After work, start to speedrun the other world

And what's more cruel was that he seemed to have no reason to argue.

[...] The system was silent for a long time, watching the host skillfully grill the fish, and said faintly.

[Host, I'm going to repair the panel below.]

"Mhm." Xi Mu replied perfunctorily, making the system even more disheartened. It seemed to be truly overlooked by the host, which was different from what it had imagined.

Being ignored was one thing, but the host didn't even want to offer a bit of comfort.

[I'm really going to repair the panel, will you not talk for a long time?] the system emphasized intentionally again.

This time, Xi Mu finally responded, seemingly aware of the system's moodiness, and replied to it:

"You've worked hard with the overtime, remember to rest well."

[...Alright.] The system answered gloomily and said nothing more, at least the host had shown concern for it.

Moreover, once the host realized that this world was not virtual, his attitude was bound to undergo a huge change.

...

…

Not long after.

Letixia and Jed came back, only to see that Xi Mu had finished grilling the fish. He waved to the two of them to sit down and eat grilled fish together.

A bite down, the indescribably delicious taste... no way, it was actually hard to swallow, with no seasoning at all, just cooked.

Asking for deliciousness was out of the question.

"Nasty." Jed spoke his mind, his face contorted as he chewed on the fish, while Letixia comforted him.

"Just bear with it to replenish your strength." She frowned slightly and ate the grilled fish Xi Mu had prepared.

Given the circumstances, it was good enough to have something to eat.

"By the way, Jed, what are your plans from here on out?" Xi Mu suddenly asked, turning to Jed with a grimace:

"Your adventure group has been wiped out, so what's your next step?"

"I'll get you to Sky City, collect the hiring fee." Jed shared his thoughts, "then take out the savings to give to the families of the others."

She looked down as she ate the fish, her voice unexpectedly calm.

"Later on, I'll probably start an adventure group and do my best to help everyone's wives and children maintain a normal life."

As adventurers, it was normal to meet with an accident and get killed; they all were mentally prepared and had consequently set aside funds for such events.

So now, truly being the only survivor of their group's demise, she could act according to the prearranged plan.

She would not be at a loss.

"Want to join us?" Xi Mu said while eating the fish, explaining to Jed, "I could help you find a reliable job, and if things go well, you could bring the family members of your group to live in Sky City."

"But boss, I need to earn a lot of money." Jed shook her head, wanting to decline Xi Mu's invitation until she saw him holding up three fingers.

"Three hundred Gold Coins won't be enough." She shook her head, to then see Xi Mu reveal a smile and speak seriously.

"Not three hundred, is it three thousand?"

"Huh?" Jed was stunned, as if in disbelief, as though she might be hallucinating. Three thousand Gold Coins might not seem like much in a place like Lionheart Castle, where it could be spent in a day.

But in smaller towns or cities, it was a considerable fortune.

"Boss, I'm not worth three thousand Gold Coins." She hurriedly shook her head, being quite self-aware, "Even selling myself to you wouldn't be worth that much."

At this point, she turned to Letixia and inquired.

"Letixia, your family's Knight captain... doesn't make three thousand Gold Coins a month, does he?"

Letixia: "..."

Why did the topic suddenly shift to her, although her family's Knight captain really didn't earn a monthly salary of three thousand Gold Coins.

But his pay was considered generous.

"It's possible, if you're my guardian." Xi Mu explained, "I'll become an apprentice to Siegfried, and as my guardian, it's normal for you to have a high salary."

"Boss, are you serious?" Jed asked seriously, forgetting the unpalatable fish in her mouth.

To this, Xi Mu nodded: "You're reliable and decisive in your actions, you're worth that amount."

"Understood." Jed immediately got serious and asked Xi Mu, "So do I call you boss now, or master?"

Xi Mu didn't care and said offhandedly, "Whatever you like."

"Boss, you really are a great guy." Jed was deeply moved and became much closer in his attitude toward Xi Mu.

Seeing this, Xi Mu smiled but said nothing more. If he took this opportunity to start courting Jed, there was a chance to develop Jed's side storyline.

