ASER - Chapter 53
Chapter 53: Extortion
A'Diao flipped through the list of those who had contributed psychic power to her, discovering that Song Ling had contributed the most, followed by Cui Liang and Cui Yong...
The Cui family members certainly learned the news quickly.
A'Diao watched as her psychic power continued to increase. She roughly calculated that by the time she reached the hotel, she would probably have accumulated 300,000.
Becoming rich overnight was just like this.
However, since her psychic power was already skyrocketing so quickly, why not make it even faster?
So, A'Diao contacted Zhao Min.
A minute later, Zhao Min finally stopped repeating various exclamations like “Holy crap!” and “Carry me!”, and forwarded a certain piece of news from online to the high school group chat and his social media Moments, tagging everyone in the process.
Then, people started to cue A'Diao, their words, both explicit and implicit, asking, “Is it true?” “Is it you?” “You’re kidding, right!”
And so, at this point, A'Diao finally had a logical reason to go online.
Huang Weimin actually already knew the news. After all, being in the education circle, he paid attention to news from other schools, and secondly, the leaders in the education bureau above him had learned the news first, with inquiries coming down layer by layer.
He had confirmed the authenticity of the news, so when he saw A'Diao's reply in the group, he nearly spat out his drink.
Because she had said the following:
—The news spread so fast? How annoying, I wasn't even prepared. If any media reporters try to interview you, please turn them down. Please don't let me affect everyone's lives, and don't praise me too much, or they'll think I'm truly flawless, and that would be very awkward for me. What do you all think?
She was being so coy and sanctimonious.
The group chat fell into a stunned silence.
Then, she posted a picture and a sentence on her Moments.
The text was as follows—Sometimes, the excessive gazes and praises of others are a burden. How I long to return to the quiet mountain forests of the past, to feel the breeze and admire the moon, aloof and independent from the world. So, if heaven were to give me another chance to choose, I would definitely… let you all praise me even more fiercely.
The picture was an animated GIF—the camera zoomed in on the back view of a plump eagle on a cliff. Then, a hand-drawn cartoon version of the plump eagle, facing forward, slowly turned around, revealing short, fat wings and a chubby eagle face. Its sharp gaze lowered, it pulled out large black sunglasses from its side, slowly hung a thick gold chain around its neck as if adorned with glory, and then snap, struck a classic, cool selfie pose.
Come on, strike a pose, you take the picture.
And then, get that psychic power flowing for me!
When Chen Ran learned the news, he was working at the Cishi's office. The meeting was halfway through, and during a coffee break, he choked, nearly suffocating.
After successively learning the two extreme pieces of news—A'Diao burying Cui Yun alive, thus mortally offending the Cui Clan, and then her taking first place—his expression flickered. His eyes showed both anger and depth, but also a flash of joy, before finally settling into silence.
His subordinates outside the break room wondered what was wrong with their boss. Soon, they found out. They had intended to congratulate him collectively, but discovered Chen Ran emerging with an utterly unruffled demeanor.
Truly worthy of being the Cishi. Unruffled by honor or disgrace, no wonder he could raise such outstanding children.
A so-called dark horse is someone outside public prediction and expectation. Whether it was the most attention-grabbing A'Diao or Bai He, both were super surprises, igniting the sensitive hearts of the common people and even the powerful elites throughout Danzhou.
The powerful thought: Two country bumpkins? Our noble sons are ranked behind them! This must be discrimination against the children of us, the powerful!
The common people thought: They're all country bumpkins, so why are these two kids so amazing, while our kids aren't? Is it really fair?
The commotion at the school gate was even greater than inside the school. The intensity of the discussions was insane, even escalating to online arguments, all revolving around one key point.
Whether it was Bai He or the Tian siblings, their results were somewhat understandable. But Chen A'Diao had been too far behind. For her to leapfrog to first place, was there a reliable scoring algorithm to support it?
Yes, the key point was this core algorithm.
Society demanded that Jinling Academy disclose the algorithm, but this kind of uproar wasn't unique to Jinling; academies in almost all provinces faced similar doubts.
