NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 344 – Serious Spy Energy
Sour drinks packed away, Jason arrives at his next location, a massage parlor. After all, what better way to chill after hard training and a big meal? Oh, and the massage was training as well. With his cultivation, a normal person trying to massage him would feel like they were pressing on the tensest person ever and not be able to get anything done. So Jason has to actively relax his muscles as they perform the massage.
Not only does this allow Jason to enjoy a massage from someone who isn’t a retired soldier, but the control gained from it helps in taking a hit. After all, while tensing up can provide some defense, being able to roll with a blow is just as important. Practice through a massage not only provides the ability to loosen up as needed, he also needed to predict the next move the person massaging him would take. Not the hardest thing to do but oddly difficult as it isn’t like the person has any intent to hurt.
Of course, a massage doesn’t take all that long and so soon Jason leaves the massage parlor satisfied and relaxed. Though now he doesn’t exactly have anything planned and so checks if anyone he knows has contacted him. They didn’t. An expected outcome even if Jason can’t help but blame the fact that all communication is digital nowadays.
If there is one thing Jason has learned about himself, it is that chat programs and forums aren’t exactly sustainable for him. He’ll stay active for a while but soon enough fade away. If anything, NeoRealm is a godsend as it requires a more personal touch to communicate. Then, as he is about to close the app, his mother messages him.
[Jason!
Not too much time left to the day and I know you tend to leave the last bit free so how about we hang out for a second? Bunch of people I would normally be bossing around are stuck in extended VR time that they want to blame on you. So yeah, they sort of want me to spy on you or some such nonsense? They’re paying so I figure we can hit up that one park/restaurant up top that you liked. There will be a couple buff types with us and they know how much you already ate so it will be funny to watch them react to your order. I’ll give you half an hour to get hungry if you agree.
Love and serious spy energy,
Mom]
Jason rolls his eyes though he admits it is nice to know that while someone suspects something, they aren’t certain. Still, that restaurant up there has an unbroken history almost a thousand years long. Not a direct family type of thing, but each head chef was personally trained by the previous head chef for years before taking over. On top of that, after all the nonsense with franchises, the head chef of the time managed to gain full control over the restaurant and had kept it that way ever since.
In other words, this was an easy yes as it would not only have some of what Jason considers the best food available in the world, but a chance to poke around and find out what is suspected. He trusts that Courtney hasn’t spilled the beans to anyone yet, at least not in a way that leads back to him. So this must have something to do with the corrupted power.
More important, though, free food. Jason laughs to himself as he sends a quick affirmative to his mom. He felt it was safe to assume whoever was funding dinner saw him pack away lunch. A normal person would be, at most, eating a small dinner. In fact, Jason had originally been planning to do just that.
Now, though, it was time for a trick. While not strictly cultivation, Jason knows of a way to speed up digestion. A clever technique to get the most out of low quality spiritual food that only requires a person to be sitting down. An easy enough thing for Jason right now as the sides of the street have a bench every few stores.
Half an hour later, an open air transport pulls up with Jenny and a couple of serious looking guys. Jenny is in business casual at best while the other two are done up in suits though the look just exaggerates their bulk as the two are built more like gorillas than humans. Jenny waves for Jason to get on and laughs. “I guess we need to make a quick stop by the house so you can change into something more appropriate.”
The two men grimace at her smile. Jason just rolls his eyes, “You know I don’t have anything fancier than this. The last time we went was before my growth spurt and we couldn’t be bothered to get another set of formal clothes.”
Jenny’s smile almost seems to extend to her ears as she turns to the guy in front of her. “Sounds like we can’t do dinner after all. You know their rules about being dressed for the occasion.”
The guy pushes his glasses up, “We expected this would happen. Along the way, we will be stopping by a place and there will be a set of clothes for him to borrow. Because no, we aren’t also going to pay for a brand new set of clothes for him. The meal is free but if you wanted more, you should have asked for more when we were bargaining.”
Jenny laughs, “You can’t blame a girl for trying! Anyway, Jason, you heard the man. Let’s set off!” And she points forward. Of course, the transport waits for Jason to get seated so her enthusiasm is a bit mistimed but soon enough they are on their way. After that, it just takes a quick stop a few floors down from the top for Jason to change into his loaned business casual clothes. Then it is straight to the home of the best steaks in the entire arcology.
