Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

Some viewers began to doubt, but many still firmly believed that the previous person was just an actor hired by Shen Wang to scare them.

[Any smooth talkers out there? Come and give him a lesson he'll never forget!]

[Switching from relying on looks to acting crazy, huh? Don’t worry, no matter what path you take, it's a dead end.]

[Hiring actors to mess with our minds? If I don't make you question your existence with my words, I'll swallow my keyboard right here!]

Shen Wang glanced at the barrage of comments and quickly connected the second person to the live stream.

The next person to connect with Shen Wang was a seemingly underage boy, sitting in what looked like an internet café. He opened with the demeanor of a seasoned net surfer: "Your mother exploded, you little bastard..."

The watching netizens quickly recovered from the previous round's failure, rapidly cheering the boy on.

[Go, little brother! Be fierce like that!]

[Although young, this little brother’s verbal attacks are strong. Keep it up.]

However, when the excited netizens shifted their gaze to Shen Wang's expression, they didn’t find the pain or sadness they were hoping for, but rather a look of disdain.

[What’s with that expression?]

Shen Wang waited a few minutes before speaking slowly, "Your biological parents gave their lives to save you. Your adoptive parents never spoke of your origins, giving you the best family environment. Yet here you are, skipping school to play games. Are you living up to their sacrifice?"

"What nonsense," the boy retorted, sneering. "Do you think everyone is like you, an orphan without parents?"

Shen Wang, unfazed, continued, "Your sunken temples and pointed eyebrows indicate the loss of both parents. Yet your full lips and round face suggest that although orphaned early, you were adopted and blessed with later fortune."

"Stop playing fortune-teller. You must have deceived too many under a bridge and now want to deceive me. I don’t believe this crap!" the boy slammed his fist on the table, "People like you, without parents..."

Mid-insult, a hand suddenly grabbed the boy’s ear and twisted it fiercely: "Liu Zhixuan, so you’ve learned to skip school and curse people!"

Without turning back, the boy immediately apologized upon hearing the voice, "Sorry, Mom, I was wrong, it hurts, it hurts..."

The netizens, who were waiting for the boy to unleash his fury, fell silent, watching him being scolded by his suddenly appearing mother.

A comment slowly floated across the screen.

[He was once a king, until his mom arrived.]

Ignoring the embarrassment of being seen by hundreds of thousands online, the boy begged with hands clasped, "Mom, I was wrong, but he started it by saying my parents died early and I was adopted. He’s cursing you, so I got angry and argued with him."

In his plea, the boy craftily omitted mentioning that he was the one who provoked the argument first.

Sure enough, his mother soon let go of his ear. The boy hurriedly rubbed his red ear, eager to shut down the live stream and end this socially disastrous moment.

"Who’s this bastard spouting nonsense?" The boy's mother, rubbing her hands and swallowing, also scolded, "Xiaoxuan, don’t believe what strangers say..."

The boy, not hearing what his mother was saying, was about to disconnect the live stream when he saw a few comments float by.

[...Doesn't his mom's attitude seem off? Why does she sound somewhat guilty?]

[If a mom hears someone say her child isn’t biologically hers, wouldn’t she usually joke, 'Did I pick you up from the trash can?' Why is she so cautious?]

[His mom came in all furious about him skipping class, but now she’s gone quiet just because someone said the kid might not be hers. Her reaction is really strange.]

The boy’s hand trembled, his heartbeat speeding up involuntarily as he looked at Shen Wang.

"A piece of advice for you, free of charge," Shen Wang said, noticing the cold sweat on the boy's forehead, "Cherish what you have now."

After saying this, he disconnected the call for the boy.

The netizens, engaged in heated discussions, exploded in reaction. They felt like children whose parents had abruptly turned off the TV during the climax of a thrilling series, feeling an intense itch of curiosity.

[Why did he disconnect the call? His mom was right there. Just a few more questions, and we could have known the truth.]

[The last time I was this angry was when someone revealed the murderer in the first chapter of a mystery novel.]

[So, is he really her biological child or not? This is so frustrating.]

Ignoring the netizens’ burning curiosity, Shen Wang casually connected with another person.

This time, the person in the live stream was a young woman wearing a mask, standing on a busy street. She seemed surprised to have been chosen, her eyes wide with confusion as she and Shen Wang stared at each other.

After a few seconds of staring at each other, the young woman gathered her composure, lowered her voice, and whispered into the microphone, "You're unloved and uncared for, sterile yet surrounded by descendants, destined to die alone with your grave dug up!"

[Wow, that rhyme!]

[Standing in the middle of the street to verbally spar with someone, that's quite a challenge.]

[Even though this young lady isn't showing her face, she definitely seems beautiful. But why does she look familiar to me?]

Shen Wang glanced at her face and said, "I don’t even need to see your facial features to know you’ll divorce at least three times in your life."

