Chapter 12: A Casual Move
Mu Lantu took a sip of his apple milkshake. “Nope, just playing for now. We’ll see later.”
Lin Sen gave him a thumbs-up. “Absolutely the smart thing to do—seriously! There won’t be many more chances to enjoy this kind of freedom. Once we start working, get married, have kids… our lives won’t be ours anymore. Tch!”
Mu Lantu hadn’t interacted much with Lin Sen before, and only now realized that he was emotionally intelligent. Being around someone like this—whether what they said was true or not—still felt pleasant.
Lin Sen had a big appetite, but what surprised him was that Mu Lantu ate even more. He sneaked a glance at Mu Lantu’s stomach—completely flat.
After eating their fill, the two sat for a while. Just as they were about to leave, not even having stood up yet, Zhou Xianlin approached with a few young men and women.
“Mu Lantu, Lin Sen? What a coincidence.”
Zhou Xianlin looked back and forth between them meaningfully.
Lin Sen was puzzled. “You know me?”
Zhou Xianlin realized he’d misspoken. “No, but I’ve heard Mu Lantu mention you a few times. He said you’re his best friend, so when I saw you two eating together, I figured you must be Lin Sen.”
Lin Sen’s brows furrowed—he immediately disliked Zhou Xianlin. He knew very well what his relationship with Mu Lantu had been like at school. They were just ordinary dormmates; Mu Lantu hadn’t shown him any special treatment. Yet this guy was saying otherwise—clearly up to no good.
A cold glint flickered in Mu Lantu’s eyes. This bastard really knew how to make people uncomfortable.
Ignoring Zhou Xianlin completely, Mu Lantu spoke to Lin Sen instead: “That’s Zhou Xianlin, our class monitor. He’s very concerned about his classmates. Even though he and I didn’t get along, before I was reassigned to a mixed dorm, he thoroughly investigated my future roommate—worried that a newcomer like me might get bullied.”
He was speaking very tactfully, but Lin Sen understood everything. So, this guy Zhou Xianlin knew about his orientation—and had used him without his knowledge. Lin Sen didn’t know what grudge Zhou Xianlin and Mu Lantu had, but moving Mu Lantu into his dorm clearly had a purpose: either to tempt or to coerce.
Sure, his orientation was unique, but that didn’t mean he’d resort to underhanded means just because he saw someone attractive. That was an insult.
Now Lin Sen was just as disgusted by Zhou Xianlin. His gaze suddenly turned razor sharp, like a bird of prey staring down its target.
Zhou Xianlin felt a jolt of fear and his heart started pounding. Desperate not to lose face in front of his coworkers, he gave himself a way out.
“We should get going. Catch up later.”
Neither Mu Lantu nor Lin Sen stopped him.
Zhou Xianlin quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
A few of his companions exchanged subtle glances behind him.
Staring at Zhou Xianlin’s retreating figure, Lin Sen said coldly, “Those people look like his coworkers. He stayed in Capital?”
Mu Lantu replied, “Yeah. He’s working at DuoWei.”
Lin Sen commented blandly, “A Fortune Global 500 company. Not bad luck.”
Mu Lantu didn’t comment. He picked up the black-and-white dumpling plush. “Let’s go.”
“I’ll walk with you.”
They parted ways outside the BBQ restaurant. Mu Lantu drove to the mall.
[Host, I think you’re being a bit shady.]
Mu Lantu didn’t deny it.
[Just making a casual move.]
Lin Sen was a true Capital local, and his family didn’t seem lacking in resources—he probably had some connections. If those connections were strong enough, Zhou Xianlin might be in for a real beating.
The mall was playing pop music, and many shoppers were going about their business as usual.
Mu Lantu figured there were two reasons for this. First, many people didn’t check their phones often, so they hadn’t heard about the new planet. Second, citizens of Jasmine Nation had deep faith in their country—they believed the government would handle everything. Until there was an official announcement, they wouldn’t panic.
That second point made Mu Lantu feel light and cheerful. Jasmine Nation was like a parallel version of his home country—the Flower Nation—from before he transmigrated. People genuinely loved and trusted their country.
He first headed to the electronics store on the fifth floor and bought the best livestreaming equipment available. Then he picked up oil, salt, sauces, all kinds of ingredients, fruit, snacks—especially snacks, buying a huge load and scheduling them for home delivery. Convenient and fast.
Both rooms in his apartment were spacious. Besides his master bedroom, the other room was a study with bright lighting, a desk and chair set, and an empty bookshelf—perfect to use as a streaming room.
Mu Lantu set up the livestream gear, then arranged the boxes of snacks neatly on the shelves. The bookshelf had been custom-made—wide and tall, reaching the ceiling. The upper shelves were still empty and could later be used for displaying LEGO sets.
[Xiao Wu.]
[I’m here, Host.]
[Should I just pull LEGO bricks directly from the brick warehouse?]
005 replied:
[Host, I’ve already created a real-world brick factory overseas. If you place an order with me, I’ll have the bricks shipped from that factory. If others order from it, they’ll get ordinary bricks. This ensures your safety.]
Even if 005 hadn’t said so, Mu Lantu would’ve suggested the same. He never underestimated the power of the state, especially during such a sensitive time after a new planet had appeared.
005 added:
[Anything that affects your safety—don’t worry, I’ll always have it covered.]
[Good. I trust you.] Mu Lantu offered a brief reassurance. It wasn’t that he doubted 005’s capabilities—it was just that this was the first modern society he had transmigrated into, and the technology here brought many new considerations. Since 005 had it handled, he’d let it take care of similar situations in future tech-based worlds.
[Would you like to place an order now, Host?]
Mu Lantu spread a blank sheet of paper across the desk.
[No rush. I want to draw the blueprint first.]
He intended to replicate his new planet residence here, so he could live there occasionally.
Mu Lantu didn’t know how to draw architectural plans professionally, but that didn’t matter—he only needed to understand them himself. Still, he asked 005 to order him a few relevant professional books online.
The saying “no knowledge is ever wasted” is true in every era. In the first world he transmigrated to, his role was a physician, but he also taught himself painting as a hobby. Scholars in that world were expected to know the Four Arts—zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—so it was easy to find teachers, and not expensive either. Naturally, Mu Lantu seized the opportunity to learn.
In his second life, he was a swordsman. He taught himself calligraphy—not only to acquire a new skill, but also to calm his mind. Hunting fugitives often led to intense combat, sometimes fatal. Practicing calligraphy helped him stay mentally grounded and avoid falling into inner demons. As a result, his calligraphy was far better than his painting.
