October 31st, evening.
After evening self-study ended, Lin Li rode his bike but didn't go straight home. Instead, he followed the address on his phone to a driving school registration point.
"Coach Yu?"
Seeing the middle-aged man waiting under the sign of "Xiren Driving School", Lin Li parked and locked his bike and asked.
"Yes, that's me. Lin Li? Right." Hearing this, Yu Jian'an turned his head and immediately said upon seeing Lin Li.
"Mhm." Lin Li nodded.
"Come in, come in." Because they had already contacted each other on their phones, Yu Jian'an immediately signaled Lin Li to follow him inside.
"Brought everything, right? You have the medical examination form too?"
After leading Lin Li into an office, Yu Jian'an signaled Lin Li to sit opposite him, while he sat in front of the computer and asked at the same time.
"Brought everything. The things you told me on WeChat are all here." Lin Li took out a folder from his backpack, which contained materials and proofs like copies of his household register and ID card, as well as the medical examination form from the vehicle management office he had just gotten.
Getting a driver's license also requires a medical examination. The content of the examination is quite simple, basic items like vision and height.
Although Lin Li had just had a medical examination a few days ago, the medical examination report from a private institution is not recognized.
Fortunately, it's very convenient now. In the 24-hour service area of the Nansang Vehicle Management Office, there is a self-service medical examination machine. You can go for a self-service medical examination at any time, completely eliminating the need to go to the vehicle management office or a designated hospital to be tested again on a workday.
Lin Li went to use this machine after school yesterday, but because it requires manual review during the day, he only got the passed report today.
"Then no problem, having these is enough. I'll input it for you now, your system file should be out tomorrow."
Yu Jian'an took the cigarette from behind his ear and put it in his mouth, holding it but not lighting it, and said while crackling away operating the computer.
"Okay, Coach. And then, I've already finished practicing all the questions for Subject One. When is the earliest I can be scheduled for the exam?" Lin Li nodded and then asked.
After coming back from playing during the National Day holiday, he had been practicing questions in his spare time. Plus his perfect memory, as long as it was in the question bank, Lin Li would definitely get it right.
He was already at the level of passing any exam he took.
"This thing, being anxious is useless. To register for Subject One, you still have to accumulate study hours. But your file isn't out now, so you can't even accumulate study hours. And you can only take the exam on weekends, right?" Yu Jian'an leaned back in his chair and spread his hands to Lin Li.
"Right." Lin Li nodded.
Xue Jian probably wouldn't approve his leave to take the driver's license exam, and would even scold him a few times. He definitely could only go take the exam on weekends.
"Then this will take quite a while for you. After accumulating the study hours, making an appointment is also difficult. Weekend slots are already the hardest to grab. These two weeks are definitely out of the question. If you're unlucky, you might not even get an appointment next month." Hearing this, Yu Jian'an shook his head.
Lin Li frowned slightly upon hearing this.
Being stuck on Subject One for a month was a bit too long for him.
If this went on, let alone Chinese New Year, his driver's license wouldn't even be issued yet.
He had already made big boasts, although this wasn't his fault.
"Isn't Xiren Driving School the most expensive but also said to be the best driving school in our Nansang? Do you guys have no way?" Lin Li frowned and asked.
Lin Li chose this place just to save trouble.
"Of course, but our goodness lies in the service, training grounds, and vehicles. It has nothing to do with making appointments and grabbing slots,"
After speaking, Yu Jian'an took the unlit cigarette from his mouth, twirled it in his hand twice, glanced at Lin Li's phone to make sure he wasn't recording or anything, and lowered his voice slightly:
"If Lin Li, you are really in a hurry, I personally also have some connections, maybe I can help you grab a slot..."
Hearing this sentence, Lin Li smiled.
But it wasn't a mocking smile. Lin Li nodded, even somewhat gratified: "No problem, Coach Yu, as long as your connections are reliable, I can totally pay extra."
Seeing Lin Li so sensible, Yu Jian'an's eyes lit up.
"Don't worry, Lin Li, my connections are absolutely reliable!" Yu Jian'an looked a bit proud, reached out and picked up his Apple phone, and shook it in front of Lin Li, "Let me put it this way, this is the phone I bargained down on Pinduoduo."
