God's Showcase. Using it had indeed caused a portion of his destiny to be consumed. He had been careful not to let anyone else write requests for him; those in the nightmare world were cunning, and any hint of weakness could jeopardize his chances of obtaining the God's Showcase. It was surprising that Luo Ning had noticed so quickly.
"It's just a prop that devours fate," he replied, trying to sound casual. "Is it serious?"
Luo Ning studied him, then the book again. "I can't be sure. I just see that you might face some bad luck, and your fate is… different."
She flipped through the book rapidly, her brow furrowing deeper. "I can't find anything comparable to your fate."
Bai Yi leaned in, intrigued. "What does it look like?"
Irene, who had been listening with interest, took a sip of milk and munched on a snack, clearly fascinated.
Luo Ning hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "It feels like… like a bully, very fierce. But I can't quite describe it. There's no record of anything similar."
Bai Yi:
"Bully? What kind of adjective is that?" Despite his confusion, he felt relieved; if it was just bad luck, then it was manageable. "Do you know when this bad luck will end?"
Luo Ning considered this for a moment before leading Bai Yi to his workbench. She placed his hand on the crystal ball, then put her own hand on the back of his. Closing her eyes, she began to murmur to herself. As the star map flickered, fragmented images appeared in her vision. When a pair of scarlet eyes emerged, her hands trembled, and she withdrew her touch.
"Eh?" Luo Ning looked perplexed. "Boss, your power of destiny seems intact. But... someone might cause you trouble tonight. After that, things will return to normal. There's a force holding your destiny, but I can't see what it is."
She glanced at Bai Yi with a mix of curiosity and concern. "And it seems you're getting a promotion, which will bring a lot of luck to your life. But you didn't even show me your luck—how mean!"
Bai Yi:
Destiny felt like a mysterious force he didn't fully grasp. He could consult the golden fortune teller in the capital when he arrived; after all, Luo Ning had immense potential. As a gold-level fortune teller herself, her abilities could easily predict outcomes. Bai Yi believed the golden fortune teller would be eager to settle in Dongwu City.
Sending Luo Ning to the capital was an option, but Bai Yi's ambition was to transform Dongwu City into a supercity, serving as the second core of Dawn against future threats. He felt uneasy about gathering all the talented individuals in one place. Besides, the capital was rife with factions, forcing geniuses to align themselves with one, which Bai Yi found distasteful.
He regarded Luo Ning thoughtfully and said, "Let me examine your body; don't be afraid."
"Okay." Luo Ning stood up obediently. From their first meeting, when Bai Yi learned her name, she had sensed no ill intent from him. Everything that followed confirmed her instincts, fostering a deep trust and appreciation for her time at the pharmacy.
[Comparing the charm attributes of both parties: Bai Yi's charm value is 9; Luo Ning's charm value is 60.]
[Your charm attribute is 15% of the opponent's, granting you 20% of the information.]
Bai Yi was astonished. Luo Ning's charm is that high? He looked at his own 35 free attribute points and realized that even if he allocated them all, it wouldn't be enough to match hers.
Luo Ning shifted uncomfortably, sensing the scrutiny around her.
[Name: Luo Ning]
Race: Human
Template: ???
Occupation: Fortune Teller
Level: 19
Personal Attributes: Strength 7, Agility 6, Endurance 5, Intelligence 9, Spirit 77, Charm 60, Luck 20
Rank: Mid-Bronze
Skills: ???
Expertise:
Affinity for Fate: Your affinity for fate is unparalleled. No fate will reject your approach, and you will not be passively attacked by any fate.
Danger Premonition: Extremely sensitive to their own fate, you can sense any malicious intent, including natural disasters.
???
???
???
Comment: A girl abandoned on the street, she seems to possess fragments of fate. Please do not attempt to harm her unless you are prepared to be targeted by fate.
Bai Yi stared at her in awe. A girl of destiny? No wonder even Night Rose could predict her. Her luck attribute was exceptional, and it couldn't be increased with free points, though some potions could temporarily boost it.
He reached out and gently ruffled her hair, asking, "How about I find you a teacher in a couple of days?"
"No!" Luo Ning shook her head vigorously, clearly resistant. "I don't want to leave you."
"That's fine; I can have them come to Dongwu City," Bai Yi replied with a smile.
"Okay, I'll listen to the boss," she agreed, her demeanor softening.
