Chapter 93: Backlash

“Chu Ge, think of a solution, Chu Ge.”

The next morning, Chu Ge, still groggy from just waking up, was stopped by Qiu Wuji as he went to freshen up. “They all changed to that avatar. It looks like the same person is speaking.”

Chu Ge didn’t see a way out of this. “I’ve seen another author’s ghost avatar before, and it seemed like half of the reading community had it… Well, the popularity will die down after a while…”

“Are they all pretending to be me?” Qiu Wuji asked.

“It means you’re popular,” Chu Ge consoled. “If you join a fan group of a celebrity, you’ll also find that 90% of the avatars are that celebrity. It means you’re a star.”

“They don’t even know me. To them, I am just a character from the book. Can I still be considered a star?”

“It’s called a virtual idol. Look at my avatar too, it’s a two-dimensional beauty, and I also clash with others.”

“…Speaking of which, I forgot to ask you, who is your avatar?”

“…A foreign virtual celebrity named Aili Qiu Yue. You don’t need to know.”

“I don’t want to be a star!”

“It’s okay, it’s just virtual, not you.”

Qiu Wuji felt like she was listening but not really hearing what Chu Ge said.

But she clearly didn’t want others to use that avatar. When she saw that Chu Ge was using a foreign avatar, she became unhappy. “Change to mine too, don’t use a foreigner.”

“Fine, fine, fine,” Chu Ge responded.

He entered the bathroom to freshen up. “Let’s visit Panda and Wan Zijun today.”

“Oh,” Qiu Wuji completely forgot that she had just blocked them the previous night. “Yes, we should visit them. Panda has been working hard on the avatar.”

The two of them rode on their electric bike to the hospital and put on their Calabash Brothers masks before entering the ward. Zhong Yi and Chef Jin were there.

Seeing Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji enter the room wearing masks, Wan Zijun and Panda were deeply moved. They initially thought they were just anonymous masked individuals and didn’t have much of a connection. You see, the other masked individuals never showed up. But these two not only came to visit on the same day but also helped Chef Jin and his wife. They faced the knife-wielding assailant alone, and the next day, they came to visit again. That’s true loyalty!

Even real family members might not be so enthusiastic.

Both of them said, “Third Brother, no need to say anything. If you need help, just let us know. We’ll be there for you, through thick and thin. If someone even frowns at you, we’ll twist their heads off and use them as balls!”

Chu Ge wanted to say that he’d be happy if they continued their casual banter, but all he could say was, “It’s not that big of a deal, don’t exaggerate.”

Panda asked, “Third Brother, we want revenge. What do you think?”

Chu Ge nodded. It was only natural for those involved to have such thoughts, and it was easy to understand.

Rong Fu was a fugitive from another city. It was unlikely that he specifically targeted the Black Room. It was clear that he was just a hired hand. And that meant that the mastermind behind it all had yet to face any consequences. Who could be at ease with that? Lin Wuyang was worried about everyone seeking revenge yesterday and even warned against it.

Zhong Yi chimed in, “The police contacted me yesterday and warned us not to do anything reckless. I don’t think we’re involved in any illegal activities, so are there any other means of revenge?”

Chu Ge asked, “What means?”

Chef Jin said, “The Wang family owns a hotel. I can make their customers think the food is terrible. Then the police will come and arrest them, right?”

Chu Ge: “…”

Wan Zijun said, “I still feel unsatisfied. Let’s think of some other ways to deal with this. Don’t worry, we won’t do anything out of line.”

“Alright,” Chu Ge replied, “If there’s something I can help with that you can’t handle, you can call me… But I really don’t want to get too involved in these matters. I hope you all understand.”

“We understand, Third Brother is already very loyal! We shouldn’t trouble Third Brother too much,” Wan Zijun said, then he turned to Zhong Yi and asked, “Shouldn’t we ask Mr. Zhang, who hired us to work, what he thinks about this?”

Chu Ge, who had intended to bid farewell and leave since they seemed energetic and had no issues, paused slightly and started walking slower after hearing those words.

Qiu Wuji had been accompanying him like an assistant and spoke softly, “Do you suspect that even Rong Fu was hired by Zhang Qiren? To force the Black Room to join forces with him and indirectly expand his influence?”

“There’s a possibility,” Chu Ge whispered, “Think about it. If it was the Wang family who orchestrated this, would they intentionally control Rong Fu to prevent him from causing harm?”

“It’s hard to say…” Qiu Wuji also hesitated, “The Wang family might just want to seek revenge without making a big scene, which is understandable. But if it was Zhang Qiren, it seems…”

More vicious and more like a novel. Both of them, being writers, had such thoughts in their minds and couldn’t help but shake their heads and smile at the same time.

It shouldn’t be the case. They shouldn’t consider Zhang Qiren as some big boss. He had only recently taken over an industry as a scapegoat, and he didn’t have much power at hand. He was currently under close scrutiny, and even the underground boxing was shut down. Where would he find the capability to orchestrate so many operations?

On the other hand, his brother, Zhang Xiaoren, was currently under investigation for tax evasion. They wondered if this situation would further benefit Zhang Qiren’s “succession” plans.

“Not to mention that matter, Qiren’s overall operation is still very impressive. With the ongoing conflict between the Wang family and his brother, it feels like the atmosphere that had them constantly on the verge of being arrested has dissipated. Everyone’s attention is no longer on him, but he’s quietly reaping benefits behind the scenes.”

Qiu Wuji looked up, thought for a moment, and shook her head. “Since you and I know about it, do you think his father is aware?”

…………

In a small apartment, a fat lady kicked open the door with a group of people imposingly.

A middle-aged woman with white strands of hair stood there in astonishment. “What are you doing?”

“You damn bitch, ask your bastard what he’s been up to!” The fat lady walked up and intented to slap her. “I’ve said it before, you people always cause trouble and unrest in the family!”

Smack!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The slap didn’t land on the woman; she was pulled back by someone, and Zhang Qiren appeared in her place. Without defending himself, he took the full force of the slap on his face.

The slap was so heavy that Zhang Qiren’s head turned to the side, his glasses askew, but he remained silent, a faint cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

At the same time, the fat lady who had struck him felt a sharp sting on her face as well, accompanied by a crisp smack sound. Her face visibly reddened.

Clearly, no one had hit her…

She had hit Zhang Qiren, but the impact seemed to bounce back onto her?

Clutching her face, the fat lady wailed in pain, “You bastard! You dare to hit me!”

Zhang Qiren adjusted his glasses, turned around, and supported his mother with a slight smile. “How could I dare to hit Auntie? If Auntie wants to hit me, I can only endure it.”

His face was also swollen, but he smiled without any concern.

His mother hurriedly went to fetch medicine in a flustered manner. “This child… sigh…”

The fat lady angrily shouted, “What are you all standing there for? Teach him a lesson!”

The subordinates beside them exchanged glances, looking at Zhang Qiren’s smiling face, but none of them dared to move.

It’s their family matter, why should they interfere? What if this person takes over in the future? Will they still have a good life? Besides, this person’s capabilities… touching him is equivalent to hitting themselves. Who would dare to provoke him after eating their fill?

“Fine, fine! You’ve all grown wings and no longer listen, huh!” The fat lady became furious, her whole body trembling with anger.

Zhang Qiren interrupted with a smile, “Some things, Auntie may not like to hear, but you already know them… I want the money in the family, and I have long coveted the entire real estate company. So, this tax issue, it’s like cutting my own flesh. I also bear a grudge against the Wang family. Auntie doesn’t pick fights with enemies, but instead hates me. What’s the reason behind it?”

“It’s all because you greedy scoundrels eat from both sides! If you can’t have it, you want to destroy it!” The fat lady shouted hysterically, “I know all about you despicable people!”

“Heh…” Zhang Qiren smiled briefly, but there was no joy on his face. He calmly said, “When speaking, one should provide evidence. I could also say that it was Zhang Xiaoren who provoked our business partners on his own, causing losses to the family. This useless person can’t afford to compensate for it even in ten lifetimes!”

The fat lady, filled with anger, sneered, “And what can a despicable bastard like you do about it?”

Zhang Qiren calmly responded, “The country is increasingly valuing people with special abilities. You’re still stuck in the old ways, being bold and fierce, involved in criminal organizations, gambling, drugs, underground fighting… Aside from making others take the blame and using connections, you’re incapable of anything else.”

He paused, his smile turning cold. “A special ability can make people think the food is tasteless, and naturally, there is a special ability that makes people want to buy our houses. A special ability can make people speak the truth, and naturally, there is a special ability to shine at the negotiation table. But you, with your bloated minds and guts, have never considered… that times have changed, madam.”

A man’s voice came from outside the door, “Do you want to clean up after yourself?”

Zhang Qiren replied promptly, “I’m just saving myself, Father. The current state of Zhang Xiaoren, who is in the interrogation room in distress, is the ending they prepared for me a month ago. Now, I’m just letting him taste it on my behalf, that’s all.”

…

Directory of People With Special Abilities:

Name: Zhang Qiren.

Identity: Illegitimate child of the Zhang family in Nanjiang, current legal representative of the Miracle Nightclub.

Ability: Backlash – Feedback of received injuries.

Development Level: Unknown.

Nature: Combat?

Potential:?

As Gu Ruoyan wrote up to this point, she furrowed her brow and felt that she couldn’t evaluate it.