Chapter 69: Do You Know How I

Yang Yi stepped out of her room, yawning, and the suite manager waited anxiously outside, eyes shining with excitement—startling her.

“Uh… may I ask what you need?” Yang Yi asked nervously.

“It’s like this,” the manager immediately regained his professional composure, realizing his emotion had been too intense, and bowed with polite eagerness, “the mayor, the city party secretary, and all the leaders are waiting for you in the side hall. The hotel has prepared a private dining room and is ready to receive you.”

“This…,” Yang Yi didn’t really want to go—she’d rather go back to sleep.

But she couldn’t bring herself to refuse; she was never good at turning people down.

“Captain Yang, you eliminated the alien threat in our city last night. The entire population is grateful to you.”

The manager grew excited again. “You have no idea how we’ve endured these past days—I’ve seen those monsters with my own eyes,” he said, involuntarily shuddering:

“Those terrifying creatures—I couldn’t even stand to look at them, let alone kill them. I froze solid the moment I saw them. So I truly admire you. You came to Wucheng amid your busy schedule, didn’t even rest, didn’t even have dinner, and faced those monsters alone…,” he nearly teared up with emotion.

Yang Yi felt those tears prick her like needles and instinctively stepped back a pace.

She didn’t dare say she disliked “eating,” nor did she feel it was hard to jump straight into work—her purpose in coming to Wucheng was precisely to eliminate the aliens.

She only felt the suite manager had elevated her far too highly—as if she’d been placed on a pedestal she’d never imagined, far beyond ordinary human reach…

Why was he so profoundly grateful to her?

If she were still the old Yang Yi—a powerless ordinary person—even if she sacrificed herself for the public good, she’d likely earn only a single word of admiration, and perhaps someone behind her back would call her foolish.

But now that she stood at some height, adorned with certain halos, her actions instantly became noble. Ordinary deeds of hers now seemed “close to the people.” Even skipping meals to begin work became proof of her greatness.

She had once worked just as diligently at her accounting job as she did now at her awakened one—but no one ever praised her, never felt moved by her attitude. Her boss always complained she didn’t do enough, dumped every accounting task on her, and never raised her salary.

Though her current job does provide greater safety for more people, that’s not why they’ve raised her to such a height.

The only difference between then and now: status—the byproduct of her power.

When someone of high status does even a small act of humility, those below feel profound gratitude. Those of high status naturally gain the majority’s approval. People assume those of high status must possess rich experience, exceptional talent, and superior wisdom—even if they lack all these, they must have some other extraordinary quality.

Most people are accustomed to obeying, submitting, and blindly following those in power—perhaps this is a form of power-worship?

But Yang Yi, having spent too long as a commoner, still hadn’t grown used to being held so high—she felt physically uncomfortable.

If she could escape this embarrassing situation immediately, she’d rather endure the official banquets. She hurriedly said, “Uh… this is my job, it’s only right, it’s only right… please take me to the private dining room!”

Over the short walk, every person Yang Yi encountered looked at her with profound gratitude. Every server rushed to ask if she needed anything. When she went to the restroom, upon exiting, a female attendant her own age stood nervously beside the sink, holding hand soap and disposable towels, waiting anxiously to serve her.

On the way, she met three guests. One froze the moment he saw her, stared after her until she disappeared, then pulled out his phone and frantically called someone. Even after Yang Yi had walked far away, she could still hear his excited voice: “Do you know who I just met? Yang Yi! The god among humans! Can you believe it? I’m staying in the same hotel as her!…”

Another was a middle-aged man in his forties, clearly a wealthy boss. He stepped out of his room, belly protruding, saw her instantly, and froze. Then he hurried after her, scrambling for words, finally managing: “The monsters in Wucheng—you… you solved them?”

Yang Yi nodded: “Yes.” He seemed at a loss for words. As Yang Yi turned to leave, he finally squeezed out a second sentence: “You’re incredibly impressive.” He fumbled as if to offer a business card, but ultimately withdrew his hand. Yang Yi felt sorry for him.

The third group of guests was a couple, holding hands affectionately, waiting for the elevator. Yang Yi stood beside them, also waiting. The couple kept glancing back at her in disbelief.

“Is that Yang Yi?” the girl whispered to her boyfriend, squeezing his arm excitedly. But her boyfriend was equally thrilled—grimacing from the squeeze, he could only stare at Yang Yi.

Yang Yi felt so embarrassed her toes curled into the floor. She finally spoke up: “Yes, I’m Yang Yi.” Instantly, they screamed and rushed forward, begging for autographs.

The entire elevator ride was torture for Yang Yi. The couple was ecstatic, babbling nonsensically as the elevator descended: asking if she’d solved the Wucheng monsters, whether they were terrifying, then about the brain-eating worms and fire demons of Wuming City, then what it felt like to have an S-class ability… When they stepped out, Yang Yi’s head buzzed.

Fortunately, the mayor’s secretary rescued her at the elevator entrance.

Inside the private dining room came another round of even more formal, subtle, refined, and soothing praise, flattery, and adulation—Yang Yi was already numb.

While mechanically eating, Yang Yi received a long-overdue call.

The moment she saw the number, she excused herself to the restroom.

Yang Yi took a deep breath and answered.

“Fine, you’ve won!” Chris’s voice poured through the line: “Four full days—you didn’t call me once! Yes, you’ve been busy—I saw the news. You handled two A-class threats, and you handled them perfectly!”

“But that’s not an excuse for not calling me—even during meals, even in the bathroom, even before sleep—even one second of time, you could’ve squeezed out a single call! Send me a smile, anything!”

“But you didn’t. You kept saying you were obsessed with me, that you loved me—but I see none of it. You don’t care about me at all. You just wanted to fulfill a fan’s fantasy—and once you got it, you tossed me aside like a used plastic bag or an empty soda bottle. Damn it, you’ve won!”

“Uh… I thought… you were mad at me. I thought you weren’t answering because you… accepted we were broken up…” Yang Yi stammered.

“I never said that! I was waiting for you to call me! I sat here like an idiot, sulking for four whole days! Do you understand? Four full days!” Chris’s voice was nearly frantic:

“Do you know how I’ve spent these four days?”