Lin Li: "?!"
Lin Li was horrified, suddenly feeling admiration.
This connection was no longer ordinarily broad. To be able to bargain down a phone on Pinduoduo, this guy was terrifyingly formidable and absolutely could not be kept.
"Then I'll leave it to you with peace of mind, Coach." Lin Li nodded.
It was secure.
"Don't worry, you get what you pay for. When the time comes, I'll have someone squat at the vehicle management office in person. This is faster than online. Plus the people I know inside the vehicle management office, pulling some strings, I'll definitely help you grab the earliest slot. If it's not early, I won't charge a penny."
Yu Jian'an patted his chest, pledging solemnly.
"Okay, my goal is to get my driver's license before the Lunar New Year." Lin Li nodded.
"Then you can be even more at ease, definitely no problem. With me here, as long as you don't fail the subjects and follow my arrangements, you can absolutely get it. Let alone the New Year, normally, you can get it before New Year's Day."
Yu Jian'an snapped his fingers and said confidently.
"Then I'll trouble you, Coach." Lin Li nodded politely.
"By the way, what are you in such a hurry to get a driver's license for, can I ask?" Yu Jian'an continued typing on the keyboard, feeling bored in his mouth, so he asked casually.
"Nothing hard to say, just agreed to drive to pick up classmates during the New Year."
It indeed wasn't a secret that needed to be hidden, Lin Li answered.
"Yo, you just turned eighteen a couple of days ago, and contacted me yesterday, you really are in a hurry,"
Glancing at the materials, Yu Jian'an raised an eyebrow and teased, then shook his head, showing a bit of nostalgia:
"But it's understandable, an eighteen-year-old kid should be like this. When the time comes, the look in your classmates' eyes when they see you driving will definitely make you feel very good."
Then Yu Jian'an sighed deeply and spoke softly:
"Sigh, if that kind of thing hadn't happened, my child should also be eighteen years old now. What a pity, what a pity."
"What happened, can I ask?" Hearing this, Lin Li asked curiously.
"Nothing hard to say, eighteen years ago, I pulled out." It also wasn't a secret that needed to be hidden, Yu Jian'an answered.
Lin Li: "(；☉_☉)?"
No?
Hmm? Pulled out?
What the fuck did you pull out?
Lin Li originally wanted to mourn for that 'child of the same age', but now it turned out there were hundreds of millions that needed mourning, so forget it.
"OK, now just wait for the review to pass tomorrow, and you can start accumulating study hours," Yu Jian'an finally finished operating the computer, and then introduced to Lin Li:
"Classroom study hours, we can help you accumulate. Online course study hours, if you need, we can also help you accumulate, but you have to leave your original ID card with me temporarily."
"And then, I personally suggest you accumulate them yourself, because there are still certain risks when we accumulate them for you. If caught, although the punishment isn't heavy, you might not be able to get it before the New Year."
"Then no need, I'll accumulate them myself." Hearing this, Lin Li shook his head.
"Okay, then go to the front desk to pay the fee, and then we'll contact each other on WeChat. Just find me if you have any problems."
"Okay."
Lin Li went to the front desk to pay the fee, then rode his bike home, continuing his daily refining and studying.
Until midnight.
[Update complete.]
Seeing this message, Lin Li nodded. His guess was indeed correct, it would update on Mondays, and also at the beginning of the month.
It's just that the update at the beginning of the month didn't give a free mall refresh opportunity, it only refreshed the opportunity to go to the apocalypse.
Lin Li looked at this interface that still had no title. At this moment, it had changed again compared to before.
The UI that originally only had three buttons now became five.
The two newly appeared buttons were lit up, but like the other buttons at the beginning, they didn't have any text.
And the original three buttons had all appeared with text.
The lit one was "Return".
The dark, unclickable ones were "Terminate" and "Current Reset Price: 20 System Currency".
Regarding these texts that appeared after a month's delay, Lin Li had actually almost guessed it.
It only takes 20 system currency to refresh one more opportunity to go to the apocalypse?