Anyway, it had nothing to do with A'Diao.
The other examinees, the media at the school gate, the parents of other examinees, or even people from the Chen family... once the car door closed, none of it concerned her.
She only focused on the wildly accumulating psychic power.
The roadside scenery flashed by as the car headed towards the Flowing Light Hotel. Lao Wang was filled with fervent enthusiasm, like a young man in high spirits after successfully wooing his wife. But before he could say anything, he carefully peeked at A'Diao in the back seat, who looked weary and was currently looking at her phone.
The phone kept ringing; it was Chen Ran's call.
There was no contact name saved, but she knew who was calling. Queued up after it was an unknown number, which should be Xie Yuqing's, but A'Diao glanced at it and turned off her phone.
Not long after she turned off her phone, Lao Wang's phone rang.
He tensed up, but when he saw A'Diao lift her eyes and glance at him listlessly, Lao Wang shivered and decisively turned off his phone.
Third Miss is still testing me, and I will definitely pass the test!
A glorious future awaits me!
But for many people in Qishan Town, it was an unimaginable nightmare.
How could it be possible! This is too surreal!
Chen A'Diao, that little Daoist apprentice who was rather infamous in this small town, who grew up being looked down upon, who spent her days carrying a tattered bag, roaming streets and alleys, crossing mountains to earn money for her studies, so rustic and unsophisticated—how did she dare to choose to take the Jinling Academy exam?
The most terrifying thing was that she actually passed.
“Not only did she pass, she got first place!” Zhao Min deliberately said loudly in front of parents who used to belittle A'Diao, causing them to feel both annoyed and panicked.
Would Chen A'Diao retaliate against them?
Would she continue to associate with their son?
The couple was bewildered.
Anyway, after repeatedly confirming that this Chen A'Diao was the person they knew, the people of Qishan contributed some psychic power to A'Diao—many individual contributions, but not high in amount.
But what they didn't know was that, apart from a few Qishan people like Zhang San, Zhao Min, and Huang Weimin, A'Diao no longer cared whether their psychic power stemmed from goodwill or ill will.
The Flowing Light Hotel upgraded her to a suite, the catering service was elevated, the service attitude was top-notch, the manager provided VIP private exclusive service, the bathtub was larger and more luxurious, and most importantly, all of this was free. The money originally paid for the suite was fully refunded to her card, and they even gave her a complimentary Flowing Light Hotel VIP Gold Card.
It wasn't much, just a 10% discount, but it was a symbol of status.
Capitalists truly possess the keenest sense of smell and the most opportunistic tentacles.
After exchanging a few words with the manager, A'Diao entered her room. Although very tired, she took the opportunity, while the Spiritual Energy absorbed from today's aptitude test was not yet fully digested, to turn on the 'rice cooker' again.
The tomato and egg drop soup was prepared, and the 'toilet's' Spiritual Energy was absorbed.
While other examinees were surrounded by various relatives and public attention, she holed up in the Flowing Light Hotel for a full five days.
She stayed in so much that the Flowing Light Hotel staff thought she was going to sleep herself to death in the room. Fortunately, the meals delivered daily were consumed—and the consumption was not small.
Well, this newly minted first-place winner of the Jinling Academy entrance exam probably had a rather large appetite.
“This isn't just large, it's a bottomless pit,” a chef couldn't help but complain.
One little girl ate as much as three adult men.
The manager checked the data on consumed ingredients daily. Ignoring the chef's remarks, he carefully changed the food items, making the ingredients increasingly expensive and closer to impurity-free, high-energy food sources.
“Um, Manager, this investment isn't small. Is it really necessary?” The assistant manager didn't quite understand. Jinling Academy had third-year prodigies about to embark on the major battle of the college entrance exams; they were the future elites closest to the center of power. Below them were the prodigies who had passed the internal selection. Why focus so intently on this Chen A'Diao?
“What do you know? Geniuses exist, but is the Flowing Light Hotel the only capital they have? Many people might be questioning the true value of Chen A'Diao's first place, but first is first. Just watch, those people making a fuss now won't be able to stir up any significant trouble.”
