The place for exchanging beast cores had several counters lined up, each with a list posted in front.
The general rules stated that beast cores of the same rank could be exchanged freely, while higher-grade and lower-grade exchanges depended on quantity differences.
Ji Chaoxi only had the ones she received as gifts after saving people at the hospital the day before—no extras at all.
Murong Zhuo seemed to have prepared in advance. He stepped forward and exchanged several high-grade beast cores.
Wind-type beast cores, like wind-type ability users, were rare. Most of the wind cores he needed were obtained through exchange.
And they were more expensive than normal cores—two cores of the same level for one.
Murong Zhuo exchanged three fourth-rank wind-type beast cores. His expression looked both happy and pained.
It was understandable—six cores turned into three.
He then looked toward Ye Jiming and Ji Chaoxi, silently asking if they wanted to exchange.
Ji Chaoxi shook her head with a smile.
Ye Jiming, however, took her hand and walked up to the counter.
Under Ji Chaoxi’s surprised gaze, he placed ten fourth-rank beast cores on the counter.
“All of these—exchange for wood-type cores.”
Hearing this, Ji Chaoxi’s heart skipped violently as she looked up at him in shock.
Ye Jiming returned a gentle smile, his eyes filled with a kind of indulgent affection that could make someone fall into it.
The staff checked the cores and told them to wait.
Not long after, they brought out ten fourth-rank wood-type beast cores.
Ye Jiming asked again.
“Do you have fifth-rank wood-type cores?”
The staff’s eyes lit up.
“Yes. How many would you like to exchange?”
“Three for now.”
He placed three more beast cores on the counter.
The staff’s excitement grew even stronger—they were earth-type cores, exactly what their superior needed.
“Do you have anything else to exchange? We have a wide range of cores, including mutated ones.”
“Sorry, that’s all for now. I’ll come again if needed.”
“Alright. Please wait a moment.”
Murong Zhuo stared at the pile of beast cores in shock.
A space-type ability user exchanging so many wood-type cores—what was he planning to do?
It wasn’t hard to guess.
His gaze drifted toward Ji Chaoxi, filled with unconcealed envy.
He couldn’t help but think of Feng Ruijie’s stingy behavior.
Anyone would choose Bai Xuan.
Man or woman alike.
After the exchange, they headed toward the mission board.
Tang Ci smiled and said,
“I’m a lightning-type ability user. If you have lightning beast cores, I can do a three-for-one exchange—or higher-to-lower swaps.”
Ye Jiming glanced at her.
“I have two fourth-rank lightning cores. Exchange them for wood-type cores.”
Tang Ci’s calm face lit up with surprise.
She pointed ahead.
“That’s the mission board. I’ll go exchange the cores—please wait for me there.”
Ji Chaoxi watched her leave, then looked at Ye Jiming.
She pressed her lips together but did not ask why he needed so many wood cores.
Nor did she dare think too deeply about it.
On the massive mission screen, tasks appeared and disappeared continuously.
Ji Chaoxi’s gaze swept across them until two recruitment notices caught her eye.
【Recruitment: Teacher position. Building a new civilized city and preserving cultural heritage is urgent. Salary negotiable—Yuzhou Education Department awaits your reply.】
【Recruitment: Doctor position. Whether ability user or not, as long as you have a healer’s heart, Yuzhou Hospital sincerely welcomes you.】
The first one suggested a school existed here.
In the orphanage, she had only attended school for two years. In the laboratory, she had always liked writing to pass time.
Seeing the word “teacher” made her eyes slightly warm.
She took a quiet breath and looked at the second notice.
When she first learned what a “dream” was, her dream had been to become a doctor—to heal the sick and ease suffering.
“Baby, which mission are you looking at so intently?”
Ye Jiming leaned close to her ear.
Ji Chaoxi shook her head quickly.
“No.”
“If you really like it, we can take it,” he said softly.
She felt like he was a wolf coaxing a child, and did not fall for it.
“It’s nothing. Just curious.”
Ye Jiming immediately understood.
“The teacher recruitment?”
Ji Chaoxi nodded.
“You want to be a teacher?”
“No.”
She quickly denied it.
Then changed the subject.
“If I had to choose, I’d choose doctor, not teacher.”
“Oh, so baby wants to be a doctor.”
He thought for a moment.
“Alright.”
Ji Chaoxi froze.
“What do you mean, ‘alright’?”
“If you want to be a doctor, when we return to Longcheng Base, I’ll find a way to get you into the hospital in the central district. Or do you want to stay here instead?”
“You have a way?”
She sounded doubtful—but also slightly moved.
He smiled.
“I’ll keep it a secret for now. Just tell me—do you want to work as a doctor in Longcheng Base?”
She fell silent.
Did she really have a choice?
Or was it just wishful thinking?
She had learned long ago: without expectations, there would be no disappointment.
A finger tapped the tip of her nose.
“What are you thinking about?”
He lifted her face, staring into her eyes.
Even though she said nothing, he could feel the deep sadness within her.
Ji Chaoxi gave a small smile.
“It’s nothing. Also… no need. I can just join temporary teams and take missions anytime. That’s fine too.”
Then she stepped back and waved at Tang Ci, who was approaching.
Ye Jiming looked at her side profile.
His chest tightened uncomfortably.
His wife had something on her mind—and she wasn’t telling him.
The smile faded. His expression darkened.
Tang Ci walked over and handed over the beast cores.
“Six fourth-rank wood cores, two third-rank wood cores.”
She had given extra.
Ye Jiming accepted them without hesitation and handed over two lightning cores in return.
Tang Ci put them away.
“Any missions you want to take?”
Ye Jiming looked at Ji Chaoxi, not answering.
Murong Zhuo spoke instead.
“There’s a level-five mission and a level-six mission. Both look decent.”
Tang Ci glanced at the board, eyes brightening.
“A fifth-rank lightning mission? I’ll take it.”
Murong Zhuo was surprised.
“You can take it alone?”
She smiled confidently.
“Someone will help me.”
Murong Zhuo sighed.
“Forget it. We’re heading back anyway. We’ll just take missions at our own base.”
Ye Jiming said,
“We delivered the device. Yuzhou will give us a copy of the data. We’re responsible for escorting it back.”
Murong Zhuo perked up.
“Really? That wasn’t mentioned before.”
“Captain Dai should have already received the notice.”
“You negotiated this?”
Bai Xuan’s identity as someone from the research institute made it reasonable.
Ye Jiming nodded.
“Cooperation leads to mutual benefit.”
Murong Zhuo gave him a thumbs up.
“Nice.”