Chapter 234: Chapter 195: Skincare Isn’t as Effective as Talking Nonsense
The reward is paltry, but the task is simple.
Lin Li looked up toward the building.
It probably has nothing to do with Bai Bufan.
Fellow disciples aren’t limited to Bai Bufan; both men and women can be called fellow disciples.
Besides, those monsters encountering Bai Bufan would likely be devoured by him with one bite; no need for me to solve it.
Lin Li walked toward the stairs, paused between the second and third floors, and said, "Moshi moshi."
"What’s up?" It seemed that the first to shower, Ding Sihan, already washed, with white skincare product on her face, peeked out a few seconds later, asking upon seeing Lin Li.
"What are you putting on? It’s pretty creepy late at night," Lin Li commented.
"Just a mud mask, for skincare. If you don’t take good care when you’re young, you’ll age quickly later. Girls work hard, you know?" Ding Sihan flipped him off.
"Well, my mom’s amazing. She hardly uses skincare products, yet she stays young," Lin Li shrugged.
"Does Auntie have any secrets? Can you tell me?" Ding Sihan gazed at Lin Li with sparkling eyes full of hope.
"Lying about her age," Lin Li replied.
Ding Sihan: "?"
Your mom.
No, wait.
Your damn mom.
"She always claims to be 28. I’m almost 18 now; if she’s telling the truth, my dad, if alive, would be about to face execution by now," Lin Li added.
Ding Sihan: "..."
Ding Sihan was speechless.
"Is there anything I shouldn’t see on the third floor right now? Can I go up?" Lin Li returned to the matter at hand, asking.
Not directly going up is basic respect.
Ding Sihan patted the white mud on her face, scanned the area, and shook her head, "No, come on up."
After receiving permission, Lin Li went upstairs.
Chen Yu Ying was using a curling iron to style her hair ends. Seeing Lin Li, she waved curiously yet sweetly.
Sounds came from the bathroom; Qu Wanqiu must be showering.
Lin Li first went to the bathroom door: "Little Qiuqiu, I’m outside the door now. If you’re coming out later, let me know in advance to scram because I don’t want to be held accountable."
"What’s wrong with you? Who needs you to be accountable!" The showerhead noise inside temporarily paused, and Qu Wanqiu scolded with a laugh after hearing Lin’s words.
"No accountability needed? Then open the door. I’ve prepared my lewd eyes already. Just listening to you shower is enough for me to eat three bowls of rice." Lin Li spoke unabashedly.
"Hahahahahahaha get lost!!"
Not only Qu Wanqiu, but also Chen Yu Ying and Ding Sihan burst out laughing upon hearing this description.
"I’ve got goosebumps, Lin Li. How do you say things like this? It doesn’t sound like acting," Ding Sihan raised her head to prevent her mud mask from cracking due to facial tremors, struggling to hold back laughter.
This was Azusawa Maita’s classic line; Lin Li wouldn’t dare claim the credit.
After solving the potential threat of Qu Wanqiu, Lin Li began exploring the third floor.
"So, what are you doing up here, Lin Li? It can’t be just... for entertainment, right?" Chen Yu Ying paused what she was doing, asking with playful curiosity.
Lin Li said seriously, "I’m hunting down a mosquito that flew up here. I have to kill it with my own hands."
Lin Li actually didn’t know if it was a mosquito; the system said it was a monster, cockroaches or flies probably count too, but mosquito is the most reasonable excuse.
Chen Yu Ying, Ding Sihan: "..."
"Well... good luck?" Chen Yu Ying responded with a strange expression.
Searching cluelessly would be difficult, but Lin Li is a Cultivator, with [Ear Divine Power], source’s ear, activate!
Everything around became clear instantly.
Lin Li heard it!
He suddenly looked up in surprise, "Ding Sihan, you said I was stably losing it!"
Ding Sihan: "?"
"You can hear that too?"
Ding Sihan looked at Lin Li in amazement; she had just sighed in resignation, speaking very softly.
"Haha, I can hear eight directions now. Qu Wanqiu is still singing ’I love bathing, I feel so good, ow ow ow ow’." Lin Li replied smugly with a laugh.
Then he slapped himself lightly, almost forgetting the task again.