The manager didn't say much more, only thinking to himself: Jinling Academy has blocked the news, and the Cui Clan is unwilling to discuss it much. Both sides deliberately suppressed Cui Yun's death. But with so many examinees, there are bound to be some loose-lipped ones. The big boss above already knew this little girl was ruthless. At such a young age, without even mastering Spirit Power, she could kill Cui Yun under the teachers' noses and get away scot-free. Coupled with Chen Xun's rise, these Chen siblings are incredibly valuable.
It's just tens of thousands of Star Coins for groceries, what's that?
Since she didn't answer the phone on the day the exam ended, Chen Ran and his wife didn't call again. The rest of the Chen family also seemed very calm.
Speaking of which, when it came to keeping a low profile, the entire Chen family, young and old, was truly seasoned and shrewd.
And five days later, A'Diao had consumed all the tomato and egg drop soup.
Warm morning light streamed in. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the morning sun had risen. Hovercars flew between the vast steel forests, but there were no traffic lanes near the Flowing Light Hotel; instead, there were many parks and lakes, offering pleasant scenery. However, no one could see inside the spacious and bright fitness room behind the windows, where a girl in a tank top and shorts lightly hopped twice on the ground, then twisted her body, exerted force, lifted her leg, and executed a spinning side kick... Bang!! After her foot struck the contact surface of the force tester, the optical computer beeped and calculated the strength data.
G2 and almost G3.
A'Diao carefully examined the data. “A bit better than yesterday, not bad.”
Wiping the dripping sweat with a towel, she compared her progress over the past five days using the data.
For five days, she had been maxing out her psychic power consumption to absorb the 'toilet's' Spiritual Energy daily, while also undergoing crazily high-intensity training. Her rate of improvement was even greater than before, but correspondingly, the impurity-cleansing effect of the egg drop soup on her body was becoming weaker.
However, she still had 250,000 psychic power remaining. Adding the five Spirit Gate absorption chances gifted to her by Feng Ting, her potential for improvement was very high—the Spiritual Vessel and the Spirit Gate could be used simultaneously, and the amount of Spiritual Energy would stack.
But A'Diao still wanted to maximize her benefits. So, five days ago, she had inquired with the 'Toilet' and learned that after it reached level three, it would undergo upgrades in various aspects, with new formulas, skills, and other functions appearing, requiring even more psychic power. She estimated that 250,000 might not be enough by then.
Of course, money would definitely be insufficient as well.
The medicinal herbs were still hoarded in the bank; she would have to sort and reuse them according to the formulas available at that time. Anyway, the most important thing right now was to get 21 Spirit Cores.
Actually, with Demonic Spirits becoming more numerous, Spirit Cores should still be in circulation. But you just couldn't buy them unless you offered a high price, and those willing to pay high prices had their own channels to buy them out. A'Diao had no channels to intercept them.
Most importantly, she had no money.
Ah!! Why, even after getting first place, did she still have to suffer the kind of hardship only a broke loser would experience!
A'Diao was originally in a terrible mood, but after glancing at herself in the mirror, she paused for a moment, and her mood improved slightly.
Knock, knock, knock. Someone was at the door. It was Lao Wang.
He had come specially to deliver sour plum juice, which his wife had brewed, saying it was to reduce internal heat on such a hot day.
This couple was honest and kind-hearted, but also smart. A'Diao indeed lacked people to run errands for her, so she had somewhat reluctantly accepted them.
Although she still hadn't paid any attention to the Chen family members...
“Third Miss, you are leaving today. I wonder if you are returning to the Chen family, or...”
“Of course, I'm not here to urge you on behalf of the family. Anyway, my wife and I will follow you, so you'll have someone to assign tasks to.”
“It's just that the butler told me today that Official Chen has been very busy recently and really has no time to come and pick you up to go home. Plus, he figured you might be feeling down because of the Cui family affair and might have some misunderstandings about him, so he let you rest for a few days first. However, this morning, he had the butler relay a message, saying that your cultivation requires a better environment and some resources. Although our family isn't some wealthy and powerful clan, to commend your exam results this time, providing you with 10 level-1 Spirit Cores and so on is still doable...”
