Chapter 15: Leveling Up Even While Sleeping

As she spoke, Yuan Xin’s voice grew hushed. “The Qing Song Competition is held every five years, and the age limit is thirty-eight. I’ve never dared to take part before because my singing wasn’t good enough—I still had time and room to improve.”

“But now I’m thirty-five. This year is my last chance. For my daughter Tuantuan to have a better life, I must make it into the top thirty and secure an Imperial position, a stable job. Otherwise…”

Chen Yun stared at Yuan Xin in surprise. Though she didn’t finish her sentence, he could more or less guess what she meant.

People who sang for a living on the streets usually had only two reasons: one, a relentless pursuit of their passion for music; two, being forced by circumstance to earn money any way they could.

It was clear Yuan Xin belonged to the latter. The meager pile of copper coins in her wooden box was evidence enough of her straitened circumstances. Coupled with her final words, Chen Yun was now certain of his deduction.

“Auntie, you have to believe in yourself,” Chen Yun said, gently reassuring her. “I don’t know what level the other contestants in the Qing Song Competition are at, but with your skill as a high-level singer, you should do quite well.”

“What?” Yuan Xin looked at him with a skeptical expression. “You think I’m a high-level singer? I haven’t gone to the Singer’s Guild for a certification since I became an intermediate singer years ago. How could you tell?”

Uh… Chen Yun was at a loss for words. He couldn’t very well say that she had “high-level singer” written above her head.

“I just guessed, Auntie. You sing so beautifully—there’s no way you’re still intermediate. You must be high-level by now. Anyway, I have something I need to take care of, so I’ll be off.” He stood, grabbed the skill book, and hurried away.

Yuan Xin watched his retreating figure and gave a wry smile. “A high-level singer, huh? I wish that were true. If I really had that level of skill, barring any mishaps, making the top thirty would be a sure thing.”

Finding a quiet, empty spot, Chen Yun tapped the singing skill book lightly. Instantly, it dissolved into a swirl of violet light that merged into his body. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and then his mind was flooded with countless techniques and methods for singing. A system prompt followed soon after.

“Player Chen Yun has used the Advanced Singing Skill Book and acquired the Singing skill. Current skill level: Beginner. Intelligence +3, Charm +1.”

Chen Yun was puzzled. Wasn’t it supposed to be Intelligence +10, Charm +5? Why had he only gained a little? Where was the rest? Had the system stolen some of it?

Suddenly, he smacked his forehead as he remembered the scene when he ate the shredded radish. He muttered to himself, “Since I’ve only mastered the beginner level of the singing skill, I only get the stat bonuses for that level. The bonuses for intermediate and advanced are still locked. Only once I master those will I get the full attribute points. Right, that must be it. This system is really stingy—won’t let me get the slightest advantage.”

Wandering aimlessly, Chen Yun soon found himself standing before a gun shop that had already closed for the night.

Above the shop was a line of golden script, visible only to Chen Yun: “Primary Profession—Gun Specialist Career Transfer Center.”

Damn, just as I thought! The system’s so-called primary profession is actually a combat class, just like in games. And this gun shop is recognized by the system as the Gun Specialist Career Transfer Center.

Looking at the array of firearms inside, Chen Yun fell into deep thought.

The Tianlong Empire does not prohibit guns. As long as you have an imperial gun license, even civilians can legally own firearms.

However, even with a license, the Empire doesn’t allow reckless use of guns; the consequences for transgressors are grave.

There are seventeen laws in Tianlong’s legal code specifically for gun owners: 1. Gun owners may not shoot humans or animals without reason. Killing a human: execution by firing squad. Killing an animal: fines from 1 gold coin up to 1 trillion violet gold coins or imprisonment from 1 to 500 years. (In Tianlong, cultivators live far longer than mortals, but the oldest recorded age is only 500 years.)

2. Gun owners may only possess the models listed on their license. Violation: execution by firing squad.

3. The total number of live rounds a gun owner may possess, both on their person and at home, must not exceed one hundred. Violation: execution by firing squad.

4. Gun owners may shoot in self-defense only when facing unavoidable harm, and must report the incident afterward.

5. Gun owners may train freely in gun shops using rubber rounds.

…

Recalling these laws, Chen Yun couldn’t help but click his tongue in awe. The Empire may not ban guns, but its regulations are draconian. In the end, you’re allowed to “play” with guns, but only in gun shops, and only with rubber bullets. If you ever kill without cause, you pay with your life.

Not only are gun owners tightly controlled, but so is the issuance of gun licenses. There are only three ways to obtain one.

First: enlist in the military. Every soldier receives a license, and military regulations are more relaxed than those for civilians.

Second: be part of the privileged class—mayors and above, as well as cultivators, can apply for a license.

Third: buy one. Licenses are tiered according to firearm model. Even the lowest, for a handgun, costs a million gold coins. The highest, for the Skyhunter Rifle (capable of killing cultivators below level ten—akin to a Barrett M82A1 sniper rifle on Earth, but enhanced ten thousandfold), costs ten trillion sky crystals (ten thousand violet gold coins exchange for one sky crystal, currency used among cultivators above level six, and aids cultivation).

Before crossing over, Chen Yun was a firearms enthusiast. The sight of all those guns in the shop made him itch to get his hands on them. But then he remembered: to play with guns, you need a license, and even the crummiest one costs a cool million. That was enough to give him a headache.

“Forget it. I’m only level one right now. Even if the system handed me a gun, I probably couldn’t use it. And career transfer requires level ten—that’s a long way off. No point thinking about it now.”

He turned to leave but hadn’t gone far when he looked back. In a low voice, he said, “Even if I can’t change careers now, I’ve made my choice—my primary profession will be Gun Specialist. Just the thought of it excites me.”

When Chen Yun returned, Xi Jiu shut the shop door and said, “Go get some sleep, you’ve worked hard tonight.”

“It’s nothing. This is my job,” Chen Yun replied with a smile and headed to his master’s room.

His master was already fast asleep, exhausted from the day’s work. Chen Yun climbed quietly into bed, closed his eyes, and drifted into dreams.

“Player Chen Yun has entered the Auto Sleep Hang-up State. One experience point will be gained every ten minutes …”

At dawn the next morning, the system alert woke him.

“Player Chen Yun has reached level two and gained one free attribute point.”

Huh? Leveled up? Chen Yun was surprised. He hadn’t done anything, so how did he level up?

Checking the system log, he finally understood: sleeping gave experience! Yesterday, he’d earned sixty-four experience points cooking and one more for killing an ant—leaving thirty-five points to go. Who’d have thought a night’s sleep would net him thirty-five points? This was far easier than cooking or fighting monsters for experience. The only downside was that it was slow.

“I’ll just sleep whenever I have nothing to do. Where else can you get free experience like this? Now that I’ve leveled up, let’s see what’s changed in my stats,” Chen Yun grinned, glancing at his attribute panel.