Chapter 5: How Much Have I Been Deceived?

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“Spiritual Entity, Home, Forum.”
Enter!
Blessings, blessings—although I don’t know what this is, from what Zhou Xiaoyun said, it must be something impressive!
There are many related search results.
The first link appears right away.
Ji Xun takes a deep breath and clicks the link.
A new user registration window pops up, requesting age, awakening identity, occupation, monthly salary, and spiritual entity.
Ji Xun fills in: 12 years old, Guide, Junior Sanctuary Student, 2000, None.
He clicks submit.
[Sorry, registration information did not pass verification; you cannot access the forum!]
Ji Xun is stunned, then resubmits: 32 years old, Sentinel, Vice Chairman of District 12 Transport Safety Committee, 150,000, Coyote.
[Registration information has passed verification. Please fill in personal details (truthfully; the forum will strictly protect user privacy; information is for registration only).]
Now he must enter name, identity serial number, Star Navigation account card number, and communicator number.
Ji Xun: …
So complicated?
He turns and runs out of the bedroom to knock on the study door, peeking in to ask quietly, “Dad, what’s your ID serial number and Star Navigation account card number?”
Ji’s father: “Why do you need that?”
Ji Xun stammers, “It’s, it’s useful; just give it to me.”
Ji’s father glances at him and recites two strings of numbers.
Ji Xun can’t remember much but is sensitive to numbers; after hearing them once, he returns and fills them in precisely, then confirms submission.
A ding sounds, and the system prompts registration success.
Great!!
Ji Xun feels a surge of joy and eagerly clicks confirm, but another window pops up—[Hello, please pay 5,000 Star Coins to register as a forum member.]
?
No mention of paying!
Why do I have to pay!!
Ji Xun’s emotions swing wildly.
He hesitates, looking at the screen.
If I close this, all my effort is wasted…
After a long moment, he steels himself; for a man’s dignity, what’s two months’ pocket money!
Ji Xun runs back to the study and whispers, “Dad, what’s your Star Navigation card password? I want five, five thousand. I’ll pay you back when Mom gives me pocket money—installments, installments…” His voice grows quieter.
“Five thousand?”
Ji Xun nods quickly, “Yes. Just five thousand.”
Ji’s father gives him the password, and just as Ji Xun is about to close the door, his father calls, “Son.”
Ji Xun freezes, peeking through the door crack, “Wh-what is it, Dad?”
Ji’s father clears his throat, “Don’t forget to pay it back.”
Ji Xun breathes a secret sigh of relief and pats his chest, promising, “Dad, don’t worry, I will pay you back!”
Back in his room, Ji Xun tries to pay the 5,000 Star Coins, but poor network causes submission failure; he must try again.
He attempts payment once more.
Still network issues.
Unfamiliar with the process, Ji Xun turns off the network, restarts it, and tries again.
This time a ding sounds, then a new window appears: [Sorry, your current Star Navigation card balance is insufficient.]
Ji Xun: “?”
Dad’s card has no money?
“Hahaha! That’s hilarious!” Zhao Zhanlei wipes tears of laughter, “Xun, you’re so dumb! That’s obviously a scam site! Forums don’t charge registration fees. Even if there’s a fee, it’s for VIP features inside the forum.”
Ji Xun says nothing, lowering his head to nibble on a meat pie.
Fu Shuxing doesn’t mock him. Leaning against the solid wood floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, he watches Ji Xun and asks, “How much did you lose?”

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Ji Xun’s lips tremble; tears quickly gather in his eyes. Now just hearing Fu Shuxing’s voice makes him want to cry.
He bites the pie fiercely.
Bastard!
It’s all that bastard Fu Shuxing’s fault!
Ten thousand Star Coins…
That’s five whole months of pocket money!!
Gone!!!
“Xun Xun, Xing Ge is asking you something.” Zhao Zhanlei glances at Fu Shuxing and says to Ji Xun, “Say something nice quickly. Xing Ge is filthy rich; let him cover your loss.”
Ji Xun is stunned.
Cover the loss???
He immediately looks up at Fu Shuxing.
Right!
Why didn’t he think of that? The culprit should pay for this!!
The study is brightly lit. Fu Shuxing sees the tear-filled, wronged look in Ji Xun’s eyes.
His heart tugs sharply!
But on closer inspection, the feeling vanishes without a trace.
He adjusts his posture, hands in pockets, and asks again, “How much did you lose?”
Ji Xun raises one finger to his face, blinking expectantly, “Xing Ge, will you give it to me?”
Fu Shuxing’s “hmm” is on his lips, but seeing the tearful, hopeful gaze of the little guide, he scoffs coldly, “Do I look like a sucker?”
Tch! I knew it.
Ji Xun lowers his hand.
Fu Shuxing says, “Not for free.”
Ji Xun: ?
He looks at Fu Shuxing again.
Fu Shuxing puts his hands in pockets, saying, “One hundred thousand Star Coins. You could work two months, right? Water the flowers, feed the fish—think about what you can do.”
Ji Xun is stunned, even forgetting to chew his pie.
Wh-what?
One hundred thousand??
His eyes widen in shock!
Fu Shuxing thinks Ji Xun objects to working, “What, feeding fish is too much trouble?”
Ji Xun quickly shakes his head, swallowing, “No, no.”
Just as he intends to clarify it’s not one hundred thousand, Fu Shuxing picks up his communicator and asks, “What’s the name of that scam forum?”
The forum’s name?
Ji Xun’s attention instantly shifts.
He’s wary.
No way will he tell Fu Shuxing it’s a spiritual entity-related forum!
“I’ve transferred it to you; pay your dad back soon.” Fu Shuxing puts down the communicator and looks at Ji Xun. “You still haven’t told me—what kind of forum is it?”
Ji Xun tries to make up an excuse, but the communicator rings.
He checks: Your Star Navigation account has successfully received 100,000 Star Coins. Current balance: 100,087.32 Star Coins.
How much?
Ji Xun counts on his fingers.
One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand.
One hundred thousand.
Really, really one hundred thousand…
Ji Xun’s heart pounds wildly, feeling the world shockingly unreal!
He’s never seen this much money in his life.