A'Diao had been eating by herself, letting his words go in one ear and out the other, but as soon as she heard 'Spirit Cores,' she immediately 'plugged' her right ear.
She looked up at Lao Wang, who said somewhat naively, “The butler asked if you would like to go home to get them, or wait for Official Chen to deliver them to you personally?”
Chen Ran was a pragmatic man. As long as there was value, he wouldn't let A'Diao stay outside the family's fold.
Coincidentally, father and daughter were cut from the same cloth; A'Diao was also pragmatic. As long as there were benefits... the existence of that old dog Chen Ran wasn't unbearable.
At least he was a handsome old man, not to mention her biological mother was a stunning beauty.
Just looking at their faces was somewhat pleasing to the eye.
Just looking at the Spirit Cores... made her burst with joy!
So, A'Diao took out her phone and, in front of Lao Wang, dialed a number back.
Well now, it was answered instantly.
Official Chen was indeed pragmatic. The moment he spoke, it was with the calm, experienced tone of a loving father.
Gratification, praise, subtly reminding her that she shouldn't have recklessly killed Cui Yun before, but also acknowledging that Cui Yun got what he deserved. Now, fortune and misfortune were intertwined, and she must keep a low profile... Only at the very end did he mention the Spirit Cores.
His tone was perfectly modulated, neither too soft nor too forceful, making the listener feel as pleasant as if bathed in a spring breeze.
A'Diao, whose attention had once again started to drift, 'sealed' her right ear again. Hearing about the Spirit Cores, she deliberately softened her voice and said gently, “Father, please don't say any more. Actually, ever since I came to Jinling, I've felt that my humble self is incompatible with this prosperous and noble city. I am an unfortunate person, prone to bringing bad luck since childhood. Not only do I displease Father, but I also easily bring disaster upon the family. You see, Cui Yun is a lesson from the past. So, I've decided to pack my things later and return to the mountains, never to come out again.”
Chen Ran, who had been enthusiastically contacted by many superiors these past few days and praised for his family's excellent genes and feng shui, couldn't stand hearing this. He said sternly, “Nonsense! You are my biological daughter, how could I despise you? As for Cui Yun, he got what he deserved. Don't be influenced by what others say. Besides, you have such good aptitude, how can it be buried?”
If word got out, how could he face others? It would be a total loss, and he'd be laughed to death by his colleagues!
A'Diao: “But cultivation not only consumes Spirit Cores, it also consumes money! How can I let Father spend so much!”
Chen Ran: “...”
He understood. He couldn't just give Spirit Cores; she wanted Star Coins too.
“It won't cost much money. You are a frugal and well-behaved child, you certainly won't spend it recklessly. As a reward, I also plan to give you a sum of money this time, consider it start-up capital for your cultivation.”
Chen Ran's words also subtly laid a trap, implying she should be frugal and not expect more.
A'Diao's voice immediately filled with some alarm, “Father, this won't do! We are father and daughter. I wasn't saying these things to ask you for money. Talking about money hurts our feelings so much. But... how much money?”
Chen Ran felt a momentary stuffiness, then slowly said, “Two hundred thousand Star Coins.”
Acceptable. This amount wasn't stingy.
A'Diao continued, “You are the parent official of Lingcheng, always honest and upright. Our family isn't exactly super-rich. You wouldn't embezzle for my sake, would you? If so, wouldn't your daughter be a sinner? At that time, even a soft-hearted me might not be able to place righteousness above family ties.”
The Chen family didn't have a tradition of patricide as a sacrifice to heaven, after all.
She felt her heart was still quite soft; otherwise, she would have smashed Chen Ran's dog head three hundred times over long ago.
