While Herta was eating her bento, Bai Luan was also devouring his own bento, though compared to Herta's elegant eating, Bai Luan was much more rapid.
He finished in no time, then went to the newly built washbasin and cleaned all the dishes.
Bai Luan shook the water off his hands and sat back on the bed.
Looking at the completely renovated room, Bai Luan couldn't help but exclaim:
"It actually doubled in size... and you can't tell that construction only started this morning. Ms. Herta is truly amazing."
Not to mention any signs of renovation; even though this place had just undergone extensive expansion, the items he had placed before leaving were still in the exact same positions.
How did those robots manage to avoid that pile of clutter and carve out individual private bathrooms?
It was truly astonishing.
Indeed, his decision to stay here was absolutely correct.
After once again congratulating himself on his past choice, Bai Luan no longer paid attention to his newly expanded room, but focused on his work.
After all, the treatment here was excellent, and to continue enjoying it, he had to avoid being kicked out.
He compiled a list of everything needed to solve the Botanical Garden problem.
Looking at the file he had edited, Bai Luan began to ponder.
The dog-like boss was always known for being inscrutable.
Of course, this wasn't to say Herta was a dog-like boss; from Bai Luan's perspective, Herta was the kind of boss you'd be hard-pressed to find even with a lantern.
While she demanded excellent professional skills and would immediately dismiss anyone who made a mistake, she never skimped on the benefits.
Anticipating the superior's thoughts was also part of the performance review, so Bai Luan now had to consider:
Should he directly send the list to the Herta Puppet, or should he exchange pleasantries, butter her up, and then present the list?
Generally speaking, the latter was highly effective for dog-like bosses, though being highly effective didn't necessarily mean it would solve the problem.
But Herta probably didn't care for such useless flattery; using that trick would likely be pointless.
Then he'd just send the file and ask. He didn't have many questions today, and they were all related to adapting to the Botanical Garden work.
Bai Luan opened the chat software and sent the file to the Herta Puppet.
Bai Luan: [File]
Bai Luan: Ms. Herta, these items are needed to solve the Botanical Garden problem.
Herta: Adapting so quickly?
Herta: It seems I underestimated you. I should have taken you to a few more places.
Judging from the reply, the result was good.
Bai Luan looked at the reply message and breathed a sigh of relief.
After these two replies, the chat interface went silent for a while.
However, the file showed that it had been received by the other party, and was likely being reviewed.
Upon realizing this, a sense of trepidation suddenly welled up in his heart.
It was like being in school, with the teacher at the podium and you in the audience, and he's grading your homework right in front of you—that same anxious feeling.
Bai Luan didn't know how Herta would view this file, but it was indeed the result of his diligent effort.
However, based on his past life's experience of being worked to death, effort didn't always guarantee a reward.
Just as Bai Luan was pondering how to face various outcomes in his mind, his phone rang, drawing his attention back.
Herta: I've looked at the file, no issues.
[Herta recommends a procurement and transport robot to you.]
Herta: From now on, just send any materials you need to procure directly to it, no need to show me.
Herta: If you need any daily necessities in the future, you can also add them to the procurement list and buy them together.
Herta: Everything is focused on solving the Botanical Garden problem; you don't need to worry about the procurement budget.
Looking at the continuous stream of messages, Bai Luan felt greatly relieved.
Herta was not a dog-like boss, and the present was not the past.
Everything was different.
Bai Luan: I understand.
Bai Luan added the friend Herta recommended, and just as he was about to send the file, he found another message from Herta.
Herta: Oh, right, good job.
Seeing this message, a touch of emotion welled up in Bai Luan's heart.
Oh no, I'm going to become a Herta-only stan now.
If he had encountered such a leader in his previous life, he probably would have sworn allegiance on the spot.
Bai Luan: Ms. Herta is great, no need to say more!
Bai Luan sent this message, and after that, the Herta Puppet did not reply again.
After the Herta Puppet stopped replying, Bai Luan shifted his attention entirely to communicating with the procurement robot.
Bai Luan: [File] Ms. Herta told me to come; she said to just give you the list.
Procurement Robot: [OK] Estimated arrival tomorrow.
Seeing the OK emoji, Bai Luan's mouth twitched.
It really was as intelligent and efficient as ever.
Bai Luan recalled the map in his mind and then found the location of the procurement department.
It wasn't too far; about half an hour if he ran. He'd pick a time to go tomorrow.
The Botanical Garden matter was now resolved.
Bai Luan turned off his phone screen, then looked at the pile of clutter.
Although only one day had passed, the current Bai Luan and the Bai Luan of last night could already be considered two completely different people.
So, that pile of clutter, now, might no longer be clutter.
