Chapter 38. Surviving Overtime (2)

It has been three days since I declared that I needed a slave.

Peng Guiin, Slave No. 2, still glared at me with a resentful look even after three days. Wei Jiyan, who was brought in as Slave No. 3, had a gaze that was indiscernible, whether it was fortunate or unfortunate.

‘Probably because her bangs are covering her eyes.’

It was due to Wei Jiyan's hairstyle.

I bowed my head below the partition to avoid Peng Guiin's gaze, as her eyes had been particularly hostile ever since she realized that it was my idea that led to her being brought here.

In fact, I did feel a bit sorry for them, but it was inevitable.

‘There are so few people who can write well, what can I do?’

At first, Bai Linghua felt somewhat uncomfortable with my suggestion to use Peng Guiin and Wei Jiyan. He said, "How can I ask a guest to do such a thing?"

But what could be done with someone who was already fully recovered and just wasting rice? They had to be put to use at this time.

As a result, they have become a significant force, which is indeed fortunate.

The current office is set up like a small office, divided by partitions. This was also my idea.

‘This environment is indeed the most efficient for squeezing out productivity.’

Just as the ink was running out, I rang the small iron bell attached to the partition a few times. Hearing the bell, the servant hurried over and poured the ink I had prepared in advance into the inkstone.

It was truly the pinnacle of efficiency.

"Loss cost documents are all organized here!"

Peng Guiin shouted in a voice that seemed to be filled with anger and threw the documents over the partition. However, I caught it skillfully in mid-air, thanks to the enhanced senses from my increased inner strength.

"Thank you."

I had to finish these documents by this morning. It was almost time for the fruits of our labor over the past three days to be realized. We all worked frantically with our brushes, not having a moment to rest.

"Can we finish in time...?"

Wei Jiyan, looking exhausted, asked. I shook my head.

"It's not a matter of whether we can, but whether we will."

Upon hearing this, Bai Linghua's eyes lit up. Despite being extremely tired and exhausted, her eyes sparkled. She looked at me and said,

‘Indeed, you are the Cheng Biao.’

‘Yes, Chief. Let’s do it.’

Our determination burned brightly amidst the fatigue. Unfortunately, Peng Guiin and Wei Jiyan seemed to want to escape from this place as soon as possible.

It was almost noon, and we had not even had a proper breakfast when we finally finished the last document. The meeting with Yungar was in one hour.

I blew on the document, which I had just finished writing and whose ink was not yet dry, and then took down the documents hanging from the ceiling to dry. I bound them with a string. My hands were trembling from the intense work of the past three days.

"Done... Yes, it's all done!"

This book was the result of our hard work over the past three sleepless nights. Bai Linghua, with a wistful look, said,

"It's really unbelievable. I didn't think we could finish it..."

"I told you we could."

Her face looked extremely haggard. I understand. We had hardly slept for three days. It was so tiring that I had to practice qigong to keep going.

Bai Linghua, with a haggard face, managed a weak smile and said,

"I feel a bit relieved now."

"Don't let your guard down yet. We still have the negotiation with Yungar."

"Indeed. But I am confident."

Bai Linghua pointed to the large wooden frame I had prepared, where a large poster with well-drawn graphs and charts was placed.

"Showing them this data, Yungar will be speechless. I never thought it was possible to fit all this information on one page."

I had worked hard to make it as clear as possible, so that the damage and compensation amounts for Baiyun Escort Agency could be easily understood at a glance.

This was our secret weapon for the presentation to Yungar.

"Even now, it's amazing. Is this what you call a chart? It's very efficient."

"Yes, it is."

"Do they do everything like this in your hometown, Cheng Biao?"

"Of course."

If you can't make a PPT, you can't go home.

But even though I know how to make one, I can't go home now.

At that moment, Chief Jiang entered the office. He also looked haggard, having helped us every day after the regular escort preparations were done.

"Chief, are you ready? There's about an hour left until the agreed time."

"Yes, we just finished."

"That's good. But..."

Chief Jiang trailed off. Bai Linghua, puzzled, asked,

"Why?"

"You... It might be good to tidy up a bit."

"..."

Chief Jiang seemed embarrassed after saying it, but it was a point that needed to be addressed.

Bai Linghua had tied her long hair up in a pineapple-like style, which was obstructing her work, and her eyes were swollen from lack of sleep.

Given her beauty, she was still tolerable in this state, but if it were anyone else, they might have been mistaken for a manga artist on a deadline.

"I understand. I'll tidy up and come back. Cheng Biao, you can go and rest now."

"Of course."

By the way, I won't be participating in the negotiation. As a new escort, I won't be there. Only Chief Jiang and Bai Linghua will go.

So, I just need to tidy up and go home.

"Thank you, Peng Guiin. I'm also grateful to Miss Wei."

"I'm so sleepy... Sister..."

"You're welcome..."

Peng Guiin and Wei Jiyan, barely suppressing yawns, left the main hall. I thought I should tidy up the documents and leave, but when Bai Linghua saw my face, she said,

"By the way, Cheng Biao, your beard is really unkempt."

"Well, I tend to grow a lot."

I brushed off my thick beard. My face was in no better condition than Bai Linghua's, as I hadn't shaved for the past three days.

Staring at my thick beard, which covered my cheeks and chin, Chief Jiang said,

"Are you by any chance from the Jurchen tribe?"

"That's a sudden racial comment."

"No, your beard is just like that."