After all, this was the strategy gamers had summarized for courting Jed. Even if he didn't want to pursue Jed, simply having Jed as an NPC assistant wasn't bad, as he was more handy to use than the average NPC.

And the best part was that the players were essentially investing no capital; Siegfried was the one paying, while the player was the one reaping Jed's favor.

After eating a hearty meal.

The three of them set off in a carriage, heading in the direction of Sky City. They traveled from dawn until dusk and finally arrived at the next city.

That city was suspended in the sky, below it was a huge lake. The lake water rose toward the sky due to an invisible gravitational pull on one side, and on the other side, it fell downward, creating a cascading waterfall.

It was as if it was a conveyor belt in motion, rising on one side and falling on the other.

"We're here. This is Sky City." Jed, driving the carriage, explained to the two beside him, "In a moment, we'll take a special boat that'll ascend into Sky City by following the reverse flow of the waterfall. But the boat ride is a bit expensive."

"No problem, I'll pay." Xi Mu said casually, watching Jed park the carriage in front of a rundown inn.

He stepped down from the carriage and surveyed the surroundings.

This place was a small town on the way to Sky City, relatively prosperous, and many travelers would stay here temporarily.

And this was the best place... to assassinate Letixia. If they made it to Sky City, under Siegfried's protection, there would virtually be no chance to complete the assassination.

So, barring any surprises, there would be an assassination attempt tonight.

"Alright, boss." Jed approached, pointing at the led-away carriage, "We'll rest for a bit, then head to Sky City at noon."

"Hmm." Nodding lightly, Xi Mu took Letixia's wrist in hand and followed Jed into the inn.

And Letixia, whose wrist was being held, also keenly sensed that something was amiss. She looked around but couldn't spot anything unusual.

However, she trusted Ahtal's judgment and was sure that an assassination would follow. She needed to be on high alert.

Meanwhile.

About a kilometer away from the inn, a half-opened window was quietly shut. The dark room was unnaturally silent.

Not until a candle was lit did several figures hiding in the shadows become visible. They wore different clothes and carried various weapons.

The most conspicuous among them was a man sitting back in his chair, feet propped on a table, smoking a cigarette, flipping a dagger up and down.

"That man has a high sense of vigilance. Just one look and he's alert, making a close-range assassination difficult."

He analyzed calmly.

"However, judging by the fact he's bringing along two women and won't abandon them even in danger, he... doesn't shy away from contact with women, especially beautiful ones."

"So, you mean for me to go?" In a corner of the room, a voluptuous woman with big wavy red hair and a seductive air chuckled lightly.

She raised her hand and twirled a lock of hair around her ear.

Handling such a young man is just my cup of tea, sister has got this down pat."

"Don't underestimate him, he's very alert." The man warned. Nonetheless, the confident woman laughed softly, her fingers grazing her red lips.

"I harbor no hostility toward that handsome young man. I just want to assassinate Letixia; he won't even sense my murderous intent."

"Heh... It's settled then." The man caught the falling dagger, "You'll be the one to assassinate Letixia. Take seventy percent of the money."

"Leave it to me, sister." The woman giggled confidently and left the room. She had no hostility towards that handsome young man and even naturally disguised herself as the inn's owner, getting close to Ahtal and Letixia as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

A while later.

One cut.

Blood splattered.

Xi Mu, expressionless, put away his blade and watched the disbelieving seductress assassin fall to the ground, her hands clutched at her throat. One glance at the woman's face and he knew what she intended to do.

He didn't need to ask; he knew she was here for the assassination.

"Boss, how can you just kill someone like that!" Jed was stunned. She watched Xi Mu open the door, lock eyes with the seductive red-haired woman outside, and then mercilessly kill her, all so quickly that she couldn't react in time.

"She's an assassin." Xi Mu explained as he crouched down to search the woman's body, taking out a bunch of assassination tools and poisons.

Jed was agape at the scene, unsure how he could've known if she hadn't seen him pull out a stash of poison and assassination weapons. Now she began to somewhat believe that the boss was an Astrologer.