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Wh-why does Fu Shuxing have so much money?
Because his father is a Marshal and Chief of Staff of District 12 Military Region?
Nearby, Zhao Zhanlei, seeing the matter resolved, says, “Luckily it’s only one hundred thousand. For Xing Ge, that’s just one flight simulation’s pay—no big deal.”
Ji Xun looks at Zhao Zhanlei confusedly, “Flight simulation?”
His look frightens him!
“Wow, Stone, what happened to your hand?!”
Zhao Zhanlei follows Ji Xun’s gaze, “Oh,” he says, casually twisting his arm, unconcerned, “It’s nothing, the general scratched me.”
Ji Xun thinks he misheard, “General?”
Fu Shuxing interjects, “When Stone came by, the general was sulking at me.”
Really a general??
Ji Xun can’t believe the general would scratch Stone so deeply, nor believe the general would sulk at Fu Shuxing. He asks, “Why was he sulking?”
Zhao Zhanlei says, “Who knows! He looked pretty irritable—probably in a bad mood these days.”
Fu Shuxing glances at Zhao Zhanlei’s injured hand, looks away, and offers an excuse, “My dad strengthened the barrier; the general’s five senses were affected, so he got a bit irritable.”
“No wonder!!” Zhao Zhanlei pats his thigh, enlightened, “So that’s why Uncle Gao reinforced the surrounding barrier again! I wondered why I couldn’t even smell the scallion scent on Xun!”
Fu Shuxing: “What scallion scent?”
Zhao Zhanlei holds up the hot, fragrant meat pie, “This one, with scallions inside! Xun made it. When I brought him tea eggs, I noticed a strange smell on him but couldn’t place it.”
Fu Shuxing recalls standing with the general by the window, raising a brow slightly.
Zhao Zhanlei says, “Xing Ge, come eat the pie. After, we’ll play two more rounds. Anyway, no classes tomorrow because of the weekend.”
“No more games, I’m going to sleep.”
“So early?”
Ji Xun says, “I have to go home too. I’ll pay Dad back first.”
Zhao Zhanlei, still obsessed with the fighter jet game, finds playing alone dull and says, “Alright then, I’m going too. I have to be my dad’s laborer tomorrow.”
As Ji Xun walks home, he still can’t believe it.
He counts his balance again.
It’s definitely one hundred thousand.
Ji Xun goes upstairs and carefully pushes open the study door, “Dad…?”
Ji’s father had been sighing over the lost cigarette money he painstakingly saved, but upon hearing noise, quickly composes himself and looks at his son, “What is it?”
Ji Xun excitedly runs to the desk, “Here’s your money back~!”
Ji’s father is puzzled, “Where did you get this money? Did you tell your mom about this?”
“Not dare!”
Ji Xun says, “Xing Ge gave it to me…”
“…,” Ji’s father understands and says, “That kid spoils you.”
Ji Xun hears his father praising Fu Shuxing and feels displeased. Thinking it’s Fu Shuxing’s fault he was scammed, he retorts, “How does he spoil me? I have to work for him—feed the fish, water the flowers, and such.”
Ji’s father nods, “Oh, so that’s your pay.”
“Exactly!”
Ji’s father smiles, thinking, watering flowers and feeding fish is no big deal; finding any excuse to give you ten thousand—that’s spoiling you.
Ji Xun: “The transfer’s done!”
Ji’s father’s smile fades. As a Sentinel with excellent eyesight, even a fleeting glance revealed it. He keeps his tone calm and asks, “Xun, how much did you ask Shuxing for?”
Ji Xun’s heart sinks, “Wh-what?”
Ji’s father says, “I saw your account balance. Only ninety thousand left?”
“!!” Ji Xun instinctively covers his communicator screen, flustered, “N-no, not ninety thousand. Dad, you must have misread. It’s nine hundred…”
Ji’s father knows perfectly well he didn’t misread. He falls silent, watching his son.
Ji Xun can’t hold out. He whispers, “He gave me one hundred thousand.”
Ji’s father frowns sharply, “Nonsense! You dare ask for so much! Give the money back!”
Ji Xun is startled but stubborn, “It’s my own earned money!”
Ji’s father’s face turns cold, “Then find a cleaning job and see who pays you one hundred thousand!”