Chapter 19: I

【『Fireball Spell』listlessly: Hungry… so hungry… feel like my body’s been drained…】

【『Fireball Spell』protesting: That last『Explosive Spiral Dragon Bullet』drained me too much! Quick! Find me some dragon meat to tide me over!】

The once arrogant voice of the small fireball now sounded weak and drained.

Lin Mo rubbed his stomach.

“Gurgle—gurgle—”

He was hungry too—felt like he could eat an entire ox right now.

He turned his head toward his mother, Su Wan, “Mom… let’s save the emotional talk for later—I’m about to pass out from hunger.”

“Can we get something to eat first? Preferably high-calorie, high-fire-element food—I need to replenish.”

Upon hearing this, Su Wan immediately switched to a brisk, no-nonsense expression:

“Eat! Absolutely eat! I’ll have our five-star chef team start cooking right now!”

“What do you want? Dragon meat? Kirin arm? Or Deep-Sea Flame Marrow Soup? Whatever you crave, Mom will get it for you!”

At that moment, Lin Tianhao turned his head toward the direction where Zhao Lei’s convoy had vanished.

The night wind stirred the coat draped over his shoulders.

Hmph! That old bastard Zhao Lei…

Just seeing his face earlier made me furious!

Still no word from Mo’er, and he already brought his whole team—as if he were certain Mo’er was dead.

Didn’t expect Mo’er to be this badass, did you?

After half a lifetime of rivalry, you really thought you could win one against your own son?

Lin Tianhao let out a cold snort, then turned to Lin Mo.

“Mo’er! Since you’ve got such talent and are so hardworking, we can’t waste it!”

Lin Tianhao waved his hand grandly and declared:

“I’ve decided! Tonight, I’m mobilizing the City Defense Force’s Third Special Battalion!”

“This entire stretch of rocky wasteland, plus the nearby training zones—all sealed off tonight! Have them lure monsters, weaken them, then leave them for you to finish off!”

We’re not going home tonight—we’re grinding all night! We must crush Zhao Yu underfoot before the big exam and break Zhao Lei and his father’s arrogance!

“…“

Lin Mo had just been imagining his dragon meat feast.

Hearing this, he froze solid.

No way.

All-night grinding?

We just finished the Abyss dungeon—do they think I’m a donkey from the commune?

Lin Mo was about to object, to voice his basic human need for sleep.

“No!”

Before Lin Mo could speak, Su Wan slapped away Lin Tianhao’s hand and glared at him:

“Lin Tianhao! Are you insane? Mo’er just barely escaped the Abyss dungeon—his mental energy is drained! Are you really going to make him grind all night?”

“Do you want to kill your own son? Huh?”

“Which matters more: leveling up or your body? No! Absolutely not! Mo’er must go home and sleep!”

Lin Mo nodded furiously in his mind, giving his mom a thumbs-up.

Exactly! Exactly!

Who says you don’t need sleep?

【『Fireball Spell』: Sleep? Only weaklings need sleep!】

【『Fireball Spell』: After the feast, keep going! I’m destined to become a Forbidden Spell! This is fatigue? Get up and hype!】

“…“

Lin Mo stared at the wildly flickering icon of the fireball in his skill bar—exhausted.

This little brat might actually pull it off.

If I go home and sleep, wake up to another level—how do I explain that?

Haha, just kidding—I snuck out again to level up at midnight!

Will they think I’m crazy?

As Lin Mo pondered, Lin Tianhao chuckled softly and spoke gently to Su Wan:

“Honey, don’t rush—let me finish.”

“I care about our son too. I know Mo’er’s exhausted.”

“So here’s my idea… we move our big bed out here, set up a temporary base.”

“The Special Battalion lures monsters, weakens them to just a sliver of HP, then brings them right to Mo’er.”

“Mo’er just lies comfortably on the bed, taps his finger once to land the final hit.”

“…“

Su Wan paused, stunned.

Move the bed to the wilderness? Level while lying down?

“This… this is improper!”

Su Wan still hesitated, “The wilderness is so harsh—wind, dew, exposure—how can Mo’er sleep well?”

At this moment, Lin Mo knew he had to speak up.

Since he couldn’t avoid it, he might as well enjoy it.

After all, there’d be a bed, the fireball would handle the fighting, and he could just sleep his fill—no conflict.

Lin Mo took a deep breath and instantly adjusted his expression.

He stepped forward, his gaze unwavering, voice firm and resolute:

“Mom, Dad’s right!”

“I’m exhausted. I really want to go home and sleep.”

“But!”

Lin Mo clenched his fist, “Though I have no grand ambitions, I won’t let my parents be shamed!”

“All-night grinding? Losing a night’s sleep? For the big exam, for the Lin family’s honor—I’ll do it!”

“This…”

His words, paired with that determined gaze, instantly silenced Su Wan.

She looked at her son, tears welling in her eyes.

What a considerate child!

So exhausted already, yet still pushing through training just to give his parents pride!

“Good… good child…”

Su Wan’s voice trembled with emotion.

Then she pulled out a skill book glowing with a yellow-brown light.

“Since you have this heart, I won’t stop you.”

“This is what I prepared for you this morning—I was going to give it to you when you got home tonight…”

Su Wan pressed the skill book into Lin Mo’s hands, her voice soft:

“It’s the Earth-elementary skill I mentioned this morning—【Earth Shield Spell】. You might need it soon. Here, take it now.”

Lin Mo took the skill book.

【Skill Book: Earth Shield Spell (Basic)】

【Effect: Summons an earth-elemental shield to absorb a set amount of physical and magical damage.】

New basic skills become available at level 10.

He was already at 70% of level 7—if the entire Special Battalion helped him level, he’d probably learn it by morning.

When I learn this 【Earth Shield Spell】… I hope it’s a calm, sensible skill… not another hotheaded little brat.

“Thank you, Mom.”

Lin Mo tucked the skill book away.

Seeing this, Lin Tianhao turned to his adjutant:

“Go! Bring the Third Special Battalion here. Also, dismantle Mo’er’s bedroom bed and haul it out—silk quilts, latex pillows, aromatherapy machine… bring everything.”

“Also, notify the kitchen team—take all ingredients and cookware, depart within ten minutes!”

The adjutant stood there, stunned.

He snapped to attention and barked:

“Yes, Commander!”

But as he turned away, he wiped sweat from his forehead.

This is what a wealthy family is like…

Moving a bedroom to the wilderness, mobilizing a whole special battalion to lure monsters—utterly ruthless in their luxury!

After arranging everything, Lin Tianhao turned to Ye Hong and said:

“Hongyu, I’m entrusting Mo’er to you.”

“Yes, Commander!”

Ye Hong stood at attention and saluted, her eyes sharp.

Lin Tianhao nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Lin Mo: “Your mom and I are heading home first. Remember, if you’re truly exhausted, take a rest.”

Su Wan also took Lin Mo’s hand and repeated her warnings several times before getting in the car, glancing back with every step.

Just before getting in the car, Lin Tianhao suddenly turned around and shouted to Lin Mo:

“Son! Give it your all!”

Lin Mo punched his own chest, then pointed at Lin Tianhao and shouted back:

“Dad, I’m taking this city’s Top Graduate title—no one, not even Jesus, can stop me!”

Watching his son’s confident, spirited demeanor, Lin Tianhao and his wife exchanged a smile, their faces filled with pride and relief.

“Looks like our boy didn’t turn out useless.”

“Yeah.”

“Hey wife, who’s Jesus?”

“No idea. Probably one of Mo’s classmates.”

“Oh oh.”