Inside the peacekeeper station.
When the wall collapses, everyone gives it a shove. Someone had reported Xie Litang for online fraud, and after receiving the report, the peacekeepers came knocking.
“Student Xie, regarding the online dating?”
Without a second thought, Xie Litang replied, “I admit to all of it, I apologize, and I will pay back the money.”
The peacekeeper: “...”
“Since that is the case, according to the criminal law—”
While monitoring her system and taking out a loan for Heartsteel, Xie Litang looked at the peacekeeper and said, “It doesn't fall under criminal law. What I admit to is misusing Xue Qingyue's photos, and she is entitled to pursue legal accountability.”
“As for the online dating?”
“I will explain everything clearly to them, and I will return every single cent of their money.”
“Therefore, this is a personal emotional matter.”
“It counts as a civil dispute.”
“Not a criminal case.”
After much back-and-forth, Xie Litang finally emerged from the peacekeeper station.
However, a record had already been logged in the security system. Going forward, it all depended on whether those so-called online dating partners would hold her accountable.
Even so, what did it matter? Xie Litang murmured, “This world is invaded by demon beasts. As long as I grow fast enough, the penal code won't be able to catch up to my movement techniques.”
Then, she looked at her panel.
【Name: Xie Litang.】
【Ability: Teammate Sacrifice, Uses: 0.】
【Class: Swordmaster, Wind-Style Swordsmanship.】
【Vitality: 60, Spirit: 45.】
【Equipment: Heartsteel.】
【Note: Heartsteel's passive 'Colossal Consumption' has a 30-second cooldown against the same target.】
【Note 2: Maintaining a distance within 700 yards of an enemy champion for three seconds will complete the charge. Striking the target will trigger an empowered attack.】
【Note 3: The empowered attack's damage (true damage) is equal to 3% of the host's maximum health, permanently granting bonus health equal to 10% of that empowered attack damage. (Slightly modified for this book to make calculations easier.)】
“Very good.”
“Next, I need to find a place to start stacking Steel.”
In the western district.
Walking down a deep, gloomy corridor led into the underground city.
During the early days of the rift cataclysm, this place had been a fallout shelter.
Later, once humanity regained its footing, the shelter turned into a slum instead.
Dilapidated houses stood everywhere, housing those at the very bottom of society.
Deep within her memories, the original owner had desperately tried to escape this place. She wanted to brush shoulders with high-society elites and integrate into Xue Qingyue's circle, only to sink deeper and deeper as a result.
Fortunately, she had held onto her bottom line.
Or rather, she wasn't completely brainless.
Even if she wanted to latch onto a wealthy heir, her chastity was her only remaining bargaining chip, making her decent in that sense at least.
Opening the door to her apartment.
A faint scent of cooking grease drifted from inside.
It was a single-room studio; aside from a bed and a bathroom, the room was crammed with pots, pans, and bowls.
Amid a creaking sound, a wheelchair with stubborn wheels turned around, and the young girl sitting in it looked over.
“Sister.”
A single word spoke louder than a thousand.
Setting down the suitcase in her hand, Xie Litang sighed and asked, “You know everything?”
“It was all over the news.”
“Do you think I'm dirty?”
“If you're dirty, Sister, then what does that make me, spending your money?”
Wheeling herself forward, the girl gently hugged Xie Litang and said in a subdued voice, “Sister is the best person in the whole world. If you hadn't taken me in, Sister, I would have died outside long ago. From now on, let me protect you instead, okay?”
The girl's name was Chen Linling.
The original owner hadn't done it out of pure kindness; she had needed the persona of a gravely ill younger sister to explain away her wretched family background, so she had adopted the homeless, disabled Chen Linling whose legs were paralyzed.
Even so, she had never deprived Chen Linling of food or clothing, which could be considered a sliver of kindness preserved in the depths of her heart.
Handing her phone over, Xie Litang said, “If you have time, help me tally up how much money I actually took from those online dating partners over the years.”
Afterward, she headed to the bathroom to wash up.
The bathroom was exceedingly cramped, so tight that she couldn't even stretch her arms out straight, yet it was spotlessly clean without the slightest foul odor.
