421: Chapter 65 Chen Duo's Choice

Hearing Daoist Wang say he was an Anomaly without a life pattern, Meng Li suddenly understood.

No wonder he couldn't see his own life pattern before; it turned out he didn't have one.

Thinking about it, it made sense. In this life, he had directly intruded into this world rather than through Reincarnation. He was truly someone outside the original plot, or rather, outside of fate. Naturally, he didn't have the so-called fate or life pattern derived from the plotline.

This served as a reminder to Meng Li: others could identify people through their life pattern.

However, he currently lacked the ability to alter or forge something like life pattern.

If he were to use aliases in the future and didn't want to be exposed because of this, he would have to avoid people who could read faces.

Keeping this in mind, Meng Li spoke up, "If I remember correctly, so-called anomalies are unstable factors, existences prone to causing trouble. Did Daoist Wang call me over specifically because you want to eliminate an Anomaly like me?"

Hearing this, Wang Ye hurriedly waved his hands. "Don't go guessing blindly; I didn't mean that."

"The reason I wanted to chat with you privately this time was, first, to confirm whether you and the White Sword Immortal are actually the same person."

"And second, I wanted to ask which side you stand on regarding Ma Xianhong's matter."

Meng Li was slightly stunned for a moment, then laughed in spite of himself. "So you were just bluffing me just now?"

Wang Ye said with a hint of a smile, "It wasn't exactly a bluff. I was already seventy or eighty percent sure; I just wanted to verify it. What do you have to say about Ma Xianhong's business?"

Instead of answering, Meng Li asked back, "Didn't Zhang Chulan tell you?"

Wang Ye shook his head.

Meng Li said, "I'm not helping either side."

Wang Ye immediately let out a quiet sigh of relief, then asked curiously, "Then why are you still staying here? Just to watch the show?"

Meng Li nodded first, then shook his head. "I have some thoughts like that, but mainly I have other business."

"Other business?" Wang Ye was puzzled.

Meng Li said vaguely, "My heart feels a sense of injustice; I'm seeking peace of mind."

"Don't worry, I won't get in the way of you and your best buddy's love-hate relationship."

That's good then...

Wang Ye's heart, which had been halfway up his throat, settled back down, but not completely. He suddenly realized something was wrong.

Love-hate relationship? Best buddy?

Wang Ye's eyes widened. Feeling he had been misunderstood, he hurriedly quib— explained, "What love-hate relationship? You've definitely misunderstood!"

"Oh," Meng Li responded indifferently, then changed the subject. "Is there anything else? If not, I'm heading back."

Wang Ye opened his mouth, looking as if he wanted to say more but hesitated. Finally, he said helplessly, "Nothing else."

Meng Li turned and left.

Wang Ye watched his back, his eyes flickering.

Actually, besides wanting to explain himself just now, he had also wanted to ask about the deaths of Wang Ai and Lü Ci. But the words reached his lips and he swallowed them back down.

What if the deaths of Wang Ai and Lü Ci were the work of this Anomaly, Meng Li?

Was he supposed to seek justice or revenge for those two?

Setting Lü Ci aside, Wang Ai had coveted his Wind-After Odd Gates and had targeted his family.

Wang Ye didn't consider himself a wicked person, but he wasn't a saint with an overflowing sense of justice who could tolerate anything either.

Neither Lü Ci nor Wang Ai were good people.

If the two of them were killed by Meng Li while trying to seize the Heavenly Scroll, it could only be said they brought it on themselves, were outmatched, and that it was their fate.

Thinking of this, Wang Ye scratched his hair. "In the end, it's just curiosity at work. I need to find a way to rein it in, or I really might turn into a cat."

After muttering to himself, he turned and left.

...

After parting ways with Wang Ye, Meng Li felt that continuing to wander around was pointless, so he returned to his residence. He was surprised to find Chen Duo standing at the door.

"Have you made up your mind?" he asked warmly as he approached.

"Yes." Chen Duo brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and gave a soft response. Then she stated her choice: "I choose the first option you gave me. I want to learn from you the ability to plunder the vitality of Gu Poison."

Meng Li had expected this.

Among the four choices, returning to the company or death were the worst options.

In the new options he provided, completely removing the Gu Poison seemed like it could bring stability. However, for Chen Duo, who was already accustomed to the world of outcasts, giving up her abilities to live as an ordinary person would be a change no less drastic than turning from a Gu into a human.

This was not only difficult but would also take time.

Not to mention, even if she became an ordinary person, she might not truly find peace.

Therefore, Chen Duo had only one optimal choice.

Seeing that her choice was exactly as he expected, Meng Li smiled. "Alright, let's go inside and talk."

Once they were seated in the courtyard, Meng Li spoke. "I respect and approve of your choice. However, you should know there's no such thing as a free lunch. I can't teach you this ability for nothing. If you want to learn, you have to trade something for it."

"Just like how you previously traded Gu insects for a dress and a game console."

"What do you want? New Gu insects?" Chen Duo asked.

Meng Li said, "I am indeed interested in Gu insects, but the value of the ability to plunder Gu Poison vitality is far beyond what those Gu insects can match."

"I want you to be my assistant."

"Be an assistant?" Chen Duo repeated softly, her slender brows furrowing slightly. "Like I was with Uncle Liao before?"

"You can understand it that way, but it's also different," Meng Li first responded simply, then explained in detail. "You know I'm a doctor. So, if you're my assistant, your work will no longer be about killing people, but about saving them and researching ways to save them."

"Saving people?" Chen Duo was somewhat surprised, then frowned. "I don't know how."

"I can teach you. You're an outcast and were able to become a Temporary Worker; your learning ability shouldn't be bad."

Chen Duo nodded.

Meng Li immediately followed up, "Therefore, as long as you're willing to learn, I believe you'll definitely be able to master it."

"Now, let's talk about other aspects."

As he spoke, he held up a finger. "First, regarding saving people and research, you can think of them as missions, just like when you were a Temporary Worker at the company. The difference is that you have the power to choose these missions; you can independently choose to accept or refuse."

"The difference is that if you choose to accept, you must do your best to perform well."

"Upon completion, you will receive proper compensation, usually in the form of money."

"As for how much, it depends on the specific situation."

"If you choose to refuse because you don't like it or for some other reason, that's fine too, but then there will be no corresponding compensation."

Just as he finished speaking, Chen Duo asked with a hint of confusion, "Proper compensation?"

"Should there be compensation after completing a mission?"

Meng Li was stunned. "Did you not get paid for your missions before?"

Chen Duo replied truthfully, "No."

Meng Li: "..."

Good grief, making a young girl do high-risk dirty work without even giving her money?!

Taking advantage of her not knowing the law, are they?

How black-hearted!

After a moment of internal complaining, Meng Li didn't say much else.

Complaining aside, he could still understand the reasons behind it.

Chen Duo's situation was very special.

Everywhere Connect had to invest costs into raising her. Since she had no source of income, she could only offset the costs with her labor.

Furthermore, Chen Duo herself had no subjective consumer needs.

Naturally, the matter of compensation was ignored.

Thinking of this, Meng Li continued with the conversation. "Well, that's another difference between being my assistant and being a Temporary Worker at the company."

"When you complete missions for me, I'll give you compensation, usually money."

"You know what money is, right?"

Chen Duo nodded.

Meng Li continued, "Besides the mission rewards, I'll also pay you regularly. This is a base salary, paid once a month. Then, I'll provide you with a place to live. On this point, you also have the right to choose. You'll see what the specific options are when the time comes."

"Now that we've covered compensation, let me talk about the work content—that is, what you'll be doing after you become my assistant."

...