Chen Ran paused, almost thinking he was talking to his eldest son, but still said, “Although I am the Cishi of Lingcheng and control some Spirit Core resources, I cannot embezzle. I obtained some Spirit Cores within the limits permitted by the imperial court. Since I have no particular talent for cultivation, these are naturally for you children—your elder brother and second elder sister both have theirs. Your results this time were outstanding, so naturally, you have yours too: 10 level-1 Spirit Cores, which you can get when you return home. As for the 200,000 Star Coins, that is also reasonable family income and certainly not from corruption or breaking the law. It will be transferred to your account shortly.”
Oh, alright then. Then transfer the money soon.
Once the benefits were settled, A'Diao lost all desire to continue talking with Chen Ran.
She understood Chen Ran very well. No matter how well she performed in the exam, if she was allocated 10 level-1 Spirit Cores, it meant Chen Ran had given Chen Xun and even Chen Yang at least 30 each. As for that second elder sister, she didn't know, but being born of the principal wife, she couldn't have received less than A'Diao.
However, A'Diao, of course, gleefully accepted and also agreed to return to the Chen family.
Chen Ran, however, told her not to return to Lingcheng, but to go directly to the main family residence in Jinling, as it wasn't like they didn't have a house there.
“Besides, you have to report to the academy the day after tomorrow; traveling back and forth would be troublesome.”
As for the Spirit Cores, he would have someone deliver them to the ancestral home.
A'Diao was naturally even more pleased.
“Mainly, I'm afraid of implicating you, Father. Since you dote on me so much, Father, how could your daughter be unfilial? I will definitely serve you until your old age.”
Her words were sweet, the kind fathers always like to hear. But after hanging up, Chen Ran recalled the news about A'Diao burying Cui Yun alive to the tune of a suona. Coupled with the fact that this girl had been hated by humans and ghosts alike and was incredibly unlucky since childhood, he felt inexplicably uneasy.
She spoke of providing for him in his old age, but it sounded more like she wanted to arrange his funeral.
Sigh, such talent, why wasn't it given to A'Xun, to make him proficient in both scholarly and martial arts? Or even giving it to Yangyang would have been good.
No, Yangyang still needs to start training early.
Let's start with getting up and doing the horse stance.
Young Master Chen, who had lived a comfortable and pampered life since childhood, was about to explode when his mother, Xie Yuqing, pulled off his quilt. But Xie Yuqing was also helpless. She gently soothed him, “Yangyang, your father wants you to get up and practice martial arts. Your aptitude is surely extraordinary too, but you need to build a good foundation... If you don't get up, Father will deduct your monthly allowance, and Mother can't bear to see you unable to even afford candied haws.”
Xie Yuqing didn't mention a word about her own beauty expenses also being deducted. Compared to her son's pitiful state of having to get up early for horse stance, her own beauty was, of course, more important.
Anyway, she couldn't let that Xu woman be more beautiful than her!
From Chen Yang +1+1+1...
A'Diao packed her things that very day and swiftly went to the Chen family's ancestral home. But throughout the entire day, she was annoyed to death by the 'Toilet's' +1+1 notifications.
What was wrong with this unlucky younger brother? Was he constipated?
Although she was inwardly complaining about her 'cheap' younger brother, A'Diao knew how to conduct herself. Before leaving, she said goodbye to the Flowing Light Hotel manager. The manager, who had always been sensitive and observant, was somewhat surprised to see A'Diao after several days, but he saw her off appropriately. After A'Diao left, he secretly mused: This wasn't someone idling away her time in a luxurious mansion; it was more like high-intensity cultivation. Look at the changes in her skin and vitality, even her appearance had changed somewhat. The most obvious was her height; she seemed to have grown a little taller.
Hmm, the good food wasn't eaten for nothing.
The Chen family's residence in Jinling was a large mansion with four courtyards, about three thousand square meters in area. However, it couldn't compare to the mountain-and-lake-occupying lairs of those truly wealthy and powerful clans. Its location was in the official-rank district of the second ring, second only to the core area where Jinling's most crucial figures resided.
Very nice. Everything about the large mansion was good, overwhelmingly beautiful, and filled with the scent of money everywhere. The servants had also been well-instructed; they were earnest and respectful, addressing her as 'Respected Third Miss' with every word.
A'Diao paid them no mind, her head full of thoughts about swiping a few antiques to sell for money.
