2

Chen Ping wandered aimlessly down the street, each step feeling as though he were treading on soft cotton, light and insubstantial.

The surrounding noise and hustle seemed to have no bearing on him; he drifted alone, his heart heavy with confusion and fear, overwhelming him like a rising tide.

The neon lights blinked intermittently, the traffic flowed relentlessly, and occasionally, the distant sound of dogs barking could be heard, but none of it helped him reclaim even the faintest memory.

Suddenly, a young man in an expensive suit brushed past him, deliberately bumping into Chen Ping. 

The collision almost caused Chen Ping to stumble, but he managed to steady himself in time, though a surge of inexplicable anger and fear rose within him.

He lifted his gaze to the young man, who wore a faint sneer on his face, his eyes gleaming with a provocative challenge.

"Watch where you're going!" the man yelled, his voice intentionally sharp, as if relishing the moment of superiority.

Chen Ping froze, unsure of how to respond, standing there awkwardly.

The fear inside him seemed to spread, as if an invisible hand were tightening around his throat.

At that moment, a familiar voice echoed in his mind: "System prompt: The host has been provoked. The skill [Scam] is now available. Would you like to use it?"

Chen Ping's heart raced. He instinctively glanced at the man, a strange, deep intuition urging him that this was an opportunity.

He took a deep breath, trying to make his expression appear even more helpless and pained.

"I... What happened to me?" His voice quivered, as if the collision had truly left him injured.

Slowly, he bent over, clutching his stomach, his face contorted with pain.

The young man, seeing this, furrowed his brow but did not cease his taunting.

"You're faking it, aren't you? You deliberately bumped into me, now you want to scam me?" His tone turned even more cutting, as though looking for any flaw to exploit.

Chen Ping closed his eyes, a flood of fleeting images passing through his mind, but none of them were clear enough for him to hold onto.

He only felt his body weakening, as though the impact had genuinely left its mark.

He was on the brink of collapsing, yet his hand clung tightly to the man's jacket.

"Brother, it really hurts... please, take me to the doctor," Chen Ping's voice trembled, sounding as though he were genuinely pleading for help, not acting.

The young man's face darkened. He hadn't expected Chen Ping to fall so easily.

He frowned, thinking over what to do next.

In that crucial moment, a thought flashed through Chen Ping's mind. He realized that this could be his chance for a turnaround.

"Answer me..." Chen Ping's voice was low and firm, and the words seemed to become his shield, restoring a flicker of confidence in him.

The young man's eyes flickered with surprise, as though he sensed something unusual in Chen Ping's tone.

Then, Chen Ping's lips curled into the faintest of smiles, a look of quiet amusement in his eyes.

He slowly stood up, the pain on his face dissipating, replaced by an air of calm assurance.

"What kind of trick are you playing?" The young man's voice grew cold and sharp.

Chen Ping smiled faintly and walked toward him, his gaze laced with a subtle mockery.

"Brother, I believe you forgot to bring any money, didn't you?" His voice was soft, yet the challenge was unmistakable.

The young man's expression shifted, a flash of unease crossing his features. He quickly stepped back, sensing the growing tension.

In that instant, Chen Ping's hand shot out toward the young man's pocket. The confused man had no time to react as Chen Ping swiftly pulled out a gleaming set of keys from his pocket.

A victorious smile spread across Chen Ping's face, and he whispered, "Answer me, does this key open your door?" His words cut the air, and the young man's face turned ashen. At that moment, Chen Ping felt all his strength drain away, and his vision blurred. His body involuntarily collapsed backward.

With a dull thud, he hit the ground, sprawling like a broken doll, dust rising into the air.

He groaned in pain, clutching his stomach, his features contorting in agony, resembling a crushed toad.

His acting was impeccable—if someone didn't know better, they would have believed he'd been run over by a truck.

"Ouch! It hurts so much! My stomach! My back! My..." Chen Ping's voice was raw with distress, a cry so full of pain and despair that it could make anyone believe he was on the brink of death.

The air around him seemed to freeze, and passersby slowed to a halt, crowding around him like spectators at a circus, murmuring and pointing at his prone form.

The young man stood there stunned. He hadn't anticipated that Chen Ping would go this far with the ruse.

He had only wanted to give this weakling a small lesson, but to his surprise, the guy was more ruthless than he thought, turning the tables on him with skill.

Looking around at the growing crowd, the young man began to panic.

If this blew up, it would damage his reputation.

He was the heir to the Zhou Corporation—how could he let some lowly trickster extort him like this?

"Hey, are you alright?" the young man asked, trying to remain calm, though his mind was racing with ways to escape.

"Alright? I'm dying here! You crashed into me like this, and now you ask if I'm alright? Do you have any conscience?" Chen Ping rolled on the ground, his cries growing louder, as though venting every grievance he'd ever suffered.

He stole a quick glance at the growing crowd, noticing more and more bystanders gathering. A wicked grin spread across his face: You want to fight with me? You're not ready.

The young man's face went pale. His teeth clenched as he considered making his escape.

But Chen Ping clung to his leg like an unshakable dog's leash, refusing to let go.

"Brother, I'm sorry! I was wrong! I shouldn't have bumped into you! Please, have mercy, let me go!" Chen Ping wailed, his face contorted with tears, a pathetic figure resembling a helpless wife being bullied.

The young man was on the verge of losing control.

This guy was a born actor!

Taking a deep breath, he struggled to maintain his composure, pulling out a stack of bills from his pocket and shoving it into Chen Ping's hands.

"Take the money and get out of here!" he spat through gritted teeth, his voice filled with revulsion.

Chen Ping seized the money, his face lighting up with a radiant smile, as though he'd won the lottery.

"Thank you, brother! Thank you, you're a good person!" He scrambled to his feet, bowing and grinning like a dog eager for praise.

The young man shot him a venomous glare before turning on his heel, eager to flee the scene.

He felt as if the universe had conspired against him today—he'd been scammed by some street punk.

The crowd around them slowly dispersed, leaving Chen Ping standing alone in the street, clutching the cash tightly.

His smile faded as his eyes grew blank, confusion creeping into his gaze.

He looked down at the money in his hand and then around, lost in the world, unsure of where he was or who he was.

"Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?" Chen Ping murmured, his eyes vacant, like a child lost in a darkened world.

He shook his head, trying to summon some memory, but it was all in vain.

Then, his gaze fell on a nearby food stall, and the delicious aroma of cooked meat wafted over, making his stomach growl in hunger.

"I'm so hungry..." He placed a hand on his stomach and muttered, "I'll grab something to eat first..."

With that, he stepped toward the stall, his back hunched and desolate, clutching the unfamiliar stack of cash like it was the only thing tethering him to reality.

When he reached the stall, the wide array of food options left him unsure of what to choose.

"Boss, one bowl of beef noodles!" A deep voice called out from behind him.

Chen Ping turned to see a broad-shouldered man standing there, holding two bottles of beer.

"Coming right up!" The stall owner responded, already turning to prepare the order.

Chen Ping looked at the man and, without thinking, asked, "Answer me... do you know who I am?"

The man paused for a moment, sizing Chen Ping up, before shaking his head, "I don't know you."

A look of disappointment crossed Chen Ping's face. "Then who am I..."