{Missed me?} Stem's voice, long absent, reverberated in Yen's ears after hours of silence."No, I did not," Yen replied, his gaze fixed on the pills spread out before him. Despite the interruption, he remained dedicated to evaluating each pill meticulously, a task he had grown proficient in over time.With a deft touch and a discerning sense of smell, he could distinguish the defective pills from the rest, even without Stem's assistance.{No, you did. It's obvious.} Stem's voice took on a mocking tone as it observed Yen's meticulous manual evaluation process."There's no proof," Yen retorted, his hands deftly sorting the pills and tossing the defective ones into a basket in one corner of the room.{Seeing how you're exhausted from this, it's obvious you'll be craving my aid,} Stem chuckled, its digital presence radiating a hint of amusement."Then get to work!" Yen scolded, frustration tainting his voice as he continued to evaluate the pills, relying solely on his sense of smell. His

Yen stepped out of the company's building as the workday drew to a close. He exchanged casual goodbyes with a few colleagues he'd encountered on his way out, making his way towards his car, an exquisite black vehicle that never failed to captivate his attention.As he reached the sleek car, a sudden sneeze escaped him, disrupting the tranquility of the moment. "Achoo!" he involuntarily sneezed, standing before the vehicle, a momentary interruption in the quiet of the evening.{Bless you?} Stem responded with a tone of uncertainty, its virtual presence momentarily pondering whether offering that response was appropriate."It's fine," Yen reassured, detecting the hint of doubt in Stem's voice. He reached for the car door handle, fingers curling around the cool metal. But just as he began to pull it open, "Achoo!" he sneezed once more, his sudden sneezes adding an unexpected twist to his departure."Who the hell knows me?" Yen inquired, his frustration evident in the furrowed lines on hi

Yen descended from his car, the familiar sight of the same shop where he'd acquired his previous phone greeting him.Dressed in a silver shirt and plain black trousers cinched by a black belt, he carried an unpretentious leather cross bag slung over his shoulder. His choice of footwear was a pair of unassuming slippers that he had grown rather fond of.Before embarking on his journey to the phone shop, he surveyed his surroundings, casting a discerning gaze both left and right. With the shop situated on the ground floor of a three-story building, it beckoned effortlessly to anyone seeking its services.Yen entered the shop, his eyes sweeping across the half of the bottom floor dedicated to the display of an impressive array of new devices. He couldn't help but be taken aback by the sheer number of additions since his last visit, which had occurred just weeks ago.His thoughts teetered on the brink of vocalization. 'Were these here the last time I came?' he wondered silently, his curio

Yen maintained his lotus position, each pill disappearing into his mouth with the precision of a well-practiced routine. Over time, he had consumed more than seventy percent of the pills, bringing him remarkably close to the formation of his dantian.As he continued this arduous process, a sigh escaped his lips. His progress was undeniable, but it came with its own sense of weariness. Today marked the fourth day of his dedicated effort, and the sun's gentle rise from the east painted the sky with a soft glow, signaling the arrival of a new day.Yen's mind was too engrossed in his current task to dwell on the passage of time. Despite his awareness that it was now the fourth day of his rigorous cultivation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. The weight of his responsibilities and the mounting tasks awaiting his return to work weighed heavily on him.Stem's reassuring words offered a glimmer of hope amid his worries. {The other thirty percent left will be faster than you expec

Yen pulled into his driveway after the long drive, and for a moment, he remained in his car, taking a deep breath as he tried to gather his thoughts. The weight of his recent achievement still hung in the air, filling him with a sense of accomplishment that was hard to ignore.With a resolute nod, he finally stepped out of his car, the door closing with a solid thud behind him. He made his way towards his apartment building, knowing that Grey was most likely waiting inside, ready for their next move.Twisting the door's handle, Yen opened the door, and the soft light from the hallway spilled into his apartment. He walked through the entrance, his footsteps muted by the plush carpeting.His eyes scanned the living room, quickly landing on Grey, who was casually reclining on one of the couches. The fifty-inch LED screen across the room illuminated Grey's relaxed posture as he watched a television show, the soft glow of the screen casting shifting shadows in the dimly lit room. It seemed