Chapter 25: Anti-Malicious Loafing Disciplinary Mechanism

After receiving the blessing of the Holy Light, Yuan Zhu chose to leave the clinic immediately as new patients were already waiting outside.

Stepping out of the hospital and walking alone down the street, he stared up at the dim, gloomy sky, lost in thought. Having experienced the "Holy Light" firsthand, his confusion had not subsided; instead, he felt his condition had worsened. It was a mental affliction.

He felt as though the world itself was sick.

Since yesterday, everything he had encountered clashed with the worldview and values he had been raised with on Earth. Even the sacred, righteous, and warm Holy Light required draining the life force of vermin to exist. Yet, the locals were so accustomed to it that they praised the merciful Holy Light, making him feel like an outsider who didn't belong.

"No! You aren't sick; your judgment is sound. The fault isn't yours—it’s the world that’s broken! Even a system sprite like me can't stand it. This truly is an inherently evil world."

Sensing that its host's mental fluctuations and brain hormone levels were abnormal, showing clear signs of depression, the sprite jumped out to interrupt his dangerous train of thought, injecting him with rainbow energy.

"Really? I don't believe it!"

The sprite replied, "There’s a saying: if you feel something is wrong, then reshape it and build it anew. You are just an innocent transmigrator and a dark, fuzzy cat. What wrong could a cat possibly do? If you’re unhappy, ruthlessly reshape everything you dislike. Don't waste your energy on inner conflict; have the courage to make others feel wronged. Screw this damned world! Make it conform to your values and mold it into your shape."

Nourished by the sprite's toxic mental chicken soup, Yuan Zhu's low spirits gradually lifted. "Oh? Can I really do that?"

"The [Great Desolate Immortal Scripture] will make your dream of ascension come true! Even if I can't do it, you certainly can. Come on, believe in yourself!" The rainbow expert poured this crude, industrial-grade pep talk deep into Yuan Zhu's soul.

Reinvigorated, Yuan Zhu stopped dwelling on the eerie nature of the Holy Light. After orienting himself, he boarded another bus. "Well then, let's head to Firefang and take a look."

...

Half an hour later, he arrived at the cleaning company where he worked—a two-story concrete building. Behind the small building was a walled courtyard containing a small warehouse.

Upon entering the gate, colleagues greeted him. "Little Yuan, you weren't hurt, were you? Don't worry about work, the boss gave you three days off."

"Zhu-zi, I heard you got caught up in an evil ritual and a lot of people died? How did you escape? Was it thrilling? Tell us about it."

"Yuan Zhu, the car you took out has been retrieved. If you lost the keys, remember to register it."

"Stranger" colleagues came forward with warm inquiries. Seeing that he was intact and not suffering from any severe injuries or disabilities, they even joked around. This brought him a measure of warmth; perhaps the world wasn't completely beyond saving?

A sturdy, barrel-waisted woman came down from the second floor with a mop. Seeing him, she said, "Yuan Zhu, the boss heard you're here and wants to see you upstairs. He has something to talk about."

"Alright, I'm going up now."

He navigated the familiar path to the second floor and pushed open the door to the second office on the right. Inside sat a middle-aged man with a thick beard, reading a newspaper. The man looked up, revealing a nondescript, mediocre face. "Little Yuan, it’s really not easy that you survived."

"..."

The boss continued, "I went to retrieve the car overnight and took the opportunity to handle the cleanup at the crime scene of that manor. Although there weren't many remains left, the residual pollution alone was enough to judge the level of danger. That you survived is a miracle; you’re the company's mascot. For the next while, keep an eye out for any strangers who approach you."

Yuan Zhu asked, "Why is that?"

The boss smiled at him. "I don't care what you went through. But surviving such a sacrifice unscathed, without any trace of contamination—is that reasonable? People will notice. Soon, those interested in you, or in the sacrifice, will start to make contact..."

Yuan Zhu knew his situation was too conspicuous and special, but he had no choice. He couldn't just run away over such a small matter. He lacked knowledge of this world and was a stranger here; it was better to continue using this identity to engage with the local supernatural powers.