Toilet: You're deliberately ignoring Chen Ran, waiting for a better offer.
Just like how she hadn't actually suffered a cultivation deviation at all, but had long since decided to kill Cui Yun.
A'Diao didn't deny it. It was just a tactic, not worth mentioning. What she cared about were the Spirit Cores.
Night fell, and lanterns hung, their orange light softly winding along the covered bridge. From the independent cultivation room in the small courtyard assigned to her, she could see the outside scenery by just opening the window.
Across the stream, the eaves of a waterside pavilion turned upwards as if holding the bright moon-pearl in its mouth. The sound of water gurgled, sparkling and crystal clear. Surrounding it were exquisite screen walls, green plantain trees, and flowers in tranquil hues.
What a good place.
A'Diao, however, was in no mood to appreciate it. She took the bag respectfully given to her by the old butler guarding the Jinling residence, weighed it in her hand, and was a little surprised. Opening it, she indeed saw more than 10 Spirit Cores inside.
Had Chen Ran's brain been kicked by a donkey? Or was his math so bad he couldn't count?
There were a total of 30 level-1 Spirit Cores inside.
The old butler was quite frank.
“It was the Eldest Young Master. He came this morning and said his cultivation aptitude was average, so Spirit Cores were useless to him. He then divided what he received equally between his two younger sisters. Both Second Miss and you, Third Miss, received some—20 Spirit Cores each. But there's no need to let Official Chen know; it's a small matter.”
As the old butler spoke, he calmly observed this 'resurrected' Third Miss. Her appearance was thin and frail, not matching her age, indicating she hadn't lived well outside. But her eyes could be both serene and lively, making him vaguely feel that this Third Miss, who had never been anticipated by anyone in the Chen family since her youth, was actually very similar to the Eldest Young Master.
Their minds, their strength.
Resting her cheek on her hand, A'Diao didn't overthink it. She picked out ten cores and pushed the rest back.
“Eldest Brother is exceptionally intelligent. No need for more words; he understands.”
Actually, she could have treated it like her dealings with Chen Ran—taking everything and giving nothing back. After all, her father had given birth to her but not raised her, abandoning her like trash; he ought to compensate her.
Even though she knew she was an unlucky jinx who burdened others, these years of growing up wild outside had cultivated a crafty disposition in her, and she still felt quite resentful. It was just that now she had grown up and understood how to weigh pros and cons. Now, it was merely mutual exploitation; no one owed anyone anything.
But her elder brother had no responsibility to raise her, which didn't mean he naturally owed her anything. If she took these now, it would mean she owed him instead.
It was only 20 level-1 Spirit Cores. Not worth it.
Moreover, A'Diao knew very well that Chen Xun was far more formidable than Chen Ran and not easy to deal with. Before understanding his true attitude towards her, if she were to 'capsize in a gutter,' she would have nowhere to cry.
The old butler didn't say anything either, took the Spirit Cores, and withdrew.
The 'Toilet,' however, found it a pity. “You're still short 11 energy points. Where do you plan to get them? Or will you wait until you get the Spirit Power cultivation method at Jinling Academy, and then, with some capital, find an earth cave to fight Demonic Spirits?”
Earth caves were everywhere now; there were some in the outskirts of Jinling. The imperial court was recruiting righteous volunteers everywhere to go and exterminate them. It was indeed the simplest way to earn Spirit Cores.
Unfortunately, it was also dangerous because you never knew how many Demonic Spirits you would encounter, or what level they would be.
“That's not urgent. I need to master Spirit Power and make other preparations first. I didn't strive to stand out just to rush off and die.” A'Diao cherished her life and hadn't considered this for the time being.
So, her idea was... extortion.
Waiting until a perfectly auspicious time, A'Diao picked up her phone and dialed a number in the darkness.
Du-du-du...
And so, late that night, Zhou Jiang, with a dejected face, apprehensively contacted the Principal. He tactfully recounted his experience of being jolted awake in the middle of the night by voice message spam from a certain 'harbinger-of-doom female ghost,' and finally played said person's voice message.
