The Daily Life Of A Cyberpunk Magician

Chapter 113 - 114 Fallen into Mud (Released on Friday, request support!!!)
Chapter 113: Chapter 114 Fallen into Mud (Released on Friday, request support!!!)Three hours in the morning, three hours in the afternoon, every prisoner in the Special Prison had to ensure six hours of labor daily.

Except for the A-level prisoners, whose only task was to stay in their own ten-square-meter small rooms to silently reflect. Occasionally, if the prison guards were in a good mood, they might bring them some small trinkets to pass the time.

After crossing off another day’s time, Jiang Shu followed Clo back to the dormitory, where they sat on the edge of the bed, one folding paper, the other watching the paper folding.

A square sheet of paper, Clo was folding leisurely, each step simple and effortlessly graceful, but from somewhere along the steps, Jiang Shu suddenly could not understand anymore.

”See, quantitative change can lead to qualitative change,” Clo remarked with a light chuckle, noticing Jiang Shu’s bewildered look.

”Shut up,” said Jiang Shu, looking over at Clo’s bedside table.

It was only four o’clock now, quite a way from dinnertime, and he didn’t feel like getting into bed all sweaty.

Shower time was at eight o’clock in the evening, in batches, lasting only fifteen minutes.

”Do you have a book to read?” Jiang Shu asked. ”Anything will do, just to kill some time.”

”In the bedside drawer,” Clo replied, while finishing the details on the shape he was working on, his gaze unflinching and focused.

He paused his hands and warned Jiang Shu, ”Books in the first layer, you can take a look; for the second layer... I’d advise against it.”

”?” Jiang Shu threw a puzzled glance.

”Up to you,” shrugged Clo.

Jiang Shu did not hesitate and directly opened the second layer, a bright yellow glow burst from the drawer and hit his eyes, making him hastily shut the drawer.

The drawer closed with a ”bang.”

”Told you not to look,” Clo said helplessly. ”That stuff is not good for you. You’re going to see that woman later tonight, it’s easy to get carried away, and tomorrow you still have to work. It’s not good for your health. Her name is Noni, right? If not, ignore what I said.”

”Shut up,” Jiang Shu said, not sure how many times he had told Clo to shut up during this period; the man was really annoying.

Moreover, he found himself easily dragged into the other’s pace.

”Wait, how did you know I was going tonight?” Jiang Shu suddenly remembered this point.

”Guessed it, it was just a fifty-fifty guess after all,” Clo spoke slowly, ”There are a few history-related books in the drawer, I remember you are interested in them, aren’t you? You can take a look, but philosophy and physics... better not, they’re brain-drainers.”

”Do you even have that much time to study here?” Jiang Shu pulled open the upper layer, which was full to the brim with books, selecting a few with history in the title.

The books had been printed a long time ago, the newest ones dated five years back.

The physical book industry in Lonely City was not thriving; it had mostly been completely replaced by digital publications.

Among them were three books titled ”Overview of the History of Lonely City,” but they were different editions and noticeably varied in thickness.

The first edition was the thinnest, followed by the third edition, and the fourth was the thickest.

This was not normal.

Jiang Shu looked at the publisher, marked as joint production by the Three Major Groups.

”That’s right,” Clo continued, ”I have lots of free time here, in fact, it’s only after coming here that I’ve had enough time to study.” ”Without... the internet, life becomes much more fulfilling.”

”That makes sense,” Jiang Shu nodded in agreement. Constant internet access, in the stillness of night, could indeed make one feel empty and unfulfilled, yet...

It really was joyful!

”This is why I think, if I was in charge of the education department of the Social Sequence,” Clo mused, ”I’d definitely lock them up... I mean, gather them together, and force them to study for me. I could sell their knowledge entries to the rich. High attrition rates are fine anyway, Lonely City has never been short on population...”

”That’s not right,” Jiang Shu interjected.

”Indeed it’s not,” Clo chuckled, eyes narrowing. ”So, I set a few fires, burned them all.”

”And then?” Jiang Shu asked.