As for the risks? Once he unlocked the [Boss Template], those interested in him would realize who the real risk was.

Yuan Zhu spread his hands and looked at the boss expectantly. "Then what should I do? What can I do? Boss, give me something to save my life."

The boss rolled his eyes. "I want that myself. Perhaps it’s time for you to enter this circle. Mastering some power for self-protection will also allow you to handle high-end cleaning work and earn me more money. But there’s one thing I must clarify: engaging with and mastering supernatural power is inherently dangerous. Think carefully; don't be impulsive. This is fundamentally different from martial arts cultivation or tempering the body."

"The essence of cultivation in supernatural systems is the active, orderly, and guarded contact with sources of pollution. You actively pollute yourself, self-transform, increase your deviation, and eventually gain power that transcends common sense. The most important thing is that once this path is opened, it cannot be stopped or reversed. It is accompanied by extreme physical deformity, mental distortion, and the risk of death."

Cultivate to become stronger, actively and orderly getting polluted. Lose control and mutate, becoming passively and disorderly polluted. This aligned with his understanding of the world.

Yuan Zhu asked, "What about legitimate, righteous systems? Are they also about actively contacting pollution?"

The boss shrugged indifferently. "To me, they’re all the same. The so-called legitimate true gods and righteous systems are just powerful enough. They have the most influence, their spheres of influence span the globe, and they control the narrative. So they define who is righteous, and that person is righteous. Of course, systems like 'Holy Light, Immortals, and Buddhas' have lower risks of losing control compared to niche systems because generations of practitioners have continuously refined them, making them appear safer."

Yuan Zhu grew excited and asked, "What do you recommend, boss? What can I access? And what else is out there in this world?"

The boss put down the newspaper and rubbed his hair. "You’ve stumped me. There are numerous supernatural systems in this world, with varying ceilings, constantly rising and falling. I suggest you choose a mature, high-ceilinged, and relatively legitimate system. 'Mature' means many practitioners and richer experience, keeping the probability of losing control low. 'High-ceilinged' represents future potential. And 'legitimate' ensures you don't become a rat in the street that anyone can legally kill."

Yuan Zhu stepped forward, poured tea for the boss, and asked, "What systems are like that?"

"Safe, legitimate, and publicly recognized systems include the 'Big Three': [Buddha, Tao, and Sanctuary]. In addition, on the New Continent, the Steam Totem, Elemental Alchemy, and Knight systems are widely spread. But the one with the widest global reach, the greatest influence, the lowest entry difficulty, the highest legitimacy index, and the strongest adaptability... is the [Law-Order System]. Because what is legitimate and what isn't is defined by the [Law-Order System]. Even the [Security Bureau] was created as a supporting facility for [Law-Order]."

Hearing this, Yuan Zhu decisively pushed the Holy Light to the back of his mind and pursued the topic: "Is this [Law-Order System] really that strong? The world's largest supernatural force?"

The boss thought for a moment and replied, "I suppose so. You must understand one thing: every system has prerequisites or costs for entry. Once you successfully enter, it means your body has been eroded and transformed by this power, gaining unique attributes, and building a corresponding 'system' within you based on this. This change is irreversible, so once you choose a system, it’s like dyeing a piece of white paper—you can only walk that path from then on. The unique aspect of the [Law-Order System] is that it can indirectly bind any other system to be used as its own."

Yuan Zhu: "Understood. Once other systems are chosen, you can't regret it or quit. But since [Law-Order] has countless options, I’ll definitely choose [Law-Order]! It’s widely spread, low entry difficulty, high adaptability..."

The boss asked, "Do you know the entry requirements or costs of [Law-Order]?"

"What are they?"

"The [Law-Order System] is derived from the Legalist concept of 'Statutes.' You can understand it as extreme self-discipline and self-restraint. You must first clarify your own will, then establish a set of laws and doctrines to constrain yourself. From then on, you reinforce your will through practice, manifesting the statutes through that will. Finally, you can use your own 'Law-Order' to capture and restrain other supernatural powers."

