Weapon seller in the world of magic-Chapter 768: Earth 1712: Tianzhu’s memory
His eyes fluttered shut. The moment of peace felt almost surreal after 20-odd deaths and continuous repeated battles.
3… 2… 1…
Soon, the timer hit zero, and a soft pulse of white light engulfed him. Sungjun landed softly on the bed, returning to his room.
Sungjun blinked rapidly, looking around to confirm that it was indeed his place. However, when he snapped his eyes to the smartphone on the bedside table, he saw that the time was stated: 00:43.
That's exactly the same number of minutes he spent fighting the monster.
"So, the time flows normally in the real world, after all. But that's fine. After all, I…"
Ding! 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
"Eh?" Sungjun was forced to stop mumbling as the same floating screen gently blinked above him again.
[Daily Mission has been refreshed]
Daily Mission: Burn 5000 kcal
Progress: 0 / 5000 kcal
Reward: +1 Skill Point
Deadline: 23:59 Today
"Ugh," Sungjun couldn't help but groan, seeing that…
He sat up slowly with a serious expression on his face, "I… I don't think I can do that again," he murmured in a shaky voice. "Just because I managed to defeat it doesn't mean I would want to face that thing every single day. And who knows what kind of monster the system will generate in order to kill me differently? And who knows if the rules remain the same, too."
He shuddered for a moment as the vivid memories of every brutal death flashed across his mind: being crushed, burned, melted, splattered, and skewered. Back then, he didn't think too much about it as he had only 10 seconds to even think, and his focus was entirely on defeating the giant, but now that there was peace around, the memories of deaths came to him all at once.
Sungjun fell back on his bed and lay there. "Burning 5000 calories will be my first priority from now on."
Several hours later;
The sun had almost reached its peak when Sungjun was in the workout.
His breath steamed in the air as he pushed his body through a grueling session—burpees, sprint drills, weighted squats, resistance core sets. Sweat poured off his back and arms like rain.
The holographic screen hovered nearby, displaying his progress in bright orange text.
Calories Burned: 4918 / 5000 kcal
"Just 72 to go…"
Six hours of nonstop workout…
Today, he didn't go out to open the store. He didn't offer to drop his kids off at school either. Since dawn, Sungjun has only focused on the workout.
Another ten minutes later, the smartwatch around his wrist beeped and beeped before he put the brakes on his legs and slowed down on the treadmill.
Ding!
[You completed the Daily Mission. +1 Skill Point is added.]
After a while, coming out of the warm shower, Sungjun sat down on the couch and relaxed a bit, letting out a long groan. The mansion steward walked to him and bowed. "Master, the lunch is prepared."
Sungjun sighed. "Alright." After a brief pause, he added. "Robert, I'm leaving for Southern Wu this evening and won't return for a few days. Look after the house."
"Eh?" The steward looked a bit surprised as Southern Wu is located in Zhonggou, where Pavel has no business at all. But, in the end, he didn't question and gave a bow. "Understood, Master Han."
**The next day;**
**Tianzhu's residence, Kitezh City, Novarusk Republic;**
At dawn, Tianzhu was in the shower, letting the hot stream cascade over his skin. He didn't seem to be moving. Just stood still with his head bowed and eyes closed.
The memory of his Mother's death played in his head. On the eve of the New Year, she was lying there in the bathtub with a cut on her wrist. A five-year-old Tianzhu was staring at her blankly as the water-filled tub changed red.
Then the scene shifted. Tianzhu sat stiffly in the arms of his older sister as mourners offered their condolences. His father, dressed in a black suit, smiled and bowed, and shook hands with them.
But he never came to Tianzhu. Not once did he ask him how he was holding up. To hug him and say, I'm here. To tell him that it is okay to cry.
Even at the funeral, Tianzhu wasn't allowed to cry. Instead, his father had sternly said, "You're the man now. Stand tall."
The memory flashed to middle school…
"Tianzhu, drop the sword. I said Drop it."
"Dad, I was just."
"I said DROP IT!"
Cling
The sword was dropped onto the polished wooden floor.
"If you dare to pick up swordsmanship again, I will break your legs. Go and study." His father warned him with an intense glare to the point that a 14-year-old Tianzhu trembled.
In the present, Tianzhu opened his eyes slowly, as another memory returned. A 17-year-old Tianzhu was at the airport. His flight is just an hour away. He was scouted by a top guild.
But his father never showed up. Only Xueli had come. Just his sister was there for him.
The scene shifted again to when Sister gave birth. His brother-in-law ran away just before she went into labor. She was all alone in the hospital. A 22-year-old Tianzhu, who was on an important mission assigned in Shen Triad, left in the middle of his mission and came to her side. During the next 10 days, he saw her friends and acquaintances, their relatives, and even their hateful step-siblings come to see her.
Yet, their father, who was living in the same neighborhood, came to visit her.
Back to the present, with such disappointing memories he had of his father, who recently passed away, Tianzhu's hand reached out to press the shower button. The water stopped instantly.
He stood there for a moment as he murmured aloud. "Jiejie knows that I'm not interested in meeting him even if he were on his deathbed. Why does she have to do this…"
A few hours ago;
Tianzhu, Theo, and Vera sat at the dining table, having dinner. The atmosphere looked quite tense, with no one speaking because of Theo's outburst a while ago. Vera was forced to meddle in, talking about everything that came to his mind to change the mood.
Beside them, a humanoid assistant stood silently, the sole servant of their 12-room mansion. Amy is a butler robot that does everything, from cooking to helping the kids with their studies. The only function it doesn't have is fighting.
As Theo silently ate his meal while Vera chattered about her upcoming December excursions, an outdoor trip to Yelagin Island, ice skating on the weekend, but most importantly, a four-day Trip, which required parental supervision, Tianzhu's phone buzzed.
As he took a look at the screen, his brows furrowed as it was an unknown number.
He picked it up. "Hello?"
On the other end, a professional yet polite voice greeted him. "Hello, Mr. Qin, this is Sasha from the Reception Desk at Egmor HQ, Moscow. I was informed that you are currently on leave. I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"No, it's fine. What is it? Something urgent at the company?" Tianzhu asked. He didn't particularly care for the answer. He no longer worked at Egmor Group as a security chief. He left it a few years ago and is now only a store owner.