Quite cheap?
However, there is also the word "Current", maybe the price will also change, rising with each reset?
However, Lin Li had no more demands for the apocalyptic world. He wasn't even a fucking Awakened, and that core with a rather ancient setting, even if he got a ton of it, it would be useless.
Currently, without any tasks, wasting points to go there was unnecessary.
Just using the free weekly and monthly chances was enough.
Now, the relatively attractive point for Lin Li was that after going there, he could freely pilot his mecha to explore that world.
Long live the mecha.
Putting on the protective suit and carrying the prepared supplies and food, which this time also included some tools specified by Shi Dongchen, Lin Li clicked "Return", 'returning' to his hometown.
A white light flashed.
Lin Li was stunned.
Because what was in front of him was not the return location he chose a few days ago at all. To be precise, the scene in front of him didn't seem to be the apocalyptic world at all.
The weather was clear and the light was just right, but Lin Li didn't dare to define whether the scene in front of him could be considered a sky. It wasn't azure blue, but revealed a warm amber light, with flocculent purple light bands cruising among the clouds, like elongated auroras.
The location Lin Li was currently at was a mountaintop. When his gaze moved from the sky to the surroundings, there were 'mountains' everywhere.
The 'sky' didn't look like a sky, and the 'mountains' didn't look like mountains.
These mountains were almost entirely composed of pure rock, with no vegetation on the surface, let alone any creatures. A very bizarre point was that these mountains all presented an inverted cone style, large at the top and small at the bottom. The mountaintop was huge and flat, while the mountain base supporting the ground had only one point.
Completely violating physics.
There was a distance of several thousand meters between each mountain. The ground, like the mountain body, had no living creatures, all black rock.
It was silent in his ears, a piece of tranquility.
"..."
"..."
"Where the fuck did you bring me this time?" Lin Li recovered his senses and issued a soul-searching question.
No one answered.
Throwing the food and tools he brought on the ground first... Lin Li looked down, only to find that this ground was also unusual. The surface was covered with a material similar to obsidian, but every few seconds, a water-ripple-like pattern would ripple across it.
Obviously, this was absolutely not the apocalyptic world.
Lin Li's eyebrows twitched violently.
When he calmed down to think, Lin Li discovered another thing.
Spiritual energy.
There was spiritual energy in the surroundings.
With his every breath, it was entering his body and being subtly absorbed.
His body also transmitted a faint sense of comfort because of this.
"The apocalyptic world doesn't have spiritual energy, so... is this the late immortal cultivation world?" Lin Li voiced his guess.
"Boom!!!" A sudden loud noise appeared.
A purple heavenly lightning suddenly appeared from the purple light band and fell, striking the ground not far away, emitting a roar.
Lin Li: "?"
The little bit of excitement he originally had was instantly blasted away. Lin Li looked up at the sky, confirmed there was no purple light band directly above him, and then carefully walked towards the edge on this very wide mountaintop under his feet.
The 'mountaintop' was hundreds of meters wide. Because Lin Li walked very carefully, it took him more than ten minutes to barely reach the edge.
At the edge, several hexagonal flowers with a texture like ice crystals actually grew. The petals were like blades. Separated by more than ten meters, he found that during their slight swaying, they would also produce the sound of sword humming.
Lin Li chose to avoid them first.
Arriving at an edge of the mountaintop without any abnormalities, Lin Li took out the sports camera hanging on his chest, then materialized the "Formless Sword" and let it possess the sports camera.
It was a bit harder to adapt to than a ballpoint pen, but after all, the volume wasn't large. A few minutes later, the sports camera placed on the ground flew up following Lin Li's thought.
Under the circumstances where Lin Li didn't bring a drone and didn't dare to materialize and use the armor now, this was the best 'drone'.
Then Lin Li controlled it and flew it out beyond the edge of the mountain body.
No purple lightning aimed at it and fell, at least for now.
The camera slowly descended and disappeared from Lin Li's field of vision. Lin Li blindly controlled it to slowly turn three hundred and sixty degrees.
Then he let it fly back and took it in his hand.
Checking the video just now.