“Captain Zhou, it's so late, I didn't want to disturb you, but...”
“Actually, perhaps I shouldn't have come out of that mountain gully. Then I wouldn't have offended so many people. If I hadn't come to Jinling, Cui Yun wouldn't have died, and my father wouldn't detest me for causing trouble. I truly am an inauspicious person...”
It was like a stereo surround sound of Lin Daiyu plus Sister Xianglin. But because it was a little girl's voice, it genuinely sounded pitiful and moving, as if weeping and lamenting.
But was a Lin Daiyu who buried people alive instead of flowers still Lin Daiyu?
Zhou Jiang really couldn't take it anymore.
The most terrifying part was that this damn girl even sent him a photo of herself supposedly vomiting blood, saying she had been fraught with anxiety these past few days, afraid of being abandoned by her family and retaliated against by the Cui Clan... claiming even her chronic, prematurely-aging tuberculosis had flared up.
Damn it! It was terrifying in the middle of the night. Mainly, his wife, sleeping beside him, saw a photo dripping with fresh blood sent by a little girl, and her imagination ran wild. She got out of bed, rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and was about to hang him up for interrogation.
Principal: “...”
The elder brother was an uncommunicative type who wouldn't say more than a few words in years, while the younger sister had developed in the opposite direction. She had a whole repertoire of acts, and the things she said could be compiled into several theses.
She even created her own 'evidence'.
“Ask her what she wants.”
The Principal knew that, logically speaking, the school indeed owed her, so her extortion was justified.
It was just that her methods were a bit old-fashioned and theatrical.
Zhou Jiang: “No need to ask. She said she doesn't want money, she just wants to see that little bug...”
Understood. She wanted compensation for mental, physical, and personal safety damages worth at least seven million Star Coins.
“Give her 20 level-1 Spirit Cores. Tell her it was due to the academy's ineffective management this time, and such a situation will not occur again. Also, tell her that if she's going to extort people in the future, she should pick a more 'living world' time. 3 AM is unethical. It's fine for you, but not for me.”
Zhou Jiang: “...”
What did he mean? Was he telling her she could do this again next time?
And only target me?
The next morning, as soon as the old butler opened the door, he was checking the servants' work of cleaning the courtyards and entrance, while methodically arranging the various minor affairs of the entire household. Suddenly, he received a report from the front hall gatekeeper and learned that Captain Zhou had arrived.
Wow, the bloodshot veins under his eyes were quite severe. Did he have nightmares and stay up all night?
Zhou Jiang had come to deliver something. The old butler didn't ask, took the box, and said, “Captain Zhou, please wait a moment. I'll go and ask Third Miss to get up. You...”
“No need, no need, absolutely no need.” Zhou Jiang turned, jumped onto his aircraft, and fled, terrified that if he were a step too slow, he would encounter a certain female ghost.
Old Butler: “???”
A'Diao washed her face and received the items, which was within her expectations. However, she had slept well last night and had successfully obtained the desired Spirit Cores this morning, so her mood was delightful. While eating breakfast, she upgraded the 'Toilet'.
The already redeemed skills won't be mentioned; the focus is on the redeemable skills.
Level: 3 (Current Energy 10/200, 190 more energy points needed for Level 4. Note: Level 3 provides a sub-dimensional space to store materials needed for some skills, such as Gaze Threads materials.)
Psychic Power: 262,410.
Simultaneous Spiritual Energy Release: 4 wisps.
Redeemable Skills:
1: Even Your Parents Wouldn't Recognize You (Disguise Skill, requires 10,000 psychic power to redeem, 10,000 psychic power per level upgrade, max level 10, costs 1,000 psychic power per hour of use.)
2: Vacuum Compression Special Effect 202 (Status Skill, requires 10,000 psychic power to redeem, upgradable, 10,000 psychic power per level upgrade, costs 1,000 psychic power per hour of use, level has no upper limit.)
3: Tendon-Separating Bone-Misplacing Soup (Auxiliary Medicinal Tonic Formula, requires 50,000 psychic power to redeem.)
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