Once more, he quieted down to start listening.
"Buzz——"
It really was a mosquito, near the window. Upon hearing the sound, Lin Li instantly rushed over and slapped at it.
The mosquito dodged Lin Li’s hand.
But it couldn’t escape the electric arc now reaching nearly ten centimeters.
[Eliminate the demon currently attempting to harm fellow disciples three times (1/3)].
"Did you hit it?" Ding Sihan curiously leaned over to look.
"Didn’t hit it, got away," Lin Li shook his head. There are two more to deal with, more time needed.
"Useless thing."
Lin Li: "..."
Lin Li was preparing to continue searching around the third floor using eight-directional hearing when suddenly pulled over by Ding Sihan.
Ding Sihan hid behind Lin Li, pointed ahead, and said with some disgust, "Lin Li, there’s a bug, solve it. The window needs to be closed; too many bugs in this kind of place."
Lin Li followed her gaze, seeing in the corner two slender antennae gently swaying.
"How can you presume it’s a bug, it might be Lu Bu or a twin-tailed loli," Lin Li frowned.
"You’re really stably losing it." Ding Sihan spoke loudly this time, not needing [Ear Divine Power].
"Ding Sihan, do you have a newspaper?" Lin Li asked.
"Why do you need a newspaper? Who reads newspapers these days? Use a phone." Ding Sihan wondered and handed over her unlocked phone; newspapers are practically obsolete, who even reads them.
"That’s fine. But using a phone to swat bugs for the first time makes me a bit nervous." Lin Li took the phone, beginning to breathe deeply.
Ding Sihan: "?"
Just got interrupted, almost forgetting what Lin Li was doing!
"Wait! Wait! Don’t! I’ll find you something!" Ding Sihan quickly snatched her phone back from Lin Li, finally grabbing a takeaway hard shell packet, rolled into a stick, handing it to Lin Li: "Use this to smack it."
Lin Li moved the clutter away; it wasn’t a cockroach but a centipede.
Kind of cute, these kinds of bugs eat and leave, nothing to fear.
Though centipedes eat cockroaches, Lin Li didn’t hesitate at all.
Moreover, moving the clutter, Lin Li sharply noticed a small spider too.
"Smack!!"
[Eliminate the demon currently attempting to harm fellow disciples three times (2/3)]
[Exterminate the three demons currently attempting to harm fellow disciples (3/3).]
Thanks, and there’s even a buy one get one free. Your bugs aren’t half bad.
[Task three completed.]
[Would you like to use the "Random Reward Multiplier Card (3/3)"?]
[You have chosen to decline.]
[You have received rewards: Physical Improvement: Spiritual Qi absorption rate increased by 100%; System currency*50.]
This task’s rewards aren’t really worth doubling.
[Swift actions and skillful methods! In just a moment, the attacking demons were all slain, and fellow disciples look at you with admiration!
Unexpectedly realizing, the surroundings are a den of demons, teeming with demons, attacking incessantly.
The path of slaying demons and exterminating evil does not end here!]
[Timed task triggered!]
[Task three: Within twelve hours, slay thirty demons attempting to harm fellow disciples.]
[Reward: Title: Breath of the Demons; Physical Improvement: Spiritual Qi absorption rate increased by 100%; System currency*50.]
[Breath of the Demons: When equipped, greatly enhances perception of surrounding demons and reduces demons’ hostility towards you, even seeing you as a companion.]
Just like the mosquito-swatting task before, a simple task followed by a slightly more troublesome one, with the quantity multiplied by ten.
However, Lin Li roamed the third floor several times but neither saw nor heard any more.
Qu Wanqiu had also finished bathing, knowing Lin Li was outside; she dressed neatly, avoiding any mishaps when coming out.
Lin Li, whose extra energy was already absorbed by the "Substitute Jade-faced Buddha," was about to collapse from exhaustion due to the [Divine Power of Hearing].
Perhaps the previous task said three because there were indeed three on the third floor, and the task description did mention "currently."
Now, Ding Sihan had deliberately closed doors and windows, and turned on the bug repellents, making it impossible for new demons to invade and consequently, hard to find any more.
Unless you open the doors and windows yourself.
Wait a minute.
Thinking of this, Lin Li laughed.
He knew how to complete this task.
Bait and trap enforcement, that’s it.
But oh those girls went too far, lucky he brought Bai Bufan along.
Bai Bufan, it’s really nice having you.
"All cleared, you can all sleep peacefully now, I’m heading downstairs." With the solution in mind, Lin Li said, "Class rep, go to bed early; we have bike lessons tomorrow morning. Xiaoding, Xiaoqu, you two should hit the sack early too."
"I’ll try." Chen Yu Ying waved with a smile.
Ding Sihan, Qu Wanqiu: "?"
Something seemed off.
Back to the second floor, Bai Bufan had already finished showering and was drying his hair.
Once the hair dryer was put down, Bai Bufan admired himself in the mirror, holding the comb from the guesthouse, constantly brushing his hair.
"Come here, handsome guy, a kiss."
"Bai Bufan, you are so charming."
"Wow, so handsome~"
Lin Li: "..."
The footsteps were drowned by the sound of the hair dryer, unnoticed by him.
But understandable.
Girls before removing makeup, boys after showering, both consider those moments their peak in looks.
"Ahem." Lin Li spoke up.
"What the hell Lin Li, when did you come, sneaky like a fucking ghost, are you human?" Bai Bufan turned, visibly startled.
Lin Li smiled: "When you were French kissing yourself."
Upon hearing this, Bai Bufan also smiled, took out the hair dryer cord and wrapped it around his neck, then began to pull it to the sides.
Lin Li quickly moved forward to stop him, concerned: "Don’t do that, it’s bad for the hair dryer."
Bai Bufan: "..."
"Come on, dude, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, it’s not like a girl saw it. Don’t worry, although I just recorded a video, I won’t post it in the group," Lin Li said, putting an arm around Bai Bufan’s shoulder, pulling him along.
Bai Bufan widened his eyes, seized Lin Li’s phone, checked it all over before finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"So why are we on the balcony?" Bai Bufan asked upon handing the phone back, realizing Lin Li had already dragged him out onto the balcony, where he changed into balcony slippers and listened to the external air conditioning unit’s humming with confusion.
"Suddenly not so sleepy, wanted to chat with my best bud," Lin Li said warmly, leaning against the balcony railing.
Bai Bufan turned to leave right away.
Luckily, Lin Li was quick-eyed and quick-handed, grabbing Bai Bufan back.
"Going where?"
"Lin Li, you insane or what?"
"Is chatting insane now? Bai Bufan, our relationship really has faded!" Lin Li was upset.
"Chatting is fine sure, but let’s chat inside? At this time, in this weather on the balcony, isn’t it nuts?" Bai Bufan responded, face full of bewilderment.
"Don’t you think a summer evening breeze, cicada chirping, starry sky scene is beautiful? Maybe tonight’s memory will be what you think of many years later, when you’re poor and cold lighting matches for warmth, selling them on the street in winter?"
Lin Li argued, reasonably.
"Never mind why years later I end up selling matches on the street poor as dirt, let’s first analyze the scenic elements you mentioned."
Bai Bufan laughed in disbelief, pointing to the sky: "Starry sky? It’s cloudy, you can’t even see the moon let alone stars."
Pointing at the air conditioner: "Evening breeze? All I feel is the artificial warm air."
Finally pointing to the hill outside the balcony: "Cicada chirping? Dude, it’s October, the cicadas are all dead, all I hear are mosquitoes buzzing!"
"What’s beautiful in your mother- "beep"?" Bai Bufan concluded.
Lin Li scratched his head.
He was indeed a bit speechless.
"Wait a minute, you mentioned mosquitoes buzzing?"
"Yeah, see, right here——"
"Smack!"
Lin Li moved swiftly, swiftly dealing with a mosquito flying beside Bai Bufan.
[Within twelve hours, slay thirty demons attempting to harm fellow disciples (1/30)]
"See that? See that!" Although Bai Bufan didn’t understand why Lin Li was so excited, he was more assertive: "This is the result of us staying outside, feeding mosquitoes, is this what you wanted to see! Huh? Tell me loudly, Lin Li!"
"Oh, it sure is, buddy, oh, it sure is." Lin Li smiled with satisfaction.
Bai Bufan: "?"