Chapter Forty-Four: Survey Team No. 1257

“Hey, handsome, come over and give your sister Millie a shoulder rub, did you hear me?” The woman with fiery red hair and azure streaks across her face spoke with arrogant authority.

She waved the badge in her hand, signaling her license as a certified miner.

In places like supply stations or logistics centers, hierarchy was everything. The veterans bullied the newcomers, those with higher mining credentials lorded over those with less, and it was all considered tradition. Even if someone beat you up for no reason, as long as it wasn’t fatal, the guards rarely intervened.

“Millie, why waste your breath on a criminal? Didn’t Sister Su say he’d been to prison?” To Millie’s left, a short, thin man leaned back against the sofa, casting a disdainful glance at Ji Cheng’s attire.

Ordinary sneakers, plain trousers, a simple shirt; apart from his handsome features, unique bearing, and sharp gaze, every inch of him proclaimed—utterly ordinary.

Since everyone had to change into combat gear before venturing into the wilds, Ji Cheng had deliberately worn a set of old clothes today.

“Shut up, Hou Shang.”

Su Yi, snapping out of her shock, hurriedly silenced the skinny man and frantically signaled to the others, fearful they might utter something regrettable.

If her guess was right, he might already have become… Su Yi trembled, finding her own suspicion utterly absurd.

But everyone’s attention was on Ji Cheng as he approached, only Hou Shang glanced curiously at Su Yi.

Step by step, Ji Cheng walked up to Millie, a smile curling at his lips.

“That’s a beautiful smile. Give your sister another, and this five hundred is yours.” Millie boldly pulled five bills from her pocket and shoved them into Ji Cheng’s hand. “What a pity about that face, though—you haven’t even had a gene prototype injected.”

Ji Cheng smiled again, unable to resist. Even as an ability-user now, old habits died hard; seeing such a large sum, he couldn’t help himself.

He accepted the money naturally, hesitated, then stepped behind Millie and began to gently knead her shoulders.

“I had a proper nine years of compulsory education—no such thing as taking money and not doing the job,” Ji Cheng thought.

“My eyes must be playing tricks on me.”

Su Yi watched the scene, swallowing hard as her pale cheeks flushed with nervous color.

Ji Cheng was actually giving Millie a shoulder rub?

If she knew the one massaging her was an ability-user, she’d probably collapse in fright.

Su Yi shrank back, uncomfortable, and tried to murmur a warning: “Millie, um, what I mean is…”

“What’s wrong?” Millie’s eyes were half-closed, savoring the massage, occasionally humming in pleasure. Her hair spilled over her smooth shoulders, curling lightly as Ji Cheng’s hands worked.

“Isn’t it possible…”

She glanced at Ji Cheng, but before she could finish, Millie interrupted.

“I’m not a man—why are you stammering with me?”

Just then, the entire logistics center rang with a loud announcement.

—All North 1257 Prospecting Team, please pay attention. All North 1257 Prospecting Team, please pay attention.

“They’re calling us! The team leader, the ability-user, must have arrived!” The man beside Su Yi, with a somewhat silly look and rabbit-like teeth, shouted.

Crystal ore prospecting teams didn’t have official names, only a code sequence for each mission. For this task, their code was All North 1257.

Everyone grew serious, including Millie; Ji Cheng could feel her shoulders tense beneath his fingers.

—All North 1257 Prospecting Team, assemble immediately. Assemble immediately.

The sharp click of high heels echoed.

“I’m back, and I’ve collected all the essentials.” Chen Qian called out from afar, two soldiers behind her struggling with a large crate.

“Look, it’s Chen Qian!” Hou Shang’s eyelid twitched as he spoke in a low voice.

“You know her?”

“Don’t you watch TV? She hosts ‘Southport Military.’”

“That’s the city defense department’s show? I think I remember it.”

“Miss Chen Qian’s a staff officer in the city defense command—what’s she doing here?” Su Yi wondered aloud, her voice barely a whisper.

Chen Qian’s selection as Ji Cheng’s personal secretary was proof of her background—not only were her parents high officials, but she herself was the youngest staff officer in the city defense command, highly capable, and famous for hosting the wildly popular ‘Southport Military’ program.

But Ji Cheng knew nothing of this; neither his predecessor nor himself was the television-watching type.

Chen Qian was slightly out of breath as she approached, hands braced on her knees, glancing at Ji Cheng with a coquettish air.

“Boss?” She suddenly covered her mouth in shock, eyes wide in disbelief.

Heavens, what am I seeing?

She hadn’t noticed before, but now, close up, she saw Ji Cheng massaging a red-haired woman’s shoulders!

Chen Qian’s mind buzzed, and she muttered, “Just how important is this woman?”

Su Yi saw Chen Qian’s expression, combined it with the disappearance of Ji Cheng’s vertical pupils, and instantly understood. She turned and whispered urgently to Millie.

Millie froze, bewilderment shifting to shock, then panic. Her face turned ghastly pale; sweat beaded on her brow. What had been a pleasant massage now felt like torture.

“That handsome guy is the team’s ability-user? How can this be? What was I doing just now? I… I actually made an ability-user give me a shoulder rub? The ancients were right—lust leads to disaster!”

She cried out, sprang from the sofa, spun around, and, trembling, bowed repeatedly to Ji Cheng.

“No, no, I… I didn’t know… Please don’t take it to heart, handsome—no, Lord Ji!” Millie stammered, bowing and apologizing over and over.

She wasn’t that old, though she liked to joke bawdily; her petite figure made her bows look like a chick pecking at grain.

“It’s fine, really. You did pay me, after all,” Ji Cheng replied, not offended but rather envious of Millie’s core strength.

Millie’s voice quivered as she nearly burst into tears, “I didn’t mean anything by it, honestly!”

Chen Qian, quick-witted, had already pieced together the situation and silently gave Millie a thumbs-up in her mind.

This woman truly had nerves of steel.

She turned, silently mouthing thanks to the two soldiers, signaling them to set down the crate and leave.

Su Yi also relaxed, remembering her shared prison stint with Ji Cheng; seeing he wasn’t acting high and mighty, she breathed easier and felt a secret thrill.

I, Su Yi, have befriended an ability-user.

Even certified prospecting staff only met ability-users during missions, and rarely interacted afterward.

Su Yi regained her composure and, believing herself closest to Ji Cheng, took the initiative to say,

“Lord Ji, allow me to introduce our team.”

“Very well,” Ji Cheng replied with a genial smile.

The remaining two men and three women quickly lined up, silent and attentive.