”Then there were no more such special... academies,” Clo chuckled again as if he had done something commendable, ”Once their umbrellas were burned down, they couldn’t hide their sins anymore.”

”Mm,” Jiang Shu didn’t deny it, Lonely City was indeed too dark in some places.

He stood on the stage, enjoying the lights and the glamour, still able to feel the silence and struggle beneath the stage. It was hard to imagine how the poor living in the EF area managed to survive.

And for this, he owed Sister Ruoh a lot. Thinking of her, his heart softened substantially.

”Look, a fire can quickly solve many problems,” Clo started to instill his logic in Jiang Shu again, ”Like a tree, you light a tentative fire, and if it burns down, it only means it was already rotten.”

”Shut up, you can’t convince me,” Jiang Shu said, embarrassed by the brainwashing this guy was capable of.

”Alright.” Clo didn’t continue, instead, he placed the completed origami in front of Jiang Shu, ”Here, a little gift I made for her.”

Jiang Shu looked closely and was stunned.

The resemblance...

It looked so much like Sister Ruoh...

Her stance was graceful and her demeanor was as cold and pure as a snow lotus. Although it lacked facial features, Jiang Shu felt as if he was seeing her in person.

”Impressive,” he genuinely complimented and carefully took the origami.

”Mm, press it like this.” Clo took it back and flattened the three-dimensional origami into a thin paper figure, ”This way, it won’t get damaged, and when you gently pull on both hands, it will stand up.”

”Thank you.” Jiang Shu safely stored the origami in a drawer, then spoke calmly, ”No matter what you’re up to, don’t touch the people around me. That’s my bottom line.”

”Of course.” Clo chuckled mischievously, ”Why would I do something to push you away? I need your help.”

”But you kidnapped Kirie to force my hand,” Jiang Shu looked at him, his tone still even.

”Kirie? I don’t think that was my business,” Clo spread his hands in a shrugging gesture, deflecting, ”I just had them... persuade you to cooperate with me.”

He sighed, ”But they’ve always been foolish, always misunderstanding my intentions.”

Jiang Shu’s expression didn’t change.

”If it really bothers you, then let’s go out and burn them all,” Clo said with a slight smile, uncaring, ”They have strayed from my original intentions.”

Jiang Shu remained silent; he was still struggling to determine how much of Clo’s words were true.

”You seem to have known for a long time that I would come,” he finally voiced his question, testing how much Clo actually knew.

”How did I know?” Clo thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, ”I’ll tell you when I’m about to die. Or if you hang with me, I’ll tell you too.”

”...” Jiang Shu smirked, ”Can I kill you? Right here.”

”Of course not,” Clo shrugged, ”At least not until I’ve lit the fire.”

He painted a picture with his words: ”The entire Lonely City in turmoil and panic, and you chasing me. On the rooftop, I get shot and fall off the edge, but you, arriving just in time, grab hold of me. You’re lying on the edge of the roof, and I’m hanging in mid-air. You ask me why, and I just let go of your hand, laughing madly as I turn into a departing crow.”

”Well, it could also turn into blood mud on the ground,” Clo laughed, speaking crazily.

For no reason, Jiang Shu remembered a line of poetry, so he recited, ”Reduced to mud and ground into dust, only the fragrance remains the same?”

”Right right right, this line is good, you really have a sharp mind, Jiang Shu,” Clo’s eyes shone like stars, ”When I get out, I want to frame this line. Can you give it to me?”

”Suit yourself, I heard it somewhere else,” Jiang Shu smirked.

”Ha ha, such a death scene would be really amusing,” Clo seemed to recall something funny, the smile on his face unstoppable.

”Heh.” Jiang Shu also chuckled, closely observing Clo’s expression, then suddenly threw out a phrase, ”Thought can transcend time.”

”Thought? Time? What do you mean?” Clo just stared at him blankly, then started speaking crazily again, ”Hey! Don’t think about forcefully adding depth to the story, let me die clean; I don’t want to be pulled back for a sequel.”

”Uh...” Jiang Shu hesitated in his tone as he continued to watch Clo.

But in the end, he couldn’t discern anything.