"Boss," Irene interjected after a long pause.
Bai Yi turned to her with a smile. "Don't worry; I'll inform the Life Church."
Irene's path didn't concern him. The knowledge of life sacrifice was extensive, with 27 members in the parliament, including five elves eager to annotate every piece of knowledge. Self-study and guidance offered similar benefits, and Bai Yi preferred to keep her close, encouraging her practice.
With Luo Ning's SSS-level talent and Irene at SS, perhaps they could entice a gold-level fortune teller and a branch of the Church of Life to Dongwu City simultaneously.
"Alright, you two practice well. I'll handle other matters. And you, Irene—if I catch you slacking again, I'll deduct your salary," Bai Yi warned, casting a glance at her as he headed to the laboratory.
Irene stuck her tongue out at his retreating figure, muttering, "It's the memory inheritance that lets me relax. Damn capitalist!"
Luo Ning whispered, "Sister Irene, I have a feeling that if you're caught playing games again, you really will lose your salary."
Irene:
She quickly stowed her game console, pulled out a book, and grumbled, "Damn it!"
Upon entering the laboratory, Bai Yi's space ring glimmered, revealing a black display window. As the door on the right opened, a gray tentacle extended toward him, bearing a crooked message:
[Give me 3,000 milliliters of blood essence.]
Simultaneously, the panel lit up:
[You are marked with the curse of God's showcase.]
Bai Yi retrieved three test tubes from his space ring, each containing one liter. Sabo had divided five thousand liters of this essence, leaving Bai Yi with plenty for future use, all still undergoing transformation.
Even God's Window craves this, he thought.
The gray tentacle coiled around the blood essence, and with a sharp bang, the door of God's Window closed. Now it was time for White Plague.
However, Bai Yi chose not to continue the transaction. He could sacrifice a small portion of his power of destiny for the God's Showcase but didn't want to become overly reliant on it. Plus, he still needed to study this entity; it wouldn't simply manifest on its own.
With most tasks nearly complete, Bai Yi began reviewing the updates from Zero.
[1. Due to the rapid development of Tobu City, nearby cities have expressed dissatisfaction, but all complaints have been ignored.]
[2. Dongwu City's population has reached saturation, making it the most populous and second-largest economy in the Federation. Despite this, commercial regulations have been relaxed, establishing it as a major trading hub.]
[3. Diane, the necromancer from the capital, has broken through to gold. Now, apart from you, all SSS-level geniuses have entered gold, with the highest reaching level 67. Once you promote, your potential will rank second, with Diane first. All of you entered the golden age before 20.]
[4. Dongwu City has established commercial relations with Chaoyang City, Wudu City, and Chishi City. This has caused further discontent among some parliamentary families. However, the four cities can support each other militarily, leading to tighter cooperation. Financial officials argue that smaller cities waste resources and should be absorbed to support major cities. The Federation has agreed not to pursue actions against border cities, prompting weaker cities to merge. Currently, there are 580 cities in the Federation, with three more significant cities emerging.]
[5. Treasurers from Beiyuan City, Xiling City, and Nanling City are forming diplomatic relations with Dongwu City's treasurer, seemingly learning from Sabo. They recognize that gangsters may threaten congressmen but not major cities, prompting the Federation to consider mechanisms for eliminating last-place cities.]
[6. Due to professional schools in Dongwu City, wealthy businessmen are relocating, significantly boosting the local economy. The Federation is now replicating the six major classification schools to provide more specialized education.]
[7. Three days ago, Sabo from Tobu City secured cooperation with an Abyss Lord, who was ultimately dragged back by the Abyss Consciousness. The Abyss Lord has threatened retaliation, with no further developments reported. The deal netted materials worth at least 500 million gold coins, causing border cities to scramble for opportunities, but the Federation has prohibited them from engaging with Abyss Lords. The law enforcement captain is set to investigate Sabo in Dongwu City.]
Bai Yi:
Sabo is getting more and more extravagant. The subsequent reports all revolve around him. Dawn is particularly lively under his leadership.
Yet, Bai Yi felt an unsettling intuition; the bad fortune Luo Ning predicted was likely tied to Sabo's recent activities. He's certainly stirring the pot.
Ding, ding, ding.
Zero: [Emergency contact with Sabo. Call connected.]
Bai Yi:
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone