The sudden system alert nearly made Cao Cheng drop his insulated tea cup.
20??
A critical hit?
Cao Cheng stared at the old man in front of him.
Not bad, Old Zhang. We haven’t even started yet, and just setting up the chess pieces already gives you this much negative energy?
It’s just twenty bucks I won from you yesterday…
Old Zhang noticed Cao Cheng’s gaze and looked at him in confusion. "What’s wrong? What’s with that look?"
Cao Cheng chuckled. "Old Zhang, didn’t take you for such a petty guy."
"Huh?" Old Zhang was utterly baffled.
"Alright, alright, no need to act. Today, I’ll only take ten bucks from you at most." Cao Cheng spoke magnanimously—not out of courtesy, but because he was afraid of pushing the old man too far. After all, he was over seventy and rumored to have high blood pressure.
Most importantly, Old Zhang had just provided 20 points of negative energy.
Let him win a couple of games, give him some hope, and slowly milk him dry.
Can’t squeeze him all at once.
Gotta keep the golden goose alive, right?
Cao Cheng knew the difference between a one-time feast and a lifetime of meals.
Eighteen minutes later.
Cao Cheng lost.
This was his third loss in a week.
Old Zhang gleefully pocketed fifty bucks.
If Cao Cheng won, it was ten; if he lost, it was fifty. Otherwise, how could these old-timers let him keep running the table?
The fifty bucks had the other seniors shaking their heads in envy.
The money wasn’t even the main thing—it was Cao Cheng’s recent unbeatable reputation. Everyone knew this kid was a chess prodigy.
Beating him even once would be bragging rights for life.
"Ah well," Cao Cheng sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "Just one misstep, just one. Old Zhang, you’ve been holding out on me—been secretly studying chess manuals, huh?"
Old Zhang grinned like a seventy-year-old child, his crooked teeth on full display.
What’s so funny?
With those teeth, you’re wasting your talent not being in horror movies.
Still, these folks were just ordinary people, not relatives or high-status figures, so the negative energy they provided averaged around 1 point.
That’s why, after a whole week, Cao Cheng had only scraped together 53 points.
Add Old Cao’s 17, and it totaled 70!
Plus the sudden critical hit earlier—20 points.
Just 10 more points, and he’d have enough for his first system draw.
According to the system, the first draw came with a luck bonus—guaranteed to yield at least a decent reward.
Cao Cheng was itching with anticipation.
At this rate, he’d hit the mark in three days at most—maybe even today.
[Ding~ Negative Energy +5]
What the—?
Again?
Cao Cheng stared blankly at Old Zhang, who was still grinning like an idiot. Wait, this old coot is giving off negative energy even after winning?
Playing the depressed winner card, huh?
Sunshine depression?
The louder the laugh, the quicker the breakdown—is that it?
No!
Cao Cheng quickly realized.
It wasn’t Old Zhang.
He scanned the area but didn’t spot any visibly upset seniors. These guys weren’t actors—they couldn’t hide micro-expressions that well.
With his "century of life experience," Cao Cheng prided himself on reading people.
Definitely not the usual suspects.
Then who the hell was it?
Who’d have any reason to randomly resent him?
Old Cao?
Nah, he was off honeymooning abroad. They’d even chatted on an international call yesterday.
The system’s rules were clear: only emotions from people within the same city could be collected. Beyond that, nada.
The system wasn’t omnipotent.
Unless it leveled up.
Right now, no matter how much someone might loathe him from afar, their hatred wouldn’t register.
So this sudden burst—20 points earlier, now 5—had to be from someone nearby.
Cao Cheng stood up, scanning the wider park.
Morning in the square was packed with retirees.
Three bald guys were cracking whips in the distance.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Further off were the ping-pong and basketball areas.
Another group practiced tai chi.
Some just power-walked laps around the square.
No one seemed to be glaring at him, no visible anger…
Weird.
"Xiao Cao, what’re you looking for?" Old Zhang asked.
"Nothing. Let’s go again!" Cao Cheng sat back down, sipped his tea, and frowned in thought.
Inside a car not far away:
Second Sister Ren Fanxing stewed in silent fury. Thankfully, she’d learned to control her temper.
A younger version of herself would’ve already flipped that chess table.
