"Half a year... Good heavens, just kill me already."
Yae Miko's face was filled with despair.
She already felt as though each day lasted a year. If she had to keep this up for half a year, she would probably be exhausted beyond reason by the end.
Su Han remained unmoved.
Everyone had things they needed to see through themselves. Others could not interfere.
Seeing that Su Han wasn't responding, the fox woman pitifully tried to move closer and seek help. Even one day less would be fine.
Yet before she could make her move, Su Han activated his cultivation technique and turned away.
Placing her hands on her hips, Yae Miko huffed angrily.
"What's wrong with helping me a little? Look at you acting like you've seen a ghost. Next time, don't expect me to massage your feet."
Actually, she still had one ultimate move left.
But with so many people on the street, she did not dare say it aloud.
At the warehouse.
Su Han filled in the story content for The Chinese Paladin 3.
The editors, who had been worrying about the shortage, immediately breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the shipment arrive.
"My lord, your timing is perfect! At most another half hour and we'll be completely out of comics."
Looking at the employees drenched in sweat, Su Han deeply understood how hard they had been working.
Thus, he made them a promise.
"Starting next month, everyone's salary will increase by twenty percent. The bonus system will remain in place."
The workers could hardly believe their ears.
They had never expected another pay raise so soon.
This was already the third raise this month.
"L-Lord Su Han, is that really true?"
A middle-aged editor asked in disbelief.
He was already forty years old and carried the scholarly air of a learned man.
He could be considered a representative figure among Inazuma's intellectuals.
Ordinarily, someone like him would never do such public-facing labor.
But his wife had been bedridden with illness.
To pay for her treatment, he endured every hardship without complaint.
Su Han smiled and addressed everyone.
"I've seen all of your hard work. As long as you work diligently, there will be plenty of Mora to earn. However, while working, remember to take care of your health. Don't wear yourselves out. Many of you are the pillars supporting your families."
His words were simple, yet filled with warmth.
Indeed.
How could a man openly complain of exhaustion?
Yet even the strongest man had a limit.
Su Han did not want to see his employees work themselves to death.
That was why he deliberately reminded them.
In fact, not long ago, he and Yae Miko had discussed assigning a dedicated physician to the staff.
That way, employees would be happier.
And naturally, the business would flourish.
Such were the benefits enjoyed by Su Han's employees.
"My lord, rest assured. We'll work hard!"
Who wouldn't be excited when there was money to earn?
Su Han smiled and turned to leave.
The employees, meanwhile, regained their spirits and prepared for the final three hours of work.
Though they had not yet eaten dinner, it had already been prepared.
But today's workload was simply too heavy.
There was no rush. They could eat later.
Seeing that everything was in order, Su Han returned to Mt. Yougou.
The shrine maiden responsible for attending him had already been waiting for quite some time.
Inside the hot spring.
Mist drifted through the air.
Su Han removed his clothes and slowly stepped into the water.
Warm currents flowed gently across his skin.
After a while.
A pair of soft, delicate hands appeared on his shoulders.
The pressure was neither too strong nor too weak.
"You can use a little more strength."
Su Han spoke without lifting his head.
The woman responsible for the massage paused briefly before gradually increasing her force.
Feeling the stronger pressure, Su Han nodded in satisfaction.
Deep within his consciousness.
He had already opened the system interface.
Earlier in the day, he had drawn rewards from Naruto.
As for rewards from the world of The Chinese Paladin 3, he had only claimed a Divine Tree Fruit.
The other two rewards remained unclaimed.
[Comic: Chinese Paladin 3 (TV Drama Version)]
[Authority Level: 3 (Can currently produce Volumes 5-6)]
[Restriction: Sell 80,000 copies to unlock subsequent content]
[Reward: Upon selling 80,000 copies, unlock the third lottery draw. After seven draws, one free treasure draw will be granted. Current remaining draws: 2]
[Prize Pool: Various treasures from the world of The Legend of Sword and Fairy, including bloodlines, the Five Spirit Pearls, and numerous mystical spells. Before Authority Level 5, the Five Spirit Pearls cannot be drawn. At Authority Level 9, a special bloodline can be obtained.]
