Ji Boda supported Chu Lintian, with the pot-bellied Zhu Ligang standing beside them.
Zhu Ligang kept his hands clasped behind his back, maintaining a proper distance from Chu Lintian the entire time, appearing utterly composed.
Ji Boda, too, assisted the half-drunk, half-conscious Chu Lintian with utmost propriety.
To any onlooker, there was not the slightest hint of impropriety between the two.
Lin Mo could roughly guess the situation—the Wanhao Hotel was an international chain, and a couple of local business tycoons held no sway to bend its rules.
Under the watchful eyes of surveillance, they had to maintain a facade of decorum.
Lin Mo opened his eyes and pointed to a nearby room.
"Miaomiao, hide in that room for now."
"Huh?"
Chu Miaomiao glanced at the room, then back at Lin Mo.
Noticing the hesitation on the girl's face, Lin Mo suddenly remembered the room was pitch dark.
He quickly strode over and switched on the light.
"Forgot you're afraid of the dark," Lin Mo said apologetically.
"Lin Mo, will my mom be okay?"
Lin Mo reached out and gently patted the girl's head.
"Of course. Trust me."
The girl nodded obediently and stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
Now, all that remained was to wait.
Lin Mo sat calmly on the sofa and cast an invisibility spell.
Beep.
The door lock clicked open.
"Here, careful now, President Chu," Ji Boda said as he dumped Chu Lintian onto the bed.
He then walked to the side, casually poured a glass of water from the hotel’s supply, and pulled a packet of powder from his pocket, emptying its contents into the cup.
Zhu Ligang smirked at the woman on the bed.
"Heh, President Chu, President Chu… If you’d just spent one night with me, I’d have handed over the contract. Why force me to take the hard route? Was it really necessary?"
Ji Boda handed the glass to Zhu Ligang.
"President Zhu, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."
"Go on, go on. Don’t worry—your cut is guaranteed. I won’t forget your share."
Zhu Ligang took the glass, ready to force the drugged water down the woman’s throat.
Once Chu Lintian drank it, he’d set up the camera.
After that, she’d be as pliable as dough in his hands.
And those curves—they really did look as soft as dough.
He rubbed his hands together. "Since she’s already drunk, no harm in getting a little handsy first, right?"
Just as he was about to indulge, he noticed Ji Boda still lingering.
"What? You want a taste too? Don’t worry—once I’m done with her, she’s all yours."
Hearing this, Ji Boda couldn’t help but grin.
"Then I’ll thank you in advance, President Zhu."
With that, he turned to leave, though not without a trace of reluctance.
At that moment, a figure blocked the doorway.
"I think you should stay for the next act."
Ji Boda’s eyes widened.
"Who the hell are you?!"
But in the next second, his pupils dilated, losing focus.
If this were a book from a certain forum, Lin Mo’s soul-controlling ability would already be pushing boundaries.
But this was a proper novel.
So Lin Mo merely took control of Ji Boda.
Hearing the commotion, Zhu Ligang stepped forward.
The moment he saw Lin Mo, he opened his mouth to speak—only for two beams of light to shoot from Lin Mo’s eyes.
Nightmare Illusion: A technique to bewitch others, plunging them into hallucination.
Lin Mo yanked the controlled Ji Boda forward.
"In your eyes, he is Chu Lintian. Whatever you planned to do to her tonight, do it to him instead."
With that, Lin Mo herded the two into the room, flung Ji Boda onto the bed, then lifted the drunken Chu Lintian effortlessly.
He knocked on the door where Chu Miaomiao was hiding.
"It’s me."
The door opened, and Chu Miaomiao’s eyes brightened at the sight of Lin Mo and her mother.
"Mom, are you okay?"
Chu Lintian’s consciousness flickered back at her daughter’s voice. She squinted and reached out weakly.
"Sweetie, why are you here?"
"Lin Mo and I came to pick you up."
Lin Mo glanced at the room where the "performance" was about to begin and said to Chu Miaomiao, "Let’s get your mom home. The taxi driver’s still waiting downstairs."
Chu Miaomiao peeked nervously at the source of the noises.
"Eyes forward, kid."
Lin Mo gently turned her head away.
They left the hotel, returning the key card to the front desk. In ten minutes, the receptionist’s mind control would wear off.
The taxi driver, also under Lin Mo’s spell, regained his senses while aimlessly driving around after dropping them off at the neighborhood.
None of them retained any memory of encountering Lin Mo or the others, yet nothing felt amiss.
As for Ji Boda and Zhu Ligang? Their ordeal wasn’t over.
Lin Mo hadn’t just used his powers on them—he’d also left a spiritual mark.
Now, he could track them anytime.
Back in the neighborhood, power had been restored.
Lin Mo carried Chu Lintian into the elevator with one arm.
The apartment was brightly lit when they arrived.
He laid Chu Lintian on the sofa—she was fast asleep by now.
If not for Lin Mo’s superhuman physique, bringing her back would’ve been impossible.
Lin Mo turned to Chu Miaomiao.
"I think we need to get our stories straight."
Chu Miaomiao blinked.
"Huh? What story? How do we ‘straighten’ it?"
Lin Mo thought for a moment. "When your mom wakes up, tell her we went to the hotel to pick her up, saw Secretary Ji and President Zhu trying something shady, and I scared them off before bringing you both home."
Chu Miaomiao nodded.
"Repeat it back to me," Lin Mo said.
She recited it verbatim.
"Good. And remind your mom to be more careful in the future. I won’t always be around to help."
Lin Mo knew he’d intervene when he could, but the world was full of darkness he couldn’t possibly oversee.
Chu Miaomiao nodded again. "I won’t tell anyone about your… superpowers."
Lin Mo wasn’t surprised she’d noticed something. Innocent as she was, the girl wasn’t stupid.
Even if she blabbed about his abilities, who’d believe her?
Still, he clarified, "It’s not superpowers. It’s qigong. The art has many applications, but true practitioners are rare these days. Just keep it to yourself."
Chu Miaomiao nodded solemnly. "I understand. I’ll keep your secret."
Good kid.
"Since you and your mom are safe now, help her change into clean clothes. I’ll head out."
The rain had stopped outside.
Moonlight pierced through the clouds, casting silver streaks across the balcony.
As Lin Mo walked away, Chu Miaomiao suddenly called out, "Lin Mo! Thank you!"
Without turning, he simply waved a hand.
"Don’t mention it. I’ve eaten enough of your rice to owe you one."
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
