Soul Trigger

Chapter 635 Teammates
Tsk, you caught me.

The sailing race is dangerous because the river involves the gravedigger's intentions and the knight squad's investigation.

Ji Li knew that if he took the initiative to talk to Ai Guier, given his fundamental relationship with her and her stubbornness, she definitely wouldn't agree.

Taking advantage of the Blood Bear incident and Angelica's relationship, he told her about his concerns for his sister, Aquile.

Angelica was very impressed with Ji Li's performance in the Blood Bear incident, so she informed the principal of her request.

But after all, everyone has the right to participate. Ai Guile has not committed any crimes and is still an outstanding youth athlete, so we cannot simply withdraw her from the competition openly.

The principal then informed the committee that organized the sailing competition and asked them to come up with a suitable solution. The committee then informed the training coaches...

If it's passed down layer by layer, the ultimate solution is simply to prevent her from finding teammates, right?

Listening to Aquil recount his story through gritted teeth, Ji Li was speechless. However, it did seem to be a rather good method, except that Aquil himself would be furious if he knew the truth, like right now:

“Pulitzer, when you went to stop that bear, I thought you were a hero, at least you had a hero in your heart. Now it seems you're just a lustful bastard!”

Do you know how important this sailing race is to me?!

Ji Li said, "I know."

"You know nothing!!!"

Aquil was furious:

"You've been clinging to that bullshit dream for so many years. Do you think I don't know that you don't actually want to get into Sword Sky University, but rather to chase after that lousy math professor?"
Do you know anything about that idiot's salary? He doesn't do most of his work as a professor; he makes money by participating in business activities and writing books!

How much money do you think you can earn for your family like this? Aunt Duke doesn't even have basic retirement insurance.

The broken radiator at home was fixed with my bonus money, and Aunt Duke's car repair was also paid for with my previous bonus. And then there's the money I used to buy you books... My goodness, you bought two bookshelves of books at 80 pounds each! Do you know how expensive that is?
Do you know I'm doing this for the prize money, the prize money!!! It's not like your Olympiad prize which only gives you a trophy and a certificate of qualification! A qualification without money is completely useless!!!

By the end, Aquile's voice trembled with emotion, almost breaking into tears:

"But you bastard, all you know is to eat and use what the family provides, and you've never thought about the family at all."

Do you know that if it weren't for my previous volleyball tournament prize money, we almost wouldn't have been able to pay our taxes last month and would have been kicked out of the house!

If you're really that capable, then go and seduce both of those blondes and get the mayor to give us tax breaks!!!

Ji Li was somewhat taken aback by Aquile's hysterical voice.

Consumption and taxes were things that were too far removed from his life.

Or rather, insignificant.

He hadn't considered such a thing for a very long time.

But now it seems that, not to mention whether my family can compare to my father's family, it's not even close to the average family of Shulong.

You know, even the poorest people in Shulong's area are never kicked out of their homes by the tax bureau.

Ji Li's expression softened slightly:
"You don't need to rush. I know you're after the prize money. There are six towns participating in our region's town selection competition."

However, there were more than 9 groups of participants, 4 of whom were players who had defeated you before, making this the largest competition you have ever participated in.

Even if you win first place, you'll only get £800 in prize money. If the prize is split equally, you'll only get 60%, and that's assuming you're the one who gets the lion's share.

Whether you can place in the next level county tournament is another matter, but you'll only get the £2000 prize money, and even if you take the lion's share, you'll only get 60%.

"And this time, Miss Laurent gave us a full £2000 in hush money, making it £4000 for both of us. If it's to help Aunt Duke, I can't think of any reason why you'd still participate in the sailing race."

Ji Li's words made Aiguier frown:
"You've actually studied the competition?"

Ji Li shrugged:

"Of course, after all, it's a competition my sister is participating in."

But Aquil suddenly slammed him against the wall:
"Do you know that only crew members who pass the town selection trials and qualify for the county main race are eligible to participate in the BO commercial race?! The champion's prize there is a whopping 18,000 pounds!!"

Do you think you can win the championship?

"Whether I win the championship or not, I have to qualify to participate first!!"

"You think you can compete with those few school boats that cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to maintain? You don't even believe that yourself, let alone the entry fee requirements."

"You can spend money to pursue your worthless dream that won't make you any money, so why can't I pursue a dream that will make money for the sake of my family's future?"

This is the only thing I can do to make money, and it's very likely that it will be the only thing I can do to make money in the future!

After yelling for a while, Aquil released his grip and remained silent for a long time:
"Fine, that's it. Don't talk to me again. I hate you, Pulitzer..."

Ji Li grabbed her wrist:
Have you found your teammates for the competition?

"I don't want to talk to you, let go!"

Aquile tried to pull it off for a long time but couldn't, then turned around and glared angrily:

No! What else do you want?

"I'll compete with you."

Aquile was stunned for a moment.

That evening, the "brother and sister" went home together.

Aunt Duke, who was busy in the kitchen, was a little puzzled to see the two of them return together. After all, living under the same roof, she knew perfectly well what their relationship was.
Did you take the school bus today?

Aquil didn't want to speak at first, but after glancing at Aunt Duke's busy figure, she sighed:

"...I came back in Pulitzer's girlfriend's car."

"That girl named Anya?"

Aunt Duke's face lit up with joy; she was clearly delighted that Pulitzer had found such a beautiful girlfriend.
How far have things progressed for you two?

As Aquil casually remarked, he tossed his backpack onto the sofa:
"Who knows? Maybe there's more than one."