Bai Luan moved an already opened cardboard box from the pile.
This was one of the boxes he had opened yesterday, and inside were all white panels.
They were quite heavy.
Yesterday, because he didn't know what material it was or what it could be used for, he classified it as clutter.
...
With his level last night, everything would have been classified as clutter, right?
After a self-deprecating thought, Bai Luan took out a white panel.
White metal panels, cut perfectly, each the same size, very neat, and quite heavy; a whole box was quite weighty.
Of course, Bai Luan still didn't know what material it was.
However, he could search online.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought of it last night, but rather that even if he had searched last night, it would have been meaningless, so he hadn't done it.
But now Bai Luan needed to know if this thing could be used to build a flying backpack, and if it could, the current Bai Luan could actually make it into a backpack.
They say that after three days apart, one should be looked at with new eyes; now he didn't even need three days, one day was enough to complete a super evolution.
Praise the Little Black Room of the system.
"I am not the sole reason for your progress; don't forget to thank yourself."
Hmph, sure enough, I'm awesome too!
Bai Luan happily opened his phone, then tapped on the Interstellar Peace Company's procurement software, found the 'identify by picture' function, and took a photo of the metal panel in his hand.
The loading interface for identification appeared on the phone screen, and Bai Luan's gaze fell on the panel in his hand.
Although it was just clutter forgotten by Herta, its presence in Herta's home proved its value; it shouldn't be some ordinary material.
The lower limit shouldn't be low...
Just then, the software identified the information of this panel.
"Panim Alloy?"
Bai Luan then scanned the price next to it.
A string of zeros was very intimidating.
"Ones, tens, hundreds... millions...
Huh??? How much???"
Bai Luan looked at the white panel in his hand in disbelief.
This thing was priced in the millions per unit, which meant...
Bai Luan looked at the box of panels by the bed.
This one box wouldn't be over ten million, would it...?
If one box was over ten million, then...
Bai Luan looked at the pile of boxes, his so-called clutter.
How many Credit Points would that be?
Herta... was casually paying him a salary worth several of his lives...
It was too terrifying, truly too terrifying.
Bai Luan lightly patted his chest, soothing the heart that had been startled by the large numbers.
In his previous life, he had spent money recklessly, but here he was just a small fry, a fraction of a fraction.
Everything really was different now.
Soon, Bai Luan's mood calmed down.
It seemed that compared to what he had seen and heard these past two days, these things were the most mundane.
Casually stealing an instrument from the laboratory would probably be dozens of times more expensive than these things.
Hmm, these things are nothing.
Bai Luan then searched online for the uses of this alloy and finally came to a conclusion.
"Indeed, expensive things only have one drawback: they're expensive."
The material for the flying backpack was sorted; he just needed to find a way to get to the laboratory. As for other materials...
Bai Luan got up and started opening blind boxes again.
In the remaining boxes, prices varied, but most started in the five digits.
As he looked, Bai Luan grew numb.
Some could be used as materials for a flying backpack, while others were still useless.
Identified as expensive clutter.
Bai Luan took out the useful materials and put away the remaining clutter.
After tidying everything up, Bai Luan wiped his sweat.
Finally done.
The remaining materials... he'd mix them into the Botanical Garden's procurement list later.
Of course, when mixing them in, he'd have to check the prices. For expensive ones, he'd work a bit longer before sneaking them in...
Bai Luan took a shower, changed into pajamas, washed his clothes, and hung them up to dry.
Then he lay down on the bed and turned his head to look at the pile of materials he had sorted.
"I wonder what abilities the backpack will gain after it's made into a wondrous item..."
Suddenly, a flash of white caught Bai Luan's eye.
It was the paper airplane he had folded, which had fallen there at some point. It wasn't very conspicuous, and he hadn't noticed it when he was moving things earlier.
Bai Luan flipped off the bed, walked over, and picked it up.
It was quite lucky; it fell on the ground and I didn't step on it.
Bai Luan placed it on the wooden table.
Speaking of which, this was his first wondrous item, wasn't it?
Suddenly intrigued, Bai Luan took out a blank piece of paper and began to fold it.
Before long, a paper crane was folded and placed on the table.
"It's been a long time since I folded one; it seems my skill hasn't declined."
Bai Luan extended a finger and poked the paper crane on the table.
Then the paper crane flew up.
It flew up...
Bai Luan stared at the paper crane, flapping its wings like a living creature, frozen in his seat.
After a long while...
"Huh?"
Wondrous Item: paper crane
It's alive! It's alive!!!
It lived without even using electroshock therapy! Who's going to fill my need for a Frankenstein here?!
Yes, it's alive. You created life, but other than that, it has no abilities.