The one under his feet was indeed also an inverted mountain. There was nothing beyond the edge of the mountaintop, only rock shrinking inward.
To some extent, this mountain simply didn't provide a path for normal people to go up and down the mountain.
Lin Li frowned, pondered in place for a few minutes, and chose to return to the vicinity of that hexagonal flower at the edge.
The "Formless Sword" detached from the sports camera, possessed the compressed biscuit he brought, and then flew towards this hexagonal flower.
When it was still dozens of centimeters away, with a sway of the hexagonal flower, the compressed biscuit suddenly turned into two pieces, and the "Formless Sword" was forced to detach.
"Your mom."
Looking at the biscuit corpse with an extremely flat cross-section, and the cutting process didn't make any sound, which was now constantly being cut, Lin Li felt it was absurd.
"Boom!" Another purple lightning.
Lin Li let out a long breath and chose to temporarily return to the very center of the mountaintop.
He felt it was safest here.
Sitting cross-legged, Lin Li looked at the system.
This time it was still a six-hour limit, no different from when he went to the apocalyptic world on Monday.
Then Lin Li began to continuously take deep breaths to inhale and exhale spiritual energy, but he didn't dare to immerse his mind, instead staring at the surroundings at all times.
An hour passed just like that.
Without absorbing at full capacity, Lin Li had already absorbed spiritual energy worth at least the level of one "Low-grade Spirit Stone".
And the result of being distracted was getting this information: within an hour, a total of countless lightning strikes fell, 8 lightning strikes fell nearby, none fell on the mountain body where he was or nearby, all fell on the ground between the mountains.
He didn't see any living creatures, whether human or beast, and the system didn't trigger any tasks.
The second hour.
The result was similar, only 9 lightning strikes.
Lin Li, who had sat dryly for two hours, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the statistical sample was insufficient, it could be temporarily determined that this purple lightning couldn't strike the mountain.
Lin Li didn't dare to wear the title [Lightning Attractor] for a single second now.
This purple lightning felt like it was more than ten meters in diameter. Lin Li really didn't think his broken Pure and Righteous Lightning Controlling Body could control this.
"First of all, this should be the immortal cultivation world." Lin Li began to talk to himself, analyzing the situation.
"So, is this the system changing a 'hometown' for me to return to every month?"
"It does fit the nature of this system. After all, when I'm in the modern world, it also issues me tasks for both worlds."
"But what will happen in December? Will it be returning to the apocalyptic world, or going to... the all-female world?"
"Going to the all-female world... wouldn't be very good..."
Lin Li chuckled, then shook his head to dispel the smile.
Now he still had to focus on the present.
"The immortal cultivation world is actually more meaningful than the apocalyptic world."
Lin Li's plan for tonight was originally just to pilot the mecha to explore the apocalyptic world and see if he could trigger any tasks.
But this was actually very broad. In reality, it was just wandering aimlessly.
But the immortal cultivation world was different.
Just this item of spiritual energy was an immensely huge harvest.
If Lin Li focused on absorbing spiritual energy, the value of the spiritual energy absorbed in an hour could be worth two or three "Low-grade Spirit Stones".
And this was absolutely not the upper limit. What limited Lin Li's absorption speed was the concentration of spiritual energy in the surroundings—Lin Li still had the buff "Spiritual Energy Absorption Speed Increased by 600%" hanging on him, his absorption speed was already different from ordinary people.
Now there wasn't enough spiritual energy to absorb.
But, solving this problem was also very simple: Lin Li still had a "Spirit Gathering Heavenly Formation" in his hand.
The reason Lin Li hadn't materialized it all along was the same as the reason he hadn't materialized the combat armor to fly out of the mountain to explore until now—fear of triggering mutations.
The immortal cultivation world represents endless resources, but at the same time, it also represents endless danger.
Although Lin Li had always considered himself an immortal cultivator in the modern world, truly coming to the immortal cultivation world, Lin Yanbing realized the difference between an ace company and an ordinary company. (Translator's Note: A reference to a Chinese military drama).
Take that flower at the edge of the mountaintop for example, Lin Li believed it was most likely also a heavenly material and earthly treasure.
