Heroic Death System [BL]

Arc 8: Covenantor (XV)

After three days in the hospital, Shang Ke's body was mostly healed. Apart from the mental exhaustion, he'd recovered well in all other respects.

When Lu Xiufan walked into the hospital room, he saw Shang Ke leaning on a pillow, head bowed over some reports, with two covenantors sitting beside him. Lu Xiufan looked at him expressionlessly.

The three people noticed Lu Xiufan's entrance, raising their heads at the same time. The two covenantors merely looked up once before returning their gaze to Shang Ke. Shang Ke very naturally cast Lu Xiufan a polite glance, silently greeting him.

As Lu Xiufan looked at the three people, a strange feeling stirring in his heart. These two covenantors entered the hospital room with his permission, and his previous interactions with them individually were nothing special. However, when they were together with Shang Ke, the two groups' differences were obvious.

The two covenantors' expressions were wooden, with expressionless eyes, like autistic children immersed in their own world—lifeless. Shang Ke however, appeared completely different from them; while his face didn't show much expression, his eyes were entirely clear, as if possessing infinite depth and comprehension of everything he saw.

Lu Xiufan vaguely realized that his previous beliefs were a bit prejudiced; he'd thought that all covenantors were the same, when in fact Shang Ke was head and shoulders above the lot of them.

"It's time for a break," Lu Xiufan said to him.

Shang Ke glanced at the time, before responding, "Please give me another fifteen minutes."

This was the time he'd set aside for the two covenantors, so even if he wanted to end earlier, the two covenantors wouldn't agree to it unless he forcibly commanded them to stop.

Lu Xiufan stood aside to patiently wait.

"The specific operation can be completed according to..."

Fifteen minutes later, while Shang Ke was still speaking, the other covenantors were already packing up their bags.

"... the previously established implementation of the plan." Shang Ke barely finished his sentence before the two left the hospital room.

After more long term interactions with real covenantors, Shang Ke realize that his own covenantor impersonation had been sorely lacking. In terms of keeping time and being borderline obsessive-compulsive, he constantly fell short. From now on, he needs to plan everything in advance, organizing his schedule to the second; otherwise he'd certainly be left in the dust when compared to other covenantors. No wonder they're considered "robots"; they'll always carry out everything they've planned, ignoring anything outside those plans.

Of course, he could always give the two covenantors new instructions and order them to stay; however, he tried to avoid doing so in case he developed bad habits.

"Little Ze, there's a problem. One we need to have a nice, long chat about," Lu Xiufan sat beside Shang Ke with a serious expression.

"What's the problem?"

"I'm your employer, you're always obliged to follow my orders, especially in times of danger," Lu Xiufan said in a stern voice, "like the accident a few days ago; when I ordered you to evacuate the car, why didn't you?"

Shang Ke was silent for a bit, before replying calmly, "I'm Jill and Yurian's employer; I have an obligation to protect them, just like you protect me."

"Then," Lu Xiufan glared at him, "if we were all in danger, all at once, who would you save first?"

Seems like he's heard this before? How is this any different from the question previously posted on the Internet asking "If your mother and wife both were drowning, who would you rescue first?"