Yuan Zhu: "Sounds a bit harsh, but the cost doesn't seem that high?" Although he wasn't moved, he felt [Law-Order] was much more serious than the [Holy Light System].

"Lifetime observance of the law without breaking a commandment—if that’s not enough, then there's the other requirement for [Law-Order]: anyone who sets a law must unconditionally dedicate everything to the Pale Great Law. This includes the power accumulated during one's lifetime, all assets and wealth, the soul after death, everything—it must all be offered before one can wield the power of the [Law-Order]. Can you meet that?"

An ultimate contract of indenture?

"What is this Pale Great Law? Why give everything to it?"

The boss sighed. "The Pale Great Law is a theoretical concept—the planetary will of the Duling star, or what you might call the Heavenly Dao of this world. Practitioners of the [Law-Order System] are constantly working toward 'man-made creation of an ultimate Heavenly Dao that covers and governs all supernatural powers on the Duling star'."

"This planet is connected to numerous alien universes, breeding countless monsters and disaster gods. So, people with aspirations stepped forward, wanting to constrain all of this and create a peaceful, clean new world. Thus, the [Law-Order System] was born, creating a supreme, impartial, and selfless 'Heavenly Dao' to run this world."

"The Pale Great Law is the true name of this man-made Heavenly Dao. It’s like a legal code that constrains and enslaves all supernatural imagination. The reason [Law-Order] can bind other systems is essentially by using the practitioner as a tool to capture, control, and refine other supernatural powers. After the practitioner dies, these powers return to the [Great Law], strengthening its essence and providing new practitioners with more powerful 'statutes' to constrain and enslave even stronger forces. It’s a positive cycle."

Yuan Zhu: "So this is working for the Great Law? Or is it cultivating for oneself?"

"You are a mere mortal, persecuted by monsters and oppressed by the strong. [Law-Order] gives you a chance to change your fate. You borrow the power of the law during your lifetime and return everything to the law after death; it’s fair and reasonable. If you don't like it, go choose another system."

Yuan Zhu: "What other systems are there? Can you recommend a few?"

The boss shook his head. "I can't. I'm only familiar with [Law-Order], and their recruitment threshold is low. How about this: go to the Rain Academy this weekend for consultation. They have departments dedicated to studying supernatural knowledge, and you can pay for guidance."

Yuan Zhu: "Rain Academy? Why does that sound so familiar? I think I've heard of it."

"Rain City University, Lunning Municipal College of Gem Processing and Mineral Exploration."

"Ah! I knew it sounded familiar."

The boss pushed a prepared manual toward Yuan Zhu. "Alright, don't aim too high. Even if you want to choose, there are only so many you can access. This is an Advanced Cleaning Manual. Take it back and study it well; it contains some secret knowledge that ordinary people can't access. Since you survived, you're no longer an ordinary person. Prepare to take on higher-difficulty challenges. Actually, both [Holy Light] and [Law-Order] are quite good; their safety is widely certified. They truly deserve to be recognized as the leaders of the righteous path."

Yuan Zhu: "Then which faction are you from, boss?"

"Me? What is the name of our company?"

Yuan Zhu: "Firefang."

"Then it's clear. I am a partner of the [King of Burning Fire]." The boss lit a wisp of flame on his finger and then lit the cigarette in his mouth. "You can go now. Go home and study the manual carefully; I'll have tasks for you in a few days. It’s a haunted house. You’ll form your own team to exorcise spirits and purify the entire villa."

Yuan Zhu was energized. A big job, just like that? Without waiting for me to level up first? "A haunted house—is it truly haunted or fake? Are there any ghosts?"

"Of course there are, otherwise the client wouldn't pay a high price. You figure out how to operate. If you don't do well, you'll continue to be an apprentice to the senior staff. If you do a good job, you can form your own team later, take your own orders, and take a cut from your subordinates."

Yuan Zhu: "Don't worry, boss, I'll do my best!"

