Daylight Robbery is for your own good!
[537 days until the destruction of the world]
Despite Jin Mu's enthusiasm, the bleeding in his hand needed medical treatment. Thus he was asked to start his work a week from now. With orders to go to the central library to become more knowledgeable about being a cultivator.
Jin Mu's actual home was not a dumpster, he lived in an apartment suite in district Q, one of the five districts in the East Country. His district was known to have been the most flourishing district, but that was all in the past. Everyone who are his neighbours all live in barely adequate circumstances, the ones who are better off can live in suites with a shower built in the bathroom.
The reasons for the economical failure is unknown. Everyone just blames their ancestors and go by their busy life.
After waking up in his bedroom, which was a little bigger than the dumpster he previous slept in, he went off to get ready to leave. His breakfast was very modest; it was the typical slice of bread which most high school girls wish to use to meet their fated partner.
It is worth noting that he just graduated high school last year. With his poor grades as well as his financial circumstances, maybe it really was a miracle for him to get a cultivator's job. The founder of East Country was a cultivator, a famous monarch who is taught in books from kindergarten to third year in high school.
In kindergarten the monarch is used as the perfect example as how to potty train properly. All students are encouraged to have him as the role model their entire lives. So the news of him becoming a cultivator just like his role model gave him such a thrill.
"Was it here..?" After looking at his unused tattered map given out back in elementary school, he searched for the Central Library. The Central Library, as the name states, is situated in the Central. 90% of the country's wealth is said to reside in the Central. The Central Library is the only library in the East Country. All the other places that carries books are unqualified to be called a library.
"This is my first time coming to a library.. I must not look like a first-timer, or else I will be easily looked down upon." Jin Mu muttered to himself as he entered the entrance of the library. The Central Library is not a public property, it is owned by a great elder of the East Country, Elder Zhang. Elder Zhang was a miser, so even with Jin Mu's identification as a resident of district Q he had to pay 50 zel.
The worldwide currency is zel, and an average person earns about 2000 zel a month. The average in district Q is lower, just a bit below 1000 zel. Therefore it indirectly implies that Elder Zhang demanded 5% of the monthly income.
"Sigh.. This world is truly demanding.. I should have asked Senior Goh how much my wage is." Jin Mu felt pained as he handed over the fee. There was also 5 hour time limit for accessing the library, any more and he would have to pay extra.
Due to the request to learn about cultivators, Jin Mu went straight to fifth floor, named
"Who is that shabby looking youngster?"
"He stinks"
"I think he is from district Q"
"District Q? Isn't the fee his yearly salary? How did someone like him get in here?"
All sorts of murmurs and whispers could be heard around the room as Jin Mu felt disdainful gazes directed at him. Jin Mu was truly embarrassed, so he quickly busied himself to start reading a random book off the bookshelf.
The book was named
——
Because of the Great Disaster that occurred, there are not may historic records remaining from that era.
A thousand years ago, back in 2018, a war erupted between two forces, each situated in opposite end of hemisphere. The two forces were named Ying and Eluo. They have gathered up their allies and blamed their counterpart that they are disrupting the peace of the world. The true purpose lay in greed for land and resources, however under their 'great cause' the war erupted in full force. Mankind back then had flying artifacts, and with gigantic land artifacts the damage was catastrophic.
It was during this time where they wished to unleash their trump card, but before they were able to, the forces were wiped out. Billions of people have already died at this point, and some regions had lakes made from the blood of people.
The cause was a great earthquake which caused Mt. Yellow to erupt, destroying nearly eighty percent of Ying Country. Eluo Country did not fair any better. Their landmasses were split apart, rebels rose to their feet and the country was no more.
—— ¥ ——
At this point Jin Mu let out a sigh, he felt depressed knowing that civilization was brought down by themselves. He tried to continue reading but found that the latter pages were ripped.
"Eh? How come these pages are missing? What happened after the destruction?" Jin Mu became more curious.
"Haha you fool, isn't that book just the basics of basics? Everyone knows that the development of qi is profound and mysterious, anything that was written about qi would get destroyed mysteriously."
A young man in red robes maniacally laughed while slamming the table.
"Oh... I didn't know that, thanks for telling me" Jin Mu quickly replied. Based on the other's clothing he could see that their class was different, not someone he could provoke.
"Eh hem, since you have learned something from me shouldn't you pay up? Hehe I won't make it difficult for you, how about 50 zel?" The man gleefully spoke while his eyes squinted.
"What!? I never asked you for anything and you demand for money? This is simply daylight robbery!" Jin Mu was infuriated. The expenditure from coming to Central Library from district Q was also high, he simply couldn't afford to hand over his money.
"Now young man, this is a library, you need be more quiet. Also, I heard people badmouthing your fashion and scent, saying you are from district Q. I just wanted to help you redeem yourself and make them realize that you are a capable man. See, this is all for your own good." The red robed man's expression became friendly, as if he is trustworthy enough to have him safe-keep your wallet.
Jin Mu almost coughed up blood when he heard this man. 'Unbelievable, does he take me for a fool? I am poor, but not stupid!' Jin Mu shouted in his mind.
"Thank you for your caring words, here is 50 zel." Jin Mu quickly passed over the money and left the fifth floor.