Aunt: ?
Today after school, Ji Li didn't go out with Anya; instead, he went to practice sailing with Ai Guier.

Ji Li had never driven such a thing before, but when driving this thing, judging the wind and waves is probably far more important than the operation itself.

Ji Li's operation was a little awkward at first, but he quickly became extremely skilled, which left Aiquier, who had initially been shouting and criticizing him, speechless.

She hadn't taken Ji Li's words seriously in the first place. She knew Anya would most likely come along, and she was just planning to ridicule him, but she didn't expect to lose her temper in the end. After sulking for a while, she sullenly returned to controlling the sailboat when Ji Li asked her the next question.

Ultimately, the two divided their roles: the experienced Equiel served as captain, devising strategies and giving orders, while also fulfilling the duties of a crew member and controlling the sails; Ji Li, on the other hand, was solely the helmsman.

Strictly speaking, in a two-person sailboat, the helmsman usually assumes the duties of the captain.

Anya sat on the sidelines and watched all afternoon. She had never sailed before, but she seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, and occasionally she would banter with Sally.

Of course, it all revolves around the relationship between Ji Li and her, and Sally's constant imitation of her perspective.

As a result, Sally got impatient with her intermittent talking and insisted on being better than Anya.

In the end, he even called his uncle, who was in business, and asked him to help buy a brand-new racing-class two-person sailboat as a gift for Ji Li.

This money-making ability made Aquile question reality, while Anya cried out, "Damn vixen!"

As for Ji Li, he readily accepted, unlike Ai Guier who was embarrassed.

After all, Sally's only request was that Ji Li attend the party with her as her date the next night.

That evening after dinner, Ji Li noticed that the tomb keeper had moved and gone to the bank of the river in Red Maple Town.

Just in case, Ji Li immediately had Clementine follow the other party.

There is a small artificial beach here. Of course, the beach is small in size, but it is small for the purpose of describing a beach.

This beach is the starting point for the upcoming sailing competition, and many huts and banners have already been set up along the road.

The tomb keeper looked around, conducted some spiritual tests, and then began to walk along the shore towards the sea.

Ji Li quickly realized that he was studying the race route of the sailing competition and had made a mark after reaching the sea before leaving.

Ji Li also summoned Clementine to take a look around the starting point of the competition and found that the opponent had not left any spiritual residue, which meant that he had not set up any spells on site.

Leaving a mark indicates that the other party is confirming the location.

Clementine, on the other hand, carried out the task with extreme caution, clearly wary of the gravedigger.

“When the priest went to see him in the past, there was always a big entourage. I was actually a little afraid of him.”

Ji Li smiled and said:

"As long as the cross is intact, you won't die at all. What are you afraid of?"

Clementine looked away:

"fear death."

"Are you that scared?"

"You don't know, that wasn't an ordinary death."

Ji Li didn't pay much attention, he just lifted the cross slightly:
"Come back first, don't wander around, or Aquil will find you again."

Clementine paused, ignoring Ji Li's command:

"I do not……"

Perhaps she had been treated like a laborer for several days and had accumulated some resentment, or perhaps she wanted to have a proper talk with Ji Li.

It's important to understand that Clementine's daily life now consists of either being by Ji Li's side, working under Ji Li's orders, or being forcibly stuffed into the cross by him.

As a person, and as a social being—at least that's how Clementine felt—even if she couldn't guarantee her standard of living, she hoped that Ji Li could at least understand her situation.
"After I was killed by the priest, I felt nothing, but the feeling in the cross was completely different."

It was cold and lonely there. At first, I thought it was my imagination, but I soon realized it wasn't.

Because time flows at a completely different rate there than in the real world, but much slower.

As Clementine spoke, a hint of resentment appeared in her eyes:

“Every time you force me into the cross, I have to wait a very long time before I can come out again. And the feeling of death before was even stronger.”

It was so long there. It felt like being inside was gradually eroding my will with darkness and time, turning me into a puppet of the rules.

So I'm terrified of that place, I don't want to stay there. You can let me hide under the bed or under the sailboat, I never want to be in the cross again..."

Eroding will, the flow of time?
Doesn't that mean that if I put this thing in for an hour, it actually feels like two hours, or even several times longer, to her?

Is it because of the characteristics of the rules governing the bound and the resting place?

Ji Li pondered, his brows furrowing slightly.

Clementine is the most humane of the evil beings that Ji Li has seen so far, aside from the Dead Apostles and the Black Box.

Honestly, it's more human than a black box.

Because the black box had absolutely no connection to her life and was an independent entity, it naturally possessed a lack of common sense.

Of course, this isn't about sticking your tongue into your stomach while kissing, but rather the lack of common sense displayed by the black box that makes you clearly feel that the thing is definitely not human.

Clementine, on the other hand, was like a human who had become a ghost, retaining all his previous emotions and memories.

She said that the cross gradually caused her to lose her will, which may not be an exaggeration, because it is possible that a bound person without will is the normal resting place.

Ji Li thought about it for a moment and then agreed:

"I understand. I won't let you die again. If your suicide rule takes effect, I will try my best to stop you."

Clementine said:
"Then... if there's an unavoidable situation where I have to hide inside the cross?"

"I will release you as soon as the incident is over."

"you promise?"

“Odin will not go back on his word.”

Ji Li tossed the cross and threw it into the Dragon Ring.

Clementine paused for a moment:

"Then...I believe you, Master."

(End of this chapter)