The rest of the morning passed without any more surprise energy spikes.
Two hours later, nearing noon:
Five more outbursts from the seniors finally pushed him past the 100-point threshold. Time to cash in.
"Closing up shop. See you all tomorrow!"
Whistling, Cao Cheng pocketed his fifty-yuan profit, grabbed his thermos, and strolled off.
The sight of his smug exit had the old men grinding their teeth—adding another 3 points to his haul.
Cao Cheng barely stifled a laugh.
These geezers never learn.
Just wait.
Master Cao would teach them the true meaning of "live long enough to become the villain."
On his way out, he swung by the square’s management office for a free refill of hot water.
No time to go home—lunch meant free grub at the mahjong parlor.
After eating, he paid 20 yuan for a table, bought two packs of cigarettes, and settled in.
Dinner? Same place. Four dishes, soup, and meat—all complimentary.
As for the prize draw? No rush.
Tonight, he’d purify himself with incense and a thorough hand-washing.
First draw deserved ceremony!
The afternoon at the mahjong den netted him 8 more points—losers were always generous with their negativity.
Post-dinner, he skipped the square and kept playing…
Until 9:30 PM.
Thermos in hand, Cao Cheng finally returned to his old apartment.
He didn’t notice the two figures tailing him at a distance.
Ren Fanxing’s stealth was top-tier—ordinary folks would never spot her.
"Second Sis, he’s… home," The Third whispered.
"My eyes work," Ren Fanxing snapped.
The Third shrank back. All day, her sister had radiated an increasingly glacial aura.
Despite summer’s heat, being near her felt like standing in AC.
So cold.
Ren Fanxing muttered, "What a masterclass in being a useless leech. How does someone waste a college education—a computer science degree—to end up hustling retirees in a park?"
The Third ventured timidly, "I think it’s kinda nice…"
"What did you say?" Ren Fanxing’s glare could freeze lava.
"I mean—" The Third backtracked hastily, "—Mom should take a break like this. She works too hard."
"Humph. Unlike him, Mom actually contributes to society. That bastard Cao lied straight to her face—bragging about his son landing some ‘big company’ job. This is his career? A park?"
Her voice dripped venom. "That ‘big company’ must be the square’s property management."
"I’ll make sure Mom knows. And I’ll ask that Cao bastard point-blank—does a single truthful word ever leave his mouth?"
The Third stayed silent under her sister’s wrath.
But she understood the rage.
This wasn’t just about today.
This was years of pent-up fury at a world that kept disappointing them.
The Ren family had no pillar to lean on—their mother single-handedly held up the entire conglomerate until her daughters grew up.
The eldest sister had now started helping out at the company, while the second sister, Ren Fanxing, was swamped with work, often not returning home for days, barely even finding time to sleep properly.
Meanwhile, Cao Cheng was suspected of living an "easy" life beyond their wildest dreams, funded by the Ren family’s money.
The contrast was enough to make anyone resentful.
They barely had time to enjoy their family’s wealth—why should an outsider get to spend it so freely?
"Let’s go," said Ren Fanxing, turning away.
The Third asked, "Aren’t we going to meet him?"
"What’s the point? Just talking to someone like him makes me sick."
"..."
With a resigned sigh, The Third followed her second sister’s lead, lowering her voice as she pressed, "Should I keep investigating him, then? Talk to his neighbors or old classmates?"
"Don’t waste your time."
"Oh."
The Third pouted, feeling a pang of disappointment.
Back when their mother had first mentioned gaining a new brother, she’d actually been excited.
She and The Fourth, Ren Yuege, were the youngest.
She’d always wanted a little brother.
And truth be told, Cao Cheng wasn’t bad-looking—he was handsome.
Though they’d never spoken or gotten a close look at him, from a distance, he carried himself with an effortless charm.
There was a carefree, untamed air about him.
The Third quite liked that vibe, but with Ren Fanxing furious, she didn’t dare defy her.
All she could do was hope this "bargain brother" would manage on his own.
[Ding~ Negative emotions +20]
"What the hell???"
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.
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
g Yu was preparing for retirement when her organization decided to eliminate her. She transmigrated to a zombie apocalypse world. However, a tiny unexpected situation occurred: She somehow transformed into an adorable little girl?!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
