Touching the red line

Liu Shiyi is incredibly quick. It didn't take long for him to arrange the entire "performance troupe." All that's left is to set up a few tables for a banquet and pop champagne for celebration.

"Congratulations to Xiaopinzi from the Victory District for successfully securing a super deal of 20 million yen!

The performance troupe, keep playing music and firing cannons!" Liu Shiyi shouted through a loudspeaker while standing in the playground.

Yan Zi, holding a handkerchief, bustled around him, occasionally wiping his sweat.

"Boom!"

Colorful fireworks exploded in the sky. For a moment, it felt like I was back in my hometown in Hunan. Whenever there was a celebration, like the New Year, birthdays, or weddings, people would set off fireworks and firecrackers. The atmosphere was always warm, exciting, and happy.

At this moment, all I felt was humiliation, absurdity, and sadness.

The fireworks and drums lasted over ten minutes before they stopped. A red banner with yellow writing was hung outside the studio by the lackeys, reading: "Congratulations to Xiaopinzi for securing a 20 million yen deal!"

Damn, at first glance, you'd think it was 20 million RMB. But it's just the worthless yen.

"I'll take you to the high-end restaurant for lunch to improve our meals," I said to Bayi as I sat down, patting the 20,000 yuan in cash.

"I can't go in there. How about you pack some good food for me?" Bayi grinned, looking like my younger brother when he tried to avoid a beating.

"Glutton!" I patted his flat stomach, logged off, and shut down my computer. No point in working anymore—20 million yen is enough for me to take a whole day off.

From what I know, last time Chen Weiqiang brought Ace Old Fox to bail me out, he promised him a deal. Since they earned a lot, they kept in touch secretly.

As for Ace's talk about the combat training field, it was nonsense. There's no training field in the KK District, and I don't even care for that lousy gym. I'd rather meditate and practice in my dormitory.

Late at night, I'll secretly learn Guangxi Ang Quan from Wrench...

Ang Quan is an ancient martial art from Guangxi, sometimes referred to as the mother of Muay Thai. It has elements of Baji Quan and is known for its powerful and direct attacks. It's said that Ang Quan was instrumental in the renowned bravery of the Zhuang soldiers from Guangxi.

Wrench said he couldn't master Ang Quan due to personal and health reasons, using it only for self-defense and basic living. But I know he's being modest, hiding his true strength to avoid trouble from the likes of Mao Dinglun and Paithun.

On the other hand, I, being too flashy, attract jealousy and trouble. It's a miracle I've survived this long.

Among the three major internal martial arts in China, I'm best at Tai Chi. I also know a bit of Bagua and Xingyi, though their essence differs.

When I was in university, I represented Hunan in national "internal martial arts" competitions and exchanged techniques with masters from various schools. My master later secretly taught me other martial arts, urging me to integrate them into a new, more powerful style.

But I haven't achieved my master's vision yet, as I was tricked into coming to Myanmar to be a scammer.

Wrench taught me the core of Ang Quan, which I learned quickly due to my martial arts background. My master once said I was the most talented of my generation.

In modern times, Yang Luchan was the peak master of internal martial arts, and more recently, it was Ip Man. It's said that Ip Man was so angry at Bruce Lee for teaching students abroad that he didn't teach him internal martial arts, leading to Lee's sudden death.

I've often wondered if my internal martial arts combined with Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do could stand against Muay Thai. Jeet Kune Do lacks internal techniques and can be harmful without them. It relies purely on strength and needs internal techniques to reach a higher level.

I've pondered countless scenarios in my mind, trying to find a better solution, but nothing comes to mind.

"Bang!"

The sound of a falling chair interrupted my thoughts. Turning around, I saw the new guy lying on the ground, being electrocuted and beaten by Lacey.

"You ungrateful dog! We told you to scam people, and you want to play the good guy? Today you'll learn your lesson. Guards, drag him to the black room..." Lacey spat on his face before storming off to the black room. Two lackeys quickly dragged the begging man away.

I looked at his workstation and saw he had met a naive girl while scamming. She was willing to help him and even wanted to call the police. Each message was full of concern, making him emotional. He confessed the company's location and name, urging her to withdraw her money...

This was a major taboo, a red line in the district. He'd likely get his kidneys cut out by Liu Shiyi!

Even though he scammed a few thousand dollars today, it wouldn't offset his "fatal mistake." His fate now depended on Liu Shiyi's mood.

Regarding his domestic scams, I have to say a few words. Many people in China are being scammed, losing thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of yuan. As I update this book, a friend just told me several colleagues got scammed, asking me to use it as material.

It's not that they don't know about scams, but it's hard to avoid them.

Online scams seem distant, but they happen right around you, every minute.

The first common scam is suddenly getting a friend request from a "Ping An customer service representative." Their profile picture shows them in professional attire, with a stamped work ID, speaking in professional jargon.

If you're short on money, they offer loans from 10,000 to 500,000 yuan at 0.6% interest. All you need to do is fill out your personal information, and the loan is disbursed immediately. Wouldn't you be tempted?

Desperate for money, 99% of people would continue the conversation, clicking links, registering on their websites, and sending verification codes. At the crucial moment, they'd say your credit score is low and needs a deposit to increase it. In your desperation, you'd deposit thousands or tens of thousands.

And then, nothing. By the time you realize it, the money's in their offshore account. Reporting it to the police, they'd call you a "genius," saying it's lucky you didn't lose more, but the money can't be recovered, and the perpetrators can't be caught.

Stay alert, friends. There's no such thing as depositing money to increase credit for a loan. Yet, such absurd scams are happening right around us.