The young woman fell into a strange silence, then asked in a small voice, "Why is that?"

Shen Wang's gaze fell on her obviously expensive clothes and bag, "You're young, beautiful, and wealthy, but most importantly, you have a naïve and trusting personality, making you an easy target for scoundrels."

[Wow, three rhymes!]

[Who am I? Where am I? Didn't I come here to scold someone? How did I end up in a rap audition show?]

[Was the atmosphere this harmonious from the start? What happened to the promised verbal spat?]

The woman nervously adjusted her mask and asked softly, "So, is my current boyfriend a scoundrel?"

"Professional fortune-telling, two thousand per session, no bargaining," Shen Wang immediately responded.

Without hesitation, the young woman sent a gift worth two thousand in Shen Wang's live stream. After that, as if she remembered something, she sent another gift of the same value.

"This way, when you withdraw the money, you can get the full two thousand without the platform taking half," the woman explained.

[Rich lady alert! Nonchalantly dropping 4,000 on gifts, she's definitely wealthy!]

[Typical naive and sweet girl, instantly sending gifts without a second thought, no wonder she's an easy target.]

[Are these people really not actors hired by Shen Wang? This seems too coincidental...]

Unconcerned with the comments in the chat, Shen Wang’s eyes sparkled as he spoke more softly to his generous benefactor, "Could you remove your mask? I’d like to see your face for a better reading."

The woman hesitated for a moment before taking off her mask, and when her true face was revealed, the live stream erupted in excitement.

[Holy cow, isn't she that singing streamer with millions of fans?]

[Feng Xiaomian!!! My goddess!!!]

[Isn't Feng Xiaomian's boyfriend that famous gamer streamer with a million fans, Hui Dawolf?]

[Hui Dawolf seems like a decent guy. He doesn’t get upset even when losing games, has good emotional control, and treats Xiaomian well. How could he be a scoundrel?]

“Xiaomian, I'm right beside you,” a stylishly dressed man squeezed into the frame, casting a peculiar glance at Shen Wang, “If you're watching a live stream, just watch. What's this about connecting? I thought you didn't like him. Why are you boosting his popularity?”

Feng Xiaomian, holding her phone, seemed momentarily at a loss, her gaze shifting between her boyfriend and Shen Wang. Ultimately, her boyfriend's presence prevailed, and she was about to exit the live stream.

"Your boyfriend, he's not a scoundrel," Shen Wang suddenly spoke up, causing Feng Xiaomian to pause.

She smiled, and her boyfriend, feigning dissatisfaction but with a twinkle in his eye, teasingly said to Xiaomian, “Now you’re satisfied, right?”

[I knew Hui Dawolf wasn’t a bad guy.]

[They're so sweet together, true couples are always more endearing than those forced pairings.]

[Best wishes for your 99th!]

Shen Wang's next words followed swiftly: "He is scum."

Both Feng Xiaomien and her boyfriend's smiles froze, and the boyfriend angrily retorted, "What do you mean? I get that you want to gain fame and ride on our popularity, but baseless slander is a bit much, isn’t it?"

The two men confronted each other through the phone screen, the chat still dotted with netizens' wishes, creating a tense yet somewhat comical atmosphere.

"You've been dating since your teens, juggling multiple girlfriends at once, even causing two to have abortions. You're all sweet talk during the relationship, but as soon as you're bored, you kick them to the curb," Shen Wang said, his look of disdain for the man intensifying.

Hui Dawolf roared in anger, drawing the attention of many passersby, but he was too engrossed to care: "Nonsense! I had a girlfriend before, but only that one ex, and we broke up amicably!"

"You were born in a rural area, your parents struggled to raise you. After studying in the city, you looked down on your small-town girlfriend and even your rural parents," Shen Wang continued, unperturbed.

"When you realized the vast gap between yourself and the wealthy, and that you could never bridge that class divide in a lifetime, you started targeting wealthy girlfriends, hoping to marry into a rich family for a shortcut to success. Your ex-girlfriend was your first target in this scheme."

"You were obsequious and eager to please her, but she had no intention of marrying you, only wanting a romantic relationship. When she broke up with you, however bitter, you had to accept it and then you met your current girlfriend – Feng Xiaomien."

"You must be desperate for fame, fabricating such a story to smear me," Hui Dawolf said with a grim expression, glaring furiously at Shen Wang.

[If it’s really like Shen Wang predicted, he's not just a scoundrel but utter scum.]

[This typical 'phoenix man'. If he really marries a rich and beautiful woman, who knows what might happen next, maybe even plotting against her family...]

[Wait, why are you all believing Shen Wang's baseless claims?]

[...I hate to admit it, but I'm starting to believe him a bit, he might actually have a point.]

[I think so too.]

