Looking For The Liquor Worm (Part Three)

Okay, so, half an hour in, Fang Yuan's primeval essence is at 14%, and the Moonlight Gu is only 1/12th refined. And it's still glowing, still throwing hands, still yeeting his essence back out.

He can literally feel the green copper essence shrinking, the refined area getting smaller. At this rate, in six hours, the Gu will have completely clapped back, and he'll be at ground zero.

"Rizzing Gu is a straight-up war," Fang Yuan thinks. "Positional warfare, attrition. I refined 1/12th, but lost like, three-quarters of my essence. Gotta recharge while fighting, secure the W. It's a test of skill and patience, basically."

He pulls out a skibidi stone.

Gu Masters have two ways to juice up their essence. First, natural regen. Fang Yuan, C-tier, recovers 4% an hour, 24% in six hours.

Second, chugging skibidi stone juice.

Skibidi stones are nature's energy drinks. Sipping one makes the primeval sea level rise, like, instantly.

Half an hour later, he's back to 44% essence. Sea level's capped. That's his C-tier limit.

This proves talent is OP. Higher talent means more essence storage and faster regen.

Fang Yuan needs skibidi stone boosts to keep up the rizzment, because his natural regen is getting bodied by the Moonlight Gu's expulsion rate.

But A-tier Fang Zheng? He regens 8% an hour, 48% in six hours. The Moonlight Gu only yeets 3%. He doesn't need stones. He can refine with chill breaks, finishing in a few days. EZ.

That's why Fang Yuan knew from the jump he was cooked in this Moonlight Gu refining speedrun. It's a talent diff, not a skill diff.

Unless you're swimming in skibidi stone juice. Then, a B-tier could out-grind an A-tier.

"I've got six stones. I'm not swimming in it like Gooner Yue Mo Bei or Gooner Yue Chi Chen, with their sugar daddy grandpas. I'm C-tier, Fang Zheng's A-tier. This race was a scam from the start. Why waste the energy? I'm gonna hunt that Liquor worm. That's a major glow-up from the Moonlight Gu. Wait, the rain's finally stopping! Three days and nights, about time!"

Fang Yuan pockets the Moonlight Gu and hops off the bed. He's about to open the window when he hears a knock.

"Young Master Fang Yuan, it's me," Shen Cui says. "It's been raining for eternity, so I brought you snacks and wine. Eat and drink, get rid of the sad vibes."

Fang Yuan's spidey-sense is tingling. 500 years of experience tells him something's fishy.

He narrows his eyes, then relaxes his face. "I'm actually starving, perfect timing. Come on in."

Outside, Shen Cui's smile turns cold, but when she opens the door, she's all sweetness and light.

"Young Master Fang Yuan, this food smells amazing! I could smell it through the box!" Her voice is sugary, with a hint of longing. She sets the food down, arranges the dishes, pours the wine.

"Come on, young master. Sit down. I'm being bold today, and want to have a drink with you." She smiles, grabs his hand, and pulls him to the table.

Then she plops down on his lap, leaning against his chest, all timid and cute. "Young Master Fang Yuan, I've always liked you. I don't care about your grade. I just want to be with you, take care of you. Tonight, I want to give myself to you."

She's dolled up, rosy cheeks, cherry lips. Her breath is warm on his earlobe. He can feel her figure, her thighs, her waist, her chest.

"Young master, let me feed you wine." She takes a sip, then leans in, lips parted, eyes locked on his.

Fang Yuan's face is blank, like she's a statue.

Shen Cui's a little nervous, but as she gets closer, she's confident. He's still playing hard to get, she thinks.

Then Fang Yuan scoffs, his voice dripping with disdain. "So, it's just a power play."

Shen Cui's smile glitches, her face freezes. She chugs the wine, trying to play it cool. "Young Master Fang Yuan, what are you even saying..."

Fang Yuan's eyes are ice cold. He stares her down, then his right hand yeets itself around her neck, slowly squeezing. Shen Cui's pupils go wide, panic mode activated. "Young master, you're choking me!"

Fang Yuan, no response, just cranks up the pressure.

"Young Master Fang Yuan, I'm scared!" Shen Cui's struggling to breathe, face turning purple. Her hands are flailing, trying to pry his off, but his grip is steel.

"So, Aunt and Uncle sent you to rizz me up and frame me? They've probably got backup downstairs, right?" Fang Yuan chuckles, ice cold. "But who do you think you are, trying to pull a fast one with those... two bags of trash on your chest?"

He grabs her chest with his other hand, squeezing hard, deforming them.

Shen Cui's eyes water, pain spiking. She tries to scream, but Fang Yuan's got her throat locked down. She can only choke out sobs, then fight for air.

Then, Fang Yuan loosens his grip.

Shen Cui gasps, sucking in air, coughing like she's dying. Fang Yuan chuckles, stroking her cheek, voice light. "Shen Cui, think I could off you right now?"

If Fang Yuan had yelled, Shen Cui might have thrown hands. But his soft voice, the casual threat, sends chills down her spine.

She's straight-up terrified.

She stares at Fang Yuan, seeing that creepy smile on his face. She realized too late that Fang Yuan ain't no simp.

Shen Cui walks out like a glitching NPC, completely fried. She's traumatized, barely remembers how she escaped Fang Yuan's psycho stare.

The dudes hiding in the shadows are like, "WTF just happened?"

"They really pulled a whole setup, even more extra than last time. Hehe, Aunt and Uncle, I'm logging this," Fang Yuan thinks, with a sarcastic smirk.

He dips too. He ain't staying there. Better safe than sorry, especially when you're playing 4D chess with demons. Only a clown walks into a staged trap.

"Innkeeper, got any rooms?" Fang Yuan asks at the village's only motel.

"Yessir, yessir! Second and third floor. Cheap, clean, and tidy. First floor's the food court, and we got room service too!" The innkeeper's putting on the charm. Business is dead, except when the merchant caravans roll through.

Fang Yuan's hangry. He throws 2 skibidi stones at the innkeeper. "Give me a decent room, 2 bottles of wine, four or five beesechurger meals, make sure each of the Happy Meals has a toy, and keep the change."

"Bet!" The innkeeper says. "Room service or food court?"

Fang Yuan peeks outside. Rain's stopped, it's almost golden hour. He can eat in the food court and bounce to find Flower Wine Monk's loot. "Food court it is," he says. Then, something occurs to him.

"Actually, I also have a business proposal for you."