[Benefit: If the host acquires a treasure, it can be upgraded through points. One comic sold equals one point.]
"Hm? That reward description is rather strange."
Su Han opened his eyes and focused on the system's description.
A special bloodline.
And it required Authority Level 9.
Could it possibly be one of the supreme three bloodlines?
The world of Chinese Paladin 3 possessed the bloodlines of the three ancient gods:
Nüwa, Fuxi, and Pangu.
Each possessed incomparable power.
Obtaining any one of them would allow immediate ascension to immortality.
Thinking of this, Su Han felt anticipation welling up inside him.
As for why he wasn't in a hurry to promote the comic...
The answer was simple.
The comic's progression requirements were extremely high.
To reach Level 9, he estimated that sales would likely need to exceed ten million copies.
And that was only a rough estimate.
Being impatient would accomplish nothing.
"Let's begin the lottery first."
Su Han was not worried about the shrine maiden behind him seeing anything.
To be honest, anyone allowed to serve him personally was one of Yae Miko's trusted confidants.
People who would remain loyal to Inazuma for their entire lives.
He had no doubt that if he wished to indulge himself, the woman behind him would immediately kneel in the pool.
But there was no need for that.
The prize pool began spinning.
Though it was a low-level prize pool, treasures from the world of Chinese Paladin 3 were still excellent.
A moment later, the first reward arrived.
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a treasure from Chinese Paladin 3 world: Five-Poison Beast, Hua Ying.]
The drowsy Su Han instantly became wide awake.
"Hm?"
"The Five-Poison Beast?"
"A low-level prize pool can actually produce something like this?"
A string of question marks filled Su Han's mind.
Yet a potato-sized object suddenly appeared in his hand.
It radiated an exceptionally rich life force.
He had truly obtained the Five-Poison Beast.
Su Han checked the system data.
[Five-Poison Beast]
[Level: Immortal Beast (Between a demon and an immortal creature. Though bearing the title of immortal, it is not a true immortal.)]
[Effect: Can cure all poisons in the world.]
[Sleeping: Requires time to awaken. Current countdown: 30 days.]
The good news was that he had obtained an immortal beast.
The bad news was that the immortal beast was asleep.
Looking at the unmatured little potato in his hand, Su Han laughed.
Although it would take some time before they could meet, he was not in a hurry.
Thirty days would pass quickly.
As for why such a treasure appeared in a beginner-level prize pool, Su Han believed it was because Hua Ying was not truly an immortal being.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to draw even after reaching Level 5.
Putting away the Five-Poison Beast, Su Han immediately started the second lottery draw.
The prize pool appeared.
It spun.
Then stopped.
Less than a minute later, the second reward arrived.
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the special weapon: Jade Waist Bow.]
[Notice: This bow was originally not particularly powerful. However, after prolonged influence from Hong Kui, it gradually became demonic.]
[Notice: Demonic transformation does not negatively affect its wielder. Instead, it enhances strength.]
[Drawback: Those who follow a holy path cannot wield this weapon.]
[Advantage: Those aligned with demonic or sinister attributes will experience greatly enhanced power while using this weapon and unlock an entirely new form.]
"So it's Long Kui's bow."
Steam rose from the hot spring.
Yet as the crimson demonic bow appeared, an icy aura instantly swept through the entire pool.
Countless ice crystals spread outward from Su Han.
"Ah!"
A young woman's startled cry sounded behind him.
The voice felt strangely familiar.
Wait.
Could it be...
Su Han slowly turned around.
The moment he saw Kamisato Ayaka kneeling behind him, his vision nearly went dark.
Why was she here?
"Y-You... why are you..."
"Su Han, it's so cold. That bow..."
Although Ayaka possessed a Cryo Vision, the problem was that she was barely dressed.
She wore only a thin white dress.
There was no way she could withstand such a temperature.
"I understand."
Su Han quickly put away the Jade Waist Bow and used Pure Yang Flames to melt the ice throughout the pool.
As the temperature gradually returned to normal, Ayaka finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Whew... What exactly was that? Such a strange weapon..."
Her pale eyes were filled with curiosity.
Completely unaware that the lower part of her dress had already become soaked through by the hot spring water and nearly transparent.
Staring at her legs, Su Han rolled his eyes.