【+1】

Hui Dawolf, after reading the barrage, had his chest heaving with anger, trying to regain his composure: "Shen Wang, this is slander. You've severely damaged my reputation and image. I have every right to sue you, so expect a court summons!"

"Fabricating non-existent stories to smear someone, that's slander. If you want to sue, it should be for violation of privacy and defamation," Shen Wang suggested thoughtfully after pondering for a couple of minutes.

His words infuriated Hui Dawolf even further.

Since becoming a live streamer, Hui Dawolf had always maintained a gentle, polite image as a gentleman gamer. This was the first time he nearly cursed on camera.

Shen Wang, having no fondness for Hui Dawolf, turned his gaze to Feng Xiaomien, who stood stunned and unsure. Out of kindness (and considering the 4000 worth of gifts), he advised, "Did he tell you he's an urbanite, orphaned?"

Feng Xiaomien's gaze flickered.

"His parents are alive and well. If you don’t believe it, I suggest checking his phone. If there are unmarked strange numbers that call him regularly, try calling back. You might be in for a surprise."

Feng Xiaomien motioned for Hui Dawolf to hand over his phone.

Hui Dawolf stood rigid, clutching his phone until his knuckles whitened. Amidst the live broadcast, with all eyes on them, and considering Feng Xiaomien had even more popularity and fans, he couldn't refuse.

Knowing the consequences of refusal, he handed over the phone.

Feng Xiaomien snatched the phone, scrolling through the call log, and indeed found a strange number that appeared monthly. She might have missed it if they didn't rely on chatting apps more than calls nowadays.

Observing Hui Dawolf's reaction and the mysterious number, Feng Xiaomien felt a premonition. Ignoring his pleading look, she dialed the number.

"Hello? Son, why are you calling? Do you need more money?..."

An invisible bomb exploded inside Feng Xiaomien and the audience's hearts.

[Damn, Shen Wang really has something special.]

[Incredible, how he can see through people over the internet. Does anyone around him have secrets, or do they feel eerie around him?]

[I'd like to say they're actors, but it's Feng Xiaomien and Hui Dawolf. How could Shen Wang afford to hire them?]

[Can someone like Hui Dawolf, a scoundrel, be a popular streamer? @Official, time to take action against this scum, ban him quickly!]

[Oh my, I apologize for ever badmouthing Shen Wang before. Is it too late to start calling him Brother Shen now?]

[Is Brother Shen still doing call-ins? I have a loli voice and want to know when I'll find a partner.]

Barrages of comments continued, half discussing Hui Dawolf's scandal, the other half admiring Shen Wang. Meanwhile, the viewers in Shen Wang's live room had surpassed a million.

From the initial tens of thousands who came to berate Shen Wang to over a million now, everyone had gone through a transformation from 'I'm here to lambast this charlatan' to 'Brother Shen is incredible'.

In front of everyone, Feng Xiaomien politely chatted with the elder on the phone, then, unable to hold back her tears any longer, she broke down: "It's over for us!"

Hui Dawolf turned ashen-faced, realizing he had not only lost his newly acquired rich girlfriend but also ruined his carefully crafted streaming persona, effectively getting blacklisted in the industry.

After Feng Xiaomien's stern parting words, she walked to a quiet corner and sobbed uncontrollably, thanking Shen Wang: "Thank you, Brother Shen... If it weren't for you... hic... I would have been fooled..."

Her crying and hiccupping, devoid of any image, tugged at her fans' heartstrings, flooding the chat with comforting messages.

[It's okay, Xiaomien. When one door closes, another opens. The next guy will be even better.]

[Good riddance to such a jerk. You're lucky you saw his true colors early.]

[Don't cry, goddess. Your tears are making me want to cry too.]

Shen Wang, however, remained unsympathetic: "I was just doing a job for money, no need to thank me."

Fans who were secretly hoping for a romantic pairing: [......]

[Brother Shen definitely doesn't have a girlfriend.]

Hearing this, Feng Xiaomien, tears still streaming, bombarded the screen with gifts, then cautiously asked: "Brother Shen, about that divorce three times thing... is it true?"

Her naive, easily-deceived appearance slightly pricked at Shen Wang's non-existent conscience: "No, it's not true. I just said that to tease you."

Only then did Feng Xiaomien remember she had initially joined the stream to argue with Shen Wang, and she had said some pretty harsh things. This realization made her cry even harder.

After tearfully apologizing, Feng Xiaomien voluntarily ended the live stream, planning to vent and heal with her close friends.

Seeing Shen Wang's intention to continue connecting with viewers, the barrage of comments eagerly tried to catch his attention, each person striving to stand out.

Some astute viewers noticed Shen Wang's particular interest and began bombarding him with gifts.

Attracted by the glittering effects of the gifts, Shen Wang noticed the precise amount of two thousand and chose to connect with the generous donor.

