Chapter 3: The King of Ideal Country_2

In the next eight years, Cen Dongsheng made no progress in that area either. Just struggling to survive was challenging enough, leaving little room for other thoughts.

The reason he believed he had a chance to cling to a powerful ally was purely because An Zhizhen was a rational person. Before she awakened her life prohibition, he, as a Prophet, could provide some guidance and information without revealing the truth, trusting that she would understand its value.

It was a risky gamble. He was well aware of the effects of An Zhizhen's life prohibition. If he offended her, he might completely lose his freedom. But he thought it was worth the risk to try.

In any case, it was merely an exchange of interests. Cen Dongsheng never imagined that the two of them might develop an emotional entanglement.

However, it was precisely this unexpected development where he and she, vastly different in status and unconnected in prior lives, inexplicably formed a rather intimate relationship. They could address each other as "siblings," and even visiting her home felt natural now.

It seemed a bit different from what he had anticipated...

But, well, wasn't it also a kind of progress?

"Alright, let's look at it tonight."

An Zhizhen reluctantly shifted her gaze, set the book down with lingering emotions on her face.

"Dongsheng?"

She noticed him lost in thought again and moved slightly closer.

The woman lifted her delicate hand, placed it on his forehead, and asked with a worried expression,

"Dongsheng, what's wrong? You've been zoning out several times... Could it be the heat, have you gotten heatstroke?"

The cool and soft touch of her palm startled Cen Dongsheng. When he snapped back to reality, Sister Zhi Zhen's beautiful face was already too close, and he could catch a whiff of her elegant fragrance.

"…"

He had to honestly face himself.

The experiences of the future completely changed and shaped his current mindset.

Thus, Cen Dongsheng never thought he'd one day be this close to a famous "Ancestor." It was less of a beautiful dream and more of an absurdly bizarre, shocking dream.

Although everyone could clearly see a stunning beauty on the ubiquitous posters and TV programs in the Tiannan Region, the physical appearance was probably the least important aspect of the image that made up "An Zhizhen."

No matter what she looked like, it didn't hinder her personal power and status or the public's impression of her. The name "An Zhizhen" was known to all, and even her followers mostly admired and respected her rather than harbor romantic feelings.

But...

At least at this moment, Sister Zhi Zhen's closeness made Cen Dongsheng truly feel like he was still that clueless and inexperienced college student.

Yes, even as a Reincarnator, his occasional blushing and racing heart were at least half genuine, maybe because he wasn't that old before his rebirth. This made him reflect on how terrifying a man's instincts could be.

Cen Dongsheng put his hand to his mouth and gave a fake cough.

"I'm... I'm fine. I was just thinking about work tonight."

"Work? Have you picked up a new part-time job?"

"Yeah, there's a newly opened shopping mall a few stops away. I'm working there as a nighttime security guard."

"That's tough."

"Haha, without effort, there's no way to make it. To survive in this competitive society, you have to take action quickly."

Cen Dongsheng said. He genuinely meant what he said, the "cruelty" in his words was the real deal.

"At your age, you're already thinking about this... Well, since you grew up all alone."

An Zhizhen, knowing he was from a welfare institution, looked at him with gentle and sympathetic eyes, seeming to misunderstand him.

"Then I won't hold you up. Take care of yourself out there."

"Alright."

*

Cen Dongsheng said goodbye to Sister Zhi Zhen and returned to his room.

He glanced at the sky outside the window. After watching a movie, the intense summer heat gradually dissipated, the sunlight softened, and the clouds clustered, drifting slowly towards twilight.

Cen Dongsheng crossed his legs and began to meditate.

Over the long past period, he had almost forgotten what kind of entertainment he once enjoyed. For him, snatching a moment of rest amid battles and rushes was enough.

At the appointed time, he opened his eyes, stretched his body, grabbed his phone and keys, and prepared to leave. At the doorway, he turned back to take out some cash and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Almost forgot, real money is still needed these days."

The "part-time job" he mentioned to Sister Zhi Zhen wasn't an excuse; he was indeed going to work the night shift as a security guard.

Of course, it wasn't for the money—for him, as long as the money was enough for living, any excess was wasteful.

This summer, he intended to seize every opportunity to go to many places...

Before going out, Cen Dongsheng took a piece of paper from his pocket, read it carefully, memorized its content thoroughly, and then burned it with a lighter.

After his rebirth, he immediately summarized valuable intelligence and information into a timeline, memorized them repeatedly, and then destroyed them.

He used this method to continuously reinforce his memory until the intel was firmly imprinted in his mind.

These pieces of knowledge spanning eras were undoubtedly "priceless treasures."

However, the same issue remained—he was just a Class B Curse Forbidden Master, with limited access to information. Even if he remembered some things, often he lacked an understanding of the underlying truths, which he could only learn through personal experience.