Clear water washed across her cheeks, scrubbing away the heavy layers of garish makeup to reveal a delicate, charming face.
“She was clearly so pretty.”
“Why did she have to ruin herself like that?”
Xie Litang mumbled under her breath.
Her gaze drifted downward for a moment.
Her cheeks instantly flushed burning hot. What she used to only see on a phone screen, she could now see right here in the mirror. Mixed emotions surged within Xie Litang.
As for how she felt about turning into a girl?
How else was she supposed to look at it?
In the mirror, of course.
Don't ask what kind of mood she was in right now. If asked, she was just a man who loved playing Yasuo to stack Heartsteel... Ah, no, a woman now.
After quickly washing up.
Chen Linling looked slightly astonished and asked, “Sister, you finished that fast? Didn't you always take at least half an hour before?”
Xie Litang replied casually, “Wasn't in the mood.”
Chen Linling fetched a hairdryer and, seated in her wheelchair, began drying Xie Litang's hair.
At the same time, a freshly compiled ledger was produced.
With merely a glance, Xie Litang's brows knit tightly together.
The original owner had dated four people online, receiving several hundred thousand in various gifts and cash, and had even racked up over a hundred thousand in online loans.
Gathering Xie Litang's hair in her hands, Chen Linling took a soft whiff and whispered, “Sister, we can pay it back slowly. I can also take on some commissions online to earn money.”
Xie Litang shook her head. “There's no paying this slowly.”
Soon, she opened her contacts.
The debts of the original body had to be borne by her, its current owner. Xie Litang composed a message to the four online dating partners:
【The online relationship was fake, and the photos were fake as well. For all of my actions, I can only offer two words: I'm sorry. You can report this to the peacekeepers, and you can send me a lawyer's letter. But if possible, please give me one year to pay back all of your money. The tally is as listed above.】
A moment later...
Ding-dong~
【Eldest Young Master Qi: Baby, are you short on cash? I'll transfer you another twenty thousand. Cheer up.】
【I Want to Be the God of War: On a mission right now, it's my fault for neglecting you. I'll send you some demon beast cores later.】
【Time-Stop Ability Is Number One: Did someone bully you? I can kill him three times in a single second.】
【Ancient Martial Arts Reign Supreme: Just give me a little more time, okay? Once I beat the crap out of all the old geezers in my family, nothing will be able to stand between us anymore.】
Xie Litang: ?
Just what kind of chuunibyous had the original owner managed to find?
Then again, it seemed only people like this were prime targets to be scammed out of money.
Xie Litang couldn't be bothered to waste words on them, so she simply copied the link to today's Jianghai City news and sent it over.
Sure enough.
The four accounts fell silent immediately.
Xie Litang waited a moment longer before letting out a small sigh of relief. “Not demanding the money back on the spot is already the best outcome.”
There was nothing more to say; life still had to go on.
What Xie Litang had to figure out now was how to keep living while also stacking Heartsteel.
Venturing outside the city was out of the question for now. With her current frail stats, she would probably be mauled to death by demon beasts the moment she stepped foot outside.
Xie Litang pondered for a moment and murmured, “So, are there any restrictions on Heartsteel targets?”
“Whatever.”
“Let's stack it once and see.”
Xie Litang's gaze drifted toward Chen Linling.
Then she immediately shook her head. Her younger sister was so cute; if she hit her, she would cry for a long time.
Conducting an experiment was simple enough. Xie Litang rummaged through boxes and chests, and in the end... she still failed to find a single cockroach.
She had no idea how Chen Linling managed to keep the place so spotless when she was wheelchair-bound.
Fortunately, this was an old residential district in the underground city, and Xie Litang soon came back with a few cockroaches she had caught outside.
Rubbing her hands together.
She brought her foot down with a stomp, and the cockroach burst apart.
Immediately after...
CLANG~
【Heartsteel triggered. Vitality +0.18.】
Xie Litang closed her eyes right then and there, shivering all over from pure bliss, feeling her very soul tremble.
That sound.
It was like hearing celestial music, cleansing the ears in an instant.
Rate on N.U.