That wasn't the important issue.
The real question was why she was here.
Seeing that her attention remained focused on the pool, Su Han immediately voiced his confusion.
He did not believe Ayaka was trying to offer herself to him.
Nor did he think she had fallen for him.
The Kamisato Clan was currently at the height of its glory.
Even if Ayaka agreed, her brother might not.
Hearing his question, Ayaka quickly explained.
"I originally came to ask you for comics. But just now, the shrine maiden who was supposed to attend you seemed to have a stomachache, so I temporarily took her place."
"And you're not worried about others finding out?"
A lone man and woman alone in a room.
In Inazuma, such behavior was considered highly improper.
In many cases, it could even ruin a woman's marriage prospects forever.
Ayaka responded with a sweet smile.
"As long as Big Brother Su Han doesn't say anything and I don't say anything, how would anyone else know?"
She paused.
Her fingers climbed back onto his shoulders as she resumed the massage.
"Besides, Big Brother Su Han has sacrificed so much for Inazuma. Being able to give you a massage is an honor I'll cherish for the rest of my life."
The Kamisato Clan could now be considered one of the strongest families in Inazuma.
But all of it stemmed from the guidance of the man before her.
Without Su Han's efforts and support, the Kamisato Clan would never have achieved its current glory.
She could never forget such kindness.
Su Han closed his eyes and voiced his concern.
"There's no such thing as a secret that lasts forever. Sooner or later, people will learn about something like this. At that point, the Kamisato Clan's reputation may end up stained."
Ayaka gently shook her head.
"I don't think so, Big Brother Su Han. Perhaps you don't realize your current status. You're the great hero who saved Inazuma and the Kanrei who reformed the nation. Your position is second only to Her Excellency the Shogun."
"And that doesn't even account for your influence throughout the world."
"I know your intentions. With beauties constantly by your side, naturally you wouldn't be interested in some ordinary wildflower."
"I only wanted the chance to serve you once."
Every young girl dreamed of a hero.
Ayaka was no exception.
She had read her mother's diary and understood the fate that often awaited Inazuman women.
Although things had improved considerably, she had no desire to marry someone weaker than herself.
At her core, she admired strength.
As for Su Han, her admiration for him surpassed everything else.
In Inazuma, there were countless women who felt the same.
Though it sounded shocking, becoming even a shadow beside Big Brother Su Han was the dream of countless young women.
Listening to her thoughts and recalling the events of the game, Su Han gradually came to understand her heart.
To verify his suspicion, he suddenly turned around and openly looked toward her neckline.
"Big Brother Su Han..."
Ayaka shyly tried to cover herself.
But Su Han stopped her.
"Don't."
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Then she truly stopped moving.
Moments later.
Su Han noticed a rosy blush spreading across her face.
Just as he thought.
Kamisato Ayaka was a woman whose inner self contrasted greatly with her outward appearance.
Back on Earth, Su Han had known people like that.
In front of others, they were always the model of obedience.
Deep inside, however, they longed desperately to express themselves.
The evidence was clear.
Ayaka had once danced beneath the moonlight beside a stream for the Traveler.
And her current reaction further confirmed Su Han's conclusion.
Though his gaze was undeniably intrusive, Ayaka obediently followed his command and did not move.
Even her legs trembled slightly.
She dared not meet Su Han's eyes.
Her face felt scorching hot.
It was an incredibly embarrassing situation.
Yet a strange sense of pleasure had emerged within her heart.
"No, Big Brother Su Han is watching. I can't move."
The thought had barely formed when another followed.
"But I'm a girl. If Big Brother Su Han keeps looking at me like this, I won't be able to endure it."
The two thoughts clashed continuously.
Yet from beginning to end, Ayaka never moved.
Ten long minutes passed.
Only when Su Han finally looked away and turned back around did she feel relieved.
Yet immediately afterward.
A faint sense of disappointment emerged.
She did not understand why she felt that way.
Nor did she dare examine those feelings too deeply.
Because she was afraid.
Just as she was struggling with her thoughts, Su Han suddenly spoke.
"I'm a little tired today. Ayaka, would you dance for me here in the water?"
Ayaka's eyes lit up.
The disappointment instantly vanished.
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