But Lin Li didn't dare to have any designs on it at all.
He only dared to use the "Formless Sword" to probe from a distance even when approaching.
And the outcome of the compressed biscuit made Lin Li feel that if he approached rashly, he would see the message of the "Substitute Death Jade-Faced Buddha" shattering while he himself felt absolutely nothing.
For many opportunities, cultivation level is the threshold.
Without enough cultivation level, coveting is courting death.
A dung beetle wouldn't choose to push an elephant's poop, that's the reasoning.
The heavenly lightning outside the mountain also made Lin Li not dare to use the mecha to fly out.
For safety's sake, staying on this mountaintop was the most appropriate.
But Lin Li didn't feel stifled.
Lin Li's mindset was very healthy, without any discomfort of not being able to get opportunities, or depression of being trapped here.
On the contrary, it was a bit exhilarating. There was inexhaustible spiritual energy here!
Just this alone was worth the price of admission!
Having had enough of the days of breaking one piece of spiritual energy into two to spend in the modern world, Lin Li now only felt happiness.
The area under his feet might also be a somewhat famous place in the immortal cultivation world, otherwise he wouldn't even see a single creature.
But for Lin Li, this was good news. Truly seeing immortal cultivators and spirit beasts would make him worry instead.
After all, them hitting him would be as simple as him jerking off.
At the current stage, Lin Li wished he was the only person in this world.
As long as the heavenly lightning didn't come to strike him either, the mountaintop was his best cultivation spot. Doing what he could, stealing some spiritual energy back to the modern world to use, was enough to be fully satisfied.
...
After determining this policy of stealing spiritual energy, Lin Li spent his third hour in this world.
Safe and sound.
The purple light bands in the sky had never been over the several inverted mountains.
Now, Lin Li was going to make a slightly risky attempt.
First, he called up the system interface so that he could return at any time.
Then Lin Li materialized the "Spirit Gathering Heavenly Formation".
Just like when it was materialized at home, the formation core stayed in front of Lin Li, while the other materials immediately flew towards the surroundings.
Lin Li pressed the formation core, forcefully suppressing the other materials from continuing to expand, while his gaze tightly locked onto the sky.
One second, two seconds, nothing happened.
The formation began to operate.
The "Spirit Gathering Heavenly Formation", which had absolutely no spiritual energy to absorb when at home, was now like a mouse falling into a rice vat. Instantly, Lin Li saw the surrounding spiritual energy actually appear in materialized traces and gather towards the formation core.
In an instant, a drop of spirit liquid appeared and was tottering, much, much faster than at home.
Lin Li ignored it, pressing it with one hand to suppress it, while continuing to stare fixedly at the surroundings.
This staring lasted for ten minutes, and a bolt of lightning fell in the distance.
"Phew—"
Lin Li let out a long breath.
Confirming that after his formation appeared, the surroundings didn't undergo any changes because of it, made Lin Li feel much more at ease.
Turning his head, a puddle of spirit liquid had already appeared on the 'obsidian' on the ground, constantly vaporizing and liquefying in a cycle.
Lin Li simply materialized the "Duck Blood Bottle" and placed it under the formation core, letting it act as the carrier to store the spirit liquid.
—Lin Li didn't bring any liquids in the supplies he brought to the shelter this time, so he couldn't find other bottles nearby.
And at this moment, sensing the much richer spiritual energy around him, Lin Li sat cross-legged, continuing to suppress and distract himself with the surroundings while inhaling and exhaling to absorb spiritual energy.
The absorption efficiency could be perceived to be much faster.
Lin Li still didn't really know how to control this "Spirit Gathering Heavenly Formation". To be honest, it was quite strenuous just to suppress it from expanding. As for its development and use, it absolutely hadn't reached its upper limit yet.
If developed to the extreme, exactly how fast would the speed of gathering spiritual energy be?
Curious, but couldn't do it.
"Buzz—"
Lin Li was imagining the future, but heard a buzzing sound appear directly in front of him, seemingly very far away—the compass lost its function, Lin Li couldn't tell north, south, east, or west.
A variable?