"Good, work hard, don't let me down." With that, he gestured for Yuan Zhu to take the manual titled *13 Exorcism Rituals*.

Holding the thin book, Yuan Zhu left the boss's office feeling invigorated—a feedback from his current body.

His predecessor had worked hard for this very opportunity: to access a more secretive circle and have the chance to learn and master supernatural power. Now, he had even secured the qualification for independent cleaning.

Yuan Zhu simply opened the *13 Exorcism Rituals* and began reading as he walked, wanting to know what the secret knowledge of this world was really like. But gradually, his expression turned strange. Let’s see what was written in this book?

Chapter 1: High-Temperature Exorcism. Ignite a large fire to scorch intangible spirits, burn contaminated substances... The ignition materials require purchasing Taoist talismans... blah blah blah.

Chapter 2: Toxic Exorcism. Seal the doors and windows, release chlorine gas, and steam for 12 hours...

Chapter 3: Infrasonic Thunder Exorcism. Purchase specially prepared mummified Death Bats, buy a thunder-method power generator, insert [redacted] and [redacted], and turn on the power...

Flipping through the book quickly, he saw more: [Vinyl-grade Zen Sound Exorcism] requires preparing a shrine, offerings, incense, a Buddha statue, a phonograph, and vinyl Buddhist chant records to hold a small seance... Further on, there were [Formaldehyde Fumigation], [Radioactive Mineral Evil-Suppression], and so on.

It inexplicably exuded a distinct scientific flavor.

Although he didn't know which part of the manual involved "true secret knowledge," the book *13 Exorcism Rituals* recorded over 20 exorcism methods, which was enough to prove the strong operational capabilities of the [Firefang Cleaning Company]. There was always one that suited the client.

Following his habit of slacking off, Yuan Zhu arrived at the restroom, found a quiet stall, closed the toilet lid, sat down, and quietly flipped through the manual, wanting to find a way to deal with "haunted house exorcism."

Time passed second by second. The restroom, where he could originally hear dripping water and the footsteps and conversations of passersby, suddenly fell into absolute silence. It was so quiet he could only hear his own breathing and heartbeat...

"Something's wrong!"

When he realized the situation was amiss, the Immortal Scripture also issued a warning: [Abnormal space-time fluctuation trace detected! Please escape your current location as soon as possible.]

"What's going on?" he called out to the sprite.

After some static interference, the sprite replied: "I have relevant records, and after comparing them, they are consistent with the abnormal space-time fluctuations we encountered last night!"

Yuan Zhu immediately thought of the alley that didn't belong to Lunning and said, "Is this caused by this token?"

As he spoke, he pulled the copper token from the inner pocket of his coat.

"Huh?"

The token was indeed emitting abnormal space-time fluctuations. After the sprite scanned it, it confirmed the fluctuations were consistent. But what was wrong was that the inside of the token was making a creaking sound, and the metal characters and patterns on the surface were twisting, rusting, turning green, and rapidly peeling off.

The entire token was being twisted and deformed under the influence of an invisible force. It seemed unable to bear the heavy pressure of the space-time distortion, emitting a struggling groan, on the verge of being crushed.

Yuan Zhu looked around. He was still in the restroom, but the light sources around him seemed to have been cut off, and the visibility was getting lower and lower.

"Can I still escape?"

The sprite replied: "It happened too fast. You can think of this place as a closed space, like an elevator. We are currently detaching from the original space-time. Breaking the balance rashly will cause bad things to happen. Why don't we wait a little longer?"

Yuan Zhu was unhappy: "I can run into this kind of trouble just by going to the bathroom? How many times is this now?"

The sprite hesitated: "Perhaps this is a 'punishment mechanism' in Lunning against the vast number of workers who slack off? Whoever dares to maliciously slack off and poop on company time, exceeding the standard time, gets teleported to a different space-time to be hunted and tortured?"

Yuan Zhu: "Heh... you made me laugh!"

As expected of a master of psychotherapy, he suddenly wasn't panicking anymore; he even wanted to sneer.