Hearing the word "Jurchen," I resolved to get a promotion faster than Chief Jiang and take revenge on him.

Chief Jiang and Bai Linghua left the office, and I was about to tidy up and leave, but I realized I couldn't. I was so tired that I couldn't move a step. Things were even starting to double and triple in my vision.

‘...I should just take a nap and go.’

I lay down on the office floor.

Sleep overtook me in an instant.

***

Someone was calling me.

The voice was trying to wake me up.

‘Get up.’

‘No, I want to sleep more.’

I didn't want to get up. I was so, so tired. I wanted to sleep forever. But the voice kept urging me.

‘You have to get up. You have to get up.’

‘I'm not the pride of Joseon... So I can sleep more.’

"Exactly what are you saying? Get up!"

"Ah!"

I gasped and jumped up. In front of me, Bai Linghua looked bewildered. I quickly wiped the drool from my mouth with my sleeve and replied,

"Oh, it's you, Chief."

"Yes. How can someone sleep so deeply?"

"I haven't slept for three days."

It's quite an achievement to last three days without coffee.

Looking outside, it was completely dark.

I... slept for about six hours?

"I must have dozed off."

"You were having a deep sleep."

"It's because I worked so hard and diligently."

"Indeed..."

Bai Linghua lit the lamps in the office. The dark office was illuminated by the lamplight. As I looked at her face, which was slightly flushed by the lamplight, she asked,

"Are you very tired?"

"No, thank you for your concern."

"The negotiation went well. Thanks to Cheng Biao."

"Can I hear about it?"

Bai Linghua began to recount what happened at the negotiation.

***

According to Bai Linghua, Yungar sent their Fourth Chief for this negotiation. The chiefs of Yungar are known to be as strict as the Tang family in the martial world.

How strict? They are so strict that they are mocked as "not even a tooth can touch them."

Even though he is the Fourth Chief, for the chief of Yungar to personally participate in the negotiation, it must have been a serious matter.

The Fourth Chief arrived at the negotiation venue with a firm expression, indicating that they would not give in even a penny, and maintained a high-pressure attitude.

"We have no obligation or responsibility to compensate. We are here only to clear up the body of the traitor as a matter of martial righteousness, so please do not misunderstand."

"If that's the case, we have no choice but to request mediation from the Martial Alliance."

As the voices rose, and Bai Linghua even mentioned the Martial Alliance, the Fourth Chief took a step back and presented the conditions he had prepared.

"Well, we can listen to your story, but only as a story."

"Then, please look at this document first."

Bai Linghua distributed the documents we had prepared and explained the calculated damage amount. For parts that were difficult to explain, she used the charts and graphs on the large poster that Cheng Laizhun had prepared.

"Based on this conclusion, the amount we should be compensated is as follows."

"Wait a moment. Isn't the loss from the suspension of the escort overestimated?"

"Please look at the document. On the tenth page, you will find the basis."

"Hmm... Let's skip that for now, but the compensation for the escorts seems unusual."

"Please turn to the next page for that part."

"Hmm... Hmm..."

The Fourth Chief, faced with the detailed and logical data, could only make a choking sound. Indeed, even I, the author, thought the report on the Yungar incident was a masterpiece.

"So, what happened?"

"Listen."

After almost five hours of marathon negotiations, the Fourth Chief of Yungar finally gave in.

All attempts to refute the calculated costs failed. The report was so meticulously prepared that there was no room for argument.

However, the Fourth Chief of Yungar insisted that they could not pay the compensation.

"We absolutely cannot pay the compensation."

Just as Chief Jiang was about to get angry and stop him, Bai Linghua asked,

"Then, are you willing to pay something other than compensation?"

"Interpret it as you will."

That's right. Yungar wanted to avoid acknowledging responsibility by paying compensation, as it would set a precedent and they would have to pay compensation to others who were affected by the Yungar incident.

Hearing this, I sighed and asked Bai Linghua,

"Indeed, what did you do?"

"I accepted it."

Bai Linghua also made a concession. It was difficult to get more from them. In the end, Yungar agreed to pay the costs for the transportation and storage of the reanimated bodies of the Jiang Shizhong, as well as the initial amount we had calculated.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"You're welcome. By the way, the Nine Heavens and Nine Hells Law was very helpful."

"Oh, you mean the reanimation manual from the Yungar bodies?"

Indeed, I had forgotten about that. Wei Jiyan was afraid of future repercussions if she took it, so we left it behind.

"Yes. It seemed to be the key. When I subtly mentioned that we would take the Nine Heavens and Nine Hells Law, they finally gave in."

Indeed, it must be a secret technique of Yungar that they could not let go to others. I nodded.

"I'm glad it helped."

"Yes, a bit disappointing, but..."

Bai Linghua smiled wryly. Could she still be thinking about the necromancer courier service?

I suddenly imagined myself, Zu Junping, Guo Dushan, and Sima Yu, as reanimated bodies, carrying loads on our shoulders and moving in rhythm. It was a truly chilling thought.

Shivering from the horrific imagination, Bai Linghua asked,

"Are you going home now?"

"Yes, it's late."

Bai Linghua then offered me a cup of tea.

"Have a cup of tea before you go. Your throat must be dry."

"I'll drink it with gratitude."

Bai Linghua seemed relieved that everything had gone well. I accepted the cup of tea with a smile.

We drank tea and looked at the moon together in a peaceful atmosphere.

The warm tea wasn't bad at all.