A well-dressed man, prepared for his moment, immediately asked, “Mr. Shen, what’s your take on the widespread rumor that you were supported by a benevolent family but extorted 15 million from them? Is this true?”

Shen Wang raised an eyebrow at the well-prepared inquisitor but remained silent.

Undeterred by the silence, the man pressed on, “Mr. Shen, besides the 15 million, did you also swindle 50,000 from their child?”

“After posting your edited video of saving someone with a pink umbrella, did you harbor ambitions of entering the entertainment industry?”

“Now that you’re live streaming, is it because you know your reputation is tarnished and the entertainment industry is off-limits, so you’re settling for being an internet celebrity?”

These sharp and precise questions targeted all of Shen Wang’s alleged scandals. Newcomers to the stream might have been swayed by the man's rhetoric to join the chorus of condemnation.

[What's with this guy? Who is he, harboring such malice against Brother Shen?]

[It's weird now that I think about it. What kind of saints are that family, sponsoring an orphan and then obediently paying a 15 million extortion? Don’t they know how to call the police?]

[The parents paid 15 million, and the son another 50,000... I feel like they didn’t sponsor Brother Shen, but rather he saved their entire family, and that’s why they're so good to him.]

[... With Shen Wang being so mystical, could he have cast a spell on that family?]

[It sounds far-fetched, but it's also possible.]

The man, initially satisfied with the barrage, suddenly stiffened. He had just joined the stream and was clueless about the previous events, hence his confusion at the strange comments.

He thought, shouldn't they be criticizing now? Why are these people not following the script? And why are their criticisms so bizarre, mentioning spells...

Trying to steer the conversation back on track, the man asked, “Mr. Shen, did you act this way towards the people who kindly helped you because you needed money?”

At this moment, the omnipotent viewers finally uncovered the man’s identity.

[Isn't that the journalist from Chengnan News, known for causing sensations with his reports?]

[I remember him now. Isn't he notorious for only caring about traffic and trends, completely disregarding the truth... Wasn't Chengnan News the first to spread the story about Brother Shen this time?]

[Ah, the infamous Chengnan News. Hearing this name actually puts me at ease.]

[I get you, I also felt relieved. There's a high chance the news is either false or twisted. Let's wait and see what Brother Shen has to say.]

Brother Shen said nothing in response to the man's questions. Instead, he stroked his chin, contemplating, and curiously remarked, "You are the hardest working person I've ever seen."

"What?" The man was taken aback, not quite understanding.

Shen Wang smiled gently, "You are surrounded by an aura of imminent death, only a few days to live, and yet here you are, working. I’ve never seen anyone so devoted to their job."

The man's face changed, "Mr. Shen, please don't joke about such things. Our relationship isn’t that close."

Shen Wang blinked, agreeing amicably, "Alright then, good luck to you."

Just as the man was gearing up to press Shen Wang further, aiming to write a controversial article to incite the wrath of netizens, he saw the barrage of exclamation marks on the live chat.

[Bro, I advise you to cling to Brother Shen's leg now!!]

[If Brother Shen says you’re going to die, then you’re going to die. Beg Brother Shen to save your life!!!]

[Stop being stubborn. Your life is on the line. Even if you have to call Shen Brother 'Dad', it’s a win for you!!!]

The man glanced at the eye-straining barrage of comments and then at Shen Wang's audacious nickname, "Your Daddy is Here," nearly choking in frustration. He almost lost his breath in anger.

"These netizens are too disobedient these days, not as easily swayed as before!"

Seeing that he couldn't incite the netizens against Shen Wang, and failing to extract any sensational news from him, the man cut the connection abruptly after saying only a few words.

Sitting in his office, he couldn't help but question, "What kind of magic does Shen Wang possess? Just yesterday the whole internet was cursing him, and today they're all calling him 'Brother Shen'... Earning money has never been this hard."

Saying so, the man stood up, deciding to take a break and leave the rest of the work to his subordinates.

However, as he walked through the corridor, the lights flickered continuously. Looking up, he muttered, "These lights need fixing, they've been flickering for days."

Talking to himself, he stepped into the elevator and casually pressed the button for the first floor, not noticing that the fourth floor button lit up simultaneously.

PS: I’ve been reported for having two 'receivers' in my story and the 'attacker' supposedly running a harem... It's such an injustice, really. The 'receiver' in my story is not even fragmented or schizophrenic; it's just incomplete memories.

It's like a document stored in the cloud. The version on the phone is one, and the version on the computer is another, but in reality, it's the same file. A simple refresh updates both the phone and computer to the latest version of the file.

Moreover, the 'receiver' in my story has only made an appearance so far without any emotional interaction. Reporting me for silver-grey pleas, I... am at a loss for words.

My readers should be quite familiar with my writing style by now. The relationship between silver-grey pleas and my story... is probably a tad closer than that between Lin Daiyu and Voldemort.