Death Progress Bar

, but not because of Shi Jin’s sob story.
He moved the dagger away and asked: “You have four older brothers besides Shi Weichong?”

“Yeah, they’re all ruthless.” Shi Jin answered, showing him the scar on his wrist.
“Do you see this? In order not to die at my brothers’ hands, I had to fake a suicide attempt to get some breathing space and find a chance to escape, so don’t send me back or I will die, really.”

Lian Jun fell into deep thought.
He lightly moved his weak legs and his tone of voice relaxed a little: “Let go or I will really send you back.”

Seeing him soften, Shi Jin slowly loosened his hands, feeling nervous.

Lian Jun did not look at him.
He straightened his clothes and waved the rubber-necking doctor away.
After there was no one else in the room, Lian Jun asked again, “Are you telling the truth?”

“Truer than real gold,” Shi Jin promised.
He tried to make his story more convincing.
“Remember the cucumber pillow I brought with me? There’s my blood on it, from the time I pretended to commit suicide; I used it to hide my documents and cash from my eldest brother, to be ready for when I found a chance to slip away.”

Lian Jun fell silent and started to ponder.
Shi Jin did not dare to disturb his thinking, looking at him with eager eyes.

“You can stay here.” A few minutes later, Lian Jun finally relented.

Xiao Si screamed in surprise:

Shi Jin was stunned and then overjoyed—Lian Jun simply agreed for him to remain here and his points dropped by 100.
Did it mean that as long as he stayed with Lian Jun, even if his whereabouts were exposed, his brothers wouldn’t dare to act rashly because they would have to be wary of Lian Jun? The progress bar fell because of that?

What a pleasant surprise! I didn’t expect that ‘Darling’ was so powerful!

Shi Jin’s happiness was too obvious.
Lian Jun glanced at the silly, sweet-looking smile on his face once, then again and suddenly, he felt… hungry.

He looked at the breakfast before him, which seemed to have no taste a moment ago and wondered about his increasing appetite.
He frowned slightly, continuing, “But I will never let useless people stay by my side.
Shi Jin, your background is rather troublesome.
Because you’ve saved me before I can allow you to stay with me, but understand this: here, you won’t be the young master of Shi family, but simply someone listening to orders.”

Shi Jin replied without the slightest hesitation, “I don’t want to be treated as a young master.
Jun-shao, I will try to be useful to you so that you won’t regret today’s decision.” With these words, he tried to convey that he didn’t simply seek protection but truly wanted to follow Lian Jun.

Lian Jun understood what he meant.
His slender fingers tapped on the table and his eyes swept across Shi Jin’s face.
He said meaningfully: “If this is the case, then prove it to me.”

Xiao Si cheered and began to ramble, its words becoming incoherent again:

Shi Jin, who was very happy at first: “…Shut up if you can’t speak, thank you.”

Shi Jin, who was allowed to stay, has to move out of the guest bedroom in Lian Jun’s courtyard building.
Gua Three has shown him to the single room in the dormitory where Gua One and others lived, and he received several sets of work clothes with the Flowery Orchard logo, formally becoming a member of the Flowery Orchard.

“Our Flowery Orchard is one of the major orchards in Y Province.
Our main products are mangoes, black and red grapes, pomegranates, pears and so on.
The total area of the orchard covers several thousand acres and includes three hilltops, two artificial lakes, four small-scale gardens, and some other infrastructure.
You’re new here, so for the time being, just go to the mango orchard with Gua Two—there’s not much work to do there, you should be able to slowly familiarize yourself with how things work.
Regarding your salary: because you got in through the back door, so out of respect for Jun-shao we will directly give you the salary of a regular worker, including accommodation and board, 6,000 a month.”

Shi Jin listened to Gua Three’s explanation.
The excitement he felt because of joining the criminal organization was replaced by bewilderment.
He couldn’t help but ask, “That, ah, aren’t you gangsters?” Are they really growing fruit?

Gua Three corrected him with a solemn face: “We aren’t gangsters, we are honest businessmen.”

Shi Jin’s gaze fell on the holster at his waist, but he kept his mouth shut.

“This should cover more or less everything.
Okay, get to work, there’s a batch of mangoes to be shipped out today.
Gua Two is at the second gate, hurry up and find him, then take care of that.” After saying this, Gua Three gave Shi Jin an orchard map and a new cell phone, refusing to return his old phone that had been confiscated earlier, and then simply walked away.

Shi Jin watched him leave and the corner of his mouth twitched.
He put his cell phone in the pocket and following the map, he went to find the second gate.

Translator’s Notes:
‘Twice the result with half the effort’ buff – 事半功倍buff, basically the multiplier buff.
“Truer than real gold,” – 比真金还真.
I couldn’t remember if there’s an English equivalent of this expression.
Things are gonna get interesting from now on.