When this abnormality appeared, Lin Li immediately put away the formation, his vigilance maxed out, ready to run away at any time.
But more than half an hour passed, and still nothing happened, everything around was as usual.
"It seems it wasn't caused by me."
Lin Li continued.
For the remaining two hours, no other situations occurred.
...
[0.11.39]
Only eleven minutes of stay time left.
Calculating seriously, Lin Li had actually not slept for 26 hours, but absorbing spiritual energy itself was a comfortable thing. Although these six hours were highly focused, he actually wasn't as tired as when he stayed in the apocalyptic world for six hours.
His "Duck Blood Bottle" was even completely full.
This amount of spirit liquid, who knows how long it would take for the "Spirit Spring" to gather it.
Putting away the formation, putting the "Duck Blood Bottle" into the "Universe Ring".
Lin Li materialized the combat armor, looked up at the sky, ready to take it back into the [Warehouse] and run away at any time.
After a few minutes of waiting, a heavenly lightning fell in the distance.
So the mecha disappeared, and then Lin Li disappeared.
On the inverted mountain, only a large amount of modern supplies that Lin Li deliberately didn't take away remained.
...
Return.
Lin Li in the bathroom stretched, looking at the "Current Reset Price: 20 System Currency" button that had lit up on the system.
20 system currency to go stay for another six hours, to be honest, was absolutely a profit.
The combination of "Random Quality Spirit Stone" + "Luck Talisman" could perhaps be removed from his consumption list—at least it could be removed for November.
Checking the backup phone, calculating it, the time flow rate was still 1:160.
Suddenly without spiritual energy to absorb, the drowsiness Lin Li originally hadn't noticed instantly surged up.
"System, you did a good job..." After a simple wash, Lin Li threw himself onto the head of the bed and yawned.
If the apocalyptic world was a blow to the head in October, it hit the big head, knocking Lin Li out.
This blow to the head from the immortal cultivation world hit the small head, knocking Lin Li until his eyes rolled back, drooling, and making a V sign.
Awesome!
Before going to sleep, Lin Li habitually took out his phone.
Someone had shared an app with him.
Good things naturally couldn't be hoarded by himself alone.
[Lin Li: Bufan, I just downloaded a domestic 18+ app, a huge number of people in the country play it, do you want one?]
[Bai Bufan: 111]
[Lin Li: [Good Stuff.666], after downloading, change the suffix to .7z and extract it. The extraction password is the four Chinese characters 'Software Share', know how? Don't rename and extract online in the cloud drive.]
[Bai Bufan: Don't worry, bro started looking for resources since childhood, not those internet giant babies who can't even eat when the food is fed to their mouths.]
That's good, Lin Li went to sleep with peace of mind.
...
[Bai Bufan: Voice message 60s·]
[Bai Bufan: Lin Li!! Fuck your mom's 'Driving School Yidiantong'!]
(Translator's Note: A popular app for studying for the Chinese driver's license written exam).
[Bai Bufan: You call this domestic 18+? I really have to control you!]
This animal Lin Li, in order to make him believe it, even deliberately configured it like an eroge. Not only was the software compressed twice, but he also specially set a Chinese extraction code.
Fuck.
At first, Bai Bufan really thought it was secure, after all, good things should be like this.
Bai Bufan got out of bed in anger and gave Zhou Baowei, who hadn't started snoring yet, a few punches.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Baowei opened his eyes.
"You were snoring, go back to sleep." Bai Bufan said gently.
Zhou Baowei sneered: "Bai Bufan, is there a possibility that I fucking haven't slept yet."
Bai Bufan: "?"
"Wait a minute, sorr—"
...
Beaten up by Zhou Baowei again, Bai Bufan was even angrier. The dragon-slaying youth decided to become a dragon, so he took out his phone:
[Bai Bufan: Wang Ze, I just downloaded a domestic 18+ app, a huge number of people in the country play it, do you want one?]
[Wang Ze: 111]
...
Lin Li, who woke up the next day, looked at the message on his phone and was stunned for a moment—
[Wang Ze: Lin Li, I just downloaded a domestic 18+ app, a huge number of people in the country play it, do you want one?]
(End of Chapter)